Chapter 373

Watching this person who announced his name.

Liu Haizhong, who came to see him to report the situation.

Deputy Factory Director Li slightly leaned his body back, and in a very short time took in Liu Haizhong's appearance and facial expression.

He immediately put on a faint smile.

While straightening his back.

He pointed to the chair beside him.

Long quote. Need to translate faithfully. Let's translate:

Going over my head to find me, the section chief, to report the situation, it looks like your matter is quite serious—sit down and talk. As the head of Yagangchang, my duty is to resolve worries and difficulties for the tens of thousands of workers in Yagangchang. Comrade Liu Haizhong, if you have any situation to report, speak openly and boldly, don't hold back. If you can come to me, it shows you trust me. I can responsibly say that, within my ability, as long as your requests, Comrade Liu Haizhong, are reasonable and justified, I will certainly satisfy them.

We need to keep quotes? Probably keep the quotation marks as part of translation? The instruction: translate faithfully, not to drop content. We'll keep the quotation marks as they are part of the source. We'll translate the Chinese inside quotes to English, preserving the quotation marks.

Thus: ""Looking for me, the section chief, to report the situation by jumping levels, it seems your matter is quite serious. Sit, sit, sit, sit down and talk. As the head of the steel mill, my duty is to relieve the worries and solve the problems of over ten thousand steel mill workers. Comrade Liu Haizhong, tell me your situation, speak freely without hesitation. The fact that you came to see me shows you trust me. I can responsibly say that, within my ability, as long as your demands, Comrade Liu Haizhong, are reasonable, I will certainly meet them.""

We must retain the Chinese terms: 'Yagangchang' for the steel mill, use 'section chief' for the director, and refer to Comrade Liu Haizhong per the glossary.

Thus line 【7】 translation: ""Looking for me, the section chief, to report the situation by jumping levels, it seems your matter is quite serious. Sit, sit, sit, sit down and talk. As the head of Yagangchang, my duty is to relieve the worries and solve the problems of over ten thousand Yagangchang workers. Comrade Liu Haizhong, tell me your situation, speak freely without hesitation. The fact that you came to see me shows you trust me. I can responsibly say that, within my ability, as long as your demands, Comrade Liu Haizhong, are reasonable, I will certainly meet them.""

Check: we used "Yagangchang". Good.

If it were an ordinary person.

They would probably just take it as a joke.

Can such formal talk be taken seriously?

The problem is Liu Haizhong is not an ordinary person.

He only has an elementary school diploma.

He is a bit unclear about favors and grievances.

He mistakenly took Deputy Factory Director Li's falsehood as truth.

He plopped down on the sofa.

Afterwards he felt it was improper.

He stood up, bowed slightly to Deputy Factory Director Li, nodded, then sat back down on the sofa.

Deputy Factory Director Li suddenly remembered who Liu Haizhong was; he once chatted casually with Shazhu and inadvertently heard Shazhu say that Liu Haizhong was the Second Steward of their Siheyuan.

After Yi Zhonghai died, he became the Head Steward.

Then the neighbors did not believe him.

In terms of intelligence.

He is slightly lacking.

Otherwise he wouldn't, even in a private two-person setting, keep calling him Deputy Factory Director Li; if it were someone else, he'd call him either Factory Director Li or Section Chief Li.

No brains!

Deputy Factory Director Li, who had already seen through Liu Haizhong's nature, still wore a kind smile, continuing to toy with Liu Haizhong with empty, nutritionally false talk.

"Comrade Liu Haizhong, we are the only two people in the room; say whatever you want, or put forward any conditions you wish—speak freely."

Liu Haizhong said: I worked as a Level Seven Technician in the Ninth Workshop, I'm acquainted with Shazhu and Xu Daming, I also know An Jiahe, Anjia, and Qin Huairu; the cafeteria section chief and the person in charge of showing movies are my people, and I keep my word.

Let's translate line 【27】:

Liu Haiz

Liu Haizhong was spouting some pointless nonsense.

Liu Haizhong was spouting some pointless nonsense.

Liu Haizhong was saying some useless nonsense.

Yet a tremendous surge rose in his heart.

Actually I need to re-evaluate: The provided lines after 【26】 are:

Liu Haizhong was spouting some pointless nonsense.

Diagonally across was Deputy Factory Chief Li.

Yet a tremendous surge rose in his heart.

Just now.

He had made a personal decision.

Liu Haizhong before us may lack intelligence, yet he harbors an ambition for office, shares a courtyard home with Shazhu, and has the makings of cannon fodder.

The Liu Haizhong before me is lacking in intelligence, yet he possesses a heart for becoming an official, and he lives with Shazhu in a siheyuan, making him suitable as cannon fodder.

【34】 "The title 'Dayuan leader' is not something I dare claim; I just handle some internal affairs. You know Qin Huairu, right? She later married a man named An Jiahe, and the couple fights every day, so I have to do their ideological work daily."

I don't deserve the title 'court leader'; I only handle some internal affairs. You know Qin Huiru, right? She later married a man named An Jiahe, and the couple constantly argues, so I have to do their ideological work every day.

"Comrade Liu Haizhong, you came to report to me this time, isn't it just to say these things?"

Deputy Factory Director Li interrupted Liu Haizhong's grumbling.

Liu Haizhong probably could never finish recounting all those melodramatic affairs in their courtyard.

