Road to Revival

As Tao Tang left the third canteen, he saw Qiu Lin walking towards him in a hurry.

"We've finally found you."

"What happened?"

"Han Zhiyong withdrew the money I gave him... Production has to stop, so you can't blame me for losing my support."

"How much was taken away?"

"1500 million. After the meeting, I received a call from the purchasing department; the whole plan was disrupted."

"Oh, he spoke to me... Come on, let's talk over here."

Ten minutes later, the two returned to Xiao Zhao. When Xiao Ye saw Tao Tang return, she quickly opened the door and took the kettle to change the water.

"Go ahead, don't worry about this. I need to talk to Mr. Qiu about something." Tao Tang took the electric kettle from Xiao Ye.

"Speak, Mr. Qiu." Tao Tang took a pack of cigarettes from his desk drawer, tore open the packaging, and said, "Do it yourself."

Qiu Lin took out his cigarettes, then put them back in his bag. "President Tao, 3500 million is definitely not enough, and even 5000 million isn't enough. Under normal circumstances, monthly material costs shouldn't be less than 4 million. Always extending credit has serious long-term consequences; not only are prices inflated, but quality is also difficult to guarantee, and there are legal risks. However, if 5000 million is in place, I can guarantee there won't be any problems before mid-May. 3500 million won't do. Han Zhiyong is always like this; he's bullying us..."

"Watch your position," Tao Tang laughed. "General Manager Han told me that the production department also has a large shortfall in outsourcing funds, and having only the main materials isn't enough. General Manager Han is probably already on his way to Beijing. How about this, I'll have the finance department make up the 1500 million for you."

"That makes things easy for me. No, I don't drink tea, so please don't bother."

"Then let's have a smoke." Tao Tang took out a pack of cigarettes and tossed it to Qiu Lin. "Mr. Qiu, how long have you been in charge of the supply?"

"Less than half a year."

"I was just about to have a chat with you. Aren't you in a hurry to go home? I'm only responsible for myself, unlike you. Don't let your wife say that I, the new general manager, am heartless."

Qiu Lin lit a cigarette and took a deep drag, looking like a typical smoker. "Your matter is the most important, so please speak."

"Old Qiu, what year were you born?"

"In 67, I was the second oldest in the team, and ranked last."

Tao Tang smiled. "Then you're older than me. What year did you start working at the factory?"

"1989, more than 20 years have passed in the blink of an eye."

"What positions have you held before, sir?"

"I come from a technical background, working in the research institute, the technical department, and the technical section of the branch factory. Later, I became the branch factory director and then the assistant director. I joined the management team the year before last."

"We're about the same, but I've always been in management."

"How can I compare to you? I have studied your experience at Shengdong very carefully, and to be honest, I admire you very much. I have been to Shengdong many times, but I have never met you. It has changed a lot in the past few years. Not to mention the deep improvement in management, Shengdong has changed its appearance, especially the on-site management. Jiang Yansheng, oh, that is the current production manager, went to Shengdong to learn lean management the year before last. He came back and told me that I really didn't know until I saw it, and I didn't know even more after seeing it."

"Haha, that's an interesting point." Tao Tang chuckled. "That's the result of everyone at Shengdong working together. The investment wasn't huge; it was basically the employees making the changes on their own."

"That's precisely why they don't like to study..."

"Let's not talk about that now. I want to talk about the purchasing department. Song Yue and Yang Wenhuan both failed because of supply chain issues, and the department also produced Ji Liqiang. What's the current state of mind in the purchasing department? Is everything running smoothly?"

"On the surface, everything seems fine; everyone is going about their business as usual. But in reality, it's impossible to remain unaffected."

"Yes, yes, how could they not be affected? After Yang Wenhuan and Ji Liqiang's incidents, were there any special meetings held to reassure people?"

"After I took over, I held at least two meetings, one administrative and one branch meeting, with the main purpose of learning lessons and identifying problems."

