When they arrived at the factory manager's office again, the two sat in the same positions as before.
Factory Director Li tossed him a cigarette and asked, "What does Zhao Shanhai want with you?"
"The first time, I was offered a senior engineer position at the factory. This time, I was given shareholder status. They're trying to get me to work on loudspeakers," Xing Baohua said with a light smile.
"Haha, he's just getting impatient. I don't think he's a good candidate. I never thought he was a good candidate from the first time I met him," Director Li said with a laugh and a slight shake of his head.
"You've met him before."
"I've seen it. I was the one who proposed the No. 4 Factory contract system behind the scenes." Director Li's words startled Xing Baohua.
I knew this guy was a cunning old fox, but I never expected he had already laid out his plans.
Then Director Li said, "What a pity! Plans can't keep up with changes."
"Why? What happened here?" Xing Baohua asked.
“I wanted to take the land of Factory No. 4 and build a few buildings to provide homes for the employees. Old Hou from the Machinery Bureau agreed, as long as a factory director could be assigned there to facilitate the relocation of Factory No. 4, the land would be freed up. In the end, the higher-ups assigned Zhao Shanhai to take office.” Factory Director Li flicked his cigarette ash and looked at Xing Baohua as he spoke.
Xing Baohua didn't reply immediately, pondering why Factory Director Li had told him these confidential matters. Also, what was this man trying to express today, given that he hadn't used any leaps in thought?
“Zhao Shanhai’s appointment disrupted my plans. Old Hou has outmaneuvered him, and I’m now waiting to see how it goes. Zhao Shanhai may have heard about your loudspeaker business, and what he lacks right now is a product,” Director Li continued.
He then pointed at Xing Baohua with his finger and said with a light laugh, "You acted impulsively, very well. How about I promise you a workshop?"
Xing Baohua lit the cigarette the factory manager had just given him, shook his head and said, "I've been thinking about it these past few days, being a workshop director is meaningless."
Factory Director Li laughed heartily, then pointed at Xing Baohua again and said, "I know you're a slippery one!"
"Ever since you started fixing computers, I've had people keep an eye on you. What do you think the logistics and repair department did by starting up early? Just to let you play around there?"
Factory Director Li stared at Xing Baohua, as if trying to read something from his face. He continued, "There are so many capable people in the factory, why do we need to evaluate you?"
"You really don't know?" Xing Baohua shook his head and replied.
"The repair department of the logistics department is a small department, but you can still see its initiative and management skills. A small test can reveal your problems; you're lazy," said Director Li.
Xing Baohua nodded; anyone could see his laziness. He was just slacking off; who would want to do extra work for a fixed salary?
"It was my decision not to supply the parts to the warehouse; I wanted to see how you would handle it. But you didn't make any moves, you just stayed put?"
"Indeed, no one is in a hurry, and neither am I."
Factory Director Li shook his head slightly and said, "Do you know what 'running' means? It means solving problems by running when you encounter difficulties. The warehouse has no spare parts, who did you contact?"
“But I have reported the situation!” Xing Baohua said.
"The effort isn't enough. They report it and then ignore it, waiting for arrangements? If I gave you a factory, but you had no money, no materials, and you were waiting to start production, wouldn't you be anxious? Would you be willing to run around for it?" Factory Director Li's tone gradually became stern.
Xing Baohua felt that the factory director was both teaching him something and criticizing him, and suddenly he felt that he was connected to something.
He shook his head and said, "What you're describing is different from my current work environment."
"It's the same, we're waiting for materials, but what's needed is a positive attitude," said Director Li.
Xing Baohua instantly understood something. He sighed with relief that he had been lazy.
Director Li was referring to Factory No. 4. What was he doing there, inspecting me? He wanted to send a factory director there to be a puppet!
I instantly felt a chill run down my spine. These big shots really know how to play!
Xing Baohua asked pointedly, "You mean, if I were the factory director of Factory No. 4, what would I do when we had nothing? Are you making a hypothetical assumption or did you actually think that way back then?"
Factory Director Li nodded slightly, as if to say that the young man was teachable.
This was a frank and open conversation, without any scheming. Some things were immediately clear, but Xing Baohua didn't know the factory director's next plan. Moreover, the other party was very meticulous and had a strong desire for control, making him impossible to figure out.
“Whether it’s Zhao Shanhai or you going to Factory No. 4, the relocation is inevitable. But now I hope you can make a difference in the factory and give full play to your true abilities,” said Factory Director Li.
"Make loudspeakers?" Xing Baohua shook his head and smiled, then said, "But I don't want to make loudspeakers. I want a factory like Factory No. 4, not Factory No. 4?"
Xing Baohua's words made Factory Director Li lean forward, staring intently at Xing Baohua, and ask, "You want to build your own factory and run it yourself?"
Xing Baohua shook his head slightly. He dared not say that he was working alone, otherwise the consequences would be severe if word got out.
"Are there foreign investors?" Factory Director Li asked again.
"No, I really don't. I wouldn't dare even if you gave me the guts! If it were true, I would have submitted an application this morning," Xing Baohua quickly said.
Factory Director Li said with a sigh of relief, "That's good."
“Come on, tell me why you don’t want to work for the factory and want to start your own business? You’re still young, and you might take some detours. Let me guide you,” said Director Li.
Xing Baohua thought to himself, "This isn't guidance at all! It's just empty platitudes."
"I want the production line from Factory No. 4. Ideally, the factory could upgrade it," Xing Baohua said.
Factory Director Li laughed and said, "You're dreaming. If you want a production line, where will you produce it? What will you produce? You just said you won't make loudspeakers. So what else can you make? Stop beating around the bush, just say it all at once!"
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