The Fiery Era: Becoming an Industrial Giant

Chapter 126 Inquiring about the Past [Please Subscribe]

There was no special lunch service, but the factory leaders had the canteen prepare some good dishes.

An Xiangjie, the deputy factory director, had prepared for this for a long time. He bought a lot of good stuff and sent it out to people to build relationships. In the end, he brought back five pigs for their factory.

It was like having a factory-wide feast; meal tickets were distributed to everyone starting yesterday.

One meal ticket can buy two meat dishes and two vegetable dishes. Then the workers can use the meal tickets to buy steamed buns made from mixed flour, refined grains, cornbread, or other similar items.

Anyway, this meal was delicious for all the workers in the factory. Even Secretary Yan and Director Zhao didn't have any special meals prepared for them, but instead chose to eat together in the main canteen.

There's no need for extra special meals today; the factory's meals are already good enough.

"Section Chief, I kept your meal voucher for you when the factory office issued it."

When Chen Li went back to the office to get her lunchbox, she took out a meal ticket and handed it to Zhou Zhiqiang.

She also had a meal ticket tucked inside, thinking that Zhou Zhiqiang must not have brought a meal ticket back in such a hurry.

Meal tickets at the factory were sold monthly, and each person had a limited number. Zhou Zhiqiang hadn't been back for several months and hadn't eaten many meals at the factory canteen, so he definitely didn't have any meal tickets.

After receiving the meal ticket, Zhou Zhiqiang smiled and said, "Thank you, Deputy Section Chief Chen. Otherwise, I would have had to eat vegetables today."

Chen Li turned her head and said, "It's just a meal ticket, and you've treated me to quite a lot of food."

"Let's go, let's go. If we go late, we'll probably have to wait a long time to eat."

Zhou Zhiqiang greeted them, and then the two quickly headed towards the cafeteria.

Upon arriving at the cafeteria, a long queue indeed formed, forcing Zhou Zhiqiang and Chen Li to join the back of the line, which stretched all the way out of the cafeteria entrance.

However, even outside the cafeteria, you could smell the aroma of food, indicating that the kitchen staff had really put their skills to good use for today's meal.

After all, the factory has been transferred to the direct administration of a ministry and its level has been raised. If the kitchen staff doesn't work hard during such a good time, they will definitely be remembered by all the factory leaders.

There were too many people at noon. When it was Zhou Zhiqiang's turn to get his food, he looked back and saw that the line behind him had not only not shortened, but had actually grown longer.

He didn't linger, ordering a lion's head meatball and braised pork, along with a plate of braised potatoes, stir-fried cabbage, and two steamed buns, before leaving.

"Section Chief, over here, over here!"

As Zhou Zhiqiang was looking for a seat with his lunchbox, he soon heard someone calling him. He looked closely.

Upon discovering that it was Zhao Jiabao and his group, Zhou Zhiqiang even saved a seat for him, so he invited Chen Li, who had just finished getting her food, to join him.

After sitting down, Zhou Zhiqiang heard Zhao Jiabao say happily, "Section Chief, today's meal is quite sumptuous. If it were at a restaurant, this meal would cost at least five or six cents."

"After all, there's something good happening at the factory, so we definitely have to celebrate. But we'll definitely be even busier from now on."

Zhou Zhiqiang said with a smile, "The technical department has the most important responsibilities. If there are any problems that can't be solved in the future, just have Deputy Section Chief Chen contact me."

Zhuang Shuqin, who was standing next to her, said with a smile, "Our tasks have been quite easy lately. Although you, Section Chief, are not here, you have already paved the way, saving us a lot of effort."

The people at their table were all from the technical department, and after hearing Zhuang Shuqin's words, everyone felt that there was nothing wrong with what she said.

Zhou Zhiqiang received two honors from the factory last year: Advanced Individual and Model Worker, even though he hadn't actually been to the factory yet.

But most of the factory workers had no objections, especially all the apprentices.

As long as you still have that lathe and pliers technical training manual in your hand, you can be considered half an apprentice of Zhou Zhiqiang.

Moreover, Zhou Zhiqiang also developed and provided the factory with the design ideas and blueprints for the threshing machine. If he is second to none, then no one can be chosen as the first.

"Section Chief, when can you go back to the factory?"

Su Xiaoxuan, another female technician in the technical department, asked, "Without you, section chief, I feel like I have fewer opportunities to learn new things."

Zhou Zhiqiang laughed and said, "Soon, I'll be back by the end of the year. But comrades, have you overlooked Deputy Section Chief Chen? She's also a college graduate with a solid foundation in mechanical knowledge."

"If you have any questions, you can ask Deputy Section Chief Chen."

However, after Zhou Zhiqiang finished speaking, the atmosphere at the dinner table suddenly dropped a bit. After a second or two, Zhao Jiabao and Ping Yanchang chuckled and said...
"...Hehe, yeah, yeah."

"Oh right, we almost forgot."

Chen Li glanced at Zhou Zhiqiang with annoyance, then continued eating without saying a word.

