sbdcsierra Chapter 1395 The First Fire
Chapter 1395 The First Fire
Chapter 1395 The First Fire
"Director Liao, you look great today. Did your wife cook you something delicious again?"
Zhou Yongyuan, the deputy head of the finance department, happened to be passing by in the corridor when he saw Liao Jinhui coming out of her office.
He's a master of flattery; even if Liao Jinhui were green with envy, he'd still manage to rave about it. And now, with Director Liao looking so smug and self-satisfied...
That's how it is in the workplace: people flock to those who are high up and belittle those who are low up. Never flatter someone who is lowly; that's not making friends, that's making enemies.
Regardless of Liao Jinhui's past or how depressed he became after the new leader took office, just look at him now—who dares to offend him?
I wonder what the new leader heard after his trip back to Beijing that made him treat Liao Jinhui differently?
Could it be that Liao Jinhui has connections within the group company, and which group leader spoke up for him?
The only person that comes to mind who could be associated with Liao Jinhui is Deputy Director Dong Wenxue.
We used to call him Director Dong because Dong Wenxue was in charge of the metallurgical plant and Liaodong industry at that time, so everyone naturally called him Director Dong.
But now that he's been transferred back to the group, we have to call him Deputy Director Dong. This isn't a demotion for a leader; it's just the rule.
Don't ask about the rules. If you call someone by the wrong name, it means you're a newbie in the workplace, and people will look down on you.
The same applies to not being able to sort out the relationships within the group. You need to figure out who is whose person and who has whom.
If you're clueless, you might not see it in a year or two, but after eight or ten years you'll be back to square one, and you'll realize how many cronies you've offended.
Director Liao started afresh, regaining his spirits, and everyone had to give him face and flatter him.
For no other reason than that the position of office director is truly special. Without achieving results, it requires a lot of hard work and dedication. Capable people are unwilling to do it, and incapable people cannot do it.
However, this position also means being closest to the leader and having the greatest chance of gaining their trust.
There's a saying that goes, "It's hard to do something, but it's very easy to do something about a person."
The position of office director is so unique that if you offend him, you can expect to suffer the consequences.
There are only those who steal day and night, not those who guard against thieves every night. Who knows, one day someone might trip you up in front of the boss.
Is Liao Jinhui that kind of person?
Is the answer even a question?
When you saw him being disliked by his superiors, how many people reached out to help him? When you saw him looking like he had lost his parents, who offered to comfort him?
Everyone walks their own path. If he had cultivated good karma and achieved good results in his past work and life, he wouldn't have had to deal with these people in his workplace who were initially arrogant but later became obsequious and fawning.
Of course, one cannot judge a person by one-sidedness or by appearances alone. On the surface, Director Liao performed better than anyone else.
Look how polite Zhou Yongyuan was when he greeted him. He was all smiles and didn't look sinister or cunning at all.
Zhou Yongyuan knew how wicked this old man was; many young people in the company had fallen victim to him.
He can't hear her now. Before that, many young girls had just graduated from school and were naive. He had taken advantage of them quite a bit, but he arranged good jobs for them and took good care of them. They just suffered in silence and thought they were young and unlucky.
However, a seasoned veteran like him was well aware of the principle that there's no smoke without fire, and he had already seen through the other party.
"Don't talk about me, the other day the smell of your stir-fried dishes wafted into our house, I almost followed them there."
Liao Jinhui smiled and tapped the other person, saying, "Your sister-in-law tells everyone how hard you work, which shows how hard you really have worked."
That's how it is among the cadres in the unit; they always tell jokes with a hint of risqué humor, partly for amusement and partly to hone each other's skills, using sentences with double entendres.
Let me put it this way: from the moment you step into this workplace, you have to start thinking. If you're even a little slow, you'll suffer, and sooner or later someone will scheme against you and ruin you.
Why do you think that out of a hundred young people who join a company, only five become supervisors and only one becomes a manager?
This requires not only strong skills and a solid background, but also a certain level of adaptability and problem-solving ability.
Zhou Yongyuan cursed inwardly at the barbs in the other person's words, but said politely, "You're being too polite with me. Next time your wife makes something delicious, I'll just bring a bottle of wine and come over. Unlike you, who's being so polite."
