Siheyuan: I just came across and wanted to chase me away

Chapter 1204: The Cleanup Begins

These words were ostensibly a plea for the workers, but in reality, he wanted to curry favor with them. The whole factory knew about the charade just now, and if he could "protect" these people, wouldn't they become completely devoted to him? It would be a perfect opportunity to win over their hearts and minds and rival Gu Nan.

Gu Nan could easily see through his intentions. He thought to himself, "Old fox," but replied readily, "Don't worry, Director Zhu, I know what I'm doing. Since they're factory workers, they should naturally follow the factory rules. Investigate what needs to be investigated, punish what needs to be punished, and I'll give everyone an explanation." He emphasized the word "rules," a cold glint flashing in his eyes, so quick it was almost impossible to catch—Yi Zhonghai, He Yuzhu… none of these people who followed Zhu Tao would escape.

Zhu Tao breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that Gu Nan had agreed. He was about to say a few more polite words when Gu Nan suddenly stood up and straightened his clothes: "If Director Zhu has nothing else, I'll go to the workshop first. I learned a lot of new methods this time, and I need to tell the workers about them as soon as possible so that we can increase production again this month."

As he spoke, he turned and walked out, giving Zhu Tao no chance to stop him. Reaching the door, Gu Nan seemed to remember something, turned back and smiled: "By the way, please keep those 'evidence' safe, Director Zhu. In case anyone uses them against us later, it'll be good to have some proof, won't it?"

Zhu Tao watched his retreating figure, his smile gradually freezing. His hand gripping the teacup tightened, his knuckles turning white. Gu Nan was clearly warning him—he would remember what happened today.

The air in the office instantly tightened, leaving only the cacophony of machinery outside the window, which sounded particularly jarring. Zhu Tao knew that this contest had only just begun.

Zhu Tao's words were barely on his lips, his tongue not even tasting the wetness of his saliva, when Gu Nan's figure had already disappeared through the doorway. The crisp sound of the door slamming shut echoed against the wall, making the metal ashtray on the windowsill jump. The sound of leather shoes on the concrete floor grew louder and louder, "thump, thump, thump," like heavy hammer blows to Zhu Tao's heart, making his clenched fists turn white at the knuckles, his face alternating between pale and flushed, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down below his collar—this Gu Nan showed absolutely no mercy!

Gu Nan strode down the corridor, the hem of his military green work jacket brushing against his trouser seams with each step. He knew perfectly well that now was not the time to openly confront Zhu Tao. This old fox had been entrenched in the steel mill for ten years, his network of connections tangled like a spiderweb across every department. Turning against him without fully understanding his background would only put him in a passive position. But now was the perfect time to deal with his more active subordinates—to show everyone in the factory that choosing sides was acceptable, but one had to be aware of the prevailing winds; choosing the wrong side would mean losing one's job.

He strode towards the security office, and from a distance he could hear a buzzing murmur coming from inside, like a hornet's nest had been stirred up, interspersed with a few curses and the dull thud of rubber batons hitting the table. The moment he pushed open the door, the noise stopped abruptly. About twenty men in blue uniforms were crammed into the small room, each with an anxious look on their faces, the rubber batons they held gleaming with sweat, but none of them dared to make the first move.

They had received a hint from Zhu Tao that "Deputy Factory Director Gu is young and impetuous; he needs to be taught a lesson before he learns the rules," and they were eagerly awaiting his arrival. Unexpectedly, Gu Nan acted unpredictably, barging in and leaving them completely bewildered. They looked at each other, like ducks with their throats choked, momentarily speechless.

"Stop arguing!" Wang Qiang, the head of the security department, slammed his hand on the table, sending his enamel mug bouncing half an inch off the surface. Sweat streamed down his forehead and down his hairline. The group had been arguing about "keeping him inside" and "waiting for Director Zhu to arrive before arguing," driving him to his wits' end. But when he saw Gu Nan's calm eyes, his confidence vanished instantly. He could only force himself to stand up, managing a smile that looked more like a grimace: "Deputy Director Gu, what brings you here? This room is a mess; I was just reprimanding them..."

Gu Nan didn't look at him. His gaze swept across the people in the room like a searchlight, slowly circling from left to right. Those he saw instinctively lowered their heads, some shrugging their heels, others hiding their rubber batons behind their backs. These twenty people had just been discussing countermeasures with great enthusiasm—some suggested playing dumb, some patted their chests and said, "What's there to be afraid of if we have Director Zhu backing us up?" Several even had families with them, pacing anxiously, muttering, "We can't lose our jobs"—after all, in this day and age, a job at the steel mill was more precious than anything else, and their families depended entirely on their monthly wages.

"Deputy Factory Director Gu, what do you think we should do with these people?" Wang Qiang rubbed his hands together, his palms sweating and soaking his sleeves. Although he was a section chief, this whole affair was orchestrated by Zhu Tao in his office; he had merely relayed a message. Now, sensing the unfavorable situation, he was plotting how to extricate himself from the blame.

Gu Nan smiled, but the smile was devoid of warmth, like a thin layer of ice: "No rush. Section Chief Wang, have your men go out first, I'll talk to them alone."

Wang Qiang dared not refuse, and hurriedly nodded and bowed, waving his hands: "Okay, okay! You all get out, get out!" He knew in his heart that Gu Nan was going to handle it personally, and getting involved would only bring trouble upon himself. He and a few trusted confidants slipped away faster than anyone else, and before leaving, he made sure to close the door gently, as if that would keep the trouble inside.

The room fell silent instantly, with only the tense breathing of about twenty people, heavy as bellows. Gu Nan's gaze fell on Liu Li at the front—this guy was Zhu Tao's confidant, and had been the loudest earlier, slamming his fist on the table and saying he wanted to "teach Deputy Factory Director Gu a lesson, let him know whose territory the security department is."

"Liu Li," Gu Nan spoke, his voice low but sharp like a steel needle tempered with ice, carrying a penetrating force, "Weren't you quite talkative just now? Why are you silent now?"

Liu Li's legs buckled, and he knelt down with a thud, his knees hitting the concrete floor with a dull thud. His face was pale, and his lips trembled—just moments ago he felt he had Director Zhu backing him up, that someone taller would hold up the sky if it fell, but now that Zhu Tao hadn't even shown up, he belatedly realized: he was probably being used as a pawn. If he really got fired, what would become of his family? He said in a tearful voice, "Deputy Director Gu, I was wrong! I was blind to your greatness, I was foolish, please forgive me this time! I'll never dare to do it again!"