MM Racing Chapter 1198 A Show of Force
Chapter 1198 A Show of Force
In truth, Gu Nan had a pretty good idea of Zhu Tao's plan: to falsify attendance records, find people to give false testimony accusing him of favoritism and malpractice, all in an attempt to ruin his reputation and make it impossible for him to stay at the factory. But guessing was one thing; he still had to face it. There was no escaping it. Rather than waiting to be killed, he might as well take the initiative and confront it.
The night flew by. Just as dawn broke, with a hint of pale light, Gu Nan packed his things, slung his canvas bag over his shoulder, and boarded the train back to Beijing. The old-fashioned green train clattered and rattled. Leaning against the window, watching the shadows of the trees flash by, he pondered how to handle things back at the factory. Upon arriving in the city, he didn't rush back to the courtyard house, but went straight to the steel mill—he wouldn't feel at ease going home until things at the factory were resolved. He also worried about the courtyard house, wondering if anything strange had happened lately, especially with Lu Jia. She'd been unusually close to Ran Qiuye lately, frequently bringing him homemade pickled vegetables and sewn insoles, showering him with concern—it seemed like she was deliberately trying to win him over. Gu Nan felt something was off. That woman was cunning; she smiled, but her eyes held a hidden agenda. He couldn't fathom what she was really up to.
As Gu Nan entered the steel rolling mill, the morning mist hadn't yet dissipated, like a thin veil draping the factory area. The workshops were already buzzing with the roar of machines, mingled with the shouts of workers—a scene of bustling activity. Gu Nan took a deep breath; the air was thick with the smell of machine oil and steel. He strode inside, his steps steady—what was coming would come; there was no escaping it, so he would face it head-on.
When Gu Nan walked through the steel rolling mill gate carrying his brown leather suitcase, the entrance was deserted; not even a security guard was in sight, let alone anyone to greet him. The early autumn wind carried the smell of iron filings from the factory area, causing his clothes to flutter slightly. He knew perfectly well that this was Zhu Tao deliberately putting on airs, trying to deflate his arrogance and let him know who was really in charge of the steel rolling mill now.
But he showed no sign of anything amiss. He simply placed his suitcase against the corner of the reception room, dusted off the travel dust from his clothes, and headed straight for the office building. After all, he was still nominally the deputy factory director, while Zhu Tao was now the factory director. Logically and personally, having just returned from training out of town, Zhu Tao should report to him first. He understood this basic courtesy.
At this moment, in the factory director's office, Zhu Tao was slumped in a large leather sofa, his fingertips tapping the armrest intermittently, producing a dull "tap-tap" sound. He looked at Yi Zhonghai, He Yuzhu, and the others standing in front of him, a confident smirk playing on his lips: "Gu Nan has already entered the gate, now it's just a matter of time before you make your move. Remember, don't disappoint me."
Yi Zhonghai took a half step forward, his back ramrod straight, as if he had received some momentous mission. His tone was so confident it was almost like pounding his chest: "Don't worry, Factory Director! We've prepared all the 'evidence'—from the list of workers' welfare deductions since he took office, to the records of his embezzlement of factory scraps, even the 'unclear accounts' of the batch of flour he allocated to the canteen last month are all written down clearly, along with 'testimonies' from more than a dozen workers who have pressed their fingerprints. As soon as he walks in the door, we'll dump all this stuff in front of him, guaranteeing he'll have no way to defend himself!"
Zhu Tao nodded slowly, his grip tightening suddenly, his eyes sharp as ice: "You only have this one chance. If you succeed, you'll be heroes of the factory. From now on, promotions and raises will be a piece of cake for me, Zhu Tao. But if you fail..." He paused, his fingertips slamming heavily on the mahogany desk with a sharp "smack," "Then don't even mention Gu Nan dealing with you; I'll be the first to punish you!"
Yi Zhonghai and the others exchanged glances, their eyes gleaming with barely suppressed excitement. They had suffered greatly under Gu Nan's oppression over the years—Yi Zhonghai had tried to get his nephew into the technical department, but Gu Nan had rejected the idea, citing "failure to meet performance standards"; He Yuzhu had been caught by Gu Nan for giving Qin Huairu an extra two scoops of meat in the canteen and was fined half a month's salary. If they could bring Gu Nan down this time, the power structure of the steel mill would be reshuffled, and they could finally hold their heads high! They replied in unison, "Please rest assured, Director, we will definitely handle it!"
Just then, there was a gentle knock on the office door, and Gu Nan's voice came in, neither too loud nor too soft, but with a penetrating quality: "Director Zhu, I'm back. I've come to report on the results of my studies over this period of time."
Zhu Tao winked at Yi Zhonghai and the others, signaling them to stand in a line on either side of the desk, ready for anything. He straightened his clothes and sat up straight—this meticulously planned "trial" was about to begin.
"Come in," Zhu Tao said loudly, his voice carrying a deliberately contrived air of authority.
Gu Nan pushed open the door and entered. His gaze swept across the room, and he saw Yi Zhonghai and the others standing on both sides. They all had unfriendly eyes and were clutching some folded pieces of paper in their hands, as if they were holding some kind of imperial sword. But he remained calm, as if he did not see these people. He walked straight to the desk and bowed slightly: "Director Zhu."
In his eyes, these people were nothing more than pawns brought in by Zhu Tao, incapable of causing any real trouble. If they could bring him down with these people, then all the years he had spent as deputy factory director would have been for nothing.
Zhu Tao leaned back in his chair, slowly twirling the pen between his fingers, and asked knowingly, "How was your time studying away from home? You've seen a lot, haven't you? What did you gain?"
Ignoring the hostile stares from those around him, Gu Nan cleared his throat and began his clear and organized report. He went on to discuss everything from the automation upgrade of the steel rolling production line at the southern factory, to the smelting temperature control of new alloy steel, to the optimization plan for the workshop team responsibility system, and even the details of how the factory in another region solved the problem of "workers being passive and uncooperative." He talked for a full half hour, covering everything in great detail.
After he finished speaking, the office fell silent. Even Yi Zhonghai and the others were stunned. They had thought that Gu Nan was just going out to kill time, but they didn't expect him to bring back so much useful information. They even had a feeling that if these methods could be implemented in the factory, production might actually increase.
Gu Nan looked at Zhu Tao, his tone calm and even: "Director Zhu, this is the result of my learning over the past period. I have finished reporting. I will send the relevant notes and materials to your office after I have organized them."
Zhu Tao forced a smile and nodded, "Good, good, you've made considerable progress. It seems this trip wasn't in vain. However..." He abruptly changed the subject, his smile vanishing instantly, his face darkening, "In all these years at the steel rolling mill, you haven't only done good deeds. While you were away, many workers complained that you did a lot of things that harmed the factory's interests. Now that you're back, let's deal with these issues all at once, so the workers won't feel uneasy."