Chapter 183

Of course, there are exceptions. For instance, some leaders who have just taken office will keep their doors wide open, which signifies an "open-door policy," meaning subordinates can come to report work or align themselves with the "organization" at any time.

Then there are leaders who lack a sense of security or work in security and confidentiality, who will keep their doors closed at all times; for example, the office door of Li Xuewu and his colleagues is kept locked.

Especially in Li Xuewu's case, there are case reports in the office, the door has two locks, there is even a hair placed in the door crack, and there is always security on duty; this requires a different approach.

Right now, Fu Bin's door is half-ajar, which indicates that Fu Bin is currently free and it is a suitable time for subordinates to report their work.

Dong Wenxue greeted Fu Bin and sat down on the office sofa. This signifies that the work to be discussed might take a relatively long time, or that there are some non-urgent matters that require communication and conversation in a more equitable setting.

The reverse is also true. If a leader receives a subordinate and lets them sit opposite the desk, it means the leader is about to have a relatively formal talk with you, and you need to pay special attention to your words and manner of speaking.

If the leader lets the subordinate sit on the sofa side and walks over to sit down there as well, it means the leader wants to discuss some more relaxed topics; the matter is not urgent, or it requires long-term consideration.

In different situations, at different positions, the tone and manner of speaking, and the degree of formality of the conversation need to be slowly explored and grasped in actual life.

Dong Wenxue has sat in an office for ten years, and Li Xuewu also sat in an office for ten years in his past life; these two, master and apprentice, appear quite at ease in front of the old fox Fu Bin.

This is what Dong Wenxue appreciates about Li Xuewu, and it is also the reason why Fu Bin tolerates Li Xuewu's rapid development in the Security Department.

Dong Wenxue appreciates and tries to win him over, or even use him, while Fu Bin finds him unfathomable, doesn't want to provoke him, and just goes with the flow.

The ways of the government office are like "Dream of the Red Chamber." Outsiders see the "people in the play" as "prominent and noble," but what the "people in the play" are doing is just the same old scheming and intrigue in the style of "Wang Xifeng," merely in a different form and method.

Li Xuewu does not have the qualifications of a teacher to enter and sit down at will. After saluting Fu Bin, he was jokingly scolded by Fu Bin.

"You, I've already said this isn't a military camp. Every time you see me, you salute. Now you're a section chief too, don't salute in the future."

Li Xuewu stood by the tea cabinet at the door, tested the heat in the thermos, and while brewing tea with a cup from the cabinet, said: "Chief, look at what you're saying. In terms of the military, you are my superior; in terms of our current working relationship, you are still my chief. When I see you, I have to salute you. I really can't break this habit."

Li Xuewu rummaged through the tea cabinet for tea leaves and picked the most fragrant jar to brew. This wasn't because Li Xuewu was thirsty, nor was it because Fu Bin's tea was good—Li Xuewu didn't know how to appreciate tea at all. It was entirely a signal, a signal to Fu Bin.

The matter the two of them were about to discuss was a private topic, an informal one. By doing some relatively private actions or behaviors here, he was telling Fu Bin exactly that.

Sometimes, government offices handle things this way. Generally, they won't get straight to the point and state their purpose. Before stating the purpose, the groundwork has already been laid and both sides are prepared.

Such habits have both advantages and disadvantages. One cannot arbitrarily say that every matter is right or wrong, nor can one say it is entirely beneficial or detrimental.

Handling things this way does indeed slow down work progress and consumes office time on these things that seem practically useless, but the ones doing the work are people.

No one is perfect. Everyone, specifically in their position and identity, and between every subordinate and leader, has different working methods and rules of conduct. This requires flexible communication and compromise.

Some people jokingly say that subordinates and leaders are like a married couple; everyone has a time when they need the other, after all, the leader is on top and the subordinate is below.

When two levels are "breaking in," the rhythm is always uncoordinated, so the subordinate needs to follow the leader's rhythm. If you can't keep up or want to change positions, you have to have some "special skills" to make the leader willing to change the rhythm for you.

Of course, this is the relationship at the grassroots level or between direct superiors and subordinates. What about between Li Huai De and Fu Bin?

Actually, it's the same, except that the leader's time is busier, so a "breaking-in lubricant" is needed here, which is the secretary of the Factory Director's Office or the General Office.

