The Fiery Era: Becoming an Industrial Giant

Chapter 144 Going to the Ministry to Ask for Money [Please Subscribe]

"Director Zhou, would you like a driver to take you home tonight?"

After knocking on the door, Zhang Yaoguo came in and asked, "It's already past nine o'clock at night. The transport team has already come to inquire."

Today is Zhang Yaoguo's first day as the assistant to the deputy factory director. He has only worked for half a day, but he can already feel what Director Liu had told him before.

This isn't just a possibility of working overtime; it's likely that we'll be working overtime continuously, and very late at night.

As an ordinary employee of the factory, Zhang Yaoguo felt that it was good to have such a factory leader. At least he was not afraid of hardship and fatigue, and the factory had hope under such a leader.

But the thought of him working overtime with Deputy Factory Director Zhou made Zhang Yaoguo shudder.

Zhang Yaoguo wondered if he could keep going this late every day.

"It's already so late?"

Zhou Zhiqiang glanced at his watch and, thinking it wasn't good to keep his driver and assistant with him all the time, said, "Have the driver wait for me downstairs. I'll get ready and come down."

Thank you for your hard work today, Comrade Yaoguo.

"Factory manager, it's no trouble at all, it's what I should do."

Zhang Yaoguo quickly said, "Then I'll go and inform Master Ma right away."

After saying that, Zhang Yaoguo went to inform the drivers' team, while Zhou Zhiqiang began to organize the machine tool R&D report plan that he had not yet finished writing.

Because he will be collaborating with universities and other research institutes, and Zhou Zhiqiang also plans to propose a direction on technical principles, his workload will definitely be substantial.

"Work three more hours after I get home, and try to deliver it to the department by tomorrow afternoon."

As Zhou Zhiqiang packed his things, he thought to himself.

He's pretty familiar with the factory's affairs. Tomorrow morning, he'll come and do a site visit to check things out. If it matches the information in the department's records, then there shouldn't be any major problems.

The most important task remaining is machine tool research and development.

After packing his things, Zhou Zhiqiang went downstairs to get a car and prepared to go home.

After getting in the car, Zhou Zhiqiang gave Master Ma a pack of Peony cigarettes and said to him with a smile, "Master Ma, thank you for waiting for me for so long. I have a lot of work lately and may have to work overtime often."

You can keep this cigarette.

"Oh dear, factory manager, this is too much... I can't accept this."

Driver Ma had waited for so long, so he wasn't exactly resentful, but he was a little uncomfortable.

But to his surprise, the new deputy factory director was so generous, giving him a pack of Peony cigarettes right away, which delighted him.

Peony cigarettes cost 45 cents a pack, which was really unaffordable for ordinary cadres; one reason was that they didn't have ration coupons, and the other was that they were too expensive.

For a long-time smoker, a pack of cigarettes will last at most two or three days, and sometimes it will be finished in a little over a day.

If you smoke Peony cigarettes, a month's salary wouldn't be enough to cover the cost.

Moreover, there are differences between drivers. Although driver Ma is holding the steering wheel, he drives a small car for the leader, not a large truck for freight transport.

Without subsidies for going out or benefits such as carrying goods along the way, their income may only be half that of truck drivers.

For truck drivers, short-distance trips can earn them a subsidy of six or seven cents, while long-distance trips can earn them nine cents or a dollar a day, and they can even carry goods on their round trips.

Each trip can earn an extra thirty or forty yuan, and the subsidies and fieldwork are almost as much as the salary, which makes Master Ma extremely envious.

"Keep it. I don't smoke, so there's no point in keeping it."

Zhou Zhiqiang casually said, "You'll be picking me up and dropping me off next, so here's a pack of cigarettes to perk you up."

"Thank you, factory manager."

After saying that, Master Ma started the vehicle and drove towards Zhou Zhiqiang's house; as a driver, he had already done his homework in advance about where the leader lived.

A short while later, Zhou Zhiqiang was safely delivered to the entrance of No. 63 Nanluoguxiang.

"Factory manager, we've arrived. What time should I pick you up tomorrow?"

"Around 7:30, that's when I leave home."

After getting out of the car, Zhou Zhiqiang waved to Master Ma and said, "Master Ma, you should go back now and get some rest."

"Okay, factory manager."

After saying that, Master Ma drove away.

Zhou Zhiqiang also opened the door and returned home, by which time his son was already asleep.

His wife was still awake. Hearing the noise, she quietly came out and asked in a teasing tone, "Director Zhou is back. Have you eaten yet?"

"You're behaving strangely. Didn't I tell you about the overtime beforehand? I'm afraid I'll be busy for the next six months."

Zhou Zhiqiang poked Guo Yuting's head and said that he had told his wife about this before he went to the Second Machine Tool Factory.

