Chapter 44

When Li Qiang arrived at the meeting room, the section chiefs and directors of other departments had already arrived, and Factory Director Yang sat in the seat of honor.

"All right, everyone is here, now let's start the meeting," Factory Director Yang announced after Li Qiang sat down.

"Today we called everyone to this meeting mainly because after work yesterday afternoon, the Security Section found steel on several workers. Now the whole country is undertaking the Great Steel Drive, and the street office has also issued quotas of scrap iron to each household. As a result, many workers have turned their thoughts to our Yagangchang. Think about it. Our Yagangchang is a large factory with nearly ten thousand workers; if each worker brings scrap iron home, how long can our factory hold out?" After the meeting started, Factory Director Yang elaborated on the cause, process, and seriousness.

"I think Factory Director Yang makes a lot of sense. If every worker takes scrap iron home, our factory won't last long before going under. Now that we've discovered this, we must deal with it firmly to serve as a warning," Li Huade said, pounding the table.

"Right, Section Chief Li makes sense," those who were on good terms with Li Huade all voiced their support for Li Huade.

"Well, Section Chief Li makes sense, but our Party's consistent policy is to learn from past mistakes to avoid future ones, cure and save the person. Since some comrades have made mistakes, we shouldn't kill them with one blow; we should give them a chance to correct themselves. After all, is this their first offense?" Factory Director Yang said, and now Factory Director Yang began to have some ill feelings toward Li Huade.

"Right, Factory Director Yang is correct; they're our comrades, and since they made mistakes we should give them a chance to correct themselves," supporters of Factory Director Yang also began to voice their approval.

For a moment, the meeting room fell into a state of endless argument.

"All right, all right, this is a meeting room, not a vegetable market—look at you all, what a sight!" Factory Director Yang said, slamming the table.

"Section Chief Li, what do you suggest?" Li Huade, seeing both sides arguing nonstop, and only Li Qiang had remained silent the whole time, turned to him and asked.

"Both leaders make sense," Li Qiang said, affirming the views of Factory Director Yang and Li Huade, which undoubtedly earned favor from both sides.

"My personal suggestion is to give a factory-wide public criticism, deduct one month's bonus, and if there is a repeat offense, expel them," Li Qiang said slowly. His suggestion also let both sides breathe a sigh of relief. A factory-wide public criticism can serve as a warning; deducting one month's bonus rather than wages means it doesn't affect their family livelihood while still giving them a lesson.

"I agree with Section Chief Li's suggestion," Li Huade said first.

"I agree as well," Factory Director Yang felt Li Qiang's approach was indeed practical.

When the others saw that the two leaders both agreed, they naturally had nothing more to say.

"Since no one has any objections, let's follow Section Chief Li's suggestion and have the Propaganda Section broadcast the penalty this afternoon," Factory Director Yang declared with a bang of the gavel, thus deciding the matter.

"Attention all comrades, attention all comrades, now broadcasting a notice, now broadcasting a notice: Third Workshop's Qian Cheng, Li Daniu, Second Workshop's Jia Dongxu... eight comrades privately took factory scrap iron out of the premises; after study, it was decided to give the above eight comrades a factory-wide public criticism once, deduct this month's bonus, as a warning; if they reoffend, they will be expelled."

The broadcast was played three times in a row; after hearing it, the workers of the Second Workshop all started pointing and gossiping about Jia Dongxu. Upon hearing it, Jia Dongxu's face turned bright red with embarrassment—it was utterly humiliating. He hadn't taken much, yet ended up with a factory-wide public criticism. As for the bonus, Jia Dongxu didn't really care about it; the main thing was how embarrassing it was.

"Master, you went to find Li Qiang—what did he say? How did we still get a factory-wide public criticism?" Jia Dongxu complained to Yi Zhonghai.

"When I went to find him, the Security Section personnel had already told Factory Director Yang about the matter; even he didn't know," Yi Zhonghai said, and he actually believed Li Qiang's words.

"But this is just too embarrassing," Jia Dongxu said.

