At the leadership meeting, none of the attendees, who had all discerned Yang Zhenhua's intentions, raised any objections, and the overall situation was settled. The report on the establishment of the new steel rolling mill, machine repair shop, and auto repair shop was successfully passed.
The plan was approved, and less than 10 minutes later, Xu Damao was summoned to the director's office. Li Wenming was actually the most frustrated; his own department was going to become a new factory, but he, as his direct supervisor, didn't even know and had to be reminded. Knowing it was auto repair, he knew it was inextricably linked to Xu Damao.
Xu Damao knew he would have to get through this sooner or later. Within the system, the biggest taboo is reporting directly to higher-ups, but this matter was in secrecy, and he couldn't help but conceal it from his superiors. Otherwise, just like the outcome of this meeting, the news would spread throughout the entire factory in a short time.
It wasn't that he didn't trust Li Wenming, but rather that everyone had their own interests. Even Xu Damao, after hearing the news, didn't choose to keep it a secret, but instead reported it to Li Xuewu.
"Da Mao, what's going on here?" When Li Wenming arrived at the director's office, he wasn't as furious as expected.
"Director, actually I don't know much about the matter either. It's just that Director Li called me over last time to ask about the car repair work and asked me to submit some specific data to him."
When Li Wenming asked about this, Xu Damao couldn't pretend he didn't know anything, nor could he reveal everything. He, Xu Damao, might not be in the logistics department anymore, but Li Wenming couldn't stay there forever either. Things change; who knows, one day Li Wenming might become his direct superior or even a leader at the head office.
"So what are your thoughts on the transportation department?"
Li Wenming is quite pragmatic; he's now starting to think more about the post-Transportation Department era. Xu Damao is definitely leaving, and the Transportation Department will be split up, with Li Wenming still in charge of the remaining departments, so he's paying close attention.
Next, Xu Damao briefly reported his own ideas. Since the specific plan wasn't finalized yet, there was no point in saying more.
After leaving Li Wenming's office, Xu Damao went to Gao Jin's office, where he felt much more at ease.
"Go for higher positions. Now that two new factories, the auto repair shop and the machine repair shop, have been established, you could try to become the top manager," Xu Damao tempted.
According to the plan, both factories were at the division level. In those days, there were no clear regulations on the length of service required for promotion, but Gao Jin had only been a deputy division chief for a short time, and his qualifications were still not quite sufficient.
"You're kidding me, aren't you? I know my own situation. I've been a section chief for over ten years, and deputy director is the highest I can do. I don't want anything more."
When Gao Jin first heard the news, the string of desire in his heart twitched a few times, but then subsided. He didn't have much support from above, and he had family burdens. He was unwilling to invest in his career, so the possibility of becoming a division-level cadre was basically out of reach for him.
Xu Damao was somewhat annoyed by the other party's direct surrender. The establishment of this auto repair shop was, in essence, a result of Xu Damao's instigation, with the natural expectation that he would eventually gain complete control. However, due to his own limited experience and other reasons, becoming deputy factory manager was already an exceptional appointment; becoming factory manager would take at least several years.
Over the past few years, he had hoped to find a leader who was compatible with him to take charge of the overall situation, so that when he had enough seniority, the other party would be ready to step down. After much consideration, Gao Jin seemed to be the most suitable person. Gao Jin had a good relationship with Xu Damao, had little desire for power, and was the best tool for him.
However, since Gao Jin didn't have this idea, he didn't plan to report to Li Xuewu. He figured Li Xuewu had his own plans, and the factory director would definitely be handpicked by Old Li. Xu Damao would stay put for a few years, establish good cooperation, and then see if there was a chance for him to be promoted. If not, he would have to start from scratch.
In the following days, Xu Damao had nothing to do with formally reporting to the ministry, but people kept coming to his office.
With the auto repair shop about to be established, Xu Damao, as the head of the transportation department, was naturally considered one of the key leaders of the shop. After Xu Damao held intensive talks with several people within the transportation department, everyone was at least outwardly stable and united.
However, many people from other departments who had similar ideas naturally came to Xu Damao to inquire about the situation. Ordinary cadres wanted to follow in Xu Damao's footsteps and be directly promoted to deputy section chief when he went to the first branch factory; the deputy section chiefs naturally wanted to be promoted to section chief.
To Xu Damao's surprise, several section chiefs also came to his office under the pretext of inquiring about the situation. Needless to say, none of them had a chance. These section chiefs were definitely aiming for the position of deputy factory director, but the fact that they still needed to ask Xu Damao for help at the section chief level indicated a lack of connections and resources; they had been eliminated before even competing.
Some cadres with ulterior motives also started going to Xu Damao's house in the evenings. Xu Damao didn't confiscate anything, and sometimes he wasn't even home, but the impact on the courtyard was enormous.
Because these people who went were all cadres, even deputy section chiefs, and were considered capable by everyone in the courtyard. The fact that these capable people had to ask Xu Damao for help once again raised Xu Damao's status in the eyes of everyone in the courtyard.
The Jia family.
"Mom, do you think Xu Damao would be willing to help me if I go to the newly established auto repair shop?" Qin Huairu asked Jia Zhangshi while she was eating dinner.
Qin Huairu had wanted to change jobs for a long time, but she had kept her thoughts to herself until this was the first time she had spoken them aloud. Previously, she had always imagined working as a factory worker and climbing the ranks, eventually earning a salary comparable to Yi Zhonghai's after more than a decade.
But the reality is that after doing this for a while, she realized that she was not cut out for manual labor at all. She couldn't learn many of the basic skills that apprentices should master, and becoming a level one worker seemed a long way off.
So she often fantasized about having a job that didn't require manual labor but offered high pay. And now, the talk of auto repair shops gave her hope.
In her opinion, Xu Damao, as her neighbor, should be able to help her this time.
“You can’t have any dirty thoughts. I feel more at ease here in the steel rolling mill workshop, where everyone is watching you. If you go somewhere else, who knows what you’re doing all day, whether you’re working or something else.”
Madam Jia was only concerned with keeping an eye on her daughter-in-law, and didn't care whether she was wielding a sledgehammer or pliers.
Qin Huairu was not discouraged by her mother-in-law's direct rejection and thought she would ask Yi Zhonghai or Xu Damao if she had the chance.
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