The Fiery Era: Becoming an Industrial Giant

Chapter 165 News about my father-in-law and mother-in-law

Director Ren didn't recall the other factories in the report; they were probably small factories under the jurisdiction of the local county.

The number of people is only a little over three hundred, which may not be enough to be managed by the Municipal Bureau of Industry.

But there was another branch factory inside, which Director Ren remembered very clearly: it was a branch factory of the No. 1 Machine Tool Factory in Beijing.

"Your idea is brilliant, but I doubt it will work. I don't even need to discuss it with Vice Leader Wu."

After thinking for a moment, Director Ren shook his head and said, "The First Machine Tool Plant also has a heavy task. They also bear the machine tool needs of many industrial developments."

"Just because your factory has heavy workloads and is doing well doesn't mean we can transfer their branch factory to you. Otherwise, the First Machine Tool Plant would cause a ruckus."

"This is just a suggestion, but if we want to continue production, we will need a lot of skilled technical workers."

If we continue training, it will put too much pressure on our factory's technical department and will also delay production efficiency.

Zhou Zhiqiang explained, "Sir, if the parts processed by the universal grinding machine can also meet the needs of many military and defense projects and major projects, then..."
"Our factory simply cannot produce them in the short term. Production will be delayed by at least a year. Our current production schedule is already booked until the end of next year, and the earliest we can produce universal grinding machines is the year after next."

"Our factory is definitely fine; we're producing whatever we need, and everyone's busy anyway. But it's hard to say about other projects that require universal grinding machines."

Upon hearing this, Director Ren pointed at Zhou Zhiqiang and said, "Comrade Zhiqiang, you're hitting my pressure points."

"No, no, I just hope the leaders can help resolve this. After all, the machine tools produced are ultimately for the country's development, and I'm really anxious about it."

Zhou Zhiqiang is definitely right. He wants to quickly produce a batch of universal grinding machines, but it's not because of him.

Moreover, there are priorities. If one of the two machine tools must be produced first, then the machine tool from the second machine tool factory is definitely more important.

Director Ren understood this principle: directly seizing a branch factory from the First Machine Tool Plant and transferring it to the Second Machine Tool Plant was not something that could be done.

Even though the First Machine Tool Plant was directly under the ministry, the ministry had a great deal of guidance over changes to the First Machine Tool Plant.

They were producing well, without slacking off or making mistakes, and suddenly losing a branch factory is a huge blow to their production morale.

"I'll try my best to gather some workers at level three or above for you. When you get back, prepare a document outlining what kind of skilled workers you need."

Director Ren sighed and said, "We can consider merging the other small factories under the jurisdiction of the county as you suggested. Their production tasks are indeed somewhat disordered and unplanned."

"If we merge these small factories together, and with the ministry helping you coordinate a group of skilled workers, could we build a branch factory that can be put into production immediately?"

"If the ministry supports it, then it should be possible."

After Zhou Zhiqiang finished speaking, he took out a stack of documents from his briefcase and handed them to Director Ren, saying, "Director Ren, these are documents I borrowed from the Municipal Bureau of Industry. They are documents about the four small factories in Changping."

The four factories have a total of 1,175 workers, but when I went to inspect them, I saw quite a few seasoned veterans. These kinds of people can't be kept in the factories, or we need to send someone with strong methods to control them.”

The vast majority of workers are working hard for the country's development, but there are also a few who slack off whenever possible and just coast along on their fixed wages.

Anyway, they are workers, and unless it's a serious breach of principle, they can't be fired.

The last time Zhou Zhiqiang visited a small factory, he encountered several people smoking and slacking off. Judging from the cigarette butts on the ground, they had probably been idle for two or three hours.

Seeing the factory leaders leading Zhou Zhiqiang and the others closer, they weren't afraid at all, and went to the other side to continue smoking and chatting with smiles.

It's unfair to keep such people in the factory, compared to the hard work of the other workers.

"Okay, I'll send someone down to investigate. If this is indeed the case, then we'll deal with it accordingly."

After carefully reviewing the information about his own factory and the plan given by Zhou Zhiqiang, Director Ren quickly gained a clear understanding of the matter.

The combined annual output of these four small factories is probably only five or six million.

However, the question remains: how to integrate them, and then have the ministry transfer some skilled workers from other factories to integrate these factories into branch factories of the Second Machine Tool Plant?
The annual output value generated will definitely exceed ten million, and it is even possible that it will reach twenty million.

The output value of the Second Machine Tool Plant was not good last year, but after Zhou Zhiqiang went there this year, it is estimated that it has tripled.

