Chapter 311: Choosing Sides at the Steel Rolling Mill

The idle gossip and pressure in the Front Courtyard's Yan family, arising from having no children, spread silently like damp moss in the rainy season in the corners of the Siheyuan, while beyond the wall in the Steel Rolling Mill, a more turbulent undercurrent concerning power and future is fiercely colliding between two real power figures.

Factory Director Yang Weiguo and Deputy Factory Director Li Huaide, the two titans of the Steel Rolling Mill, have long progressed from initial work disagreements to a present state of being as hostile as fire and water, openly competing. Director Yang, upright and red‑rooted, has a hard‑nosed style and values production and technological innovation.

Deputy Director Li, on the other hand, is a smooth operator with a deep background (his father‑in‑law, who holds a senior post in the Ministry of Industry, is his biggest backing), and is better at managing connections and gauging the "wind direction". The various cadres in the factory are involuntarily entangled and forced to start contemplating which side to align with.

That day before the end of work, Li Huaide's secretary personally came to the Security Department office, with a pleasant smile, inviting Li Ping'an to go to Donglaishun for hot‑pot lamb that evening, saying that Director Li had some "work‑related matters" to discuss privately.

Li Ping'an held the ink‑scented Internal Security Bulletin, his fingers pausing slightly, his mind instantly as clear as a mirror. The banquet was no good banquet; this was a move to force him to take a stance.

He knew that his position as Head of the Security Department was crucial. The Security Section's strong independence directly affects the factory's order and control of sensitive information, making it a fairly weighty chip on the scale of power.

Li Huaide was courting him, aiming to strengthen his own side's strength, and perhaps even intending to use the Security Section to monitor and strike against Director Yang's faction's "movements".

Go, or not go?

Not going would immediately offend Li Huaide. This Deputy Director is not magnanimous, bearing a grudge, and the Great Buddha behind him is indeed not to be taken lightly. At this critical juncture, an outright refusal is far from wise.

Going, then how to respond? Truly side with Li Huaide? Li Ping'an does not agree with Li's clique‑building, power‑playing style, and Director Yang is, after all, the official head, whose approach suits him better. More importantly, once a clear side is taken, he and the entire Security Section become tied to Li Huaide's war chariot, and the future risk is too great.

He must go, but must not explicitly pick a side. Li Ping'an made a swift decision. He will walk a graceful dance on this steel wire.

In the evening, in a private room of Donglaishun, the copper pot steamed, the lamb bright red and tempting. Li Huaide wore a spring‑filled smile, personally poured wine for Li Ping'an, and in his words maximized the effort to win him over.

"Ping'an, you know, the two of us are from the same family, we need to get closer!" Li Huaide raised his cup, speaking warmly, "You also see the current situation in the factory. Some people are ideologically rigid, unable to keep up with the times, which is detrimental to our factory's development! Someone like you, young and capable, and in charge of a key department, must recognize the direction and play a greater role!"

Both explicitly and implicitly, he hinted at Director Yang's "shortcomings" and promised that as long as Li Ping'an stood on his side, future "benefits" would be inevitable, including the Security Section's budget, staffing, and even Li Ping'an's own future could be "taken a step further".

Li Ping'an smiled, carefully swishing a piece of lamb, dipping it in sesame sauce, eating at a relaxed pace. After Li Huaide's generous speech, he set down his chopsticks, lifted his wine cup, and spoke sincerely and steadily:

"Director Li, you are flattering me too much. The Security Section's work, its duty, is to maintain factory stability, ensure production safety, and serve all factory cadres and workers. Director Yang handles production, you handle logistics and ideology; both are indispensable leaders of our factory. Our Security Section, under the leadership of the factory Party Committee, does its own job well, ensuring no trouble arises in the factory and no leader is inconvenienced."

His words were airtight. First, he emphasized the Security Section's "independence" and "service" nature, indicating his stance of not taking part in specific business disputes. Then, he simultaneously affirmed the roles of Director Yang and Li Huaide, offending no one. Finally, the phrase "under the leadership of the factory Party Committee" added a layer of protection, leaving no leverage to grasp.