Chen Li was self-aware; she knew that her achievements in mechanics were far inferior to Zhou Zhiqiang's, and her popularity in the technical department seemed to be just average.

She pursued work efficiency and the absolute completion of tasks assigned by her superiors, so she often had a cold face in the department, and it was understandable that the technicians below her did not dare to ask them questions.

The lunch was quite good; Zhou Zhiqiang was so full that he didn't leave the cafeteria until he was completely stuffed.

The meeting doesn't start until 2 PM, so there's still quite a bit of time.

Chen Li stepped forward and asked, "Section Chief, what are you planning to do later?"

"Go back to the technical department and rest for a while, then go to the meeting at two o'clock."

Zhou Zhiqiang smiled and said, "I'm giving myself a little break today. I'll go back to the technical department for a while, and then go to the meeting."

Chen Li immediately said, "Your office is cleaned regularly, so you can rest there. Besides, Section Chief, I have something I need to ask you."

"Section Chief Zhou."

Before Chen Li could finish speaking, another person walked over.

Zhou Zhiqiang recognized him; he was the driver for Deputy Factory Director An, the one surnamed Li. So he asked, "Mr. Li, is there anything I can help you with?"

Driver Li said, "Deputy Factory Director An has something to discuss with you, but Section Chief Zhou was having lunch, so Deputy Factory Director An asked me to wait until you finish your meal to pass on the message."

It was something we talked about a few days ago.

After Zhou Zhiqiang had a clear idea of ​​what was going on, he said, "I understand. I'll go find Deputy Factory Director An now. Master Li, you can go back first."

After driver Li left, Zhou Zhiqiang turned to Chen Li and said, "Deputy Section Chief Chen, I'm going to see Deputy Factory Director An first. We can talk about it when I get back to the technical section."

".OK."

Chen Li was secretly complaining about An Xiangjie, but considering that there was still some time before the meeting at 2 o'clock, she nodded in agreement without expression.

Zhou Zhiqiang then walked toward An Xiangjie's office.

A short while later, Zhou Zhiqiang arrived at the office door, knocked on the door, and after hearing An Xiangjie's voice inside, pushed the door open and entered the room.

"Deputy Factory Director An."

"Section Chief Zhou, you've arrived. Please have a seat."

An Xiangjie got up to pour tea. He had already brewed the tea when he came back, and it was ready to drink now. "I'm really sorry to have asked you to come all this way, but there are some things that I can only discuss with Section Chief Zhou. Try this, it's West Lake Longjing tea, someone gave it to me."

Zhou Zhiqiang picked up the teacup, took a sip, and immediately nodded, saying, "Good tea..."

He couldn't quite distinguish between good and bad tea, but this cup of tea had a very strong aroma and was indeed better than what he usually drank.

“I have already applied to my superiors for a transfer to Guangdong Province, where I will serve as the deputy director of the foreign trade bureau. My family will also be going with me.”

The excuse they came up with was quite fitting: they found relatives there; and indeed, some people went to the south, which happened more than ten years ago.

An Xiangjie smiled and continued, "I didn't want to take the fixed interest; I was going to donate it all. But the leader insisted on giving me this year's fixed interest."

"Regarding the fixed interest dividends for the next few years, I've already discussed with my superiors that 20% will be used to help the elderly, widowed, and military families in Beijing, and the rest will be donated. They can use it however they want."

"Good courage, Deputy Factory Director An."

After hearing this, Zhou Zhiqiang couldn't help but praise, "If you calculate it this way, the An family didn't take much money at all."

He started receiving it in 1956 and even donated some of it. He also donated quite a bit in 1957. This year, the fixed interest was forcibly given to him.

However, all the fixed interest and dividends for the next eight years were donated. The fixed interest and dividends will be extended to 66 years, which is no small amount, given the gradually increasing annual output value of Dafeng Agricultural Machinery Equipment Factory.
With eight years of fixed-interest dividends, it could potentially amount to tens of millions.

"What courage or not? I know what Dafeng Machinery Factory was like before. It was just a small factory with a few hundred thousand yuan."

An Xiangjie continued with a smile, "The factory only expanded its workforce after the public-private partnership. Then, Section Chief Zhou, you came up with new products, the factory continued to expand, and we secured foreign trade orders. What do these developments have to do with me, An? They're like hot potatoes."

An Xiangjie felt uneasy just thinking about giving a small factory worth hundreds of thousands of yuan tens of millions of yuan in dividends.

If it weren't for the leader's insistence that he take another year's share, An Xiangjie wouldn't have even wanted to take the 2008 bonus.

The output value in 1958 can be basically predicted, which is approximately 40 million.

The factory estimated his dividend to be around 300,000 to 400,000 yuan, which is almost equivalent to the original value of the factory.

"Section Chief Zhou, after your last suggestion, I understand now; compared to development, I would rather secure my home before developing. If I feel even a little uncomfortable, I will feel uneasy all over."
"Now things are much better. The leaders are looking out for us and have even given us a suitable position, so my whole family won't have to go to Guangdong and be completely unfamiliar with the place."

