“Can’t say – saying it would be politically incorrect.” Liu Jun could barely stand up with Qian Hongming’s support. After thanking the instructor, he slowly walked out. “False benevolence and righteousness won’t do, hehe.”
“What else happened?”
“Nothing happened, just that this incident gave me sudden insight into many things. I’ve dug out the root cause. Since I know the root, I’ll know exactly what to do in the future and won’t make mistakes again.”
“What’s the root cause?” Qian Hongming knew Liu Jun had the engineering student habit of summarizing lessons and finding principles, and was very interested to know.
“The brilliant insights haven’t risen to theory yet. Let me summarize for two days and then tell you.” Liu Jun was grinning – having just rushed to spar with the instructor, after the fight, all the tension he’d felt these past days was completely beaten away. “Hey, I need to go shower over there, don’t kidnap me.”
“I’ll take you for a Turkish massage.”
Liu Jun let out a mock scream: “Oh, I’m a good person, I have a girlfriend, I don’t go to those places.”
“Stop talking nonsense. What’s your girlfriend actually like? Call her out to meet us.” Liu Jun had hinted to Qian Hongming countless times, but Qian Hongming could never remember seeing any beautiful women at Shi Yiji. Of course, today’s request was still refused because Liu Jun was beaten black and blue today with a poor appearance – he couldn’t let Yu Shanshan see him like this.
Liu Jun didn’t want to waste time on a massage table. He stubbornly endured the shower and applied medicinal patches, putting on a casual, thick T-shirt before coming out, finally looking somewhat human again. Qian Hongming waited in the car, and when Liu Jun sat down, he said: “Fourth Miss Yang just called to ask how your company’s situation was handled. I told her to come hear your theoretical summary herself. How much did you lose in total this time?”
“One worker who was finally trained properly – oh, this is what breaks my heart most. You don’t know how easy it is to train a worker for standardized operations, practically correcting them one by one by hand. Ah, no, should be losing two – the other one’s in jail…”
After hearing Liu Jun explain the whole story, Qian Hongming said strangely “Such a small factory, so many problems. No wonder several of my suppliers always complain to me about hardships. I used to think they were just making excuses to delay delivery times.”
“Speaking of delivery times, this incident delayed my shipments by three days. According to the contract, I thought I’d have to pay heavy penalties. Fortunately, this is China – thank heavens, when the client heard today that I’d already shipped, they had no complaints and even said they’d built in buffer time for receiving goods anyway. Incredibly lucky. This anticipated loss was avoided. My second most heartbreaking loss is that the bank loan has to be reconsidered. The bank had finally extended a tentacle, sigh.”
“Can you manage cash flow?”
“This accident somewhat disrupted my funding plan. I discussed it with the bank – they agreed to let me use my private property deed as collateral for a loan. Fortunately, my father is quite a wealthy old man with some savings.”
“For working capital within five hundred thousand, don’t be polite with me in the future – just ask.”
Liu Jun was stunned, looking in surprise at Qian Hongming, who was concentrating on driving, wondering how much capability Qian Hongming must have to say such a thing so casually. But Qian Hongming was looking in surprise in another direction – at the other end of the parking lot, where he’d just reached, Yang Li hurriedly got out of her car, her quick strides indicating inner urgency. He nudged Liu Jun, making him look at Yang Li. “Fourth Miss Yang is very enthusiastic about being with you.”
“She’s helped me a lot lately. She seems… interested in me.”
“Be careful, Yang Xun doesn’t break your legs. That kind of person isn’t someone you can casually provoke. I’ll never help you arrange meetings with her again.”
Liu Jun shrugged noncommittally. After sitting in the car for a while, his movement became even more inconvenient. Since he didn’t need to act tough in front of Qian Hongming anyway, he groaned and crawled out of the car door, dragging his feet out of the parking lot. Seeing this, Yang Li looked knowing, stood up and personally pulled out a chair for Liu Jun, saying: “Sorry, I forgot to remind you – handling this kind of situation, inexperienced security is useless. You need two bodyguards with you at all times.”
