Chapter 326: Good Luck on the First Day of Work

The bustling, noisy Spring Festival holiday, mixed with the horror of latrines and the bittersweet comings and goings, passed like sand slipping through fingers. The lingering warmth of the third day remained, and the fourth day's sunrise impatiently poured its light onto the still‑sleeping Four Nine City.

For the millions of industrial workers, the leisurely days are over; the factory whistle is about to sound again, and life's focus returns to the roaring machine tools and flowing molten steel.

Early on the fourth day, Li Ping'an appeared in the Steel Rolling Mill Head of the Security Department's office as precisely as a clock. The holiday's lingering looseness had already faded from him, restoring his usual steady, capable, unflinching authority.

On his desk, the backlog of holiday documents had already been processed, and now he was staring intently at the detailed factory‑area map on the wall.

"Head of the Department, Happy New Year!" Deputy Section Chief Chen Jianghe, in a crisp uniform, entered with vigor. He lives in another courtyard, but always comes to work early.

"Jianghe, Happy New Year." Li Ping'an turned, pointing at the map, "Now that the holiday is over, people's hearts sway most easily, and safety hazards surface most readily. Today we start work; our strings must be tightened."

He offered no small talk, moving straight to business: "Lead a team to focus on inspecting the large equipment in each Workshop before they are restarted, especially the high‑temperature, high‑pressure, high‑speed zones, ensuring procedures are fully implemented and illegal operations are eliminated. Also, the fire‑fighting facilities in the raw material and finished‑goods warehouses must be checked one by one to confirm they are intact and effective."

"Understood!" Chen Jianghe stood at attention and replied. He was already accustomed to Li Ping'an's swift, detail‑oriented style and knew the importance of safety checks on the first day of work.

"Dahu," Li Ping'an turned to the Section Chief Wang Dahu who entered afterward, "lead another team responsible for order at each factory gate, verify the identities of returning workers, and prevent stray personnel from entering. At the same time, increase patrol density around the factory's walls and internal security zones, especially at night; there must be no slack at all."

"Head of the Department, rest assured! I guarantee even a fly that shouldn't get in won't be able to fly in!" Wang Dahu pounded his chest, his voice booming.

With the tasks assigned, the entire Security Department ran like a wound‑up spring, operating swiftly and efficiently. Li Ping'an didn't stay in the office; he put on his hat and personally went down to the factory for inspection.

The Steel Rolling Mill awoke from the holiday's silence, and the massive Workshop filled with life again. Workers greeted each other, joked while changing into work clothes, but their eyes carried a hint of post‑holiday lethargy and the effort to refocus.

The machines began preheating, emitting a low rumble, and the air gradually filled with the familiar scent of metal and lubricating oil.

Li Ping'an's steps were steady, his gaze sharp as a hawk. He walked through the forging Workshop, watching senior workers meticulously inspect each component of the pneumatic hammer; he crossed the Steel Rolling Mill production line, checking whether the safety guardrails were secure; he paused outside the electricians' crew, listening to their discussion on circuit inspections.

He occasionally stopped to chat briefly with the Workshop supervisor or safety officer, asking about equipment status and reminding them of precautions.

His very presence acted as an invisible deterrent and urging. When workers saw the Security Department Head, famed for his strictness and fairness, personally inspecting, the nerves that had just relaxed tightened again, and operations became more regulated.

When inspecting the relatively remote material‑storage warehouse, Li Ping'an's steps faltered slightly. His Divine Perception sensed faint, abnormal marks under the wall base in the back corner of the warehouse, as if someone had lingered there recently.

He calmly walked over, examined closely, and on the frozen, hard soil found several vague footprints and scattered cigarette butts.

Someone spying here? Li Ping'an's eyes narrowed slightly. This spot, near the factory's edge, is rarely visited. Is it an internal worker slacking off? Or an external rogue eyeing the plant's supplies?

He made no announcement, merely noting the location and details silently. He instructed the following Wang Dahu to increase irregular patrols in the area and to have someone keep a covert watch.

After a morning of inspections, the overall situation was good; each Workshop's resumption order was orderly, and safety measures were essentially in place. Yet Li Ping'an knew in his heart that beneath a calm surface often lie hidden reefs.

The upper‑level power struggles in the plant never cease, only temporarily masked by the holiday façade. Li Huaide's side will never lower its banner, though it's unclear from which direction the next trouble will arise. And he must ensure that, no matter where the wind comes from, the area under the Security Section's charge remains orderly, without any slip‑ups.

At noon, while eating in the cafeteria, he deliberately sat with Chen Jianghe and Wang Dahu, eating while quietly discussing the morning's inspections and the suspicious points discovered.

"I've noted the wall‑base issue; tonight I'll personally lead a team to stake out and see," Wang Dahu muttered, shoveling his food.

"Hmm, be cautious; it may be a false alarm, but we can't be careless." Li Ping'an nodded, "Jianghe, how did each Workshop respond?"

"Most are fine, but Workshop Three has a few young apprentices who were a bit clumsy and got scolded by their supervisor," Chen Jianghe reported, "Also, over at the Logistics Department, Qin Huairu returned to work today; she looks… healthier than before the year."

Li Ping'an gave a brief "Hmm," offering no comment. Qin Huairu's condition was irrelevant to him; as long as she didn't violate plant rules or affect the Security Section's work, it was fine.

In the afternoon, he stayed in his office, handling paperwork, listening to reports from each Patrol Squad, compiling and summarizing the security situation of the first workday, keeping a clear picture in his mind.

When the shift‑end bell rang, workers surged out of the factory gates like a tide, bearing the fatigue and fulfillment of the first day back. Li Ping'an was among the last to leave; after confirming the night‑shift patrol handover was correct, he rode his bicycle into the departing crowd.

Returning to the Siheyuan, the sunset's afterglow painted the blue bricks and gray tiles with a warm golden hue. In the courtyard, the festive Spring Festival atmosphere had not fully faded, but everyday domestic bustle had already added a few touches. From each household's chimney rose the ordinary aroma of home‑cooked meals.

In the Xi Kua Yuan, Lin Xueqing had already returned from work, busy in the kitchen. Xiao Yaozong stood in the courtyard practicing horse stance, his small face solemn, fine beads of sweat on his forehead. Xiao Nuanqing sat in the little cart, watching her brother, babbling.

Seeing his father return, Xiao Yaozong immediately dropped his stance and ran over: "Dad!"

Li Ping'an patted his son's head, feeling the vigorous warmth emanating from him, and smiled gently: "Did you practice seriously today?"

"Seriously!" the little fellow nodded vigorously.

Seeing the tranquil scene before him, Li Ping'an's string, tightened by work, relaxed a bit. The plant's overt threats and covert intrigues, and society's latent turbulence, all exist to protect this ordinary warmth.

He knows that in the new year, the real challenges may just be beginning. Yet he is ready, like the roof ridge of this Siheyuan that has weathered storms, steady in facing anything.

The first day of work passed smoothly, but it is merely an ordinary starting point in a long journey. The road ahead still requires careful, step‑by‑step advancement.