Flip the table and divide the family property! Take his wife and daughter into the mountains and eat

You could hear a pin drop in the courtyard.

Deputy Factory Director Zhang's smile froze on his face, his outstretched hand hovered in mid-air, and the vein on his forehead throbbed violently.

He slowly withdrew his hand, putting it into the pocket of his wool coat, his face growing colder with each passing moment. He pushed up his glasses, staring intently at Zhao Shanhe, his voice low and menacing.

"Comrade Zhao Shanhe, you can eat whatever you want, but you can't say whatever you want. Hongxing Factory is a large state-owned factory with thousands of employees. It is a well-known model unit in the county and an advanced collective that has been commended by the bureau."

Deputy Factory Director Zhang took half a step forward, his official authority pressing down on him.

"These comrades in the security department are all veterans. They're usually stubborn and only follow the official seal of the factory office. They're just a little too strict with people they don't know. But you, you drove straight through the guardrail and came over. That's far too arrogant. Now you're talking about some kind of protective umbrella. It seems that you people from Kaoshantun really enjoy fighting each other."

He sneered and turned to look at the dark mass of workers around him.

"Since it's a misunderstanding, it's best to talk it out. Comrade Zhao, you're new here, and being too hot-tempered can be harmful to your health. You keep talking about backing and protection here. Are you accusing me of ordering my subordinates to make things difficult for you? Or are you questioning the organizational discipline of the Red Star Factory?"

Zhao Shanhe stood there, motionless, and didn't bother to argue about those official terms.

He slowly pulled a crumpled box of matches from his pocket, snapped one with a "rip," and lit a cigarette in the cold wind.

"Deputy Factory Director Zhang, you said this comrade is stubborn and didn't see the official document, so he stopped the wrong person."

Zhao Shanhe exhaled a puff of white smoke and pointed with the finger holding the cigarette at the worker who was slumped in the mud.

"Deputy Factory Director Zhang, I've always lived in the mountains and haven't had much education, but I'm not stupid."

Zhao Shanhe took a step forward and stared at Deputy Factory Director Zhang through the smoke.

"Just now at the main gate, I clearly stated the name of Director Li from the Foreign Trade Bureau. Normally, even if the security officer is the most irresponsible, upon hearing the name of the director, his first reaction should be to ask for clarification, or at the very least, to call the factory to verify. Because if he verifies it, even if I am real, he has no responsibility as long as he is acting in accordance with regulations."

Zhao Shanhe threw the cigarette butt on the ground and crushed it out with his big-toed shoe.

"A regular employee in charge of goalkeeping and team leadership usually knows exactly how to shirk responsibility and keep his job. But today, he acted strangely, blocking the way without even verifying the information, not even giving me a chance to prove myself. Is this being stubborn? Is this a misunderstanding?"

The surrounding workers listened intently and nodded in agreement.

Zhao Shanhe's voice wasn't loud, but it carried a chilling edge.

"It's obvious he already knew what was going on. Someone tipped him off beforehand, telling him that no matter who came today, no matter whose name they gave, if it was me, Zhao Shanhe, I had to block them at the gate!"

Zhao Shanhe took a half step forward, his gaze fixed on Deputy Factory Director Zhang's face.

"Deputy Factory Director Zhang, I'd like to ask you in front of everyone: who gave him the audacity to do this at the entrance of the Red Star Factory?"

Deputy Factory Director Zhang's facial muscles twitched violently, and his eyes behind his glasses turned sinister.

"Zhao Shanhe, don't try to twist the facts here. The security department is responsible for the safety of thousands of people in the factory. Before verifying their identities, if anyone carries a gun and tries to break through the gate, it's their duty to take coercive measures. This is to protect state property!"

"To protect state property?"

Zhao Shanhe gave a short laugh, then turned around abruptly, pointing his finger at the workers on the outside who were wearing blue overalls and had sallow complexions.

"Deputy Factory Director Zhang, since you're so concerned about the workers' safety, let me ask you something on everyone's behalf. Have last month's wages been paid in full? When will we see any meat in the cornmeal porridge in the canteen? The security department is glaring at the workers at the gate and brandishing batons—is this what you call protecting state property?"

A suppressed commotion arose from the crowd, and the workers' expressions changed instantly.

"Look at all these workers in the yard. I just mentioned that I was wronged, and everyone reacted so strongly. It shows how much they suffer here. Aren't these workers who shed blood and sweat for the country also state property? The security department is always making things difficult for their own people at the gate. Is this what you call protecting state property?"

Zhao Shanhe strode up to Deputy Factory Director Zhang, the distance between them barely the size of a fist.

"You went to all this trouble to block me outside the gate today, just because you were afraid I'd come into the factory and dredge up your old grievances, ruining your plans, right? Since you want evidence and to follow procedure, fine, let's go into the factory office now and confront Director Liang face to face. The transfer order was issued by the bureau to the top leader, and Director Liang received it first; he would never lie. Let's go and see if that transfer order was actually held by Director Liang, or if it was already on your desk and you 'missed' it!"

Deputy Factory Director Zhang's face turned from pale to ashen, his lips trembled violently, and he couldn't utter a single word.

Just then.

"What's all the noise about! Get out of here!"

On the steps of the office building, Director Liang, not even properly dressed, rushed down, his brow beaded with sweat.

Ignoring the mud on his feet, he stumbled and squeezed into the crowd, shoving aside Deputy Factory Director Zhang, who was frozen in place.

"Director Liang..." Deputy Director Zhang seemed to have grasped at a straw.

"Shut up!"

With a hoarse voice, Director Liang pulled a crumpled document from his pocket and slammed it hard into Deputy Director Zhang's chest.

"Zhang Dafa! The transfer order from the bureau arrived at the factory office yesterday; I personally handed it to you! You say you didn't receive it? You say the reception documents weren't issued? Are you blind, deliberately ignoring it? I think you're intentionally trying to create a bloody conflict at the gate, wanting the whole factory to suffer along with you!"

Factory Director Liang pointed at the document and roared at all the workers.

"Do you think everyone knows what you're up to? You're putting your own selfish interests above the bigger picture? If things really break out today, can you bear the responsibility?"

When Deputy Factory Director Zhang received the document, he seemed to have lost all his strength, unable to utter a single word in front of thousands of workers.

Factory Director Liang turned around, wiped the sweat from his face, looked at Zhao Shanhe, and sighed deeply.

"Comrade Zhao Shanhe, please excuse my poor appearance. I am Liang Tiejun, come with me into the factory!"