In the fiery red era of the heavens, refrigerators are refreshed daily.

Chapter 41 41. Like a fish in water
In the early morning, the courtyard of the Shikumen is filled with the choking smoke from the coal stove and the monotonous dripping of the tap.

Yang Guangming buttoned up the last button of his white "Dacron" short-sleeved shirt, carefully put on his shiny Shanghai brand watch, and the straight creases of his dark blue khaki pants made him look exceptionally smart.

"Mingming, breakfast is ready!" Zhang Xiuying's voice came from the kitchen, filled with an irrepressible joy.

She brought out the bowl, her gaze sweeping over her son. His brand-new clothes, especially the shiny watch on his wrist, smoothed out the wrinkles in her heart like an iron—her son had made something of himself, sitting in an office in the factory administration office. What a prestigious position!
"I understand, Mom."

Yang Guangming sat down as instructed. In front of him was a bowl of steaming hot rice porridge. The rice grains were a bit denser than usual, and a few slices of dark pickled cucumber were sprinkled on top, giving it a savory and fragrant aroma.

He ate quickly and efficiently, but his mind was already on the factory.

The first draft of the quarterly production report, which Director Han assigned yesterday, must be finished today. There's also the task of drafting an outline for the Safety Production Month activities waiting for us…

Three days is enough time for Yang Guangming, a young man with a worldly-wise soul, to figure out the workings of the factory affairs office secretariat.

Processes, rules, the functional boundaries of each department, the leadership's style preferences...

His insight and adaptability honed during his previous life as a secretary allowed him to blend into this seemingly calm but actually turbulent deep water like a fish swimming in the water.

Director Han Mingqian is meticulous and rigorous, like a precise clock where every gear meshes perfectly. His requirements for writing are almost demanding.

Master Zhou Bingsheng, a veteran writer, seems to live in another world constructed by words. He is only interested in the factory's big reports and always has a detached sense of alienation from other matters.

Sister Zhang Yuqin, the "chief steward" of the secretariat, is warm-hearted and well-informed, but she also spends a lot of time weaving a web of interpersonal relationships.

As for Li Weidong...

As Yang Guangming pushed open the door to the large office of the factory affairs office's secretariat, his gaze inadvertently swept over the figure hunched over a desk in the corner, writing furiously. Li Weidong seemed startled by the sound of the door opening, and his shoulders stiffened almost imperceptibly.

"Good morning, Master Zhou! Good morning, Sister Zhang!"

Yang Guangming greeted his two colleagues in the office in a clear and bright voice.

He walked to his seat near the door, put down his faded canvas bag, and deftly took out his notebook, a fountain pen full of ink, and the stack of documents to be processed, laying them out neatly on the table.

He quickly tidied his desk, picked up the transcribed draft of the quarterly production report, and walked towards the wooden door at the end of the corridor that had a sign that read "Director's Office".

He raised his hand and tapped three times, neither too hard nor too soft.

"Please come in." Han Mingqian's steady voice came from inside the door.

Yang Guangming pushed open the door and entered. Director Han's office was not large, but it was clean and tidy. Several metal filing cabinets stood against the wall, and a large desk was piled with files and reports.

Han Mingqian was engrossed in a document, his brows furrowed slightly behind his black-rimmed glasses.

"Good morning, Director Han," Yang Guangming greeted respectfully.

"Good morning, Xiaoyang." Han Mingqian looked up, pushed up his glasses, and his gaze lingered on Yang Guangming for a moment as usual.

Over the past three days, this young man has impressed me with one word: meticulous. No matter how small the task, he always completes it on time or even ahead of schedule. The documents he submits are formatted correctly, clearly organized, and rarely contain typos.

That composure and execution ability beyond his years brought a long-lost sense of comfort to Han Mingqian, who was used to his subordinates being either slow or impulsive.

"Director Han, this is the first draft of the quarterly production report. Please review it."

Yang Guangming placed the neatly transcribed, clearly written document steadily on the corner of Han Mingqian's desk. "The data has been checked twice and is consistent with the original summaries reported by each workshop. I have highlighted the key parts according to the approach you suggested last time."

Han Mingqian picked up the manuscript and quickly scanned it, his eyes sharp as he measured every word between the lines.

The structure is rigorous, the data is detailed, the writing is concise and powerful, the achievements summarized are not exaggerated, the problems pointed out are not avoided, and the suggestions are quite practical.

This doesn't sound like something a newbie who's only been on the job for three days could write; it sounds like something a seasoned veteran would write.

He couldn't help but look up at Yang Guangming. The young man stood upright, his expression focused and calm, as if the surrounding sounds were shut out.

"Hmm, well written." Han Mingqian put down the manuscript, his tone carrying a rare hint of approval. "The organization is very clear, and the key points are well grasped. We'll need it for the factory meeting this afternoon."

He paused, tapping his knuckles lightly on the table twice, as if making up his mind. "Xiao Yang, put aside your work on the safety production month schedule for now. There's an urgent task here."

He pulled out a thin file: "The expanded meeting of the factory committee will be held the day after tomorrow. Secretary Tian will give a mobilization speech on technological innovation in the second half of the year."

Time was tight and the task was heavy. The original plan was for Weidong to draft a first draft... but Weidong hadn't finished the investigation report on the distribution of labor protection supplies by the trade union.

Han Mingqian changed the subject and handed the file to Yang Guangming, "Try to create a framework for this speech. It doesn't need to be too detailed. The key is to understand Secretary Tian's thinking, and to sort out the significance of technological innovation, the factory's existing foundation, the direction that needs to be broken through, and the key points of mobilizing the enthusiasm of employees."

Give me an outline before I leave work this afternoon. Feel free to ask me any questions.

The weight of this task is crystal clear to Yang Guangming.

Drafting the speeches of key leaders at important meetings, even if it's just a framework outline, means getting involved in the factory's core work ideas. It's a sign of trust, but also a test.

"Okay, Director Han. I'll look at the materials right away and try to come up with an outline as soon as possible."

Yang Guangming took the file without showing the slightest hint of being flattered or uneasy.

Han Mingqian gave a satisfied "hmm" and buried himself back in his documents. Yang Guangming took the files and left the director's office, gently closing the door behind him.

Back in his seat, Yang Guangming opened the case file.

Inside are meeting minutes from recent months regarding technical discussions at the factory, several briefings from the technical department, and some guiding documents from higher authorities on industrial technology development.

He quickly got into the zone, his fingertips turning the pages. His ability to process massive amounts of information and accurately extract key points from his previous life was on full display at this moment.

As he read, he quickly jotted down keywords and logical chains on a blank sheet of paper, his thinking clear and efficient.

(End of this chapter)