Back to the Republic of China to open a department store

The half-month trip to Tianjin came to an end in a hurry, and Luo's firm represented by Luo Xiazhi reached a preliminary cooperation with Fan's Salt Industry and signed a contract.

The two agreed to jointly invest and set up a soda-making factory in Tanggu, Tianjin.

Firstly, this place is adjacent to Fan’s refined salt processing factory, so it is convenient to obtain materials; secondly, it is close to the port, which provides convenience for the import and export of goods in the future.

For the Fan family, in addition to mainly investing in the purchase of land, they also need to provide a full set of technology and workers; while the Luo family, in addition to investing in capital, is more important to import alkali-making machines from abroad, and to cooperate with Shanghai's industrial talents and strength to manufacture them as soon as possible. Domestic large-scale alkali-making machines.

At this time, European countries can gain a lot of benefits by dumping ocean soda to China every year, so they have monopolized technology and machines.If you want to introduce machines, only the Luo family, which has been on the European business road for many years and has its own way, can do it, and it must be done in secret.

Because of this, not many people knew that the Luo family who was thousands of miles away was also involved in the "Neptune Soda Factory" in the few years after it opened for production.

The wonderful name "Sea King" was written by Gu Hanlin, the new director (deputy) of the Education Bureau himself.

According to him, Shanghai is located on the coast of the "East Sea" and Tianjin is on the coast of the "Bohai Sea". These "seas" are put together to form the "three seas".

As the saying goes: three lives and all things, the name of this factory, what else can it be if it is not "Sea King"!

Except for Luo Xiazhi, everyone at the scene applauded repeatedly, praising Mr. Gu for his well-chosen name, meaning and courage. He is indeed the Mr. Mr. Gu!

Luo Xiazhi, who had a "stalk" in his chest but had no one to share it, endured so much hard work.

After talking for more than 20 days, the contract was finally signed, and Fan Dongli hosted a banquet for them at the well-known Astor Hotel in Tianjin.One is to wish a smooth cooperation, and the other is to see Rorschach off.However, due to the confidential nature of the cooperation, only a small number of senior managers and major shareholders participated.

Northerners do not drink in the same way as southerners. Rao Xiazhi has been familiar with various social occasions in the past few years, and his drinking capacity has improved a lot compared to his previous life.But in the face of this group of enthusiastic northern men, it is really too much.

After splashing water on his face in the bathroom, Luo Xiazhi shook his head, temporarily took off his glasses from under the bridge of his nose, rested his hands on the sink for a while before recovering.

While wiping his hands and walking towards the box, he heard a familiar voice behind a green plant.

"I don't smoke, I quit for a long time."

Is it... Gu Hanlin?

Luo Xiazhi paused, and leaned against the wall in a strange way, wanting to hear what they were talking about—this "little man's behavior" was really only done when he drank too much.

"That's really rare. When you were in the dormitory before, you were the most addicted to smoking. Why, when you returned to Shanghai, you 'reformed'?"

The joking voice came from Jia Jinze.

Hearing the crisp "ding bell" of the lighter, it seemed that the two were smoking outside.

Gu Hanlin can smoke?Or a big smoking gun?

He had known him for nearly four years and didn't know it.

"My lover doesn't like the smell of cigarettes, so I just borrowed it."

After finishing speaking, Gu Hanlin chuckled lightly.

"Hey, I heard that men in Shanghai are 'strictly controlled by their wives'. Unexpectedly, Lao Gu, you are no exception."

Luo Xiazhi stood behind the green plant, covered his mouth with a silk handkerchief, and it took a long time for his head, which was bewildered by alcohol, to realize that the "lover" Gu Hanlin was talking about was him, wasn't he?

He really hated the smell of cigarettes, and every time his eldest brother smoked a cigar, he would unconsciously step back half a body.The company holds a manager meeting, and when the whole office is surrounded by clouds and fog, he can't help but go to the window and open the window for ventilation.

After all, this era does not pay attention to health concepts such as "smoking is harmful to health" and "no smoking in public places".

After all, the slogans of cigarette advertisements posted on the street are: Beautiful brand cigarettes, the more you smoke, the more beautiful you become.

He had never seen Gu Hanlin smoking in front of him, and thought that he could not smoke like him, but it turned out to be...