"Hahaha—" Liao Jinhui laughed and pointed at him, saying, "Alright, I welcome you, but it's settled then, you won't leave until you've had your drinks—"
"Alright! I'll be waiting!"
Zhou Yongyuan raised his eyebrows, leaned closer to Liao Jinhui, and whispered, "When will you treat the leaders to a meal?"
"Tsk—" Liao Jinhui raised his head slightly, looked at Zhou Yongyuan, whose true intentions were now revealed, and said with a meaningful smile, "Old Zhou, if you want to invite the leader, go invite him yourself—"
He also returned the favor to Zhou Yongyuan's earlier words: "You can't just be so evasive."
"I don't have that kind of prestige—"
Zhou Yongyuan held the other person up and said, "Look at your relationship with the leaders now, how can we compare?"
He gently patted Liao Jinhui's arm and said carefully, "Everyone is watching and hoping. We still need you, Director Liao, to step up."
After saying that, he patted Liao Jinhui's arm again and gave him a knowing look.
His eyes reflected admiration for the strong, respect for those in positions of authority, and a touch of humility and deference.
Let me put it this way: if a seasoned veteran from the workplace were to put on a show of fawning over and serving you, most people couldn't handle it. You might say that opera actors are so charming and captivating with their eyes and gestures that they can steal your soul without saying a word. But look at these seasoned veterans; their eyes, gestures, and the art of language can steal your life away.
What kind of fate? A life of righteous governance.
Even a seasoned, wandering old man like Liao Jinhui couldn't stand this kind of flattery and fawning. Don't say he couldn't resist a few words of coaxing; if it were you, you would have already burst out laughing, your expression betraying you.
Those who claim to study micro-expressions are talking nonsense. No matter how advanced their research is, how could they possibly have such extensive practical experience?
Zhou Yongyuan kept spouting eloquent words, trying to elevate Liao Jinhui to the status of a leader among the cadres in the unit, so that he could lead them in attacking Bright Summit.
Liao Jinhui wanted to say a few humble and polite words to deflect these irrelevant requests, but Zhou Yongyuan never gave him the chance. It was as if he had received the expectations and entrustments of many people, and was eager to bestow an imperial robe upon him.
Do you think Liao Jinhui doesn't understand these people's intentions, their initial arrogance followed by obsequiousness, and their fawning?
He understood; he even understood that these people were using him, and that not a single word of their flattery was sincere.
But thinking about it carefully, isn't that just how the workplace is? There's nothing really worth taking seriously.
So the expression on his face gradually softened as Zhou Yongyuan flattered him, even revealing a hint of reserved pride and a faint smile.
That complex expression is something actors could study for ten years; most people simply can't portray that kind of pride.
"Old Zhou, this can't be rushed—"
Liao Jinhui still doesn't understand why Li Xuewu has reinstated him. Others might not know, but he knows himself perfectly well. What kind of "big brother" is he?
Needless to say, he only had a casual acquaintance with other group leaders during their meetings. Even with Dong Wenxue, with whom he had worked, he dared not claim to have any real relationship.
Dong Wenxue is a simple and bookish person, but he is also principled and has a certain level of cultivation and tolerance.
Having served Dong Wenxue for so many years, he had come to understand Dong's temperament perfectly. Dong valued fame over profit, a typical college student, who had never experienced grassroots training or trials, let alone the harsh realities of intrigue and manipulation.
After the incident with the waiter, Dong Wenxue's only weakness was neutralized, and he became much more reserved.
He had considered befriending this leader, but fame and fortune are easier said than done.
The position of office director is both advantageous and disadvantageous; he's the kind of person who's willing to give gifts, but Dong Wenxue isn't the kind of person who's willing to accept them.
Dong Wenxue only cared about fame; to put it bluntly, he was a bit greedy and ambitious. He didn't really care what his subordinates did, as long as they didn't go too far and could get things done.
Therefore, the cadres in the metallurgical plant are generally somewhat arrogant and spoiled; they are capable, but also have very bad tempers.
Dong Wenxue did indeed train a few young people in Liaodong over the past few years, but he didn't give them much importance because his time was too tight, especially in the three years since the group was established.
The lack of close relationship means that Dong Wenxue has no connections in Liaodong; he doesn't even count as Liao Jinhui.
The reason Dong Wenxue didn't replace him was because he was too lazy to do so. After all, he did his job well, and even though some bad rumors came out, there was nothing to it.
