Chapter 8 Resolve Quickly, Process Quickly
That night, Kong Zhenghui, Liu Lao Er, and Bai Hongbo sat at the Su family compound until late into the night, discussing all the follow-up matters before leaving together.
The next morning, all the workers from the Su, Liu, Bai, and Kong families went on strike. The streets were not cleaned in the early morning, and the garbage was not properly collected at night. The entire Zhanan District's environmental sanitation system was almost paralyzed. Except for the employees of Changqing Company and a few small companies who were still working, more than 65% of the workers were on "vacation."
The paralysis of the environmental sanitation system for only one day may not have attracted the attention of the public, let alone be associated with internal conflicts within a dirty gang. However, for the management committee responsible for this matter, it was a major event that could not be ignored, so the management committee of the Zhanan District held an emergency meeting early in the morning.
Leaving aside the conflicts and arguments among the upper echelons, let's just talk about the price that the Su, Liu, Bai, and Kong families paid to plan this strike.
Firstly, the issue of wages during the strike period must be resolved by the company. The leaders who incited the workers to strike must also receive tangible benefits, so the distribution of funds was inevitable.
Secondly, a strike is a double-edged sword because once it is launched, the opponents are not only Changqing Company but also the police station, the upper echelons of the management committee, and even the District Governor's Office. Because the four families incited the workers to make trouble and caused a group event, it meant that they would cause a lot of trouble for the upper echelons. Therefore, the risks of these four families have also increased significantly. In other words, if the strike does not produce a positive result, then the future risks will be fatal.
In short, when the Su, Liu, Bai, and Kong families were unable to get out of their predicament, they chose to go all in, and the person pushing this matter was Su Tianyu, who had just arrived in Dragon City.
At ten o'clock in the morning, the core members of the Su, Liu, Bai, and Kong families went to the headquarters of the environmental sanitation management committee in the Zhanan District, leading three to four hundred people to sit in protest. The slogan was that Changqing Company engaged in illegal monopolies and did not give the working class a way out.
This move put Changqing Company on the hot seat because this was not a stable political and social environment. The political and social environment in Dragon City is extremely complicated and distorted. More than 20 years ago, during the post-apocalyptic ice age, there were nine major living areas worldwide, and the Chinese were the first to adapt to the post-apocalyptic environment because of their strong infrastructure capabilities, thus monopolizing the three major living areas of the Asian Alliance.
As disasters gradually subsided, even more terrifying man-made disasters emerged. Many ambitious and capable people took advantage of the post-apocalyptic era, consolidated resources, controlled the government, and became contemporary warlords, controlling huge resources.
There is division, there is also unification. After decades of development, the three major Chinese regions were the first to achieve unification. The defeated warlord political party, due to collusion with overseas forces and attempting to make a comeback, fled to the overseas first region, taking with them millions of troops, military dependents, elites, and civilians. These people went into exile overseas and gradually settled down under the political system of the European Union's first region, forming the current dragon city dominated by overseas Chinese.
When Dragon City was first established, the political officials of the European Union's first region wanted to directly manage it. However, after several years of trial and error, they realized that they were unable to effectively manage these overseas Chinese who had been displaced from their homeland. These people had a low sense of belonging to the first region's political officials, and before some policies were even implemented, they would be criticized for issues such as discrimination, division, and human rights. All of these discussions would be brought to light, which was a major headache.
Despite trying various methods, the results were not ideal. Therefore, the European Union's first region cleverly chose to let overseas Chinese manage themselves. Currently, the political system in Dragon City is that Chinese people hold core power, but it is still under the supervision of the first region's political officials. In other words, they do not interfere with the daily operations, but for major events, the top officials of the first region still need to give approval.
This approach is convenient and effective, and the rapid development of Dragon City in recent years has proven this. Many Chinese people from all over the world have come here, feeling that there are opportunities to make a name for themselves everywhere. However, under this political environment, most overseas Chinese civil servants also feel that they are working for outsiders, resulting in widespread corruption, chaotic law and order, and the proliferation of violent organizations. Various political factions are vying for power, making the situation very similar to a certain port city that did not return home in the 1950s and 1960s.
Therefore, as long as the internal conflict does not escalate on a large scale, the upper management and political departments will not bother to intervene. However, if there is a significant group event that draws attention from the supervisory departments, there will be some trouble.
