Lin Jiafu was clearly pleased with Sun Caixia's compliments.
But he smiled modestly and waved his hands repeatedly.
"Everyone is giving me too much credit. I'm not that capable. I just want to work honestly in the factory. Please don't spread rumors."
Although that's what he said, when he thought about what Sun Caixia had just said—that he was Zhao Nianmeng's friend—he couldn't help but let out a barely perceptible smile.
It seems that everyone in the factory has already accepted that I am friends with the factory manager.
This was all for nothing; he often tried to please Zhao Nianmeng, showing her concern and care.
“Team Leader Lin is just too modest,” Sun Caixia quickly said. “You work so hard, and you’re still worried about the factory today. I wish the state-owned reform of the factory could proceed faster. As long as they don’t fire me or cut my salary, the reform will be fine.”
Listening from the side, Li Gangqiang couldn't help but roll his eyes. Looking at Lin Jiafu's sighing appearance, his heart sank slightly.
"Team Leader Lin, tell us honestly, do you know something about the reform of state-owned enterprises that none of us know? Otherwise, why are you so worried about this?"
Lin Jiafu was waiting for these words, but as soon as Li Gangqiang said them, he hesitated and opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something.
But then, as if he had just thought of something, he quickly shut his mouth, shook his head, and gave an embarrassed smile.
"No, it's nothing. I just feel that the reform of our state-owned enterprises is a very difficult process, and I'm worried that it might have some negative impact on the factory..."
Before he could finish speaking, Lin Jiafu quickly covered his mouth with his hand, as if he had said something wrong.
He chuckled awkwardly, as if trying to find a topic to cover up the conversation: "Never mind, I'm just a team leader, I don't have any other authority. Just take it as me saying something casually. After all, Director Zhao is the one who makes the decisions, how can I overstep her authority?"
His words only made things worse; they caused Li Gangqiang and Sun Caixia's eyes to dart around in surprise.
Sun Caixia, in particular, was an impatient person and couldn't wait to ask.
"Team Leader Lin, stop beating around the bush. You're such a good friend of Factory Director Zhao, you must know something. Since we've been working together all the time and are friends from the same factory, just tell us the truth so we can be prepared!"
"that is!"
Having found common interests, Li Gangqiang quickly sided with Sun Caixia, with whom he had a strained relationship.
All he could think about was whether he would be laid off, which made his words sound particularly urgent.
"I heard recently that our factory is planning to lay off workers in order to save costs and cooperate with the major reform of state-owned enterprises. Could it be true?"
The fish took the bait so easily, which made Lin Jiafu feel a great sense of accomplishment.
Seeing the two people in front of him looking extremely anxious, Lin Jiafu looked somewhat troubled.
“It’s not that I don’t want to tell you, but this is a factory secret, and Director Zhao is said to still be planning it, without any concrete implementation yet. If I were to tell you this beforehand, I would be committing a grave offense…”
As soon as Lin Jiafu said this, everyone was 100% certain that he knew something, otherwise he wouldn't have said it like that.
Li Gangqiang, in particular, was naturally the most anxious among them.
He couldn't wait to ask, "Team Leader Lin, we're all on the same side here, there's nothing you can't say, so please tell us!"
“Yes, yes,” Sun Caixia quickly chimed in, “Actually, it’s nothing. We just want to know what’s going on. If the factory manager really plans to lay off employees, we’ll have a way out in advance!”
Faced with the eager gazes of the two people before him, Lin Jiafu feigned hesitation, sighed, and spoke with difficulty.
"It's not that I don't want to tell you, it's just that I'm afraid that if I do, Director Zhao will blame me..."
Lin Jiafu stopped speaking halfway through his story.
He shook his head hesitantly, then sighed and said, "Forget it, I'd better not say anything, lest I end up as a sinner..."
"No way!"
The more Lin Jiafu acted this way, the more anxious Li Gangqiang and Sun Caixia became.
If they are going to lay off employees, they will never be able to find such good jobs again!
Sun Caixia didn't care about anything else and grabbed Lin Jiafu's arm with both hands.
"Team Leader Lin, please tell us! I promise we won't tell anyone!"
"That's right!"
Li Gangqiang understood Lin Jiafu's concerns and immediately assured him, "This is something only the two of us know. We will absolutely not tell anyone else. We just want to know the current development of the factory, so at least we can be mentally prepared in advance!"
"You really won't tell anyone?"
After a moment's hesitation, Lin Jiafu spoke hesitantly: "Actually, I really wanted to tell you, but I was afraid the factory manager would take his anger out on me, so I didn't tell you..."
"I promise, we promise we absolutely won't tell!"
"That's right, you've told us something so important, we certainly won't make things difficult for you!"
Seeing the two people vying to make their promises, Lin Jiafu seemed to have made a major decision. He gritted his teeth and finally spoke.
"Alright, since you all want to know, I'm actually quite worried about your future too..."
Lin Jiafu's words were loaded with meaning. Seeing the curious looks on their faces, he finally spoke up: "It's nothing much, it's just that Director Zhao seems to be planning to lay off staff, and it seems the layoffs are targeting the workshops..."
"They're actually going to lay off employees!"
Sun Caixia was startled, and then couldn't help but complain, "Director Zhao is really something. We've been long-time employees of the factory, and he just lays us off like that, without giving us any face at all!"
"that is!"
Li Gangqiang couldn't help but speak up, "We've worked for the factory for so many years, and this reform of state-owned enterprises is going to lay us off. Director Zhao is really going to discard us after we've served our purpose. For the sake of the factory's future, he doesn't even care about the survival of the veteran employees!"
Seeing the two men's indignant expressions, Lin Jiafu was secretly delighted.
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