The Fiery Era: Becoming an Industrial Giant

Chapter 178 Getting Closer to the Top Leader
"Comrade Chenghui, you're back?"

Liu Ruiguang knocked and came in. Seeing Zhao Chenghui looking at a document on the table with a serious expression, he couldn't help but ask, "Are you busy? I'll come back to you later."

But before Factory Director Liu could leave, Zhao Chenghui said, "No need to leave, I'm not busy with anything, that's all."

"Just what?"

When Director Liu heard that he didn't have to leave, he stayed and sat in the chair opposite Zhao Chenghui, and asked, "Why did you leave the factory this afternoon? You didn't tell the factory. What if you encounter danger?"

"It was my mistake. I'm sorry, Comrade Ruiguang. I will definitely not do it again next time."

Zhao Chenghui immediately admitted his mistake, saying, "When it was time to eat, Deputy Factory Director Zhou said he was a little hungry, so I treated him to a bowl of fried liver."

I was then driven back by Deputy Factory Director Zhou's driver. There was no danger the whole way, but failing to report my departure was my fault, and I apologize for that.

"Do you still have fried liver? Where?"

Compared to the self-criticism, Director Liu was clearly more interested in fried liver; he hadn't eaten fried liver for almost a year since the shortage of supplies, and he never expected to be able to buy it again.

"They only serve a dozen or so bowls a day, and they only sell it two days a week. It's a state-run restaurant at the intersection of Sanmen Street, and you can't buy it unless you know the place. But that's not important."

Zhao Chenghui was almost led astray by Factory Director Liu, but after waving his hand, he returned to the main topic and said:
"If I had known about Zhou Zhiqiang at Beijing University a few years earlier, I would have insisted on taking him as a student."

"They specialize in mechanical structures and are currently developing machine tools. Even if you approach them, they might not agree to your request."

In the afternoon, Director Liu, while looking for Zhao Chenghui, also inquired about Zhou Zhiqiang's whereabouts within the Fourth Ministry of Machinery Industry.

The Fourth Ministry of Machine Building and the First Ministry of Machine Building have a long-standing relationship; it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say they are like brothers. Unless it's important information, a simple phone call can clarify things.

In Director Liu's view, Zhou Zhiqiang was also a capable person; the products he developed and manufactured repeatedly earned foreign exchange, and even the Russians placed orders to offset foreign debt.

He has also received praise from high-ranking leaders on several occasions. It's just unclear what Zhou Zhiqiang, a deputy director of a machine tool factory, is doing at their factory.

"Comrade Chenghui, what did you talk about this afternoon? Did you take him to visit the research lab?"

"Not entirely. We also talked about some other things. Some of his ideas are helpful for our factory's application of silicon, but I still need to discuss them with others."

Zhao Chenghui wasn't entirely sure, but he felt it was feasible.

Ask the other people in the research lab. If everyone thinks it's okay, then the next research phase can use the theoretical research and development direction given by Zhou Zhiqiang to conduct experiments.

It's unbelievable that a semiconductor electronics factory, specializing in semiconductor research, would need guidance from a machine tool factory.

"Comrade Ruiguang, can you analyze this for me? I feel something's not right."

Zhao Chenghui said to Liu Ruiguang, "You said that this Comrade Zhou Zhiqiang said that he likes semiconductors in private and has studied the theoretical basis and applicable technology and process directions of silicon."
I've been thinking about this for almost an entire afternoon, and it seems pretty good; at least I'm inclined to believe it's worth trying.

"But why do you think he would do that? The Second Machine Tool Plant shouldn't have that much free time, right? How could a deputy director like him think of researching semiconductors in private?"

After listening, Liu Ruiguang scratched his head and said, puzzled, "I don't know either, but since his research is feasible, why don't you give it a try?"

When the final results are in, you tell him the score.

"It's not about grades. He doesn't care about that, and neither do I. Forget it, I'm not going to think about it anymore. I was just overthinking it."

Zhao Chenghui waved his hand and said that in the end, Zhou Zhiqiang did not tell him his purpose, but just kept discussing some things about semiconductor research and development with him.

He hadn't even participated in the experiment, yet he seemed to know a lot about germanium and silicon, and his purpose was unclear. This was what was troubling Zhao Chenghui.

However, Zhao Chenghui also knew that Zhou Zhiqiang definitely had no ill intentions; they were all revolutionary comrades, and Zhou Zhiqiang was also a file member, so how could he possibly harm him or their Factory 109?
Totally impossible.

"Never mind, I'll go talk to Engineer Lin and the others."

Liu Ruiguang glanced at his watch and said, "It's time to leave work."

Zhao Chenghui also raised his hand to look, then pointed and said, "It's only a little past six, what's the point of getting off work?"

Department of Electrical Engineering, Tsinghua University.

Zhou Zhiqiang knocked on the office door, his gaze quickly locking onto a professor wearing large-framed glasses, and said, "Professor Yu, I am Zhou Zhiqiang from the Second Machine Tool Plant that Professor Fei mentioned."

“Zhou Zhiqiang, Professor Fei mentioned it.”

