Courtyard House: Starting in a Ceramics Factory

Ministry of Light Industry

The department's efficiency is astonishing.

Once Minister Jiang makes a decision, it's like a locomotive at full speed, charging forward with unstoppable momentum.

In just one day, all the procedures for filing, reviewing, and discussing Li Feng's appointment were expedited.

Those procedures that might normally require multiple approvals and take weeks have been compressed to the extreme under the banner of "special handling for special cases".

The staff in the Personnel Department practically jogged between offices to pass documents, and the leaders' signatures on each document were exceptionally crisp and clean.

The entire Ministry of Light Industry seemed to be operating at full speed in preparation for this appointment.

At 3:15 p.m., in the office of the deputy director of the Wuxing Ceramics Factory branch, Li Feng was engrossed in a drawing filled with complex circuits and mechanical structures.

That was the blueprint for the core control unit he designed for the "full supply chain automation" project. The intricate lines seemed to come alive under his pen, extending and converging in an orderly manner.

The office was quiet, with only the faint rumble of machines from the workshop outside the window and the scratching sound of pens tracing blueprints.

The black telephone on the table suddenly rang shrilly, shattering the afternoon tranquility.

Li Feng put down his pencil, rubbed his sore eyes, and answered the phone.

"Hello, this is Li Feng."

"Xiao Li, it's me, Zheng Guowei." The familiar yet slightly excited voice of Deputy Director Zheng came from the other end of the phone.

Li Feng immediately sat up straight, and his tone became respectful: "Director Zheng, hello!"

"Still busy with your blueprints?" Zheng Guowei asked with a smile, sounding quite pleased with himself.

"Yes, there are still some details about the project that need to be finalized," Li Feng answered honestly.

"Okay, put your work aside for now." Zheng Guowei's tone became slightly more serious. "I'm calling to tell you something, so be prepared."

Li Feng's heart skipped a beat, and his hand gripping the microphone tightened unconsciously.

What could warrant a personal phone call from Deputy Director Zheng, who also made him mentally prepare himself, must be no small matter.

"Please speak, I'm listening."

There was a two-second silence on the other end of the phone, as if someone was organizing their thoughts, before a bombshell announcement was dropped.

"The Party Group of the Ministry held a meeting this morning and decided to appoint you as the Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee and Acting Director of Wuxing Ceramics Factory, to preside over the overall work of Wuxing Ceramics Factory."

"boom!"

It was as if a bomb had exploded in Li Feng's mind, making a buzzing sound.

He froze, holding the microphone, standing there dumbfounded, even forgetting to breathe for a moment.

Acting...acting factory director?

Oversee all operations?

How could this be? He was only twenty-one years old and had just been promoted to the level of a full-fledged department head less than a month ago. How could he have risen to such a high position and become the de facto head of such a large five-star ceramics factory? This step was too big, so big that it felt like a dream.

Zheng Guowei on the other end of the phone seemed to have anticipated his reaction, and instead of urging him, he waited patiently.

After a long while, Li Feng finally found his voice and asked with difficulty, "Then... what about Director Zhu?"

"Comrade Zhu Hongjie has been assigned to another post." Zheng Guowei's voice was filled with laughter. "Considering his hard work over the years, the ministry has decided to promote him to the position of inspector, enjoying the treatment of a full-fledged department-level official. This is an affirmation of his work and also a sign of care for veteran comrades."

Inspector! At the level of a department director!
Li Feng understood everything instantly.

Factory Director Zhu Hongjie was originally a deputy director-general level official, but he has now been promoted by half a rank, becoming a non-leadership position at the director-general level. This is clearly a move to make room for himself!

Although the inspectors do not have real power, their rank and benefits have increased, making it a very respectable and generous arrangement.

Director Zhu had only recently been promoted to deputy director-general level, and it was far from time for him to be promoted again. The ministry's arrangement was clearly intended to convey a deeper meaning.

Behind this, how much pressure must Minister Jiang and Deputy Director Zheng have been under, and how much effort must they have put in to pave this path for themselves!
An indescribable warmth and immense gratitude welled up in Li Feng's heart, and his eyes became slightly moist. He took a deep breath and solemnly said into the microphone, "Director Zheng, thank you! And Minister Jiang, I, Li Feng, will remember this kindness for the rest of my life!"

He knew that any official expression of gratitude would be pale and powerless at this moment; only this heartfelt "Director Zheng" could express even a fraction of the emotions in his heart.

Upon hearing "Director Zheng" on the other end of the phone, Zheng Guowei burst into laughter: "Hahaha, good lad!"

After the laughter subsided, his tone became serious and expectant again: "Li Feng, there's no need for words of thanks. All Minister Jiang and I can do for you is to set the stage for you."

"How you perform the next act, whether you can perform it well, and whether you can sing it loudly, is entirely up to you!"

"Remember this: this position isn't for you to enjoy the perks; it's for you to shoulder heavy responsibilities! The entire industrial chain automation project, the livelihoods of thousands of workers at the Five Star Ceramics Factory, and even the future of the Republic's ceramics industry—this burden now rests on your shoulders!"

"You must work hard, roll up your sleeves and get results! Use real achievements to shut everyone up and prove to all those who support and trust you that we made the right choice!"

Zheng Guowei's words struck Li Feng's heart like a series of heavy hammer blows.

This quickly calmed him down from his initial shock and joy, and instead made him feel a heavy sense of responsibility.

"I understand!" Li Feng's voice wasn't loud, but it was exceptionally firm. "Rest assured, Minister, I will risk my life to live up to your expectations!"

"Good! I'm relieved to hear that." Zheng Guowei nodded in satisfaction and continued, "Regarding your appointment, Director Qiu from the Personnel Department of the Ministry will personally lead a team to the factory to announce it tomorrow morning."

"Make sure you prepare well tonight, as there will be a factory-wide cadre meeting tomorrow."

The Director of the Personnel Department personally announced the appointment!
Li Feng felt a chill run down his spine again.

He was well aware of the weight of this.

As is customary, the appointment of a division-level cadre is usually announced by a deputy division chief or division chief from the personnel department at most.

Now, it is actually Director Qiu, the head of the Personnel Department, who has personally taken action. This represents the highest level of attention and support from the Party Group of the Ministry. It is a declaration to the entire factory and even the entire system: Li Feng is a person valued by the Ministry. Anyone who wants to touch him should think twice before doing so!
This high regard is both an unparalleled honor and an invisible pressure.

“I’ve got it, Director Zheng.”

"Okay, that's all for now. I'm busy here." Zheng Guowei added as a final reminder, "Stay calm, avoid arrogance and impatience, there's still a long road ahead."

"Yes, please take good care of yourself too."

After hanging up the phone, silence returned to the office.

Li Feng sat quietly in the chair, Zheng Guowei's words still echoing in his ears.

He looked down at the half-finished blueprint on the table, then slowly raised his head, his gaze passing through the glass window to the vast factory area outside.

Towering chimneys, sprawling factory buildings, workers coming and going... all of this will be under his control starting tomorrow.

He could almost see a path full of challenges and opportunities unfolding beneath his feet.

At the end of this road lies the vast and intricate blueprint of an industrial empire in his mind, the dream that will allow Chinese manufacturing to truly stand at the pinnacle of the world.

A tremendous sense of responsibility and mission enveloped him like a tidal wave.

Li Feng slowly stood up, walked to the window, placed his hands on the windowsill, and his gaze became incredibly deep and determined.

He clenched his fists, a surge of heroic spirit welling up within him.

Come on, let the storm rage on! (End of Chapter)