1994: Starting with unpaid leave

Dong Jianguo was confident.

Although the affair between factory director Gao Yi and Director Bai is still being kept tightly under wraps, it will be common knowledge in the factory a year from now, before the mass layoffs officially begin.

Because at that time, the factory director's wife got the news from somewhere and brought several of her sisters to stand in front of the office building, shouting and cursing, and all she said was to express her fervent greetings to the direct relatives of Director Gao and Director Bai.

Soon, thanks to the factory director's wife, the workers who were watching the commotion learned that Factory Director Gao Yi and Teacher Bai from No. 3 Middle School had been having an affair for five years, and that she was promoted to director because of his influence behind the scenes.

Director Bai didn't hold back either; she even had a child with Factory Director Gao while she was away at school during the winter break.

Dong Jianguo had already been laid off, but he still managed to get a general idea from the workers who lived in the factory's residential area.

I heard that someone later adapted this romantic affair into a vulgar novel and made a fortune from it.

Seeing the surprised look on Director Gao's face, Dong Jianguo felt a secret sense of satisfaction.

Who would have thought that, having just been reborn, he would use information from his previous life to shock this high-and-mighty factory manager who spouts grand theories?!

Gao Yi, being a man of many experiences, quickly realized that he shouldn't have shown such an expression in front of a worker.

His face darkened.

"I don't understand what you're talking about. Are you trying to blackmail me by ruining my reputation?"

Dong Jianguo shrugged:

"Director Gao, I just want what's rightfully mine back. You call that extortion?"

"Besides, nothing stays hidden forever. We got caught by the police even playing cards secretly, let alone stealing someone!"

Gao Yi's face was so dark it could drip water, but his mind was already in turmoil from Dong Jianguo's two sentences: "You..."

"Director Gao, I'm a rough man, I don't have the patience to keep dragging this on. If the factory doesn't understand me, then I certainly don't have the mood to understand other people's feelings, right?"

Seeing Dong Jianguo put his hand on the doorknob again, Gao Yi cleared his throat:

"Comrade Xiao Dong, please wait a moment."

"The previous punishment decision was ill-considered by the factory. I've asked Secretary Wang to draft a notice to rescind your punishment. What do you think..."

"Director Gao, didn't you hear my demands clearly? I accept the punishment, I just want to go back to the factory and get the wages owed to my wife and me."

"Oh, right, there's also Comrade Wu Qianzhu, who was punished along with me... Never mind, if you ask me, Director Gao, you should have your secretary draft a notice saying that the factory, considering the employees' livelihood, should pay the wages of all of us who were punished."

"There are only five or six workers in total, so this amount of money isn't much for the factory."

The coworkers who were punished by the factory were all participants, not organizers, and in essence, none of them were bad.

He only plays cards to pass the time because he doesn't have any work to do at the factory and is too bored.

We all live in the same residential area, and we'll see each other all the time. If we only get back the wages that are owed to us and Erzhuzi, it won't sound good if word gets out.

Gao Yi accurately received the ladder that Dong Jianguo handed over.

He nodded with feigned seriousness: "Indeed, I was only thinking about strictly managing the factory to rectify the unhealthy practices, and I didn't consider the living conditions of you employees. It was my oversight, and it seems there's still a lot of room for improvement in my work!"

"But let's skip the announcement. I'll call the factory's finance department later, and you can notify the relevant employees to collect their owed wages directly. Xiao Dong, is that alright?"

Dong Jianguo grinned and gave a thumbs-up: "That's why I said you were good enough to be the factory director! You handled this matter with great efficiency!"

Gao Yi nodded: "I'm doing this for the sake of the workers' lives. What kind of leader would I be if I didn't stand with the workers?!"

"However, Comrade Xiao Dong, as the factory director, I must remind you that you are still young, and many things may not be as you hear them. Furthermore, do not spread rumors carelessly, otherwise it could cause even greater misunderstandings and consequences..."

"Understood~"

Dong Jianguo smiled and nodded in agreement, revealing a set of white teeth.

Gao Yigang wanted to give the other party another nudge to see if he could find out who had leaked his private affairs, but Dong Jianguo didn't give him that chance and actually pushed open the door to leave.

"Director Gao, please make the arrangements first. I'll go to the finance office right away..."

"Oh, okay? Then let me see you off..."

"No need. You're the factory manager; it's not right for a factory manager to give gifts to workers."

"What factory director? We're all proletarian brothers... Brother Dong, you can just call me Brother Gao from now on!"

"That would be too much for me, I wouldn't dare, hahaha..."

While chatting and laughing, the two had already arrived at the door of the office next door.

Dong Jianguo glanced inside and saw Erzhuzi still pushing two bottles of liquor toward Wang Gaofei, just as he had instructed.

"Secretary Wang, please help me out. This wine is over ten years old. My dad originally planned to serve it to our boss when I got married..."

"Comrade Wu, I've told you so many times, don't engage in this kind of unhealthy practice. If everyone acted like you, how could the factory continue to operate?"

Erzhuzi was also getting impatient: "Secretary Wang, that's not how it's said."

Wang Gaofei's eyes widened: "What do you mean?!"

"What do you mean?!" Erzhuzi's stubbornness flared up, and he retorted to Wang Gaofei, "Why aren't you punishing Zhao Ruidong, who organized the mahjong game?"

"If your dad were a former manager at the factory, we definitely wouldn't punish you! Are you satisfied with that answer?!"

"You fucking..."

Dong Jianguo suddenly spoke:

"Zhu Zi, that's enough! There's no need to argue about this anymore. The matter is settled, let's go!"

Erzhuzi turned around and saw Dong Jianguo winking at him. He then snorted coldly, holding two bottles of baijiu, and said, "Wild boars can't eat fine chaff!"

"Who are you calling a wild boar?!"

Due to the angle, Wang Gaofei did not see Director Gao standing outside the door.

Neither Dong Jianguo, his love rival, nor Wu Qianzhu, the worker who planned to use connections, needed to tolerate it. So Wang Gaofei angrily got up and chased after them, saying he had to get an explanation.

Wu Qianzhu also had a fiery temper, and he was so angry that he turned around and wanted to do something drastic to Secretary Wang.

"Bang!"

Dong Jianguo caught Erzhuzi's fist in time.

"Brother Jianguo!"

"We're just here to take back what's rightfully ours; let's not cause any more trouble."

"Moreover, if it weren't for Secretary Wang's help, we wouldn't have had such a smooth process."

Startled, Wang Gaofei was taken aback, not understanding what Dong Jianguo meant by suddenly raising his voice for the second half of his sentence.

Dong Jianguo smiled and patted Wang Gaofei on the shoulder: "Secretary Wang, if you hadn't told me those things, we might not have had such a smooth trip. I'll thank you in my heart, and I'll treat you to drinks another day."

After saying goodbye, he grabbed Erzhuzi and left.

Wang Gaofei was a little confused by Dong Jianguo's actions and subconsciously followed him out of the office. Watching the two figures disappear around the corner at the stairwell, he couldn't help but wonder what he had actually done to help them.

Turning around, he saw Director Gao standing behind him with his hands behind his back, his long face as long as a shoehorn.

"Director Gao?"

"You fucking shut up right now!"

Gao Yi turned around, leaving only the back of his dark head visible, and returned to his office.

A bewildered Wang Gaofei didn't know whether he should follow them or go back to his office...