Chapter 2328

Just as Liu Lijuan was reporting her work to Zhou Andong, a crisp and pleasant bicycle bell rang at the factory gate, sounding like a bugle call for a charge. Immediately after, a young man wearing a white shirt and navy blue trousers rode a bicycle into the factory gate like a flash of lightning, disappearing at the end of the factory road in the blink of an eye.

And this was just the beginning. Behind him, one after another, people rode bicycles into the factory gate and headed straight for the Cultural Center. Some of these people wore the Woolen Mill's work uniforms, while others were in casual clothes, but without exception, everyone's expression was solemn.

No need to ask, these people were all cadres from the First and Second Factories. As time passed, more and more people flooded into the main factory on bicycles, and the originally quiet factory area suddenly became lively.

Meanwhile, there was also movement in the main factory's offices and workshops. Some people walked out of their offices, some holding documents or notebooks, their steps appearing somewhat hurried, and their direction was also the Cultural Center.

Whether from the First Factory, Second Factory, or the main factory, as long as they were heading to the Cultural Center, the expressions on their faces were exceptionally serious. And beneath this serious exterior, their hearts were filled with trepidation and unease.

At this time, Zhang Qun was standing quietly in front of the window in Shao Yan's office, his gaze fixed gloomily on the factory gate and the crowd arriving one after another, the expression on his face looking exceptionally solemn.

"A banquet with no good intentions, a meeting with no good intentions!"

Zhang Qun murmured softly, his brows tightly furrowed, making his already wrinkled face look even more gullied, as if the vicissitudes of time were concentrated and manifested at this moment.

"Calling a meeting so suddenly, and with such tight scheduling, Zhou Andong must be plotting some conspiracy."

Shao Yan, standing to one side, held a water cup, his eyes fixed on a black Santana slowly driving into the gate, followed by a red Santana, and then the two cars drove one after another toward the Cultural Center.

"No matter what conspiracy Zhou Andong has, one thing is certain: he doesn't want to give us a chance to catch our breath."

Shao Yan raised his water cup, lowered his head slightly, and took a sip of cold tea.

Zhang Qun nodded silently, his tone containing hidden anxiety as he said: "I don't know when Old Yin will be able to come down. If we wait until the sky has completely changed before he comes down, I'm afraid it will be too late by then."

Shao Yan's eyes were also filled with worry. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but in the end, he didn't say it, only letting out a soft sigh.

The current situation was extremely unfavorable for them. Perhaps in the eyes of others, the Yin family was still a presence full of hope, and Shi Guoqiang and Hu Dajun were no exception. However, he knew very well in his heart that in just one day, he had completely lost his confidence.

Zhou Andong's wrist and assertiveness had brought him unprecedentedly huge pressure. Coupled with the fact that the Woolen Mill's reform was imperative, it was the general trend and something no one could stop.

So, even if they won the contest with Zhou Andong this time and successfully drove him away, what then? Whether from the city or the central authorities, they would certainly send a second Zhou Andong without hesitation, or even a third or fourth. And the possibility of Shi Guoqiang and Hu Dajun regaining the Woolen Mill was simply minimal.

More importantly, if they fully supported Zhou Andong's reform at this time, perhaps that wouldn't offset the mistakes they had made in the past, and they would face disciplinary action afterward, or even be dismissed, but landing safely should be no problem.

Moreover, Zhou Andong was a person chosen by both the central authorities and the city. If they joined forces to scheme against Zhou Andong and drive him out of the Woolen Mill, that would undoubtedly be an open provocation to the central authorities and an even louder slap in the face to the city.

Did they really think the central leaders and city leaders had no temper? As long as Old Yin was alive, the Yin family would be fine, and as members of the Yin faction, Shi Guoqiang and Hu Dajun probably wouldn't have too much trouble either.

Only they would become the cannon fodder and sacrificial lambs in this power struggle. The final outcome would inevitably be their thorough liquidation; most of them would probably end up in prison, spending long years there, while a small number would certainly be sent directly to the execution ground to eat peanuts (bullets).