"Last life" Luo Xiazhi was mentioned by his mother, Ms. Wu, when he was young.It turned out that his father, Mr. Luo, was also a heavy smoker before he fell in love with Ms. Wu.But since the first meeting on a blind date, until Luo Xiazhi grew up to be in his 20s, Mr. Luo never said he smoked, but he never touched a cigarette again.

"This guy……"

He didn't mention it to himself once, he just did it silently...

It would be against his will not to be moved, Luo Xiazhi raised his head, stared blankly at the crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling, and began to deeply reflect on whether he had been too "green tea" to Gu Hanlin in the past few years.

After all, they held hands and kissed, and they haven't given a formal "explanation" until now, which is a bit "scumbag" no matter how you look at it.If you look at it from the perspective of a hundred years later, it is not an exaggeration to say that you are "raising a spare tire".

"Speaking of which, it seems that the students who graduated from the normal school back then, except you Hanlin, no one else is engaged in education. You see, I am working for the Fan family. Some of the students in the same dormitory used to study abroad, some went to Some people went home to work in a foreign company, and even asked a woman with small feet to be his wife... Tsk tsk, I am really ashamed of the word 'teacher'."

"Everyone has his own aspirations. When studying, who is not full of enthusiasm for serving the country? Otherwise, he would not choose to study in a normal school. But time is fate, and the country has a lot of fate, and we can no longer be demanding on individuals."

Gu Hanlin said half-coldly.

"By the way, do you still remember that Yi Sheng in the dormitory next door? The one who had a good relationship with you before."

"Huh? Hmm..."

Hearing Gu Hanlin's unnatural answer, Luo Xiazhi intuitively felt that there was some "secret" relationship between the two, so he listened intently while holding his breath.

"That guy, when he was in school, kept saying that he wanted to be a 'new youth of the times' and 'not succumb to feudalism and the influence of the powerful'——and as a result, he married the eldest lady of the Liu family less than half a year after graduation. In other words At that time, you were still working as an intern teacher in a middle school in Beiping. He went directly to be the son-in-law."

When Jia Jinze talked about his excitement, he was choked by the smoke and coughed twice.

"Ha ha……"

Gu Hanlin sneered twice, but did not answer.

"He sent me a wedding post last month—this guy got married again! Miss Liu's family died of tuberculosis, and Mr. Liu kicked this young man out of the house. Who knew that this guy had hooked up several years ago She fell in love with a rich woman, and her wife just died here, and she married the rich woman in less than half a year. You say this person... tsk tsk."

"Mr. Luo, why are you standing here? Come on, everyone is waiting for you, keep drinking."

Here Luo Xiazhi wanted to continue listening, but the gentleman next to him who thought he had just come out of the bathroom saw him standing motionless beside a big bonsai tree, so he came over to greet him enthusiastically.

"Mr. Luo?"

Jia Jinze's round face poked out from behind the tree, and smiled enthusiastically, "Oh, Mr. Luo is also out to drink?"

"Um……"

Seeing Gu Hanlin's half-smile expression that turned out with Jia Jinze, Luo Xiazhi nodded in embarrassment.

The four of them went back to the box together, considering that Luo Xiazhi and the others would go to Peiping for a visit the next day, so they didn't stay any longer.

"Speaking of which, I should be the one who accompanied you to Peking to fulfill the friendship of the landlord."

Mr. Fan Dongli held Luo Xiazhi's hand in both hands, and said sincerely.

Although he is almost 20 years older than Luo Xiazhi, and he is about to be five years old, but he treats this friend from Shanghai with an attitude of "peer friendship", which makes Luo Xiazhi feel like a spring breeze, and he treats this friend in private many times. Gu Hanlin said that this person has "the style of the forest". Although he was born in a family with hairpin tassels for generations, he is neither arrogant nor arrogant. No wonder his career is so big.

Hearing Gu Hanlin almost tasted it.

"However, Director Gu can be regarded as half a 'Native of Peking'. It's better to let him take you with you than to take you around."

Fan Dongli took out a check from his bosom, and handed it to Luo Xiazhi with both hands, "Please let me be responsible for all the expenses of accommodation and entertainment for you and Director Gu in Beiping. It can be regarded as our best effort. Please don't refuse." .”

Speaking of this, it would be hypocritical for Luo Xiazhi not to accept it.Once again, I secretly admired how good this Mr. Fan is, and accepted it respectfully rather than obediently.

