Chapter 44 Meeting

No sooner had Lin Yuanshu finished speaking than the deputy factory director couldn't help but exclaim, "How could you be so reckless!"

Then the three of them turned to look at Director Xia, their eyes seeming to say, "Look what you've done!"

Director Xia looked bewildered and said, "Why are you looking at me? I didn't know about this beforehand!"

He looked at Lin Yuanshu and said, "Why didn't you tell me beforehand when you did this?"

Lin Yuanshu gave a helpless look. "If I told you, would you agree to me doing it?"

"Of course I disagree," Director Xia said confidently.

Lin Yuanshu forced a smile and said, "Then let's not settle it."

Director Xia: "..."

Director Tang frowned, looking troubled: "The deputy factory director is right. You were too rash in this matter. While achievements are important, a steady and solid approach is also crucial. As a new employee, you have already done an excellent job. What you need is to mature and accumulate experience, not to keep trying to stand out."

Director Zhou nodded in agreement. "Besides, how could you keep such a big thing from Director Xia? You're too ambitious."

Lin Yuanshu gave an innocent smile and said pitifully, "I have already submitted the plan. I hope you can put in a good word for me. I am really confident that I can succeed. If it is inconvenient for you to help, I completely understand. After all, everyone will weigh the pros and cons."

The three workshop directors exchanged glances; Lin Yuanshu's words had put them in a dilemma.

If they are unwilling to say nice things, they will be seen as people who want Lin Yuanshu to do things for them but are unwilling to do so.

If I express my willingness to help now, I can win Lin Yuanshu's favor and have another dedicated helper, but I won't be able to get involved in this project proposal.

If you succeed, that's fine, but if you fail, you'll be covered in mud that you can't wash off.

Finally, Director Tang spoke first: "I believe in your abilities. I will definitely help if I can and lend you a hand."

After all, since she met Lin Yuanshu, he had never done anything unreliable. Now she had a great opportunity to have Lin Yuanshu devoted to her wholeheartedly, and she couldn't miss it.

Upon hearing this, Director Xia quickly replied, "I'm willing to help too."

We must not let Director Tang win Lin Yuanshu back.

Lin Yuanshu was deeply moved and said, "I am so fortunate to have met such good leaders like you. I am so grateful to you for supporting my plan."

Then, she turned her attention to Director Zhou.

Director Zhou instantly felt immense pressure. He thought that since Director Tang and Director Xia had already agreed to help, one more person wouldn't make a difference, and one less person wouldn't make a difference either. It wouldn't be worth it to create a rift with Lin Yuanshu over such a small matter, since he still needed Lin Yuanshu to find out about Director Xia.

Although he lost Lin Yuanshu, he still had Zhou Moli. His niece was not as capable as Lin Yuanshu, but she was much better than his subordinate Er Lengzi.

"Don't worry, I definitely won't stand idly by," Director Zhou said confidently.

Lin Yuanshu smiled with satisfaction. How lucky she was that all three of them were in the same room, so she didn't have to coax them one by one.

It just so happens that all three of them want to win her over. Without her having to put in any effort, they will become competitive, and if one of them agrees, the other two will definitely agree as well.

The deputy factory director smiled and said, "It's good that it's been resolved. Since you've already discussed it, there's no need for you to stay in my office any longer. You can go back to work."

Lin Yuanshu said very politely, "I'm sorry to bother you."

The deputy factory director smiled nonchalantly, "It's nothing."

Lin Yuanshu returned to the workshop. The three workshop directors thought for a moment and then went to Director Qian's office to probe his thoughts.

If Director Qian agrees, they are happy to fully support Lin Yuanshu. If Director Qian strongly opposes it, they will just say a few perfunctory words. After all, Director Qian is the one who makes the final decision. If he opposes it, the plan cannot proceed.

Time passed slowly, and for the first time, Lin Yuanshu felt that her current mindset was frighteningly stable. She was about to attend a meeting organized by Director Qian, a meeting that would determine her future, yet she still had the mood to eat and was even enjoying her meal.

