Courtyard House: Starting in a Ceramics Factory

As soon as Director Jiang finished speaking, Deputy Director Zheng immediately took action.

He quickly went to his office, grabbed the black telephone on his desk, and expertly shook it a few times to connect to the department's switchboard.

"Hello, is this the switchboard? This is Zheng Guowei from the Planning Department. Please contact Wuxing Ceramics Factory for me."

"right"

"It's that ceramics factory. I need to take over their factory office. I have urgent business to attend to!"

Deputy Director Zheng's voice was loud and decisive, full of efficiency and competence.

……

At the same time, the telephone in the office of the Five Star Ceramics Factory rang urgently, as if it were being whipped.

Jin Fei, the factory office director, was engrossed in organizing a pile of production reports when the sudden ringing of the bell startled him.

Then he frowned. Everyone in the factory knew the factory office's rules: the phone had to be answered within three rings. Who was in such a hurry?

He reached out and picked up the heavy black receiver, saying in a steady voice, "Hello, this is the office of Wuxing Ceramics Factory."

"Hello, Director Jin? This is the General Office of the Ministry of Light Industry. I have an urgent notice to deliver to you." The voice on the other end of the phone was devoid of emotion, yet it exuded an unquestionable authority.

Jin Fei's heart skipped a beat. The General Office of the Ministry of Light Industry? He subconsciously sat up straight, even his breathing became lighter, and he tightened his grip on the receiver.

"Yes, this is Jin Fei. Please give me your instructions!"

"At 3 PM this afternoon, Leader Jiang and Deputy Director Zheng from the Planning Department will be visiting your factory to inspect the Phase II project. Please make preparations for their reception. Note that everything should be kept simple; avoid any formalistic welcoming ceremonies. The leaders want to see the actual situation."

"boom!"

Jin Fei felt as if a thunderclap had exploded in his mind, leaving him completely stunned.

Leader Jiang...?

A big shot whose name you only see in newspapers and internal documents is actually coming to their small ceramics factory? And this afternoon? There are less than three hours left!
Jin Fei was transferred from the textile factory before becoming the director of the ceramics factory office. He had only been in office for less than two months when he encountered this situation.

A fine layer of cold sweat instantly appeared on Jin Fei's forehead.

Almost instinctively, he responded in a trembling voice, "Yes! Yes! We will definitely be prepared! We will resolutely obey the instructions of the ministry leaders!"

"Okay, just let them know."

The other party hung up the phone decisively, leaving only the busy tone in the receiver.

Jin Fei stood there dumbfounded for more than ten seconds, holding the receiver, before he suddenly came to his senses. He slammed the phone down, grabbed his notebook and pen from the table, and rushed out of the office like a gust of wind, not even caring that his chair had been knocked over. He headed straight for the factory manager's office on the second floor.

"Director Zhu! Director Zhu!" Jin Fei shouted as he ran, his voice filled with barely suppressed excitement and panic. "The ministry called! It's a huge deal!"

Zhu Hongjie was reviewing the final acceptance report for the second phase of the project in his office, examining each page with meticulous care, a smile never fading from his lips. Hearing Jin Fei's urgent shout, he looked up, his brow furrowing slightly: "Old Jin, what's the matter that's causing such a panic? Is the sky going to fall?"

"Factory manager, the sky... the sky won't fall, but the big boss is coming down!" Jin Fei rushed into the office, leaning against the door frame, panting heavily, his face flushed red.

He opened his notebook and, following the key points he had just noted down, reported word by word: "I just received a call from the Ministry's General Office. Leader Jiang will be visiting our factory at 3 PM this afternoon to inspect the second phase of the project!"

"Who?" Zhu Hongjie had just taken a sip of tea when he heard this, and he almost spat out his hot tea. He stood up abruptly, his eyes wide, and asked for confirmation, "Who did you say? Leader Jiang?"

"Absolutely true!" Jin Fei's voice was somewhat shrill with excitement.

Zhu Hongjie stood there stunned for a moment, the shock on his face slowly fading, replaced by a complex expression. There was excitement, pride, but mostly a sense of "I knew it."

He slowly sat back in his chair, his fingers tapping lightly on the table.

Yes, such a big matter couldn't possibly go unnoticed by the ministry.

Production efficiency has doubled. This is no longer a simple technological transformation project. It is a bombshell for the entire ceramics industry and even the country's light industry.

It's perfectly normal for Leader Jiang to come down and take a look himself.

However, this speed is a bit too fast.

The final data was submitted in the morning, and the people arrived in the afternoon. What does this show? It shows that the department's level of attention to this matter has exceeded everyone's expectations.

Factory Director Zhu's thoughts raced.

He knew very well that although Leader Jiang's visit was ostensibly to inspect the second phase of the project, in reality, he only had two core objectives.

The first thing is to personally witness this production line that has created a miracle.

The second, and most important, is Li Feng.

The young man who created all of this.

A young person who can double production efficiency and has planned a blueprint for a fully automated smart factory from the very beginning has a value that far exceeds that of a production line, or even a factory.

With that thought in mind, Director Zhu made a decision instantly.

This reception should not be led by him, or even by the factory leadership team.