However, Guo Yuting snorted and said, "I know, but you're not this busy on Sundays, are you?"
My son keeps asking when you're coming back today; it seems he doesn't want me to take care of him.

Zhou Zhiqiang laughed and said, "Hehe, then I won't work on Sunday. I'll go to the movies with you guys, but we can't eat out. We'll eat at home after the movie, and I'll cook for you."

Their family has both meat coupons and grain coupons, but now that supplies are decreasing, eating out is too conspicuous.

It's the same if we eat at home. Zhou Zhiqiang felt that his cooking skills were not bad either. His control over the heat and seasonings was definitely comparable to that of a fifth or sixth-level cook.

"Okay, it's settled then. You'll take us to the park on Sunday."

Upon hearing this, Guo Yuting smiled happily and then explained, "It's not that I'm interfering with your work. If you're busy, then next week or another day is fine."

But your son always thinks about you. You leave before he wakes up every day, and when you come back he's already asleep. The two of you live in the same room, but it's as if you can never see each other.

Zhou Zhiqiang felt a little embarrassed after hearing this, but he was indeed too busy with work at the factory.

If he hadn't wanted to avoid making his assistant and driver work overtime, he could have worked until midnight.

Perhaps in the future, he can work from home on research and development, drawing blueprints, and other related tasks?
It won't delay other people from leaving the factory, and it will also allow me to spend more time with my family.

After chatting with Guo Yuting for a while, Zhou Zhiqiang told her to go to sleep first, as he had some things to do in his study.

The project plan for developing a new machine tool hasn't been compiled and organized yet. He needs to go to the ministry tomorrow to ask for funds, so he needs to get it done as soon as possible.

Guo Yuting was inevitably disappointed and unhappy when she heard that Zhou Zhiqiang still had to do chores when he got home, but she could understand it to some extent when she thought about the honors he had brought back.
Speaking of which, she often saw her father busy in his study late at night when she was a child.

After persuading his wife to go back inside to rest, Zhou Zhiqiang went back to his study to get busy.

------

Early the next morning.

Guo Yuting knew that Zhou Zhiqiang would be leaving early, so she got up earlier than usual.

I woke up just before six o'clock and got up to make breakfast for Zhou Zhiqiang: a flatbread made from two kinds of dough, a bowl of egg drop soup, and two small pickled vegetables.

The egg drop soup was made with a single egg in one pot, and then the two of them shared it.

This is the dietary standard that Zhou Zhiqiang and his wife discussed. Even though they have a lot of stored grain, they really couldn't stand eating refined grains every meal.

Besides, they have a son. A child who is only one or two years old cannot get used to eating coarse grains. They have to wait until he is a little older.

Pigeon City. Given Zhou Zhiqiang's current status, it's not convenient for him to go there; if he's upright and doesn't take advantage of others, then this is indeed the standard of food he eats at home.

After having breakfast at home, the driver arrived shortly after.

Zhou Zhiqiang grabbed his briefcase and took a car to the factory.

Upon arriving at the factory, Zhou Zhiqiang did not immediately begin work. Instead, he asked Zhang Yaoguo to accompany him on a tour of the factory.

After briefly reviewing the situation at the factory and comparing the collected data, Zhou Zhiqiang returned to his office to continue working.

Managing a factory certainly doesn't allow you to be fooled by your subordinates. He needs to regularly check on things in the factory or chat with the workers to stay informed about the latest situation.
I was busy for almost the entire morning.

Zhou Zhiqiang finally finished organizing the planning documents for developing a high-precision coordinate boring machine. He couldn't wait to have lunch at the factory, so he directly asked Zhang Yaoguo to notify the driver that he needed to go to the ministry.

When Master Ma arrived downstairs in his car, Zhou Zhiqiang had already been waiting for a minute or two. After getting in the car, he immediately asked Master Ma to drive him to the Ministry of Machinery Industry.

Without wasting much time on the way, Zhou Zhiqiang and his group quickly arrived at the First Ministry of Machine Building.

He didn't make an appointment in advance, but it wasn't necessary. He had come so many times last year that the security guards at the gate of the department were very familiar with Zhou Zhiqiang.

He peeked out of the car, and the security guards at the gate let him in.

After getting out of the car, Zhou Zhiqiang said to the driver, "Master Ma, wait here for a moment. I'll have someone take you to eat later."

I might be a little late at the department today. After you finish eating, follow my instructions and don't wander off.

"Don't worry, factory manager, I'll follow orders the whole time and I definitely won't wander off."

Master Ma knew exactly where he was and that if he wandered around, he might be immediately detained for questioning, so he didn't dare to wander around at all.

After instructing the driver, Zhou Zhiqiang went upstairs to find Director Ren.

As soon as Zhou Zhiqiang arrived at the office area of ​​the Machine Tool Administration Bureau, he ran into Deputy Director Jin from the office.