After finishing his meal, Lin Yuanshu was the first to enter the conference room. He lowered his head and wrote down the questions he might encounter later in his notebook, pondering how best to answer them. It was going to be a tough battle. It wouldn't be enough to convince Director Qian; he also had to try to convince the others.

The Minister of Technology was the second person to arrive.

Lin Yuanshu gave the head of the technology department a sweet smile and then nodded gently.

The head of the technology department looked at Lin Yuanshu with a solemn expression. It seemed that the time had come to fulfill his promise.

He had originally intended to ask Lin Yuanshu what had happened, but as the ministers gradually entered the conference room, he had to swallow his words and abandon the idea of ​​asking.

Not long after, Director Qian walked into the conference room with the project plan.

The ministers didn't know why an emergency meeting was suddenly being held, but they were certain that it was related to Lin Yuanshu. After all, if it weren't for some connection, Lin Yuanshu, as a worker, wouldn't have been qualified to attend such an important meeting.

Once everyone was present, Director Qian didn't keep them in suspense and went straight to the point about Lin Yuanshu's plan. He also gave a brief overview of the plan's contents and passed it around to the people around him.

Apart from the Minister of Technology, who looked grave, the other ministers appeared quite relaxed, because they had no idea what the solvent sulfonation method for preparing naphthalene intermediates represented.

If it were factory key personnel, they could offer some explanation, but these ministers simply lack the necessary technical skills.

Ministers like the head of the security department, the head of the propaganda department, and the head of the logistics department have nothing to do with technology and equipment in their daily work. They don't even know what methods are used to produce naphthalene intermediates in the production workshop.

Although they knew nothing about technology, they were good at reading people's expressions. When they saw that everyone else was frowning as if they had encountered a huge problem, they also started to act deep and serious.

Since Director Qian dared to present the plan to them for discussion, it meant that the plan was feasible and not just a wild idea. Trusting Director Qian, they didn't think much of it.

"What are your thoughts? Do you think this plan is feasible?" Director Qian asked with a stern face.

There was no bias in his face.

The head of the technical department was the first to stand up. He said excitedly, "I think it's definitely worth a try. In the past, we've just gone through the motions when we participated in the labor production competitions organized by the Chemical Industry Bureau. If this plan is successful, it will not only improve production efficiency but also increase the product qualification rate. It will definitely help us achieve good results in the labor production competitions organized by the Chemical Industry Bureau. It will be beneficial to us in every way."

He didn't consider the problem of producing naphthalene intermediates by solvent sulfonation at all. Instead, he thought that the technical department could participate in modifying and adjusting the equipment. If it was successful, he could gain work achievements, which would be better than his current mediocre position in Director Qian's eyes.

The head of the maintenance department retorted, "Old Liu, you're thinking too one-sidedly. What if it doesn't work? It would be a waste of time and money. I think it's better to take a steady and cautious approach. Avoiding mistakes is more important than achieving good results."

He wouldn't give the head of the technology department a chance to achieve results. Most importantly, this project was too big, requiring a lot of manpower and money.

"If you never start, you'll never succeed. It's precisely because you always seek stability that the maintenance department is currently mediocre and unable to produce any good results," the head of the technical department said sarcastically.

Lin Yuanshu couldn't help but exclaim "Wow!" in his heart. The head of the technology department was really going all out to speak well of her; he was preparing to engage in a verbal battle with everyone! There was no room for her to use her skills.

She thought this was fine. There were some things the head of the technical department could say, but she couldn't, because the other department heads wouldn't hold a grudge against the head of the technical department who held the same position, but they would resent her because she was in a lower position.

Some ministers, considering the practical issues, felt there was no need to take the risk, fearing heavy losses if it failed. Other ministers, however, believed that without trying, success would never be achieved, and the factory could still bear the losses.

Factory Director Qian felt a headache coming on as he watched the meeting room become as noisy as a vegetable market.