If anyone reports him, Dong Wenxue will definitely deal with him seriously, but who can blame him for being so cunning?
Dong Wenxue didn't replace him when he left, but that doesn't mean he appreciated him or would protect him.
Perhaps it's a test for the new leader, or even a replacement. Everyone knows about the relationship between Dong Wenxue and Li Xuewu; they're considered part of the group's elite inner circle.
What puzzled Liao Jinhui was that Li Xuewu, who seemed to be planning to replace him, used him again after returning from his vacation in Beijing.
It's no wonder he was vague; the task Li Xuewu assigned him was far too important. He would never have been arranged this way if there wasn't a relationship of trust. How could he not overthink things?
Did Li Xuewu discover something about him? Or did Dong Wenxue give Li Xuewu his information?
This is a matter of good or bad fortune. The leader has a grasp of his situation, so he can be trusted and manipulated.
But in doing so, one becomes a puppet on a string, losing all freedom.
On the other hand, Li Xuewu is already on the verge of soaring to great heights. If he makes a positive impression and catches Li Xuewu's eye, those trivial matters will no longer be a problem.
He had long since figured it out: if the leader said it was a problem, it was a problem; if the leader said it wasn't a problem, it wasn't a problem. Whether he could continue doing this job depended entirely on Li Xuewu's word.
He was unsure of what relationship or connection he had with Li Xuewu, and it was impossible for anyone to speak up for him.
Therefore, whether Zhou Yongyuan is representing certain people to recommend him to curry favor with the leaders and form a new clique, or whether Zhou Yongyuan is trying to sabotage him, he cannot be hasty.
Take it easy and do your job well first, make sure your boss doesn't find fault with you, and then think about other things.
I haven't even figured out my own affairs yet, so how can I care about others? Therefore, I cannot grant Zhou Yongyuan's request.
"So, as you know, I have some urgent work to do. I'll wait until I'm done with this."
Liao Jinhui didn't want to give up on Zhou Yongyuan and the others because he felt he could overcome this difficulty and climb the ranks, eventually becoming the deputy director of the metallurgical plant.
The process of group-based transformation is underway, and a professional management team is transitioning. The next position will be deputy factory director. How can a manager not have their own sphere of influence?
Relationships are built up step by step. He doesn't care what Zhou Yongyuan is thinking now, as long as he can be used. When he can't be used, he can just throw him out as a scapegoat. Isn't that how everyone does it? He's already familiar with this routine.
"I understand, I understand." Zhou Yongyuan looked at him with envy and said, "From now on, we'll all be counting on your help and support, Director Liao. Please don't look down on us."
Look at what Zhou Yongyuan is saying. He keeps using the word "we," but who are all the "we"? He hasn't mentioned a single name.
It's all empty talk, not a single word is accurate.
Liao Jinhui was the same kind of person. Seeing that he was being polite, he nodded and said that there was no need for such formalities between comrades.
As they were exchanging pleasantries, Ma Baosen came out of Yin Zhongyao's office and quickly walked over when he saw them.
"Director Liao, Deputy Director Yin is looking for you."
Ma Baosen was Zhang Enyuan's apprentice. The two went together to help the new leader. His master became the new leader's secretary, and he also became a popular figure in the department because of this. No one dared to offend him.
When one person attains enlightenment, even their chickens and dogs ascend to heaven.
Ma Baosen was just a follower of his master who attained enlightenment. He didn't care what those people said behind his back. He just remembered his master's advice to keep a low profile.
So those who were waiting to see him fail were utterly shocked, filled with disappointment and regret.
At such a young age, he's enjoying immense success. Shouldn't he be a little arrogant after achieving his goals? At the very least, he should use his master's influence to show off and get back at the bullying he suffered in the past.
As long as Ma Baosen dares to do this, those who love to watch the drama will dare to distort, fabricate, and spread the story.
For no other reason than that he couldn't stand seeing Ma Baosen and his apprentice doing well, and why Zhang Enyuan was able to enjoy such success.
If Ma Baosen gets dirty, there will be a chance to bring Zhang Enyuan down, and then everyone can watch the show between the master and apprentice.
What do these people gain?
They get nothing, but they gain pleasure from doing bad things.
Ma Baosen had already secretly observed these people's true colors, so he was very cautious and careful not to fall into their trap.