"Alright, knowing you've lost face, don't do it again—like a fox that didn't catch anything but ended up with a mess, that's exactly what you're like now." Yi Zhonghai also felt a bit embarrassed; Jia Dongxu is his disciple, the disciple stole things from the factory, showing that this master didn't educate him well, causing himself to lose face as well.

"What should we do now?" Jia Dongxu asked.

"What else can we do? For now, just like this; otherwise, take a few days off, wait until this blows over, then come back to work."

"Master, go find Li Qiang and ask, see if the punishment can be revoked; otherwise, it will still have to be posted on the bulletin board."

"Alright," Yi Zhonghai also had no way to deal with this disciple of his.

"Qiangzi, why is Dongxu's punishment so severe?" Yi Zhonghai came to Li Qiang's office and asked.

"Elder Yi, this is already considered light; if following Director Li's meaning, at least a demerit would be given, and it would also be recorded on file, possibly affecting his promotion later." Li Qiang said.

"How can it be so serious?" Yi Zhonghai, not understanding, asked.

"Elder Yi, although what they took isn't worth much money, even if it's worth just a cent, it's still theft of state assets; if it goes up the chain, not to mention expelling them, if someone uses this as an article, they could possibly be sentenced to two years." Li Qiang explained.

Yi Zhonghai knew Li Qiang was telling the truth; in that era, the charge of stealing state assets was very serious; if someone wanted to target them, expelling them would be as easy as child's play.

"I understand, thank you, Qiangzi." Yi Zhonghai also felt embarrassed to bring up asking Li Qiang to intercede and revoke the punishment; this was already a stroke of luck amidst misfortune, and he really didn't dare to make any excessive requests.

"Master, how did it go? Did Li Qiang agree?" Jia Dongxu saw Yi Zhonghai return and immediately stepped forward to ask.

"Alright, Dongxu, let's leave it at that."

"Master, is Li Qiang unwilling to intercede for me?" Jia Dongxu said angrily.

"Alright, be satisfied; if it weren't for Li Qiang interceding for you, expulsion would be the lightest outcome." Yi Zhonghai, seeing Jia Dongxu's appearance, also became angry.

"On what grounds expel me? I just picked up a piece of scrap iron." Jia Dongxu still felt this wasn't a big deal at all.

"Even a piece of scrap iron— a piece of scrap iron is still state property; not charging you with theft of state assets would already be lenient." Yi Zhonghai glared at Jia Dongxu and said.

Upon hearing Yi Zhonghai say that, Jia Dongxu was left speechless; if they really charged him with theft of state assets, he could indeed be expelled; realizing this, Jia Dongxu saw he had underestimated the matter.

"Alright, stop standing there, go back to work quickly; otherwise the workshop director will see and scold you again." Yi Zhonghai was also speechless toward Jia Dongxu.

"Oh." Jia Dongxu then tremblingly walked to his workstation; the more he thought, the more frightened he felt, realizing he had escaped a disaster.

As the workers of Yagangchang returned to the Siheyuan, the news that Jia Dongxu had been reported and criticized for stealing scrap iron from the factory, with his monthly bonus deducted, also spread.

Upon hearing this, Jia Zhangshi was so angry her lungs felt like they would explode; she didn't care whether the whole factory was notified and criticized, she cared only about Jia Dongxu's one-month bonus.

"Dongxu, is the rumor outside true?" Just as Jia Dongxu arrived home, Jia Zhangshi angrily asked.

"Yes." Jia Dongxu answered with his head lowered.

"You old miser Yan, just wait till I deal with you." After saying that, Jia Zhangshi stormed out angrily.

"Old miser Yan, get out here!" Jia Zhangshi came to Yan Butgui's doorstep and shouted loudly.

"Jia Zhangshi, what's wrong with you again, shouting at my doorstep?" Yan Butgui was also very angry; his family was just about to eat, but Jia Zhangshi was shouting at the door, making it impossible for him to eat.

"What's wrong with me? Hurry up and pay me." Jia Zhangshi, without a word, reached out demanding money.

"You really have a problem, what am I supposed to pay?" Jia Zhangshi would also demand money, but Yan Butgui values money more than his life; expecting him to pay you is simply wishful thinking.