Chapter 707: The difference between exploitation and promotion (Writer's block, taking a day off)

"Hello? We're not busy in our section today. Even the limping Zheng Jiemin is going, so how can Li Ye not go? He's tall and handsome; our section is counting on him to hold up the facade. I'll just send others to stay behind..."

Early Wednesday morning, after Li Ye arrived at the unit, he received a collective task: arrive at the main gate at nine o'clock sharp to welcome the higher-level leaders and friends from all sides coming to visit and inspect.

When Li Ye arrived at work, he saw colorful flags fluttering and banners displayed at the main gate. Several large red banners were written with welcome words like "Welcome leaders at all levels to visit and give instructions," so he had long expected to be dragged into doing this "welcoming" work.

And listening to the tone of Master Old Ding's phone call, it seemed someone didn't want him to go, but was blocked by Old Ding.

Li Ye didn't communicate with Old Ding beforehand today, but Old Ding was very clever. Whether Li Ye wanted to go was his business, but if you didn't let him go, I would insist on him going.

By nine o'clock, when everyone gathered at the factory gate, Li Ye found that the welcoming team was basically made up of people who "sat in offices."

Thinking about it, it made sense; the factory's normal production couldn't be delayed, so wasn't this kind of face-showing work all hard labor for a bunch of "idlers"?

"Everyone, line up! I'll emphasize the discipline briefly..."

Xiao Jingang saw that Li Ye and the others were a bit scattered, so he stood up and started to reorganize.

"There are many units and leaders coming to visit this time. You represent the image of our unit. Don't be giggling later, and don't talk nonsense..."

"Our Party member comrades must take the lead, keep smiling, be civilized, and be polite..."

Li Ye heard this and felt that Xiao Jingang was pointing at him. He looked up, and the other party was indeed looking at him, his eyes cold and sharp.

Li Ye glanced at him indifferently, then saw the Trade Union Chairwoman, Sister Mai.

Hmm, Sister Mai's face didn't look good. Was she unhappy?

Logically speaking, this whole thing at the gate should be under her command. Did Xiao Jingang steal her job?

However, after Sister Mai noticed Li Ye's gaze, a few smiles appeared on her cold face.

Trade union sisters are generally very warm, especially toward young guys like Li Ye who are handsome, upright, and upwardly mobile.

After Xiao Jingang finished his lecture, he turned to discuss things with Sister Mai. After whispering for a long time, Sister Mai still shook her head slightly.

Li Ye's superior hearing faintly heard that Xiao Jingang seemed to want Sister Mai to send him somewhere else, but Sister Mai didn't agree.

It seems that after the meeting yesterday, the matter regarding Li Ye had spread rapidly. Li Ye fighting you head-on had nothing to do with me.

Li Ye now clearly had someone backing him; whoever got involved was a fool.

At ten o'clock sharp, the people coming to visit and learn hadn't arrived yet, and Li Ye and the others were already impatient standing at the gate.

Everyone found places in twos and threes to squat or sit, smoking and chatting.

But no one dared to leave, because in this day and age, there was a great emphasis on "sense of ritual." The number of people welcoming at the gate represented the degree of importance the unit attached to the visiting leaders. If there were only a few people standing at the gate, many people wouldn't be able to save face.

"Li Ye, look at Guan Liang; he's sweating from nervousness."

Little Zhu from the Technical Section nudged Li Ye's shoulder and gestured toward Guan Liang not far away.

Li Ye looked at Guan Liang. He didn't see him sweating, only saw his lips moving, as if he were talking to himself silently, and from time to time, he would take out a few pages of his speech draft from his pocket to look at.

"He's memorizing his draft to prepare for his speech!"

Li Ye guessed that Guan Liang might be giving a keynote speech to the leaders about the so-called ISO management standard later, and in this day and age, there were no clear PPTs; everything relied on memorization. Once nervous, the brain would become a mess.

"Humph~"

Little Zhu snorted coldly, "When translating materials, he forced us to do the work, but when good things came, he took them all."

"..."

When Guan Liang gathered all the college and technical school students to translate foreign language materials, Little Zhu was one of the "draft animals" caught.

Although the translation process wasn't smooth later and Guan Liang took a shortcut by taking the Hong Kong version for Chinese-to-Chinese translation, Little Zhu still righteously believed that he was one of the "oxen and horses" who had "no credit but had hard work."

But at this moment, when the higher-ups came to visit and learn about "overseas advanced management standards," the only one standing in front to show his face was Guan Liang, as if he were the only hero of this management standard reform.

So, could Little Zhu be convinced?

However, Li Ye smiled and didn't share Little Zhu's hatred. Instead, he said indifferently, "If you don't like the look of him, you can go up and beat him."

