Courtyard House: From Deputy Division Commander to Civilian, Progressing All the Way

Yang Jianguo's words were impeccable, not only stating his own position but also providing Lin Yang with a way out. He was a pragmatic man, and as long as Lin Yang didn't give misguided orders regarding production, he was happy to have a strong secretary to suppress the corrupt factions in the factory.

Lin Yang turned his head slightly, gave Yang Jianguo an approving look, and then looked away.

"Director Yang, you're too kind." Lin Yang's voice wasn't loud, but it was full of energy, resonating in the snow-covered, white-walled conference room. "I, Lin Yang, am a soldier, a rough man. In the army, we value strict discipline and real achievements. When we come to civilian life, to this factory with tens of thousands of employees, the rules are the same."

Lin Yang picked up the enamel mug on the table, took a small sip, and continued, "Today's meeting is no fluff. Everyone here, from left to right, will introduce your position, responsibilities, and the biggest challenge you currently face. No platitudes, just substance."

As soon as he finished speaking, Li Huaide, the deputy factory director sitting first on the left, immediately put on his signature warm smile.

Li Huaide had his hair slicked back and slicked back with hair oil so thick that even flies would slip on it. He was fair-skinned and plump, wearing a Lenin suit made of excellent material, and looked like a friendly and prosperous businessman.

"Secretary Lin, let me give you a brief report first." Li Huaide opened the notebook in front of him, adopting a humble posture, but a hint of contempt was hidden deep in his eyes.

In his view, what could a nineteen-year-old kid, no matter how fierce he was in battle, possibly know about factory management? What could he possibly know about complicated accounts and material allocation? As long as he used a bunch of professional data to confuse the kid, he, Li Huaide, would still be in charge of the logistics business in the future.

"I am Li Huaide, the deputy director of the factory, mainly in charge of logistics support, material procurement and the staff canteen."

Li Huaide cleared his throat and began his long-winded report: "Secretary Lin, our factory currently has over 10,000 employees, and the daily food supply for everyone is astronomical. The biggest difficulty at present is the severe shortage of supplies. Last month, we planned to purchase 300 tons of refined coal, but due to transportation and funding issues, only 150 tons arrived. In addition, the meat ration in the staff canteen is also severely insufficient. The workers are doing heavy physical labor, and without enough oil in their stomachs, their morale is very low..."

Li Huaide rattled off a string of data, effortlessly using various technical terms, exaggerating the logistical difficulties to the point of being overwhelming, as if he were working tirelessly for the factory every day.

No one else in the meeting room spoke. Everyone knew Li Huaide's background; the old man had been lining his own pockets, selling the best stuff on the black market, and now he was complaining about it. But no one dared to expose him, after all, he had his own network of connections at higher levels.

After finishing his report, Li Huaide picked up his teacup, took a sip of water, and couldn't hide the slight upturn at the corners of his mouth. He was waiting to see the bewildered expression on the young secretary's face.

However, Lin Yang did not show the troubled or bewildered expression he had expected.

Lin Yang tapped the table lightly with his index finger, making a rhythmic "tap, tap, tap" sound.

"Deputy Factory Director Li, you said that only 150 tons of refined coal arrived last month?" Lin Yang's eyes suddenly sharpened, like two sharp swords piercing Li Huaide.

Li Huaide's heart skipped a beat, and his smile became somewhat stiff: "Yes...yes, Secretary Lin."

"That's utter nonsense!"

Lin Yang suddenly shouted coldly, startling everyone present.

"I just checked the security department's weighing records! On the 17th of last month, a train with eight carriages entered our factory's dedicated line, carrying only Datong high-quality coal from Shanxi! Each carriage has a capacity of 60 tons, so eight carriages would be 480 tons! You're telling me only 150 tons arrived? What happened to the remaining 300-plus tons of coal?!"

Lin Yang's words were like a thunderclap from a clear sky!

The teacup in Li Huaide's hand fell to the table with a "clatter," spilling tea all over the floor. His chubby face instantly turned deathly pale, and cold sweat rolled down his forehead like soybeans.

He never imagined that this young secretary, who had only been on his first day, would know so much about the security department's weighing slips! This wasn't just a greenhorn; he was clearly a living devil who audited accounts!

"This...this...Secretary Lin, please let me explain..." Li Huaide stammered, trying to explain, his brain racing as he attempted to fabricate a plausible lie.

"I don't want to hear your explanation!" Lin Yang interrupted him mercilessly, his tone icy and chilling. "Li Huaide, let me tell you. In the army, lying about supplies is punishable by death! Don't think I don't know about your shady dealings in logistics. I'm just giving you a heads-up today. If I find any discrepancies between the accounts and the actual supplies again, you'll be packing your bags and going to the security department to explain yourself!"

The meeting room was deathly silent.

Everyone was stunned by Lin Yang's thunderous and overwhelming methods. He immediately targeted the most powerful deputy factory director, Li, and seized a fatal weakness. His audacity and cunning were chilling.

Yang Jianguo watched from the sidelines, secretly pleased. He had long wanted to take action against Li Huaide, but he had never been able to find solid evidence. Now, the wicked would finally get their comeuppance.

Li Huaide slumped in his chair, like a defeated quail, not daring to utter another word. He knew he had kicked a hornet's nest this time; this Secretary Lin was not only knowledgeable in his work, but also frighteningly ruthless.

"Next." Lin Yang ignored Li Huaide and turned his gaze to a burly, middle-aged man with a full beard on his right.

This man was Zhou Zhenhua, the deputy factory director in charge of production.

Zhou Zhenhua was a straightforward person, and he felt extremely pleased to see Li Huaide get the short end of the stick. He stood up and said in a loud voice, "Secretary Lin! I am Zhou Zhenhua, in charge of production and workshop technology!"

"Sit down and let's talk," Lin Yang said, his tone softening. He always respected hardworking and reliable technical cadres like him.

"Yes!" Zhou Zhenhua sat down, his brows furrowing immediately, his tone filled with deep anxiety. "Secretary Lin, Director Yang, our production targets are too heavy! The country needs steel everywhere for construction, and the quotas from above are set to double this month's compared to last month!"

"But most of our factory's equipment is outdated machinery left over from the Japanese and Kuomintang. It breaks down every few days. The repair shop workers are working non-stop and still can't keep up with the repairs. Especially those two large rolling mills, the bearings are severely worn, and there are no spare parts to replace them. If we force them to operate under overload conditions, I'm afraid there will be a major accident!"

What Zhou Zhenhua said is true, and it is the most critical problem currently facing Hongxing Steel Rolling Mill.