【38】 "Deputy Factory Director Li, I don't mean anything else; I just want to ask you for an official position. Although I, Liu Haizhong, am old, my heart is burning hot, my idea of contributing to Yagangchang is indelible, and I wish to continue contributing my share to Yagangchang."

Liu Haizhong would surely never finish recounting all those melodramatic tales from their compound.

Originally, I was plotting how to make use of Liu Haizhong, Deputy Factory Director Li.

【40】 "It's rare that Comrade Liu Haizhong still has this fervor, showing that our Yagangchang's ideological work has achieved some results. As the director of Yagangchang, I cannot extinguish Liu Haizhong's sincere heart, otherwise I couldn't forgive myself."

【41】 Solemnly announcing to Liu Haizhong: "As chairman of the Yagangchang Workers' Committee, I appoint Comrade Liu Haizhong of the Ninth Workshop as captain of Yagangchang's Senior Assault Team, fully responsible for handling the relevant work concerning those reported at Yagangchang."

I just want to give Deputy Factory Chief Li an impression of my unique ability.

Deputy Factory Chief Li, I mean no disrespect; I simply wish to ask you for an official post. Though I, Liu Haizhong, am old, my heart burns with passion, my resolve to contribute to the steel mill is unshakable, and I want to keep contributing my share to the steel mill.

Feeling uneasy in his heart, he worried that this trip to seek an official position might not go smoothly, possibly even offending Deputy Factory Director Li.

【43】 Liu Haizhong successfully obtained the position, becoming that so-called captain of Yagangchang's Senior Assault Team; although he didn't know exactly what the team's duties were, just the title "captain" already made his tail lift to the heavens.

He was already plotting how to use Liu Haizhong to gain favor with Deputy Factory Chief Li.

He had already been plotting how to make use of Liu Haizhong's Deputy Factory Director Li.

He seized on Liu Haizhong's remark and gracefully withdrew.

It's rare that Comrade Liu Haizhong still shows such fervor, proving that our steel mill's ideological education is still quite effective. As the steel mill's section chief, I cannot extinguish this sincere passion of his, or else I couldn't forgive myself.

"It's rare that Comrade Liu Haizhong still has this much enthusiasm, showing that our Yagangchang's ideological education work is still quite fruitful; as the director of Yagangchang, I cannot, no matter what, dampen Liu Haizhong's sincere fervor, otherwise I couldn't forgive myself."

He lifted his buttocks off the stool.

He straightened his posture.

He solemnly declared to Liu Haizhong: 'As chair of the steel mill's workers' committee, I appoint Comrade Liu Haizhong of the Ninth Workshop as leader of the steel mill's senior assault team, giving him full responsibility for handling the cases of those reported at the steel mill.'

He solemnly announced to Liu Haizhong: "In my capacity as chairman of the Yagangchang Workers' Committee, I appoint Comrade Liu Haizhong of the Ninth Workshop as Team Captain of Yagangchang's Senior Assault Team, giving him full responsibility for handling the relevant work concerning those reported at Yagangchang."

He felt a lump in his throat.

Fresh blood surged through his body.

It then began to boil.

Beforehand.

He felt uneasy, worried that his quest for an official post might not go smoothly and that he could even offend Deputy Factory Chief Li.

An uneasy feeling welled up in his heart; he worried that this trip to gain an official post might not go smoothly, and he might even offend Deputy Factory Director Li.

Liu Haizhong secured the position, becoming the so-called leader of the steel mill's senior assault team; although he wasn't sure what the team actually did, just the title of team leader was enough to make him puff up with pride.

Liu Haizhong successfully obtained the post, becoming that so-called Team Captain of Yagangchang's Senior Assault Team; although he didn't know exactly what the team's duties were, just the two words 'Team Captain' were enough to make Liu Haizhong's tail perk up to the heavens.

Inside the factory.

He became imposing.

In the courtyard.

He began to tremble.

At home.

He stood up.

With the title of assault team captain, Liu Haizhong will no longer be as before, being loudly scolded by his two unfilial bastard sons who point at his nose.

"Deputy Factory Director Li, I, Liu Haizhong, promise you that I will surely complete the task you assigned on schedule, perform well as the captain of the steel factory's veteran assault team; please wait for my news of victory, Deputy Factory Director Li!"

"I believe Captain Liu will hand in a satisfactory report to the steel mill." Deputy Factory Director Li casually handed the complaint letter in his hand to Liu Haizhong, speaking earnestly and with hidden meaning: "These are three complaint letters; one of them is reporting Master He of our courtyard. You must handle this matter properly."

Deputy Factory Director Li's meaning.

It is through Liu Haizhong handling the matter of Shazhu being reported in a high-handed, lenient way.

Not for the monk's sake but for the Buddha's.

Another neighbor from the courtyard.

Liu Haizhong is undoubtedly the best person to handle this.

Worried that Liu Haizhong hadn't understood his meaning, Deputy Factory Director Li deliberately emphasized the three characters 'He Shi Fu'.

He also pointed specifically at that complaint letter about Shazhu.

He overestimated Liu Haizhong's IQ.

After the official-obsessed person left Deputy Factory Director Li's office, the meaning he pondered was completely opposite to what Deputy Factory Director Li had instructed.

Going south while aiming north.

Can't even piss into a chamber pot.

Liu Haizhong thought Deputy Factory Director Li wanted to use Shazhu to establish authority.

His mind was full of one idea.

How to deal with Shazhu, to give Deputy Factory Director Li an explanation.