Look, when he went to Yin Zhongyao's office to deliver documents, he was instructed by his superior to call someone, and he put on quite a show.
Upon seeing Liao Jinhui, his expression was a mixture of bewilderment and seriousness. He walked over quickly but without appearing flustered, displaying only a responsible attitude towards his superiors and an eagerness to deliver a message to Director Liao.
Liao Jinhui had been observing the master and apprentice. Zhang Enyuan became a staunch conservative and, after establishing himself, he no longer had any private dealings with people in the office.
If you invite him to dinner, he'll always have the same excuse: his boss is busy.
Yes, the leaders are all busy, how could they have time to go out for a meal? Whose invitation to a meal can be bigger than the leader's?
Not only does he refuse invitations to meals, but he also avoids accepting gifts during holidays. He had already told his family that he wouldn't let them accept even a single match; he was determined to be ruthless.
Judging from Li Xuewu's work style and attitude, he is not someone who likes to accept gifts, so Zhang Enyuan followed suit and tried to keep up with his leader.
Unable to outmaneuver Zhang Enyuan, Liao Jinhui turned her attention to Ma Baosen, hoping to find a breakthrough.
He's fooled and manipulated countless young people like this. They're young and enthusiastic, and a few compliments or a little sweetness make them lose their sense of self-worth.
"Baosen, did Deputy Director Yin say he wanted to see me about something?"
Liao Jinhui's words were sharp, but his tone was very friendly; someone who didn't know better would think he was speaking to his nephews or nieces.
He's been like this lately, and Ma Baosen is finding it very difficult to adjust, always feeling like he has a fishbone stuck in his throat.
However, he also learned a few tricks from his master. When facing this old man, he couldn't hide the expression on his face, so he lowered his head and acted respectfully, not letting the other party see his face.
Well, his master said this trick is called shamelessness.
His master said that with his skill level, he could tell what the other person ate that morning in less than three sentences.
So when Liao Jin asked, Ma Baosen humbly lowered his head and replied, "This... the leader didn't tell me."
hey-hey--
Zhou Yongyuan stood aside and found the kid increasingly interesting. Zhang Enyuan knew how to teach his apprentices; what a brilliant answer!
Liao Jinhui is a leader. No matter how you answer a question he is asked, you will fall into a trap. Either you deny Director Liao or you offend Deputy Director Yin. You will be in trouble no matter what.
And then? He said this.
Yes, the boss didn't tell him who he was. If the boss needs to talk to the office director, why would he need to talk to him?
This really got Liao Jinhui pretty angry, as if to say, "Are you crazy? Why would you ask such a question?"
This wasn't because Liao Jin had gone mad; he had been testing the kid all along because he felt the kid wasn't honest either.
He's just like his master; he'll be a menace sooner or later.
"Well—Old Zhou, you go ahead with your work, we'll talk about our business later. As for Deputy Director Yin—"
He ignored Ma Baosen and turned to Zhou Yongyuan, who was standing aside watching the commotion, with a smile and a polite remark.
Zhou Yongyuan nodded repeatedly and said, "You go ahead with your work, I'll make an appointment with you later. The leader's business is more important."
Liao Jinhui didn't stand on ceremony with him anymore. He glanced at Ma Baosen, who was still standing to the side with his head down, and headed towards Yin Zhongyao's office.
Zhou Yongyuan glanced at Liao Jinhui's departing figure, raised an eyebrow, then looked at Ma Baosen who was peeking up, and couldn't help but grin: This kid is really interesting!
Ma Baosen finally couldn't resist, glancing at Director Liao's retreating figure before being caught red-handed by Deputy Manager Zhou. Not hearing his superior leave, he was also curious, and when he looked up, he saw Deputy Manager Zhou smiling at him—a smile that looked like that of a…fox!
dong dong——
Liao Jinhui knocked on the office door, a humble smile on his face.
Yes, just like Zhou Yongyuan did just now.
Almost everyone in the unit has one of these masks; it's not Zhou Yongyuan's exclusive property, only he owns them.
"Deputy Director Yin, you wanted to see me?"
"Yes, Comrade Kim, come here."
Whether Yin Zhongyao was genuinely busy or just pretending, he looked up from the pile of documents when he heard the knock on the door. His gaze was fixed on the top edge of his farsighted glasses, and he looked very serious.