This is why the strike by the Four Families is causing great difficulty for the Changqing Company. If this were a stable period, who would dare to take the lead and stir up trouble? They would definitely suffer greatly. However, the power distribution in Dragon City is very complex, and there are many factions within the management committee. Once the situation gets out of control, how can it be contained?
At one o'clock in the afternoon, Li Hongze, the boss of Changqing Company, rode in his luxury car to a high-end apartment in Longkou District. In a 400-square-meter luxury mansion, he met with Zheng Fu'an, the head of the Environmental Sanitation Management Association in Zhanan District.
In the dining room, Zheng Fu'an ate a lunch mainly consisting of vegetables and spoke softly, "Old Li, it's no problem if the strike lasts for one day or even one week, but it must have an end time. Otherwise, it will become a problem."
Li Hongze sat cross-legged, frowning and said, "Four companies causing trouble together, it's indeed a bit noisy."
"I just came to power, and Zhanan District had a problem. This easily invites gossip," Zheng Fu'an said, drinking rice porridge. "I have two suggestions for you: One, if you can't suppress this matter, then release the leaders of the four companies and discuss this matter in the long run; Two, if you have a quick and effective solution, then solve the problem as soon as possible."
"The plan is already set in motion, and we've paid a high price to get here. Let's give it a try," Li Hongze replied.
"Then handle it quickly," Zheng Fu'an nodded.
Half an hour later, Li Hongze left Zheng Fu'an's home and returned to his own company.
In the conference room, more than a dozen men in suits with unfriendly faces were talking to each other.
"What do you all think?" Li Hongze asked while smoking.
Lu Feng, who was on a drip, replied concisely, "A strike? Then whoever leads it, I'll beat them. I don't believe that these three or four thousand workers are willing to risk their lives for these four companies. If we hurt a few and lay a few down, I want to see who still dares to shout?"
"The demand from the Police Department and the Police Bureau is that the strike can happen, but they cannot suffer," Li Hongze pointed out.
"Don't worry, we won't leave any loose ends," Lu Feng replied calmly.
—---
Zhanan District, Su Family's Large Courtyard.
Since Su Tianyu returned to Dragon City, he has been involved in the family's affairs, hardly getting any rest. Fortunately, he now stands from a bystander's perspective and has a clear understanding of the inter-office struggle of the sanitation workers in Zhanan District. He also doesn't believe that this matter is too complicated. If we don't consider Su Tiannan's righteous and steady personality, as well as the Su family's concern for its reputation, a more ruthless and cold style of work might have already pulled the Su family out of its predicament.
Of course, these are just Su Tianyu's personal thoughts. He had not planned to focus on the family when he returned to Dragon City, so he would not express some of his thoughts and would not entirely act according to his will.
In the evening, Su Miaomiao, the third sister who cares about her younger brother, prepared a table of delicious food for Su Tianyu to formally welcome him. Dozens of people in the family gathered to eat and chat, full of a warm and lively atmosphere.
In fact, even if Su Tianyu did not come back, the Su family members would still eat like this. With so many people and children, the whole family gathered together, it was always a joyous occasion. It's just that today, everyone can enjoy some good food under the limelight of Su Tianyu.
"Xiaoyu, today the family formally welcomes you." Su Tiannan raised his glass and said with a smile. "Since you have graduated, no matter what you do in the future, we, the brothers of this generation, must unite and work together, unable to be defeated, unyielding, and help each other."
"That's a must." Su Tianyu replied in the local dialect with a smile.
On the main seat, the second aunt looked at Su Tianyu and whispered, "Our Su family has always been united. Your predecessors, all fought on the battlefield together. As the old saying goes, even if the bone is broken, the tendon is still attached. No matter how long you are outside, when you come back, you are at home. Do you understand what I mean?"
"I understand, second aunt!" Su Tianyu replied with a grin. "I'll toast you, don't worry about Second Uncle. We will all do our best to make things better."
The second aunt was also very generous: "I am not worried about him. There are risks in this line of work. If he gets shot, I will bury him. If he gets sentenced for life, I will wait for him."
"Second aunt is indeed a heroine among women!" Su Tianyu listened to the second aunt's words with great respect.
The previous generation of the Su family had gone through a very turbulent era, and their mental resilience was exceptionally strong. They could handle anything.
After toasting with his second aunt, Su Tianyu turned his head and saw Su Miaomiao walking towards him in a short skirt and black stockings, holding a dish of fish. "Here, this is the carp I made for you. I know you love it. I ran to four different markets to buy it," she said.
