Chapter 273: Zhao Guoliang 2.0

"Dad, if Zhao Guoliang gets it done, it's also a political achievement; this is a win-win situation. Besides, there's a subsidy for business trips. There are three directors in Logistics in total; we'll keep one for daily management and send the others out."

"Fine, fine, fine, you have a point. You should do this in the future as well. It's best to get everything down in writing. In short, whatever you do, have a sound basis for it so you don't leave people with leverage over you."

"Alright Dad, I understand."

"Mm."

Xu Qianshan appeared to be reprimanding, but in reality, he was also reminding Li Huaide to mind his boundaries. Everyone was operating within the rules, which was better for everyone.

"This Zhao Guoliang's background is really not simple. He's barely gone on a business trip and already a report has been filed against him. Which leader would like that?" Li Huaide sneered to himself.

That evening, Zhang Ping'an gave each of his nephews and cousins half a jin of tea leaves, hoping that they would use this opportunity to break through to Level Five Worker in the year-end grading exams.

One must know that in the special period of the next ten years, there would be no grading exams. This year was the last year for them. If they passed at the end of the year, then after settling down for another ten years, they would have a chance to break through to Level 6 or 7 Worker.

Days passed like this, one by one, until more than half a month later when Zhao Guoliang finally returned to the Rolling Mill.

"Dazhuang, how was it? Did you manage to pry anything useful out of them?" Inside a State-run Restaurant, Zhao Guoliang and Qian Dazhuang sat opposite each other.

"Nothing. I feel like that kid is playing me. I talk about the city gate tower, and he talks to me about the hip joint."

"No, didn't you tell him you were Qian Dahu's cousin?"

"I did! But the five of them acted like they had discussed it beforehand; they kept beating around the bush with me. I couldn't make it too obvious either. If you ask me, it would be much simpler to just arrest them and interrogate them."

"If it were really as simple as you say, then why would I have joined the Rolling Mill? A miscalculation. I should have established a good relationship with Li Huaide first."

In fact, before Zhao Guoliang was sent over, the people above told him to just investigate low-key, and that once he arrived on someone else's turf, he had to pay his respects first.

But Zhao Guoliang was blindly confident, like a eunuch carrying the Imperial Sword, looking down on Li Huaide, who was half a son-in-law, so he didn't go to visit Li Huaide.

This was also the reason why Li Huaide made things difficult for him, yet the people behind him wouldn't stand up for him. If you don't follow the rules, you deserve to suffer some punishment.

Zhao Guoliang rubbed his chin; for a moment, he was out of ideas. For now, he could only go and humble himself before Li Huaide.

"You keep building a relationship with them first, take it slow."

"Alright."

Inside Li Huaide's office.

"Old Cao, how many days has our Director Zhao been back?"

"Uh, it's been a full two days."

"Mm, the factory's tasks are so urgent, it's time to let our Director Zhao go out and get some exercise."

"Understood."

"It must be put into writing. And Director Zhu as well; let him understand that our Logistics department is all about business trips across the country. It's almost mid-year, we need to get busy."

"Got it."

Zhao Guoliang was just preparing gifts to visit Li Huaide when, before he could even set off, he was transferred to the Great Northeast by a piece of paper.

"F*** you, Li Huaide, go to h***!" Zhao Guoliang cursed loudly and threw the prepared gifts aside.

"Ring-a-ling, ring-a-ling."

"Leader, it's me, Little Zhao."

"Go on the business trip first. The first thing you do when you get back is go give Li Huaide a report. If you can't even handle a simple job, you might as well come back and keep driving."

"Yes, yes, yes, Leader, I guarantee I will give you a satisfactory answer." After hanging up the phone, Zhao Guoliang realized his back was soaked with cold sweat.

"Sigh, I acted too cocky."

Zhao Guoliang, originally a driver for a certain department leader, was meticulous despite his rough appearance. Later, he was valued by the leader and parachuted into the Rolling Mill to be responsible for investigating the relationship between Zhang Ping'an's wife and the Lou family.