He pointed to the seat opposite the desk and said to Liao Jinhui, "Make your own tea."
Leaders always speak with a purpose; they may be pointing to the seat opposite them, but they'll be saying, "Make your own tea."
Does this mean he should make his own tea, or that he should sit down and listen to the leader speak?
The answer is simple: Liao Jinhui made the right choice. He had no right to sit across from Yin Zhongyao and drink tea, let alone make his leader wait for him in his busy schedule.
So he quickly stepped forward, holding the notebook in his hand and bowing slightly, and said, "Thank you, Deputy Director Yin. I'm not thirsty. Please feel free to ask if you need anything."
Seeing Yin Zhongyao wave at him again, he sat down on the edge of the chair, his body stiff and straight, but he didn't dare to sit down properly.
Yin Zhongyao took off his large-framed glasses, raised his hand to pinch the bridge of his nose, and said, "I'm getting old and useless. Even my eyesight can't keep up anymore. My eyes get blurry after reading documents for a while, so I have to wear glasses."
"No way, if you're going to say we're old, then none of us should work anymore," Liao Jinhui said, bowing slightly forward. "You look younger than me."
"Heh—" Yin Zhongyao was quite pleased with his flattery and sycophancy, and couldn't help but laugh out loud.
He picked up his teacup to conceal his embarrassment and looked at the other person, asking, "When did you come to work at the metallurgical factory?"
Upon hearing Yin Zhongyao's question, Liao Jinhui's heart skipped a beat. This question was almost a sure sign; whenever a leader inquired about her well-being, the answer was obvious.
It's either a promotion or a reassignment.
Liao Jinhui's hands, which were holding the notebook, began to tremble. He wondered what Yin Zhongyao wanted to see him about, and why he was being so polite, offering him a seat and tea. It all seemed so fake.
Furthermore, Yin Zhongyao is in charge of the organization and personnel work of the metallurgical plant, so there must be a purpose in talking to him.
Looking back on his recent performance, there's hardly any progress to speak of. Even if there were progress, it shouldn't be Yin Zhongyao having an organizational talk with him, with Li Xuewu there to keep things in check.
Not to mention that he felt a chill in his heart, but on the surface he still had to pretend to be calm and answer Yin Zhongyao's questions, while Yin Zhongyao was observing his expression changes the whole time.
The rules of the game in the workplace: big fish eat small fish, and small fish eat shrimp.
Liao Jinhui could be bossy in front of Zhou Yongyuan and Ma Baosen, but he became obsequious in front of Yin Zhongyao. It wasn't that he lacked backbone, but that he lacked confidence.
Cadres of this era generally possessed a strong sense of integrity and were adept at both their work and ideological education. However, it was inevitable that even among the good, there were some bad apples.
Liao Jinhui didn't even notice the beads of sweat on her forehead; it was early spring, so it wasn't hot at all.
"I believe you are already aware of the importance that Li Xuewu attaches to the metallurgical plant and the industrial work in Liaodong."
After going around in circles, displaying the cat-and-mouse mentality and enjoying his superior, wicked pleasure, Yin Zhongyao finally put down his teacup and casually steered the conversation back on track.
At this moment, Liao Jinhui, filled with anxiety, clenched his hands tightly, staring intently at the other person like a criminal awaiting judgment, hoping to hear good news from the other person.
But Yin Zhongyao disappointed him. If he was the one to talk to Liao Jinhui, what good news could it be? If there was any good news, it should have been Li Xuewu who talked to Liao Jinhui himself.
Having said that, Yin Zhongyao stopped beating around the bush and began to speak seriously: "This morning, Li Xuewu talked to me about personnel arrangements."
"Deputy Director Yin—" Liao Jinhui panicked; his expectations and belief in being valued by Li Xuewu collapsed.
Yin Zhongyao glanced at him, picked up his teacup, took a sip, and gave the other person time to compose himself.
Liao Jinhui is already like this, why does he need to take a sip of tea and pretend to be something he's not?
He only hoped that Yin Zhongyao would reveal Li Xuewu's verdict against him as soon as possible, and then he would know what to do next.
"Li Xuewu still trusts you."
Yin Zhongyao suddenly said this, especially while carefully observing his expression.
Liao Jinhui was visibly taken aback, then frowned slightly before quickly resuming her professional conduct.
