Road to Revival

Early Sunday morning, Xiao Ye arrived at Xiao Zhao's door and saw Tao Tang running back.

"Good morning, Mr. Tao..."

"Good morning," Tao Tang said, wiping away sweat. "I told you, I wash my own clothes, remember?"

"President Tao..."

"Alright, let's not do it again. By the way, is the union library open on Sundays?"

"The library? I don't know. Shall I go ask?"

"No need. Are you on duty today?"

"Director Jia instructed me that as long as you're here, I have to stay at my post. Anyway, I have nothing to do at home."

"What kind of arrangement is this? It's completely unnecessary. I'll talk to your director. You can go home and rest." Tao Tang left the dazed Xiao Ye and went back to her room to take a shower.

Xiao Ye was somewhat flustered. She didn't know what she had done to displease the chairman. Jia Jianxin's task for her was somewhat ambiguous: to take good care of General Manager Tao's life. Xiao Ye diligently carried out Director Jia's orders, hoping to become a full-time employee of Hongxing. These past few days, she had done her best, striving to be the best she could. She noticed that General Manager Tao had changed his clothes, so she immediately washed, dried, and ironed them, neatly folding them at the head of the bed. Last night, General Manager Tao had disappeared; several groups of people had come to see him, but she had turned them all away, saying, "General Manager Tao isn't here. I don't know when he'll be back. You should go to his office when you go to work."

This was what Director Zhang had instructed her to do; it was the usual procedure. That evening, she waited in her room until she heard President Tao's voice. She went out to greet him, wanting to ask if there was anything she could do. President Tao ignored her, walked straight past her, went back to his room, and slammed the door shut. She smelled the strong odor of alcohol on his breath. She knocked on the door, wanting to ask if he needed a doctor. When President Song stayed here, he often received IV drips at Xiao Zhao's place to sober up after drinking; she knew who to call. But there was no response. She could have opened the door, but she didn't dare.

The new boss has been at the factory for four days. In Xiao Ye's eyes, he's a very simple person. She spends very little time at the guesthouse and rarely sees him. He's also someone who gives her a sense of security; in just four days, she's already dispelled her previous concerns. He's also a man of few words, rarely speaking to her, except this morning when he spoke the most… She's basically convinced that he's an "easy-to-please" boss, unlike President Song.

But Xiao Ye was also somewhat disappointed. Moreover, the "task" that Director Jia had given her began to worry her. The handsome guy asked her to write down the names of all the guests who came to President Tao's room, and to try her best to find out who they were if she didn't recognize them.

She knew it was dangerous. The leaders didn't like being spied on. If Director Tao found out she had informed Director Jia of a secret, she would be finished.

Pretty girls possess certain abilities that ordinary girls lack. Xiao Ye is adept at protecting herself; she understands that while beauty is an asset, a weapon, it shouldn't be overused. Overuse devalues ​​beauty. Therefore, she skillfully deflected the advances of several men, including Jia Jianxin. She neither let him succeed nor let him despair—this should be a skill, but she mastered it without instruction.

She's only twenty years old. Her home is in Yangcun, 13 li west of Hongxing. Originally, she came to Hongxing to work as a laborer with her cousin, a foreman. Hongxing Company always had a lot of dirty work that needed to be done by migrant workers, such as digging ditches, building walls, repairing factory walls and floors, and many small jobs for the construction company. With her beauty (she realized early on that beauty was a resource), she could easily have found a job in a hotel or guesthouse in the city, but her parents wouldn't allow her to go. So she had no choice but to work with her second uncle to earn some small money.

After arriving at Hongxing Company, she quickly fell in love with its beautiful, garden-like environment and envied its employees. Their wages weren't high, but their work was easy and their lives leisurely. So, when her uncle asked if she would like to work in the workshop, she immediately agreed. The temporary worker's wages weren't as high as her uncle's construction team, but the work was much easier, and most importantly, she wouldn't have to endure the elements. She began to fantasize about becoming a full-time employee of Hongxing, finding a partner there, getting married, and living like a Hongxing employee.

She knew that once she overcame the first hurdle, the road ahead would be smooth sailing.