The secretary acts as the "breaking-in lubricant," coordinating two leaders with vastly different personalities and working styles onto the same channel. This is the work Xu Sinian does every day.

Fu Bin laughed and pointed at Li Xuewu, saying to Dong Wenxue: "Look at this student of yours. He talks about respecting me, but he doesn't stand on ceremony at all when he comes to me."

Dong Wenxue also laughed and said: "You can't blame Li Ke for this. It's the rules and atmosphere you established in our Security Department. I've heard Li Xuewu say it several times, and the comrades below all say the same."

Fu Bin nodded with great satisfaction and asked with a smile: "Oh? Tell me, what are the comrades below saying about me? I'd like to hear some criticism today too."

Li Xuewu handed a cup of the brewed tea to Fu Bin and one to Dong Wenxue, then turned to get his own, speaking as he walked.

"Let's get this straight first: I didn't make this up, nor did I hear it in front of others. I heard it from the Security Squad and the Guard Team when I went to check the posts. Little Han from the Public Security Squad also told me."

Li Xuewu walked back with his teacup and sat opposite Fu Bin. Seeing that both of them were looking at him, he began to speak.

"The colleagues in these departments all mean the same thing. They say that the reason our Security Department has always been able to uphold the serious and earnest work discipline of a powerful department is entirely under your leadership, Chief. You require yourself to have the style of a soldier, serve the workers with the character of a soldier, and protect the steel mill with the morality of a soldier."

"Hahahaha, that's an exaggeration."

Li Xuewu placed his teacup on the coffee table in front of him and continued: "They also said that although the Chief is strict in work, you are impeccable when treating your own comrades. Don't look at the fact that the Chief often keeps a straight face; they still work hard to do their jobs well. It's not because they are afraid of the Chief, but because they respect the Chief—they respect the Chief for never treating the people of the Security Department as outsiders."

Dong Wenxue looked at his student with a smile, and then said to Fu Bin with a smile: "I have occasionally heard this too. It's not that Li Ke is deliberately saying nice things about you."

Fu Bin laughed and pointed at the master and apprentice, saying: "Stop feeding me sweet talk. Tell me, is there something going on? Didn't Xuewu go to Red Star Commune to handle business today? Did it go smoothly?"

This "Xuewu" was a signal, indicating that Fu Bin had received the signal from the two and was now returning a signal that they could speak directly.

Li Xuewu glanced at his teacher. Seeing his teacher encouraging him to speak, he said: "Very smoothly. We recruited 17 people and 10 hunting dogs. The strength of the Security Section will soon be sufficient."

"That's great. Why did you come to me again? You don't want to expand the staff again, do you? You, a platoon leader, have already reached the level of a 'company commander,' and you want to try being a battalion commander? Hahahaha."

This was Fu Bin tapping the master and apprentice—they could speak directly, but they couldn't exceed the authority and tolerance range of this "battalion commander."

Li Xuewu replied with a smile: "You are my leader; if I don't report to you, who do I report to? I really encountered some situations during this trip that I wasn't sure about, so I reported them to Deputy Chief Dong. Deputy Chief Dong said this matter still had to be asked of you, because you see things more comprehensively."

Fu Bin tossed a cigarette to each of them. Li Xuewu wanted to get up to light Fu Bin's, but Fu Bin waved his hand to stop him, lit his own with a match, shook out the matchstick, and waved his hand at Li Xuewu, signaling him to speak directly.

Seeing that Dong Wenxue had also lit his own, Li Xuewu lit his cigarette, took a puff, and reported: "When I was selecting Guard Team members today, I took them straight up the mountain and held a skills selection. I adopted the form of hunting for the assessment. I didn't expect there to be so much game in the mountains."

When Li Xuewu mentioned the game, Fu Bin narrowed his eyes, his fingers twitched involuntarily, and then he flicked the ash off his cigarette to cover it up.

Li Xuewu knew that Fu Bin was a hunting enthusiast. Dong Wenxue had told Li Xuewu about Fu Bin—he was born a hunter in his childhood, and later, as a soldier, he often handled guns. Even now, he often takes people to nearby mountains to hunt or goes to the shooting range with his comrades-in-arms.