Little Zhu paused and lowered his head, muttering, "I don't have as strong a background as you."

"..."

"Sigh~"

Li Ye sighed and didn't explain anything more to Little Zhu.

Little Zhu was just at the stage of having just gotten rid of being a "workplace rookie," having just understood the difference between "exploitation" and "promotion," but he didn't know why there was such a difference.

When a superior assigns tasks in a unit, they look about the same, but if you are always assigned work where you sweat silently behind the scenes, that is exploitation.

And the work assigned to others also looks tiring, but they are sweating and performing in front of the superiors—that is promotion.

A simple example is: you work overtime all night to make a report, and someone else takes the report to make a presentation.

You are being exploited; they are being promoted.

But how can one be promoted?

It still depends on personal strength.

Having a father is strength, being capable is strength, and being talented is also strength.

Just like Li Ye, if he weren't outstanding enough, having tossed out such a large family business himself, would he have today's treatment?

Let alone Wen Leyu, even Watching Liu Muhan wouldn't look at him differently.

Don't look at the fact that Li Zhongfa and Liu Zhengqing have a life-and-death friendship; that friendship won't pass three generations. If Li Ye were ordinary, others would only give him a nod of acquaintance.

And is Guan Liang outstanding?

Compared to Little Zhu, he certainly is.

He is the factory director's pen, and the process of a report from the first draft to the final draft is the process of collision between his secretary's thinking and the factory director's thinking.

An excellent secretary will sensitively grasp "how the leader thinks about problems, what key points the leader focuses on," and even have certain insights into the current status and problems of the unit.

Otherwise, why would the factory director cultivate him?

If someone like Guan Liang worked steadily by the factory's side, not to mention anything else, his systematic thinking ability and comprehensive management ability would all have a certain accumulation.

But it's a pity that he lost the most important point—the original intention of being a person.

Guan Liang should understand that he is a tool for the extension of the factory director's power, and power can never belong to a tool.

"They're here, they're here, everyone stand straight, stop smoking..."

A hurried shout made the crowd, whether squatting or standing, fall into chaos for a while, and then they started to find their own positions.

The front row was managers and deputy managers; on both sides were factory office, Party office... further back were people from the Finance Section, Administrative Section, Trade Union, etc. Li Ye's Supply Section... was ranked in the third layer.

And even this third layer was clearly stratified. Old Ding, Li Ye, and Wu Qingyi were in front; the small fish and shrimp behind wanted to jump, but could only squeeze forward against each other, unable to insert themselves in front of the three of them.

It was really squeezing.

Li Ye saw with his own eyes the limping Zheng Jiemin and Yue Lingshan working together to squeeze Pan Dachuan to the back.

You say it's just the difference between the eighth row and the ninth row; is it necessary to fight, is it necessary to squeeze?

It really is necessary.

Li Ye experienced this kind of crap in his previous life.

At that time, the company completed a major project. After the celebration banquet, the boss toasted and lectured the main project team. Li Ye was squeezed to the very back without knowing it.

With a dozen heads blocking in front of you, the boss couldn't even see your face. You tell me, are you angry?

Later, such things happened one after another, and Li Ye couldn't take it anymore and resigned.

Before resigning, a colleague who was not bad said to him: "Li Ye, every time someone squeezes you, they have one more chance than you. If they squeeze you ten times, they have ten more chances.

Maybe you think these are all useless efforts, but if you have no background and don't squeeze forward, you will never have a chance."

So those in front will always have more opportunities than those behind.

Just like Guan Liang now, he was ranked in front of Li Ye, occupying a great advantage.

But he was also still squeezing forward; after all, there were still veteran players like Lu Zhizhang and Xiao Jingang beside him.

However, when the two visiting representatives from the Ministry of Economics and Trade were exchanging pleasantries with several managers, Guan Liang couldn't help but sweat profusely and slip backward.

He saw Watching Liu Muhan, and it was like seeing a ghost.

And Xiao Jingang was also sweating on his forehead. He had looked at that photo many times these past few days; how could he not recognize this fashionably dressed girl with glasses?

【This woman, why did she come today?】

【She must not meet Li Ye!】

Unfortunately, what you fear comes to pass. After everyone exchanged pleasantries, Section Chief Nie, who came to visit and learn with Watching Liu Muhan, walked straight to Li Ye.

"You are 'Seven-Inch Blade', right? I've read your works and always thought you were a talented and cultivated author, but your reputation hasn't been very good lately!"

Although Section Chief Nie's words were a bit unclear, the tone of questioning his guilt made some people around him terrified.

Section Chief Nie might not make it clear, but don't you know it in your own hearts? ===== CHAPTER 708 =====