Chapter 616: If You Won

The door was ajar, and Lu Cheng stuck his head in, "Dean Gao, you're busy."

Dean Gao raised an eyebrow and looked, "Oh, it's Comrade Xiao Lu, come in."

After Lu Cheng sat opposite, Dean Gao got up to fetch water.

Lu Cheng hurriedly stood up, "Dean Gao, I'll get it myself, myself."

"Sit calmly; you can still handle a glass of water," Dean Gao handed over the enamel jar.

"For this Internal Combustion Engine Project, you earned great Merit; without your active coordination of resources, the engine's deployment would have been delayed at least two or three years."

Two or three years may seem short, but for the motherland, which is still rebuilding, time is too precious.

Since the Railway carries the nation's main transport line, getting the Railway on track two or three years early means other industries can develop earlier as well, likewise accelerating the country's overall progress.

Therefore, Railway development is extremely important.

Since Dean Gao mentioned Merit Performance, Lu Cheng, worried about how to bring up the topic, used the conversation to say,

"Dean Gao, since you also acknowledge the contributions of our Research Institute, I'm here with a bold face to request Merit…"

Dean Gao laughed, "Ah, you certainly earned Merit, but as a Director you're just a titular name; salary and benefits aren't under our Railway Science Institute. Asking me for Merit is useless; you must go back to your Railway Bureau. At most I can speak for you."

Lu Cheng quickly waved his hand, "No, no, Dean Gao, you misunderstand. I'm not here to request Merit for myself, but for the collective Comrades of the Research Institute."

Dean Gao leaned back and laughed, "You Hanging Board Director, you're quite responsible. I thought you'd come here just to grab a credit and leave."

Lu Cheng instantly became displeased, "Dean Gao, you shouldn't think of me that way; it's a bit disrespectful. I'm not here to grab credit, it's entirely for the motherland, for our Railway Ministry, for the people…"

Seeing Lu Cheng get more agitated, Dean Gao quickly waved his hand.

"Alright, alright, just joking with you. As for your request to award Merit to the Research Institute collectively, the institute has already recorded it."

Hearing that, Lu Cheng felt a bit urgent.

"Don't just note it; there must be some concrete acknowledgment. I think, given everyone's hard work and the successful completion of the mission, promoting them a level wouldn't be excessive."

Dean Gao was outright surprised, "Whoa, you speak boldly. How many people are in your Research Institute? Promote everyone? You act as if you're a minister."

Hearing Dean Gao's tone, Lu Cheng realized the matter was hard to discuss.

If it's hard to discuss, then let's not discuss it.

Lu Cheng simply stood up, placed the enamel jar on the table, "Dean Gao, since you refuse to promote them, I have no face to stay in this Research Institute any longer. Starting today, I resign from this Director position."

Having said that, Lu Cheng didn't linger and turned to leave.

As expected, Dean Gao hesitated briefly, then called after him.

"Wait a moment, are you leaving? Since when have you become so impatient? This isn't right."

Lu Cheng already knew Dean Gao would shout, "Then staying here is meaningless…"

Dean Gao didn't think so; he had come to appreciate Lu Cheng's abilities.

From the start when Lu Cheng wanted to join the Railway Science Institute, everyone thought the kid was there to get a gilded position, but over this period his performance has not escaped his eyes.

The two major projects were both coordinated by this kid, solving many difficulties.

Such capable Comrades are sought by many Railway departments, yet Lu Cheng voluntarily came to their Railway Science Institute.

This kind of talent is a treasure; whatever is said, they must be retained.

So Dean Gao deliberately set a stern face, determined to keep him by force today.

"If you resign, I won't agree."

Lu Cheng instead smiled; he wasn't worried about Dean Gao's words.

"Dean Gao, you know I'm just a titular name here, so the resignation process requires organizational procedures, which can't trap me."

In other words, Lu Cheng's coming to the Research Institute is considered assistance; not coming, no one has the right to command him.

Seeing Lu Cheng unafraid, Dean Gao's stern expression suddenly relaxed.

"Hehe, can't scare you, kid! But what's there to say? You're so capable; if you don't contribute more to the country, aren't you wasting your potential? Your awareness in this regard needs improvement."

After a pause, seeing Lu Cheng not buying it, Dean Gao returned to the original topic.

"Ah, it's not that I don't want to promote them; many are fresh graduates, and by seniority they haven't reached promotion eligibility yet!"

"Yes, the merit is sufficient, so I note it now; once they reach the required years, I'll promote them immediately."

Hearing Dean Gao speak like that, Lu Cheng couldn't help but recall Captain Lei.

Only Captain Lei has that boldness to promote talent out of rank.

Seeming to know Lu Cheng's thoughts, Dean Gao immediately said, "I can't compare with your Captain Lei; even the department leaders, when they see him, must give him some face…"

Recalling an old comrade, Dean Gao's face showed a hint of sorrow: "Enough, enough, I can't now recommend your Captain Lei, otherwise my tears… Lu Cheng, even for your Captain Lei, you still can't resign."

Lu Cheng was speechless; how could this turn into an emotional play, perhaps calling him an old man.

If hard tactics fail, try soft ones.

Little does he know that Lu Cheng is impervious to both hard and soft tactics; this matter must be settled today.

"How about this, Dean Gao: if you agree to my request, I'll get you a set of American computer equipment."

Hearing this, Dean Gao's eyes widened instantly, his excited bottom even lifted.

He has witnessed the power of computers.

The rapid completion of this Internal Combustion Engine Project was thanks to the borrowed computer system's great contribution.

This equipment is so precious that few sets exist nationwide, and they are all in critical fields like satellite development, missile development, etc.

Since witnessing the computer's high efficiency, Dean Gao dreams of acquiring a set for the Railway Science Institute.

But the device is so valuable that even in dreams he can't obtain it.

Yet Lu Cheng outright said he'd get him a set of American computer equipment, which would certainly be more advanced than domestic ones.

If it could truly be obtained, it would bring a qualitative change to all of the Railway Science Institute's research projects.

Including other sister units, they'd have to curry favor with the Railway Science Institute.

Dean Gao was thrilled, but then thought again and settled back down.

Lu Cheng, that kid, is probably making fun of him; the reason is simple.

It's that the department wants to get the American computer equipment, but that's also hard to achieve, because they simply don't have that much Foreign Exchange to purchase.

How could Lu Cheng possibly get it!