"I saw that there were quite a lot of wild boars, blue sheep, and the like, so I mentioned it, saying that this mountain is really suitable for training, and the game caught could also be sold to the steel mill. I didn't expect the village secretary to be moved. He wants to deepen cooperation with us. Taking this selection of Guard Team personnel as an opportunity, he gave us nearly a thousand catties of meat. It's still parked at the back kitchen door of the cafeteria now."

Fu Bin's hand holding the cigarette paused slightly. He stood up, walked to the window, and looked out, seeing a truck parked behind the cafeteria.

"Continue," Fu Bin said, standing at the window without coming back to sit down, just looking out.

Li Xuewu then continued: "The village secretary means that they will provide the manpower and labor to build a training ground for us in the mountains, including training people and dogs. But he wants our factory's job quotas, and he also wants the quotas for dog trainers in the mountains. Furthermore, he wants to supply our factory with game long-term. I have considered the dog trainer matter; the mountain people are indeed more professional than us."

Li Xuewu's order of reporting work was from difficult to easy, from public affairs to private matters, and finally, he expressed his thoughts on matters he could decide or suggest.

This is a reporting technique. Fu Bin had already felt it. The training ground is a big deal, and the job quotas are not a small matter either. The former is within his authority, and the latter is also within his management scope; it doesn't count as exceeding the standard.

The last item is an even rarer good thing, which can provide him with space and conditions to maneuver in the factory.

Fu Bin pondered for a moment, walked back to the sofa, sat down, and said: "The meat supply matter can be handed over to the Logistics Department to negotiate with the village secretary; it's not convenient for us to go and talk about it. As for the training base matter, put it aside for now. It's winter, so it's not very convenient for construction. Furthermore, it involves many situations, so I will consider it on my end."

"As for the job quota matter, the person in charge still needs to talk to the factory director personally."

After considering, the old fox Fu Bin chose to act cautiously. The order of his reply to Li Xuewu also changed. He didn't think according to the good side Li Xuewu mentioned, but thought more about the bad side, which also led to the reason why he didn't want to do it now.

Although he didn't get the desired result from Fu Bin, Li Xuewu was not discouraged, because this kind of thing cannot be accomplished in one go; good things take time.

Dong Wenxue said to Li Xuewu with a smile: "Alright, let's handle it this way for now. You go and report the matter of the village sending pigs to Deputy Factory Director Li first, and then lead the village secretary to meet Deputy Factory Director Li."

Li Xuewu knew that the two still had things to say. He stubbed out his cigarette, stood up, saluted the two, and went out.

If a matter cannot be done, don't force it, because even if a forced matter can be done, it will be half-cooked rice.

Arriving at the door of Deputy Factory Director Li's office, seeing the door half-ajar and Li Huai De sitting behind the desk writing something, Li Xuewu knocked on the door.

Seeing it was Li Xuewu, Li Huai De called out: "Come, Xuewu, come in. Is something the matter?"

Li Huai De still had a very good impression of Li Xuewu—active, progressive, down-to-earth, and most importantly, he didn't cause trouble and didn't have any inappropriate ideas. So, ever since that time after drinking, he had been calling him "Xuewu." Of course, this is also a technique for leaders to manage subordinates.

There is a saying in government offices that if a leader's words aren't on paper and signed, they are as good as farts. It sounds a bit unpleasant, but that's how it is in actual work and life.

Li Xuewu pushed the door open, walked into the office, stood in front of Li Huai De's desk, reported today's mission, and mentioned the village donating pigs.

Li Xuewu didn't mention the quotas or the training ground. Since this matter had been reported to Fu Bin, it couldn't be reported to Li Huai De again. If he did, a good thing would turn into a bad thing.

Reporting level by level is a very important matter. Only in extremely special circumstances or with the permission or request of superiors can one report across levels. This is the guideline for administrative organs and enterprises to handle things, written in the manual.

Why? Because of order, because of jurisdiction.

Seeing Silly Zhu wants to buy a bottle of Qingxu vinegar, but the cafeteria director insists on buying Shunqing vinegar. Although both are among the four famous vinegars, the two have different opinions. Seeing Silly Zhu reports across levels to Deputy Factory Director Li, saying "I want to buy this kind of vinegar, but the cafeteria director won't let me and insists on buying that kind." How should Deputy Factory Director Li manage this?

