The Fiery Era: Becoming an Industrial Giant

Chapter 229 Returning to the Factory for Questioning
"We've arrived at Sijiucheng Station. You can get off now."

After the train came to a smooth stop, the train conductors notified each workshop in turn.

"Phew, we've finally arrived at our station. This train ride was really uncomfortable."

Zhou Zhiqiang turned over and got up from the soft sleeper, saying, "Even in the soft sleeper, the train keeps swaying and rattling, let alone the hard sleeper."

Before the introduction of high-speed rail, Zhou Zhiqiang didn't really want to leave Beijing. He had been to many places in China and seen many beautiful landscapes, so there was nowhere he wanted to go.

Just as Zhou Zhiqiang was getting his bags, Shen Changlin pushed the door open and walked in. Seeing Zhou Zhiqiang's two large bags, he couldn't help but smile and say, "Zhiqiang, you went to Liaoyang this time like you were doing some shopping. You brought back quite a lot, didn't you?"

Lin, who was standing nearby, said, "When Zhiqiang went there, he had two big bags, and when he came back, those two bags were even bigger."

"After all, I've been away for a year, so I definitely want to bring some nice things back to my family."

Zhou Zhiqiang said, "I wrote five or six letters home this year. If I don't bring them something to make them happy, my daughter might not even recognize me anymore."

His daughter is probably already able to speak, and his son is five years old and will be able to start school next year.

Unbeknownst to him, he had been in this era for quite some time, but Zhou Zhiqiang felt that he hadn't changed much, and the country still seemed to be poor and weak.

Shen Changlin joked, "This time you'll probably get two days off, but Zhiqiang, you're in trouble, you're the factory manager."

They all have their own positions and duties. Although Shen Changlin is the dean of the School of Mechanical Engineering, he doesn't have many responsibilities. He can rest for two days after returning.

Factory director Zhou Zhiqiang is back. If he continues to rest, it won't be good news for the factory. The frontline workers are working hard, so why is the factory director resting at home?
"I don't really need to rest. Being able to go home is enough rest for me."

As they talked, they waited for the train to come to a complete stop before getting off the train.

There were quite a few people in the heavy machine tool project team, but they returned in batches. Zhou Zhiqiang and Shen Changlin were in the last batch, totaling only more than twenty people.

After getting off the train, Shen Changlin said, "The ministry should have arranged a car to pick us up. Let's go to the exit first. Lin, Zhiqiang, go home and rest today. We'll report to the ministry tomorrow."

"it is good."

Zhou Zhiqiang and Engineer Lin readily agreed, and Shen Changlin told the other technicians the same thing: they would go home and rest today and continue working tomorrow.

When they arrived at the exit, they ran into the driver sent by the ministry to pick them up. There were six cars in total, and they could squeeze in a few seats.

After getting into the car with the people sent by the ministry, the driver drove them home one by one.

The technicians who participated in the heavy machine tool project team were also heroes. Without heavy machine tools, the propeller blades of submarines, warships and large ships would not have been manufactured so smoothly.

Moreover, the heavy-duty CNC machine tool developed and manufactured this time can process more than just this one part.

Zhou Zhiqiang was the second person to be sent home. The car stopped when they arrived at No. 63 Nanluoguxiang.

After getting off the bus, Zhou Zhiqiang took his luggage down as well, then waved to the people on the bus and said, "Thank you, driver. Engineer Lin, see you tomorrow in Wentian."

See you tomorrow, Zhiqiang.

After saying hello and watching the jeep leave, Zhou Zhiqiang carried two large bags of luggage and headed home.

The main door was locked during the day, and the side door was also locked, so Zhou Zhiqiang knocked twice.

A moment later, the people inside heard a knock on the door, and Mao Pingping called out, "Coming, coming!"

Upon opening the door, Mao Pingping was pleasantly surprised to find Zhou Zhiqiang knocking. She exclaimed, "Brother Zhiqiang, it's you!"

Zhou Zhiqiang said, "I came back as soon as I finished my work. You came over today?"

"Yes, I borrowed the sewing machine to make a few clothes. My sister-in-law said that Caiwen also needed some, so I helped her make a set as well."

My sister-in-law has gone to work now, and Aunt Mei is in the backyard. Brother Zhiqiang, let me help you with that.

After Mao Pingping finished speaking, she reached out to help Zhou Zhiqiang with his luggage.

However, Zhou Zhiqiang said, "No need, this thing is quite heavy, I'll just put it in the storage room first."
Oh, by the way, I brought back some cured pork. Sister-in-law, you take two pieces back with you, and one will be shared between your family and Brother Xiaojun's family.

Before returning, Zhou Zhiqiang bought a lot of things and borrowed more than 200 yuan from Shen Changlin and Deputy Director Liu, planning to return them to them when he went to work the next day.

I spent two days in Liaoyang, buying a fur coat, three ginseng roots, and exchanging them for eight pieces of cured meat at a nearby commune.

It's only in the last two years that things have improved; otherwise, Zhou Zhiqiang definitely wouldn't have been able to get his hands on such a rare item as cured pork.

Zhou Zhiqiang had to pay extra to get this. Normally, cured meat costs 1.4 or 1.5 yuan per jin, but Zhou Zhiqiang managed to buy it for 2 yuan per jin.

"Zhiqiang is back?"

Upon hearing Zhou Zhiqiang's voice, Mei Xiuxue went out of the house and saw that it was indeed her son-in-law. She smiled happily and said...
"You're finally back! It's been over a year since you left, and Caiwen is almost two years old now. Have you eaten yet? Shall I go and make you something?"

