"The core of virtual shares is that non-laborers are absolutely not permitted to hold shares. This is completely different from the shareholding systems in Europe and America. Comrade Lei, your concept has truly opened my eyes," Hu Lei praised sincerely.

Feng Qian didn't speak, only observing Lei Baxi. He saw that Lei Baxi looked composed, not showing the slightest bit of smugness at Hu Lei's praise. Feng Qian felt he couldn't quite read Lei Baxi's thoughts, so he continued to watch.

It was the first time Hu Lei had encountered such a unique corporate organizational model, and he was quite excited. He couldn't help but continue praising, "If this were implemented in my factory, I imagine it would be very effective."

Only then did Lei Baxi reply, "Boss Hu, don't engage in wishful thinking. Virtual shares can mobilize those who already have strong abilities, or those who are willing to constantly improve themselves for higher income. If someone is just here to earn money through repetitive labor, the stimulus effect of virtual shares is very low."

Feng Qian agreed. Improving oneself is an arduous process; the feeling of pain is intense. Although repetitive labor makes one numb, at least—like a monk tolling the bell for a day just to get through the day—one knows the ratio of effort to reward. Comparing the two, although most people may not necessarily like repetitive labor, the majority ultimately have no choice but to choose it.

Hu Lei asked, "You said this elimination system isn't a 'last-place elimination' system. Can you explain that more clearly?"

Lei Baxi smiled. "The elimination system of virtual shares is built on the foundation of high wages. What the enterprise eliminates is not the person in the last place, but the person who has lost the ability to continue progressing. If someone, through study and work, possesses the ability to learn and can constantly improve themselves through the platform provided by the enterprise... such a person's output value at a certain stage may not necessarily be high, and the enterprise may still need to invest in them long-term. Before they produce results, these people are in the last place in terms of output value. In the final analysis, you must first understand what development path your enterprise is actually preparing to take. If it's a high value-added technical direction, you can do this. If the route is aimed at constantly researching to lower costs and expand scale, this model is not suitable."

Hu Lei fell silent. After thinking for a while, he couldn't help but smile bitterly. "I wonder how Comrade Lei evaluates my factory?"

"The possibility of upgrading is not great," Lei Baxi laughed.

Such a frank evaluation made Feng Qian feel a bit disappointed, but he had a higher opinion of Lei Baxi. Seeing that Lei Baxi was only around thirty years old, exactly the age of being full of confidence. Daring to speak so sharply suggested he was very confident in his own thinking.

Hu Lei also looked full of regret, but he continued to ask, "Comrade Lei, surely my enterprise isn't without even a single point of possibility?"

Lei Baxi nodded. "The virtual share system is of little help to an enterprise in its early stages. For an enterprise like yours to want to survive this critical juncture... it is too difficult."

"I wonder if Comrade Lei would be willing to come to my factory to guide the work," Hu Lei did not give up.

Lei Baxi hesitated, a rare occurrence. Seeing that it wasn't completely hopeless, Feng Qian hurriedly said, "I can stay here for another half month. After that, I'll come to see whenever I have time. I wonder if I can be of some help."

Hearing Feng Qian say this, Lei Baxi finally spoke. "Since Comrade Feng Qian can stay for half month, I will also stay for half month to see."

Hu Lei was overjoyed and quickly said, "When shall we start? Should we start understanding the factory's situation now?"

Lei Baxi shook his head. "Boss Hu, are you certain about which specific market your enterprise is attacking?"

Hu Lei was just about to state the part his enterprise focused on, but heard Feng Qian interject, "I wonder how the banks view economic development now?"

"The central government currently focuses on two key points. The first is whether production scale can be increased. The second is whether the technological content of the industry is high enough. Everything Boss Hu has done in the past... was it spontaneous, or was it conscious?"

Hu Lei couldn't help but chuckle awkwardly. "Hehe, I count as knowing the *what* but not the *why*. I just felt that I had the ability to master how to use the latest equipment, so I used the latest equipment. I didn't truly understand the government's needs. Besides, I'm just a factory operator; how would I understand the government's thinking?"

"Relying on intuition then... I wonder what the enterprise's profit margin is at this stage?"

