Road to Revival

On Tuesday, when Tao Tang arrived at work, he saw that the questionnaires he had arranged were already on his desk. He asked Li Zhibin about them, and Li Zhibin replied that they had just been delivered by Deputy Secretary Chang.

The questionnaire contained 20 questions, covering a wide range of topics including company development, operations, research, compensation, and property. Tao Tang reviewed it, thought quietly for a while, and then condensed it into 11 questions, adding two more related to marketing. He then went to Chang Wenhai's office.

"Deputy Secretary Chang, I've reviewed the questionnaire. It's generally acceptable, with only minor modifications. Please consult with Secretary Zhao and Chairman Guo for their opinions. If it's acceptable, draft a notification and distribute it."

Chang Wenhai reviewed the revised questionnaire and said, "President Tao's revisions are excellent. I'll get on with it immediately. I'd like to hold a branch secretary meeting to make arrangements, so as to prevent things from going astray."

"Alright." Tao Tang sat down in the chair opposite Chang Wenhai's desk. "Old Chang, what year did you join the factory?"

"87, a full 26 years."

"I can tell from your accent that you're not from around here."

"No, my hometown is in Jiangnan Province. I was assigned to Hongxing after graduation, and after getting married, I didn't want to move. Now I'm considered a Pingquan resident. Mr. Tao, you're a child of this factory's employees. Do you feel the factory has changed a lot since you came back?"

"It's huge, the changes are all-encompassing, especially in terms of equipment. When I was a kid, I'd bring my father lunch when he worked overtime. He was a foundry worker, and the working conditions were terrible. It's much better now." Tao Tang waved his hand, refusing the cigarette Chang Wenhai offered. "I finally quit, and I don't want to quit again. Old Chang, I was just thinking about the questionnaire questions. I wanted to ask you, what do you think are the biggest problems our factory faces right now?"

"President Tao is testing me," Chang Wenhai said, placing the cigarette he'd taken out on the calendar. "I think the first issue is eliminating the negative impact of Song Yue and Yang Wenhuan. There's a lot of talk about it now, like the whole team is rotten… which is very detrimental to our work. The second issue is that the salaries are too low. Oh, I mean for regular employees. Retaining staff is a big problem."

"Hmm. So, how do we eliminate Song Yang's negative influence?"

"I can't say for sure..."

"I'd like to combine this with the questionnaire survey and hold several symposiums after May Day, including those for retired personnel. I haven't discussed this with Secretary Zhao yet. What do you think?"

"Of course." Chang Wenhai thought to himself, you are the chairman and general manager, why are you always thinking about party and mass affairs?

"In addition, we should focus on mass cultural and sports activities. Now is a good season, so let's enrich the employees' leisure time. In the past, Hongxing's basketball level was very high. Back then, Hongxing's team could represent the highest level in Pingquan. I wonder how it is now."

"You're getting more and more involved. Is this something you should be concerned about?" But Chang Wenhai couldn't reveal his true thoughts. "The union has a plan for cultural and sports activities every year. I'll have them submit a list for you. Speaking of basketball, you're right. When I came to the factory, the basketball team was really strong, but it's not like that now."

"Old Chang, I've always worked in administration and have basically never done Party and mass work. But I've never underestimated the power of Party and mass work; it's soft power, especially for a big factory like ours. Don't worry, I'll definitely support the mass work; it won't cost much."

"With your words, my job will be much easier."

"Alright, I won't bother you anymore." Tao Tang got up and left.

Back in his office, Li Zhibin reported, "I just received a call from the sixth factory; one of their employees committed suicide."

"Suicide? What happened?" Tao Tang was taken aback.

"I don't know either."

"Go and find out about it now."

After Li Zhibin left, Tao Tang felt a bit depressed. The suicide wasn't the company's fault, but it was extremely unsettling, slowing his pace in reviewing documents and making him somewhat distracted. Chang Wenhai hadn't mentioned it earlier, indicating that the branch factory hadn't reported it to Chang Wenhai, who was in charge of public relations, immediately. He wanted to tell Chang Wenhai, picked up the phone, and then put it down again.