Director Tang slapped the table, signaling everyone to be quiet. She said loudly, "Please be quiet and listen to my thoughts."

The highly capable head of the technical department stopped speaking, and the others naturally quieted down as well.

Director Tang smiled slightly and said confidently, "I understand everyone's concerns. If it succeeds, that's fine, but if it fails, it might affect the labor production competition organized by the Chemical Industry Bureau. We can make two preparations. Comrade Lin Yuanshu will lead one group of workers to implement the plan, while another group of workers will prepare for the labor production competition organized by the Chemical Industry Bureau. If Comrade Lin Yuanshu succeeds, then he can participate in the competition. If he unfortunately fails, then the other group of workers can participate. By doing this, we can minimize the impact on the factory if the plan fails."

The head of the maintenance department thought for a moment and was about to speak when Lin Yuanshu interrupted him.

Lin Yuanshu could tell from the expression on the head of the maintenance department that he was going to object. Among all the department heads, the head of the maintenance department was particularly vehement in his opposition. No matter how reasonable or unreasonable the other party's argument was, he simply wouldn't back down.

"I think Director Tang's idea is excellent, and I'm willing to cooperate. I'll need the technical and maintenance departments' assistance later," Lin Yuan said with a smile.

When the maintenance manager heard that he was asked to cooperate, he sat down with satisfaction and shut his mouth.

The head of the technical department was furious. He could have completed the task independently, so why should the credit be given to the maintenance department?

He stepped forward to refute, "This plan doesn't need the maintenance department's help at all; the technical department can handle it. No irrelevant personnel are needed."

Lin Yuanshu said softly, "How can you say that the maintenance department is irrelevant? Maintenance personnel are in contact with the equipment every day and know best where the equipment is prone to failure. They can discover problems we haven't thought of from the perspective of actual operation and maintenance, and can participate in equipment modification and debugging."

She brought the maintenance department in for two reasons: first, to stop the maintenance department head from continuing to oppose it, and second, to encourage troublemakers to join in the chaos.

Secondly, to avoid the technology department becoming too dominant and repeating Zhou Moli's previous situation, the best way to get the technology department to obey is to find a competitor. She's too lazy to argue with the people in the technology department.

“That’s right, I think Comrade Lin Yuanshu is right. Although implementing this plan will take a lot of time and effort, it is very important for the future development of the chemical plant, so it is only right that we work hard.” The head of the maintenance department agreed.

The head of the technology department sneered, his face full of disdain, and said, "You really are someone who will follow whoever feeds you."

"What are you saying? You just don't want me to join in and want to keep all the results for yourself. I already recognized the feasibility of this plan. Now that there are no more worries, I will naturally support its implementation. Why are you still opposing it?" the maintenance department head said emphatically.

Since they've already fallen out, there's no need for them to pretend to be friendly now.

He believed he was a bit more capable than Lao Liu, but the leader put Lao Liu in charge of the technology department. It was only because Lao Liu was good at researching and solving problems. If it were him, he wouldn't have managed the technology department like that.

The head of the technology department couldn't help but roll his eyes. What a show-off.

Factory Director Qian stepped forward to stop the two from arguing further and explained the next steps: "Alright, stop arguing. Since everyone agrees, let's proceed with this plan. The day after tomorrow, Comrade Lin Yuanshu will conduct a small-scale solvent sulfonation experiment in front of everyone, using small equipment and a limited amount of materials, to prove that the direction of this plan is correct. After the experiment is successful, the technical and maintenance departments will help Lin Yuanshu implement the plan, set up the workshop equipment, and once the workshop is ready to start production, the production department will immediately arrange for workers to start work. After the meeting, the finance department will calculate the total cost..."

"Okay," the departments whose names were called answered in unison.

After thinking for a moment, Director Qian continued, "Since this plan was proposed by Comrade Lin Yuanshu, she will be fully responsible for it and temporarily serve as the group leader. If the plan is successfully implemented, she will be officially appointed as the group leader. If the plan fails, she will remain an ordinary worker. Do you have any objections?"

