Chapter 461: Preparing to Head South

He Yuzhu chuckled and said, "Brothers fight tigers together; fathers and sons go into battle as a team. With my father there, efficiency will be higher. Otherwise, if I get equipment from Hong Kong, people will talk."

He made this request with other plans in mind: first, he felt He Daqing had been a bit flighty lately and was afraid he might actually get into trouble with Bai Guafu; second, having Li Huaide go along was also to prevent that man from acting recklessly while He Daqing was away.

Secretary Liu naturally didn't know about these twists and turns; he just felt that such an arrangement would improve work efficiency, so he nodded and noted it down.

"When do we set off?" He Yuzhu asked.

Secretary Liu closed his notebook, "I'll give you one month to get things settled here. I might have to go over ahead of time. During this month, you still need to assist Factory Director Yang in selecting a batch of capable personnel to take with you."

"No problem." He Yuzhu agreed quite readily, then frowned, "What about the Computer Laboratory?"

"Divide all the projects you have on hand into two groups. Leave one group in Beijing to continue operations, and leave one group for me in Guangdong."

He Yuzhu's heart stirred, and he tentatively asked, "Are you... also intending to develop over there in the future?"

Secretary Liu just smiled and didn't answer.

"Alright, I won't ask. I'll go get prepared." He Yuzhu understood and stood up to take his leave.

Qianmen Street was still bustling with people, and Xueru Clothing Store had also changed its sign, with the words "Public-Private Partnership" added to the back.

The shop was brightly lit, and Chen Xueru was sternly instructing several newly hired salesgirls.

Seeing He Yuzhu enter, she waved at the girls, "What I just said must be remembered well. Tomorrow you are all going to work at the Xidan branch. If there are any mistakes, your wages will be docked!"

"We've all remembered it! Don't worry, Manager Chen!" Several people trotted away.

"Opening a branch?" He Yuzhu asked as he walked.

"The higher-ups know that Manager Xiao lost all the capital, so they let the bank release a loan. But since foreign trade exports have been cut in half, we can only open a few more stores and switch to domestic sales!" Chen Xueru said helplessly.

He Yuzhu gave a wry smile.

Chen Xueru closed the door and asked, "Is there any news on the marriage application?"

He Yuzhu scratched his head, a look of helplessness on his face: "One piece of good news, one piece of bad news. Which one do you want to hear first?"

"Don't keep me in suspense, tell me clearly within half a minute." Chen Xueru picked up her water cup and took a big gulp.

"The good news is that the marriage application will be approved soon. The bad news is that in a month, I will be transferred to Guangdong to participate in the construction of a Tractor Factory, and I will have to stay for at least two years."

The smile on Chen Xueru's face froze instantly, and she set the cup in her hand heavily on the table: "Two years? Why go for so long? What about me?"

"It's a decision by the Ministry; I can't push it back. But I promise I'll find a chance to come back. Besides, I have to entrust my home to you—my father will likely go with me, and my mother might also accompany us, so He Yushui will have to be left to your care."

Hearing that He Yushui was entrusted to her, Chen Xueru's expression gradually became firm. She knew that saying more was useless, and she promised: "You can go with peace of mind. Yushui is older now, I can take good care of her."

Early the next morning, the loudspeakers at the Red Star Rolling Mill announced the news of the aid construction.

The bulletin board also simultaneously posted the specific details for recruiting technical workers to go to Guangdong for aid construction: during the work period, wages would be raised by two grades; after the two-year term, one could choose to stay locally or return to Beijing; upon returning to the factory, one would be promoted by one grade...

The workers discussed the announcement, some were tempted, others were waiting to see.

He Yuzhu went straight to the Military Factory's Computer Laboratory to convene a meeting for all personnel.