After remembering, Yu Hongye got up to get a chair and continued, "Deputy Factory Director Zhou, sit down and let's talk. I'll get you a glass of water."

He was introduced by an acquaintance at school. Although I don't know why they're looking for him, they certainly won't let Zhou Zhiqiang stand while they talk to him. A chair and a glass of water are the least they can ask.

"Then I won't stand on ceremony, Professor Yu."

After Zhou Zhiqiang sat down, he took the water that Yu Hongye had poured and thanked him, saying, "Let me have it, Professor Yu, you're too kind."

Yu Hongye sat down and then asked, "Deputy Factory Director Zhou, what brings you here?"

"Our Second Machine Tool Plant wants to develop and produce CNC machine tools. Your team back then had in-depth research in transmission and control systems, so I'd like to talk to you about it."

After Zhou Zhiqiang finished speaking, he took out a summary of the technological development directions of a completely different high-power transmission system from his briefcase and handed it to Professor Yu Hongye.

"Professor Yu, could you please take a look at some of my research and development ideas?"

Zhou Zhiqiang has put in a lot of effort these days to invite enough professionals from various fields.

I only slept three or four hours at night, relying on my good physical condition to tough it out.

Then, we continuously pondered the research and development and manufacturing technology of CNC machine tools, and deduced areas where optimization and improvement could be achieved.

Furthermore, he also needs to identify the personnel and teams involved in the factory project, contact them in advance, and provide them with a deduced technological development direction to lure them in.

Professor Yu was the fourth and final person Zhou Zhiqiang contacted.

That's enough for the main researchers in the CNC machine tool project team. They will definitely prepare their own personnel, and together there should be about twenty or thirty people.

The date Mr. Xiang Zhou mentioned is fast approaching, and Zhou Zhiqiang needs to make some more preparations.

It's been almost half a month, and Zhou Zhiqiang's efforts during this time have yielded results.

Yesterday, Zhao Chenghui from Factory 190 called him and asked him to come to Factory 190 for a chat when he had time.

However, Zhou Zhiqiang declined, citing his busy schedule at the factory. But this was not a valid excuse; the Second Machine Tool Factory was indeed very busy, and Zhou Zhiqiang could not simply abandon it.

Zhou Zhiqiang had to adjust and arrange the production schedule for both types of high-precision machine tools. Others, not understanding the importance and urgency of the components, would cause problems if they arranged production tasks arbitrarily.

------

After talking with Professor Yu, it was almost time for the factory to close.

Zhou Zhiqiang felt that the conversation had gone on long enough, so he got up and said that he had some things to take care of at the factory, and then took his leave.

Professor Yu was just getting into the swing of things and was a little reluctant to let the person leave.

However, Professor Yu also knew that Zhou Zhiqiang was the deputy director of a large factory, and had even more things to do than he, as a professor, did.

I didn't try to persuade him much, I just told him to come to Tsinghua University whenever he had time, or he could go to the Second Machine Tool Plant for an exchange program.

Zhou Zhiqiang chuckled and agreed, then left Tsinghua University.

When Zhou Zhiqiang returned to the factory, Deputy Director Liu had already left with his men. However, after visiting Secretary Li and learning that Deputy Director Liu hadn't contacted him much that day, Zhou Zhiqiang went back to his office. Not long after Zhou Zhiqiang sat down to work, there was a knock on the door.

Zhou Zhiqiang said without looking up, "Come in."

After the door was pushed open, Tian Wenguo came in and said with a smile, "Factory Manager, I have good news."

"Hmm? Director Tian, ​​what good news is it? Why did you bring a basket of eggs?"

When Zhou Zhiqiang saw Tian Wenguo carrying a basket of eggs, he couldn't help but laugh and say, "I don't accept gifts, you're not giving me these eggs to use to pull some strings, are you?"

"No way, I didn't send it; even though I'm the logistics director, it's really not easy to get a basket of eggs these days."

Tian Wenguo quickly explained, "These were sent by Sanhe Commune. They harvested their first batch of mushrooms, which weighed nearly three thousand jin. The whole commune is overjoyed."

These eggs are a gift from them to thank you, Factory Director. Secretary Liu Fengnian waited for you for a long time today, but you didn't appear, so he left the eggs behind and left.

After listening, Zhou Zhiqiang frowned and said, "This is ridiculous. How can we accept eggs from farmers?"

Tomorrow, have the purchasing department staff who are out delivering the goods back to them. Tell them thank me for accepting the gifts, but they can't accept the eggs.

"Send it back?"

Tian Wenguo quickly said, "Factory director, this is not appropriate. If the purchasing department takes a basket of eggs back on bicycles, many of them will definitely break from the bumpy ride."

Unless you drive it back.”

“We can’t accept that. We’re helping our farmers. If we’re helping them, and you take their eggs, can it still be called helping?”

I don't believe Secretary Liu just threw down the eggs and ran away. Why did you want to come down then?

Zhou Zhiqiang's last words made Tian Wenguo lower his head and not dare to talk back.

