Chapter 256 Destiny is in Your Own Hands

Zhou Yi arrived at the Yigang dormitory. Before he even entered the gate, he saw a grandfather taking a walk.

This is how older people are, they sleep less and get up early.

Grandpa's health has almost recovered recently. He used to go for a walk to avoid his uncle and aunt and to get some peace and quiet. Now he goes for a walk to keep himself busy, to find something to do, and to exercise at the same time.

"Zhou Yi, why are you here so early?"

"Grandpa." Zhou Yi got off the bicycle, "I'm taking a walk."

"Yeah. Have you eaten? I'll go buy you two buns."

“No, no.”

Zhou Yi pushed the bicycle and walked inside side by side with his grandfather.

"Zhou Yi, is there anything going on at your parents' factory?" Grandpa suddenly asked.

"Did my dad say anything?"

"No, but I noticed he and your mom looked strange when they came back yesterday. And your dad kept getting up last night, seven or eight times. Something's definitely wrong," Grandpa asked worriedly. "Is it hard to work at the factory? How about I talk to the old boss at No. 1 Steel and see if I can get my organization transferred there?"

Zhou Yi thought to himself that Yigang was in trouble now and was in the same boat with Ergang. It would be useless to transfer him anywhere.

"Grandpa, don't worry. I'll talk to my dad later. All you need to do now is make sure you stay healthy. That's the greatest blessing for your children and grandchildren."

"Oh, I'm old, and I don't know how many more years these old bones can live." Grandpa said with a smile.

"No, you have to live well and live a long life. Let's not talk about anything else, just say that your pension is not less than my dad's salary."

The grandfather and grandson walked in talking and laughing.

In Old Zhou's house, Zhou Jianguo was walking back and forth in the living room with his hands behind his back, and Zhang Qiuxia was sitting at the table. Both of them had serious expressions.

"Why are you walking around? It's so annoying!"

"We are both working, how can this make both of us unemployed?"

"What's the use of this? Think of a solution."

"What can I do? If I say I won't be laid off, then I won't be laid off."

Zhang Qiuxia's eyes rolled. "That Xiao Zhao from the ironworks, he shouldn't have been laid off, right? Go ask him if he has any solutions. Did he give gifts to someone? Ask him for advice, and we can give gifts too. At least it would be good if only one of us gets laid off."

"What's the point of looking for them? They are workers just like us."

"You should at least go and ask. Didn't he learn to drive a forklift from you when he first joined the factory? You're kind of his apprentice. It's better than just wandering around here. What if something happens?"

Zhou Jianguo sighed, turned and walked towards the door.

But the door opened first.

"Zhou Yi? Why are you here?" Zhou Jianguo asked in surprise.

"I got up early. It's too early to go to work, so I came to see you."

Seeing her son coming with the old man behind him, Zhang Qiuxia forced a smile and said, "Son, did you eat the cake when you went home last night? Xiaoshuang said she brought it to you."

Zhou Yi nodded: "Yes, Xiao Shuang and I ate it together."

Zhang Qiuxia nodded repeatedly: "That's good."

"Have you had breakfast?" Zhou Yi asked.

Zhou Jianguo said: "I'm not hungry."

Zhou Yi pulled his father's arm and said, "It's just right that you haven't eaten yet. Come with me to have a bowl of noodles."

"Oh, why go out to eat? It's so expensive. I can cook at home..." Before Zhang Qiuxia finished her words, the father and son had disappeared.

In a roadside noodle shop, Zhou Yi and Zhou Jianguo sat on small stools. The chef brought two bowls of steaming hot noodles. Zhou Yi also added two pieces of vegetarian chicken, one for each of them.

"Dad, eat quickly. The noodles will clump together and won't taste good." Zhou Yi said when he saw his father didn't move his chopsticks.

Zhou Jianguo picked up his chopsticks and said worriedly, "Zhou Yi, you're right. Yesterday, the factory suddenly announced a list of layoffs, and your mother and I were on it."

"You didn't tell grandpa?"

"I didn't expect it, so what should I say? I'm afraid he'll worry about it, and Xiao Shuang was there yesterday."

"I think you should tell Grandpa the truth later, otherwise he might hear it from somewhere else and get even more anxious. You're just the first group anyway, there are more to come."

Zhou Jianguo was dumbfounded: "Ah? There's more? Are we going to lay everyone off?"

"Basically... about the same."

"This...why did it suddenly become like this?"

"Dad, ask yourself, wasn't this inevitable? You have nothing to do at work, and your wages haven't been owed for months. It was only a matter of time before you got laid off. It didn't just happen suddenly. It's just that you don't want to admit it and are deceiving yourselves."

Zhou Yi's words left Zhou Jianguo speechless.

It is indeed just as Zhou Yi said, everyone in the factory actually knows it. Many people just chat and play cards at work to pass the time, but no one is willing to admit it.

