Nanyang 1931: From piglets to giants

Chapter 9 Technical Director
Science is different from liberal arts. There is no such thing as everyone having their own opinions.

In Zheng Yi's opinion, Hunter's ability was not that good, at most the level of a college student in his previous life. However, as a graduate of Cambridge University, although he was arrogant and a bit annoying, his basic character was okay.

At least after seeing Zheng Yi's revised design, he stopped making a fuss and put the drawing down dejectedly, mumbling:
"Why would someone like you end up in Nanyang? Damn it, this shabby place doesn't have the space for you to display your talents."

After saying that, Hunter threw down the drawings and turned away.

"Hey, Hunter, where are you going?" Li Xiaoshi hurriedly called him when he saw this.

"Of course I'm leaving here. What else can I do? I'm useless now, right?
Li, you have a new technical advisor. Don't think I don't know what you're thinking. In your eyes, your compatriots are much more reliable than a foreigner like me, right? Besides, I admit that his technology is better than mine. Tsk~"

As he spoke, Hunter curled his lips in disdain and raised his head proudly, as if he was not humiliated but victorious, a bit like a rooster.

"Oh, of course, um... Hunter, we might as well be more straightforward. I do want to hire Brother Zheng as my technical director, but that doesn't mean you have nowhere to go.

He's talented, and you're talented too. You can both stay here. How about you become the deputy director? Even if your rank is downgraded, can't I give you a 30% salary increase? "

Hunter didn't leave this time. He asked in surprise, "You mean I can continue working and you'll give me a raise? But, your mine only has a few machines. Do you really need two engineers?"

"Of course, I am not the traditional mine owner who only knows how to squeeze and exploit workers. I will buy more and more equipment in the future, and even, if possible,
I hope that one day, my Thailand will no longer only have mining, planting, and primary product trading industries, but will truly have a manufacturing industry!

Only manufacturing can make us Chinese hold our heads high, and only manufacturing can truly lead us to prosperity! This is my dream!
I actually don't want to mine at all. My real dream is to work in industry! Back then, my father resolutely resigned from his fifth-rank official position and chose to go into business. His original intention was to save the country through industry!

Of course, Li Xiaoshi said this not only to Hunter, but also to Zheng Yi.

Zheng Yi knew that this guy was just making false promises for himself again.

He was a little uncomfortable with the sight of a businessman talking about national sentiments and the interests of the country and family, and he was not very willing to listen.

As a veteran employee who had worked in a state-owned enterprise for twenty years in his previous life, he could actually come up with these so-called big words easily, and he guaranteed that each one would sound better than what Li Xiaoshi said.

I'm too lazy to say it, and I'm really tired of hearing it.

Of course, he did not deny that Li Xiaoshi was most likely sincere. It was just the times. People of this era, even a capitalist like Li Xiaoshi, could vaguely feel a fire burning in him.

He just cares more about doing than talking.

What's the point of just talking?

In any case, Li Xiaoshi in history definitely did not do so.

There was no trade protection in Southeast Asia at that time. The only country with tariffs was Thailand, which was not a colony, and the import tax was only 3%. It was not easy to develop manufacturing industry.

Without sovereignty, or in other words, without complete sovereignty, what industries you can develop depends on what industries others give you.

In fact, until Zheng Yi traveled through time, although Malaysia was not a poor country and the Chinese basically controlled the country's economic lifeline, it seemed that no one had heard of any decent manufacturing industry in the country.

Hunter really didn't expect that Li Xiaoshi had such ambition. Believe it or not, he didn't care anyway. He was an employee, and a high salary was better than anything else.

And is Zheng Yi's technical ability really higher than his?

Working with someone like him was actually a good thing. Although he was a yellow man, he was really capable. You could definitely learn something from him. As for Zheng Yi, that was even less of a concern.

Although the indenture and the IOU had been torn up by Li Xiaoshi, he knew that his current situation was essentially no different from that of a piglet.

If he left Li Xiaoshi, he would be in an unfamiliar place in the lawless Nanyang region where no one would care about killing people, and he would not know how he would die.

He is not opposed to working for others. He does not have the problem of many people who can only work alone and cannot stand having someone above them.

You know, he has been working in state-owned enterprises for 18 years.

Serving the leader was not difficult for him, and acting as a grandson was a common thing for him. At least Li Xiaoshi respected him very much.

"Brother Zheng, if you don't mind, you can be my technical director. I'll pay you 200 Malaysian ringgits a month. How about that?
When the factory has new production lines and more equipment, I will give you shares."

"Okay, thank you, Brother Li."

Two hundred Malaysian ringgits a month is not a small amount. He sold this piglet, and a human life is only worth fifty dollars, which is more than sixty Malaysian ringgits.

Although he could have asked for more if he had asked, there was actually no need.

There are many days to come.

As for the technical director, of course it should be the technical director of the entire Taiyou, not the technical director of this mine.

It's not just Taiyou, there's also Jinluntai.

Jinluntai was founded by Master Li Jiqian, and the boss is Li Jiqian, while Taiyou was founded by Li Jiqian for Li Xiaoshi, and the boss is Li Xiaoshi.

Over the years, Li Jiqian has grown older, while Li Xiaoshi has become more and more successful. Gradually, all of Jinluntai's business has been handed over to Li Xiaoshi. After both companies were under his control, the difference between the two companies was not that big.

Li Jiqian was a Jinshi in the late Qing Dynasty. Compared to doing business, he was still a scholar at heart.

I heard that after gradually giving up his business, he is now obsessed with poetry and songs all day long and can't extricate himself. He is having a lot of fun and almost doesn't care what Li Xiaoshi is doing.

Naturally, as the technical director, Zheng Yi had to take a bus back to Kuala Lumpur with Li Xiaoshi, pack up his things and leave.

In fact, he was a little uncomfortable with life in the mining area. Although it was the 1930s, Kuala Lumpur was still a city, right? It was definitely more convenient than the mining area.

The young apprentice Wu Wenhao pitifully helped him pack his luggage. Actually, there wasn't much luggage, just some newly bought bedding that he was reluctant to throw away, and the big guitar.

"Master, will you take me away?"

"Of course I'll take you with me. You're my apprentice, and I've already accepted your mother's apprenticeship gift. How can I not take you with me?"

But in my heart I was thinking: 'I actually wanted to take your mom with me, your mom cooks so deliciously, oh~, it's a pity that your mom has to stay with your dad.'

(End of this chapter)