He Yuzhu said: "I've come today to inform everyone of something. In a month, I will go to Guangdong to participate in the newly built Tractor Factory. The laboratory here also needs to be split in two—half the people will go south with me, and the other half will stay in Beijing. Those staying in Beijing must continue research work and take on teaching duties at Huaqing University... Everyone, please sign up voluntarily..."

As soon as he finished speaking, Kajia was the first to raise his hand: "Teacher He, I want to go with you!"

He Yuzhu nodded.

Wang Zhigang pushed up his glasses and smiled: "I know I definitely have to stay to hold down the fort, so I won't stand on ceremony."

He Yuzhu also smiled and immediately announced: "Wang Zhigang will take over my position in the laboratory and continue to be responsible for the courses at Huaqing; Sun Yanqing will serve as Deputy Director of the laboratory to assist in management..."

After voluntary sign-ups and overall coordination, He Yuzhu finally selected thirty people to go south, all of whom were potential key personnel—he calculated that if Secretary Liu really stayed in Guangdong to develop in the future, these good seedlings would be reserve talent left for him. Anyway, here in Beijing, there was still fresh blood from Huaqing University.

After arranging the laboratory, he rushed to the Nongyong Jixiechang.

The technology for the Diesel Engine was already mature, and it was enough for this factory to live off its past achievements for a few years.

He Yuzhu did not go soft; he prepared to take the best batch of young technicians. After a simple mobilization, these people were all willing to participate in this aid construction mission.

Busy for a whole day, He Yuzhu dragged his exhausted body home in the evening. He told Shen Guizhi about going south, and she said almost without hesitation: "I'll go with your father, so we can look after each other."

He Yushui, who was doing homework on the side, heard this, threw down her fountain pen, and cried, "Mom, I don't want you to go. If you go, what will I do?"

He Yuzhu walked over and rubbed his younger sister's head, saying: "Yushui, don't be afraid. Chen Xueru isn't going south; she will take care of you. Ershuan, Xiaomi, Dahua, Xiaoqi, and Ding Li will all be in Beijing to keep you company. Of course, if you are willing to go with us, that's fine too, it's just that your little friends can't go with you..."

He Yushui wiped her eyes, pouted, and muttered: "I'd better stay then!"

"I figured you'd choose that!" He Yuzhu said with a smile.

The little girl then broke into a smile through her tears.

Just as they were talking, the door was knocked.

He Yuzhu opened the door and saw it was Liu Haizhong, Yi Zhonghai, Jia Dongxu, and a few others from the Rolling Mill.

"Gentlemen, is something the matter?" He Yuzhu asked.

Liu Haizhong rubbed his hands, his face full of smiles: "Zhuzi, I heard you're leading the team for the Guangdong aid construction this time? We wanted to come and ask, what's the situation, is it worth going?"

"Let's go to the East Cross Courtyard to talk!" He Yuzhu led the five people through the courtyard to the living room of the East Cross Courtyard, brewed a pot of tea, and poured a cup for each of them.

Jia Dongxu spoke first: "Zhuzi, for young people to go there, is there really a future?"

He Yuzhu nodded: "They lack talent, technology, and cadres there. Young people have no burdens; as long as they work hard, the speed of promotion is like riding a rocket!"

Liu Haizhong, who had always harbored a "dream of becoming an official," heard this, his eyes lit up, and he asked hurriedly: "For someone like me who is forty, if I go for two years and come back, can I manage to become a Workshop Director?"

He Yuzhu smiled: "If you stay there and don't come back, I guarantee you'll become a Workshop Director. But if you return to Beijing, I can't make any promises. After all, I'm not the Factory Director here."

Yi Zhonghai's lips moved, but in the end, he didn't say anything—his wife had just become pregnant, and he couldn't get away.

Jia Dongxu, however, was clearly moved. Last month when he returned to his hometown, he was scolded by his mother. Jia Zhangshi insisted on coming back, but when he returned and told Zhao Yingzi, she didn't agree, which left him in a dilemma, so he began to think about just leaving it all behind.