Road to Revival

Lü Qi had a relatively leisurely May Day holiday. Yan Shuzhen from the labor union had contacted her to go out, but she declined. Aside from attending a meeting convened by Liu Xinjun about the Donghu Steel Pipe Plant, she had nothing else to do. Old Fan, on the other hand, was quite busy. They were preparing for an ISO9000 external audit in late May, and first had to conduct a routine internal audit. In addition, the quality department was implementing Tao Tang's speech, holding a series of meetings; it seemed Chen Yongliang wanted to produce something to show the top leader's approval.

Lü Qi went to Li Suyi's house again. The compensation had been received, but the murderer—the guy who beat her husband to death with a stick—had not been found. They no longer cared. According to Li Suyi, the police station was also passing the buck—after all, it wasn't intentional homicide.

The focus shifted to the distribution of the compensation. Li Suyi cried to Lü Qi, saying that it would have been better if there was no money at all. Now the family was in chaos, everyone was eyeing the 70 yuan. Her parents-in-law, brother-in-law, and sister-in-law were all arguing over it, and it was a complete mess.

Lu Qi couldn't persuade her; even an upright official finds it difficult to settle family disputes. Lu Qi simply told Li Suyi that the money was hers and shouldn't be given to others. She could give some to her in-laws, but no one else would get a share. She added that children have many expenses, and Li Suyi shouldn't be too soft-hearted.

"But the responsibility of supporting the elderly has fallen on someone else, and they're sticking to this excuse and making up excuses..."

"You can take responsibility. You haven't left his house, so of course you have a responsibility to support the elderly," Lü Qi said to Li Suyi. "But by giving your parents-in-law money, you've fulfilled your responsibilities as a daughter-in-law and also done your filial duty on behalf of Li Wei. Isn't that right? If you don't give the elderly money, then of course you should take care of them and do your best."

"If everyone thought like you, that would be great..." Li Suyi was very grateful to Lü Qi. "If it weren't for you pleading with President Tao, how could we have gotten so much money so quickly? Who wants to cause so much trouble?"

In less than a month, Li Suyi lost a lot of weight, and her chin became more pointed.

"What are their opinions?" Lü Qi couldn't help but ask.

"His brother wants 10, and his sister wants 10 too... I don't care, but my family won't allow it... Now we can't even be relatives anymore..."

"No way. That's outrageous. You have the money, don't you?"

"I want to withdraw the money from my card and deposit it for a fixed term. Also, should I thank Mr. Tao? I don't know what to do."

"There's no need for Mr. Tao. Tao Tang is only helping you out of friendship. He earns such a high salary, he won't care about your small gift. When you meet him, just say a few polite words."

"That wouldn't be right... Lü Qi, could you come with me to thank them in person?"

"You can go directly, why do I have to go with you? It seems that President Tao has gone home..." Fan Yongcheng was well-informed, so what he said should be correct.

Fan Yongcheng attended the meeting on April 30th, and he was trying to deduce Tao Tang's "factory management strategy" from it. He seemed somewhat disappointed with Tao Tang, and he said to Lü Qi, "I must admit that your old classmate is very eloquent, able to rattle off data and examples off the top of his head, which is very impressive. But there's nothing substantial about it."

What tangible thing do you want?

"Management strategy, you know. You see, from the central government to the local level, there has to be a policy program, right? What is his policy program? Lean management? Can Red Star really be pulled out of the mire just by relying on 5S on the ground?"

"Didn't they say that on-site management is just the foundation of lean management? Shengdong's cost-to-revenue ratio has decreased by one percentage point every year, which is quite remarkable. And you even pay attention to politics and the news? Haven't the higher-ups been constantly calling for a shift in the economic growth model, from extensive to intensive? Isn't lean management exactly in line with the spirit of the higher-ups?"

"Transforming the growth model is easier said than done!" Fan Yongcheng's research on macroeconomics is far more profound than Lü Qi's; he studied this very field. "What drives our country's economic growth? First, exports; second, investment. We talk about the three engines driving growth in tandem, but consumption has always been a sick horse, unable to exert its strength. A few years ago, we implemented a four trillion yuan stimulus package, and now we're reflecting on it. Some articles are quite radical, arguing that it has exacerbated the difficulty of economic transformation and made the problem of overcapacity even more serious… What was the four trillion yuan stimulus package? It was investment-driven growth. Without investment-driven growth, economic growth will be weak…"

"Alright, Lao Fan, let's not bring this up to the national level... You're not the director of the National Development and Reform Commission."

