Chapter 837

Who said the new building has quality issues? Who’s the bastard trying to snatch our new apartments?

Let’s go ask Deputy Factory Director Li—he just told us we’d all be living in new buildings within five years. Why’s he changing his mind today?

Why are you in such a rush? Has Deputy Director Li ever gone back on his word? Probably something’s gone wrong over at headquarters.

Then what do we do? I was happy for less than two hours—how can a dream wake up so fast?

Stop talking. Nothing stays secret in this factory. Split up and find out the truth before we say anything else.

Okay, I’ll ask my second uncle.

I’ll ask my aunt by marriage.

More than half the workers in Plant One have ties to headquarters—either they’re children of workers or were transferred from headquarters. The network’s complicated; digging up top-secret info might be hard, but the contents of an open meeting? That’s just a matter of minutes.

Walls don’t keep secrets. This morning, the two plant managers at Plant One screamed at headquarters so loudly—just imagine how fast this “good show” will spread!

So within just one lunch break, Plant One’s workers had learned the meeting’s contents—and collectively exploded in rage.

Not only are they not distributing the apartments anymore, but the Japanese new project has also been left uncertain.

In other words, the dream of moving into new buildings within five years—just whispered about a few days ago—is likely to vanish completely?

More importantly, at the meeting, someone explicitly stated that Plant One’s wages are too high and must be adjusted—to cut costs and live frugally.

【I’ll cut your sister’s flesh!】

Whoever’s meat gets cut hurts. The two hundred and sixty households that got apartments instantly became the vanguard spearhead; hundreds more workers followed as “auxiliaries,” storming toward headquarters in a furious, roaring mob—targeting the Housing Office.

What are you doing? What’s going on? Talk this out calmly!

The Housing Office staff had been defiant, shouting at the charging workers—after all, in the workplace, their superiority over ordinary workers was even stronger than that of the Personnel and Payroll Department.

Wages come from the state—try withholding even a single cent?

But housing isn’t guaranteed for everyone—deny me housing, and can you even bite me?

But after just two shouts, the Housing Office staff fell silent.

Too many people. The corridor was packed; outside, a sea of heads stretched beyond sight. Even kids know: don’t fight when outnumbered.

Where’s Director Kan? We want to talk to him.

Director Kan isn’t… isn’t here!

Then find someone else—we just want to know: who reported that our new welfare building is a shoddy construction? Who? Let them step forward!

Who’d dare admit it? A mob of furious workers could do anything.

Let’s go ask Personnel and Payroll next—why are they cutting our wages? What’s it got to do with them?

Come on, to Personnel and Payroll!

The crowd stormed toward Personnel and Payroll—but no one was there.

There must be a spy who leaked our coming.

Who is it? Find them—we’ll peel their skin off!

Who else? Those who were supposed to get apartments but didn’t!

The uproar by hundreds of workers inside and outside the office building shook the entire unit.

Hey, Security Department! Send everyone to the office building immediately! Also notify the Neighborhood Patrol and the Police Station—this is going to blow up.

Nonsense! What’s going to blow up? Are you trying to make this public? Alert Plant One—tell their managers to come stop this!

We’ve already notified Plant One, but Director Lu and Director Li are out—they’re not home.

They’re trying to rebel! Where’s the Union? Where’s Lai Jiayi?

Lai Jiayi is on her way.

Lai Jiayi arrived quickly—but it was useless.

Comrade workers, this is an illegal gathering and a serious disciplinary violation. Everyone, go back. The factory will give you an answer.

Go to hell! Waiting for you to give us an answer? Better dream of marrying a bride at home! It’s people like you—jealous, selfish, envious—who stole our apartments. If you weren’t a woman, we’d settle this with you today!

Lai Jiayi fled in panic. She was just a woman—facing a mob of furious men, her heart nearly leapt out of her chest.

At this moment, she finally understood the meaning behind Li Ye’s words a few days ago: Be loyal to the state above, and faithful to the masses below.