After he finished reviewing all the files in the two folders, Li Zhibin returned. Tao Tang checked the time; it was 9:15.

"What's going on?"

"The deceased was named Wang Luochuan, a lathe operator at the Sixth Factory, and he was 29 years old. Last night, he sealed the doors and windows of his rented house with tape and committed suicide by gas, leaving a suicide note. Several leaders from the factory have already arrived there."

"Do you know why?"

"I read the suicide note and also heard about Wang Luochuan's situation from Secretary Gao, oh, that is, Gao Jiming, the Party Branch Secretary of the Sixth Factory. It seems that his family was in dire straits, and his relationship ended, so he couldn't think straight..."

"What kind of difficulty is it? Have you found out?"

"His parents both live in the countryside. He was recruited after graduating from a technical school. His mother is paralyzed and cannot take care of herself. His father has some mental problems. He has a younger brother who has polio and is basically unable to work..."

"I understand. Come on, take me to his house."

"Need a car?"

"What kind of car do you want!" Tao Tang's voice was muffled. Li Zhibin originally wanted to ask whether to notify the directors and other leaders, but seeing Tao Tang's gloomy face, he didn't dare to bring it up.

The two rode their bicycles to the No. 2 courtyard, where a large crowd had already gathered at the entrance. Upon hearing that Tao Tang had come in person, Zhu Yu, the director of the No. 6 factory, and Gao Jiming, the party secretary, immediately came out to greet him.

"The security department has checked and basically determined it to be a suicide... We've already called 110... The police should be here soon," Zhu Yu reported.

Tao Tang, his face grim and silent, walked through the parting crowd into the house where the deceased had lived. A sheet covered the body; he stepped forward, lifted it to glance at the body, then covered it again. He then surveyed the extremely simple furnishings of the room before leaving.

"Does his family know?"

"We haven't been notified yet..."

"After the cause of death is determined, you, as his direct superiors, must go to his home in person."

"Yes," Zhu Yu and Gao Jiming replied in unison.

"Did he show any unusual signs before?"

"No……"

"Didn't find anything or not?" Tao Tang raised his voice.

"Nothing was found..."

"Where's the suicide note?"

A worker-looking man handed over a piece of paper.

"Who are you?"

"Mr. Tao, I'm the branch chairman..."

Tao Tang read the suicide note, his face growing increasingly grim. "He was driven to his death by hardship. I bear responsibility, but your responsibility is even greater!"

Zhu Yu and Gao Jiming lowered their heads.

Chang Wenhai, Zhou Bing, and Zhang Xingwu arrived. Tao Tang said to Chang Wenhai and Zhou Bing, "This is a painful lesson. Handle the aftermath properly. Deputy Secretary Chang, you take charge. I'm going back now." After saying that, he turned and left.

Tao Youdao and his girlfriend Wang Xiaojuan were at the scene. Most of the people there were from the Sixth Factory, since the deceased had no relatives at the factory, and those who came to help with the funeral arrangements were all colleagues. Tao Youdao saw his second uncle come and go in a hurry. He figured his second uncle probably didn't see him, and even if he did, he probably wouldn't pay any attention to him.

"Is that General Manager Tao?" the colleagues whispered among themselves.

Wang Xiaojuan accompanied Tao Youdao. She didn't dare go inside, nor would she let her boyfriend in. It was also her first time meeting Tao Tang. After Tao Tang left, she whispered to her boyfriend, "Your second uncle is so imposing."

"Not your second uncle?"

"Get lost. I just heard him scolding Secretary Gao and Factory Director Zhu. Look how ugly their faces are..." Wang Xiaojuan pointed at Zhu Yu and Gao Jiming.

