Chapter 138

Li Zhiguo thought that he was one year older, but still the same young boy as before.

They arrived at the steel rolling mill, where he had spent his youth and shed blood and sweat. His contributions were everywhere, so even if he received a lifetime salary, the factory should pay him.

"Huai Ru, go get your salary. I'll go to the workshop to check the materials."

He was too lazy to make the trip, and it would be awkward without Dongxu's wife.

"Okay, I'll give you the money later."

Qin Huairu got off her bicycle and happened to meet Sister Hua, and they went to the office building together.

"Huai Ru, why doesn't Li Zhiguo go by himself?"

Sister Hua turned her head and watched the bad boy riding his bike towards the workshop.

"He has other things to do. He said he wanted to look at the materials or something. By the way, Sister Hua, I have several new factory uniforms that no one wears. Ask if anyone wants them. I'll sell them at a lower price."

Qin Huairu could get two sets of factory uniforms every time. Her mother had already given two sets to her younger brother, and there were three sets left at home. If she didn't sell them, they would have to be given to her younger brother again, which would be a big loss for her.

"It's easy. There are people in the workshop who specialize in collecting factory uniforms."

The two of them walked away while talking!

……

"Hello, Brother Li!"

"Liang Ladi, why didn't you go to collect your salary?"

When Li Zhiguo arrived at the workshop, he found that Liang Ladi was the only one there in the huge workshop.

"I'm not in a hurry. I'll go later."

Liang Ladi was a little embarrassed. She was a welder assigned to the fitter workshop. She didn't have much work to do and was not very sociable. She was not as popular as Zhang Cuihua.

"No, were you bullied in the workshop? Uh, your face is stained. Here, wipe it off quickly."

Li Zhiguo handed over his handkerchief.

"Hey, I can just wipe it with my sleeve." Liang Ladi wiped her face with her sleeve horizontally.

"Well, this is much more beautiful."

Li Zhiguo smiled. Liang Ladi was not the type of person she is now. It was just because she was too young and had not experienced so many things.

It seems to have something to do with him. He just recruited people and threw them into the fitter workshop, and that was it.

"I'm not pretty!"

Liang Ladi looked even thinner in her loose factory uniform. Her family was poor and she hasn't grown up yet. Plus, as a welder, it was common for her to have a scratchy face all day long.

"Well, let's not discuss this, since you are here.

I have a job today that requires a welder, so come and help me out."

Li Zhiguo himself can do spot welding and he has the title of Handicraft Geng, but why should he work so hard himself when he can let others do it?

"Okay!" Liang Ladi smiled happily, feeling that she still had value in the workshop.

……

Qianmen Street, neighborhood committee courtyard!

“Comrades, friends from the business community, I can tell you responsibly that a great wave of social reform is coming.

Since last September, the higher authorities have passed the "Principles of Public-Private Partnerships" and implemented a buyout policy for industry and commerce..."

However, many merchants sitting below couldn't help whispering.

"Isn't this lady director talking about what Director Li said the other day?"

"Yeah, except for the opening words, the rest is almost the same. What's the point of opening? We already know the content in advance."

"It seems that Director Li is not just doing the accounting. This draft may have come from the Street Office."

Chen Xueru snorted and looked proudly at Xu Huizhen who was sitting next to her. Now she knew how powerful her man was!

Xu Huizhen gave him a wait-and-see look in response, and in her heart she was also sighing that Brother Li must have read the documents from the Street Office, and perhaps he understood the public-private partnership more thoroughly than the director Auntie.

In the corner, Fan Jinyou found a small stool and squatted there. As a worker at a grain station, he was not really qualified to attend the meeting, but he had instructions from the director, so of course he had to come and show his concern.

"Everyone, after all this talk, is there anyone willing to participate in the public-private partnership?"

The lady manager looked at the hundreds of merchants below with anticipation, hoping for a miracle, but based on previous investigations, she was afraid that no one would be willing to take the lead.

"Director Auntie, I am willing to participate in the public-private partnership!"

Xu Huizhen suddenly raised her hand and stood up. She had thought it through before coming here. Since she couldn't avoid it, she would try to be the first.

"what's going on?"

Fan Jinyou stood up suddenly. He hadn't even started the mobilization yet, but he was so lucky that he got the credit for free.

On the spot, Fan Jinyou wanted to run to the street office to find Director Li to take credit, but he was worried about hallucinations, so he had to endure it and wait and see what happened.

