Chapter 686: Training the Next Generation

Time flew by, and it was March 1968.

Over this past year or so, He Yuzhu had polished this group of children until every one of them had become a talent.

They could drive all kinds of cars, weld circuit boards, and handle a Computer with ease.

It was unbelievable, but the lazy He Yulu had actually become the most adept at using the Computer among them. Currently, He Yuzhu was having her participate in the production of a game console.

At the same time, good news came from Man Yatou's Laboratory—the first large-scale Integrated Circuit commercial Computer had been created.

What was its level? It was roughly equivalent to the Intel 8086 of He Yuzhu's past life.

This achievement directly shocked the scientific community.

Just then, an appointment order came down, and He Yuzhu became the steel factory's Factory Director once again.

As soon as he took office, he made the executive decision to transition to producing civilian vehicles.

A month later, recruitment began, and they were hiring ten thousand people at once.

Over the past year or so, the Yan family had mocked He Yuzhu quite a bit.

Especially Yan Bugui, who would sourly remark every time he saw him: "Zhuzi is impressive! Retired at such a young age, and the whole family retired too!"

Now that He Yuzhu was back in his old position and starting large-scale recruitment, the Yan family finally began to catch on—it turned out he had laid out his chess pieces long ago.

Last time He Yuzhu arranged for people to enter the factory, it caused him a lot of trouble.

This time he changed his approach: he quietly trained his own people into talents, so that when the factory recruited, it had no choice but to use them.

Liu Guangfu and Yan Jiekuang also went to the recruitment office to sign up. Once they heard there was an exam, they both lost their confidence.

Yan Bugui sighed and lamented at home: "Yang Ruihua, this He Yuzhu... do you think he anticipated today long ago?"

Yang Ruihua gave him a sharp look: "I told you long ago, the He Family wouldn't fall, but you insisted on going against them. Are you happy now? We could have gone to the He Family to talk and let Jiekuang get into the factory. Now? I think it's hopeless. This recruitment is for all of Si Jiu Cheng; even if they hire ten thousand people, there might not be a spot for our child."

Yan Jiekuang chimed in from the side: "Mom, why don't you go beg Shen Guizhi? You two haven't fallen out. If you let her whisper in his ear, maybe I could get into the factory."

Yang Ruihua glared at him: "I don't have that much face! You and your father offended the He Family completely, and now you want me to go beg them? I'm not going!"

At Liu Haizhong's house, the second aunt was also pleading: "Father, go talk to He Yuzhu and get our Guangfu hired. The neighborhood office already said that if he can't get into a factory, Guangfu will have to go to the countryside."

Liu Haizhong shook his head: "We've spent this whole time ridiculing the He Family. Now that he's a Factory Director again, what's the point of trying to curry favor at the last minute? Besides, this recruitment requires an exam. Our Guangfu has been loafing around the streets for over a year, he doesn't know a thing, he won't get in at all."

Seeing that he couldn't count on his parents, Liu Guangfu walked out in a rage, and as soon as he stepped out, he bumped into Xu Damao.

Liu Guangfu cursed angrily: "Xu Damao, you damn bastard, you've ruined my whole family!"

Xu Damao's eyes rolled, and he smiled: "Come, come, come, I'll treat you to a meal, calm down."

The two entered a nearby small restaurant. As soon as Liu Guangfu sat down, he started: "Xu Damao, it was all your instigation that made our family go against the He Family. Now it's a mess, He Yuzhu is the Factory Director again, and I can't even pull any strings."

Xu Damao curled his lip in disdain: "Pull strings, my ass! Didn't you see? He Yuzhu has been training his people for a year and a half, all in preparation for this exam. We all thought he was an idiot, taking a bunch of kids to learn driving and math, not knowing what he was fussing about. Now I realize, he knew he could be Factory Director long ago, and these skills are exactly what they're testing for in this recruitment."

Liu Guangfu gritted his teeth: "Xu Damao, you'd better be careful too. I think your job as a projectionist won't last much longer."

Xu Damao took a sip of wine dismissively: "I haven't done anything wrong, what can he do to me?"

Liu Guangfu sneered: "You think he doesn't know about you messing around with young girls in the village?"

Xu Damao glared: "I'm a bachelor, so what if I mess around with young girls? Is it against the law?"

Liu Guangfu sighed, his voice filled with dejection: "I'm such a failure. I followed Liu Yahui for ages and got nothing out of it; in the end, I still have to go to the countryside!"

Xu Damao patted his shoulder: "Guangfu, actually the countryside isn't bad. When you go, don't just sit around, find a village girl and get married locally, isn't that nice? What's so good about being in the city?"

Liu Guangfu cursed: "Damn you, why aren't you staying in the countryside then?"

Xu Damao spread his hands: "I am staying in the countryside right now, and I think it's pretty good. The people there treat me like an intellectual."

Seeing his smug look, Liu Guangfu got annoyed. His eyes rolled, and he smiled: "Damao, do you know? That Xie Xiaolan of yours married a Cadre in the district. I heard he's a section chief, and the baby is almost born."

As soon as Xu Damao heard this, he slapped the table with a "Bang!": "Liu Guangfu, you damn bastard, you're trying to rub salt in the wound, aren't you?"

Liu Guangfu picked up a piece of food unhurriedly: "Xu Damao, it's not that I'm picking on you, but you definitely can't have children."

Xu Damao's face turned green, and he gritted his teeth: "I can definitely have children! You just wait, in a month I'll bring back a virgin bride."

Liu Guangfu laughed out loud: "How come I heard that Xie Xiaolan's pregnancy might be fake?"

A look of unease flashed across Xu Damao's face, and he immediately cursed: "Stop talking nonsense! If I'm not mistaken, Yan Jiefang's kid must have told you that, right? That time was definitely real! I saw her bleeding... if it hadn't been for that time... the miscarriage, my child would be several years old by now!"

On the He Family side, there was another piece of good news—Chen Xueru's illness had been cured by Jiang Mei's Siqiang.

This news was even more explosive than He Yuzhu becoming Factory Director again. Jia Zhangshi spread it everywhere, and within a few days, the whole Nanluoguxiang knew about it.

In fact, this was a rumor He Yuzhu had deliberately let out. Zhao Yingzi had taken the initiative to tell Jia Zhangshi, describing the healing process as mysterious and miraculous, and Jia Zhangshi added her own embellishments as she spread it all over Nanluoguxiang. The title of "miracle doctor" suddenly spread throughout Dongcheng, and Jiang Mei's Siqiang suddenly became a celebrity, with the number of people lining up for his appointments increasing exponentially.

After Yi Zhonghai finished delivering food to the Deaf Old Lady, he sat beside her, pondering for a long time before asking: "Old Lady, analyze this for me, is Chen Xueru's illness real or fake?"

The Deaf Old Lady half-closed her eyes and said unhurriedly: "When the false is taken for true, the true also becomes false. Xueru getting sick to avoid a disaster, that is the sign of a smart person."

Yi Zhonghai nodded, "Looking at it now, this kid He Yuzhu is really not simple. He seems to have calculated everything. He knew about the factory expansion a year and a half ago and trained his own people into talents—this move is brilliant, truly brilliant!"

The Deaf Old Lady smiled: "He didn't have to calculate it himself; there must be someone behind him."

Yi Zhonghai was stunned, then suddenly realized: "Could it be that for this past year and a half, the higher-ups intentionally let him stay out of these personnel struggles?"

The Deaf Old Lady waved her hand: "This is just something for us to say between ourselves; don't go blabbing it outside."

Yi Zhonghai nodded: "Understood."