Courtyard House: Starting in a Ceramics Factory

Li Feng's idea was to have so much of her that she wouldn't have time to overthink things.

The second phase of the project involves a massive amount of complex financial transactions and accounts.

Supplier selection, material procurement, payment approval, cost accounting... which one of these tasks isn't a chore that can drive you crazy?

Wu Na is the head of the finance department, and these are her duties.

But the specific extent to which it should be done requires careful consideration.

A slight smile curved the corners of Li Feng's lips.

He decided that he would not only let her do it, but also let her do it to the best of her ability.

He wanted to personally set a set of rigorous financial audit standards for her, so that she could understand the ins and outs of every penny, and make her and the finance department staff bury themselves in ledgers and reports every day.

In this way, she can maximize her value and safeguard the project, while also having all her time and energy filled with endless work.

At that point, let alone having wild thoughts, she probably won't even have enough time to sleep.

Well, let's do it.

Li Feng mentally gave his "win-win" solution a thumbs up, then put the matter out of his mind and returned his attention to the complex mechanical drawings.

For him, it was just a trivial incident, a small management trick.

……

The car finally arrived at the Wuxing Ceramics Factory branch.

The tall factory gate and the red brick wall, with the slogan "Go all out and strive for excellence" painted on the wall in white lime, are full of the vigorous atmosphere unique to this era.

When the security officer at the gate saw that it was the factory director's car, he stood at attention and saluted from a distance, and opened the gate completely.

The car did not stop in front of the office building, but drove straight to the dormitory building in the living area, as instructed by Li Feng.

This is a newly built dormitory building in the first phase of the project, and the dormitory building is very clean.

There is a small flower bed in front of the building. Although it is winter and the flower bed is bare, you can tell that someone has taken good care of it.

"Factory manager, we've arrived." Sun Qiang stopped the car and immediately got out to open the back door.

"Hmm." Li Feng got out of the car and looked up at the building that would soon become his "new home".

"Sun Qiang, just leave the things at the door. You can go back and rest now. I'll call you if anything comes up," Li Feng said to Sun Qiang as he took his bag of blueprints.

"Factory manager, let me help you carry it upstairs?" Sun Qiang said quickly, looking at the heavy canvas bag.

"No need, it's just a short walk." Li Feng waved his hand, his tone leaving no room for argument.

“…Yes, Factory Director.” Sun Qiang didn’t insist anymore. He knew this young leader’s temperament; once he made a decision, he wouldn’t change it. He took his luggage out of the trunk, neatly placed it at the building entrance, and then got into his car and drove away.

Li Feng watched the car drive away before turning around and picking up the canvas bag from the ground.

It was quite heavy, but his "Ten-Jin Strength" enhanced by the system made him feel no effort at all, as if he were carrying a bag of cotton.

He pulled a bunch of keys from his pocket, with a brand-new brass key tag engraved with the number "301".

This was delivered to Sun Qiang by Director Jin yesterday afternoon, and then Sun Qiang handed it over to me. The efficiency was astonishing.

The third floor, at the far east end.

Li Feng carried his luggage and climbed two steps at a time, quickly reaching the third floor.

The hallway was dimly lit, but the floor was so shiny that it reflected people's images.

A faint smell of disinfectant filled the air, mixed with the unique odor of the new building.

He walked to the door of room 301 at the end of the corridor. The door was brand new, with a layer of brown paint still on it, and the smell of paint had not completely dissipated.

He opened the door with the key.

With a soft creak, the door was pushed open, and the scene inside caught even the well-traveled Li Feng's eye, causing him to pause in surprise.

He even subconsciously took a step back and looked at the house number.

That's right, it's 301.

But the furnishings in this room don't look like a single dormitory room in a factory in the 1960s at all.

A faint scent of birch and fresh cotton wafted towards me.

The floor was polished terrazzo, spotless. The south-facing windows were large and bright, and the winter sun shone through the glass, casting warm dappled light on the floor.

Against the wall was a very sturdy wooden bed, covered with brand-new military green sheets and clean white quilts, the quilts folded into neat squares.

The mattress seemed quite thick, with slightly bulging edges. Li Feng reached out and pressed it, finding it surprisingly elastic.

Simmons mattress?
The thought flashed through his mind.

This thing is a rare commodity now.

Opposite the bed was a large desk, also made of brand new birch wood, with a smooth and flat surface, large enough for him to spread out his largest drawings.

On the table, a brand-new enamel thermos, a set of celadon teaware with the theme "Green Mountains After Rain", and a white porcelain pen holder are neatly arranged.

Next to the desk was a floor-to-ceiling bookcase, also made of birch wood, which was currently empty and exuded the fragrance of raw wood.

On the other side of the door was a large wardrobe.

