Chapter 350: Turning the tables
The cotton mill introduced new machines, but there were not enough technicians and the power system did not support it, so after all the trouble, the machine was shelved. The business was already in recession, and now it’s even worse.
Not only are cotton mills no longer hiring, they can't even pay wages.
Deputy Director Li came to work in the morning. When he opened the door, he saw Zhang A-mei. He wanted to go around her, but Zhang A-mei stepped in front of him.
"Why are you stopping me? I want to go to work!" Deputy Director Li asked with a cold face.
"Deputy Director Li, I just want to ask if there is any chance of turning this matter around. Can you help me think of a solution?" Zhang A'mei asked in a low voice.
"What can we do? If we say we won't recruit anyone, then we won't recruit anyone. No matter what anyone says, it won't work."
Zhang A-mei felt as if someone had punched her chest, and she felt a little dazed. She took a deep breath and begged:
"Deputy Director Li, please help me think of a solution."
"Sister! There's really no way I can think of this. If I accept you as my wife, how can I explain it? Then all the factory regulations will be in vain and everything will be in chaos!" Deputy Director Li started to reason.
"No, you can't do that! You agreed right away when I came to give you a gift during the New Year. Now I don't require Xiao Min to work in the office, I just want her to work in the factory, even in the workshop."
"It's really useless. It's useless to ask anyone. This door will not be opened." Deputy Director Li insisted.
Zhang A-mei was anxious. She grabbed Deputy Director Li's bag and shouted:
"You can't do this!"
"Sister Zhang, please stop wasting my time. How could I possibly care about your daughter's job? You just said a few more words to us, and you're already trying to establish connections. I'm going to get your daughter into the factory. How could that be possible?"
At this time, Zhang Qiao saw the situation outside the yard and rushed out and cursed:
"How shameless! Pulling someone else's man in broad daylight! Even if you want to be a slut, you should choose the time!"
"Sister-in-law, what are you talking about! I came to see Deputy Director Li about my daughter's work..." Zhang A'mei was startled and loosened her grip.
How could Zhang Qiao let her go? She continued to shout:
"Everyone, come and take a look! This woman comes to our Mr. Li every day, saying she wants to find a good mentor to take care of our daughter. I think she has feelings for us, Mr. Li!"
It was morning rush hour, and the alley was occupied by people from the cotton mill. Everyone gathered around and pointed and talked.
Zhang A-mei finally realized that they had never thought of helping her from the beginning to the end. She cried out:
"You're the wife of a leader, how can you say such nonsense? Do I need to do this to you? Everyone, judge for yourself. I gave them gifts worth over a hundred yuan during the Chinese New Year and even helped them build a set of cabinets and a bed! They promised to help, but now they're not going to help, so don't accept the gifts! You're too cruel!"
What puzzled Zhang A-mei was that Deputy Director Li and Zhang Qiao were not panicked. She had a vague feeling that something was wrong.
Sure enough, Zhang Qiao stepped forward and sneered:
"I knew you'd say that! You said the New Year gift was over a hundred, so it's over a hundred! What proof do you have? A box of candy and two canned goods are over a hundred gold. What kind of family can give a gift over a hundred? You're not afraid of getting tongue-tied for bragging!"
Zhang A'mei was stunned.
She came to pay New Year's greetings at night, and no one saw what gifts she brought. She was also afraid that others would see her. It would be troublesome if everyone went to ask Deputy Director Li for connections, so she deliberately avoided people.
The onlookers began to whisper:
"This is an attempt to blackmail Deputy Director Li!"
"Yeah, giving gifts doesn't necessarily help. Who would give so much money?"
"That's right, that's right."
Zhang A-mei thought about it and realized that while there was no evidence of the gift, the cabinet and bed at home must be there.
Such a large piece, many people saw it when it was delivered!
Then, she wiped away her tears and said:
"Okay, gifts aside, the combination cabinet and double bed that Old Wu worked so hard to make are now in your house. You can't deny it, right? Everyone can go and see. Many people saw Old Wu and I delivering the cabinet and bed!"
The onlookers began to whisper again:
“I saw this.”
"Yeah, I saw that too. That cabinet is well built."
"That set of cabinets and a bed cost about a hundred yuan! That's a lot, a lot."
Hearing someone respond, Zhang A-mei breathed a sigh of relief. Even if she couldn't get the job today, she would get the money she earned from making furniture back. So she said:
"Since I can't help, let's calculate the cost of the furniture. The combination cabinet and double bed are a hundred dollars!"
Zhang Qiao glanced at Zhang A-mei and sneered:
"Our Lao Li is the deputy factory director, how could he possibly take advantage of such a small price? It's not like we can't afford the cabinets! We asked your Lao Wu to make them because we value his craftsmanship. We already paid for the furniture, and you're still trying to blackmail us!"
“When have I ever received money?”
"Old Yan, I remember you were there that day! I gave her some money wrapped in a handkerchief, right?" Zhang Qiao said to a middle-aged man in the crowd.
"Oh, I did see it. You also said to invite them to the wedding." Old Yan nodded.
"I saw it too, a blue checkered handkerchief, which means it's for furniture money." Another female comrade spoke up.
The crowd's voices grew louder:
"See, I told you it was a scam!"
"How can you be so shameless! People clearly gave money."
"That's right! I'm saying that Deputy Director Li isn't that kind of person."
"It's just a job! If it can be exchanged for such a small thing, then anyone can do it. You must be an idiot!"
"Exactly! It's so easy, I'll get one for my nephew too!"
After hearing what everyone said, Zhang Qiao folded his arms and looked at Zhang A-mei with a playful look on his face:
"Sister Zhang, you have nothing to say, right? Don't let me see you again, or I'll be rude to you! You find excuses every day to look for our Mr. Li, and when he ignores you, you turn the tables and falsely accuse him of accepting your gifts! You're such a jerk! It's a good thing we fired people like you."
Zhang A-mei only felt a "boom" in her head and lost the ability to think for a moment. She seemed to smell the stench of the old handkerchief and rotten money.
The smell was so strong that she couldn't open her mouth or speak.
She didn't come to her senses until the onlookers dispersed.
Deputy Director Li took a step closer and whispered:
"If you keep making trouble, your Old Wu's job can be replaced by someone else. Anyway, there are plenty of people."
Zhang A'mei was stunned, she took these words to heart.
She looked at Deputy Director Li steadily, then nodded slightly.
Deputy Director Li walked past her and rushed to work.
Zhang A-mei didn't know how long she sat at the entrance of the alley before she recovered and rushed back to the factory.
At the factory gate, she met other people who came to seek explanations, and she walked into the crowd, feeling extremely sad and angry.
We searched the factory for several days but to no avail.
However, the factory finally came up with a plan, allowing them to work as temporary workers in the newly built branch. Compared with recruiting people from outside, they are educated and have completed a period of internship, so they can go straight to work. The branch has already agreed to accept some of them.
Zhang A'mei returned home and told Zhang Min and Wu Jianguo about this.
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