Chapter 3: 3 A Single Step to the Heavens

3 A Single Step to the Heavens

"Is Factory Director Li at home?"

In the sixties, employees of state-owned enterprises could enter and exit the factory director's office at will.

At this time, the workers were the true masters of the factory.

Li Wujun was a veteran soldier who had joined the army in the thirties; his credentials were truly extraordinary.

However, Zhou Xinyang did not know that Factory Director Li also had quite a bit of staying power.

Although he had not reached a level four wage, a level six wage was quite good.

When Factory Director Li saw Zhou Xinyang arrive, he was somewhat surprised, as the two had no prior dealings.

One was an employee, the other the factory director; could it be that he had some opinion he wanted to raise in person?

After all, having been a soldier, Li Wujun remained calm and composed, saying, "What is it, Comrade Xiao Zhou?"

"Factory Director Li, it is like this.

You see, our factory's new blast furnace is world-leading and unique in the entire country; I believe our factory should apply to the higher-ups for a name change to reflect the leadership of our Shishan Steel."

Zhou Xinyang knew all too well that flattery and vanity were common to all people.

Don't look at how some people are held in high regard later on; in truth, that is just the final verdict, picking only the good things to say.

Who hasn't had a few sordid affairs in their youth?

Furthermore, this wasn't even a sordid affair, but rather a way to increase prestige.

Upon hearing this, Li Wujun thought it was excellent.

But what name would match our leading technology? What could reflect our important status?

He was the factory director; it didn't matter if he couldn't think of one, as he still had subordinates, didn't he? "Xiao Zhou, do you have any good suggestions? Speak boldly; as long as it is good, the factory will not forget you."

"Then I will speak: I think we could perfectly well be called the Beijing Steel Factory.

What kind of place is Beijing? It is beneath the feet of the Son of Heaven, the number one city in the country.

To name it after the country's number one city, I think it is very fitting for our factory's contributions, status, and strength."

Zhou Xinyang proposed a term that would not appear until next year: Beijing Steel Factory.

Beijing Steel Factory.

Li Wujun picked up his fountain pen; this was a pen produced by a factory in Modu, but the steel used was sent from Beijing, and it was a fine item he boasted about to everyone he met.

The five characters for "Beijing Steel Factory" written with the fountain pen seemed to be imprinted in his heart.

Beijing Steel Factory, Li Wujun silently recited it a few times, then said, "Not bad, this name is very good; you have performed a meritorious service.

What is your current position? What is your wage level?"

"I only took over my father's position this year; I am an Apprentice Worker at level one wages."

Zhou Xinyang spoke the truth.

Hearing him mention his father, Li Wujun had some impression. "Your father was a man of merit; one cannot forget the descendants of a hero.

How about this: merit must be rewarded; I will transfer you to the factory office, and from now on, you will stay by my side."

Seeing that Zhou Xinyang was quite spirited, and since his previous Secretary had just gone down to the workshop to be a director, Li Wujun promoted him directly to his side.

One reason was that his father had passed away, and Zhou Xinyang was indeed pitiful.

Another was that Zhou Xinyang had come up with such a good name at such a young age; Li Wujun felt he had great potential.

Furthermore, the child was still young; cultivating him for a few years would always yield more genuine loyalty than those who were already adults.

"Many thanks for the cultivation, Factory Director; Xinyang will never forget the great kindness and virtue of the Factory Director."

Zhou Xinyang understood perfectly; in this kind of factory that was equivalent to an independent state-owned enterprise, the factory director was God, the Emperor.

He had suddenly transformed from a worker into a favorite of the factory director, which was equivalent to a grassroots person taking a single step to the heavens.

Li Wujun was very satisfied with his attitude. "As long as we do our work in a way that is worthy of the country and the people, that is enough. As for me promoting you, it is also because of your shrewdness and capability.

Alright, you go back first; I will arrange for Director Qi of the factory office to issue the notice."

"Yes."

Zhou Xinyang knew he had been a soldier, so he gave a neat and crisp military salute.

Li Wujun was even more satisfied and returned the military salute in kind.

Leaving the factory director's office, Zhou Xinyang felt as if he were walking on air.

This was a massive factory of tens of thousands of people; just think, if Director Li could coerce and lure Liu Lan in the cafeteria, what about himself?

One must know that he was now under one person and above ten thousand.

Even ordinary deputy factory directors were not as awesome as he was.

A seventh-rank official at the prime minister's gate, let alone in a state-owned factory where the factory director had the final say.

However, Zhou Xinyang did not become arrogant or ostentatious; being low-key was the most awesome way to show off.

This was Beijing, after all; he couldn't afford to be tough with only a not-so-close factory director as his backer.

Just think of the tens of thousands of descendants of the original shareholders of the Snow Group in Beijing.

If only he could marry a noble daughter of the Eight Banners; then wouldn't he be able to walk sideways across the whole country?

But that was just a thought; after all, he was only a reborn person.

Zhou Xinyang felt wonderful inside, but remained low-key on the surface, though the corners of his mouth couldn't help but turn up, revealing his current mood.

Returning to the Compound dormitory, Zhou Xinyang couldn't help but laugh out loud.

Feeling that this wasn't right, he hurriedly lay on the bed, covered himself with the quilt, and held back from making a sound.

It wasn't until he was both happy and nervous, and had successfully made himself dizzy from covering his head with the quilt, that it finally ended.

And the news of him becoming the factory director's secretary spread like wildfire.

This was the country; no personnel adjustment would ever be quiet.

For Li Wujun to transfer Zhou Xinyang to the factory office, he first had to get approval from Director Qi of the factory office, as well as the personnel section and the director of the production workshop where Zhou Xinyang worked.

By the time Zhou Xinyang arrived home, dozens of people in the workshop already knew.

"Damn, this kid has really ascended to the heavens in a single step."

"Badass, why isn't it me?"

"Hurry up and make Zhou Xinyang treat us to a meal."

Everyone who knew Zhou Xinyang was muttering with envy, jealousy, and hatred.

As for the man of the hour, Zhou Xinyang, he felt like he was about to explode at this moment.

It turned out that he had fainted from being bundled up too tightly and accidentally gained a supernatural ability, which was a Personal Space.

While people were looking for him everywhere, Zhou Xinyang was catching loaches inside the Spatial World.