The room's furnishings are simple and practical, but every item exudes an unspoken sense of "refinement."

Li Feng's gaze swept around the room, and he instantly understood.

Director Jin.

This factory office director was indeed a shrewd person. Li Feng was initially a little worried that since he had volunteered to live in a single dormitory, his subordinates might try to curry favor with him and cause him trouble by doing something outrageous.

But now it seems that he was worrying too much.

Director Jin had a firm grasp on this "degree".

This bed was originally intended for factory leaders; it doesn't count as newly added assets.

These pieces of furniture were nominally "experimental products" used by the factory's carpenters for testing. The tea sets and tableware were also factory products, allocated internally.

Each item, taken individually, is not considered a violation.

But when combined, they transformed an ordinary dormitory into a guesthouse-style room.

Moreover, Director Jin wisely avoided flashy decorations; the room's style was rugged and simple, perfectly matching the persona of a young leader who "treats the factory as his home and devotes himself entirely to his work."

It ensures you have a comfortable stay, leaves you with no complaints, and also showcases the factory's products and production capacity.

That level of dedication and skill is truly impressive.

A slight smile appeared on Li Feng's lips.

He knew that the Five Star Ceramics Factory's current success was inseparable from the hard work of the older generation, such as Director Zhu and Director Wu, as well as from "capable people" like Director Jin who knew how to handle things flawlessly within the rules.

With a team like this, what great things can't be accomplished?
He put down his luggage, walked to the window, and opened it.

Downstairs is the branch factory's large playground, and in the distance, the tall factory buildings and towering chimneys look particularly magnificent in the sunlight.

Workers rode bicycles in twos and threes along the main road of the factory area, full of vitality.

This is his battlefield.

Li Feng took a deep breath of the cold air, which smelled of coal smoke, and a surge of unprecedented pride welled up in his chest.

He closed the window, opened his canvas bag, and began to organize his things.

I put the clothes in the closet, neatly stacked the books and drawings on the bookshelf, and took out the toiletries...

He was surprised again when he opened a small door in the corner of the room.

It turned out to be a separate bathroom inside.

The space wasn't large, but it had a toilet, a sink, and a showerhead on the wall. Most surprisingly, in the corner, there was a white enamel bathtub.

Although it looks old-fashioned, it's been polished to a shine.

Li Feng reached out and turned on the hot water tap. He heard a roar from the pipes, and a few seconds later, a gush of scalding hot water gushed out, instantly creating a cloud of white steam.

Hot water from the boiler room!

Li Feng's heart stirred.

This is so much more convenient than boiling water for bathing in the courtyard house. In the winter, the tiny bathroom at home was so cold that you'd shiver just taking a shower.

Here, the factory's large boiler supplies hot water 24 hours a day, so you can take a shower whenever you want.

In this day and age, this treatment is practically an imperial privilege.

The fatigue from the past few days of travel, coupled with staying up late last night, washed over me like a tidal wave.

Without hesitation, Li Feng took off his clothes, plugged the bathtub, and let the scalding hot water flow into it.

Soon, a tub of hot water was ready.

He tested the water temperature and then slowly submerged his entire body.

"call……"

An indescribable feeling of comfort instantly spread from every inch of skin throughout the body.

Tensioned muscles and aching joints gradually relaxed under the embrace and immersion of hot water. The fatigue accumulated over the past few days seemed to be drawn away from the body bit by bit with the rising heat.

This is so comfortable.

Li Feng leaned against the edge of the bathtub, closed his eyes, and exhaled a long breath.

He felt like a piece of steel thrown into a furnace, where all the impurities and fatigue were tempered and stripped away in the high temperature, leaving behind a purer and more resilient core.

The complex drawings and data in my mind seemed to be smoothed out by the hot water, becoming clearer and more organized at this moment.

He knew that from this day forward, a new chapter in his life would begin.

Without the burdens of family matters and the daily commute, there is no longer any trouble.

In his world, there was only work, projects, technology, and that grand dream that was enough to change the times.

This path was destined to be lonely, but now, soaking in the warm bathtub, he felt no loneliness at all, only an unprecedented sense of peace and tranquility.

Because he knew he was on the right path.

The water was getting a little cold.

Li Feng opened his eyes, stood up from the bathtub, dried himself with a brand-new towel, and changed into clean underwear.

I felt as if I had been reborn, and I felt refreshed and invigorated.

Instead of rushing to work, he brewed himself a strong cup of tea, sat down at his desk, and quietly looked out the window.

The sun was shining brightly, and the sound of the lunch break bell echoed through the factory area. The sounds of people and bicycle bells mingled together, creating a vibrant atmosphere.

This is his stronghold.

And he was ready for a tough battle. (End of Chapter)