"How was the result?"

"It's hard to say. Everyone has their concerns, plus the rumors haven't stopped, so there's a lot of baggage involved."

"There are definitely burdens, and we should bear them. The purchasing department is notorious, infamous. It not only ruined two big companies, but also tarnished the reputation of Red Star. Without burdens, we would be inhuman."

"President Tao, although you've only been in office for less than a week, I admire you, really." Qiu Lin suddenly changed the subject.

"Haha, what do you admire about me? We're all members of the team, comrades-in-arms, so let's skip the empty talk."

"No, I mean it. I admire you for choosing the main canteen over the small, private one. But it's unnecessary." Qiu Lin stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray. "Right now, most of the purchasing department staff are watching this saga with amusement, a few key positions are hanging by a thread, and the middle management is still reeling from the shock. That's the reality."

"Well, let's put aside specific individuals for now. Do you think we've truly learned from Ji Liqiang's mistakes? Have the loopholes really been plugged?"

"Lesson learned... Mr. Tao, let me be honest. You can criticize if it's inappropriate. The problem lies with those above. Without Yang Wenhuan's backing, how could Ji Liqiang act so recklessly? If those above follow the rules, those below will naturally follow them too."

"What you said has some merit. But the middle management team and party members aren't puppets, are they? There's a director, a branch secretary, and so many section chiefs and group leaders—how come they're all just figureheads? Ji Liqiang's disciplinary violations didn't happen overnight, did they? Are they really blind and deaf to it? Let's not even talk about the ordinary employees; just look at the middle management in the purchasing department. I don't think it's unfair to label them as derelict in their duties. Isn't that right?"

"It's not unjust, but it is also unjust." As Tao Tang got up to pour tea, Qiu Lin lit a cigarette. "President Tao, you are the top leader, and you may not be aware of the situation below. They have a hard time too."

"No, they have a problem, and a big problem. Just now, a technician who's been with the factory for three years treated the company's interests as his own. They're all veterans, department-level employees, with seniority pay several times higher than him, yet their awareness is less than a young person's. Tell them what I said, exactly what I said: I don't care about the past, I care about the future. The purchasing department has become the focus of the employees' attention, which is a disgrace to the purchasing department. We need to seriously reflect on Ji Liqiang's lesson, start by finding loopholes in the system, and then establish and close the loopholes. If we do it well, I will forgive and forget, and we will reward those who deserve merit. If we don't do it well, don't blame me for firing the entire purchasing department."

"Okay, I'll pass it on. I'll convey it at the purchasing department's general meeting. We'll start the rectification from scratch again, and I'll personally take charge."

"Rules are easy to set; the key is implementation."

"President Tao, I am confident that I can handle this part well and not hold you back."

"I'm not going to hold you back, I'm going to be the engine. Let's work together. I won't keep you from eating."

Qiu Lin was a junior member of the team; if Yang Wenhuan hadn't fallen from power, he wouldn't have been in charge of purchasing. Purchasing, once a lucrative field, had now become a stinking quagmire to be avoided at all costs. Tao Tang's words to him today objectively boosted Qiu Lin's morale.

Tao Jin barged in, interrupting Tao Tang and Qiu Lin's conversation.

"This is my brother..." Tao Tang introduced.

"I know, I won't bother you two anymore." Qiu Lin stood up and took his leave.

"What's up?" Tao Tang pushed the cigarette case in front of his brother.

"Second brother, how can you eat in the cafeteria? From now on, eat at home. Otherwise, the neighbors will start gossiping."

"No need. I'm short on time, eating at the cafeteria is convenient, and I'm used to it. Brother, is there something else you wanted to talk to me about?"

"Yes... Second Brother, are you going to deal with Han Ruilin?"

"Where did you hear this from?" Tao Tang became alert. They had just had a meeting that afternoon and hadn't discussed the matter. How did it reach his ears?

