Chapter 620: Railway Workers' Speculative Trading

Looking at Deng Hairong's expectant gaze, Lu Cheng blinked and said, "What Deputy Team Leader?"

Deng Hairong also blinked and said, "What what Deputy Team Leader?"

Lu Cheng spread his hands and said, "Right, what what Deputy Team Leader?"

Deng Hairong was stunned for a moment and said, "No, the candidate for the second Deputy Team Leader— I, I am the second Deputy Team Leader."

"Who said that?"

"Who said that?" Deng Hairong stepped back and said, "You said it."

"When did I say that?"

"When did you say it? You just said it earlier." Deng Hairong took two steps to Lu Cheng's side and gestured.

"You just said it like that—among them, I'm most impressed with you… also… you even patted my shoulder… you said it just now, right?"

Lu Cheng nodded, "Yes, and then?"

Deng Hairong was stunned, "Then? Then I'm the Deputy Team Leader."

"But… I never said you were Deputy Team Leader."

"Never said I'm Deputy Team Leader? Then what do you mean?"

"Nothing means what?"

"What does 'nothing means' mean?"

"It means I think your work in cleaning is highly commendable; look, under your direction this office is spotless. I fully trust you; next time I'll award you a Hygiene Model Sergeant."

Deng Hairong was stunned for a while, then grinned, gave Lu Cheng's shoulder a push.

"Stop messing around, you just love making jokes. Just say I'm Deputy Team Leader and I'll treat you to dinner tonight. Ah, you just want me to buy you dinner, you persistent one."

Lu Cheng tapped his forehead with a finger, "Sergeant Deng, I think you may have misunderstood. The slot for the other Deputy Team Leader has indeed been reported to the bureau, but it was Ding Jingzhang. If you think you have more seniority, you can report it to the bureau."

"Sergeant Ding? It's really not me?" Deng Hairong asked again in disbelief.

As Lu Cheng shook his head, Deng Hairong was on the verge of tears.

It seemed he misunderstood? No, Lu Cheng's words were so easy to mislead him.

Seeing Lu Cheng inspecting the spotless office with great satisfaction, Deng Hairong finally realized.

"Well done, Lu Cheng, you're treating me as free labor!"

Lu Cheng turned and laughed, "Your words are off; we are Revolutionary Comrades, helping each other is normal. When you have an office in the future, I'll clean for you too."

Lu Cheng's words sounded fine, but Deng Hairong just felt it was a pointless remark.

"No need, I can clean myself."

After speaking, Deng Hairong turned his head and stormed off; Lu Cheng, feeling a pang of guilt, called, "Don't go, Old Deng, I'll treat you to dinner…"

Before Deng Hairong returned, a junior comrade arrived to hang the door sign.

Lu Cheng helped, and in a dozen minutes it was hung.

Surveying the office, Lu Cheng still felt something missing—a desk phone.

At that moment, Tang Qiusheng, returning from the restroom, happened to pass the doorway. He intended to walk down the corridor back to his office, but was suddenly drawn to the wooden sign at the door.

"Hey, Director Tang, you came at the right time; I was just about to ask you to install a phone…"

Lu Cheng stepped out of the office and saw Director Tang staring at the five signs.

"Ah, Xiao Lu, you hold quite a few concurrent positions. Your office looks a bit small; how about I give you a new office."

Lu Cheng laughed beside him, "Director Tang is joking; all my positions are deputy, no matter how many, they can't compare to your primary one."

Tang Qiusheng seemed satisfied, "Alright, don't overexert yourself; work within your capacity, and prioritize Train Police duties…"

Also, speaking of our Train Police work, there's actually something to assign you."

"You tell me, Director Tang, I have no shift this month, so I can take on some of the team's work."

Lu Cheng let Tang Qiusheng into the office; since it was newly freed, he only temporarily set up a table and a chair.

Lu Cheng naturally stood, while Tang Qiusheng lit a cigarette for himself.

"Here's the situation: the heads of several train sections have reported that many members of the service crew often bring items from out of town, such as cigarettes, alcohol, and some local specialties…"

The service crew Tang mentioned includes a wide range of comrades.

Because roles like Train Captain, Train Staff, water supply staff, Broadcaster, and even Train Police belong to a train's service crew.

Since a long‑distance trip can last half a month, longer than time spent with family, everyone interacts more like a family.

But when Tang Qiusheng spoke of these workers bringing items, Lu Cheng was a bit puzzled.

Due to the era's constraints, traveling far is difficult; one must first have an Introduction Letter, otherwise one is easily caught as a Blind Drifter.

Railway workers, thanks to the convenience of riding trains, can frequently go out of town.

Thus, Railway workers are envied and courted by many.

Any family with someone working on the Railway feels proud.

Not for other reasons, just the ability to bring items makes train workers highly convenient.

For example, Lu Cheng also helps neighbors bring things.

"Director Tang, the thing you call bringing items is just tacitly accepted, right? As long as it's for personal use, not for sale, I don't think it's a problem."

Tang Qiusheng stretched out his hand, "Hey, you hit the point. If it's truly for personal use, there's nothing wrong, but the report is that some department comrades are exploiting train convenience to flip goods for sale."

"Now the Kehuyun Section is preparing to nab a typical case; rumor has it the culprit is a Broadcaster—utter nonsense."

No wonder Tang Qiusheng is angry; if it's resale, the nature changes—seriously, it's Speculative Profiteering.

"Other members of the service crew are naturally overseen by Kehuyun Section and Jiwu Section, but you Train Police belong to the Traffic Police Unit."

"Therefore, as Deputy Team Leader you need to shoulder some duties; recently you should draft some regulations, hand them to me, and after I approve them, they'll be issued to each Sergeant; every Train Police must study them earnestly."

Now that Reform and Opening Up has just begun, everyone feels the policies have loosened, but loosened policies don't mean one can act recklessly.

Especially for Railway workers, holding the nation's rice bowl; if they use their position to engage in speculative buying and selling, once this atmosphere spreads, how will the common people view it?

Lu Cheng realized the seriousness of the problem, nodded and said, "Don't worry, Director Tang, I will promptly draft a complete set of regulations."

After Director Tang left the office, Lu Cheng scanned the office once more.

Indeed, now that he's become Deputy Team Leader, the work he deals with is quite different.

Previously he only had to ride the train on duty and ensure safety on board, but now the Deputy Team Leader's duties are broader.

The tasks personally assigned by Director Tang must be taken seriously by Lu Cheng, and this is the first assignment he has taken on as Deputy Team Leader.

To draft a comprehensive set of regulations, Lu Cheng plans to consult other Section Chiefs for information.

Unexpectedly, when Lu Cheng went to the Kehuyun Section office, he ran into Jiang Mengmeng, who was standing there, sobbing and wiping away tears.