Su Tianyu smiled and replied, "Third sister, you're really good at tearing stockings. I'll have to choose a strong man when looking for a brother-in-law in the future."
"Stop teasing me, or I'll beat you up!" Su Miaomiao pulled her younger brother's ear.
Su Tiannan was older than his siblings Tianyu, Tianbei, and Su Miaomiao. When they were young, they were always together.
As the family chatted, the intellectual Bai Hongbo walked in with his two brothers. He held a flip phone in his left hand, a symbol of his status, and walked in with a swagger. He had a bandage wrapped around his head. "Hey, are we having dinner?" he asked.
"Hey, Brother Bai!" Su Tiannan stood up. "We're having dinner together as a family. Come and join us."
"I came to talk about something else," Bai Hongbo turned his head and saw Su Miaomiao in her black stockings and short skirt. His eyes lit up. "Miaomiao, your stockings are so pretty!"
Su Miaomiao and Bai Hongbo knew each other well, but she was annoyed by his fake persona. She rolled her eyes and replied, "Brother Bai, your headband is pretty unique too."
"Damn it, I get angry every time I think about it." Bai Hongbo cursed loudly. "I'll kill Lu Feng sooner or later! If I can't get him, I'll go to the nursing home and take care of his mother. I'll definitely get him!"
"The situation is clear, don't get angry," Su Tiannan politely asked Bai Hongbo to sit down and instructed his servant, "Xiaozhan, bring Brother Bai a set of utensils."
Bai Hongbo turned to Su Tianyu and unconsciously touched the wound on his head. "Little Su, oh Little Su, you're not playing fair! When Lu Feng chased after you in the yard, you ran in front of me. You were so fast that you left a trail behind you. You're so damn mean! I just want to ask, what did Brother Bai do to offend you...?"
—---
In a villa in the Longkou District of Dragon City, a handsome middle-aged man in a white shirt sat in a chair, reading a book.
"The workers in Zhanan District are on strike," a man on the sofa said softly.
"Let's wait and see. If anyone from those four families comes to see me these days, don't receive them. Just turn them away," the middle-aged man replied indifferently.
Two young and beautiful women walked into the villa's hall downstairs. One of them was the owner of the red sports car, the pretty girl with big eyes.
Chapter 8 Resolve Quickly, Process Quickly
That night, Kong Zhenghui, Liu Lao Er, and Bai Hongbo sat at the Su family compound until late into the night, discussing all the follow-up matters before leaving together.
The next morning, all the workers from the Su, Liu, Bai, and Kong families went on strike. The streets were not cleaned in the early morning, and the garbage was not properly collected at night. The entire Zhanan District's environmental sanitation system was almost paralyzed. Except for the employees of Changqing Company and a few small companies who were still working, more than 65% of the workers were on "vacation."
The paralysis of the environmental sanitation system for only one day may not have attracted the attention of the public, let alone be associated with internal conflicts within a dirty gang. However, for the management committee responsible for this matter, it was a major event that could not be ignored, so the management committee of the Zhanan District held an emergency meeting early in the morning.
Leaving aside the conflicts and arguments among the upper echelons, let's just talk about the price that the Su, Liu, Bai, and Kong families paid to plan this strike.
Firstly, the issue of wages during the strike period must be resolved by the company. The leaders who incited the workers to strike must also receive tangible benefits, so the distribution of funds was inevitable.
Secondly, a strike is a double-edged sword because once it is launched, the opponents are not only Changqing Company but also the police station, the upper echelons of the management committee, and even the District Governor's Office. Because the four families incited the workers to make trouble and caused a group event, it meant that they would cause a lot of trouble for the upper echelons. Therefore, the risks of these four families have also increased significantly. In other words, if the strike does not produce a positive result, then the future risks will be fatal.
In short, when the Su, Liu, Bai, and Kong families were unable to get out of their predicament, they chose to go all in, and the person pushing this matter was Su Tianyu, who had just arrived in Dragon City.
At ten o'clock in the morning, the core members of the Su, Liu, Bai, and Kong families went to the headquarters of the environmental sanitation management committee in the Zhanan District, leading three to four hundred people to sit in protest. The slogan was that Changqing Company engaged in illegal monopolies and did not give the working class a way out.
This move put Changqing Company on the hot seat because this was not a stable political and social environment. The political and social environment in Dragon City is extremely complicated and distorted. More than 20 years ago, during the post-apocalyptic ice age, there were nine major living areas worldwide, and the Chinese were the first to adapt to the post-apocalyptic environment because of their strong infrastructure capabilities, thus monopolizing the three major living areas of the Asian Alliance.
