Chapter 58

“Pay back the money!”

“You bunch of frauds, give me back my money!”

Under the escort of the security department, Liu Jiande struggled to enter the factory gate, surrounded by shouts of abuse and pelted with rotten vegetables and stinking eggs; seeing the furious crowd, Liu Jiande himself felt a pang of guilt.

Previously, Xicheng Wireless Factory No. 1 had promised employees high interest payments once the television production line began operation and profits rolled in—but now, not even the principal had been returned, let alone the interest.

“A bunch of vagrants and troublemakers, completely unable to understand the leadership’s painstaking efforts—if the factory collapses, where will you eat? You have no sense of the bigger picture!”

After entering the factory grounds, behind the security personnel, Liu Jiande boldly rebuked the debt-seekers blocking the gate—but dared not linger, hurrying toward the office building.

When he arrived at the conference room, Liu Jiande found the former factory director Xu Yongjin already seated, his face grim; Liu Jiande suspected the rumors of Xu Yongjin collapsing in the hospital were not baseless.

But Liu Jiande didn’t know how much longer this old bastard could hold on—if Xu Yongjin didn’t retire, Liu Jiande could never take the factory director’s seat.

“Director Xu, how’s your health? Everyone’s been worrying about you. A few days ago, I visited you at the hospital, but the nurses said you refused visitors.” As soon as he sat down, Liu Jiande began offering warm, solicitous inquiries.

But Xu Yongjin gave Liu Jiande a cold, withering glance; remembering Liu Shirong’s behavior on the day the color TV went into production made him feel worse than soiling his pants. In his prime in Pingyang, he had been someone of note—but after that day, his face was utterly ruined; he hadn’t dared show his face during the New Year.

Xu Yongjin felt Liu Jiande was deliberately rubbing salt in the wound. “What good does worrying about an old man like me do? I’m not dead yet. Use that time to think about how to save the factory!”

Rebuffed, Liu Jiande felt awkward, unsure why Xu Yongjin, freshly discharged from the hospital, was so irritable.

“Everyone’s mostly arrived, Director Xu—should we start the meeting now?” Liu Jiande changed the subject.

Xu Yongjin glanced at the clock and shook his head. “Wait a little longer.”

Yesterday, Luo Junwu, Yao Zhengru, and other Pingyang municipal leaders had held an in-depth talk with Xu Yongjin—not to negotiate, but to notify him of the official decision regarding Xicheng Wireless Factory No. 1, whether he accepted it or not.

After the municipal government resolved the workers’ fundraising mess, Xicheng Wireless Factory No. 1 would be entirely Xu Yongjin’s responsibility—even if it went bankrupt, the city would no longer intervene. When Xu Yongjin learned this, he was bitter but helpless; such a massive hole had already been partially patched, and it was impossible to expect the Pingyang government to fully cover it.

At the end of yesterday’s meeting, Luo Junwu told him to summon all Xicheng Wireless Factory No. 1 supervisors for a meeting today, and that someone else would also arrive—Xu Yongjin didn’t know who.

As Xu Yongjin speculated, the conference room door suddenly swung open, and a group of men in dark uniforms entered.

“Who is Liu Jiande? We are the Municipal Economic Crimes Unit. You are hereby arrested on charges of embezzlement, corruption, and abuse of power!”

When the arrest warrant was placed before him, Liu Jiande’s mind went blank—he was dazed, wondering why he alone was targeted when others had done the same things.

He wanted to protest, but no words came out; his body went limp and he was dragged out. Everyone in the room stared in shock; Xu Yongjin was so enraged his chest ached.

The debt-seekers outside the factory gate, seeing Liu Jiande dragged away like a dead dog, froze for a moment—then burst into cheers. Had the municipal police not blocked the way, he might have been beaten to death on the spot.

Liu Shirong washed up, changed into a suit, reapplied his long-unused hair wax, and prepared to go out to find Zhao Wanrong, whom he had long yearned for.

At that moment, a loud banging shook the door, and a group of men burst in, dragged Liu Shirong out, and told him the apartment had been reclaimed by the factory; its contents, after inspection, would be returned to the Liu family.

The sudden turn of events left Liu Shirong stunned, standing there in his suit, staring at the apartment building he’d lived in for years—now taken away. He tried to rush back inside but was blocked and beaten badly, then thrown down at the building’s entrance. Once the general manager’s son, no one dared touch him—but now, who was he?

With Liu Jiande’s arrest, the Liu family, which had dominated Xicheng Wireless Factory No. 1 for years, collapsed overnight. The Pingyang Daily ran a headline that day: “Manager of Xicheng Wireless Factory No. 1 Arrested for Embezzlement”—as if to confirm the rumors of the factory’s impending bankruptcy, making people believe Liu Jiande alone had caused its downfall.