Tao Youdao, however, was thinking about his deceased colleague. He knew Wang Luochuan and had even drunk with him, but they weren't exactly friends. Zhu Yu had asked the cadres for help, so he came. Wang Luochuan was a quiet, reserved young man who spent his days buried in his work… Tao Youdao had only just learned about Wang Luochuan's family situation; it was quite tragic, and anyone would feel immense pressure in that situation… It was understandable that his girlfriend didn't want to be with him…

The siren sounded, and a police car stopped in the open space at the head of the row of houses. Three policemen, accompanied by the security department, walked over. Wang Xiaojuan pulled her boyfriend aside to make way for the police.

Tao Youdao suddenly felt a tightness in his chest. "Let's go. I'm afraid we can't help much anymore."

In the afternoon, the routine production administration meeting was held in the large conference room on the second floor of Building 2. Ma Guangming, who was presiding over the meeting, had just announced the start of the meeting when he saw Tao Tang push the door open and enter. "President Tao..." Ma Guangming stood up.

"Let me say a few words first." Tao Tang sat down next to Ma Guangming. "Comrades, let me take this opportunity to say a few words. This morning, a young worker from the Sixth Factory unfortunately passed away, as you have all probably heard. I don't know how you all feel, but I am very sad, very remorseful, and also very angry."

Tao Tang surveyed the assembled crowd. "Humans are humble individuals, and each person only has one life. A 29-year-old young man would never take this path unless he was driven to desperation. I have a preliminary understanding of the situation. Before this, the Party and government of the Sixth Branch Factory were unaware of the pressure this young worker was under. They did nothing, didn't talk to him, and didn't show him any concern. Neither the branch factory nor the workshops did. Neither the company's labor union nor the human resources department did. I think if the organization had intervened sooner, he might not have taken this path." At this point, Tao Tang slammed his hand on the table, stood up, and said, "We are a state-owned enterprise! We have a well-established organizational structure, and we have always shamelessly claimed that our employees are the masters of the enterprise! I feel ashamed that such a thing has happened. As the general manager, I feel deeply ashamed! I will punish myself by forfeiting this month's salary and donating it all to Comrade Wang Luochuan's family. But I want to ask, what responsibility do the company's leaders at all levels and various departments bear? Where were you when Comrade Wang Luochuan urgently needed help and care?"

The atmosphere became heavy.

"Some people say that the withholding of wages drove Wang Luochuan to his death. After I arrived, the Human Resources Department, Deputy General Manager Liu Xiuyun, and other leaders did suggest paying the owed wages as soon as possible, but I didn't agree. I will explain why I didn't agree at an appropriate time. Now I've changed my mind, and the owed wages will be paid as soon as possible. General Manager Han has already gone to headquarters to collect the payment. I just spoke with General Manager Han on the phone, and the wages will definitely be paid by next week at the latest. Have the Human Resources Department and the Payment and Regulations Department arrived yet?"

"They're here." Lü Qi and Pan Chenggui stood up at the same time.

"Immediately complete all the work related to paying the back wages. Once the money arrives in your account, pay it out immediately, according to the amount you originally calculated."

"Yes."

"Now I order you all to go back and thoroughly investigate the difficulties faced by your respective employees. Get a clear picture of their situations, and given our current circumstances, put your conscience on your side and find ways to help them, so they can truly understand the difference between state-owned enterprises and private companies. Can you do that?"

"Yes," came a chorus of voices from the room.

"Can I ask you one more time?" Tao Tang raised his voice.

"Yes!" This time the response was neat and much louder.

"Okay, that's all I have to say. I won't keep you from your meeting any longer." Tao Tang turned and left.

As Lü Qi watched Tao Tang's figure disappear, a mix of emotions welled up inside her, a bitter taste in her mouth. She was attending the meeting in place of Liu Xinjun. Regulations stipulated that administrative meetings should be attended by the head of the administration, but the content of these meetings generally had little to do with the Development and Planning Department, so Liu Xinjun always had his deputy attend in his place.