Union cadres are meant to unite the masses—but now, Li Ye had completely sidelined her.

Li Ye and Lu Zhizhang returned an hour later.

Because Li Ye had a pager, he’d been paged dozens of times in an hour—more urgent than Yue Fei’s thirteen imperial gold plaques.

After returning, they quickly calmed the anxious workers, promising the welfare building’s inspection results would be announced within a week—and the nearly thousand workers returned to Plant One to resume production.

Then Li Ye said to Lu Zhizhang: “This was my idea. I’ll explain it to the chief factory director—you stay behind and keep an eye on the workers.”

But Lu Zhizhang smiled and said: “What, Deputy Director? Trying to steal my spotlight? The thunder I should take, the punishment I should bear—it’s my duty as factory director.”

Then let’s go together!

Li Ye smiled and walked with Lu Zhizhang to the chief factory director’s office.

Hundreds of workers gathering to surround the office building wasn’t a minor incident—if the higher-ups labeled it “mass rebellion,” the consequences would be severe.

But when Li Ye and Lu Zhizhang arrived at the chief factory director’s office, he refused to see them—told them to go back and reflect.

Li Ye and Lu Zhizhang exchanged glances—both wore knowing expressions.

After Li Ye and Lu Zhizhang left, Xiao Jingen and others came to see the chief factory director.

Director, this is lawless! Do they have any discipline? Any respect for the state?

Director, we must report this to the ministry. It must be dealt with severely. No matter how powerful their backers, they can’t break these principles—they’re asking for death.

Director Kan, Director Wan, and others—all shaken—vowed to destroy Li Ye and Lu Zhizhang. If they hadn’t hidden under their desks, they’d probably be bleeding by now.

But the chief factory director stared at them coldly, then suddenly asked: “Has this month’s procurement budget been disbursed?”

Director Wan glanced at him in surprise, then replied: “Not yet. But according to our new procurement plan, payment will be made before the 15th. Should I pay early?”

The headquarters’ procurement system had been reformed—several trading companies supplying goods had hidden ties with management, so payments were always prompt. Paying early wasn’t impossible.

But the chief factory director said firmly: “No. Hold off this month’s procurement payments. Delay until next month. Notify the Supply Department: restore old supplier relationships. Return to previous payment terms.”

“Also, accelerate sales collections. Six months is too long—cut it to two or three months.”

Everyone froze.

How many days of comfort had passed? Why return to the old ways?

You, Gu Liang, earned the most—have you made enough? Are you trying to quit?

But we’ve just started!

Once you’ve tasted the illicit, it’s hard to quit—some can’t quit at all.

The chief factory director took a deep breath, then said gravely: “If the ministry sends investigators to probe today’s mass disturbance, what will they uncover?”

Xiao Jingen and Director Wan stiffened, faces grim.

Are the workers rioting just because of those buildings?

No. It’s because of wages. Because headquarters wants Plant One to cut costs and increase revenue.

But headquarters was running fine—why, in less than a year, did it suddenly become dependent on Plant One’s blood transfusion?

Some truths can’t withstand investigation—unless every last drop of embezzled money is vomited back up.

Can they vomit it up?

“So we just let it go?”

The chief factory director closed his eyes, saying nothing.

In fact, these past few days had left him utterly exhausted.

Gu Jianqi retired early, hoping to secure his coffin money—but ended up in miserable ruin. As someone on the same line, how could he avoid being affected? How could he not fear?

The proof: after promotion became impossible, chasing wealth was a path of utter folly.

When everyone had left, the chief factory director sat silently before his chessboard, staring at the half-finished game.

He loved chess. Lu Zhizhang and Li Ye had both played against him on this board.

Li Ye’s chess skills were poor—but he was ruthless and unreasonable.

Lu Zhizhang hid his strength well; his final game was merciless.

“Hmph. The younger generation is formidable—relentless indeed.”