Yi Zhengwei sat on the edge of the bed, looked at her, and hugged her tightly in his arms again. After a long while, he said in a hoarse voice, "It's not like that, you know it's not like that."
Song Qing stared with wide, lifeless eyes, like a puppet with its strings cut, an empty shell.
"Fuhua needs an opportunity, and I also need a reason to continue the project."
Song Qing didn't speak, but simply let her stiff body go limp and lean her weight into his arms.
"Fuhua owes you too much. As a partner, you have the right to claim your benefits and compensation from Fuhua for this crisis," Song Qing said. Yi Zhengwei didn't, and even the entire banking group didn't put this pressure on Song Qing. From the initial low-interest loan to the concessions made by the banking group for the Power No. 1 project, Fuhua still left him in this devastating situation. In the end, she still owed him, and the debt was growing.
"That's not important. What's important is that I've always stood by you."
Looking at his sincere face, Song Qing was speechless for a long time. In her heart, he was still the same mysterious and unknown, even dangerous.
I will consider it.
※
Song Qing was not fully recovered, but Fu Hua's condition no longer allowed her to just remotely direct operations. The doctor prescribed medication and gave her some additional instructions before letting Song Qing leave the hospital.
She first went to the sanatorium to see Song Jingmo. Xu Heng said that Song Jingmo's condition was not optimistic. His illness had been delayed for too long, and the toxins in his body had accumulated too deeply, which had already affected other bodily functions.
Lan Yi had retrieved the car from the repair shop. She drove around Linchuan in circles, unsure of where to go. Around dawn, a thought struck her, and she drove towards Kangqiao.
Kangqiao is the closest small town to Linchuan. Given the high cost of land in Linchuan, many companies have set up their factories here. Because of the highway, it only takes three hours to drive there. Therefore, Kangqiao has changed a lot since Fuhua started building its factory.
She had visited this place once ten years ago with her father. Back then, her father, full of ambition, pointed to the still-under-construction factory and told her, "Qing'er, Fuhua will soar, it will grow strong, and it will forever stand tall in the industry. This will be Fuhua's largest production base, where thousands of workers will toil. The power industry in China, and even the world, will use Fuhua's products." What a grand ambition that was! In fact, her father was slowly making it a reality; he was never one to just make empty promises.
The factory, covering dozens of acres, was decorated entirely in blue and white. The large Fuhua logo hung high on the central building, and the factory gates remained tightly shut. Every morning, a steady stream of employees lined up to swipe their cards and enter, creating a bustling atmosphere. She parked her car on the side of the road, leaned against it, and watched the scattered employees pass by. None of them knew that this woman with a slight smile on her face by the roadside was their boss.
Song Qing glanced at her wrist; it was already nine o'clock. The faint, not-too-strong sunlight was already making her feel a little warm. She simply took off her coat, leaving only her shirt.
It wasn't until after 9:30 that more and more people started to arrive. At this time, at the Fuhua headquarters, it was the busiest time of day, and people were often so busy that they forgot to drink water.
Someone had brought breakfast, and they were eating it casually as they walked. She then realized she'd forgotten to eat again. If Yi Zhengwei knew, he'd definitely scold her again. How could she forget the pain so easily? Ha, he'd recently taken over Bill's role, but she couldn't refuse.
It wasn't until 10 o'clock, after confirming that no one else would come, that she got up and went to the factory's security room. Four staff members, who had just finished a round of work, were chatting and drinking tea.
Song Qing knocked on the window. They stared at each other in surprise. One of them reacted the fastest and quickly opened the iron gate to welcome her inside.
"You...you are President Song?"
The other three hurriedly put down their tea, appearing somewhat restrained.
"It's alright, everyone please sit down."
The four of them nervously sat back down in their chairs.
Song Qing smiled and asked, "Does everyone arrive late every day?"
"President Song, it's like this, because the factory's schedule isn't tight, so..." one of them stood up and said thoughtfully.
Song Qing nodded. "If there really is nothing to do, the company will consider arranging a holiday."
Just then, several loudspeaker blasts came from outside the door.
It's Guo Sheng's car.
Song Qing got up and walked outside. When Guo Sheng saw that it was Song Qing who had come in person, he quickly got out of the car and went to greet her.
"Mr. Song, what brings you here so suddenly?"
"I should have come earlier to inform the various production departments; we need to give the employees an explanation." Song Qing shook hands with him, and the two walked towards the office.
"Yes, Mr. Song, you don't need to worry too much. Most of the employees are locals, or even farmers from this area, so they may not be thinking too much about it. As long as they have something to do, they are quite good."
"Yes, I know, it's not their fault."
"Mr. Song, I heard you've been hospitalized recently?"
"Yes, it's all over now."
They walked and talked until they reached Guo Sheng's office. He poured Song Qing a cup of tea, then called his secretary and immediately arranged for all departments to gather in the Great Hall.
The secretary glanced at Song Qing, then left with some suspicion.
Guo Sheng was busy preparing materials, so Song Qing simply got up and looked around his office. The walls were covered with the progress schedules and introductions of each production department, and the small blackboard opposite his desk listed the daily new product launches. It seemed that some small batches of certain series were still in production.
"Mr. Song, the employees are indeed a bit lazy right now, but I've thought about it and we still can't give them a holiday, otherwise it might cause even greater panic."
Song Qing nodded in agreement. Indeed, Fuhua had reached a point where a single move could have far-reaching consequences.
They didn't set off until the secretary came in and said that all the employees had arrived.
Looking at the scientifically and modernly constructed factory buildings, and the excellent landscaping along the way, Song Qing believed that Fuhua's employees must be proud to work here.
A sea of people thronged around them. Knowing that President Song was coming, everyone was both excited and expectant. For them, whether they lived or died, having an answer was better than just waiting idly.
Some of the people who had seen Song Qing when they entered the factory lowered their heads in shame.
"Alright, everyone, please quiet down. President Song is here today mainly to meet with everyone and talk about the company's current situation and future plans." Guo Sheng gestured to the crowd in the hall to quiet down, and the noise gradually subsided.
Song Qingchao and the others shook their hands slightly, with smiles on their faces.
"Hello everyone, because Fuhua is currently facing some difficulties, I am only able to meet with you all today. I know that you have always been very supportive of Fuhua. To date, we have not received a single resignation letter. I am truly grateful to everyone for persevering and facing these challenges together with the company." She sincerely expressed her gratitude, bowing slightly to everyone.
"I know everyone is very anxious, and I am just as anxious as you are. I am here today to tell you that Fuhua has great potential. The foundation and reputation we have built over the years make your decision to stay at Fuhua absolutely correct. Right now, all the employees of the group are sticking to their posts, just like you. We have already overcome the most difficult time, and that is beyond doubt."
The hall erupted in enthusiastic applause, and some people even stood up and shouted. Song Qing was delighted by their genuine nature, and after a long while, he pressed his hands down to quiet the hall.