The main problem was that he wanted to find another person in charge, but no one dared to step forward. This project was different from other projects; it was highly specialized and had no precedent. Everything was like a blind man crossing a river, relying entirely on trial and error.

Moreover, and most importantly, he didn't trust others with the task, fearing that they would back down at the first sign of difficulty. Only Lin Yuanshu, who proposed the plan, would persevere no matter what difficulties he encountered.

Everyone shook their heads in unison. Although the plan was very tempting, it would be difficult to implement smoothly, and the probability of success was too low to warrant the risk. It would be better to let Lin Yuanshu take charge. If it failed, it would be none of their business; if it succeeded, they would also benefit. It would be much better than if they were the ones who ended up in the same situation.

The head of the technical department wanted to take full responsibility, but he was afraid of failure and becoming the scapegoat. He worried that the head of the maintenance department would use the incident against him, and he might lose his position as head of the technical department. So it was better to play it safe.

Let Lin Yuanshu take charge; even if it fails, she will still be the main person in charge.

The three workshop directors shared similar thoughts, feeling it was unnecessary to get involved in this mess. They were not optimistic about using solvent sulfonation to produce naphthalene intermediates, as they had never heard of such an operation.

Lin Yuanshu couldn't help but smile. She was finally no longer an ordinary worker, no longer needing to watch the equipment and smell the pungent chemical odor every day. She was one step closer to becoming a leader.

If she leads the workers to win first place in the labor production competition held by the Chemical Industry Bureau and becomes famous in Beijing, wouldn't it be easy for her to get into the pharmaceutical factory? At least she wouldn't be struggling to find a way in like she is now.

She was very confident in the plan, which was unlikely to fail, because the feasibility of solvent sulfonation had been proven in later generations. She was simply putting the method on use in the dye chemical plant ahead of time.

Director Xia frowned and said seriously, "Since Comrade Lin Yuanshu is in charge of implementing the contents of this plan, the personnel in charge of the other group also need to be determined. According to Director Qian's speech at the commendation meeting, the person in charge of the other group is naturally the team leader of the fourth workshop."

Director Tang retorted without hesitation: "Although the team leader of the fourth workshop is very capable, she is not suitable to lead the fourth workshop group to participate in the labor production competition organized by the Chemical Industry Bureau. Don't forget her achievements in previous years."

She paused for a moment and continued, "Comrade Lin Yuanshu played an important role in the Fourth Workshop's good results this time. Otherwise, it would be hard to say what would have happened with the Fourth Workshop's performance. Since the Fourth Workshop group, which is currently ranked first, is not suitable for the competition, it would be better to let the second-ranked workshop group take over. I am not being nepotistic, but I think the second-ranked workshop group is more suitable based on the past competition performance and overall strength of each group."

She proposed this idea not to help Lin Yuanshu solve his problem or to make Director Xia stand out, but to give Zhou Moli's group a chance to shine.

Director Zhou replied without hesitation, "I agree."

After all, the second-ranked workshop group was his niece, so there was no reason for him to object.

Director Xia was furious. He never expected that the two of them would join forces against him. Indeed, the performance of the fourth workshop in the past few years had not been good.

“According to your logic, I think third place is quite appropriate, after all, their performance in the past few years has been very stable…” Director Xia objected with a smile, he was not going to admit defeat so easily.

"We'll discuss this privately. Today, we'll mainly discuss the solvent sulfonation method for producing naphthalene intermediates. This is a new attempt for the chemical plant, and I hope you can take it seriously." Director Qian interrupted Director Xia, knowing that once they started arguing, it would never end.

"Okay," the three workshop foremen replied reluctantly.

The head of the maintenance department said with a smile, "I do have some ideas about this plan. There's no need to modify and adjust the existing workshop, which would affect production. There was an abandoned workshop that we were planning to convert into a warehouse. We can make good use of it. The chemical plant doesn't lack warehouses anyway, and it can reduce some losses."