He was somewhat inclined to accept it, after all, it was a gift from the farmers, and it would be an honor if word got out. To express their gratitude, the farmers specially brought a basket of eggs to their factory manager.

However, Tian Wenguo did not expect that the factory director did not want it at all.

"never mind."

Zhou Zhiqiang patted his pockets and found that he didn't have a single penny on him. He then remembered that he didn't usually buy anything, so he didn't carry any money with him.

So he put down his hand and continued to say to Tian Wenguo, "Have the purchasing department go to other factories to buy some industrial supplies, such as soap and towels, which are needed in rural areas."

"I'd like to buy something that costs sixty yuan. Could you lend me the money first? I'll bring the cash back to you tomorrow."

"Then when the purchasing agent goes to Sanhe Commune, I will bring him soap and towels and say that I am thanking them and that these are for exchanging for eggs."

Zhou Zhiqiang glanced at it and saw that the basket of eggs weighed about 20 jin (10 kg). If he wanted to buy all of them, it would cost about 30 yuan.

He directly bought sixty yuan worth of industrial products such as soap and towels, which are very popular in the countryside, as a way of exchanging them for the eggs.

"As for these eggs, take them to the agricultural products section and distribute them to those hardworking temporary workers. You usually assign work, so you know which temporary workers are working hard; give them some."

Zhou Zhiqiang waved his hand and said that he received the salary of a level 5 engineer, which was higher than 95% of people in the country, and his wife also had a job.

Even if the couple raised five children, they could raise them very well; but in Sanhe Commune, it might take visiting several production brigades to collect just one basket of eggs.

Zhou Zhiqiang really couldn't eat these eggs. Even if he paid money to send them to Sanhe Commune, he still wouldn't really want to eat them. He'd rather give them to the other people in the factory.

Upon hearing this, Tian Wenguo immediately agreed, saying, "I understand, Factory Manager. I'll deliver the eggs over in a bit."

"And one more thing."

After Zhou Zhiqiang stopped Tian Wenguo, he continued, "Doesn't Sanhe Commune owe us money? Once they've raised enough, let's tell them not to pay it back for now and use the money to help other communes."

You can arrange these things as you see fit. Anyway, summarize the successful experience of Sanhe Commune so that other communes can learn from it.

"Okay, I understand, factory manager."

"Okay, that's all. You can go ahead and get busy."

After Zhou Zhiqiang finished speaking, he told Tian Wenguo to leave and get busy.

After everyone left, he continued with his work.

Zhou Zhiqiang felt it would be difficult for him to be like a high-ranking leader who never forgets the people, but he could try his best to learn and move closer to that level.

Agricultural and sideline product stocks – most people here have just returned from agricultural and sideline product workshops.

When the factory was being renovated, Deputy Director Liu once considered canceling the agricultural and sideline products workshop and redesigning it as a production workshop.

However, after learning how much the agricultural and sideline products workshop had relieved the factory's logistics burden, they decided to keep it.

In the spring, about 20,000 catties of mushrooms are harvested every month, which is no small amount. After two years, the cost of building the workshop has been recovered.

Just as people were chatting idly inside the agricultural products section, Tian Wenguo walked in carrying a basket of eggs.

Upon seeing the logistics director arrive, everyone in the room immediately asked, "Director, you've arrived. What are your instructions?"

"I have no instructions. I'm here to deliver something to you."

After putting the eggs down, Tian Wenguo said, "There are a total of 23 catties of eggs here. The three people who work the most overtime will receive 3 catties of eggs, and the others will receive 2 catties."

"Section Chief Chai, bring me the duty roster."

"Send eggs?"

"Director, why is the factory suddenly distributing eggs?"

"Get three pounds at once? Is that for real?"

Tian Wenguo said, "It's true. Originally, the eggs were a gift from Sanhe Commune to the factory director, but the director refused them. He then paid for the rest himself and decided to give the eggs to you, the hardest-working employees in the agricultural and sideline products section."

After saying that, Tian Wenguo glanced at Section Chief Chai, who was still happy, and said, "Only temporary workers are paid. Comrade Chai Jie, you didn't get any."

Upon hearing this, Chai Jie's good mood immediately soured. However, he also knew in his heart that as a permanent employee and section chief, he was already much better off than a temporary worker.

After Tian Wenguo finished explaining, he began distributing the eggs according to the shift schedule, assigning the eggs to the person who worked the most overtime.

Everyone who received the eggs thanked Tian Wenguo, but after Tian Wenguo corrected them, they quickly thanked Deputy Factory Director Zhou instead.

After the eggs were steamed, Tian Wenguo finally breathed a sigh of relief and said, "You've worked hard. The factory will not forget your contributions."

As soon as the factory announces any openings for permanent positions, I will report it to you immediately.

Upon hearing this, the temporary workers inside the room immediately shouted excitedly, "Thank you, Director Tian! Thank you, Deputy Factory Director Zhou!"

　Third update, please vote for me!

　　I haven't forgotten to add an extra chapter, but I owe three chapters. I'm really sorry I haven't been able to make up for them in the past few days, but I will definitely do so.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)