Hu Lei wasn't sure either. He had wanted to call Feng Qian out to discuss it. But looking at Lei Baxi's straightforward expression, Hu Lei intuitively felt that this Lei Baxi might not have the patience to waste time with others. Steel himself, he said, "Please wait a moment, I'll get the ledger."

Feng Qian hadn't expected Hu Lei to put all his eggs in one basket; he was quite astonished. After Hu Lei got up and left, Feng Qian asked, "Is Comrade Lei a Brazilian from Sichuan?"

"I am from Chengdu, not a Brazilian. I was merely born in São Paulo, Brazil, in South America, so my parents named me Baxi (Brazil)."

"So that's it. Were your respected father and mother from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or the Ministry of Commerce?"

"Neither. They were just merchants who went to Brazil to do business. When they learned that the country was unified and the warlords were eliminated, they brought me back to China."

Feng Qian hadn't expected Lei Baxi to be a returned overseas Chinese. His interest increased greatly, and he started chatting with Lei Baxi about foreign countries. However, Lei Baxi obviously had no interest in this topic. Feng Qian quickly changed the subject to whether the banks had formulated new methods for enterprises to increase their success rates.

Only then did Lei Baxi show some interest. "Now, in order to establish venture capital departments, the banks hope that we can take up posts in enterprises to increase our understanding of them. Only by understanding enterprises can we make relatively reliable judgments about their risks."

"Does the scope of venture capital include my classmate's enterprise?" Feng Qian pressed.

Seeing Lei Baxi smile without answering, Feng Qian was somewhat certain that Hu Lei, by stumbling around, might have approached the threshold. Feng Qian asked again, "The real reason shouldn't be about profit, right?"

Lei Baxi finally revealed a look of concern. He stared at Feng Qian for a moment before answering, "At least I hope making money is just the process, and the goal is to realize one's ideals. If an enterprise wants vitality in its development, it must have an idealistic attitude. But having only ideals won't work, so professional ability and judgment that conforms to reality are needed."

Hearing this, Feng Qian felt admiration but also some unease. Realizing ideals is a wonderful thing, but realizing ideals requires paying a huge price. Not everyone can be like He Rui, possessing the ability to perceive the direction of world development. Therefore, the ideology education classes within the Civilization Party always emphasized: ideals are plump, reality is bony.

"Is it all idealism?" Feng Qian probed.

Lei Baxi finally revealed a bitter smile. "Hehe, finding a new model for enterprise development is my ideal. If it can be realized, China will see a great many excellent enterprises emerge, greatly promoting the development of productive forces. I have also experienced many failures I don't wish to recall."

Hearing the consistently confident Lei Baxi actually admit to having encountered failure, Feng Qian felt this man was very grounded. Feng Qian didn't ask about specific cases of failure. One of the courses in the Civilization Party's latest economics curriculum was 'Enterprise Lifespan'. Any simple enterprise will have its own lifespan; even the powerful and noble who possess the privilege of "resting with the country" will be destroyed in the three-hundred-year dynastic cycle.

Hu Lei's enterprise was the same. How long it could live, no one knew. But for this enterprise to close within a hundred years was an event of extremely high probability. Feng Qian didn't want to waste time considering when the destined closure would appear. He said, "If you put it that way, I actually feel Hu Lei's side is worth looking forward to. This classmate of mine is not a simple merchant."

Lei Baxi just nodded and didn't respond. At this moment, Hu Lei brought over several ledgers. Lei Baxi didn't stand on ceremony and quickly flipped through them. A professional was a professional; for ledgers that were very difficult for Feng Qian, Lei Baxi recorded while flipping through. Occasionally, he would ask Hu Lei a question.

Half an hour passed. Lei Baxi closed the ledger. "Your enterprise's profit rate is passable, so although there are many problems, you can still hold on. I suggest you do two things first. First, adjust your enterprise management system to improve your enterprise's operational capability. Second, your thinking on loan repayment is to pay it off in the short term, which causes the amount of cash in your hands to be too low. If you are willing to bear higher interest, you can adjust the repayment time to ensure you have more cash in hand."

Hu Lei thought for a moment and answered, "Can Comrade Lei help me use this cash more effectively?"