Factory Director Qian nodded in satisfaction. "Your idea is excellent."

The Minister of Technology also voiced his thoughts.

Lin Yuanshu, who was originally an insider, now seems more like an outsider. Of course, she doesn't mind. She'd love for these people to get involved and do everything for her so she can win without lifting a finger.

After the meeting, most of the ministers returned to their posts.

Only the head of the technical department, the head of the maintenance department, and others were left behind to discuss equipment modifications and adjustments with Lin Yuanshu.

Lin Yuanshu spoke first, saying, "Actually, there's not much difference between the excess sulfuric acid sulfonation method and the solvent sulfonation method. The key to the solvent sulfonation method is using organic solvents as the reaction medium. It doesn't have such high requirements for the corrosion resistance of the equipment, and it saves us trouble. You are mainly responsible for modifying the solvent recovery device and the material conveying system. I'll go to the logistics department to apply for the equipment and raw materials for the solvent sulfonation experiment. Let me know if you have any ideas."

After Lin Yuanshu left, the head of the technical department said sarcastically, "Why don't you go back and study what solvent sulfonation is? It would be embarrassing if Comrade Lin Yuanshu asked you about it and you didn't know anything."

The head of the maintenance department retorted, "Do you think I'm as empty-headed as you, all I can do is talk? Do you think I don't know about solvent sulfonation to produce naphthalene intermediates? What a joke! No wonder you haven't achieved anything. You really know how to underestimate people. As a leader, what good are you if you can't even judge people properly!"

"You..." The head of the technical department swallowed his curses. Now was not the time to argue with the head of the maintenance department. Finding a way to stand out in this mission was the more important thing.

Within an afternoon, Lin Yuanshu's plan to use solvent sulfonation to produce naphthalene intermediates spread throughout the chemical plant.

Most people are just watching the show, since it doesn't concern them much and they can't get involved.

The veteran employees of the fourth workshop had mixed feelings. They were supposed to represent the chemical plant in the labor production competition organized by the Chemical Industry Bureau, but Lin Yuanshu's interference made things uncertain.

One of the long-time employees couldn't help but complain, "Comrade Lin Yuanshu is really something. He didn't even consult us about such a big matter before making the decision himself, without considering our situation at all."

On the other side, a veteran employee nodded and replied, "That's right! It doesn't matter whether she participates in the competition organized by the Chemical Industry Bureau or not. Anyway, she's already stolen the show at the commendation meeting. She doesn't lack opportunities to shine, but we do!"

Ling Ke's friend couldn't help but speak up for Lin Yuanshu: "Comrade Lin Yuanshu has devoted a lot of energy to this competition, and she has the right to decide what to do next!"

The veteran employees only needed to work as usual, while Comrade Lin Yuanshu needed to look through a lot of materials. He was practically always practicing his boxing in the factory, even reading while eating.

She was constantly discussing equipment improvements with the maintenance staff. In her eyes, Comrade Lin Yuanshu was always busy. While they could take a break, Comrade Lin Yuanshu really dared not rest.

She saw all of this, so how could she not admire Comrade Lin Yuanshu!

The veteran employee pressed on, saying, "She put in a lot of effort, but didn't we? Did she think she could have won the competition all by herself? If it weren't for our help, she wouldn't have had the chance to shine."

Ling Ke's friend took a deep breath and mustered her courage to say, "You've already won first place... Comrade Lin Yuanshu proposed this plan so that the chemical plant could achieve good results in the competition held by the Chemical Industry Bureau. She was also under a lot of pressure... Is your opportunity more important than the development of the chemical plant...?"

The veteran employees looked at Aisuye in front of them with considerable surprise. This was the first time they had ever looked at Aisuye seriously. They never expected that Aisuye, who usually behaved so casually, would be so sharp-tongued.