He had no right to frown in front of his superiors, but while his face showed a relaxed expression, his heart was still furrowed.
He didn't understand the meaning of Deputy Director Yin's words, what it meant that Li Xuewu still trusted him.
Yin Zhongyao did not get the answer he wanted, so he stopped probing and said bluntly, "The leadership intends to adjust the structure of the Liaodong Industrial Leading Group Office."
Liao Jinhui was even more confused upon hearing this. What did Li Xuewu's restructuring of the Liaodong Industrial Leading Group Office have to do with him...? No! It had to do with him!
Habits really do get you killed; he'd forgotten he still held the position of Director of the Liaodong Industrial Leading Group Office, a position given to him by Dong Wenxue.
It's no wonder Liao Jin forgot about this; it's just that no one took this office seriously before.
To put it simply, Dong Wenxue's management of the group's various industrial enterprises in Liaodong was not comprehensive in the past, and he did not even have complete control over the persons in charge.
Even the position of deputy director of the group's management committee was obtained by Dong Wenxue in the first half of his third year working in Gangcheng. At that time, most of the other industrial leaders were already in their positions and did not respect him much.
Rather than saying that Dong Wenxue integrated the group's industrial resources in Liaodong, it would be more accurate to say that the group's management exerted pressure on these people, forcing them to obey Dong Wenxue's management and carry out the group's plans and arrangements.
There are very few instances where the Liaodong Industrial Leading Group Office truly acts as the main management body to issue orders to various branch enterprises, and those are mostly superficial projects.
The group's industrial development in Liaodong was previously characterized by disorganization and fragmentation, with each entity acting independently.
There was nothing Dong Wenxue could do about this. When he came to Gangcheng, he was the deputy manager who took over a mess. Needless to say, it was very difficult. He was promoted to manager by sheer luck.
After working for another two years, Dong Wenxue integrated overseas resources to establish a metallurgical plant in the steel plant. He made many contributions and also supported and helped other industrial enterprises in the group to establish themselves and develop in the steel city. This is why he had the opportunity to be promoted from manager to deputy director last year.
This opportunity was also made possible by the fact that the steel rolling mill had achieved group-based development; otherwise, he would not have had the chance.
Dong Wenxue was young, but his methods were rather weak. He had no way of dealing with Yingcheng Shipbuilding and Fengcheng Machinery, which were located in the south and north respectively, and he had no way of taking action against units like the Steel City Rolling Mill, which was under construction.
The hardware factory is alright, after all, it was founded and established from the steel mill, so it has a certain foundation. Factories like Steel City Automobile and Steel City Electronics, from their initial staffing to their worker structure, are not within Steel City's sphere of influence, and Dong Wenxue is a bit too busy to handle them.
It was from that time that the concept of the Liaodong Industrial Leading Group Office emerged, but it was also from that time that the group's industrial enterprises in Liaodong began to develop into a disorganized mess, which became uncontrollable.
Anyway, the mess was never sorted out before Dong Wenxue left. Most of the members of the Liaodong Industrial Leading Group Office were employees of the metallurgical plant's office, and a few others were just office liaisons from other companies who were just nominally there.
Whenever the group assigns a task, the stamp of the level from which it should be issued is used.
If the task is assigned to a metallurgical plant, it should be done in the name of the metallurgical plant's office. If it is assigned to all factories or other industrial enterprises, it should be done in the name of the leading group's office. It's the difference between one team with two names.
But from Yin Zhongyao's words, he could tell that Li Xuewu was going to reorganize the Liaodong Industrial Leading Group Office. Was he trying to re-establish authority at this level?
But how could we do without him at this time!
It's really frustrating. He's been carrying this position as the director of the leading group office for almost two years. He didn't take it seriously before, just thinking it was a burden, an extra job.
He's having trouble accepting this; it's like a pig he's raised for years is about to be slaughtered, only to be told he won't get a share.
"That's how things are, that's the situation." Yin Zhongyao, who was used to being cunning, started to smear his own interests with his words. "The leader's opinion is that he understands your hard work and wants you to focus on the business of the metallurgical plant office. The leading group office needs to be reorganized and rebuilt."
"Yes...yes..." Liao Jin hesitated for a long time but couldn't ask the question. He already knew the answer.
