Chapter 450: A Real Man

Perhaps even Lu Cheng didn't know, but when he agreed to take this dangerous mission, Lei Zhan Ge was extremely excited.

But this octogenarian, whose life is already nearing its end, no longer shows his feelings.

He is so excited because he still has a heart that would give its life for the nation.

When he hears the nation is at war, as a soldier he swears to defend its dignity to the death.

But he knows his frail body is like rotting wood, unfit to go back to the front.

If the successor he values can contribute to this campaign, it would fulfill one of his wishes, and even death would leave him without regret.

"You don't need to answer so quickly; you can have time to consider it."

After all, this mission differs from any before, brimming with uncertainty and danger.

And he worries that Lu Cheng only accepted on a whim.

In truth, Lei Zhan Ge feels conflicted; even if Lu Cheng doesn't go, it's understandable. Moreover, Lu Cheng is the only successor he values, and if anything were to happen, regret would be too late.

Facing Lei Zhan Ge's words, Lu Cheng said firmly, "Captain Lei, when the nation is in trouble, every man has a duty. Forget that I'm a railway police officer; even if I'm an ordinary citizen, as long as foreign invaders come, I will use my life to defend our homeland."

Hearing Lu Cheng's steadfast words, with no hint of pretense, Lei Zhan Ge couldn't help but nod lightly; his earlier worry was entirely needless.

"Fine, you're a real man; spend the next two days preparing, and depart on schedule two days from now!"

"Yes, Captain Lei!"

Lu Cheng returned home after work, never expecting that after just being promoted to a regular section, he would have to undertake such a daunting task.

"Lu Cheng's back; you left work early today."

"Ah, Sister Yan Hong, I'm doing laundry."

"Yes, do you have clothes to wash? I'll wash them together for you."

"I don't have any for now."

Hearing Lu Cheng's tone wasn't that relaxed, Sun Yan Hong looked up.

"Now that you've graduated, all your time will go to work; are you going to be on train duty?"

Actually, talking about war, Lu Cheng is quite excited, yet his mood feels heavy for some reason.

During this stretch, he basically won't return home, perhaps not even for the New Year.

How to tell his parents? Dad's outlook will surely support it, but Mom will definitely oppose it.

He decides to tell only his sister, letting her gradually discuss with Mom; even if Mom objects, by then he'll already have left Capital City.

"Yes, Sister Yan Hong, I'll be on train duty."

Sun Yan Hong smiled, "Then you can stash your clothes on the train, and when you get back I'll wash them together."

"Thanks, Sister Yan Hong."

"Look at you, suddenly being polite to me."

Lu Cheng smiled, "I'll head home first."

"Alright, go ahead."

About half an hour later, Chen Xianglan also finished work and came home.

Lu Cheng sat on the doorstep steps, bathed in the evening's afterglow.

"Mom, you left work really early today; you must have clocked out ahead of schedule, right?"

Chen Xianglan rolled up her sleeves and entered the kitchen, "Yes, I'm hurrying back to make dinner for you all."

Lu Cheng stood, stretched lazily, "Luckily my dad didn't return, or he'd call you a backward element."

Chen Xianglan didn't care, "He can say whatever he wants. Your mother's greatest honor is to work hard raising the three of you, earning the factory's honor? What's the point, they only give a tiny bonus, and many people scramble for it."

"Working overtime, I can't outcompete them; my body is my own, and if I fall ill from fatigue, that meager bonus wouldn't cover my medical costs."

Lu Cheng laughed, "Sure, Mom, you're getting clearer as you live; that's exactly the mindset we need."

Chen Xianglan took out a bag of rice and began washing it, "I understand its purpose, but it's a pity your dad doesn't see clearly; day after day he only knows how to work blindly. I haven't seen the factory leadership promote him; even if he got a Deputy Section, I'd be satisfied."

Lu Cheng said nothing more; he has no right to blame his parents.

Mom may not be that proactive at work, but she has painstakingly raised three children, devoting all her thoughts to the home.

Dad, like most workers, treats the factory as home and values collective dedication.

And like most families, dad is strict while mom constantly nags.

Only after Lu Ying returned home did Lu Cheng come out of the kitchen to follow; just as he reached the Xi Er Fang doorway, Lu Ying locked him out.

"Sister..."

"What are you doing? I'm changing clothes."

"Oh, then hurry up."

Lu Cheng waited at the doorway; after a moment, Lu Ying changed out of the blue work uniform into a Cotton-padded Jacket.

Lately the temperature in Capital City has dropped sharply, dry and cold.

Lu Ying rubbed her hands, opened the door, and gestured for Lu Cheng to come in.

"Why is it so cold today? Open the iron lid of the coal stove and add some coal inside."

Lu Cheng leaned against the doorframe, unmoving, "I'm not your servant."

Lu Ying glared, Lu Cheng still didn't move, "Your glare does nothing; I always prefer to bend rather than break."

Lu Ying let out a cold snort, sat at the small desk, picked up a comb and brushed her hair, "I'm about to get my salary soon."

Lu Cheng quickly grabbed the fire tongs, "Sis, is one coal lump enough? Maybe add two more so we don't freeze tonight. I declare, it's not for the money—just because I care about you..."

"By the way, Lu Cheng, have you read the Newspaper these past few days?"

Lu Cheng truly hasn't had time to read the Newspaper lately; as Student Committee President, he's been busy with graduation ceremony matters and Research Institute affairs, arranging things for Zheng Guoping and the others.

Afterward, without a moment's pause, he went to his post, then suddenly received an urgent mission, fearing he won't have a chance to read the Newspaper for some time.

But even without reading the Newspaper, Lu Cheng can probably infer it.

Is it time to launch the Rights Expansion Profit-Sharing Pilot?

Since the th 3rd Plenary Session, the policy first explicitly put forward that enterprises should practice independent operation and bear profits and losses on their own.

This policy will completely change the phenomenon of Big Pot Rice; previously, whether in Factory Area or in rural Commune, it was the same whether one worked more or less, and the same whether one performed well or poorly.

It relies entirely on self‑awareness and personal enlightenment, and people like father Lu Beitang, who are enlightened, are few and far between; a workshop rarely has even one, and they are even called sincere‑hearted.

On the surface it sounds commendatory, but in fact it is pejorative.

Large state‑owned factories are somewhat better; their systems are stricter and benefits are relatively good, but subordinate enterprises of some units are small in scale, sometimes have hardly any extra benefits, inevitably leading to laxity and very low production efficiency.

Therefore, letting enterprises bear profits and losses can effectively stimulate their initiative.

Lu Ying set down her comb: "Yes, but the initial reform isn't thorough enough yet, the policy isn't fully refined, and it's still in a trial phase. Our department store, the Street Office is also discussing it, but there's no concrete conclusion yet; anyway, the debate is quite heated."

Lu Cheng can understand that, from a long‑term perspective, enterprise reform is a positive development, but at the outset many people inevitably become nervous and scared, because there is no state safety net; if they truly suffer losses, they must bear them themselves.

But Lu Ying isn't scared at all; on the contrary, she hopes for a swift reform, so that only the stipulated profit needs to be remitted, and the remaining earnings can be arranged by the enterprise itself.

Only in that way can she work freely without further restrictions from the relevant departments.