No one would say that doing it this way is good.

Hearing that Red Star Commune had donated two pigs and several blue sheep to the steel mill, Li Huai De stood up happily and smiled: "It's still you, Xuewu. Our factory's logistics department was just thinking about adding a meal for the workers before the New Year, and I was worrying about how to get some meat. I didn't expect you to solve this matter."

Hearing Li Huai De's words, Li Xuewu didn't believe a single word, not even a punctuation mark. This Li Huai De had extensive social connections. Although he didn't entertain leaders of various factories in the cafeteria every day, the lunch boxes Seeing Sha Zhu often brought home were evidence.

Saying he couldn't get meat? The meat on Seeing Sha Zhu's chopping board couldn't have been gotten by Seeing Sha Zhu himself. This was just Li Huai De joking with Li Xuewu and encouraging him.

Li Xuewu said with a smile: "This isn't my credit. It's because you decided to recruit Guard Team members in Red Star Commune that they sent the game. This is entirely thanks to you."

Li Huai De laughed and said: "This is a good thing, we won't be modest."

Li Xuewu said with a smile: "The village secretary of Red Star Commune is here and wants to thank you in person."

"Oh? Then invite him over. It would be a slight to him otherwise. We must thank him."

Li Xuewu agreed, went out to find Yin Mancang, gave him a few instructions, and then brought him to Li Huai De's office.

Li Huai De is an old fox in the city, and Yin Mancang is an old fox in the mountains. Under the harmony of the two, Li Huai De asked Li Xuewu to invite Yang Shuji, who was in charge of services, and then settled the matter of worker-peasant brothers helping each other and branch mutual aid.

Li Huai De even called the logistics director and cafeteria director over on the spot and settled the acquisition matters right in the deputy factory director's office.

After they finished talking, Li Huai De took the lead and went downstairs, walking toward the back door of the cafeteria. Li Xuewu and the others followed behind, and the workers in the courtyard were all watching.

Walking to the front of the truck, Li Xuewu had the dozen young men in the back of the truck get off and stand in a row, with ten of them holding dogs.

They had all received militia training, so they still had military quality and a very fierce spirit.

Li Huai De nodded with satisfaction at Li Xuewu and Yin Mancang. Seeing Li Huai De was satisfied, Li Xuewu signaled Zhao Yajun to take the ten people to lead the ten dogs to the dog kennel near the oil depot.

He instructed the remaining seven people to start unloading the game.

At this time, Seeing Sha Zhu and the others from the cafeteria all ran out to watch the excitement.

"Hey, I was just wondering why there was a truck parked at the back kitchen. So it's sending us pigs. Why are there blue sheep and roe deer too?"

Liu Lan is the "underground empress" of the back kitchen, so she was bolder in speaking. When the others in the cafeteria didn't dare to speak, she glanced at Li Huai De and said: "It seems Factory Director Li is preparing to reward us."

Li Huai De smiled and looked at Li Xuewu and Yin Mancang.

Li Xuewu said at the right time: "This is because Deputy Factory Director Li decided to recruit Guard Team members in Red Star Commune, and Red Star Commune sent the game to thank our steel mill."

Seeing Fu Bin and Dong Wenxue also walking over, Li Huai De said with a smile: "We are going to form a worker-peasant brother mutual aid unit with Red Star Commune. In the future, there will be a steady stream of mountain game on the dining tables of our steel mill workers' cafeteria!"

At this time, under Li Xuewu's signal, Seeing Sha Zhu took the lead in applauding. The other onlookers cheered, feeling that Deputy Factory Director Li had done a great good deed, and those who liked excitement had already run out to spread the word.

Taking advantage of the chaos, Seeing Sha Zhu winked and smiled at Li Xuewu. Li Xuewu knew what Seeing Sha Zhu meant, smiled back at him, and gave a thumbs up.

Deputy Factory Director Li was very happy and instructed Seeing Sha Zhu: "Kill these two pigs and these game animals today. Have the factory office make meat coupons tonight, and make the meat for everyone to eat tomorrow noon."

"Good!"

"Good~"

The surroundings were filled with cheers.