As disasters gradually subsided, even more terrifying man-made disasters emerged. Many ambitious and capable people took advantage of the post-apocalyptic era, consolidated resources, controlled the government, and became contemporary warlords, controlling huge resources.
There is division, there is also unification. After decades of development, the three major Chinese regions were the first to achieve unification. The defeated warlord political party, due to collusion with overseas forces and attempting to make a comeback, fled to the overseas first region, taking with them millions of troops, military dependents, elites, and civilians. These people went into exile overseas and gradually settled down under the political system of the European Union's first region, forming the current dragon city dominated by overseas Chinese.
When Dragon City was first established, the political officials of the European Union's first region wanted to directly manage it. However, after several years of trial and error, they realized that they were unable to effectively manage these overseas Chinese who had been displaced from their homeland. These people had a low sense of belonging to the first region's political officials, and before some policies were even implemented, they would be criticized for issues such as discrimination, division, and human rights. All of these discussions would be brought to light, which was a major headache.
Despite trying various methods, the results were not ideal. Therefore, the European Union's first region cleverly chose to let overseas Chinese manage themselves. Currently, the political system in Dragon City is that Chinese people hold core power, but it is still under the supervision of the first region's political officials. In other words, they do not interfere with the daily operations, but for major events, the top officials of the first region still need to give approval.
This approach is convenient and effective, and the rapid development of Dragon City in recent years has proven this. Many Chinese people from all over the world have come here, feeling that there are opportunities to make a name for themselves everywhere. However, under this political environment, most overseas Chinese civil servants also feel that they are working for outsiders, resulting in widespread corruption, chaotic law and order, and the proliferation of violent organizations. Various political factions are vying for power, making the situation very similar to a certain port city that did not return home in the 1950s and 1960s.
Therefore, as long as the internal conflict does not escalate on a large scale, the upper management and political departments will not bother to intervene. However, if there is a significant group event that draws attention from the supervisory departments, there will be some trouble.
This is why the strike by the Four Families is causing great difficulty for the Changqing Company. If this were a stable period, who would dare to take the lead and stir up trouble? They would definitely suffer greatly. However, the power distribution in Dragon City is very complex, and there are many factions within the management committee. Once the situation gets out of control, how can it be contained?
At one o'clock in the afternoon, Li Hongze, the boss of Changqing Company, rode in his luxury car to a high-end apartment in Longkou District. In a 400-square-meter luxury mansion, he met with Zheng Fu'an, the head of the Environmental Sanitation Management Association in Zhanan District.
In the dining room, Zheng Fu'an ate a lunch mainly consisting of vegetables and spoke softly, "Old Li, it's no problem if the strike lasts for one day or even one week, but it must have an end time. Otherwise, it will become a problem."
Li Hongze sat cross-legged, frowning and said, "Four companies causing trouble together, it's indeed a bit noisy."
"I just came to power, and Zhanan District had a problem. This easily invites gossip," Zheng Fu'an said, drinking rice porridge. "I have two suggestions for you: One, if you can't suppress this matter, then release the leaders of the four companies and discuss this matter in the long run; Two, if you have a quick and effective solution, then solve the problem as soon as possible."
"The plan is already set in motion, and we've paid a high price to get here. Let's give it a try," Li Hongze replied.
"Then handle it quickly," Zheng Fu'an nodded.
Half an hour later, Li Hongze left Zheng Fu'an's home and returned to his own company.
In the conference room, more than a dozen men in suits with unfriendly faces were talking to each other.
"What do you all think?" Li Hongze asked while smoking.
Lu Feng, who was on a drip, replied concisely, "A strike? Then whoever leads it, I'll beat them. I don't believe that these three or four thousand workers are willing to risk their lives for these four companies. If we hurt a few and lay a few down, I want to see who still dares to shout?"
"The demand from the Police Department and the Police Bureau is that the strike can happen, but they cannot suffer," Li Hongze pointed out.
"Don't worry, we won't leave any loose ends," Lu Feng replied calmly.
—---
Zhanan District, Su Family's Large Courtyard.