Mao Pingping, who was standing nearby, said, "Aunt Mei, let me cook."

"No need, Mom. I ate on the train. I'll eat again tonight."

After placing his luggage on the stone table in the courtyard, Zhou Zhiqiang opened one of the packages, took out two pieces of cured meat, and handed them to Mao Pingping, saying, "Pingping, take these back to your family and Brother Xiaojun's family later. Thank you for your help while I was away."

"This is what we should do."

"Take it, why are you being so polite with me?"

After handing the cured meat to Mao Pingping, Zhou Zhiqiang took out the other things he had bought in Liaoyang one by one. "Mom, this is some ginseng I bought in Liaoyang. I'll send two to Dad another day so he can take some tonics over there."

This is a fur coat; I'll give it to Yuting when she gets back.

After taking out a few more pieces of cured meat, all the things Zhou Zhiqiang bought in Liaoyang were brought out; two hundred yuan sounds like a lot, but none of the things Zhou Zhiqiang bought were cheap.

The fur coat and ginseng cost over a hundred yuan, and the remaining cured meat was also worth a lot of money.

As for the rest of the clothes, I can just have my wife clean and tidy them up when she gets back.

Zhou Zhiqiang asked, "Mom, where's Caiwen? I'll go check on her."

When he left, his daughter was only a few months old and couldn't even speak yet; now she's probably able to talk.

Mei Xiuxue pointed to the room and said, "They're sleeping. Bo Cai is sleeping too. The two siblings were sleepy after eating."

Now that Chenghua has gone to school, he and his siblings are the best friends.

"Haha, I'll go take a look."

After Zhou Zhiqiang finished speaking, he walked towards the gift.

------

The next morning.

Outside Zhou Zhiqiang's house, the car horn sounded as usual, but it stopped after a short while.

The machine tool factory's driver had already been notified that he was coming to pick up Director Zhou today. This horn blast was merely to let Zhou Zhiqiang know that he had arrived. As for when Zhou Zhiqiang would come out, that was up to him.

After stuffing the steamed bun in his mouth, Zhou Zhiqiang said to Guo Yuting, "Yuting, I'm going to work."

Have you finished eating?

Guo Yuting came out of the kitchen and saw that breakfast had been eaten clean. She said with satisfaction, "Okay, come back early today."

"understood."

After Zhou Zhiqiang finished speaking, he picked up his briefcase and set off; he had spent a long time cuddling with Guo Yuting yesterday, and his wife was practically clinging to him like a sloth.

This is the longest Zhou Zhiqiang has been away from home in over a year.

The last large hydraulic press project didn't take this long, this time it's been quite a while; moreover, Zhou Zhiqiang has been so busy that he hasn't been able to contact his family much, usually only sending a letter after two months of work.

Because of this, Zhou Zhiqiang was complained about by Guo Yuting for a long time yesterday. She kept complaining that he wasn't proactive enough in writing a letter, which only takes about ten minutes.

Fortunately, she was comforted.

Zhou Zhiqiang did not go directly to the ministry, but instead had his driver take him to the Second Machine Tool Factory.

Zhou Zhiqiang figured he could make it to the department at 9:30 or 10:00, so he planned to go to the factory first to find out about the recent situation.

When Zhou Zhiqiang arrived at the factory, he looked at his office, which was quite clean and must have been cleaned regularly.

This is his first day back, and there are no documents on his desk. Most people in the factory don't even know he's back.

So Zhou Zhiqiang picked up the phone and dialed Director Liu's office. After the call was connected, he said, "This is Zhou Zhiqiang. Director Liu, could you please have Zhang Yaoguo from the personnel department come to my office later?"

"Director Zhou? You're back?"

"Yes, I just got back to Beijing yesterday and arrived at the factory today."

"Do you have time? I have a ton of work to report to you, and there are also things the factory handled in the first half of the year. Would you like to take a look?"

After hearing this, Zhou Zhiqiang thought for a moment and said, "This afternoon, Director Liu. I have to go to the ministry later, so I might not have much time in the morning. Please tell Zhang Yaoguo to come to my office first."

"Yes, factory manager, I'll inform them right away."

Director Liu hung up the phone and went to the personnel department himself. After meeting Zhang Yaoguo, he told him about Factory Director Zhou coming back to see him.

When the other clerks in the personnel department heard the news of Zhou Zhiqiang's return, they couldn't help but glance at Zhang Yaoguo.

Previously, Zhang Yaoguo had been criticized by Deputy Factory Director Hou several times for not handling several matters properly. Unexpectedly, as soon as Factory Director Zhou returned, he went to see Deputy Section Chief Zhang.

After Zhang Yaoguo responded, he turned and asked the section chief for leave, and then followed Director Liu out of the section.

After arriving at Zhou Zhiqiang's office, Zhang Yaoguo knocked twice on the door. Hearing Zhou Zhiqiang's voice inside, he pushed the door open and went in.

When Zhou Zhiqiang saw his former assistant come in, he greeted him with a smile, "You're here! I just got back and there's no hot water yet. Let's chat for a bit."

Zhang Yaoguo immediately said, "Boss, I'll go get you some water."

"No, no, I don't want to drink water right now. If you don't want to drink, tell me about what's going on at the factory first."

After Zhou Zhiqiang sat down on the sofa, he gestured for Zhang Yaoguo to sit down as well, and then asked, "I've been away for more than a year. Although I've communicated with Secretary Li on the phone before, it's impossible to go into too much detail."

Yaoguo, you must have attended the factory's cadre meeting. Tell me, what's been happening at the factory lately?

(End of this chapter)