“What are you talking about? He brought it on himself, daring to challenge a black belt instructor, getting beaten like a punching bag. Fortunately, I arrived in time to stop him, or he would have kept challenging recklessly.”
Liu Jun grinned and opened the menu to see what to eat. Yang Li was startled but then understood: “This is just the beginning. You need to prepare for a prolonged war, ready to deal with the deceased’s family remembering during holidays and festivals, coming to burn incense and wail, plus figuring out ways to extract pension and compensation funds from the work injury insurance fund.”
“How long does this process usually take?” Liu Jun reluctantly drew his eyes away from the tempting menu.
“At least three months, at most a year, and not necessarily approved even then. In short, one assessment meeting after another until you’re so annoyed you’d rather pay the deceased’s family out of your pocket, treating it as if the company hadn’t paid work injury insurance and settling privately.” Seeing Liu Jun look at her in surprise, Yang Li said, “Don’t believe it?”
“But this is a government-mandated insurance fund, guaranteed by government credibility…” It was Qian Hongming asking – he understood even less than Liu Jun.
“I believe, Miss Yang, based on experience. What Miss Yang said also perfectly fits the theory I’ve summarized. What would Miss Yang like to eat? I remember you like drunken river shrimp and boiled fish head.”
Qian Hongming couldn’t help making faces on the side – Liu Jun was surrounded by involuntary romantic opportunities. After Yang Li ordered, he quickly ordered filling dishes and sent the waiter away. Yang Li immediately pressed: “What theory?”
“Since I formally returned to work, I discovered that people domestically have great feelings of insecurity, are wary of their surroundings, very suspicious in their actions. Even exercising in the park, I was sized up and tested by old ladies countless times before being cleared of danger signals. I used to dismiss this, thinking domestic trust was lacking after so many political movements. Only today did I realize there are other deep-rooted causes.”
Just then, a plate of salt and pepper spare ribs arrived first. Liu Jun immediately stopped talking to fill his stomach first. Qian Hongming laughed: “Your eating manners!” But Yang Li smiled and pushed the plate toward Liu Jun.
Finally, after two spare ribs, Liu Jun said to Yang Li: “Let me start with the conflict between me and your elder brother. That matter was originally easy to resolve – the law has clear regulations, and a lawsuit would be black and white. But precisely because of the absence of government-led law enforcement agencies, we both independently sought solutions, not hesitating to use underworld figures. Similarly, due to law enforcement agencies’ absence, when the deceased’s family besieged my company this time, we gave advance notice to the police station, but they said to let us negotiate and resolve it ourselves. Finally, we had to use underworld figures too. Precisely because trustworthy institutions are absent, some people are especially daring, knowing that daring action brings great benefits, while others are forced to take extreme countermeasures, resulting in mutual destruction. Ultimately, both sides pay considerable costs, with few people gaining real benefits. Also, precisely because people don’t believe institutions will protect them, everyone is as wary as hedgehogs, preferring to use distrust to protect themselves. I’ve signed many supply and sales contracts so far – buyers dare not pay advances, sellers dare not start work without advances, resulting in extremely high transaction costs. Every contract reserves risk costs, and even our domestic prices are higher than export prices, extremely abnormal. This is my first point: high social costs caused by the law enforcement agency. Am I right?”
Yang Li’s face showed embarrassment when Liu Jun started by using their families’ conflict as an example, but hearing Liu Jun continue matter-of-factly, she immediately listened seriously. Liu Jun’s explanation also unconsciously relieved some of her guilt toward Liu Jun. She nodded repeatedly. But Qian Hongming kept moving dishes toward Liu Jun, trying to interrupt him and make him eat properly and talk less, unsuccessfully. Liu Jun had been holding back for days, his belly full of complaints.
“So the difficulty in work injury insurance payouts is your second reason?” Yang Li most appreciated people who could abstract examples to theoretical heights.
