Facing Shen Hua's formal invitation to cooperate, Sun Ya Lin put away her unrestrained smile and stared at Shen Hua's face for a long time. Although she was not clear about what had happened in the three years since Shen Hua returned home, she believed in the facts she had seen with her own eyes during this period:

  Shen Huai has undergone a complete transformation; perhaps the essence of his lecherous and indulgent nature hasn't changed, but he is no longer that ignorant and unambitious young master.

  Although Sun Yalin has been living a life of luxury since childhood, she also harbors a deep-seated disgust for her conservative and stubborn family. As someone who prioritizes benefits, she is aware that at this time in the country, Shen Huai is her only viable partner for cooperation.

  Sun Yalin's gaze fell back onto her soft white palm and she said:

  "Some words, others can say better than you, but I know that those who speak beautifully don't necessarily act beautifully. Although before coming back to the country, I never thought about cooperating with you, but I am still willing to believe in you with reservations..."

  When Sun Ya Lin said that, Shen Huai couldn't help but bitterly smile: "You still have reservations?" But he also knew what kind of person "he" was before, and the fact that Sun Ya Lin could still have faith in him was already quite bold.

  "I don't have much US dollars in my hand, less than three million..." Sun Yalin said.

  "You've got so little money in your hand, yet you still want to buy that car? I thought you could at least come up with $500,000 or $600,000."

  "That car was a condition for me to return home and work, where did I have the money to buy this car?" Sun Yalin said, "However, my credit is still good, it should be no problem to raise 5 or 6 million yuan first. Although I can still pull in some more funds, but also need Meixi Steel Factory to come up with better results, before I go persuade others..."

  Sun Yalin has only four years of professional experience in the field of industrial finance, but as a member of the Sun family and an elite student from a prestigious university, she had a much higher starting point than ordinary people, so she still has her own network resources at home and abroad.

  Many times, a person's capital power is not about how much money you have in your name, but rather how much money you can mobilize.

  "This time I will let Zhao Dong and other management layers directly hold shares, can Yixin Bank accept equity pledge and provide loans to individuals?" Shen Hua asked.

  "The number is not large, it should be fine, but I need to consult with the provincial government first. However, you also know that M&A has only been popular for over a decade abroad, and domestically it will be very sensitive." Sun Yalin is one of the few people around Shen Hua who can discuss economic and financial research in depth, having done extensive research on domestic governments.

  "Management holding shares is still very different from a complete MBO. Some scholars in China have also raised the issue of enterprise ownership identity. The steel plant has initially carried out shareholding system reform, and I will control the proportion of management holding shares, not exceeding 10%. As long as we do it quietly without making a big fuss, it should not attract attention," Shen Hua said, "Another thing, I just said that foreign shareholders insisted on management holding shares..."

  "Again, you're using me as a gun...!" Sun Yalin gave Shen Huai an unhappy glance.

  "Are you willing to put your family's assets into a well-managed regular company, or an irregular one where the management team can't even stabilize?" Shen Hua asked.

  "...Sun Ya Lin knew she had to hand it over to Shen Huai as a gun, but she couldn't refute him."

  "How did your funds get into the country? Can you tell me if it has anything to do with your position at Industrial Bank?" Shen Hua asked.

  "My dad has a trust company in his hands, and the funds can be invested in domestic accounts at any time, so you don't have to worry about this..." Sun Yalin said.

  Shen Huai knew that the third and fourth generation of Sun's family, those with some talent, would not be able to survive by simply relying on the Longqing Group, subject to such strict family restrictions. They would more or less manage their own businesses, and even turn around and poach from the Longqing Group.

  Shen Huai didn't ask further, and Sun Ya Lin was able to tell him that such a trust company existed, which was already a great deal of trust in him. It was impossible for her to reveal all the behind-the-scenes details to him.

  Shen Huai lay down with his head in his hands and said: "From now on, we two siblings will join forces to conquer the world. How about finding a couple of wine cups to celebrate?"

  "Who is your sister? Obviously I'm only seven days older than you, and yet you're calling me that, as if I've aged a lot." Sun Ya Lin said discontentedly.

  Shen Huai sighed, "These two things, we'll start pushing for them after the new year. This time, we should be able to raise 10 million yuan in funding; otherwise, the expansion of the power generation unit will have to wait until mid-year, which would be a bit slow..."

  In the early 1990s, the domestic power supply was generally tight, and Meixi Steel Plant used electric furnaces for steelmaking. The shortage of electricity could only be supplemented by self-provided generator sets.

  It's also what Sun Ya Lin just ridiculed Shen Huai for being too greedy, thinking that pulling in a $100 million investment could prop up Meixi Town. It's not that with investment, it can be digested, but rather whether there is corresponding industrial supporting capacity.

  The total design capacity of the former Meixi Iron and Steel Plant was only 100,000 tons. Although the potential of production capacity was not brought out in the early stage, the industrial supporting capacity was also designed for a production capacity of 100,000 tons.

  Under the existing conditions and without additional investment, it would be almost a miracle of management if the production of Meishan Iron and Steel Plant could reach 120,000 tons in '94.