Perhaps it was true that "natural beauty is hard to conceal," because after only three months in the workshop, she was transferred to the guesthouse. After just two months at the main guesthouse, she was moved to the smaller one. There, meals were free, and she was provided with nice work clothes. Most importantly, the environment was comfortable; once there were no guests or she finished her work, no one bothered her. She could stay in her room watching TV, playing on her phone, and showering whenever she wanted. So, when Director Jia promised to help her get a permanent position, she immediately became his "private investigator," providing him with everything she knew about what was happening at the smaller guesthouse: who was hosting dinners, who was playing cards, and who was doing other things.

Those who have the authority to use small-scale entertainment are the bigwigs at Red Star: company leaders, assistant general managers, and deputy chief engineers. Ordinary middle-level managers do not have the right to entertain guests in small-scale entertainment.

The guesthouse is a subordinate agency of the General Manager's Office, and Jia Jianxin is the highest-ranking official there. Due to the special nature of her job, Xiao Ye has an understanding of the power structure of Hongxing Company that ordinary employees do not have, even though she is only a temporary worker.

An ordinary employee might never speak a word to the general manager in their entire life, but she knew all the important figures in the company, and most of them knew her. Most of them could grant her wish—she knew that every year, Hongxing Company would process a batch of temporary workers to become permanent employees, mostly children of employees who couldn't go to university or start their own businesses outside the factory. This was entirely within the factory's power, held by the human resources department and the main leaders of the employing units. She wasn't a child of factory workers, which seemed much more difficult, but her position was also special; with a word from a high-ranking leader, it would be a piece of cake. She trusted Jia Jianxin because she knew he had handled the conversion of temporary workers at the guesthouse to permanent positions before. When she first arrived at Dazhao, she took over the shift of a waitress who was about to go on maternity leave; that talkative girl said she had been converted to a permanent position six months ago, through Director Jia's connections—it was just a matter of a word.

So she became Jia Jianxin's "spy." During her three-plus months at Xiaozhao, she reported Song's whereabouts to Jia Jianxin at least five times, until Song was taken away—she was there when he was taken away at Xiaozhao. She felt lucky because she had planned to use Song's connections; he had already shown his liking for her, often making lighthearted jokes and even inviting her to dine with him in a private room on the first floor. At that time, she hesitated, wondering whether to ask for his help. She knew that asking for favors came at a price, and currently, besides her body, she had nothing to offer him. The thought of Song's aged face with its large eye bags made her feel nauseous.

A new boss has arrived, and she faces a new choice: continue down Jia Jianxin's path, or rely on the new boss? Boss Tao is much younger than Song Yue, especially since she overheard that Boss Tao is only in his early forties, and that he is single, as his wife has passed away.

Continuing to act as Jia Jianxin's spy, or "abandoning the darkness and turning to the light," was a difficult choice for Miss Ye. When she encountered Boss Tao returning from his morning exercise in front of the building, she had the urge to "confess," but Tao Tang didn't give her a chance to speak. Instead, he scolded her for washing his clothes without permission, which made her nervous, and naturally, she didn't dare to "confess."

……

Tao Tang was naturally unaware that he was being watched. After showering and changing his clothes, he had breakfast in the restaurant on the first floor. After returning to his room, he called his parents and mother-in-law separately. His daughter, Xiao He, was at her tutoring class. His mother-in-law, besides reminding him to take care of his health, also brought up Fang Ke, saying that Fang Ke was planning to visit Pingquan during the May Day holiday. He quickly said that he had already decided to return to Yanjing for May Day. His mother-in-law asked him if he would go back to Binjiang to see Xiao He. He said that he had official business in Yanjing, but if time allowed, he would go to Binjiang from Yanjing.

He was unwilling to receive Fang Ke alone in Pingquan. Ever since Fang Ke revealed her feelings for him, he had been unwilling to face her alone.

Fang Ke is Fang Lan's cousin. When Fang Lan and Fang Ke got married, Fang Ke was only ten years old and still a lively and active child. Later, although Fang Ke grew into a beautiful woman who was praised by everyone for her height of over 1.7 meters, and although she obtained a master's degree in Nottingham, she never grew up and was like her own little sister.