After the banquet, Fan Dongli sent a driver to take Luo Xiazhi and Gu Hanlin to the door of the hotel where they lived, and agreed to come over early tomorrow morning to take them to the hotel they had booked in Beijing.

After getting out of the car, Luo Xiazhi felt that his footsteps were a little staggered. He was not so obviously drunk in the restaurant, but now that he had been in the car for a while, he became more drunk.

After getting out of the elevator, Luo Xiazhi took a step ahead, and Gu Hanlin followed behind him step by step, without speaking, but coughed once or twice from time to time, which made Luo Xiazhi unable to help but look back at him.

"Why? Choked by the smell of smoke? I don't think you were that expensive when you were with Liang Shaolong?"

After speaking, Luo Xiazhi wanted to slap himself.

Obviously what he wanted to say in his heart was not this sentence, so how could it be so easy for him to lose control of his mouth when facing Gu Hanlin?

"Can I sit in your room?"

Gu Hanlin said indifferently.

"……Please."

Opening the door, Luo Xiazhi turned sideways.

I have already reached the door, can I still say "no"?

"Where is A Le? Why haven't I seen him for a long time."

As soon as he entered the door, Gu Hanlin took off his cotton robe familiarly.After the cold dew, it doesn't feel particularly cold in the south, but the high-end hotels in the north have already turned on the heating.

"He took the train to Peiping in the afternoon. First move the luggage to Peiping and get ready there."

On the one hand, it was really hot, and on the other hand, the alcohol was a little hot. After Luo Xiazhi took off his suit jacket, he simply tore off his tie and armbands, and threw them on the sofa beside him.

"Drink water?"

He took out a crystal jug from a cabinet on the side, and poured half a glass of water into the glasses for himself and Luo Xiazhi respectively. Gu Hanlin smiled and handed over the water glasses.

Luo Xiazhi squinted at him for a while, then slowly took the cup.

The fingertips of the two touched the cold crystal glass, but neither of them wanted to put their hands down.

Gu Hanlin raised his eyebrows, and looked at Luo Xiazhi from the corner of his eyes with a serious expression... Looking at the expression on the cup.Looking at the nose with the eyes and the heart with the nose, those who didn't know thought that what he was looking at was not some foreigner's crystal cup, but some antique from the Forbidden City.

I don't know if I'm really drunk and confused, or I'm just pretending to be stupid.

Gu Hanlin simply put the water glass on the shelf next to the fireplace, clasped one hand behind his back, and held Luo Xiazhi's palm.

Luo Xiazhi's eyes finally moved from the cup to the grasped hand, but his expression was still a little dull.

"Summer solstice?"

Gu Hanlin asked tentatively.

"Ok?"

Rorschach turned his head to look at him.

Originally, when he went out this morning, he specially applied oil on his hair, and combed his whole hair into the now popular "[-]-[-]".Now that it's nighttime, the hair oil on the head probably can't hold it anymore, the hair on the forehead seems to be unruly and half-bridled, scattered on the forehead, adding a bit of unadorned youth feeling.

"I ask you, you give me an honest answer!"

Here, before Gu Hanlin could speak, Luo Xiazhi squinted his eyes, pointed at his chest, and asked viciously, "What...what's the matter with that classmate of yours?"

Smart as Gu Hanlin, at first he didn't understand who he was asking, but in the blink of an eye, he knew that this person must have heard the conversation between him and Jia Jinze behind the green plant...

"His" Xia Zhixin is more perceptive than Bigan, he must have heard something at the time, but now he is using the power of alcohol to "expose the problem".

"My classmate? Are you talking about Brother Kanazawa? Ah, what's wrong with him, what do you want to know about him?"

He suppressed a smile and asked with a sincere expression on his face.

It seems that he has been planning for many years, step by step into his home, into his heart step by step.After spending so much time and energy, tossing and turning, I am afraid that I will finally reap the results!

"Don't play tricks on me. Say—then what, Yi Sheng? Doctor? What does it have to do with you?"

Luo Xiazhi grabbed the placket of Gu Hanlin's chest, raised his head very bluntly and shouted, "Be honest!"

Gu Hanlin raised his hands obediently, but his eyes were full of smiles.

"I confess, I confess..."

"he is……"

"What is it?"