Hearing the commotion coming from inside the workshop, the team leader strode over to the group and said sternly, "It's just a small matter, what's there to argue about? You just need to follow the leaders' instructions. Director Xia has already said that if you still want to participate in the competition organized by the Chemical Industry Bureau, you can choose to join Comrade Lin Yuanshu's group or another group. It's up to you."

The veteran employee muttered under his breath, "It's so unfair. We were 100% guaranteed to participate in the competition organized by the Chemical Industry Bureau, but now it's down to a 50% chance."

The team leader said expressionlessly, "If you have to blame someone, blame your inability to win first place in previous years. That's why, even though we're in first place now, the leaders aren't comfortable letting us participate in the Chemical Industry Bureau's competition without Comrade Lin Yuanshu. We should be grateful for any opportunity we have, so don't be so picky."

The veteran employees thought about it and didn't have the confidence to say that Lin Yuanshu wasn't important and that they could get first place on their own.

"Team leader, which group did you join?" the veteran employee asked tentatively.

The team leader said without hesitation, "I will continue to stand behind Comrade Lin Yuanshu. I don't expect you to make the same choice as me. If you have any opinions about Comrade Lin Yuanshu, I suggest you go to another group. Otherwise, if it is discovered, you will be kicked out in a bad way. Not only will you lose face, but you may also lose this opportunity."

Although the leaders were not optimistic about the plan, she had a feeling that it would succeed. She believed in Lin Yuanshu's abilities and knew that he was a steady and reliable person. The reason he submitted the plan must be because he was very confident.

Seeing the somewhat resentful expressions on the faces of the veteran employees, she couldn't help but sigh and slowly said, "Comrade Lin Yuanshu has already been very good to you. In order to resolve the issue of you being unable to participate in the competition organized by the Chemical Industry Bureau, she specifically went to discuss countermeasures with Director Qian after the meeting. That's how you got the opportunity to choose. Even if you ultimately can't participate in the competition organized by the Chemical Industry Bureau, you will still receive some compensation. She was afraid you would overthink things, so she specifically instructed me not to mention this matter. I really don't want you to continue to misunderstand Comrade Lin Yuanshu."

Upon hearing this, the veteran employees exchanged bewildered glances. They truly hadn't expected Lin Yuanshu to do something like this for them, even planning out their future. They had thought Lin Yuanshu didn't need to care about their existence, and a sense of guilt welled up in their hearts.

"I...I'm sorry, Comrade Lin Yuanshu. I shouldn't have said those things," one of the veteran employees said with deep regret.

"Me too, I was blinded by greed and thought Comrade Lin Yuanshu was too selfish..."

The long-time employees who had complained about Lin Yuanshu were filled with regret. No matter how angry they were, they should never have said such hurtful things.

Ultimately, most of the veteran employees chose to support Lin Yuanshu, as the opportunity to participate in the competition organized by the Chemical Industry Bureau was already a pleasant surprise.

Without Lin Yuanshu, they would most likely still be at the bottom of the factory competition. Skilled workers like them are easy to find, but talented people with ideas and the courage to take action are hard to find.

A small number of veteran employees chose to give up participating in the competition. They complained about Lin Yuanshu, and were too embarrassed to join Lin Yuanshu's workshop or his competitors' workshop, so they chose to give up.

Aisuye was very happy that she could participate in the competition with Lin Yuanshu.

Qian Xiang walked up to Ai Suye, looked her over, and revealed an expression of disbelief. He teased, "I really didn't expect you to be so strong in combat and quite eloquent. It's a pity you didn't say it to Comrade Lin Yuanshu, otherwise he would definitely look at you with new eyes and develop a good impression of you."

Ai Suye said somewhat embarrassedly, "I spoke up for Comrade Lin Yuanshu not to gain his favor, but because I couldn't stand seeing them complaining about him."

Qian Xiang gave him a thumbs up with great admiration, "You're really something. You're not worried at all about offending the senior employees or being targeted by them. You dare to speak up for what's right."