Lei Baxi thought for a moment. "Let us both confirm our feelings again. In three days, if you are still willing to adjust, contact me. At that time, I will also probably be able to determine if I am willing."

Hu Lei wanted to confirm right then, but Feng Qian interjected, "Good. It's settled."

Lei Baxi stood up and shook hands with Hu Lei and Feng Qian, then took his leave. Feng Qian had his secretary drive Lei Baxi. Watching the car drive away from the factory gate, Hu Lei sighed, "I actually regret it now."

Feng Qian smiled and didn't answer. It would be strange if Hu Lei didn't regret it.

Hu Lei continued, "Listening to what you said about the enterprise life cycle, I understood one thing. I still want to give it a shot. 'Desiring to exhaust the sight of a thousand miles, one climbs up one more story.' I'm not doing this to make big money, but because I feel I should try and see."

"I'm a little worried I've led you down the wrong path," Feng Qian sighed.

Hu Lei shook his head. "You just helped me understand one thing. 'Land lasts a thousand years, masters change eight hundred times.' In this world, we bring nothing at birth and take nothing at death. If there really is something that can last forever, it is only a true cause."

"Hehe, I don't believe it," Feng Qian laughed.

Hu Lei got a bit anxious. "I don't even care about that bit of land at home anymore, what is there for you not to believe?"

"You saying that makes me believe it even less."

"Then I'll put it another way. Talents like you and Lei Baxi are willing to work with Chairman He Rui not just to be officials. Chairman He Rui hasn't bestowed anything on you, but he gave you a dream of building a powerful China. This was originally your dream too, right? Being a corrupt official is meaningless; anyway, none of us are interested."

Feng Qian was somewhat astonished. Not because Hu Lei's sentiment was too melodramatic; Feng Qian knew that this fellow Lei Hu had good character and a decent background, and looked down on the nature of those officials from the Qing and Beiyang governments. Feng Qian was astonished that Hu Lei actually dared to go all out; this kind of reaction would only appear after receiving some major stimulation.

Thinking for a while, Feng Qian probed, "Are you being crushed by work now?"

"Yes! I'm going crazy!" Hu Lei answered refreshingly. "Since I'm going crazy anyway, I've decided to pull a group of people to try and see. Haha!"

Three days later, Hu Lei personally went to the bank to meet Lei Baxi. Feng Qian felt it wasn't appropriate for him to appear there, so he waited at the factory. At this time, the factory was bustling with noise and excitement; for a factory with 700 people, it was hard not to be lively. The trainees were learning under the leadership of the masters, and the workers continued production. It looked no different from an ordinary enterprise.

Perhaps it was because he had thought too much about enterprise lifespan recently, but looking at the bustling factory, Feng Qian felt that all of this was like a fragile bubble that would burst with a poke. Sensing his emotions were a bit too downcast, Feng Qian picked up a newspaper to read. Seeing that Hu Lei had subscribed to the *National Defense Daily*, Feng Qian felt his old classmate had really changed quite a bit. He picked up the newspaper that had just been delivered today and saw the headline news was about the Soviet Union: "Soviet Union Urgently Mobilizes Troops to Romanian Border, Prepares to Respond to Humanitarian Crisis."

Feng Qian was from the Ministry of Science and Technology and cared a lot about technological changes internationally. Suddenly seeing a humanitarian crisis, he immediately started reading.

Natural disasters in Eastern Europe were very severe this year. Rainstorms, locust plagues, droughts—several kinds of disasters had actually all occurred. What Romania suffered from was drought and locusts, which directly led to total crop failure on a large amount of land. Since the relief actions within the Soviet Union were relatively swift, initially the population in the Romanian border regions entered the Soviet Union to escape the disaster, and the Soviet Union indeed extended a helping hand at the start. This directly led to more Romanian refugees fleeing to the Soviet Union.

Although Romania only had a population of a few million, the entry of hundreds of thousands of refugees into the Soviet Union directly triggered chaos in the local Soviet areas, forcing the use of troops to go and maintain order.

Feng Qian was very astonished. The Soviet Union was actually helping Eastern Europe; there was an indescribable feeling about this.