Zhang Qun slowly withdrew his gaze from the factory gate, then turned his head slightly to look at the silent Shao Yan. After two or three seconds, he shifted his gaze away again and continued to look at the factory gate.

"What are you thinking about?"

Shao Yan's eyes moved, and he said in a slow tone: "I'm thinking about what we should do next."

This time it was Zhang Qun's turn to be silent. After a long while, he said: "What we need to do now is to stabilize our position and stay calm. No matter what conspiracy Zhou Andong has, we absolutely cannot lose our footing.

If even we can't stay calm and lose our footing, then we won't be able to lead the team, the people below will lose their direction, and the hearts of the people will scatter. By then, we will truly be beyond saving."

Shao Yan nodded noncommittally, then checked the time: "It's about time, let's go too. We can't give Zhou Andong any reason to take action against us."

Zhang Qun sneered: "We are the Party Committee; it won't be that easy for Zhou Andong to take action against us."

Shao Yan didn't speak, turned around, placed his teacup on the desk, and left the office, with Zhang Qun following behind him.

The door to the secretary's office opposite wasn't closed, and the two leaders' secretaries were chatting. Seeing their leaders come out, they hurriedly came out of the office.

Shao Yan and Zhang Qun didn't speak, walking side by side toward the stairwell, with the two secretaries silently following behind.

Just then, they saw Deputy Factory Director Dong Dashan walk out of his office at the end of the corridor. Shao Yan and Zhang Qun made eye contact with Dong Dashan, the three of them nodded simultaneously, stepped forward, and arrived at the stairwell together, but none of them spoke.

Meanwhile, Executive Deputy Factory Director Jiao Liwei's mood had hit rock bottom, worse than anyone else's. Because Liu Lijuan had gone to the Factory Director's office, and this scene happened to be witnessed by Jiao Liwei's secretary, which undoubtedly added fuel to Jiao Liwei's already irritable mood.

Originally, Jiao Liwei had been full of confidence in Liu Lijuan, firmly believing that Liu Lijuan would surely know how to assess the situation and choose to lean toward him. After all, in his view, he held enough chips in his hands to engage in a negotiation with Zhou Andong on equal footing.

However, reality had given him a loud slap in the face. Liu Lijuan, this seemingly smart woman, had actually given up the excellent opportunity for equal cooperation with Zhou Andong and instead chose to bow down.

This decision made Jiao Liwei feel incomparably disappointed and stifled. He really couldn't figure out why Liu Lijuan was so stupid, passing up a chance for cooperation to become a humble vassal. This not only caused Jiao Liwei's plan to fail completely but also put him in an extremely passive position in this game.

"Tap, tap, tap..."

A slight knock on the door sounded, not loud, but exceptionally clear in the quiet room, waking Jiao Liwei from his angry mood. He took a deep breath, tried to calm himself down, and then shouted in a steady tone.

"Come in!"

As his voice fell, the office door was slowly pushed open, and secretary Yang Chenggang walked in cautiously. His steps were very light, not making a sound. After entering the room, he first looked up at Jiao Liwei's complexion to observe whether the leader's mood was normal.

When Yang Chenggang confirmed that Jiao Liwei's mood was relatively stable, he said respectfully: "Factory Director, it's almost time for the meeting."

Jiao Liwei nodded slightly, stood up expressionlessly, tidied his clothes, and walked out. Seeing this, Yang Chenggang hurriedly followed behind him, walking step by step out of the office.

When leaving, Yang Chenggang casually closed the office door gently and locked it. Although this was the Executive Deputy Factory Director's office and generally no one would be bold enough to break in, Jiao Liwei's office contained many secrets.

If some reckless person broke in and saw something they shouldn't, it would certainly bring the leader no small amount of trouble. So, even if it was superfluous, Yang Chenggang felt it was better to be careful.