Aisuye's face fell immediately, and she said dejectedly, "It's over. I didn't think that much when I spoke. What should I do now? Will they make things difficult for me?"

Qian Xiang said helplessly, "Good luck to you!"

Although Ai Suye was somewhat afraid that the veteran employees would target her, she did not regret speaking up for Lin Yuanshu.

The workers in the fourth workshop were noisy and boisterous, while Zhou Moli's workshop was filled with laughter and joy. They never expected that things would take such a turn for the better, and that they would have the opportunity to participate in the competition organized by the Chemical Industry Bureau.

After learning the whole story from Director Tang, Zhou Moli's expression remained very serious.

Director Tang said with a smile, "Go talk to your uncle later and make sure he helps you get this opportunity. Although it's not 100% guaranteed that you can participate in the competition organized by the Chemical Industry Bureau, it's better than nothing. We can't let Director Xia take all the good things."

"I need to think about it carefully," Zhou Moli said seriously.

Director Tang looked at Zhou Moli with some doubt and asked, "What are you considering?"

Zhou Moli argued confidently, "Consider becoming another option? Even without me, your workshop team leader can still lead the workers to participate in the competition organized by the Chemical Industry Bureau. With me or without me, there's not much difference."

Director Tang asked incredulously, "Are you crazy? You're going to give up such a great opportunity?"

She certainly understood what Zhou Moli meant, but only if Zhou Moli joined in would Director Zhou obediently speak up for her; otherwise, Director Zhou would definitely become a "troublemaker" and make the matter more and more complicated.

After all, Director Zhou is always so kind. If I don't get any benefits myself, I might as well let others get them too. I'd rather harm my own interests than let others have an easy time.

"No, I need to think about it and I'll get back to you later." Zhou Moli looked at Director Tang with a serious expression.

She planned to talk to Lin Yuanshu before deciding on her next steps.

Director Tang was speechless. She wondered if it was because she was getting old and couldn't understand the thoughts of these young people. How could they all be so unpredictable and do things too arbitrarily?

"I hope you understand one thing: opportunities don't wait for anyone, so it's better to make a decision quickly," Director Tang said earnestly.

Zhou Moli nodded and left Director Tang's office. She was going to the naphthalene intermediate production workshop to see Lin Yuanshu.

Meanwhile, Wu Jianhua was talking to his subordinates in his office.

The subordinate leaned closer and whispered mysteriously, "The personnel have been arranged, and they are guaranteed to sow discord between Lin Yuanshu and Director Xia."

Wu Jianhua gave a satisfied smile.

Just then, a worker rushed into the office, panting, "Something terrible has happened... no... something terrible has happened..."

Wu Jianhua frowned and said, "What nonsense are you spouting? Didn't I tell you to knock before entering the office? Why don't you ever listen!"

The worker took a deep breath to calm himself down and said in a serious tone, "Comrade Lin Yuanshu has submitted the plan. Director Qian is going to arrange a backup workshop group. If Comrade Lin Yuanshu's plan cannot be implemented, the backup workshop group will take over."

Upon hearing this, Wu Jianhua's eyes lit up instantly, and he excitedly asked, "Have the personnel for this backup workshop group been decided yet?"

The worker shook his head. "Not yet. The three workshop foremen haven't reached an agreement yet."

Wu Jianhua exclaimed excitedly, "Our opportunity has arrived!"

The worker nodded with a smile, which was why he rushed over as soon as he heard the news.

After Wu Jianhua stopped paying attention to him, the subordinate asked weakly, "Is the plan to deal with Lin Yuanshu still proceeding as planned?"

Wu Jianhua couldn't help but tap his subordinate on the head, saying irritably, "What do you think! Such a big thing has happened, and you're still thinking about this. The plan is canceled. Now is a critical moment. We can't let Director Xia get distracted. Instead, we should deal with Zhou Moli."

Now that Director Xia is trying to secure an opportunity for him, it's risky to cause a conflict between Director Xia and Lin Yuanshu, as this could affect Director Xia's mood and cause him to lose the opportunity to participate in the competition organized by the Chemical Industry Bureau.