******
On February 26, 1969, the Liaodong Industrial Leading Group Office issued a notice removing Liao Jinhui from his position as director of the group office and relieving him of his concurrent positions in other industrial enterprise offices.
Upon hearing this news, everyone was shocked. It seemed that Li Xuewu's long-awaited first act was about to be launched.
Wait a minute, didn't it start burning a while ago?
Everyone was speculating and muttering; they simply couldn't understand Li Xuewu's modus operandi.
They never expected that Li Xuewu would start with the empty shell of the Liaodong Industrial Leading Group Office.
But starting from February 26th, this empty shell is no longer empty.
It was obvious to everyone that Li Xuewu would be managing the group's various industrial enterprises in Liaodong as the head of the industrial leadership group, and would also be issuing orders to these enterprises in this capacity.
Without a proper title, one's words are not appropriate. It is not suitable for Li Xuewu to manage the various enterprises in Liaodong as a group leader, and it is even more inappropriate for him to act as the director of the metallurgical plant's management committee.
However, it would be most appropriate for him to issue orders to these industrial enterprises in his capacity as the head of the Liaodong Industrial Leading Group.
You disobey orders? Then his position as a leader comes in handy; this move is perfectly legitimate and incredibly powerful.
But that's just Li Xuewu's style of doing things.
Just by looking at how obediently those two Deputy Directors Yang were working after returning from Beijing, not daring to show their faces again, one can see how clever Li Xuewu's methods are.
You can't beat me in a fair fight, so you want to play dirty tricks on me?
Now that the issue of identity has been resolved, the next step is to set the rules, because nothing can be accomplished without rules.
In this light, Li Xuewu's arrangement for Liao Jinhui to prepare and draft a work implementation plan for the next three years seems like a joke.
Because this plan must be aimed at all the group's industrial enterprises in Liaodong, it must be issued in the name of the leading group office. But Liao Jinhui is no longer the director of the leading group office, so what use is he?
The most awkward person right now is Liao Jinhui. He can't fail to complete the task assigned by his superiors, but he also knows that his superiors didn't expect him to complete it at all, as if they were deliberately playing a trick on him.
But can he question Li Xuewu?
In the dismissal notice issued on the 26th, in addition to Liao Jinhui, the office director, being dismissed, everyone else in the group office was also dismissed, effectively purging them all.
This is a joke. There isn't a single person working in the leading group office. Where did this notice come from?
On February 27, the Liaodong Industrial Leading Group Office issued another notice:
Zhang Jing was appointed as the Director of the Liaodong Industrial Leading Group Office of the Group, and Zhang Enyuan was appointed as the Deputy Director of the Leading Group Office.
A list of team members is attached.
All done. The empty shell that everyone was laughing at has been filled.
Along with the notification from the Liaodong Industrial Leading Group Office, the metallurgical plant also issued an organizational and personnel notification from its Organization Department:
Zhang Jing is relieved of his post as deputy director of the office of Hongxing Steel City Metallurgical Plant.
Sun Jia was appointed as the deputy director of the office of Hongxing Steel City Metallurgical Plant.
The removal of one official and the appointment of another directly altered the organizational structure of the Leading Group Office and the Metallurgical Plant Management Committee Office.
Li Xuewu's two days of major actions left the metallurgical plant and other industrial enterprises bewildered and uneasy.
While they weren't as ashen-faced as Liao Jinhui, they weren't exactly smiling either.
Li Xuewu was finally going to use his knife, so he forced Liao Jinhui to run ahead and lift the cloth curtains around their necks so that Li Xuewu's knife could strike more accurately.
Some people have already started studying the list of office staff published by the Liaodong Industrial Leading Group Office.
Director Zhang Jing goes without saying; he was Dong Wenxue's first secretary in Gangcheng and was definitely one of Li Xuewu's own people.
Needless to say, Deputy Director Zhang Enyuan is Li Xuewu's current secretary. He serves as Deputy Director to better convey the leader's instructions and to cooperate with Zhang Jing's work.
The office members are Liu Yao, Shangguan Qi, Zhao Hongtu, Zhang Suqiu, Xu Ning, Zhou Peilan, Li Muqin, Wang Min, Zhou Linghua, and Ma Baosen.
Liu Yao's name is familiar; he is the head of the Vehicle Engineering Research Institute at the Group's Science and Technology Research Institute.