“Yes, what you just said about difficult work injury insurance payouts reminded me. The absence of social security systems is the deep cause of several incidents I’ve encountered since returning home. Workers have serious short-term mentalities, holding the psychology of grabbing what they can and leaving, lacking attitudes of excellence. So my father’s former enterprise employees didn’t think about how to do good work, but how to threaten the boss for extra income. My out-of-town employees, needing family funds first, thought of disregarding the enterprise’s survival – they think of getting their fill personally and then changing jobs elsewhere, because local labor protection can’t constrain them or manage their later years. There are also the deceased’s family members – clearly, there are stipulated work death insurance regulations, but they don’t believe they can get it through normal channels, preferring to believe in violence. You see, the absence of social security systems invisibly burdens enterprises with enormous social costs. Most infuriating is that law-abiding enterprises are hit hardest. Done poorly, it’s another case of bad money driving out good.”
Qian Hongming finally couldn’t stand it: “Your medicinal patch smell is already seriously affecting my appetite. Please stop teasing the government – it’s useless and will only give me stomach spasms.”
“You just strongly demanded I form theories and tell you.”
“The problem is you can’t go three sentences without mentioning government. I can conclude your summary is also pointless – in short, two words: useless.”
“But as long as I understand the principles, I can draw inferences and avoid the ‘useless’ trap in the future.”
“Unfortunately, your idealism makes it hard for you to define some things as ‘useless.'”
“No matter. First, I’m thick-skinned. Second, walls are good teachers.”
“I’m exhausted on your behalf.”
Liu Jun had plenty of sharp retorts, but suddenly lost his temper. He stuffed his mouth with Chinese broccoli to stop the argument, giving Qian Hongming just two words: “You’re right.”
Yang Li had been watching the battle silently like a gentleman, cheering for Liu Jun in her heart, but was also left speechless by this sudden turnaround of “you’re right.” After thinking it over, she said to Qian Hongming, “People need venting opportunities.”
“Men value suppressed passion.” Qian Hongming stopped there, making a joke.
“Suppressed passion hurts the liver. I won’t be a suppressed man. But Miss Yang, do I now have to be forced to help the deceased’s family with the arduous compensation application procedures in a suppressed fashion?”
“No, you just need to suppressively provoke the deceased’s family to pester the work injury compensation personnel themselves.”
“Liu Jun won’t have the heart to – don’t look at how the deceased’s family stimulated him to want to kill, but after a good night’s sleep, he’ll be soft-hearted again. Walls can’t kill him.”
“Don’t provoke me.” Liu Jun looked helplessly at his friend, who always exposed him.
Yang Li smiled: “Having the company come forward might not be as effective as family members pestering desperately.”
Qian Hongming laughed: “See? Theory applied to practice or not? Drawing inferences or not?”
Yang Li said seriously, “Comrade Qian, today isn’t suitable for saying these things.”
Qian Hongming still laughed: “Don’t think Liu Jun is a balloon – he’s not that delicate. Believe it or not, he’ll turn around and act impressive in front of his girlfriend.”
Yang Li remained composed: “It’s not easy for General Liu and his girlfriend, separated by such distances…”
“Not anymore.” Liu Jun answered himself. “Do you remember Yu Shanshan? She’s from your Shi Yiji. When my company’s startup reached a stage, I went through great trouble to contact her.” Liu Jun still held back from Yang Li, unwilling to reveal the details of his ongoing relationship with Yu Shanshan, to avoid Yang Xun suspecting Yu Shanshan.
“She… she… she’s very beautiful.”
“Thank you.” Liu Jun said no more. Qian Hongming also stopped deliberately finding topics to hint to Yang Li that Liu Jun had a girlfriend. In Qian Hongming’s view, Liu Jun’s weakest link was handling interpersonal relationships, but his help should stop here – more would be counterproductive.
“Your girlfriend doesn’t object to you boxing? How exactly are taekwondo levels divided?” Yang Li quickly regained composure and casually changed the subject.
After the meal, Qian Hongming drove Liu Jun back to the company. At the company gate, they saw the deceased’s parents sitting sadly by a small incense burner with three sticks of incense. Qian Hongming kept telling Liu Jun to go directly into the company, but Liu Jun didn’t agree. He sat on the ground in front of the deceased’s parents, bowed three times first, then told Qian Hongming to go home. Qian Hongming looked at the security guards keeping watch nearby and left somewhat uneasily.