Chapter Thirty-Four
Lei Tingjun and his companion returned to their dormitory. In the afternoon, after the other two people in the dormitory finished work, they sat together. Lei Tingjun recounted what had happened in the factory director's office, and everyone understood the situation.
Old Xiao said, "Brother Lei was right. This matter is closely related to that Deputy Factory Director Yang."
"This Yang Changhua looks kind on the outside but is black on the inside. He's in charge of external sales, and I wonder how much profit he's skimming off the top!" Zhou Peng said indignantly.
Sun Xiaojun chimed in, "You didn't see it! Back in Director Ji's office, Yang Changhua got really angry after hearing what our boss said. Bah! He's a real scoundrel! Who knows how many bribes he secretly took from Deputy Director Zuo!"
Upon hearing this, Lei Tingjun had a sudden inspiration and came up with an idea.
If we could find evidence that Deputy Director Zuo bribed Deputy Factory Director Yang, wouldn't we be able to eliminate the problem once and for all?
Deputy Factory Director Yang was a corrupt official at the Dongfang Factory, and who knows how much profit he had embezzled into his own pocket.
That Deputy Director Zuo is no good either. If we can bring both of them down at the same time, it would be a good thing for the factory!
But this idea is a bit risky, and if not handled properly, it could easily backfire.
To be on the safe side, Lei Tingjun kept quiet, silently calculating and waiting for the right opportunity.
"Alright, now we just have to wait for Zuo Quangui to be discharged from the hospital and see how Director Ji handles it. These next few days, tell all the guys below to behave themselves and not cause any more trouble. Don't go to the workers' club or the dance hall this month either. Just stay put!"
Lei Tingjun spoke directly in a deep voice.
The other people in the dormitory all listened to him.
Sun Xiaojun also took out the money he had returned for cigarettes and alcohol and gave it back to Lao Xiao, saying, "Lao Xiao, this is the money you saved for your college entrance exams. You don't need it anymore, so I'm returning it to you. Thank you! Good brother, you're so loyal!"
The cigarettes and alcohol were returned for about forty yuan. Old Xiao reached out and took it, then thought for a moment and handed the money to Lei Tingjun instead: "Brother Lei, keep this money with you for now. If the brothers need money for this matter later, you can take it anytime!"
Lei Tingjun waved his hand, took out a pack of cigarettes that cost a few cents from his pocket and started smoking: "Keep it for yourself."
Old Xiao insisted on putting the money into Lei Tingjun's pocket: "Boss, we're not strangers, so don't be so polite with me. Before this matter is completely resolved, no one can make any promises. Keep the money, and you can pay me back when you don't need it anymore."
Lei Tingjun was silent for a moment, then didn't refuse Lao Xiao: "Okay, I'll keep it for now, and I'll let everyone know if I need it."
Tonight, everyone ate at the cafeteria.
It wasn't yet the end of the month and everyone was short of money, so they used their food allowance for dinner. Everyone scooped their plates full of rice and ate their fill with the canteen food.
As Lei Tingjun ate the rough and tasteless food, his thoughts drifted back to the bowl of noodles that Ji Wanmei had cooked for him that morning.
That was arguably the best bowl of noodles Lei Jun had ever eaten in his life.
It's fragrant, chewy, and made with plenty of ingredients.
It was so delicious that he wanted to drink every last drop of the soup.
In fact, Ji Wanmei didn't know his appetite. With that kind of soup bowl, he could eat two big bowls of noodles.
However, he was afraid of scaring her, so he only ate about 70% full and didn't dare to say anything.
Now, the rice overflowing from the iron plate is equivalent to three large bowls for an ordinary person. Lei Tingjun uses chopsticks to pick up the stir-fried vegetables, which have turned a bit black, and swallows them whole along with the white rice.
After finishing their meal, Zhou Peng and Sun Xiaojun didn't want to go back to their dorm to sleep so early, so they decided to go to the neighboring dorm to find someone to play cards with.
Because Lei Tingjun and Lao Xiao have been studying and reviewing lately, Zhou Peng and Sun Xiaojun went to play cards in other dormitories so as not to disturb them.
Lei Tingjun placed the stack of books that Ji Wanmei had given him on his desk in the dormitory, which Lao Xiao had naturally seen long ago.
Old Xiao envied nothing but others having books to read. When he came home from get off work during the day and saw a stack of review books suddenly appearing on his desk, his eyes widened in surprise.
After receiving Lei Tingjun's permission, he carefully picked up a book and began to read.
When Lao Xiao turned to the first page, he saw Ji Wanmei's delicate and beautiful name and was taken aback. He looked up and asked, "Boss, these books...?"
A hint of tenderness flashed in Lei Tingjun's dark eyes, and he raised an eyebrow: "You'd better take good care of these books."
Old Xiao was utterly shocked. "Boss, you and Factory Director Ji's daughter, you two really..."
No wonder Boss Lei suddenly said he wanted to go to university; now I know why.
Lei Tingjun lay on the lower bunk, his shoes draped over the iron bed frame, his long legs crossed, and in his hand was a notebook written by Ji Wanmei herself.
Lei Tingjun was reluctant to share this somewhat private matter with Lao Xiao; he preferred to read it quietly by himself.
As if looking at the handwriting in those notes, he could depict and imagine how attentively the young girl Ji Wanmei listened to the teacher on the podium and how she made notes stroke by stroke.
Time seemed to overlap and rewind in his imagination.
Lei Tingjun felt that he was just a male classmate sitting at the desk behind her.
Sunlight streamed in through the classroom window, falling on the delicate profile of the girl in front of her. Her ponytail was beautiful. She sat upright while listening to the lesson, very focused, sometimes looking up at the blackboard, sometimes looking down to take notes.
Lei Tingjun, meanwhile, rested his chin on his hand, staring at her in a daze.
A boy experiencing his first stirrings of love falls for the girl sitting in front of him.
How wonderful it would have been if they had started that way.
As Lei Tingjun pondered this, a faint smile appeared on his lips.
Old Xiao was only allowed to look at those few review books. Lei Tingjun forbade him to touch Ji Wanmei's handwritten notes. But even so, Old Xiao was already very content, eagerly absorbing knowledge.
It wasn't until almost midnight.
When Zhou Peng and Sun Xiaojun returned from playing cards in the next dormitory, they saw Lei Tingjun lying on the bed flipping through that notebook.
Sun Xiaojun clicked his tongue and exclaimed, "My goodness! Boss, I saw you engrossed in your book as soon as I came in. I almost didn't recognize you!"
Lei Tingjun delivered a flying kick: "What's wrong with reading more books?"
Ji Wanmei wrote a sentence in her notebook: 'Knowledge changes destiny'.
Lei Tingjun's gaze lingered on that sentence for a long, long time. He thought that even though he was already twenty-four, it shouldn't be too late for him to start learning again.
Even if he doesn't learn the knowledge in textbooks, he should learn more about things that can make him money.
For example, many emerging industries along the coast rely on having more information and knowledge than others to profit from the information gap.
Although Lei Tingjun did not have a high level of education, he had a naturally keen sense of perception and a keen insight into all the laws of survival.
It was this keen insight that enabled Lei Tingjun to transform from a penniless young man into a powerful figure who dominated a region!
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