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

Chapter 1192 Zhong Yi is getting a little anxious

The worker glanced quickly to the left and right, and seeing that the kitchen staff were busy chopping vegetables and tending the fire, and no one was paying attention to them, he took half a step forward and lowered his voice: "I'm Deputy Factory Director Gu's confidant. He asked me to bring you something." As he spoke, he took out a neatly folded piece of paper from his greasy work clothes pocket and handed it over with both hands. "This is his phone number. He said if you have any urgent matters, you can call this number to contact him, and he will answer it personally."

Zhong Yi took the note, his fingertips gripping the thin paper, but a sense of unease crept into his mind. Master Gu had made it clear when he left that there was no need to contact him for the time being, so why was a stranger suddenly sending his number? He looked the worker up and down, noticing the man's open eyes and eager expression—a look that suggested he was relieved once the task was completed—and that he didn't seem to be lying. Remembering that his master was always discreet, he figured he might have arranged it this way to prevent leaks, so he suppressed his doubts.

"Okay, I got it." Zhong Yi carefully stuffed the note into his pocket, then patted it off as if afraid of getting coal dust on it. "You go back first, I'll call later."

Seeing that the task was completed, the worker breathed a sigh of relief, then leaned forward a little further and whispered a word of advice: "Deputy Factory Director Gu specifically instructed that when you make the call, just mention 'tea at the usual place,' and he'll know it's you." After saying that, he turned and hurried away, his steps light and quick, his figure soon disappearing into the flow of people coming and going in the factory area.

Once the worker was out of sight, Zhong Yi lost all interest in counting the coal and immediately returned to his small office next to the kitchen. Closing the door, he pulled a slip of paper from his pocket and carefully unfolded it in the light streaming in from the window—the handwriting was strong and vigorous, the strokes carrying a familiar crispness; it was indeed Gu Nan's handwriting. A seven-digit number was written clearly, each digit exuding composure.

He walked to his desk, picked up the old rotary phone with its paint almost worn off, and dialed a number with trembling fingers. The dial clicked and spun, each click like a hammer blow to his heart, making him hold his breath.

The phone rang three times, "beep—beep—beep—", just when Zhong Yi thought no one would answer, someone picked it up. A strange man's voice came from the other end, a little hoarse from just waking up: "Hello?"

Zhong Yi's heart sank suddenly—why was it a strange voice? Could it really be a scam? He gripped the receiver tightly, his knuckles turning white, but he still suppressed the panic in his heart and tried to keep his tone calm: "Hello, I'm looking for Gu Nan, the deputy director of the steel rolling mill."

There was a two-second silence on the other end, followed by a calm and unhurried response: "Looking for Deputy Factory Director Gu? Please wait a moment, I'll go get him right away."

A series of indistinct footsteps came through the receiver, mixed with a few unintelligible whispers. Zhong Yi's heart leaped into his throat, as if he were hanging in mid-air. He stared intently at the enamel mug on the table; the tea inside had long since gone cold, the tea leaves sinking to the bottom, but he didn't notice at all. He only felt the sweat on his palms trickling down the receiver and soaking his chin.

About ten minutes later, Gu Nan retreated from the noisy meeting room to a corner, walked quickly to the phone, paused his fingertips on the cool receiver, and then picked it up: "Zhong Yi, this is Gu Nan. How is the situation at the steel rolling mill?"

On the other end of the phone, Zhong Yi sounded like he was grabbing a piece of driftwood while drowning. His voice was filled with barely suppressed excitement and trembled slightly: "Master, I'm so glad to hear your voice! These past few days I've been so anxious, like I had a rabbit in my chest. You have no idea how much I've been thinking about you, afraid that something might go wrong at the factory."

Gu Nan was startled by Zhong Yi's sudden enthusiasm and frowned slightly. Zhong Yi was usually calm and meticulous in his work, and rarely lost his composure like this. It seemed that something serious had really happened at the factory. He asked in a deep voice, "Has something happened at the factory? Don't rush, tell me slowly and explain the cause and effect clearly."

Zhong Yi realized he was too excited, cleared his throat, and deliberately lowered his voice, as if afraid of being overheard: "Master, I do have something important to tell you, it concerns you... I just don't know if it's convenient for you there? Are there any outsiders around?"

Gu Nan already had a few guesses in his mind. What made Zhong Yi so cautious was most likely related to Zhu Tao. He glanced around—the meeting room he was in was filled with deputy factory directors and even factory directors from various factories, all busy whispering among themselves. No one noticed the phone in his corner; he was inconspicuous. He nodded and said, "It's convenient here. There are no outsiders. Just say what you need to say; there's no need to hold back." He had long anticipated that Zhu Tao would take advantage of his absence. Among his apprentices, Zhong Yi was now the canteen director, a crucial position. It was perfectly normal for Zhu Tao to want to win him over to deal with him.

Zhong Yi then revealed the truth, lowering his voice even further: "Master, Zhu Tao came to see me. Yesterday afternoon in his office, he told me a lot about his plans against you. He said that as long as I cooperate with him, the cafeteria will be managed by me and He Yuzhu from now on. He also said... he also said that once you are 'moved' away, he will promote me to deputy section chief."

Upon hearing this, Gu Nan not only remained calm but also curled his lips into a cold smile: "I thought it was something serious. Since he has revealed his hand, it saves us a lot of trouble. Just cooperate with him and do whatever he asks you to do, without giving anything away. I want to see what he's really up to and how much trouble he can cause."

Zhong Yi's heart finally settled down, as if a heavy burden had been lifted. He quickly replied, "Master, don't worry, I know what I'm doing! If he makes any move, even a cough, I promise to tell you everything. I won't let him take advantage of any loopholes, and I won't let you suffer any losses."

"Okay, that's all for now." Gu Nan hung up the phone, his fingertips lightly tapping the table, making a rhythmic "tap-tap" sound. The sounds of laughter and chattering teacups around him could be faintly heard, but he paid no attention, his mind racing as he calculated Zhu Tao's next move—the more eager the other party was to make a move, the more likely he was to reveal his true intentions.

On the other end of the line, Zhong Yi hung up the phone, took a deep breath, and the heaving in his chest gradually subsided. He turned and walked towards the kitchen, his steps much steadyer. He knew that He Yuzhu was now Zhu Tao's favorite, always following Director Zhu around, and must know a lot of inside information. He needed to get more information out of him to better help his master deal with the situation and be prepared for any eventuality.

As I stepped into the kitchen, the rising steam and the aroma of food wafted towards me. He Yuzhu was sitting on a small stool by the stove, legs crossed, a cigarette between his fingers, directing two apprentices as they chopped vegetables: "Hey, you, cut the potato shreds thinner! How many times have I told you, they need to be as thin as a hair!"