Under Seeing Sha Zhu's command, the seven young men carried the game into the cafeteria. Li Xuewu followed and said to Seeing Sha Zhu: "Keep one blue sheep and those rabbits and pheasants separate, and put them in your cafeteria's freezer. Use this meat when Deputy Factory Director Li entertains guests in the future."

Seeing Sha Zhu smiled and poked Li Xuewu, saying: "Your brain is still the best. No wonder you're a section chief."

"Don't worry, with me as your brother, you will also make progress in the future."

After finishing the joke, Li Xuewu whispered to Seeing Sha Zhu: "If you want a piece, find a way to take it out yourself, just don't get caught."

Seeing Sha Zhu laughed: "Don't worry, brother, I know what I'm doing."

Li Xuewu knew that Seeing Sha Zhu had his own ways. Even if he didn't let him steal, he wouldn't be able to stop him, so it was better to remind him.

Li Xuewu added: "After you finish cleaning this up, I have another blue sheep at home. You'll be the chef tonight."

"No problem, just wait and see."

After chatting with Seeing Sha Zhu for a few more sentences, he took the seven new team members out of the cafeteria. Seeing that Li Huai De and the others were about to stroll back, he instructed the new team members to walk along the road to the Guard Team dormitory and wait for him.

He himself caught up with Li Huai De and whispered about the "small meat warehouse" left in the cafeteria.

Seeing that no one around was looking their way, Li Huai De smiled at Li Xuewu and said: "Go ahead and do what you need to do, no need to accompany me. Today, arrange for Secretary Yin to rest at the steel mill guesthouse, and tomorrow you arrange for someone to send him back. We will hold a formal ceremony at a suitable time."

Seeing that Li Huai De didn't mean to ask Factory Director Yang for instructions and didn't say anything else, this meant that Li Huai De and Yang Shuji had settled the matter. Of course, he wouldn't be so foolish as to ask if he needed to report it further up; he would just do it.

Li Xuewu nodded and said: "Then I'll listen to you, Chief. I still have to go to the Personnel Department to handle the procedures for these 17 people, so I'll take my leave first."

As he spoke, he looked at the others.

Li Huai De waved his hand, and the others also nodded with a smile.

To say that these people didn't see him whispering to Li Huai De just now would be nonsense. Whether they heard it or not, he didn't know, but they all saw the meaning Li Huai De expressed, so naturally, they wouldn't embarrass Li Xuewu on the surface.

Li Xuewu nodded with a smile, then took a few steps ahead of the others and walked toward the office building.

He went up to the main building, turned into the Personnel Department on the second floor, and entered Sister Xie's small office amidst the polite greetings of everyone in the office.

The treatment he received this time was completely different from the first time he came. Li Xuewu still remembered the scene on his first day of reporting; the expressions of the people in the Personnel Department were simply worlds apart compared to now.

In his past life, he heard a saying that people in government units are like monkeys hanging on a tree—from the top of the tree to the bottom, all the monkeys see are butts when looking up from below, and smiling faces when looking down from above.

Li Xuewu took the materials and introduction letters for the dozen or so people and placed them on Sister Xie's desk, stopping Sister Xie, who was about to call someone to pour him water.

"Sister, you're busy today, let's not stand on ceremony."

Sister Xie didn't insist anymore, took the materials, and began to read them.

Eighteen sets of materials were neatly arranged. The documents in Li Xuewu's hands were increasing with every step—fifteen, seventeen, eighteen.

This is why Li Xuewu never said how many people he was recruiting. There were always a few left for special connections. This was nothing; there were always some unimportant positions left for these people to fill.

These positions couldn't be called dedicated positions, only suitable ones. For example, Yin Qun—why could a child like this get in?

The biggest benefit is that there will be no obstacles in communicating with Red Star Commune in the future. It can't be called a "hostage," but rather, if our relationship isn't good, I'll have your son feed the dogs...

Yin Mancang's meaning is also this: if we get along well, how could you have the heart to let my son feed the dogs?

Take Yan Jiecheng for another example—why did Yan Jiecheng join the Guard Team at the upper age limit? It was entirely his father's doing. Sometimes it's just that realistic.

He's such a big guy; where isn't he a security guard? If he can pay to be one, there's no reason to push him away. If it were you, you wouldn't push him away either.