In Pingyang, the incident drew sighs of regret—another old factory was falling. But among Xicheng Wireless Factory No. 1’s workers, the impact was greater; Liu Jiande had held immense authority for years, and his sudden fall brought many a sense of vindication.

Soon after, Xu Yongjin announced the sale of the Feiyang brand and the radio production line; the proceeds would repay the workers’ original fundraising principal, and the storm began to subside.

But afterward, banks refused to lend it any more money, and other state-owned factories refused to rescue it—Xicheng Wireless Factory No. 1 fully shut down, effectively bankrupt.

Just as Xicheng Wireless Factory No. 1 sank into bankruptcy, a sign reading “Dongling High-Tech Electronics Industrial Park” was hung up; construction teams and machinery began arriving, working overtime to build factories.

Dongling High-Tech Electronics Industrial Park would first construct a temporary factory building, begin production, then proceed to build offices, dormitories, and other facilities.

Stepping out of the factory gate, looking back at the lifeless, decaying Xicheng Wireless Factory No. 1, then ahead at the bustling Dongling High-Tech Electronics Industrial Park—already hiring workers despite not yet starting construction—many workers who believed Xicheng Wireless was finished applied for retirement or quit outright and rushed to sign up for Dongling High-Tech, hoping to be hired. Xu Yongjin sighed deeply.

Xu Yongjin knew the era of Xicheng Wireless Factory No. 1 was over—he had reached the true time to retire. Decades of memories had vanished like smoke; at retirement, it seemed he had lost everything.

As he sighed, Xu Yongjin thought of Liu Jiande and clenched his teeth in rage. Once, a chance to turn things around had been placed before Xicheng Wireless—Li Dongling had once worked here.

But Liu Jiande had driven him away. Thinking of it, Xu Yongjin felt dizzy again—but he forced himself to hold back, resolved to use his connections—not to reduce Liu Jiande’s sentence, but to make sure he got many more years. He didn’t even want him executed—he wanted Liu Jiande to emerge from prison so old and frail he couldn’t even control his bowels, to satisfy Xu Yongjin’s hatred!

Hanxi Jiaotong University’s College of Radio Technology Dean Han Qianyi walked to Professor Liu Youguo’s residence, hands behind his back.

Today, Liu Youguo had suddenly invited Han Qianyi to his home, saying he had something important to discuss—so Han Qianyi came.

Upon entering, he saw a full table of dishes, including several hearty meats—chicken, duck, goose, fish—and his nose twitched involuntarily.

But he quickly regained his composure and eyed Liu Youguo warily. “Liu, what’s this really about? Tell me straight—if I can help, I will. If I can’t, I won’t sit at this table.”

Hanxi Jiaotong University’s budget was tight—even professors’ salaries were meager, and everyone lived frugally. Liu Youguo was famously stingy, the kind who wouldn’t even treat himself to a restaurant meal. Why this lavish spread? Han Qianyi couldn’t help but worry.

Seeing Han Qianyi’s suspicious posture, Liu Youguo pulled out a bottle of Maotai and grumbled, “What do you take me for? Can’t I even treat you to a meal?!”

“Really nothing?”

“What could I possibly need you to do?!”

Han Qianyi sat down skeptically, then heard Liu Youguo add, “Even if there is something, it’s good news—I have a student coming today who wants to meet you.”

Hearing this, Han Qianyi relaxed slightly. “Who is this person?”

“Li Dongling—the founder of Dongling High-Tech.”

Han Qianyi, who had just taken a sip of water, choked violently. “The company that developed the Silver Mink mouse?!”

Moments later, Liu Youguo, dragged downstairs by Han Qianyi, sighed helplessly. “Dean Han, do you really need to make such a spectacle?”

“A spectacle?” Han Qianyi glared. “Take that ‘really’ out. If I had time, I’d hang banners across our college’s teaching building!”

Let me tell you—people like Li Dongling will become our Hanxi Jiaotong University’s famous distinguished alumni. Haven’t you heard how foreign universities get huge donations every year from their alumni? If we could get even one donation, how many new lab instruments could we buy? Full salaries for staff and faculty? Your monthly pay could jump three or five hundred yuan—would that even be a problem?!”

Even as dean of the College of Radio Technology, Han Qianyi’s budget was tight—his expenses were endless: funding lab R&D, paying staff salaries, awarding scholarships and subsidies to outstanding and struggling students—he wished he could split every yuan in half.