Li Huaide's smile on his face stiffened slightly, clearly dissatisfied with this "official‑sounding" article. He wanted a clearer pledge of allegiance.

Li Ping'an shifted his tone, toasted Li Huaide again, lowered his voice and said, "Director Li, your concern and guidance are noted by me, Li Ping'an. In the Security Section, as long as something benefits the factory's stability and development, I will definitely cooperate fully. As for the top‑level decisions of the factory, our Security Section will execute them resolutely, without question. In future work, we will still need to trouble you for more support."

His words were slick, expressing both "remembering the favor" and a cooperative attitude, making Li Huaide feel he hadn't been directly rejected, preserving the possibility of future cooperation (or rather, exploiting Li Huaide), while again blurring the line of "choosing a side", anchoring the Security Section's stance firmly in "implementing decisions" and "maintaining stability".

Li Huaide was an old river‑boat, how could he not hear the subtleties? He stared deeply at Li Ping'an, knowing this young man wasn't so easy to manipulate. Yet Li Ping'an hadn't given a clear refusal and left room, so Li Huaide couldn't turn hostile immediately; he could only laugh it off, change the subject, while mentally labeling Li Ping'an as a "slick head".

The meal ultimately ended in an atmosphere of outward harmony but inward calculation on each side.

Riding his bicycle back to the Siheyuan, night had already deepened. The courtyard was silent, only a few windows still leaked specks of light. Li Ping'an didn't enter immediately; he stood at the entrance of the West Cross Courtyard, lit a cigarette, but took only a few puffs, letting the ember flicker in the darkness.

Li Huaide's invitation and the factory's increasingly obvious factional strife were like gusts of cold wind blowing early, making him keenly smell the scent of a mountain storm approaching.

Two more years… at most two years… that all‑sweeping "Great Wind" is about to arrive. Li Ping'an stared at the ink‑black night sky, his brows slightly furrowed.

Relying on his beyond‑their‑time insight, he knew what a chaotic and arduous period that would be. Power turnovers, right and wrong reversed; today's gloried leaders could be toppled tomorrow; today's cautious ordinary people could be ruined forever by a single sentence. As a heavy‑industry unit, the Steel Rolling Mill would inevitably be one of the eyes of the storm.

By then, he, as the Security Department Head wielding definite real power, would find his situation extremely delicate. He could become a "knife" for some to strike at dissent, yet might also endanger himself by being insufficiently "active" or choosing the wrong side.

He must prepare in advance. Li Ping'an stubbed out the cigarette.

Although Li Huaide's conduct is unsavory, his connections within the department and his knack for navigating and gauging the "wind direction" could, in the coming storm, become a considerable "protective umbrella" force. Not outright rejecting him today, leaving a sliver of goodwill, might prove useful at a critical moment.

But relying entirely on Li Huaide is impossible; it would be like seeking a tiger's skin. His own foundation must be solid. The Security Section's territory cannot be abandoned, and must be managed as an iron plate, leaving no leverage for others.

At the same time, he must continue low‑key accumulation, both materially and in connections (maintaining necessary working relations with Director Yang and other factions).

More importantly, family. He must ensure Xueqing and the children's safety, keeping them as far from the vortex as possible. Xueqing's role as a doctor is relatively pure, but she also needs to be reminded to speak and act cautiously. The children are still young; he must create a relatively stable environment for their growth.

The night wind blew, bringing a biting chill. Li Ping'an inhaled a breath of crisp air, his gaze becoming resolute and deep once again.

The road ahead is strewn with thorns, but he has no other choice. In the approaching torrent of the era, he must both protect his small family and safeguard himself amid the factory's power struggles, fighting for more initiative and survival space in an unknowable future.

This is destined to be a treacherous journey like walking on thin ice. He turned, gently pushed open the West Cross Courtyard door, and warm light and the even breathing of his wife and children instantly enveloped him. Outside the door lay a world of raging undercurrents; inside lay the peace he must protect. For that peace, he must leap the most daring yet steady steps on the steel wire.