The first seventeen sets had no problems; they were all village certificates, and they were all personnel specially recruited by the leader's notice. Only the last one was different.

This one was Yan Jiecheng's. The introduction letter was issued by the neighborhood office, and there was an envelope on top of Yan Jiecheng's materials.

Sister Xie glared at Li Xuewu and wanted to throw it back at him, but was pushed back by Li Xuewu with a cheeky grin.

Opening the envelope to look, Sister Xie stuffed it back into Li Xuewu's hand and whispered: "Are you stupid? This is your own department's business, why give it all to me? Who is this?"

Li Xuewu said with a smile: "Sister, I don't handle personnel. Recruiting people still depends on you. This is from the same courtyard, lives right opposite my house, I really couldn't avoid it. It was given by them, I didn't even look at how much it was. Please help me out."

Sister Xie smiled, took the envelope Li Xuewu handed over again, pulled out 10 "Big Unities" (10-yuan notes), and handed the rest back to Li Xuewu. Seeing Li Xuewu still wanting to give it, she glared at him and said: "Alright, tell him to come report to me tomorrow."

Li Xuewu didn't want outsiders to see such a small matter, so he didn't insist anymore and agreed with a smile.

Just as he finished speaking and came out, he saw a queue at the Finance Department at the end of the second floor.

Li Xuewu had just come up from the stairs on this side and hadn't seen what was happening over there because he was in a hurry. Now he saw people constantly walking from that side to this side, counting money as they walked.

Hey! Today is payday. Forget it, let's take care of my own business first and collect my salary on the way, so I don't have to make a second trip.

If he missed this, he would have to wait until this time next month to collect it.

Li Xuewu walked against the flow of people toward the Finance Office. From a distance, he saw Feng Juan, who had returned from the business trip together, standing on the side waiting to change shifts.

There are more than 10,000 people in the whole factory, and the salary must be paid out within three days, while also distributing grain coupons and non-staple food coupons.

When Li Xuewu walked closer, Feng Juan also saw Li Xuewu, winked at him, and walked over.

Feng Juan led Li Xuewu into the Finance Office and asked: "Li Ke, why are you here?"

"To collect my salary. I completely forgot about this."

"You're really something. You can even forget to collect your salary. Do you want to drink the northwest wind this month?"

As she spoke, she took Li Xuewu's seal and said to him: "You don't know, our section chief gave instructions that the salaries of section chiefs and above are collected in the Finance Office, so you don't have to queue at the stairs."

Hey, Liu Fusheng's father really knows how to do things. Those with titles have special treatment.

"Look, the Finance Section really knows how to do things better than our Security Section. I really have to learn more from your section chief."

Feng Juan laughed: "Although I'm joking, our section chief is indeed very easygoing. For high-level cadres who are on duty or busy with work, our section chief personally takes a few squad leaders to deliver it."

Li Xuewu smiled and said: "Then your section chief is really hardworking, truly achieving 'serving the people.' I really have to learn from that. We can't reach that realm; we can only treat everyone equally. Hahahaha."

Feng Juan knew Li Xuewu was joking about her section chief, but since the section chief's son was in the Public Security Squad and Li Xuewu was at the same rank as the section chief, this kind of joke wasn't sensitive.

Deng Juan also covered her mouth and laughed as she listened, then said to Li Xuewu: "When our section chief comes back, I'll tell him someone is mocking him."

Feng Juan had a straightforward and generous personality, and Li Xuewu was also a good talker, so the two of them were quite lively.

After finishing speaking, Feng Juan took the seal and went to the desk to start checking Li Xuewu's salary sheet.

This seal was just a small strip, which could still be seen in the nineties. One end was the seal, and the other end was punched to hang on a keychain. It was generally made of rubber and also called a "stamp."

"Li Ke, you joined on November 18th. Up to the 25th, when your term as squad leader ended, it was calculated according to the standard of 37.5 yuan. From the 26th to the 30th, it was your term as section chief, calculated according to the salary standard of 110.5 yuan. So your total salary is 27.17 yuan."

Li Xuewu was surprised and asked: "Why has my salary increased so much?"

Feng Juan looked at Li Xuewu and said with a grin: "Didn't you look at your own appointment announcement? When you first joined, you joined according to the ordinary clerk position, set at the 7th-grade clerk, which is the 25th-grade salary."