  Shen Hua's goal is to further transform the electric furnace steel production line and increase its annual output to 1.6 million tons or even higher.

  However, first of all, we need to come up with over a billion yuan in funding to increase the installation of self-provided power generation units and other equipment, ensuring the steel plant's internal power supply and industrial supporting capabilities.

  It will take four to six months for the steel mill to accumulate its own profits and raise RMB 10 million in expansion funds. Shen Hua wants to attract foreign capital and management layer investment through this share reform, and directly increase RMB 10 million in development funds for the steel plant after the year.

  This can win four to six months of precious time for the next step in the development of the steel plant.

  If everything goes smoothly, the industrial supporting capacity of the steel plant can be expanded and renovated before March, and today's target of 400 million yuan in output value will not be a daunting task.

  Sun Yalin was very familiar with the financial situation of the steel plant. If the management's shareholding ratio is controlled at 10%, Industrial Bank would only need to provide a loan of less than 50 million yuan to Zhao Dong and other management, which would not be too eye-catching.

  Shen Hua pushed out foreign shareholders as a shield, undoubtedly a clever move.

  Management holding shares is a fresh thing in the country, and conservative local officials usually dare not to be the first to eat crabs. However, due to the high attention paid to introducing foreign capital from the central government level, it is not uncommon for enterprises to break through precedents under the requirements of foreign parties - this kind of thing is easy for local officials to get forgiveness from their superiors and can also demonstrate a reformist attitude.

  Shen Huai also told Sun Ya Lin that he would inject some foreign capital into the soon-to-be-established Zilu Home Textiles Co., Ltd.; and if Zhu Li Zhen was a capable person, he would help Zhu Li establish a formal construction company and encourage Chu Yi Liang, Yang Hai Peng and others to invest in Zhu Li's company.

  In this way, even if the town does not hold shares in Zhu Li's construction company, it will form a situation of joint control over the construction company. This is not bad for Zhu Li himself, but also can prevent him from doing big things and then turning against him.

  Shen Huai did not believe in isolated loyalty, but rather through this kind of benefit entanglement, he would gather the people under his banner into a whole. Unless he was abandoned by everyone and left alone, it would be extremely difficult for an individual to betray him and defect to another camp.

  "So that's what you mean, I'm just a pawn in your hands?" Sun Yalin said with a sigh after understanding Shen Huai's entire idea.

  "Why say it so bitterly, as if you've suffered a great loss? Are you someone who can't afford to lose out, Cousin?" Shen Huai said with a smile.

  "I don't know what kind of development you'll have in the future, but if I had to choose, I wouldn't be your enemy," Sun Yalin tilted her head and stared at Shen Huai, then asked another question, "When did you become so gloomy?"

  "I'll take it as a compliment." Shen Huai said with a smile.

  If he had to find a collaborator in the Sun family, Shen Huai believed that no one was more suitable than Sun Ya Lin.

  It was late at night, and Sun Yalin had to return to the hotel. Shen Hua told her: "The materials of the overseas trust company, you will give them to me after the New Year; if the funds can be in place as soon as possible, that would be better. The shareholding system reform is not something that the town can decide on its own, and it also needs to be approved by the county government, which is very troublesome..."

  "Alright, I'll give you the materials later," Sun Yalin asked again, "Do you need me to accompany you tomorrow?"

  Looking at Sun Yalin's sensual figure faintly visible as she put on her coat, Shen Hui shook his head and said: "I'll sleep for a night and be discharged from the hospital tomorrow morning..."

  "What's the hurry? In that broken house in Meixi Town, it's cold and desolate, and there's no beauty to accompany you. You might as well stay in the hospital for a couple more days." Sun Yalin said.

  "The news of my hospitalization will spread, and tomorrow this side will definitely not be calm. Where is the place to recover from illness?" Shen Huai said.

  Even if he is a ninth-grade official, as the head of the township government, the people who are shocked by his hospitalization will not be much less than those for the county party secretary.

  Just like when the county party secretary is hospitalized, the township party and government officials will go to visit him, while those below them can't get in touch; When Shen Hua was hospitalized due to illness, the news spread, except for the town's cadres who came to visit one after another, the village branch secretaries and directors also took action.

  The scale of population directly covered by the power of any ruler is actually roughly the same.

  Shen Huai thought of An Ning and was about to hurry up and move out of the hospital to live with her.

  "Then where can you go to calm down?" Sun Yalin asked.

  Shen Huai did not return to the dormitory in the municipal government's tube building, but after the relationship cracked, he would not go to Xiong Wenbin's family.

  "The old house can hide for two days is two days..." Shen Huai said.

  There's another thing, Shen Huai no matter how hard he tries, no matter how unwilling he is in his heart, tomorrow he still has to be discharged from the hospital and go give Tang Qiping New Year's greetings.

  The reality of officialdom is like this, Tan Qiping is the municipal party secretary, he is just the town party committee secretary.

  Only Tan Qiping is qualified to see him, but he is not qualified to see Tan Qiping.

  Furthermore, Tan Qiping has only marginalized him and hasn't kicked him out of the circle yet; Shen Huai knows that before he is qualified to stand on his own, "flattering" and "being honest and fearful" are also necessary basic skills for surface work.