The subordinate asked thoughtfully, "Are you trying to sow discord between her and Director Tang?"

Wu Jianhua took a deep breath and told himself that this was his loyal subordinate and he couldn't get angry. He gritted his teeth and said, "Of course not. Her relationship with Director Tang is not good to begin with. We don't need to sow discord or find a way to make her cause trouble at work."

"Okay." Regardless of whether they can actually do it, subordinates always agree first.

Zhou Moli stayed in the workshop office for about half an hour before Lin Yuanshu rushed back from outside.

"I'm sorry to have kept you waiting." She chatted with the staff in the logistics department for a long time before they understood what she wanted and promised to go to the chemical raw material store to purchase it as soon as possible.

It's no use for her to go by herself; the chemical raw material store won't buy it for her because buying things there requires not only a letter of introduction from her employer but also a permit.

She couldn't get her hands on any of these things, so she left the professional tasks to the professionals and just waited for the purchasing staff to bring them back.

Zhou Moli blinked and said with a smile, "You don't seem surprised at all that I came to find you."

Lin Yuanshu sat on the sofa next to Zhou Moli and said earnestly, "Because we are the same kind of people, I had a feeling you would come."

"You want me to cooperate with you? Come on! Try to convince me." Zhou Moli looked at Lin Yuanshu with a smile.

Lin Yuanshu shook his head and refused, saying, "I won't persuade you. Those who are sincere need no words, and those who are not sincere are useless to talk about. Your cooperation with me is the best way out. I understand your thoughts and your ambitions better than anyone else."

Her tone softened, but her words were like a sharp blade, piercing Zhou Moli's heart: "You think that helping Director Zhou become the deputy factory director proves your ability, proves that you are better than your brothers? No, you are wrong."

"What did we do wrong?" Zhou Moli's tone carried a hint of barely perceptible sadness.

Lin Yuanshu smiled slightly and continued, "Your mistake was placing your hopes on Director Zhou. Even if you sit in a high position one day, people will still say, 'Look at Zhou Moli, she was able to sit in that position only because of her uncle.' They will ignore your abilities and think that you rose to power by relying on men. Is that the result you want?"

Zhou Moli shook her head. "No, I don't want this outcome. I want to prove to everyone that I'm no worse than men."

"Then let's work together to complete this plan. I need your help. I believe you've seen the feasibility of this plan, which is why you came to me," Lin Yuanshu said softly, her tone carrying a hint of seduction.

Zhou Moli thought for a moment and silently apologized to her uncle. After all, her uncle had never expected her to do anything, so this couldn't be considered a betrayal.

Besides, he's her own uncle, so she can just apologize later. But this opportunity might not come again. She wants to try other paths and doesn't want to rely solely on her uncle. If Lin Yuanshu can carve out a path for himself, there's no reason why she can't.

“Okay, I’ll talk to Director Tang right away. I’ll work with you to implement this plan,” Zhou Moli said with a determined look in her eyes.

Lin Yuanshu also smiled brightly. With Zhou Moli's help, he could save a lot of effort.

She specifically inquired with her father-in-law and learned that Zhou Moli was reliable, quick-witted, down-to-earth, and not the kind of person who was all talk and no action or loved to make a fuss.

Although the team leader is capable, her strength lies in managing workers, not in handling miscellaneous tasks. She also doesn't quite understand new knowledge.

She didn't trust anyone else, firstly because she was afraid they weren't capable enough, and secondly because she was afraid they would be bribed. If she used Zhou Moli, she wouldn't have to worry about these things, at least she could trust Zhou Moli's character.

Meanwhile, inside the repair workshop, Zhou Dafu was repairing equipment when a repairman he was on good terms with approached him and asked mysteriously, "Team Leader Zhou, have you told your daughter-in-law about that matter?"

Chow Tai Fook explained with a smile, "So much happened yesterday, I was so busy I forgot about it."