Seeing his son so calm, Zhou Jianguo asked, "Zhou Yi, what about the company you mentioned last time? I haven't had a chance to ask you since you've been so busy."

People are like this. They will think of things that they originally rejected when they are at their wits' end, simply because they need something to pin their hopes on, otherwise they will be living a life worse than death.

"Dad, I'm here to talk to you about this today. The company is currently too late, but it won't affect the short term. Listen to me..."

Zhou Yi told his father all his thoughts, which made Zhou Jianguo tremble with fear. When he came to his senses, the noodles had indeed clumped together.

"Will this work? The factory won't agree to us selling steel coils. They will say it's a loss of state-owned assets." Zhou Jianguo said worriedly.

"Who said we're letting state-owned assets slip away? Let me ask you, when the list of laid-off workers was announced yesterday, did they say how resettlement compensation would be paid?"

Zhou Jianguo shook his head.

"Did they say when the wages owed to me will be paid?"

Zhou Jianguo shook his head again.

"So this means that Ergang no longer has any money in its accounts to pay you. If the layoffs hadn't been announced, this matter would have dragged on in this muddled way. But now that the layoffs have been announced, you workers are the creditors. Is it reasonable for you to ask the factory to settle the issue of the money owed to you?"

Zhou Jianguo nodded: "That's reasonable."

"But the factory has no money. So let me ask you, what else does the factory have?"

"Steel... steel coils and equipment."

"That's it, isn't it? The purpose of producing steel coils is to sell them. Only when the steel coils are sold can the workers be paid. Now the factory can't pay wages, isn't it because the steel coils can't be sold? So if we sell the steel coils, won't we be able to pay the laid-off workers?"

"That seems to be the case." Zhou Jianguo's frown finally relaxed a little.

"And now that Uncle San has brought in this business, we can have the steel mill and the other party sign a contract directly. The money doesn't need to go through Uncle San's company, it can go directly into the steel mill's account."

"Then your uncle's work would be in vain."

"Uncle San can completely negotiate a handling fee with the purchasing party for his hard work and sign a separate contract. I believe Uncle San can handle it."

What's more, he had already discussed his further ideas with his uncle before. His uncle knew very well what he wanted to do and would not be obsessed with such petty gains.

Zhou Jianguo suddenly became excited: "That's great! As long as we can keep selling the steel coils, then the Second Steel Company will be revitalized and no one will have to be laid off."

Zhou Yi thought to himself, Dad, you are so naive.

Steel coils can only be sold this time, there will be no next time.

Just like what my father said just now, the factory will definitely accuse me of losing state-owned assets and not allow me to move the steel coils.

But the leaders in the factory care about this pedantic and outdated rule, but the leaders above them may not think so.

Therefore, as long as Zhou Jianguo can organize the first batch of laid-off old workers, put pressure on the factory leaders, and then propose a temporary solution when the pressure is sufficient, this matter can be accomplished.

But there won't be a second time, and it's even more impossible to keep selling steel coils as Zhou Jianguo said, revitalize the Second Steel, and save everyone from being laid off, and everyone will be happy.

There is no way to be happy!

Once the first business deal is settled, the factory leaders will have all sorts of thoughts, which involve issues of other people's interests and face, but more importantly, the value of the factory leaders will be severely impacted.

Then if you want to sell the steel coil a second time, it will be impossible. They will find ways to obstruct you, even if you say you don’t make any money.

So Zhou Yi thought it through from the beginning that this could only be done once.

But this time is crucial. As long as this batch of steel coils is sold smoothly, at least the current living problems of the first batch of laid-off workers will be alleviated.

Only in this way can he make plans for the next step.

Because from the very beginning, what he wanted was not money, but people.

People are productive forces. A group of people who have solved their livelihood problems thanks to you but don’t know how to live in the future will be the most effective productive forces.

Only with this batch of productive forces as a foundation can we create value and activate more people.

Of course, this is a later story. The most important thing right now is the first step.

"Dad, don't think too much about it. Just tell me if you can do this!"

Zhou Jianguo's expression was a little conflicted.

"Dad, let me be frank. If you're really scared and don't want to be the first to speak up, I understand. Anyway, my salary at the Municipal Bureau is pretty good, and it's enough for our family to eat. You and Mom can just do odd jobs here and there, and we'll be able to get by. I, your son, am not someone who seeks wealth and fame."

"But if you feel like you've worked hard for most of your life and are still suffering this kind of humiliation at the age of 50, and you can't stand it, then let's give it a try. Your destiny is in your own hands. Whether you're a worm or a dragon, you won't know until you fly."

"But I want to remind you that, in this matter, I can only give you some advice, but I can't represent you. After all, I'm not from Ergang, and I don't have 30 years of experience working there."

"You have to do this yourself."

"Think about it carefully!"

Zhou Jianguo's eyes suddenly became extremely determined. He slammed the table and said, "I've been a coward for most of my life. This time I have my son's support. Go... go fuck himself!"