Courtyard House: The Road to an Industrial Power

Just then, Li Huaide stepped forward, holding a thick stack of files in his hand.

"Team Leader Chen, these are the original steel purchase contract, material allocation order, and quality inspection report."

"This batch of steel was contracted privately by Director Yang, bypassing the supplier designated by the Materials Bureau, with a small local state-owned factory that lacked proper qualifications. Moreover, this small factory did not have the technical qualifications to refine special steel at all."

The file was placed on the table, the signature on the contract was clearly visible, and the quality inspection report clearly stated in black and white that "the carbon content of the steel exceeds the standard and does not meet the military production standards."

Factory Director Yang's face turned deathly pale, and he began to tremble: "Li Huaide! You...you're slandering me!"

Old Chen ignored his shouting and turned his gaze to the door: "Comrade Lin Weidong, you've arrived."

Lin Weidong strode into the conference room, holding the quality traceability plan and physical evidence in his hand.

He walked to the table, spread out the plan, and said in a deep voice, "Team Leader Chen, I can use this traceability plan to prove that the root cause of the fluctuation in the pass rate of military parts is that the steel quality is substandard, rather than a technical problem."

As he spoke, he picked up a substandard shell casing and pointed to the number on it: "This shell casing was made with substandard steel that Director Yang purchased privately."

"As for the matter of me being framed."

Lin Weidong placed the lock fragments and entry/exit records on the table. "Yi Zhonghai and Liu Haizhong broke the lock on the workshop's scrap warehouse at night, hid the scrapped parts in my office, and then broke the lock on my office door to create the illusion of embezzlement. This evidence is sufficient to prove my innocence."

The evidence is irrefutable and leaves no room for argument.

Factory Director Yang slumped into his chair, his face ashen, unable to utter another word.

That afternoon, the security department made a breakthrough in its interrogation of Yi Zhonghai and Liu Haizhong.

At first, the two stubbornly denied it, but when the investigation team presented them with the procurement records and evidence of framing, their psychological defenses completely collapsed.

"I'll tell you! I'll tell you everything!"

Yi Zhonghai cried out, "It was Factory Director Yang who tacitly allowed me to sabotage the machine tools! He said Lin Weidong was too young and couldn't handle things, so he told me to cause Lin Weidong some trouble. If the modification failed, he'd make me take the lead in the technical work!"

Liu Haizhong also kowtowed and begged for forgiveness: "I was blinded by greed! Director Yang promised me that if I could bring Lin Weidong down, he would promote me to deputy workshop director! That's why I followed Yi Zhonghai and did this framing thing! I was wrong! I was really wrong!"

The two men's testimonies were like the last straw, completely breaking Yang Weimin's spirit.

Following the clues, the investigation team quickly uncovered all of Yang Weimin's crimes.

For many years, he took advantage of his position to bypass normal material allocation procedures and cooperated with several small local factories with incomplete qualifications, accepting scarce materials such as cotton cloth, sugar, and grain from them.

Purchasing substandard raw materials into the factory severely damaged the interests of the national military industry. This case of substandard steel is just the tip of the iceberg of his corrupt practices.

Three days later, on the morning of the same day, the auditorium of the steel rolling mill was filled with all the factory's employees.

Old Chen stood on the stage, his voice loud and clear, echoing throughout the entire auditorium.

"After investigation and verification, it has been found that former factory director Yang Weimin abused his position to embezzle and commit illegal acts, seriously damaging the interests of the national military industry. It has now been decided to remove him from his position as factory director and transfer the case to the disciplinary inspection department for investigation!"

Thunderous applause erupted from the audience.

"Yi Zhonghai, for deliberately damaging military production equipment and participating in framing others, is dismissed from the factory, fined 500 yuan, and ordered to make a public apology! Liu Haizhong, for participating in framing others, is demoted to a third-level forging worker and disqualified from all performance evaluations!"

Yi Zhonghai and Liu Haizhong were led onto the stage, heads bowed, not daring to look at the people below. The former level eight fitter and level seven blacksmith had now become sinners despised by everyone.

"Finally, I'd like to announce a decision."

"Comrade Lin Weidong, adhering to principles and possessing excellent technical skills, has made outstanding contributions to military production. He is hereby reinstated as chief engineer and will lead the technological upgrade of the steel rolling mill! Comrade Li Huaide is appointed as acting director of the steel rolling mill to oversee all operations!"

Lin Weidong stood up and bowed deeply to everyone. Just then, a crisp system notification sounded in his mind:

[Ding! The host has exposed a corrupt secret and defended the quality of military production, triggering a top-tier system reward!]

[Reward: One high-precision CNC lathe retrofit blueprint + one set of core formula for special alloy materials!]

A faint smile appeared on Lin Weidong's lips.

Meanwhile, the Red Star Courtyard was already in an uproar.

When the news of Yi Zhonghai's dismissal came, an elderly woman collapsed to the ground on the spot.

She went home crying, and from then on, Yi Zhonghai became the laughing stock of the courtyard. Even when he went out to buy groceries, he would be pointed at and gossiped about by the neighbors. The once-proud old man had become a homeless dog.

When Liu Haizhong got home, he grabbed Liu Guangtian, who was eating, and gave him a severe beating. "I told you to eat! You're still in the mood to eat at a time like this! You useless piece of trash!"

Zhang Guilan's divorce application was also successfully approved with the mediation of the neighborhood committee.

She left with nothing, but her smile was brighter than ever before.

With Zhao Xiulan's help, she joined the sewing group of the neighborhood office. Every day, she worked on the sewing machine, earning a stable salary. She was radiant, and the worries in her eyes disappeared.

Without Zhang Guilan as her free caregiver and Yi Zhonghai as her backer, Jia Zhangshi had no choice but to manage the household chores and take care of the bedridden Jia Dongxu on her own.

She got up before dawn every day to fetch water and cook, barely making ends meet. She no longer had the energy to throw tantrums in the yard, and when she occasionally saw Lin Weidong, she could only lower her head and quickly avoid him.

Yan Bugui excitedly ran to the Lin family with a basket of eggs, hoping to get his son, Yan Jiekuang, an apprentice in the technical department.

Lin Weidong looked at him and said calmly, "Uncle Yan, the technical department is recruiting, and it will be an open examination with selection based on merit. If Jie Kuang is really capable, he should participate in the examination."

Yan Bugui was rebuffed and returned home dejectedly, carrying the eggs.

He sat in the courtyard and heard the neighbors gossiping behind his back: "He has no ability, yet he wants to use connections. What a pipe dream!" Yan Bugui's face turned bright red instantly.

For the next few days, Yi Zhonghai didn't dare to go out. Now, whenever he went out, he felt that the residents of the compound were pointing and whispering about him.

Now not only has he lost his job at the steel rolling mill, but yesterday Zhao Guilan also informed him that he has lost his identity as a liaison officer. All his plans have now fallen through.

Just as Yi Zhonghai was sighing and complaining at home all day, there was a knock on the door. When Yi Zhonghai opened the door, he saw a deaf old woman.

"Grandma, you've come," Yi Zhonghai said, helping the deaf old woman into the house and sitting her down in a chair.

Looking at Yi Zhonghai's current state, the deaf old woman only regretted choosing him as her caregiver. Now, not only has he failed to take care of her, but she also has to clean up his messes herself.

"Xiao Yi, look at yourself now! You're nothing like the old man you used to be!"

"Grandma, I..."

"Stop talking. I've already used my connections to find you a job at a mechanic shop. Go report for duty next Monday!"