Courtyard House: Starting in a Ceramics Factory

The first note of this prelude had already been quietly played that afternoon.

Five-Star Ceramics Factory, factory office building.

Director Jin, the factory office director, hung up the phone, his signature smile almost reaching his ears.

He carefully placed the receiver back on the telephone, his movements as gentle as if he were handling a rare treasure.

The call was from Li Feng's driver, Sun Qiang, who was conveying instructions from factory director Li Feng himself—he needed to stay in the branch factory's single dormitory and required a room.

"Hiss..." Director Jin gasped, shifting his plump body in the chair. His small eyes, hidden behind large black-rimmed glasses, gleamed with a sharp light.

Factory Director Li had already given instructions on this matter yesterday, so yesterday Director Jin instructed the purchasing department to buy some furniture and furniture made by the factory's carpenters.

Now that Director Li has asked Sun Qiang to call him and tell him to prepare, it means that Director Li attaches great importance to this matter.

Then Director Jin began to wonder if this was a test from Factory Director Li? Was it just a show? Or... was he really going to make the factory his home and settle down on the front lines?
He thought of Wu Qing, the former branch factory director, who was also a workaholic, but not to this extent.

And then there's Director Zhu of the main factory, who is even more of a connoisseur; he's the one who knows how to enjoy life the most.

This Factory Director Li, despite his young age, holds an astonishingly high rank and has an unfathomable background, earning the favor of Minister Jiang and Deputy Director Zheng of the Ministry of Light Industry.

Such a person's behavior certainly cannot be judged by common sense.

"Never mind!" Director Jin slapped his thigh, making a decision in an instant.

Whether Director Li is sincere or not, as the director of the factory office, he must handle this matter perfectly and in a way that pleases Director Li!
This was the first thing the new factory manager had voluntarily assigned to me after taking office! If I did it well, it would be a tremendous achievement!
"Xiao Liu! Xiao Liu!" Director Jin shouted at the top of his lungs.

A young man in his twenties rushed in and stood ramrod straight: "Director, you wanted to see me?"

"Go immediately and notify Old Zhang from the logistics department. Tell him to bring some people and vacate the easternmost room on the third floor of the branch factory dormitory building, facing south!" Director Jin spoke quickly and clearly. "It's the room that was originally given to Director Zhu, yes, that one!"

"Huh? Director, that room has always been locked..."

"Open it now!" Director Jin glared. "Tell Old Zhang to take everything out of the house except for that Simmons mattress and that bathtub!"

"Yes!" Xiao Liu didn't dare to ask any more questions and turned to run away.

"Wait!" Director Jin called out to him again, "Go to the warehouse yourself and bring me that brand-new set of birch furniture that our factory purchased yesterday! Tables, chairs, bookshelves, wardrobes, the whole set! Remember, the best batch!"

"Also, go to the firing workshop and bring over that 'Green Mountains After Rain' tea set that I had my eye on a couple of days ago. Then go to the finished goods warehouse and pick out a set of simple white porcelain tableware. Bedding, pillows, thermos flasks, washbasins, towels... all new! The best of everything! Tell the warehouse manager to put it in the factory office's accounts, and say that I approved it!"

Director Jin gave his orders in one breath, spitting as he spoke. Xiao Liu listened, stunned, and quickly took notes.

"Director, isn't this...aren't these high-level arrangements a bit too much? What if people gossip..." Xiao Liu hesitated.

"Gossip?" Director Jin sneered, tapping his temple with his finger. "What do you know? Who is Director Li? He's the future of our factory! He's the head of the second and third phases of the project! He lives in the factory for work! For the sake of the livelihoods of our thousands of employees! Shouldn't we, who provide logistical support, provide the best conditions?"

"Besides," Director Jin lowered his voice and whispered in Xiao Liu's ear, "which of these things I asked you to bring is over the limit? The furniture was made by our factory's carpenters, and the tea sets and tableware were fired in our kiln. That's called using local materials and making reasonable use of them! The Simmons mattress and bathtub were originally intended for factory leaders; they were already there, and we're just making reasonable use of them. I'm doing everything within the standards, doing things to the best of my ability! You should learn from this!"

Xiao Liu suddenly realized, and looked at his director with eyes full of admiration.

High, it is high!

"Understood, Director! I'll get on it right away!"

"Go quickly! Everything must be finished before the end of the day! I'll personally go and check it later!" Director Jin waved his hand, leaned back in his chair, and let out a long sigh.

……

The next morning, Sun Qiang arrived at the courtyard house in Nanluoguxiang on time in his black sedan. Li Feng walked out of the courtyard carrying a canvas bag stuffed full and a brown paper bag containing blueprints.

Despite not having slept all night, his eyes showed no signs of fatigue, but rather an unusual brightness and focus.

Sun Qiang quickly got out of the car, took the things from Li Feng's hands, and carefully put them into the trunk.

"Factory manager, is everything packed up?"

"Okay, let's go to the branch factory." Li Feng said succinctly as he got into the back seat.

The car started smoothly and merged into the morning traffic.

Leaning back in the soft seat, feeling the slight swaying of the car, Li Feng closed his eyes. He had stayed up all night, reviewing the overall plan for the second phase of the project, especially the part about the automated control system, where he added many new details.

In my mind, countless data streams and design drawings flowed slowly, like a rushing river.

It was a strange feeling, a stark contrast between a tired body and a highly excited mind.

He knew it was because he could finally break free from all constraints and devote all his energy to the thing he truly wanted to do.

As his thoughts drifted slightly away from the grand industrial blueprint, a face bearing a hint of arrogance and probing inadvertently surfaced in his mind.

Wu Na.

Li Feng had mixed feelings about this woman.

He could sense the other person's undisguised admiration, and beneath that admiration, a subtle, underlying affection.

If this were in later generations, few men could resist the advances of a woman from a good family, with strong abilities and a beautiful appearance.

But right now, Li Feng really doesn't have that thought.

His mind is filled with CNC machine tools, photolithography technology, and industrial planning for the next few decades. His time is measured in project milestones and technological breakthroughs.

Personal emotional entanglements seem so insignificant, even a luxurious distraction, in the face of such a grand goal.

Therefore, Wu Na's little scheme must be nipped in the bud.

How to nip it in the bud?

A direct refusal? That would be too harsh and hurtful.

After all, the two are now work allies, and straining their relationship would be detrimental to the second phase of the project.

He's trying to give it the cold shoulder, but it doesn't seem to be working well.

This woman was more persistent than he had imagined.

Li Feng frowned slightly.

Suddenly, a thought flashed through my mind.

Perhaps, we can try a different approach.

Isn't she energetic and prone to overthinking?

Then find her something to do. (End of Chapter)