Li Feng must be brought to the forefront and made the absolute protagonist. This is not only the true intention of the department leaders, but also the best affirmation of Li Feng's achievements. Furthermore, it is a stance that Zhu Hongjie, as a veteran industrialist who values ​​and cherishes talent, must take.

He knew perfectly well that with Li Feng's current abilities and potential, coupled with the ministry's high regard for him, this small Five Star Ceramics Factory would eventually be unable to retain him.

Don't be fooled by your current position as factory director and deputy director-level cadre.

But what about Li Feng? He's already a full-fledged division chief, just without the title of "factory director."

All I can do is pave the way and build the platform for Li Feng before he takes off, so that he can stand taller and walk more steadily. This is not only for Li Feng, but also for the future of the factory and the future of the country's industry.

"Old Jin, don't panic." Zhu Hongjie's tone had completely calmed down, revealing a calm and composed demeanor. "Go and do a few things right now."

"First, notify the canteen to prepare working meals according to the highest reception standards, but avoid extravagance and waste; four dishes and one soup are sufficient."

"Second, notify the security department to maintain safety and order within the factory area, especially around the Phase II workshop, and prohibit any unauthorized personnel from approaching."

"Third, and most importantly, do not organize any form of welcome, do not display banners, do not shout slogans, just continue as usual, and let the leaders see our most authentic working status."

Jin Fei nodded repeatedly, quickly taking notes in his notebook. After receiving these instructions from the factory manager, his panicked heart calmed down considerably.

"What about me, Factory Manager? Do I need to prepare a report?" Jin Fei asked.

"Your task is to get these things done," Zhu Hongjie waved his hand. "As for reporting, I have other plans."

He stood up and said to Jin Fei, "You go ahead and get busy. I'll go find Factory Director Li now."

Upon hearing the name "Li Feng," Jin Fei instantly understood the factory director's intention, and his respect for Director Zhu grew even stronger.

He then nodded heavily, turned around, and walked away quickly.

Zhu Hongjie put on his coat, strode out of the office building, and headed straight for the new factory building of the second phase of the project.

The newly built factory is spacious and bright, with a smooth cement floor that is spotless.

The pungent dust smell of the old workshop was gone, replaced by a faint smell of machine oil mixed with dirt.

What I heard was no longer a chaotic noise, but a rhythmic, coherent, and steady sound of machinery running.

A silver-gray, fully automated production line, like a giant steel dragon, lies across the center of the factory. From the automatic conveying and mixing of clay materials to the precise shaping of the clay body, and then to the orderly drying and glazing on the conveyor belt, the entire process flows smoothly, with hardly any human operators in sight.

In the central control area of ​​the production line, a familiar figure stood in front of a row of control cabinets with flashing indicator lights, holding a thick design blueprint in his hand, and was discussing something in hushed tones with several technicians.

It was Li Feng.

He was wearing a clean blue work uniform, looking focused, his fingers lightly tracing the lines on the drawing, clearly explaining the logical relationship of a certain parameter.

Sunlight streamed through the tall glass windows, falling on his profile and casting a soft glow on his young yet composed face.

Zhu Hongjie stood not far away, watching quietly for a while, his heart filled with mixed emotions.

This young man, with his forward-thinking knowledge and vision, single-handedly pulled a traditional handicraft workshop into a new era of industrial automation.

He didn't go over to disturb them until Li Feng and the technicians finished their discussion, then he walked over with a smile.

"Li Factory Manager, are you busy?"

Li Feng turned around and saw Zhu Hongjie. A smile appeared on his face: "Director Zhu, what brings you here? Is there a problem with production?"

“What problems could there be in production? It couldn’t be better now!” Zhu Hongjie laughed heartily, patted the control cabinet next to him, felt the steady vibration, and exclaimed sincerely, “Every time I come here, I feel like I’m dreaming. I can’t believe this is our factory.”

He stopped smiling, his expression turned serious, and he said to Li Feng, "I've called you here because I have something important to tell you."

Seeing his serious expression, Li Feng also became serious: "Factory Director, please speak."

"I just received a notice from the ministry that Leader Jiang will be visiting our factory at 3 p.m. today."

Zhu Hongjie stared intently into Li Feng's eyes, trying to see a hint of surprise or nervousness on his face.

However, he was disappointed.

Li Feng's expression remained almost unchanged, his eyes still clear and calm, as if he had only heard something perfectly ordinary. He simply nodded slightly.

"Oh well."

This calm reaction left Zhu Hongjie with a whole host of encouraging words and words to reassure him, all stuck in his throat. This kid's mental fortitude is just too good!
Zhu Hongjie cleared his throat and continued, "I've thought it over. The main purpose of Leader Jiang's visit this time is to inspect the second phase of the project, and then he'll see you."

"Therefore, you will take the lead in the reception and reporting work this afternoon, and I and the other colleagues in the factory will support you."

These words carry considerable weight.

This is tantamount to handing over the entire factory's reputation to Li Feng alone.

Upon hearing this, Li Feng finally reacted. After a moment's thought, he understood the deeper meaning behind Director Zhu's words.

At this moment, he did not refuse, nor did he show any sign of being flattered. He simply nodded solemnly again, his tone steady and firm.

"Yes, Director Zhu, don't worry, I will definitely complete this reception task well." (End of this chapter)