It was entirely the effect of alcohol; last night's events became a series of slideshows. How could he have said those things to Lü Qi? Moreover, after returning to Xiao Zhao, he even chatted with her via text message for a while.

Damn it, Tao Tang hated himself for his actions. Yes, Lü Qi was a virgin territory deep within his heart, untouched by any previous encounter. He was genuinely shocked by her confession; he truly hadn't expected her to reciprocate his feelings. But how old were they then? What did sixteen or seventeen-year-olds know about love? He was a man of experience, how could he be so indecisive? She had her own family; what was he doing? So, in the suite's bedroom, he slapped himself hard in front of the mirror on his desk.

Tao Tang picked up his phone and looked through the text message history from last night again.

It was Lü Qi who sent the message first: You're back? Are you alright? Drink more water.

He replied: It's okay, get some rest.

Lü Qi: I really like Yan Xiaoshan's poems, so I'll send you one. With colorful sleeves, she diligently holds the jade cup; in those days, she risked everything for a beautiful woman. The dance is low, like the moon reflected in the willow-lined pavilion; the song ends, like the breeze beneath the peach blossom fan. Since parting, I recall our meeting. How many times have my soul been with you in dreams? Tonight, I'll light the silver lamp again, still fearing our meeting is but a dream. (Tune: Partridge Sky)

He replied: Before the young master, I saw the jade flute, and a song played under the silver lamp was so enchanting. Who could hate me for falling asleep in the song? Even after I finished singing, the wine had not yet worn off. Spring is quiet, the night is long, and the azure sky stretches far to the Chu Palace. My soul, accustomed to being unrestrained, once again treads the willow branches across Xie Bridge.

Lü Qi: You've ruined me.

He did not reply. Lü Qi also did not reply.

Perhaps he really was drunk, but he actually managed to aptly respond with a poem in the same style by Yan Xiaoshan. The core of Lü Qi's poem is probably the first two lines of the second stanza, but I really shouldn't have played this game.

Forget about all this nonsense. His thoughts returned to work. Since Fang Lan's death, he had found an effective way to distract himself: to immerse himself completely in his work.

Recalling what he had seen at the Ninth Factory yesterday, Tao Tang found the contact list prepared for him and dialed the mobile phone of Zhou Bing, the vice president in charge of safety and environmental protection, but no one answered. Helpless, Tao Tang called Mu Qingyun, the head of technical safety. "This is Tao Tang. Yes, it's me. Are you aware of how serious the dust hazard is at the Ninth Factory? What measures have been taken?"

Mu Qingyun sounded very nervous. He was quite clear about the environmental issues of the polishing process in the Ninth Factory. He said that for at least two years, he had been submitting written reports on the occupational hazards of the Ninth Factory, and had also proposed rectification plans. It was even included in the annual safety measures plan of the Development and Planning Department, but due to funding issues, it had not been implemented.

"Director Mu, since we are constrained by funding and cannot address the root causes, what measures will you take?"

"The main issue is the use of personal protective equipment. As the weather gets warmer, employees are unwilling to wear them properly... Mr. Tao, we bear responsibility... I apologize to you."

"How much will your proposed renovation plan cost?"

"The least expensive option requires 200 million."

Tao Tang felt a pang of sorrow. Two million might sound like a large sum, but for a big company like Red Star, it was nothing. They couldn't even guarantee two million in security funds? Unbelievable!

"Get ready, next week, let's say tomorrow, report your plan to me. Also, how many similar problems are there in the factory? Compile and report those as well."

Remembering his parents' request to return to Hongxing on the phone, Tao Tang decided to check out the Golden Olive residential complex he'd seen the day before. He understood his parents' desire to come back; they'd been talking about their hometown for the past two years. It's about returning to one's roots, after all, Hongxing was where they'd lived most of their lives, where their colleagues, friends, and all their children were. The biggest problem for his parents now was housing. His sister-in-law had vaguely mentioned it the other day, and Tao Tang couldn't possibly kick his brother and sister-in-law out of their current residence. The safest solution was to buy his parents a house. He wasn't considering buying a secondhand apartment near the factory, not only because Hongxing might relocate, but also to avoid causing trouble for his meddlesome mother. He needed to buy a house outside the factory for their retirement, as close to the factory area as possible. He'd noticed the location of Golden Olive that day; it was at most a twenty-minute walk, and the price wasn't too high.