"Don't ask anymore. Secrets about our factory can't be kept confidential at all. Han Ruilin came to me; he's terrified..."

"Brother, let me tell you this seriously: don't meddle in other people's business. Whether Han Ruilin violated discipline or not, and whether he should be punished, is the prerogative of the joint party and government council. My opinion alone doesn't count."

"Second brother, let me tell you, Han Ruilin is your classmate. A hero needs three helpers..."

"I don't need help from someone like him."

"Second brother, you don't know, this kind of thing happens all the time. Don't just talk about your level, even the branch factory managers and directors have plenty of mistresses. How can you manage them all?"

"Did Han Ruilin say that?"

"No, no. Don't misunderstand." Tao Jin was a little afraid of his younger brother. "Besides, what happened with Han Ruilin on Sunday was purely a misunderstanding..."

Tao Tang's phone rang. "Wait a minute," he said, picking up the phone from the bedside table and answering it.

"Oh, it's you. Hello..." The call was from the saleswoman at Golden Olive Real Estate. "A 95% discount? Okay, you can keep the house. I'll go and complete the formalities this week." After a moment's thought, Tao Tang decided to buy it. "Okay, just send me the things you need to prepare to my phone. Goodbye."

"You want to buy a house? Where do you want to buy it?" Tao Jin asked, having just lit a cigarette.

"Jinganlan is not far from the factory, only about four or five miles away. My parents are insisting on coming back, so I might as well buy them a house. I went to see it yesterday, and it's not bad."

How big?

"It's about 160 square meters... It's a bare-bones apartment, it still needs some renovation. By the way, what happened to Han Ruilin earlier?"

"What did I say?" This news left Tao Jin a little confused.

"Han Ruilin..."

"Oh, Han Ruilin is actually innocent."

"Injustice?" Tao Tang found it amusing.

"He had nothing to do with Mu Guihua. Mu Guihua's husband and Han Ruilin were classmates and had a good relationship. After his death, Han Ruilin continued to help Mu Guihua. It was Mu Guihua's younger brother who caused trouble that day, and he later admitted it."

"Who admitted it?"

"It was my fault for not explaining clearly. It was Mu Guihua's younger brother, Mu Jianhua, who admitted that he was being unreasonable... If you don't believe me, you can ask Mu Jianhua."

"Brother, I don't have time for this mess. Really. Since someone brought up Han Ruilin's promiscuous relationships at the meeting, there needs to be an explanation. I've already handed it over to someone else to handle. Brother, don't get involved in this, understand? And don't try to take advantage of others. If they have a problem, let them come directly to me, or to the relevant departments. Is this what you came here for today?"

Tao Jin had indeed received a generous gift from Han Ruilin. His younger brother had hit the nail on the head, leaving Tao Jin somewhat embarrassed. If his second son hadn't returned, no one would have given him gifts. He had actually already taken on several favors—some for promotions, some for job transfers, and others for his children to get factory jobs—but because Tao Tang had only visited once and time was short, he hadn't had a chance to speak up. Han Ruilin's gift was the most substantial and urgent, which was why he had agreed to speak to Han Ruilin immediately. But his brother's attitude was...

"Go back and rest if you're alright. Tell Han Ruilin that he should behave himself. I'm his classmate and also the chairman of Hongxing. I know which is more important."

"Second brother, I'm begging you this once in a while, so give me a straight answer."

"What definite answer? I don't have any definite answers here. I'm too busy with important matters to have time to deal with his dirty business," Tao Tang said, frowning.

The phone rang again. This time it was Tang Yikun calling, saying that he had discussed strengthening cooperation with Hongxing with his subordinates and invited Tao Tang to Donghu Mining Company the next day for further discussion.

"You're quick on the uptake, buddy. Okay, I agree. Tomorrow? Sure, I'll go tomorrow." Tao Tang thought for a moment and said to Tao Jin, "Brother, I need to meet with a few people to discuss some things. You should go back now."