"It's me... 'ex-boyfriend'."

After closing his words, he lowered his head and observed Luo Xiazhi's expression closely with his eyes wide open.

"I knew it... I knew it!"

Luo Xiazhi wrinkled his nose and snorted hard.

"Tell me! How many 'ex-boyfriends' do you have!"

The expression is the real murderer, but it's the milk murderer.

"Is this..."

Gu Hanlin glanced up.

"What are you doing? Too many to count?"

"It's not that they can't be counted... It's that Xia Zhi consciously has something to do with me, and what identity is he using to question me?"

Gu Hanlin said it in a frivolous tone, and let out a low laugh.

"You...you guy..."

Luo Xiazhi was so dumbfounded by the rhetorical question that he couldn't speak for a while. .

The more he thinks about it, the worse he loses, although he had two or three girlfriends in college in his "last life", it's quite boring to talk about it now-but since he came into this body in "this life", isn't he busy every day? Thinking about making money, I was thinking about how to make more money, and what more ways to make money--the matter of men and women, I didn't touch it at all!After all, he arranged for all those who came on a blind date with him to study.

Speaking of which, it's not that he hasn't been to Paramount Ciro's before, but it's all because of business and entertainment as a last resort.

Those exquisite and beautiful men and women in his heart are all his great-grandfathers and grandmas, so he really doesn't have any charming thoughts about them.

As long as this hateful guy in front of me is excluded!

"What's the matter?"

Luo Xiazhi exerted great strength out of thin air, pushed Gu Hanlin to the side sofa, grabbed the front of his clothes, then bowed his head and kissed him.

The scorching smell of alcohol rushed towards his face, Gu Hanlin was taken aback for a moment, and then turned his back and hugged his shoulders, taking the initiative to deepen the kiss.

The aroma of wine is dense, and the charcoal fire in the fireplace crackles, pushing up the room temperature little by little.

After their lips and teeth intersected for a while, they separated pantingly. Luo Xiazhi looked down at Gu Hanlin, and wiped away the slight water color around his mouth with the back of his hand.

"How about it?"

"That's it?"

Gu Hanlin leaned his back on the cushion of the sofa, reached out and gently smoothed the wrinkles on the front of the clothes, raised his eyebrows, and said provocatively.

"What are you in a hurry?"

Taking off the gold-rimmed eyes with one hand and throwing them on the coffee table, Luo Xiazhi bit his lip and smiled as he unbuttoned the collar of his shirt.

Just kidding, my brother was considered half a school grass back then, it's not that there were no men who came to confess to me.

Haven't eaten pork, haven't seen a pig run?No, no...haven't seen a pig running, haven't eaten pork?

Anyway, I can be regarded as a modern person who has read countless films. No way, I can't conquer you, the "ancient person" who is a remnant of the previous dynasty!

Luo Xiazhi's eyes flashed brightly, with a determined smile...

"Right now, Lennon will know what kind of 'relationship' the two of Ala are."

The next day, Ale, who was far away in the Peking Hotel, received a call from Tianjin.

"Is the young master sick? Can't make it to Peiping today? Why did you suddenly get sick? Then I'll go back to Tianjin to serve the young master now!"

"Ah...will you come to Peking tomorrow morning? All right. Then I will wait for you in Peking. Young master, take care of your illness."

After hanging up the phone, Ah Le, who was standing at the front desk of the hotel, tilted his head strangely.

"What's wrong with it will be healed in one day...it's really strange."

Luo Xiazhi, who was lying on the bed reading, put down the book, and looked at Gu Hanlin, who was sitting on the sofa not far away, humming an unknown tune and peeling an apple with a blank expression.

Cena, yesterday was completely different from what I thought, this "remnant of the previous dynasty" was too powerful, "Shanghai Huang Feihong" was capable of both literature and martial arts, and I was not on the same level as him at all.

He simply turned his face away and touched his old waist which was still sore.

"Come, eat an apple!"

Putting sliced ​​apples on a silver plate and bringing them to the bed, Gu Hanlin smiled softly.

"Come on, let's talk about it now, what is our 'relationship'..."

Pretending to be crazy with alcohol, doing it to oneself...

Luo Xiazhi cursed secretly with a bitter face.

The author has something to say: that's it?

So be it……

Preview the next chapter "The Assassination of Xiao Xia"