As for their daughter, Xiaohe will be well taken care of after her parents return. Her mother-in-law will take over in Binjiang. Xiaohe was raised by her mother-in-law, and their bond is stronger than that with her parents. After her mother-in-law leaves, she will return the apartment in Yanjing to headquarters. Her mother-in-law is from Yanjing and owns a house in Dongcheng District. After he was transferred to Beijing, she moved into the rented apartment with him to take care of his life.

He wasn't going to call his own driver. In fact, he'd never even ridden in the car assigned to him.

There are taxis outside the east gate of the factory, but even more are unlicensed taxis. Most of these unlicensed taxis belong to employees of the Hongxing factory, and it seems the city has never bothered to regulate the rampant unlicensed taxis in this area.

The unlicensed taxi drivers were very observant and immediately determined that Tao Tang needed a ride. "Where are you going, driver? Take my ride." Three or four people surrounded him.

"When we get to the city, you know Golden Olive, right?" Tao Tang asked, looking at a driver in his thirties with an honest-looking face.

"I know, ten yuan."

"Okay." Tao Tang got into the man's silver-gray Jetta.

"Are you here to collect a debt?" the driver asked.

How did you know?

"I saw you coming from the guesthouse area. It's almost May Day, there must be a lot of people coming to collect debts."

"Oh..." Just then, Tao Tang's phone rang. Seeing that the number had the Hongxing area code, he answered, "Uncle, it's Xiao Wei... Where are you?"

"Oh, it's Xiaowei. I'm going out to run some errands. I'm in a taxi."

"Uncle, my mom wants you to come over for lunch..."

"Okay, tell your mom it has to be simple. If there are more than four dishes, I'm turning around and leaving."

"Oh, you have relatives in Hongxing?" The driver seemed to be a chatterbox.

"Um...you're a factory worker, right?"

"Yeah, the salary is so low, what can we do if we don't try to earn some pocket money?"

"I heard there's been a case at the factory recently?"

"Didn't get the money, did you? The top official is in trouble too. All the big officials are like ants on a hot plate. They haven't been paid for two months. Why would they give you money? Listen to me, go home as soon as possible. Wait two or three months until everything is back to normal before coming back."

Before Tao Tang could answer, the phone rang again; this time it was Vice President Zhou Bing.

"Hello, Vice President Zhou, it's alright... Yes, I already told the Technical Safety Department my opinion," Tao Tang thought, recalling Zhou Bing's aged and listless face and Sun Dunquan's assessment of him. "Occupational disease prevention is our responsibility. How can we allow employees to work in such terrible conditions for so long? Migrant workers? Migrant workers are human beings too. My opinion is rectification, a thorough rectification is necessary. Yes, let's discuss it tomorrow. Goodbye."

Are all the dirty, tiring, and dangerous jobs done by migrant workers? We can't just sit idly by and do nothing.

"Ah, you must be the new General Manager Tao? Really, I never expected this," the driver said, turning his head.

"Drive carefully and be safe."

"I can tell! You're a good official! I heard you ate at the staff canteen on your first day in office, and now you're so concerned about occupational diseases. You're a true Communist, really."

"What's your name? Which organization do you work for?"

"My name is Lin Shuisheng, and I work in the wooden crate workshop at the Labor Company. Boss Tao, those parasites have wreaked havoc on the factory. I heard you're from Hongxing, so you'd better teach those parasites a lesson..."

"Are we here? Let's stop here." Tao Tang took out 10 yuan and handed it to Lin Shuisheng. "Thank you, Master Lin."

"How could I possibly accept your money?"

Tao Tang had already gotten out of the car and said to Lin Shuisheng, "Be careful." After saying that, he looked up at the GG sign and strode towards the entrance of the sales office.