Chapter 42 The Big Leader

  After a while, Director Wu smiled like a flower bud and came to Su Cheng's face, saying in a low voice: "The 'AC variable frequency electric drive drilling machine' at the bottom of Jinshi General Factory belongs to us."

  This thing won the National Science and Technology Progress Award just a few years ago, with high economic value and development costs. If it were abroad, buying three double-acting oil pumps would be enough. Unfortunately, this is domestic, Du Lijun can neither prioritize money nor lie on his laurels to ask for benefits.

  The weak exchange, it's just so unfair.

  Thinking of Du Changzhang's depressed mood, Su Cheng smiled and asked, "Is that all?"

  "Isn't this enough? You and Old Gan are really alike. Hey, from now on, the Jinshi General Factory will be our Victory Oilfield Petroleum Machinery Factory's parts factory. We'll produce the finished double-horsehead oil extraction machines, and they'll produce the matching spare parts. The finished products will be allocated to them for sales matching, 30% as priority, not allowed to sell separately, hehe." Wu Hong couldn't help but laugh.

  Su City was full of whispers. This way, it's equivalent to the Victory Oil Field strangling the Tsingtao General Factory's neck. Just the annual accounts receivable alone would make Director Du bow his head and ask for help countless times. In this era, making finished products is much more profitable than making parts.

  If it weren't for this old lady from the Petroleum Ministry, Director Du would rather die than agree to such terms.

  Xiao Pang said enviously on the side: "Master, you guys are doing a great job. Unlike those in government departments, who are dull and boring."

  "It's really hard for you to go down to the grassroots level, and you don't want to." Su Cheng smiled and waved his hand.

  "You never know, one of these days I'll make a fortune." Little Fatty raised his chin.

  "Oh? If you really want to go into the sea, it's okay to come to the Victory Oil Field to try the waters." Su Cheng said casually.

  Xiao Pang's eyes lit up, this was still the first time, without being persuaded to think thrice before acting.

  "He lowered his head and thought for a moment: 'If I go to the Shengli Oil Field, what will I do?'"

  "Of course, it's doing oil-related business. Running transportation, drilling wells, and the most profitable one is contracting abandoned oil fields." What Su Cheng said was indeed one of the most profitable private businesses in this era.

  Xiao Pang has a low educational background, but relying on his family connections, he can still hold on in the ministry. However, in the central government, there are hidden dragons and crouching tigers, and solely relying on connections to get by will not end well. It's actually more comfortable to be an entrepreneur.

  As a cadre's son, Xiao Pang clearly knew his own limits. Hearing Su Cheng's words that sounded like they had some truth to them, he couldn't help but ask: "I know about running transportation, but what's the story with drilling wells and contracting abandoned oil fields?"

  "You can form your own drilling team, go to the oil field to take on projects, and earn as much money as you drill. If you can buy equipment yourself, the profit is quite good, it's just hard work." Su Cheng shrugged his shoulders and continued: "Contracting abandoned oil fields is a feature of Shengli Oilfield. You know, the oil fields there are particularly scattered, east and west. After decades of exploitation, some old oil fields have a daily output of less than 2 tons, which is considered an abandoned oil field. It's not cost-effective for Shengli Oilfield to exploit it itself, so it contracts it out to private bosses. There are many tricks in this, the contract price is different, and the profit is naturally different. Of course, the most profitable thing is to turn an abandoned oil field into a rich oil field, which is almost like winning the lottery."

  "How can it become a fatty field?" Little Fatty's mouth watered at the sound of it.

  Su Cheng smiled and shook his head, saying: "This is a test of vision. If you don't understand, just stick to making a profit honestly."

  Xiao Pang's eyes were venomous as he immediately asked: "Master, you understand, don't you?"

  Su Cheng smiled silently, not making a sound. He didn't actually understand either, but remembered some things vaguely. In reality, since the oil was underground, nobody could see it, so the so-called abandoned oil fields could only be judged by their output. Thick oil and blockages could all lead to incorrect judgments... Stories of overnight riches were being staged almost every month as the abandoned oil field leases expanded.

  In Xiaopang's eyes, his own master even understands computers, let alone a small abandoned oil field.

  However, this was no trivial matter, and he thought for a moment before speaking up.

  The next day was the commendation meeting for "New Long March Assault Hand".

