229: Chapter 229 Who Says Technology Has No Warmth? Lu Li Holds an Umbrella for the Whole Country

"It is not charity."

"It is the first backflow of the technological dividend."

After Lu Li finished these two sentences, the entire conference hall felt as if it had been thrown into an invisible fire.

It wasn't noisy.

Rather, it was a kind of heat that had been thoroughly ignited.

The media section below the stage no longer cared about decorum, as the sound of keyboards clicking merged into a continuous wave. The editors-in-chief of several financial media outlets in the front row even picked up their phones and sent a message to their editor-in-chief group with only one sentence—

Change the headline.

Change it immediately.

Meanwhile, the number of viewers in the livestream room surged like crazy.

From millions to tens of millions, heating up the entire platform's homepage in just a few short minutes.

The official media livestream room of Douyin in Beining City had never seen such a scene. Douyin's backend staff were sweating profusely, staring desperately at the lines and traffic distribution interfaces, terrified that if they couldn't hold up, the livestream feed would freeze instantly.

The bullet comments went completely out of control.

"Holy shit, holy shit, holy shit!"

"I've got goosebumps!"

"It is not charity... That line is so powerful."

"This is the first time I've heard someone explain this so clearly."

"Stop arguing, listen to what's next! Listen to what's next!"

Yet, Lu Li did not stop because of this wave of reactions.

He waited for a few seconds, as if giving everyone time to digest his previous words, before continuing.

"The basic security account for residents of Chengbei District will officially launch its pilot program."

"The target coverage will be eligible permanent residents within the pilot area."

"The initial guarantee standards will not pursue exaggeration, nor will they create illusions."

"It is not meant to allow people to just lie back and enjoy life."

"Its primary goal is only one—"

"To prevent people from being instantly choked to death by life during their hardest times."

These words were spoken very steadily.

There was no deliberate emotional manipulation, nor any unnecessary pauses.

But the more it was like this, the tighter people's chests felt as they listened.

Because this wasn't someone throwing money down from on high.

This was acknowledging a reality that had existed for a long time, yet no one was willing to face seriously—

It's not that many people don't want to work hard.

It's that they don't even have time for a buffer.

Lu Li opened the brief explanatory document in front of him and continued.

"Second, for personnel who lose their jobs due to intelligent replacement, automation upgrades, or connection to urban intelligent systems, their security level will automatically increase."

"The increase period and standards will be linked to factors such as the nature of their original position, family burden, and participation in retraining."

"This is not to encourage slacking off."

"It is to provide a buffer period."

"To give time for job transitions."

"To give dignity."

When he said the word 'dignity', the expressions of many people below the stage shifted slightly.

Because this word hit the nail right on the head.

What many ordinary people truly lose has never been just their wages.

It is also their dignity.

It's having clearly strived for half their lives, only to suddenly become like an obsolete part in the face of technological generation shifts.

And what Lu Li was doing now was placing the word 'dignity' back on the table.

As the camera swept across the front row, Han Shaoting's expression remained steady, but his fingers curled slightly.

The leaders beside him had various expressions, but not a single one spoke up to interrupt.

Because everyone knew that Lu Li had only just begun.

"Third, Beining City's Chengbei District will simultaneously open new vocational courses and job transition support systems."

"For positions such as operations and maintenance, scheduling, Robot management, virtual space services, and community intelligent collaboration, a complete set of courses, free training, transitional subsidies, and job recommendation mechanisms will be established."

"It won't just end with a sentence like 'go learn it yourself'."

"It's if you are willing to learn, I will pave the way for you."

When these words came out, those in the livestream room whose eyes had already begun to well up with tears were suddenly tugged at the heartstrings once again.

It wasn't just about giving money.

It was also about giving a path forward.

And it was spoken openly, for everyone to hear.

"Fourth."

Lu Li looked up, his voice remaining calm.

"Those who are not suited for high-tech positions will not be abandoned either."

"Community care, elderly and child assistance, grassroots collaboration, urban services, and environmental maintenance will all be integrated into the city's points system and backflow mechanism."

"Not all value is written only on high-paying jobs."

"As long as people are still participating in the functioning of society, they should not be swept directly into the corner by technology."

At this point, the tension that had been tightly wound in the venue finally began to truly dissipate.

Because everyone could see—

This wasn't just a single, isolated welfare policy.

It was an entire system.

It was a safety net that truly wanted to catch people.

And the true climax was only now being slowly brought to the stage by Lu Li.

He closed the explanatory page in his hand and looked forward.

"Next, let's talk about the source of funding."

With that single sentence, the venue instantly became even quieter.

The bullet comments in the livestream room also seemed to be paused simultaneously for a second.

Everyone knew that this was the most critical part.

Because no matter how good a policy is, without money, it's all empty talk.