Following this line of reasoning, you can then see how the others fit in:
Shangguan Qi is an engineer at the Aircraft Research Institute of the Science and Technology Research Institute and the person in charge of the UAV project.
Zhao Hongtu is an engineer at the Institute of Ship Engineering, Science and Technology Research Institute, and the head of the Yingcheng Ship Technology Department.
Zhang Suqiu is an engineer at the Institute of Electronic Engineering, Science and Technology Research Institute, and the deputy director in charge of technology at Gangcheng Electronics.
Xu Ning, deputy general manager of the energy company, was Li Xuewu's former colleague in the security department.
Those with names and titles can naturally be found in newspapers or in the contact books of their work units, but what about the others?
Besides Ma Baosen, who is this strange name that has somehow infiltrated the team, who are Zhou Peilan, Li Muqin, Wang Min, and Zhou Linghua?
"Hello, leader, I am Zhou Peilan." A girl with pigtails introduced herself crisply: "I graduated from the English Department of Huaqing University and have worked in the Group's Management Committee Office, Foreign Affairs Office and Trade Management Center. I am now reporting to you."
As soon as she finished speaking, another young man wearing round-framed glasses introduced himself.
"Hello, leader. I am Li Muqin, a graduate of the Mechanical Engineering Department of the Iron and Steel Institute. I have worked in the Group's Design Department and Research Institute. I am reporting for duty now."
"Hello, leader. I am Wang Min, a graduate of the Engineering Department of Huaqing University. I have worked in the Group's Engineering Department and Construction Engineering Corporation. I am reporting for duty now."
"Hello, leader. I am Zhou Linghua, a graduate of the Department of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering at Huaqing University. I have worked at the Group's Science and Technology Research Institute and Gangcheng Electronics. I am reporting for duty now."
Four people introduced themselves in a row. Ma Baosen, who was standing at the very end, looked at his mentor and then at Director Zhang Jing, unsure whether he should also introduce himself.
But the collective momentum is immense; before he could even decide whether to follow the formation, his mouth had already automatically started moving.
"Hello, leader, I am Ma Baosen, a graduate of Gangcheng No. 3 Middle School, and I am currently..."
He only said half of what he was saying when his master glared at him, and Director Zhang Jing turned his head away as if he was about to laugh.
Looking at the surprised gazes of the other four young men standing with him, he wished he could disappear into the ground. What had he just said?
He messed up the formation!
Perhaps fearing reprimand from his superiors, and unwilling to see his apprentice scolded, Zhang Enyuan proactively explained, "Ma Baosen is in charge of logistical support in the office."
Look at that, what a great mentor! The words "duty," "odd jobs," and "running errands" are all given a more sophisticated and elegant description.
Even Zhou Peilan and the others looked at Ma Baosen much more normally; how could a team be without logistics support?
To put it simply, who fetches the hot water in the office? Who distributes the documents? Who organizes the materials?
The four of them came from different professions and were summoned back to Beijing by the group for a meeting. Deputy leader Bu Qingfang personally spoke with them, and only then did they realize how lucky they were.
Indeed, having been selected by the deputy secretary and assigned to the Liaodong Industrial Leading Group to follow Li Xuewu's arrangements and instructions, they, who had already worked there for two years, naturally knew what it meant.
They rushed over from the capital, full of excitement, determined to follow Li Xuewu and make something of themselves.
Li Xuewu is a role model for the group's young people and a flag bearer for youth. They are so honored to have this opportunity.
So even when introducing himself in Li Xuewu's office, he spoke with great enthusiasm, and they felt very friendly towards the service personnel who had infiltrated the team.
This is a member of the future team!
That's the good thing about young people forming teams; they haven't developed a mindset of exclusion yet, they're all focused on improving themselves, don't discriminate against any teammates, and are more likely to cooperate actively and help each other.
Li Xuewu wants to use young people, but he won't rely on them too much. He has already decided on the main members of the leading group office, which will be the main force at the technical level.
Liu Yao, Shangguan Qi, and others were able to provide him with technical judgments and opinions, while Zhou Peilan, Li Muqin, and the other three were able to fully understand his instructions and carry out the tasks in a targeted manner.
As for Ma Baosen... his work was also very important, and Li Xuewu did not blame Zhang Enyuan for smuggling in his own personal agenda.
Everyone has selfish desires; who doesn't?
(End of this chapter)