Upon seeing Zhou Zhiqiang, Deputy Director Jin greeted him unexpectedly, "Oh, Deputy Factory Director Zhou, what brings you here today?"

Zhou Zhiqiang said, "I have something to report to Director Ren. Is Director Ren in his office?"

"Yes, you're probably busy with something. I'll go ask for you."

After Deputy Director Jin finished speaking, he led Zhou Zhiqiang toward Director Ren's office: "Director Ren is here today, but he's often out. Deputy Factory Director Zhou, you can call ahead next time you come, so you don't make a wasted trip."

"It was my oversight. I was in a bit of a rush and forgot about it."

Zhou Zhiqiang said apologetically, then, remembering his driver, continued, "Deputy Director Jin, I estimate the report will take some time; our factory's driver is still downstairs."
"It's lunchtime soon, could you arrange something for him?"

Deputy Director Jin waved his hand and said, "It's a small matter. I'll have someone take him to the cafeteria later."

What's a meal? All the cadres who come to the ministry to report on matters are arranged to stay for lunch in the ministry's canteen.

Soon, they arrived at Director Ren's office. Deputy Director Jin asked Zhou Zhiqiang to wait a moment.

He knocked on the door and went in for a while before coming out and saying to Zhou Zhiqiang, "Deputy Factory Director Zhou, Director Ren wants you to come in. Don't worry about the factory driver's matter, I'll arrange it right away."

"Then I'll have to trouble you, Deputy Director Jin."

After thanking him again, Zhou Zhiqiang knocked on the door and went inside.

"Comrade Zhiqiang, I didn't expect you to come looking for me the very next day? Is there something wrong at the factory?"

Director Ren asked with a smile. He thought it would take three or four days, but he didn't expect Zhou Zhiqiang to arrive so quickly.

"Yes, something is indeed happening, but I have something to report to you, Director Ren, about the development of the new machine tool."

As Zhou Zhiqiang explained, he took out the new boring machine R&D plan report from his briefcase and handed it to Director Ren.

"This is my research and development plan for the second machine tool plant. It involves adding technologies such as optical reading to increase positioning accuracy. However, relying solely on our plant may be insufficient."

Therefore, I need to collaborate with some universities and research institutes with strong research and manufacturing capabilities to achieve breakthroughs in key technologies, and I may also need to import some from Russia.”

Zhou Zhiqiang gave a brief explanation, which is described in more detail in his research and development report.

It was almost a three-way collaboration, but the research and development directions for all three parties were provided by Zhou Zhiqiang.

There's also the need for R&D funding and distribution channels, which requires support from the ministry.

Zhou Zhiqiang planned to contribute 1.7 million yuan, but estimated that only 1 million yuan would be needed, with the remaining 700,000 yuan reserved for reserves and subsequent factory expansion.

"The Henan Provincial Institute of Optics and Physics and Comrade Zhiqiang from Harbin University, these requirements are quite high."

After reading it, Director Ren pondered for more than ten seconds before continuing, "Even if the ministry helps coordinate, it will still take half a month. Besides, you plan to develop and manufacture it within six months. Are you confident?"

"As long as you follow my plan and both sides listen to my instructions, there will definitely be no problem."

Zhou Zhiqiang emphasized 'follow his instructions,' meaning that everyone must follow the research and development theoretical direction he provided and not do anything out of line.

"If these things can be done, I dare to make a solemn promise: the Second Machine Tool Plant will definitely be able to manufacture coordinate boring machines with internationally top-notch precision."

"Okay, since you're so confident, I'll definitely help you out no matter what."

Seeing Zhou Zhiqiang's confidence, Director Ren couldn't help but have confidence in him as well.

Moreover, considering Zhou Zhiqiang's performance at Dafeng Agricultural Machinery Equipment Factory, and the evaluations of him by others in the large hydraulic press project team.

Director Ren felt that Zhou Zhiqiang's pledge was not just empty talk, but rather a display of absolute confidence.

“Director Ren, I’ve been thinking about this since last year. I already have a clear idea of ​​what the new machine tool will look like and what technologies it will require. All that’s left is to bring it to fruition.”

Zhou Zhiqiang pointed to his head and said with a smile, "There's one more thing, Director Ren, you need to approve it for me as soon as possible, preferably tomorrow."

"what's up?"

"The ministry owed our factory more than two million yuan in investment last year, but Deputy Leader Wu said it would be approved for us this year."

The Second Machine Tool Plant doesn't have much money left in its accounts right now. If I want to develop a new coordinate boring machine, I'm counting on this money the ministry mentioned."

Upon hearing this, Director Ren laughed and said, "Haha, you're starting to look more and more like a factory manager now. You always think about hoarding good stuff for the factories you manage."
Okay, I'll draft a report for you and submit it to Deputy Leader Wu this afternoon. As for how long it will take him to sign it off, that's beyond my control.

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(End of this chapter)