Unfortunately, he didn't understand his own position. He came in wanting to go head-to-head with Li Huaide, and as a result, he ended up breaking his own leg.

"Hahaha, do you guys know our Logistics Deputy Director Zhao Guoliang? When he first transferred over, he was all high and mighty. Now, the time he spends in the factory isn't even as long as the time he spends on business trips."

"I also thought he had a deep background at first. Parachuted in, directly blocking the path of those behind him. And this is it?"

"You guys don't know, he was just a driver before. He only got up there by bootlicking."

"That's what I thought. Without real ability, how could he stand firm in Logistics?"

"..."

Zhang Ping'an was in the cafeteria listening to the discussion of the people from Procurement Section 1, and in his heart, he secretly gave them a thumbs up.

This was actually something Zhu Weiguo had them intentionally spread, just so he could be sure of winning the director position in two years.

"La-di-da, dong-qiang-qiang..."

When Zhang Ping'an returned to his office, he heard Wu Qiang in the next office humming a tune. Clearly, he also knew about Zhao Guoliang's situation.

To say Wu Qiang didn't want to be a deputy director would be a lie. He had relied on grinding out his seniority, and just when he was finally about to get ahead, he was stepped on by Zhao Guoliang. Who wouldn't be angry?

"Knock, knock, knock."

"Ahem, come in."

"Qiang Ge, you're in a good mood."

"Hahaha, yes, I encountered something happy today. Ping'an, come sit."

"Ping'an, you tell me, you really have to follow the right leader. Our Factory Director Li really takes the heat when there's trouble. Look at that Zhao Guoliang, hahaha, just thinking about it makes me want to laugh."

"Oh? Are you saying it was Factory Director Li who had people..."

"Who else could it be? Old Cao can't do it; he's like me, he only got to this step by grinding out seniority. He wouldn't offend people easily. There should also be Zhu Weiguo's shadow in there; he certainly doesn't want someone to snatch his seat in the future."

"Originally, I should have been the deputy director, and I wouldn't have been a threat to Zhu Weiguo. Now, this Zhao Guoliang is hard to say."

"Mm, that's true. Our Factory Director Li is still the most imposing."

"Hahaha, that's right."

Zhang Ping'an learned that Li Huaide was messing with Zhao Guoliang and thought he was venting his anger for him. His heart was full of gratitude, and he decided to pay a visit that evening.

Also a two-piece set of liquor and tea leaves, Zhang Ping'an knocked on Li Huaide's door at 7:30.

"Knock, knock, knock."

"Who is it? Ping'an? It's been a long time since you came to see your sister-in-law."

Because the Wang Xiaoling family had left, Zhang Ping'an did not visit anyone else at the end of the year except for Wang Weiguo's home; firstly, he was afraid of others misunderstanding, and secondly, he truly did not have the heart for it at the time.

"Sister-in-law, this matter is my fault."

"Come in and sit, your Li Ge is in the study. Li, Ping'an is here. Ping'an, if you ask me, the Xiao Ling family really went too far, leaving without a word."

"You are still young, don't keep sinking like this. Wait for me to find you a young girl with a good family background to marry; let's not think about her."

"......"

"Thank you, sister-in-law."

Xu Lijuan did not know the truth, so treating him this way was truly beyond reproach; she completely treated him as her own younger brother.

"Ping'an, your sister-in-law is right. Some things should be turned over once they are in the past. Think about your parents; they need to hold a grandson."

"I saw your father at the pig farm before the new year, and his back was already a bit hunched. He used to be such a sturdy man. Hurry up and take a wife."

Although Li Huaide could roughly guess that Zhang Ping'an was an insider, his parents did not know. The elderly, facing the sudden loss of their grandchildren, certainly could not handle the psychological burden as well as young people.

Zhang Ping'an's body shook upon hearing this; he really hadn't noticed, as he and his father hadn't spoken for a while because he had defended the Xiao Ling family previously.

"I understand, Li Ge."

"Hey, that's right. Don't worry about Zhao Guoliang at the factory either; he can't stir up any trouble. If he's honest when he returns from his business trip, that's fine, but if he isn't, he can keep going on business trips."

"......"