Since Su Tianyu returned to Dragon City, he has been involved in the family's affairs, hardly getting any rest. Fortunately, he now stands from a bystander's perspective and has a clear understanding of the inter-office struggle of the sanitation workers in Zhanan District. He also doesn't believe that this matter is too complicated. If we don't consider Su Tiannan's righteous and steady personality, as well as the Su family's concern for its reputation, a more ruthless and cold style of work might have already pulled the Su family out of its predicament.
Of course, these are just Su Tianyu's personal thoughts. He had not planned to focus on the family when he returned to Dragon City, so he would not express some of his thoughts and would not entirely act according to his will.
In the evening, Su Miaomiao, the third sister who cares about her younger brother, prepared a table of delicious food for Su Tianyu to formally welcome him. Dozens of people in the family gathered to eat and chat, full of a warm and lively atmosphere.
In fact, even if Su Tianyu did not come back, the Su family members would still eat like this. With so many people and children, the whole family gathered together, it was always a joyous occasion. It's just that today, everyone can enjoy some good food under the limelight of Su Tianyu.
"Xiaoyu, today the family formally welcomes you." Su Tiannan raised his glass and said with a smile. "Since you have graduated, no matter what you do in the future, we, the brothers of this generation, must unite and work together, unable to be defeated, unyielding, and help each other."
"That's a must." Su Tianyu replied in the local dialect with a smile.
On the main seat, the second aunt looked at Su Tianyu and whispered, "Our Su family has always been united. Your predecessors, all fought on the battlefield together. As the old saying goes, even if the bone is broken, the tendon is still attached. No matter how long you are outside, when you come back, you are at home. Do you understand what I mean?"
"I understand, second aunt!" Su Tianyu replied with a grin. "I'll toast you, don't worry about Second Uncle. We will all do our best to make things better."
The second aunt was also very generous: "I am not worried about him. There are risks in this line of work. If he gets shot, I will bury him. If he gets sentenced for life, I will wait for him."
"Second aunt is indeed a heroine among women!" Su Tianyu listened to the second aunt's words with great respect.
The previous generation of the Su family had gone through a very turbulent era, and their mental resilience was exceptionally strong. They could handle anything.
After toasting with his second aunt, Su Tianyu turned his head and saw Su Miaomiao walking towards him in a short skirt and black stockings, holding a dish of fish. "Here, this is the carp I made for you. I know you love it. I ran to four different markets to buy it," she said.
Su Tianyu smiled and replied, "Third sister, you're really good at tearing stockings. I'll have to choose a strong man when looking for a brother-in-law in the future."
"Stop teasing me, or I'll beat you up!" Su Miaomiao pulled her younger brother's ear.
Su Tiannan was older than his siblings Tianyu, Tianbei, and Su Miaomiao. When they were young, they were always together.
As the family chatted, the intellectual Bai Hongbo walked in with his two brothers. He held a flip phone in his left hand, a symbol of his status, and walked in with a swagger. He had a bandage wrapped around his head. "Hey, are we having dinner?" he asked.
"Hey, Brother Bai!" Su Tiannan stood up. "We're having dinner together as a family. Come and join us."
"I came to talk about something else," Bai Hongbo turned his head and saw Su Miaomiao in her black stockings and short skirt. His eyes lit up. "Miaomiao, your stockings are so pretty!"
Su Miaomiao and Bai Hongbo knew each other well, but she was annoyed by his fake persona. She rolled her eyes and replied, "Brother Bai, your headband is pretty unique too."
"Damn it, I get angry every time I think about it." Bai Hongbo cursed loudly. "I'll kill Lu Feng sooner or later! If I can't get him, I'll go to the nursing home and take care of his mother. I'll definitely get him!"
"The situation is clear, don't get angry," Su Tiannan politely asked Bai Hongbo to sit down and instructed his servant, "Xiaozhan, bring Brother Bai a set of utensils."
Bai Hongbo turned to Su Tianyu and unconsciously touched the wound on his head. "Little Su, oh Little Su, you're not playing fair! When Lu Feng chased after you in the yard, you ran in front of me. You were so fast that you left a trail behind you. You're so damn mean! I just want to ask, what did Brother Bai do to offend you...?"
—---
In a villa in the Longkou District of Dragon City, a handsome middle-aged man in a white shirt sat in a chair, reading a book.
"The workers in Zhanan District are on strike," a man on the sofa said softly.
"Let's wait and see. If anyone from those four families comes to see me these days, don't receive them. Just turn them away," the middle-aged man replied indifferently.
Two young and beautiful women walked into the villa's hall downstairs. One of them was the owner of the red sports car, the pretty girl with big eyes.