He was promoted one level at Dafeng Agricultural Machinery Equipment Factory, and then became a deputy director at the division level over there, which was quite good.

"The rest of the things are almost packed up, but some of the fixed properties are a bit difficult to deal with. Section Chief Zhou, do you have any ideas?"

"No, no, Deputy Factory Director An, my family just bought a courtyard house and converted it into public rental housing. We really have no interest in it."

Zhou Zhiqiang quickly shook his head, then paused for a moment before continuing to say to An Xiangjie, "If you don't lack money, I suggest you rent it directly to a government unit and convert it into public rental housing."

Lower the rent slightly, but make sure all the paperwork is done properly, and keep the record; you can use it again if you go back to Beijing later. Of course, this is just my suggestion, since that's what I do.

Upon hearing this, An Xiangjie nodded and said, "I will definitely give Section Chief Zhou's suggestion serious consideration."

He likes to listen to the opinions of intelligent people, but An Xiangjie knows that he is not particularly perceptive and can't see through many things.

But he has a good eye for people; almost everyone he thinks is capable has achieved something now.

Zhou Zhiqiang is the smartest person An Xiangjie thinks, and he has no ill intentions towards him, so An Xiangjie will definitely give Zhou Zhiqiang's suggestion a serious consideration.

An Xiangjie set off two months later. He needed a month and a half to sort out his family property, and then he would take it all to Guangdong.

I and a few others stayed in Guangdong, while the rest of my family went to Hong Kong Island; this way, we were separated by the strait, not too far apart, and could look after each other.

The reason Zhou Zhiqiang was called over was because An Xiangjie had taken a liking to one of the few young people in Beijing, so he wanted to maintain a good relationship and ask him if he needed any of An's properties.

If he's interested, he can make a move.

But after hearing what Zhou Zhiqiang said, An Xiangjie felt that staying was not a bad idea. Converting to public rental housing would allow him to receive money for ten or even more than ten years, and he would also retain the property.

As for whether they can get it back in the future, An Xiangjie felt he could trust Zhou Zhiqiang.

Seeing that everything was alright, Zhou Zhiqiang was about to take his leave and return to the technical department when he suddenly remembered something and asked, "Deputy Factory Director An, have you ever heard of a businessman in Tianjin named Zhou Dehai?"

Yu Zhongguo seems to care a lot about the Zhou family. He apologized to Zhou Hanmei several times and inquired about the Zhou family, but there was no news.

"Zhou Dehai?"

Upon hearing the name, An Xiangjie frowned and thought for a moment before suddenly remembering and saying, "Isn't it Old Master Zhou from Dehai Pawnshop?"

"I'm not sure, but he should be quite wealthy."

"That must be him. Among the powerful Zhou-surname bosses in Tianjin, there is probably only Mr. Zhou Dehai of Dehai Pawnshop."

However, they moved away a long time ago. I was only a teenager then, and I had only heard about Dehai Pawnshop.

An Xiangjie pondered for a moment and said, "I'm not sure exactly where he went, but Old Master Zhou is no ordinary person. Back then... never mind, I won't go into details, but in short, he must have accumulated a considerable fortune at that time."

In those days, how could one protect their family fortune without resorting to some means? But it's not honorable to talk about it now, so it's not appropriate to discuss it.

"Okay, thank you, Deputy Factory Director An."

After Zhou Zhiqiang finished speaking, he continued, "Deputy Factory Director An, if there's nothing else, I'll head back now?"

"It's alright, but could you please come over here, Section Chief Zhou?"

“Deputy Factory Director An has helped me a lot, so it’s not a big deal that you’re willing to talk to me.”

Zhou Zhiqiang exchanged a few polite words and then left An Xiangjie's office.

When Zhou Zhiqiang returned to the technical department, he felt a sense of unfamiliarity.

After greeting everyone in the department, Zhou Zhiqiang returned to his office and sat down in a chair.

Chen Li pushed open the door and walked in, asking, "Section Chief, how did it go?"

"The technical department is still the best. After being away for so long, I really miss it here."

Zhou Zhiqiang sighed and said, "How wonderful it would have been if I could have just stayed in the office doing research and left all the errands to Chen Li."

"Section Chief, thank you for your help recently."

Chen Li suddenly said to Zhou Zhiqiang very solemnly, "I was able to get promoted so quickly, all thanks to you, Section Chief."

Zhou Zhiqiang was taken aback and couldn't help but ask, "Deputy Section Chief Chen, why are you suddenly saying such things? What happened?"
Moreover, we are a team, and everyone shares in the achievements.

Chen Li shook her head and said, "It's nothing, I just feel that I should thank you, Section Chief. Strictly speaking, the collective contribution to the factory's several new R&D tasks is very small."

Zhou Zhiqiang quickly interrupted, "Goodness, don't say that anymore, Comrade Chen Li. I'll pretend I didn't hear what you said, and please don't say it again."

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(End of this chapter)