Chapter 228: As long as we don't die, we must push for reform!

Yellow River Factory, Fan Sha Che Jian.

Many automobile parts are cast, such as the axle, wheel hub, etc.; casting these parts means pouring molten iron into a sand box, filling the reserved space inside, thus forming the corresponding shape.

And the sand molding worker is responsible for doing this work.

Before casting, the molding sand needs to be crushed, filtered, and then a sand box made; during casting, one must lift the ladle and pour the molten iron in; after casting, the sand box often needs to be broken open while hot to remove flash and such.

The weather is somewhat hot; Luo Qiang, wearing heavy protective gear, squats with his buttocks raised, tidying the sand box, sweat sliding from his forehead drops onto the molding sand.

"Damn it, bastard, I'll smash you to death!" Luo Qiang cursed while smashing.

"Hey, Qiangzi, you're working so hard?" Fellow worker Fu Ping teased with a smile.

Luo Qiang felt resentful; back then at the factory, he only worked as a sand molder for three months before moving to the Publicity Section, where everyone politely called him Luo Gan Shi; now? "Qiangzi?" Is that what you casually call him?

However, Luo Qiang also knew that being able to stay in the factory without being fired was already not bad; working as a sand molder was also the factory testing him, so… endure!

"Well, I am a brick of the revolution, to be moved wherever needed." Luo Qiang said: "Revolutionary work knows no nobility or baseness."

"Not bad; after work, let's have a few drinks together?"

Sand molding is hard labor; after work, workers drink a cup of wine, eat some stewed meat and peanuts—that is the most comfortable moment of the day.

However, Luo Qiang did not agree; he shook his head: "No, after work I still have other things to do…"

"Okay."

At six o'clock, in the factory, large numbers of people in work clothes riding bicycles rushed toward… the bathhouse.

Nowadays, few people have a bath at home; bathing is done in the factory's large bathhouse—those who go first get a clean wash, while those who come later must jump in even though the water has turned black; no matter how black the water, it can still wash off one's dirt—such is the peculiarity.

However, Luo Qiang did not go; he walked toward the office area, his whole body still black.

At this time, many in the office area have not yet left work; he wants to show himself this way, to demonstrate how arduous his work is—even if he doesn't meet Factory Director Wang, as long as someone sees him and passes the word, Factory Director Wang will know how much he has loved labor these days…

Wait!

Luo Qiang saw in surprise that behind a roadside big tree stood a person in a white shirt, black trousers, little leather shoes, with two braids tied up—this was…

Section Chief of the Publicity Section, Pan Cuihua?

When Luo Qiang first entered the Publicity Section, Pan Cuihua had also just joined; as colleagues, they had jointly overseen much publicity work; when Luo Qiang went to the capital, Pan Cuihua also got her wish and became the section chief of the Publicity Section.

And now she looks like this—frowning coldly, clutching her fists, as if she were… angry?

"Section Chief Pan, what's going on?"

"Luo Qiang, do you know our factory is going to carry out reform?"

"I… know a bit—it means self-financing, taking loans to run production; I later thought, if the factory really messes up, superiors will have to bail us out, otherwise…"

"No, that's not it; the factory wants to spin off all industries unrelated to production and operation—workers' children's schools, workers' hospitals, etc. —to be handed over to the government; our Publicity Section… will be abolished directly."

"What? How could that be! If no one in the factory does ideological work, big problems will arise—'ideology understands everything, everything understands ideology'!"

"Yes, that's what I said too, but the factory is determined to abolish everything unrelated to production; the proportion of frontline workers must reach over ninety-five percent."

Luo Qiang's heart sank completely.

He had worked so hard in the sand molding workshop precisely because he hoped: later he could be transferred to another department, such as the Publicity Section, where he would feel at home and rise again.

Now… there is no hope!

A large number of office jobs will be cut; then he… he will have to be a sand molder for life!

Boom! A surge of anger flared in Luo Qiang's chest; the hardship and suffering he had endured lately… he had thought it would last only a few days, not half a lifetime! Moreover, sand molding harms the body; after a few more years, his lungs might be ruined.

Thinking this, Luo Qiang's fists also clenched.

"Shh, they're coming!"

Pan Cuihua said, then ducked back behind the big tree and grabbed Luo Qiang.

Ahead, a group of people walked over.

"Factory Director Wang, our logistics are important, we can't downsize—there are too few people…"

"Old Huang, I've calculated: five people are enough for logistics, but now we have fifty! All day they just drink tea and read newspapers—it's practically a nursing home; we must change, the young can go to the workshops, the old can take early retirement."

"The old-timers still want to contribute to the factory…"

"Then go to the workshop."

"Wang Zikai, you bastard!" At that moment, Pan Cuihua shouted, sprang from behind the big tree, stretched out her hands, and scratched at Factory Director Wang's face!

Fierce and accurate, everyone else was stunned; after they came to, they rushed over.

"Section Chief Pan, what are you doing?!"

"Section Chief Pan, calm down!"

"Hmph, you've smashed my livelihood—look, I won't stop until your face is covered in blossoms; then you'll know why flowers are so red!"

"Ouch!" Factory Director Wang suddenly cried out in pain.

Those who had gone to stop Pan Cuihua turned their heads, looked behind, and found Factory Director Wang already collapsed on the ground, blood flowing from his head…

This was definitely not scratched by Pan Cuihua; it was… someone took advantage of the crowd's inattention and hit Factory Director Wang with a brick!

The bloody brick was thrown aside; a figure in work clothes was sprinting away… that back view was very familiar…

Pan Cuihua's face showed a cold smile; Luo Qiang, well done!

"Factory Director Wang, Factory Director Wang!"

"Quick, quick, send him to the factory hospital!"

In the crowd's hearts rose an indescribable feeling; Factory Director Wang also needed to go to the hospital, yet he plans to abolish the hospital—what will factory workers do if similar incidents happen in the future?

Factory Director Wang slowly sat up: "No need, just find some gauze and wrap it; the factory's reform work must be arranged as soon as possible—whether our factory can rise depends on this reform…"

You are…

Everyone else felt helpless.

"Old Wang, why are you doing this to yourself? Our factory has gotten by for decades, hasn't it?"

"The speaker is an old friend; Factory Director Wang looked at him: 'That's right, we got by before, but if we don't reform, within ten years the factory will go under! Then it won't be just some workers being redeployed—everyone will lose their jobs! By acting now we can give everyone a way out, and superiors will strongly support me; I, Old Wang, as long as I don't die, will push forward reform!'"