Li Fanyu felt uneasy seeing the drastic change in Lu Heming’s situation after his downfall. He quickly waved his hand and said, "No need to be so formal, have a seat."
Lu Heming bowed slightly, stammering his thanks. He stole a glance at Li Fanyu and did not see the mocking or gloating look he had feared. This helped calm him down a bit.
Ordinarily, Lu Heming would have saved up a good amount over the years. Even after being suspended, he shouldn't have fallen on such hard times. However, his wife, who had enjoyed being an official's spouse for many years, quickly filed for divorce when he fell from grace. Much of his wealth, which was illicit and managed by his wife, was lost in the divorce. All he was left with was an empty house.
In just a few days, Lu Heming experienced a drastic life change. Reflecting on his past, he decided that if he had to fall, he would choose a good place to stand up again. Hence, this visit.
Li Fanyu, who usually didn’t indulge in formalities, didn’t even have a tea set in his office. He turned to grab two bottles of mineral water. Handing one over, he said, "I don’t drink tea. Hope this is okay. So, what brings you here?"
He wanted to address him as "General Manager Lu" but found it inappropriate and ended up avoiding any specific title.
Lu Heming placed the water on the coffee table, his eyes filled with plea, "Mr. Li, you might have heard about my situation... I'm in dire straits..."
Li Fanyu, though feeling some sympathy, was no saint. He knew well what kind of person Lu Heming had been. Even if Zhengxin was looking to hire, they wouldn’t want such a slippery character. Before Lu Heming could finish, Li Fanyu waved his hand, "I won’t call you Mr. Lu anymore. You’re older, so I’ll call you Brother Lu. Brother Lu, I probably know your situation better than anyone. No offense, but you dug your own grave. I can’t laugh at your hardship. If you need money, I can help, but Zhengxin can’t take you in."
Being rejected, Lu Heming stood up in agitation, "Mr. Li! Please give me a chance... I was a jerk before, but I can change! Give me any position; I promise I’ll do well. I started in technical roles!"
Li Fanyu sighed, shaking his head, and went to his desk to get a check. After a moment of thought, he wrote ten thousand on it.
"Take this ten thousand yuan, get back on your feet, and get through this tough time."
When Li Fanyu turned back, he saw Lu Heming kneeling on the floor.
"What are you doing? Get up!" Li Fanyu hurried over to pull him up.
"Mr. Li! I can't go back to a state-owned enterprise. My only chance is here with you. I promise I’ll do my best here. Please, take me in!"
Li Fanyu tried pulling him up twice but couldn’t, getting a bit annoyed, "We’re not hiring. What could you do here? Get up, don’t make me look down on you."
Clinging to Li Fanyu’s arm, Lu Heming looked up, resolutely saying, "I can be of use to you! I can help you secure the Shengshi C-level project!"
Li Fanyu couldn’t help but laugh at this. Government decisions aren’t changed on a whim. Beiqi had already taken over this project. Taking it from them would be like snatching food from a tiger's mouth.
Given Lu Heming’s current state, his claim seemed as naïve as a child proclaiming to conquer the world.
Lu Heming had planned this for a long time and came today with determination. Seeing Li Fanyu’s skeptical look, he hastily added, "The Shengshi C-level project was initiated to address the chaotic state of administrative vehicles in the country. Previously, local governments handled administrative car procurement. While office cars were manageable, leaders’ cars often exceeded the standard. Two years ago alone, the national expenditure on official vehicles reached over a hundred billion yuan. The Shengshi C-level project aims to partially solve this issue! I know all the technical requirements for this project. With Zhengxin’s capabilities, you can modify your A4 to meet these standards! Trust me, I can help you!"
The Shengshi C-level project was something Li Fanyu had some understanding of. What Lu Heming said, though exaggerated, was partly true.
Seeing Li Fanyu’s hesitation, Lu Heming clasped his hands together, raising them over his head, "Mr. Li, really, all I need is a chance!"
Li Fanyu pondered. The state’s effort to develop indigenous technologies was indisputable, partly because suitable models weren’t available domestically. Buying foreign cars meant huge maintenance costs. Hence, the real competitor was Beiqi. If Zhengxin could develop a compliant car before them, they might have a chance.
He sighed and helped Lu Heming up, dusting him off, "Tell me your plan."
Lu Heming’s previously dim eyes lit up. He pulled out a few neatly folded sheets from his pocket and spread them out in front of Li Fanyu.
"Mr. Li, to succeed, besides having a suitable model, you need to visit someone."
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