It may be even higher next year.

"Okay, let me discuss this with the leaders and then give you an answer. It shouldn't be a big problem. The department will send someone to investigate and find out the truth."

After Director Ren finished speaking, he laughed and said, "I've noticed that every time you come to the ministry, you don't bring up trivial matters. Every time, I have to go and report to the leaders."

If it's a normal matter, then I can decide to arrange it.

Upon hearing this, Zhou Zhiqiang smiled and said, "For ordinary matters, I'll just call you directly, and for minor issues, the factory can handle them on its own."

After all, their Second Machine Tool Plant is a deputy bureau-level unit, which is quite a high rank, and they have a lot of responsibilities.

After finishing his business with Director Ren, Zhou Zhiqiang didn't linger and got up to leave.

Before leaving the office, Zhou Zhiqiang got up and looked around. In the end, he didn't find any local specialties he could take with him, so he shook his head and walked out of the room.

After Zhou Zhiqiang left, Director Ren laughed heartily, then took out a cigarette from the drawer and lit it.

He was worried that a pack of cigarettes would be stolen from him, so he refrained from smoking for two or three hours, which made him very pent up.

------

After a busy day, Zhou Zhiqiang had just finished his overtime work in the workshop.

He was lucky to finish his overtime work; other workers either walked or rode bicycles home, but Zhou Zhiqiang had a driver to pick him up.

After being dropped off at his doorstep by the driver, Zhou Zhiqiang got out of the car and told the driver to go home and rest early. He then opened the door and went back into his own home.

It was already past ten o'clock, and his son was probably already asleep, so Zhou Zhiqiang moved very quietly when he went back into the room.

After putting his briefcase in the study, Zhou Zhiqiang came out to wash up when he saw his wife come out of the back room.

Zhou Zhiqiang stopped washing his face and asked, "Yuting, why aren't you asleep yet tonight?"

"I have something to tell you. You should wash up first, and we can talk in the room later."

"Okay, then you go back first. It's getting colder outside, don't catch a cold."

Zhou Zhiqiang urged his wife to go back to the house, and then he quickly washed up, wiped his face, and went back inside.

Upon entering the room, Zhou Zhiqiang noticed the letter in his wife's hand and asked, guessing, "Did Dad send a letter back?"

"Yes, Dad said he'll come back for Chinese New Year this year. You can decide for yourself."

Guo Yuting didn't finish her sentence before handing the envelope to Zhou Zhiqiang, telling him to read it himself.

"It's so mysterious, what can't we say to each other?" Zhou Zhiqiang took the letter and lay down on the bed. Using the bedside lamp, he took out the letter and began to read it.

Zhou Zhiqiang read the letter quickly, skimming through it. His father-in-law's handwriting was still very neat.

"Is that all? You have such a long face, I thought something had happened."

Zhou Zhiqiang said with a smile, "Isn't it good that Mom brought the child back? Bo Cai will have an older brother to take care of him, and there will be someone at home to look after him. You used to always think about these things."

"I wasn't wearing a long face."

Feeling embarrassed, Guo Yuting stubbornly denied it, saying, "I was just thinking about whether we should move back to the room I used to live in."
That area is right next to the kitchen, so the smell of cooking oil is probably quite strong there.

Zhou Zhiqiang waved his hand and said, "Oh, what's the big deal? I'll just modify the kitchen when I have a day off."

"Besides, moving back wouldn't be a problem. It's just a place to sleep. We're not home all the time, why should we care about that?"

"Your room is a bit small, can't you even fit a double bed?"

"That's what you said."

After being reminded by Zhou Zhiqiang, Guo Yuting suddenly felt more at ease, realizing that she had been stuck in a rut.

Guo Yuting then added, "Why do you think Mom suddenly wanted to come back?"

"It's definitely for my nephew's sake. Putting everything else aside, Dad values ​​his children's education quite a bit. He certainly hopes that all his descendants will have access to education and go on to university."

Zhou Zhiqiang paused here, then looked at his wife.

She was a high school student. I heard that her father-in-law forced her to study so that she could finish high school. She couldn't get into university after that, so he found her a job.

Guo Yuting noticed Zhou Zhiqiang's gaze, and immediately patted him shyly, saying, "Don't look at me, continue."

"Although construction is underway in the Northwest, the schools there probably aren't very good. Dad asked Mom to bring our nephew back, probably because he's considering his future schooling."

Moreover, it's easier for adults to endure hardship; they can overcome it by just persevering, but it's a bit more difficult for children.