The merchants were also whispering, wondering if the proprietress of this tavern had taken the wrong medicine or was threatened by someone, could she blink?
"Xu Huizhen, are you really willing to participate in the public-private partnership?"

The lady director of the neighborhood committee is familiar with everyone, so she can't avoid getting a marriage certificate or registering her child.

She even knew that Xu Huizhen's husband was not dead, but had gone to the countryside to farm with another woman, but the two had already divorced.

Xu Huizhen replied, "I am willing to do so. My good life today is all due to the new society. I am willing to support public-private partnership."

"Okay, okay! Xu Huizhen, you did a great job."

The lady director was very happy. This was a big step forward and proved that the mobilization meeting she held was effective.

"Humph! You still want to compete with me for first place."

Chen Xueru muttered to herself that she did not want to fight for the glory in front of her, because she was the first public-private partnership and the street director had already approved it.

"Great!" Fan Jinyi ran away and hurried to find Director Li.

"Director, I finally persuaded Xu Huizhen from the tavern. She expressed her willingness to participate in the public-private partnership."

"Really? Well then, I'll transfer your HR relationship to the neighborhood committee, and you'll be the public manager of the tavern!"

Director Li smiled. These are two typical examples, the silk shop and the tavern. One of them will always do well, but he still prefers Li Zhiguo who is not working.

"Ding, the host intercepted Xu Huizhen's public-private partnership in the tavern."

"Reward evaluation in progress, awarding the host the title of Farmer Master."

Oh my god, this is the reward?

Counting the rewards he received, the first one he got was a supermarket from his wife Qin Huairu.

Got the title of Handicraft Geng from Dongxu.

He received the title of fashion designer from his concubine Chen Xueru.

Received the title of composer from Fan Jinyou.

He received the title of Sichuan cuisine chef and veteran driver from the deaf old lady and Sha Zhu.

Whether it can be used or not, it's all good, and the rewards are also related to the characters.

"Brother Li?"

Liang Ladi's voice came from the side.

"Oh, sorry, I was distracted. I need these materials. Please help me find them first. We can start working after Master Yi and the others come back.

Please also list the missing materials and I will ask Director Yang to get them."

Li Zhiguo took out the list he had prepared in advance. What he was going to do this time was prepared for the seventh year after the founding of the People's Republic of China. If handled properly, it could also generate foreign exchange.

Nowadays, in order to earn foreign exchange, people have tried every possible means, even raising rabbits for export. Can you imagine that?
"okay!"

Liang Ladi took the list and happily went to look for materials.

Li Zhiguo had nothing to do for the time being, so he sat down to rest in the place where his lunch boxes were placed in the workshop, and thought about what crops he could grow.

Coincidentally, Guangming had brought some seeds over before, and he also asked the third uncle to empty the pots.

Before, I was thinking of planting a few peppers, which can be used as potted plants and can also be picked and stir-fried with meat. Now I have to think about it carefully.

"Li Zhiguo, hurry up, something happened." Tang Rude suddenly ran into the workshop.

"What happened? How did you know I was in the workshop?" Li Zhiguo was stunned. Even if something happened, it had nothing to do with him.

"Yes, Sister Hua said that your wife Qin Huairu had problems collecting her salary, and the new Deputy Director Li would not allow her to collect your allowance, and insisted that you go in person."

Tang Rude was panting and running all the way here.

"Oh my god, are you talking about Li Xinmin? Is he going to cause trouble for me? Let's go over and take a look."

Li Zhiguo laughed. This was a relative with the same surname. He was making things difficult for his own people, or he was just trying to make fun of him to establish his authority because he had just arrived. That was probably overthinking.

By the time he rode his bike to the office, thousands of workers had gathered around the building.

"Look, Li Zhiguo is here, it's going to be fun."

"I don't know what's wrong with the new deputy factory director. He has to pick a fight with the bad boy."

"Brothers, who do you think will win? I heard that Deputy Director Li got to his position thanks to his father-in-law, so he has a very strong connection."

"Hiss, if it's someone else, it's fine, but this is Li Zhiguo, he has no morals."

Li Zhiguo stopped the car, looked around, and called out, "Second uncle, come here."

"coming!"

Liu Haizhong ran out of the crowd. He had been waiting for the call when he arrived at the factory. He was late and could not squeeze in, so he stayed outside. When people came over, Li Zhiguo whispered, "Second uncle, do you dare to bring people to fight against Li Xinmin with me?

