Chapter 1345: The Eldest Uncle's Heavy Burden

Yi Zhonghai was full of anxiety: "What path did that brat Cao Weiguo point out?"

The Eldest Aunt whispered: "He took me to see the Security Section Chief, Zhao Mancang, and then we went to the state-run restaurant for a meal together. After the meal, Zhao Mancang said that if you handle things properly, you might be treated with leniency."

Yi Zhonghai sneered: "Handle things? Doesn't that just mean money! How much?"

The Eldest Aunt said with a bitter expression: "At least two thousand."

Yi Zhonghai exploded on the spot: "Two thousand! He has a huge appetite! Isn't he afraid of choking to death from eating too much! I don't have money, but I have my life! I'm an eighth-grade technician in the factory; I don't believe they can really do anything to me."

The Eldest Aunt endured her disgust and grabbed Yi Zhonghai's hand: "Old Yi, what time do you think it is? You mustn't be impulsive. Let me tell you, you know Old Hu from our alley, right? Because a Buddha head was found in his home, he has already been sent to the Daxibei... And Old Zhou from the neighboring courtyard, he was an engineer who returned from abroad... Old Yi, what does your eighth-grade technician status count for? I went to ask Deputy Director Dong of the Neighborhood Office, who has a good relationship with us, about your problem. If the factory handles it strictly, your punishment will be being sent to the Daxibei at best, or becoming a forced laborer at worst. Old Yi, you don't really want to end up with that kind of fate, do you? Old Yi, our family cannot do without you."

Yi Zhonghai was frightened, his face turning pale as he said: "Old Dong really said that? But! Two thousand! That's our entire family savings!"

The Eldest Aunt persuaded him: "Old Yi! Now is not the time to be stingy with money! The Daxibei! Forced labor! Old Yi, you are no longer young. At your age, one slip could mean you're gone. Tell me, if you are gone, what use is keeping the money? Old Yi, you mustn't be foolish at a time like this."

Yi Zhonghai clutched his chest as if his heart were being cut by a knife, gritting his teeth and letting out a low roar: "Fine! Fine! Two thousand, right! I agree! I agree! Give them the money! I'll consider myself unlucky this time, I admit defeat. However, this matter isn't over. Sooner or later, I will make those two beasts, Cao Weiguo and Liu Haizhong, pay back double!"

Thinking of his family savings, which he had painstakingly accumulated through frugality, being emptied out all at once, Yi Zhonghai felt as if the sky were collapsing. In his heart, he wished he could swallow Liu Haizhong and Cao Weiguo alive and chew their bones to pieces.

These were all his retirement savings!

Just like that, they were gone!

Gone!

How is he supposed to live the rest of his life!

The Eldest Aunt pulled Old Yi's hand: "Old Yi! Think on the bright side! Let's just consider it a loss of wealth to avoid disaster! I'll go get the money, get things done early, and you can go home sooner."

Yi Zhonghai waved his hand, feeling hopeless: "Go! Go!"

With Yi Zhonghai's nod, the Eldest Aunt did not delay and hurriedly left the Rolling Steel Factory.

Returning home, she rummaged through boxes and cabinets, taking out their family savings from a very hidden place.

Over two hundred large ten-yuan bills!

The Eldest Aunt's heart was also bleeding, but one has to bow when under the eaves.

Wrapping the two thousand yuan tightly in a blue cloth scrap and stuffing it into Old Yi's worn-out satchel, the Eldest Aunt returned to the Rolling Steel Factory without stopping, finding Cao Weiguo with an anxious expression.

This matter is best handled sooner rather than later; the Eldest Aunt worried that there might be complications if it were late.

Cao Weiguo took the Eldest Aunt to find Zhao Mancang, and then led her to find Factory Director Li.

This matter could not be hidden from Factory Director Li, the top leader.

Naturally, he and Zhao Mancang could not swallow this money alone.

Besides, his goal was only to take revenge on Yi Zhonghai and make Yi Zhonghai suffer a great loss.

As for a mere two thousand yuan, he really didn't care for it.

Therefore, after the plan began, he had already cleared the air with Factory Director Li.

This way, he avoided future worries and could also win Factory Director Li's favor with Old Yi's money.

A gentleman loves wealth and acquires it through proper means!

Factory Director Li's "love for wealth" was known to everyone.

How could Factory Director Li not gladly accept the "wealth" delivered to his door?

Although Cao Weiguo had the intention to beat Old Dog Yi until he was a dead dog.

But this Old Dog Yi was, after all, an eighth-grade technician in the factory with seniority, and although the evidence caught this time was not small, it was not a capital crime. Being able to lock him up for a few days and make him suffer a heavy financial loss was already considered acceptable.

It could also be considered acting on behalf of heaven.

Factory Director Li accepted the Eldest Aunt's gesture without changing his expression, verbally criticized the Eldest Aunt a few times, and instructed the Eldest Aunt to strengthen supervision over Old Yi to prevent ideological backsliding...

Subsequently, Old Yi was brought to the office, and the foul stench almost made Old Li faint.

Originally, he wanted to educate Old Yi properly, but as a result, he couldn't stand the smell on Old Yi and let the Eldest Aunt take the person away after a perfunctory criticism.

The next day, the factory leadership notified all employees to hold a general meeting.

Under the gaze of thousands of workers, Old Yi walked onto the stage with his head drooping.

Factory Director Li, Deputy Factory Director Nie, and employee representatives announced the factory's punishment for Old Yi: Because of... Yi Zhonghai is given a four-grade demotion, from an eighth-grade technician to a fourth-grade technician.

The severity of this punishment was not small, and it was no wonder Old Yi looked like a frost-bitten eggplant.

Not only had his family savings been emptied, but his technical grade had also been cut in half.

One must know that technical grades are linked to wage grades, which meant that from today on, he could only receive the wages of a fourth-grade technician.

Among the workers, Liu Haizhong gloated and nodded happily: "Good! This guy Old Yi deserves his crime! From now

on, I am the highest-level worker in the Red Star Sihe Academy. Old Yi, oh Old Yi, your era has passed. From now on, the Red Star Sihe Academy is the era of me, Liu Haizhong!"

At the meeting, Old Yi lowered his head and looked at his toes, wishing he could find a place to crawl into.

He cared most about his face, and he didn't expect to be pushed to the general employee meeting again to accept criticism.

Sigh!

This old face is completely lost!

For a moment, his heart was filled with shame and resentment, and his hatred for Liu Haizhong and Cao Weiguo grew even heavier.

Just when Old Yi was so ashamed and resentful that he wanted to die, Factory Director Li's voice sounded: "Next, Yi Zhonghai will make a self-criticism!"

Under the spotlight of everyone, Old Yi took out the self-criticism he had prepared in advance from his pants pocket, forced himself to lift his head, and loudly criticized himself with a resonant voice, recounting the mistakes he had made, how he realized his mistakes, how he would correct them in the future, and how he would improve his ideological and moral level...

After a self-criticism that made him want to die from shame and resentment, the employee representatives educated Old Yi, and the factory leaders spoke one after another... The meeting lasted until lunch before it concluded.

On this day, Old Yi was deeply engraved in memory, and his reputation soared!