No parent wants to see their child suffer, especially when they have the means to provide a slightly better life for their child.

My father-in-law has been gone for three years now, and Zhou Zhiqiang's nephew is almost old enough to start elementary school.

If they went to school in the Northwest, the education would definitely be lacking. Although Guo Linhua is a professor, he probably wouldn't have the time to teach his children.

"If I have time this weekend, I'll tidy up that house and we'll move back before the Lunar New Year holiday."

Guo Yuting nodded and said, "Okay."

On Sundays, unless he specifically takes his son out to play, Zhou Zhiqiang would usually stay home working on the technical drawings for the new machine tool.

After finishing breakfast today, Zhou Zhiqiang began tidying up Guo Yuting's old room.

The room is indeed not big. A double bed, a cabinet, and a table and chairs are enough to fill it up.

The house in the front yard can be vacated so that our son can live there when he grows up. There aren't many houses left in the back yard. If we demolish the study, we can create three rooms.

Guo Linhua's father-in-law really did a great job decorating the study.

The three rooms were combined, and several bookshelves were placed inside. With plenty of natural light, it's definitely a great place to read or work from home.

Zhou Zhiqiang didn't really want to touch the study, and he didn't want to move it when Zhou Bocai grew up and moved to the front yard.

Moreover, the study left by my father-in-law is not his property, so it's not good to make any changes.

In the morning, Zhao Tiandong and Wu Xiaojun came over. Knowing that Zhou Zhiqiang was going to buy furniture and tidy up the house today, they came to help.

With someone's help, the cleanup went much faster.

Zhou Zhiqiang also went to the trust store to buy a relatively new bedside table, which finally made sure he and Guo Yuting's room was ready.

After finishing their work, it was almost noon, so Zhou Zhiqiang invited Wu Xiaojun and Zhao Tiandong to have lunch at his home.

I helped him move furniture all morning and cleaned the house; I couldn't just let him go home like that.

The two initially declined, but Zhou Zhiqiang made the final decision, and they both stayed.

After all, they were very close. When Zhou Zhiqiang was too busy to be home, Wu Xiaojun and Zhao Tiandong's families would help with the heavy lifting and other chores around the house, which was a kind of mutual assistance.

Zhou Zhiqiang's family isn't eating particularly well these days. They just make steamed buns with a little bit of wheat flour mixed in, and they bought a small amount of meat and cooked two dishes.

They hadn't dared to eat freely for a long time, and after the New Year, their mother-in-law, Mei Xiuxue, would be bringing her child back, so Zhou Zhiqiang's family had to be frugal.

"Brother Zhiqiang, are you going home for Chinese New Year this year?"

During the meal, Zhao Tiandong suddenly asked, "Our township should be a commune now. The secretary of Sanhe Commune came to my house and asked my grandfather to ask me and then ask you whether you are going back home for the New Year this year."

"What would I do if I went back? I don't even have a home there."

After listening, Zhou Zhiqiang shook his head and said, "Tian Dong, it's fine to stay at your house, but I don't know what I'll do when I get back."
Besides, my parents-in-law are coming back this year, so they'll be spending the Spring Festival in the city; what would the secretary of Sanhe Commune want me to go back for? Didn't he say? It can't just be that he wants to see me, can it?"

"My grandfather said that things seemed to be going quite badly in the commune, and since he knows you're now the deputy director of a big factory in the city, he wanted to ask you about it."

Zhao Tiandong quickly said, "Brother Zhiqiang, Grandpa said the commune secretary probably wants your factory to help. If you feel uncomfortable, just pretend you don't know anything about it. My grandpa will handle it."

“Our factory is a machine tool factory, and it has nothing to do with the commune. There are no worker-peasant mutual assistance projects.”

Zhou Zhiqiang did not say he would not go back, and he had no grudges against Sanhe Commune.

"I'll call and ask another day. If it's within my power, I'll help. If it's not, then there's nothing I can do."

"After all, I lived in Sanhe Commune before, so if there are any problems I can solve, it's no problem to help."

After Zhou Zhiqiang finished speaking, he asked again, "Tian Dong, how is Hongqi Village doing? Is the harvest still bad this year?"

Zhao Tiandong shook his head and said, "It's not good. Even after we finished paying the grain tax, there was still a shortage of food in the village. My father led everyone to chop firewood, but after a month of hard work, we didn't get much grain in return."

I can help out a little at home each month, and other families can help a little more.

　Second update, please vote for me!

　　
　
(End of this chapter)