"The principle is the same. Lean management is like encouraging consumer spending. Of course, consumption-driven growth is the most reasonable approach, but it's not suitable for our national conditions. Implementing lean management might improve Hongxing's operations, but it won't achieve the three objectives that General Manager Tao mentioned. Of course, leaders always need to come up with some inspiring slogans. Didn't Song Yue once proclaim that he would build a team with both integrity and ability, putting Hongxing on a virtuous cycle? What happened? He got arrested, and Hongxing started experiencing frequent wage arrears..."

"Don't compare Song Yue to Tao Tang," Lü Qi interrupted her husband. "I think they're not the same kind of people at all."

"I can't say whether Tao is putting on an act, but the feedback from below is indeed quite positive. Who knows what will happen in the future? Actually, all that talk about eating in the canteen or riding a bicycle to the grassroots level is unnecessary. As long as he manages Red Star well, what does it matter if he gets special treatment or drives a Mercedes?"

"You can't run a factory well by giving people special treatment or driving Mercedes! So what do you suggest? Give me a prescription that works."

"For Red Star to regain its former glory, it absolutely needs a major project. Don't interrupt me, or seize this great opportunity... This opportunity is relocation. Those rumors are definitely not unfounded. Seize this opportunity, and you'll have everything you could want. If things go well, he might even be able to move up to the group's leadership team."

"Relocating Hongxing? Even if it's included in the municipal plan, it won't be easy. Our factory's employees and their families number at least seventy or eighty thousand, which is almost the size of a district in the city. Not to mention production, how many houses would we need to build?"

"Then you're out of touch with reality. This project is a hot commodity for the province and for Pingquan. How many opportunities does it offer? How many industries can it drive? If you were the mayor, you'd think Hongxing's vision was too small. If I were General Manager Tao, I wouldn't be focusing on lean management. As long as we make a name for ourselves in this project, we'll reap both fame and fortune."

"My dad doesn't approve of Hongxing moving. I'm sure many people share his opinion. Even I don't want it to happen."

"I didn't want to either. Going to the development zone might not have been as good as it is now," Fan Yongcheng glanced at the spotless and tidy living room, "but the leaders' thinking is different from the people's. There's always a conflict between immediate interests and long-term goals. I can see that you admire President Tao quite a bit..."

"I admire whoever can run the factory well. I'm not going to argue with you anymore, I need to go home, are you coming?"

"Is there anything else? If not, I'll come over later."

"My brother's family is coming back today, so I'm making some food for them... You're a good cook, so if you're not in a hurry, could you go buy a fish and some pork ribs?"

"Alright then, I'll go have a few drinks with the old man." Fan Yongcheng put down the book in his hand and went to change his clothes.

Lu Qi's son, Fan Chao, went on a field trip to Feiyuan Reservoir with his class. Only the couple were left at home. Old Fan certainly didn't want to cook for himself, and besides, Old Fan had always had a harmonious relationship with Lu Qi's parents.

Fan Yongcheng was an outsider, but Lü Qi was from a family with a long history of revolutionary activities. Her father was a demobilized military officer who had served as a middle manager and retired from his position as the branch secretary of the property management company (then called the life service center). Lü Qi had a habit of chatting with the old man whenever she encountered difficulties at work.

Fan Yongcheng went to the market to buy ingredients, while Lü Qi went directly to her parents' house.

"I checked out the factory last night. The new General Manager Tao is quite good, different from Song Yue." Seeing his daughter return, Mr. Lü asked, "Where's Yongcheng? What's he busy with?"

"He went to buy groceries. How could Dad tell he was different from President Song?"

"Different is different. I don't understand lean management, I just think it's about focusing on basic management. That's right, don't do those fancy things, always focus on basic management in a down-to-earth way, that's what a factory manager is all about."

"Yongcheng said that wouldn't work; it's just a small-scale operation..."

"How can you call it small-scale? This is like life; you have to be down-to-earth. These past few years, the factory has been all about empty talk, like creating a harmonious red star, or self-governance at the job level, or making external investments, like 200 billion yuan. What results have been achieved? It's all just boasting. Look at General Manager Tao, he's right. He focused on managing the canteen and the single dormitory, and the results were immediate. Everyone praises him. I think you, my classmate, are capable. Look at what he said: increasing employee income and improving employee welfare. How good and practical is that?"