  Su Cheng tidied up a bit, and just as he came out of the room, he saw Xiao Pang carrying his luggage, laughing so hard that his eyes were narrowed into slits, and said with a silly grin: "Master, from now on I'm yours."

  "Go ahead." Su Cheng waved him off.

  Xiao Pang hastily caught up, saying: "Master, I've thought it through. I want to go into the ocean and take on a contract for an abandoned oil field. I'll put in 10,000 to 20,000 yuan. If we lose everything, consider it my loss. But if we make a profit, you get 60% and I get 40%."

  "Have you discussed it with your family?" Su Cheng stopped in his tracks. The 20,000 yuan from 1987 was equivalent to Little Pang's salary for 10 years, no matter where the money came from, this determination was not small.

  Xiao Pang said nonchalantly: "I told them to suspend their salary and start a business in Shandong. They agreed."

  Su Cheng nodded slightly and said, "Taking over the abandoned oil field is not a simple business, just having money is not enough, you also need to have connections. Go back and explain it to your family, then come find me again."

  Downstairs.

  Wu Hong had been waiting anxiously, and upon seeing Su Cheng, he hastily checked his attire and said: "Later, the Communist Youth League Central Committee will send a car to pick us up. The first stop is the Great Hall of the People, where we'll attend the commendation ceremony. After lunch, the main leaders of more than 20 ministries and commissions under the State Council will separately invite hundreds of representatives of national New Long March assault heroes for face-to-face talks. We must pay attention to discipline."

  Wang Yun's whole body trembled with excitement, and he forced a smile: "It really is the Great Hall of the People."

  Su Cheng suddenly couldn't help but laugh. The Great Hall of the People, he had visited many times before.

  Not long after, a 1960s Soviet Volga arrived, which is the kind of classic product that can be easily found in Beijing. Even by the standards of 1987, this old fellow who had traveled 200,000 kilometers was quite dilapidated.

  Wu Hong accompanied him to the outside of the Great Hall of the People, got off the bus by himself, and handed Su Cheng an invitation card, saying: "This is your task for tomorrow, I just received it too."

  Su Cheng said "oh" and took it over, following the crowd into the inner room, with only a yellow paper slip in his hand.

  National New Long March Assault Team (Squad) Report Meeting, please ask Comrade (Su Cheng) to make a report at the Guoyabin Hotel Conference Hall. The content includes: 1. Technical development of the capitalist world; 2. Technical development of socialism; 3. Our country's technical development and reform. Please attend on time.

  The end is time and place: Guoyi Hotel was originally known as the State Council's No. 1 Guesthouse (No. 1 Wenxing East Street, West Zhongguancun).

  Only when Su Cheng saw this note did he have a similar feeling to Wang Yun. The State Council's First Guest House, this is where things get interesting.

  However, making reports is not so much fun.

  Wang Yun suddenly pulled Su Cheng hard and said in a low voice: "Quickly find a seat."

  His expression was serious and tense.

  Su Cheng had no choice but to put away the paper, following the name, and sat in a corner of the hall. Immediately, people came to chat with him, and soon he was together with Wang Yun. It turned out that those sitting in front were all from the petroleum and coal systems of various places.

  This was also a feature of the nationwide Long March assault campaign in the mid-to-late 1980s, with the Central Committee of the Communist Youth League and local youth leagues at all levels focusing their assault activities on industries such as construction, petroleum and coal systems, industrial and transportation systems, and rural youth afforestation projects. Not surprisingly, young people in these systems were more likely to receive this honor.

  Until the awards ceremony began, the attackers reluctantly returned to their seats.

  A row of leaders began speaking on the podium.

  Suzhou city is sleepy and drowsy.

  It wasn't long before Su Cheng was suddenly woken up by Wang Yun. The latter whispered, "Hurry up, you're about to be commended. There are high-ranking officials on stage today, so be careful."

  Su Cheng looked up and saw that it was still 180,000 miles away from himself.

  He waited for another five or six minutes before walking onto the stage with the oil field delegation. Because there were many people, the leaders presented awards collectively, and even so, Wang Yun and others were still excited.

  Su Cheng walked in order, passing by the rostrum, and had just received the award from a certain ordinary leader, when the big leader in the center of the rostrum deliberately came over.

  The old man smiled and patted Su Cheng's shoulder, saying: Not bad! You have the courage to take risks! Keep up the good work.

  ……