Afterwards, I will take you to see Director Yang and transfer you to Workshop 2 as a team leader. Maybe you will become a cadre in the future."

It is not easy for workers to become cadres nowadays. It is the same as for workers to become technicians or engineers. Even if you are an eighth-level worker, you cannot be promoted.

But if you become a team leader, it will be different.

But there are also people who are unwilling to be cadres. Although they don’t have to work hard, their salary is even lower than that of workers. There is no point in being a cadre.

But Liu Haizhong has always wanted to be a team leader, just like He Daqing looking for a wife, it's an obsession.

"Really? You're not lying?"

Although Liu Haizhong didn't have much contact with bad boys, he heard a lot from his wife.

"Second Uncle, have I ever cheated Second Aunt? I am a resident of the backyard, I don't cheat my own people.

If you don't want to take the lead, I'll find someone else. I believe there is someone who wants to be the team leader."

Li Zhiguo wanted to put someone who was brave and daring enough to fight in the second workshop to avoid any trouble in the future.

"Done, I'll find someone right away, I have many apprentices."

Liu Haizhong is different from Yi Zhonghai. He likes to lead others and has a large number of apprentices in the workshop.

"Hurry up!"

Li Zhiguo had to let Li Xinmin know what it meant for workers to have power.

"You, you, and Xiaolan, come here."

Liu Haizhong quickly gathered people and called over a dozen workers.

Li Zhiguo also called over twenty people, and the workers who came to watch the fun dispersed, leaving a gap so that people could pass all the way to the stairs.

"Everyone on the stairs please make way. You will get your salary later."

"Step aside, Li Zhiguo is here."

Liu Haizhong and Tang Rude shouted and cleared the corridor, and the table for collecting wages was placed at the entrance of the corridor.

Li Zhiguo looked up and saw Sister Hua and her wife Qin Huairu standing aside. There were two people sitting behind the table, an accountant and Li Xinmin, and there was a cashier standing next to them.

"Li Zhiguo, you are finally here."

Sister Hua shouted, feeling angry for Qin Huairu, but she couldn't take her sisters to show the new deputy director the melon, as it probably wouldn't be anything to watch.

Li Xinmin stood up and looked down. He knew at a glance who was Li Zhiguo, the man who was drawing a salary without doing any work, without anyone introducing him. It was because he was not wearing a factory uniform.

Besides, this guy is so handsome, and his temperament doesn't look like a worker.

Wait, why did he seem to have brought a group of people with him? Suddenly Li Xinmin was a little panicked. Did he run into a troublemaker?

Li Zhiguo walked up the stairs. The workers who were originally queuing in the corridor to get their wages all ran upstairs and stayed in the corridor to watch the fun.

"Why can't my sick leave allowance be paid? Who decided this, you, Accountant Kang, or Cashier Liu?"

"No, Li Zhiguo, don't get me wrong. This has nothing to do with me and Cashier Liu. It was decided by Deputy Director Li."

Accountant Kang quickly pulled himself out and looked like he was about to cause trouble.

"Then you stay aside."

Li Zhiguo signaled Liu Haizhong to take action, otherwise it would not be easy to become a team leader.

"Did you hear me? I told you to go away."

Liu Haizhong bravely reached out and grabbed Accountant Kang and pulled him out from behind the table. As for Cashier Liu, he had already hidden aside with his bag on his back.

Li Xinmin swallowed and said, "Are you Li Zhiguo?"

"Are you Deputy Director Li, Li Xinmin?"

Even if Li Zhiguo knew that this man would be the future chairman of the committee, so what? He had no right to fire him. The most he could do was transfer him to a harder position, but he refused to go to work.

As for wanting to use Qin Huairu to threaten him, that was just wishful thinking. He would have to take action at any point.

"Li Zhiguo, don't be impulsive. I called you here to ask about your sick leave. It's been two or three years, and your illness is still not healed?"

Li Xinmin looked at the group of workers in front of him. They couldn't even stand on the stairs, especially the fat man next to him, who looked like he could fight.

Even if he wanted to call the security department, it would not be enough to quench his thirst.

"It won't get better. The doctor said that I will never be able to recover from this disease.

Now you can get your allowance! I deserve it, not a cent less. I have worked hard for the steel mill."

After a pause, he suddenly said, "Surround it and keep out those onlookers."

"okay!"

"Have you seen them all? Surround them."