"Generally, high school and technical secondary school graduates get this salary after two years of probation. You might have been set low because you needed to learn when you first joined, and it should have been prepared to be raised later. But now you have been set to the official leadership position of section chief, so the salary must be set according to the administrative level."

"The Security Section belongs to a full section-level unit, so the administrative level of the section chief is full section-level, and the salary is 16th grade, 110.5 yuan. What? You think it's too much? If you think it's too much, give it to me, hehehe~"

Li Xuewu stamped the salary sheet and said: "In your dreams. Thank you."

Li Xuewu picked up his stamp and money and was about to leave, but Feng Juan called out: "Li Ke, wait, you haven't collected your grain coupons and non-staple food coupons yet."

Good heavens, if you only take the money and not the coupons, you can't buy anything.

Li Xuewu patted his forehead, turned back to look at Feng Juan, who was laughing heartily, and said: "Look at my brain, I've been so busy today that it's almost stopped turning."

Feng Juan laughed: "Why are you so forgetful? Wait a moment."

As she spoke, she took out three 10-jin grain coupons, and separated one 3-jin and one 5-jin grain coupon.

Feng Juan pointed to these grain coupons separately and said: "Because your situation is special, and it's my first time seeing such a complicated term as yours, I'll explain it to you in detail for the first time."

"These 30 jin are your quota, and these 8 jin are your daughter's quota. Deputy Chief Dong specifically called our section chief today to tell us that you have a daughter under your household."

After Feng Juan finished speaking, she blinked her eyes and looked at Li Xuewu. She didn't know why this Li Ke suddenly had a daughter. She hadn't heard that he was married before, and she felt a bit uncomfortable in her heart. A good son-in-law had turned into...

Li Xuewu had chatted with Feng Juan all the way today, so they could be considered familiar. He explained: "An orphan I adopted on the way during a business trip." The population in government offices is mixed, so he didn't say anything more.

Although Feng Juan wanted to ask, she didn't dare, so she continued to get the coupons for Li Xuewu.

"In Beijing, grain coupons are issued on the 24th of every month, but our steel mill is not. We go to the Grain Bureau to collect them ourselves and issue them with the salary. However, you can use the next month's grain coupons to buy grain in advance on the 25th of every month. Don't go to buy grain on the 25th; the grain store will have a long queue. That lineup is very spectacular and enough to keep you queuing for a whole day."

Li Xuewu carefully looked at the quota standard table that Feng Juan pressed under the desk glass. In the north, where miscellaneous grains and flour are the staple food, the grain quota standards are:

1. Special heavy manual laborers, 50~60 jin, the average must not exceed 55 jin.

2. Heavy manual laborers, 40~49 jin, the average must not exceed 44 jin.

3. Light manual laborers, 29~39 jin, the average must not exceed 35 jin.

4. Government, organization staff, public and private enterprise employees, shop assistants, and other mental laborers, 27~32 jin, the average must not exceed 31 jin.

5. University and middle school students, 29~36 jin, the average must not exceed 35 jin.

6. General residents and children over ten years old, 24~28.5 jin, the average must not exceed 27.5 jin.

7. Children over six but under ten years old, 18~23 jin, the average must not exceed 22 jin.

8. Children over three but under six years old, 12~17 jin, the average must not exceed 14 jin.

9. Children under three years old, 6~11 jin, the average must not exceed 8 jin.

The grain coupons for Li Xuewu and his daughter Li Shu were just about the average.

Feng Juan took out an industrial coupon and said: "You can get one industrial coupon for every 20 yuan of salary."

She also took out eight taels of grain oil coupons, four feet of cloth coupons...

She took out a pile of coupons and handed them to Li Xuewu, and instructed: "Some coupons are time-limited. If you don't have time to queue, remember to ask your family to queue, otherwise they will be void."

Li Xuewu swept the coupons on the table into a small handful, and tied them up with the rubber band Feng Juan gave him, laughing and crying. It wasn't that he was worried about his coupons expiring; Wen San'er's bag never lacked coupons.

What made him laugh and cry was that he had to collect a pile of coupons after getting his salary, and even buying salt required coupons.

