Chapter 2867: Wool Factory Reform Plan Approved

At six o'clock the next morning, Zhou Andong was forcibly pulled out of bed by his wife: "What are you doing? It's only six o'clock!"

Qiuqian handed Zhou Andong his clothes and helped him put them on, speaking gently: "Didn't we agree yesterday that you'd get up every day to run five kilometers and stand in stance for half an hour, then punch for half an hour?"

Zhou Andong yawned: "I did say that, but I didn't say it had to be this early."

"The morning air is so fresh!" Qiūqiān kept her hands busy dressing Zhou Andong, then pulled him up and pushed him toward the bathroom. The water in the tooth cup was already ready, and toothpaste had been squeezed onto the toothbrush: "I've already prepared everything—hurry up!"

Zhou Andong reluctantly began washing up. After he finished, Qiūqiān pulled him out of the hotel.

Although they said they were doing stance training and boxing, this wasn't home, so after running five kilometers, Zhou Andong and Qiūqiān returned to their room. After taking a shower, it was already past seven o'clock. Just as they were about to leave for breakfast at the restaurant, the room phone rang.

Zhou Andong turned back, sat on the sofa, picked up the phone from the side table, and heard Liu Lijuan's excited voice through the receiver: "Factory director, you finally answered the phone."

"I called you last night and no one answered. I called again this morning at six, and still no one picked up. The municipal government has approved our wool factory's reform plan. When are you coming back?"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Andong laughed happily: "I need to go back to my hometown on October 1st to get married, then return to Yangcheng, and it won't be until October 15th to 20th before I can get back to the capital."

"That's over a month away!" Liu Lijuan said anxiously: "If you're not here, how can we push forward the reform?"

"The first step in reform is to assess the assets of the wool factory. You'll be responsible for this," Zhou Andong said, tapping his finger on the sofa armrest. "But relying solely on the municipal SASAC won't be enough."

"Because the issue with Guo Qiang is still under investigation, and the municipal SASAC is the mess he left behind—no one knows how bad it has become. If only the municipal SASAC handles the wool factory asset assessment and problems arise later, we'll be the ones taking the blame."

"So, the asset assessment of the wool factory must involve not only the municipal SASAC, but also the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission, with central-level leaders signing and endorsing it. All three parties are essential—none can be missing. You must report this requirement to the municipal government immediately."

"Understood!" Liu Lijuan replied, then added: "Factory director, could you not take some time to come back for a visit? Without you, we all feel uneasy."

"Completing the wool factory asset assessment by year-end would already be good," Zhou Andong said, though he paused in thought: "Alright, I'll go to the capital first before returning to Jiangzhou."

"Understood!" Liu Lijuan exclaimed, then hung up the phone excitedly.

…………

Returning to Lhasa, I returned to the Potala Palace. I washed my heart clean by the Yarlung Tsangpo River, awakened my soul on the snow-capped peak, crossed the Tanggula Mountains, and saw the snow lotus flower. Holding her hand, we returned to her home...

The wool factory's broadcast speakers were playing a song, and at the factory gate, workers surrounded the bulletin board in three layers inside and three layers outside. Those behind couldn't see, but they eagerly asked what had happened.

Then, someone from inside shouted: "The municipal government has approved our factory's reform plan!"

As that shout rang out, the previously noisy scene suddenly fell silent, then erupted with a roar. Enthusiastic emotions spread outward from the bulletin board as center. Within an hour, the entire factory knew. Two hours later, the First and Second Sub-factories, including Jinshiguang, posted notices.

The entire wool factory sank into a sea of joy. If the factory director at this moment were not Zhou Andong, the workers' reaction would surely be the opposite. They would worry about being laid off, about how to feed their families.

But at this moment, the factory director is Zhou Andong. With the success of the Jiangzhou Liquor Factory as a precedent, how could the wool factory workers not be excited? Because they, too, would be able to subscribe to shares and enjoy the dividends brought by the factory's development, just like the workers at Jiangzhou Liquor Factory.

At the factory office, Liu Lijuan had finished organizing the documents and placed them in a file bag as she walked out. Secretary Bai Wenlu immediately appeared from her office: "Factory director!"

Liu Lijuan smiled: "I'll go find the Party secretary to report first, then you and I will go to the municipal government together."

Gu Bing had just entered the office when Liu Lijuan approached: "Comrade Liu Lijuan, are you here about the reform?"

"Yes!" Liu Lijuan said: "I just called the factory director—he can't return for now, but we need to start with the wool factory asset assessment..."

Liu Lijuan detailed Zhou Andong's instructions: "We must go to the municipal government immediately to report, and we also need to hold a meeting. Reform work involves countless details. With the factory director absent, we still need to complete the preparatory work."

"You're absolutely right!" Gu Bing nodded: "You go to the municipal government, I'll notify them to hold the meeting. What time can you return?"

Liu Lijuan glanced at the quartz clock on the wall: "It won't take long—I should be back around ten o'clock."

"Then let's schedule the meeting for 2:00 p. m." Gu Bing sighed: "The reform plan was approved in just three days at the municipal level—mainly due to central leadership. Apparently, there were doubts about the share distribution plan, but in the end, the top leader made the final decision."

Liu Lijuan smiled: "No matter what, since the reform plan has been approved, we must act quickly to deliver a satisfactory answer to both the leadership and the workers."

"Then it's settled!" Gu Bing waved his hand: "Go to the municipal government—I'll notify everyone now. Meeting this afternoon."

At this moment, every office and workshop in the wool factory was discussing the reform. Everyone's faces were lit with smiles, and they spoke louder than usual. Especially those who normally spoke loudly—today their voices were even louder. To outsiders, it might sound like an argument.

In Tian Hongwei's office, Guan Mingli had already been transferred to the municipal Commission for Discipline Inspection, but the Supervision and Evaluation Office must cooperate with the municipal Commission for Discipline Inspection in investigating Guo Qiang and Hu Dajun and others. Every day, they are so busy their feet don't touch the ground.

This morning, as soon as he arrived at the office, he began working—outside, the lively discussion seemed unrelated to him. In fact, it's not just him: the Supervision and Evaluation Office now has sixteen people, all swamped with work.

"Pap pap pap..."

The office door was lightly tapped. Tian Hongwei didn't even look up as he tore open a complaint letter: "Come in!"

The door was pushed open a crack. Qiao Xiaojiao's head peeked in first, seeing Tian Hongwei busy, she slowly pushed the door open further, then stepped in quietly and gently.

"Director!" Qiao Xiaojiao placed the box of pastries and two packs of Zhonghua cigarettes gently on the desk, smiling broadly: "You've been working so hard lately—we all see it and feel sorry for you. So we pooled some money and bought you this box of pastries and two packs of cigarettes."

Tian Hongwei glanced at the pastries and the two packs of cigarettes on the desk—one pack had already been opened, likely leaving only half. He couldn't help but twitch at the corner of his mouth.

"You really went all out with this gift," he said. "These two packs of cigarettes—I can see only one and a half packs left. And this box of pastries—I'd guess there's only half left too."

"I swear, the pastries are a full box—none missing," Qiao Xiaojiao said, raising her hand in oath, then blushing: "Actually, we bought you two boxes of pastries, but we couldn't resist—we ate one box ourselves."