Chu Bamboo was well aware that Li Xuan was secretly currying favor with the various major Factory Directors.
Indeed, Li Xuan held Chu Bamboo in the highest regard—a level of reverence that surpassed even Zhou Ze's. In Real World terms, he was practically a simp!
If Chu Bamboo issued an order and Zhou Ze spotted a flaw in it, he would debate the point. But Li Xuan would simply carry it out without a moment's hesitation, regardless of whether he thought the order was problematic or not.
Yet, Chu Bamboo didn't view Li Xuan any more favorably for it. In fact, he was extremely wary of him.
Li Xuan lacked Zhou Ze's firm principles; his moral compass was highly flexible. He was an egoist who put his own interests above all else. The only reason Chu Bamboo had made him deputy director-general was to use him as a mediator to manage relations with the major Factory Directors and maintain a balance.