Li Xuewu signed and stamped the non-staple food coupon collection registration form again, then said goodbye to Feng Juan and walked out.

They say there are no airtight walls in the world, and even the most rigorous plans have the possibility of being discovered by interested people.

Today, the Finance Li Kezhang took a few squad leaders to distribute salaries and grain coupons to the leaders of various departments in the main building, and then came to the experimental building to pay salaries to the engineers, because the engineers in the factory are also considered high-level and can express their opinions on some issues.

Seeing someone pass by the office door, Hu Zhengquan slowly pushed away the drawing board, stood up, and walked out.

Engineer Han, who was sitting opposite Hu Zhengquan, laughed: "You've been to the bathroom several times today."

Hu Zhengquan pretended to be helpless and said: "No way, once a person gets old, the prostate is finished—frequent and urgent urination, sigh." As he spoke, he frowned and went out the door to the bathroom.

"Make it short, I might have been exposed."

"Why?"

"The Security Section came to investigate me yesterday."

"Didn't they just ask a few questions at the door?"

"No, the God of Wealth said they went to my house to investigate me. The God of Wealth checked the information you gave, and it was Xu Ning from the former Public Security Squad, now the Security Squad Chief."

"I haven't heard of this, but the Guard Team has recruited quite a few people, and there are dogs."

"Can you get photos of the expanded personnel?"

"There are some selected from within other factories, but the new recruits of the Guard Team can't be gotten for the time being. They are all locked in Li's office and can't be entered, but I will try my best."

"Your previous money and beauty offensives didn't work? This new section chief of the Security Section is not simple. You must deal with him as soon as possible. Either use money to smash him like before, use roses to seduce him—can't the rose that even you and I couldn't hold onto handle him? Or divert his attention. If not, eliminate him."

"We will arrange it. It's the lurking period now, not suitable for big moves."

"Fine, I'll try to see if they are watching me tonight."

"Don't be impulsive. You must listen to our instructions. If there is a situation, the Bee will notify you. We have the ability to protect you."

"I have my own way. Also, if I'm really being watched, I'll withdraw. I've earned enough life-saving money for you all these years, right? That's it."

"Bang!"

Hu Zhengquan walked back to the office, shaking the water off his hands.

Old Han held a pencil and teased Hu Zhengquan through the upper edge of his reading glasses: "What? Did you pee on your hands?"

Hu Zhengquan really hated this Old Han who always liked to joke with him, but he had to smile and reply: "Don't worry, you'll have a day like this too."

Li Xuewu kept replying to people greeting him along the way. When he arrived at the Guard Team dormitory, he saw the young men from Red Star Commune being surrounded by Guard Team members asking questions.

Li Xuewu saw that these young people were both envious and inferior when looking at the uniformed Guard Team members.

"Assemble!"

With Li Xuewu's shout, the team members who were surrounding them in the dormitory stood straight against the edge of the kang, and the young men from the village also followed suit and stood against the empty kang.

"Listen up!"

"Swish!" The Guard Team members put their hands behind their backs, left hand gripping the right fist, right foot striding out half a step into a standing position. The new team members from the village also learned to do the same.

"Today is the day our new team members join our Guard Team. Now our Guard Team is strong. From now on, old team members must lead new team members to familiarize themselves with the situation, and new team members must strive to adapt to the Guard Team's work rhythm."

"In our team, there are those from the village and those from the factory. There are friends and childhood playmates. You can help each other, but you are not allowed to form cliques or isolate others. I'll put it this way: have courage and use your skills against enemies and criminals. Whoever dares to be lazy or act like a thorn, go back to where you came from."

"Is that clear?"

"Clear!"

"New team members, put your luggage by the edge of the kang for now and follow me to collect your equipment, shoes, and hats. Later, Han Zhan will lead the new team members to change clothes, organize luggage, learn our management regulations, and then take them out for drills."

Han Zhan stood at attention and replied: "Yes."

"Dismiss!"

"Kill~ Kill~ Kill~"

The team members shouted three times and went about their business. The group of new team members from the village stared with wide eyes, looking at the novelty.

PS: Solemn declaration: The relevant content in the book is all fabricated by the author. If any reader gets promoted based on this experience, it is entirely the personal responsibility of the reader. Wu Wen Nong Mo is not responsible!

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