Dozens of workers immediately filled the corridor and blocked the stairs.

Li Zhiguo reached out, grabbed Li Xinmin's collar across the table, and lifted him up.

"No, Li Zhiguo, please don't be impulsive. If you have something to say, please talk to him nicely."

Li Xinmin was dumbfounded. He just wanted to find someone to establish his authority over him since he had just arrived at the factory, but why did he seem to have hit a wall? The strength of the opponent's hand was so great, did he look like a sick person?

"Second uncle, come here and teach people a lesson."

Li Zhiguo had to drag Liu Haizhong into the water in order to unite the front.

"it is good!"

Liu Haizhong gritted his teeth, stepped forward, waved his hand, and slapped Li Xinmin in the face with a slap.

Oh my god, everyone was dumbfounded, even Li Zhiguo was a little confused. He meant to punch someone or something, but he didn't expect Liu Haizhong to be so fierce and not to hit people in the face.

"what!"

Li Xinmin covered his face, trembling and unable to speak. He was the deputy factory director, and yet he was beaten by the workers.

"Deputy Director Li, you have no objection now, right?

My allowance is set by the Ministry of Metallurgy. As long as they don’t cancel it, no one dares to reduce my allowance by a penny, not even the deputy director.”

After Li Zhiguo finished speaking, he loosened Li Xinmin's collar and let him fall onto the chair. He deserved a slap in the face.

"Accountant Kang, from now on my wife will collect my salary. Is that okay?"

"No problem, I'll send it right away."

Accountant Kang was answering outside the human wall. He was blocked and couldn't see what was happening inside, but he heard the sound of beating.

"That's it, let's all go and let Accountant Kang continue to pay the salaries."

Li Zhiguo asked the workers to continue queuing, and he called Qin Huairu to collect her salary first.

"Sixty-three dollars in total, Qin Huairu, you've ordered."

Accountant Kang finished the calculation and followed Cashier Liu to take the money out of his bag. He did not dare to look around during the whole process.

Li Xinmin sat dejectedly on the chair, his face changing from gloomy to bright. Finally, he covered his face and walked away without saying a word. He couldn't afford to lose face, and he didn't dare to say anything harsh on the spot.

"Hey, look, Deputy Director Li just got slapped in the face."

"Do you even need to guess? Didn't you see that he was covering his face? Li Zhiguo is too fierce. He even dared to hit the deputy director."

"No, the newcomer Li Xinmin just left without saying a word?"

"What else? Didn't you see Li Zhiguo bringing dozens of workers with him? Also, do you really think he's sick? He just lifted Deputy Director Li up with one hand. I'm just a blacksmith, but I'm not as strong as him."

The workers were talking in a low voice, and when they saw Li Zhiguo looking over here, they pretended to be daydreaming and said nothing.

"Governing the country, will this cause trouble?"

Qin Huairu was a little worried. He was the deputy factory director, and she beat him up directly.

Sister Hua said, "Li Zhiguo, I didn't realize you were so fierce. It's good to play with you."

"What kind of trouble can we cause? We are workers and we are not afraid of trouble!

Huairu, don't worry, my allowance is set by the Ministry of Metallurgy, not to mention that Li Xinmin has no control over it, even Director Yang wouldn't dare to reduce my allowance by even a cent."

Li Zhiguo immediately took Qin Huairu and Sister Hua and was about to leave.

Liu Haizhong hurriedly said: "Li Zhiguo, don't forget what you said."

"I can't forget it, Second Uncle. Just wait for good news."

Li Zhiguo smiled and said that it was just right, as he was working on a new invention, so people wouldn't really accuse him of being a freeloader.

Now that the second uncle has been dragged into this, the only option left is to confront Li Xinmin head-on, which is a good idea.

……

However, Li Xinmin walked through the corridor with his head down and went upstairs from the stairs on the other side. He was feeling angry and wanted to gather the people from the security department.

But he was still sober. Li Zhiguo's allowance was ordered by the metallurgical department, and he really had no control over it.

"Hello, director!"

"you are?"

Li Xinmin looked at the horse-faced man in front of him. He was not wearing a factory uniform. Which office was he from?
"Director, you forgot that I am Xu Damao, the projectionist in the Propaganda Department. I was the one who showed the movie the day before yesterday."

Xu Damao looked flattering, but he didn't care too much, because his wife's uncle was the deputy director of the Second Commercial Bureau's Food Factory.

(End of this chapter)