And since this was not empty talk, where the money came from would determine everything.

Lu Li did not make anyone guess for long.

"Guanghui Technology will allocate fifty percent of its Robot business profits to inject into the Chengbei District pilot fund pool."

The venue fell silent at first.

Then, it was as if someone had detonated explosives on the spot.

"What?!"

"Fifty percent?!"

"Holy shit!!"

"Did I hear that right?! Half of the Robot profits?!"

As the camera panned across, even many who had already known the general direction beforehand could not stop shock from surfacing on their faces.

Because this wasn't just donating for a good reputation.

Nor was it a symbolic gesture of contributing a little.

This was directly breaking off a massive chunk of their most profitable hardware line and throwing it in.

Chen Shuyu sat to the side, her eyes suddenly lighting up with intense heat.

She, of course, knew that Lu Li had already planned this step.

But hearing him say these words with her own ears in this kind of venue, in front of the entire country, still gave her a tingling sensation in her scalp.

This wasn't doing charity.

This was forcefully throwing their own profits back into the line of people's livelihood.

This proved the saying, 'With great power comes great responsibility!'

Su Qingxue sat even more quietly.

She stared at Lu Li on the stage, her heart warming up bit by bit.

This man was always like this.

Usually incredibly lazy, as if no one could ever make him take an extra step.

But when it was truly time to act, he never played around with empty gestures.

Either he wouldn't do it at all.

But if he did, he would directly slash the hardest blow against himself first.

Lu Li did not stop.

"Special support funds will also be put in place simultaneously."

He didn't expand much on this sentence.

He just mentioned it briefly.

But everyone who understood knew—

The state had stepped in.

And what truly pushed the emotions to the absolute peak was the next step.

The main screen switched, and split-screen feeds lit up.

The first to connect was the video call from Dami Technology.

In the frame, Lei Jun sat in his office. For once, he wasn't joking, and his expression was very serious.

"For the groups in positions affected by technological iteration and intelligent replacement within Dami Technology's subsidiaries, Dami Technology is willing to bear the responsibility of providing the minimum welfare guarantee for two years, and will simultaneously open internal job transition and training channels."

The second was Huawei.

The representative in the video didn't say much, but their single sentence carried the most weight:

"Technology cannot only march forward; enterprises must also look back at the people."

The third was Daxiang Food.

The fourth was Hongxing Erke.

The fifth was Huoli 28.

Following them, two state-owned manufacturing and livelihood service enterprises also connected simultaneously.

The way they spoke had their own styles.

Some were steady, some were direct, and some carried a hint of clear emotion.

But the core message was the same—

For any manual labor positions reduced due to technological iteration and replacement by intelligent equipment, the enterprises are willing to bear the responsibility of providing the minimum welfare guarantee for two years.

And they will simultaneously open internal job transition and retraining channels.

The conference hall was silent at first.

Then, finally, applause began to ring out.

It started with just a few claps.

Soon, it merged into a continuous wave.

The applause was neither exaggerated nor superficial.

Yet, the more they clapped, the louder it became, and the more it made people's hearts tremble.

Because many people knew that what was being established at this moment was not just a policy.

It was an attitude.

It was, in the truest sense—someone stepping forward.

The number of viewers in the livestream room had completely gone wild.

The trending searches on all major platforms were instantly swept by this press conference.

The bullet comments had completely broken down.

"I'm crying... It turns out someone actually cares about this."

"This is what you call a national enterprise!"

"Who agrees and who opposes, we can see it crystal clear today."

"Lu Li is truly speaking up for the ordinary people."

"He touched the cakes of so many capitalists, isn't he afraid?"

"God Lu is fucking awesome!!!"

"From now on, I'm only a fan of God Lu!"

"President Lei is truly reliable at this critical moment."

"Huoli 28 completely broke my defense..."

"'From the masses, to the masses'—I finally believe these words today."

"It turns out our worries weren't unseen; someone is actually trying to find a solution."

Some people even burst into tears right in front of their screens.

Not everyone could immediately understand the fine details of the policy.

Nor did everyone understand the logic behind those meticulous designs.

But people can understand the truth.

And they can also tell who is truly speaking up for them.

And Lu Li on the stage did not lose control of his emotions from beginning to end.

He simply delivered his final sentence in a very flat tone.

"This money is not a charity."

"Nor is it handed down by someone from on high."

"It was always meant to return."

"Now, it is only the first time it is being put back where it belongs."

At this moment, the applause completely erupted.

In the conference hall, many people's eyes turned red.

Yet, amidst this applause and wave of heat, when the camera panned across the faces of several corporate representatives below the stage, one could clearly see—

They were not clapping.

In fact, their expressions were looking uglier than the next.

Today, some people were shedding tears.

While others had begun to harbor grudges in their hearts.