Just then, there was a knock on the door. Lü Qi thought it was Fan Yongcheng returning, but when she opened it, she saw her younger brother, Lü Wei, who worked in the municipal party committee office, returning with his wife and daughter. The old man was immediately delighted to see his granddaughter, and after exchanging a few words, Fan Yongcheng and Lü Qi's mother returned together, and the house suddenly became lively.

Fan Yongcheng is always the one in charge of cooking on these occasions. Lü Wei joked with his sister again, "Sis, you're so lucky. How did you choose a husband like him? He's good at everything, from formal occasions to cooking. Ruijuan always complains about me because of him."

"Come on, are you praising him or mocking him?"

Lu Wei laughed and said, "Of course it's praise. Brother-in-law is just outstanding. It's a pity, if he had gone into macroeconomic research, he might have made great achievements. How's the factory lately? I heard you changed bosses."

"Yes, the factory manager has changed," said Mr. Lü. "He's your sister's classmate."

"Really? That's great. These days, classmates and comrades-in-arms are the strongest bonds. Talk to your classmate and ask him to help your brother-in-law out."

"He was my high school classmate...he still remembers you."

"Really? You're also a member of our Red Star family? What's your name?"

"Tao Tang. You probably don't know him. You were still in elementary school back then."

"I think I vaguely remember him... Oh right, wasn't he the one who missed the college entrance exam because he was detained for fighting that year? Wow, he's pretty impressive. How old is he this year? He's already in charge of a big company like Red Star... Oh, it's him." Lu Wei remembered something, looked at her sister, but didn't say anything.

"That's him. He got into Fudan University the following year. You could say it was a blessing in disguise..."

"Red Star has changed hands... Sister, there have been big changes in the city too..."

"Really? How has it changed?" Father Lü's interest in politics surpassed that of Lü Qi.

"It hasn't been made public yet, but it's no secret. Secretary Wang is getting promoted... The city's leaders have been running around like ants on a hot plate lately."

"What does this have to do with you?" Mr. Lü asked.

"What does this have to do with me? I'm just a writer, it doesn't matter who I serve. But working under that lunatic Bai Junsheng is pure torture. Secretary Huang of the government has been good to me, and I mentioned to him that I'm thinking of going to the government office, but I don't know if it will work out... If I could go down there and get a powerful deputy director position, that would be great too. I really don't want to stay in the Second Section anymore."

Bai Junsheng is the deputy secretary-general of the municipal party committee. He works under Bai Yongquan, the deputy secretary of the municipal party committee, and is in charge of the second comprehensive section of the municipal party committee office. He is Lü Wei's direct superior.

"You've been in this government office for seven or eight years, how can you still be so naive?" Old Lu disapproved of his son. "It's better to stay where you are than to keep moving around. If you can't get along with your superiors, you should first examine yourself!"

"Dad, put away your old tricks," Lu Wei said. "These days, it's not about how well you do, it's about whether you have connections. Haven't you heard? 'Age is a treasure, a diploma is indispensable, connections are the most important, all factors should be considered.' My bachelor's degree is no longer an advantage, and I'm about to pass the age limit. If I can't be promoted to a full section chief, my life is over."

Lü Qi knew her younger brother was always looking for a real job and didn't want to be stuck in the central government anymore. Even working in a nearby county would be better than writing reports in the municipal party committee office. But she couldn't help him with that.

"Xiao Wei, I don't know the specifics, so I can't help you. But what Dad said makes sense. It's good to want to do something practical, but you can't rush it. It's easy to go from the top to the grassroots, but difficult to go the other way. That's how it is with Hongxing, and I think it's probably similar with the government."

"Sis, you have no idea what that guy surnamed Bai is like. To use an outdated joke, it's perfect: He can drink three or five jin of liquor without getting drunk, dance for three or two nights without sleeping, and he's a natural at flattery and boasting... Don't even mention work, he's completely hopeless at it. What does it mean to be two-faced? Just look at him and you'll understand. He's all smiles and gentleness towards his superiors, but absolutely icy and cold towards his subordinates. Working under him is the worst luck I've ever had."

"Lu Wei! What kind of nonsense have you been learning in the municipal party committee all these years! Is this how you evaluate a leader?" The old man Lu, whose thinking was absolutely old-fashioned, slammed his hand heavily on the armrest of the sofa, clearly displeased.

"Dad, the food is almost ready, please take a seat." Fan Yongcheng, wearing an apron, came out of the kitchen and invited the old man to sit down.

While Lü Qi's family was having a gathering, Tao Tang was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan.