MM Racing Chapter 1182 Going to see Zhu Tao
Chapter 1182 Going to see Zhu Tao
These words struck a nerve with He Yuzhu—the other day, he had tried to save time by adding too much water when cooking porridge, making it so thin you could see your reflection in it. Several workers surrounded him and scolded him for "sloppy work." In the end, it was Zhong Yi who stepped in and said, "It's too thin today, just add a couple more handfuls of rice tomorrow," which finally calmed things down.
"You!" He Yuzhu's face flushed red, from his ears to his neck, and his anger flared up instantly. He was now a favorite of Director Zhu; who in the factory didn't treat him with respect? How dare Zhong Yi talk back to him like that!
"What's wrong with me?" Zhong Yi raised an eyebrow at him, his eyes clear. "If you really have a meeting, have someone from the office call me. Now, I'm going back to the cafeteria; I don't have time to waste with you." With that, he turned and left, the notebook in his canvas pocket digging into his back, without pausing for a moment.
He Yuzhu watched his retreating figure, clenching his fists in anger until his knuckles turned white and sweat seeped through his fingers. He paced back and forth a couple of times, muttering curses under his breath: "What's so great about him? He's just relying on Gu Nan, isn't he? Just wait and see how I deal with you!"
He had originally intended to use the pretext of "passing on a message" to show off in front of Zhong Yi and sound out his intentions, but instead he was rebuffed. However, upon further reflection, he decided there was no rush—after all, Director Zhu had said he would eventually bring Zhong Yi over, and then the position of canteen manager would be his, and they'd see how Zhong Yi would put on airs then!
Thinking this way, He Yuzhu felt a little better and turned to walk towards the kitchen, looking rather annoyed. As he passed the sink, he deliberately turned the tap on full blast, the "whoosh" of water particularly jarring in the quiet kitchen, splashing water all over the floor, as if venting his frustration. Aunt Wang, who was helping in the kitchen, frowned and said, "Zhuzi, what are you doing? Water is free!" He ignored her and went straight to the stove.
When Zhong Yi returned to the canteen, he had just written "Today's menu: braised pork, stir-fried vegetables, corn porridge" on the blackboard when Xiao Li from the security department rushed in. He was so fast that his military green hat was askew, and he said breathlessly, "Director Zhong, Factory Director Zhu wants you to go to his office. He said it's urgent."
Zhong Yi was taken aback—could He Yuzhu be telling the truth? A sudden thought struck him, and he picked up the notebook from his canvas pocket: "I understand, I'll go right now."
As he reached the door, he glanced back at the kitchen. He Yuzhu was standing with his back to him, talking to Aunt Wang, his shoulders shrug and a smug smile playing on his lips, as if he were talking about something good. Zhong Yi felt a sudden weight lift from his heart, as if something was blocking his throat; he had a feeling that something was amiss.
Why did Director Zhu suddenly call him? Was there a problem with the canteen's accounts, or had the workers raised some objections? He squeezed the notebook in his pocket, quickened his pace towards the office building, and the sunlight stretched his shadow long, but it couldn't dispel the vague unease in his heart.
Zhong Yi completely ignored He Yuzhu's probing gaze, as if he hadn't even seen him, and walked straight towards the office building. He was now preoccupied with Zhu Tao's movements—this new factory manager hadn't had a moment's peace since taking office, adjusting work schedules and checking warehouse accounts, clearly trying to establish his authority. Who knew what big move he might be secretly plotting, possibly targeting his mentor, Gu Nan.
Zhong Yi stopped in front of Zhu Tao's office. Although he was the canteen manager, in charge of the food and drink of hundreds of people in the factory, and considered a prominent figure, the other party was, after all, the factory director, the undisputed head of the company. Rank had its place, and the proper etiquette couldn't be disregarded. He straightened his blue overalls, plucked the collar neatly, and gently knocked three times on the door with his fingers, his voice neither too loud nor too soft, conveying just the right amount of respect: "Director, this is Zhong Yi."
Zhu Tao's voice came from inside the house, sounding quite warm and with a hint of a smile: "Come in."
When Zhong Yi pushed open the door, he bumped into Zhu Tao getting up from behind his desk. He knew perfectly well that he was promoted by Gu Nan himself, from an apprentice in the canteen to his current position as director, all thanks to his master's patronage. In other people's eyes, he was "Gu Nan's man," a sure thing. He had expected Zhu Tao to sit in his chair with the airs of a factory director, waiting for his report, but to his surprise, the other man came to greet him personally, his face beaming with a warm smile: "Director Zhong, you've come at the perfect time. I was just looking for you. What a coincidence!"
Zhong Yi's heart skipped a beat, and he instinctively wanted to take a half-step back—he had originally planned to stand at the door and talk, then leave after a few words. It wasn't that he was afraid of anything else, but mainly he was afraid that his master, Gu Nan, would find out about his private contact with Zhu Tao, which would inevitably lead to suspicion. Although he would never betray his master, he wanted to avoid such a potentially compromising situation to prevent unnecessary suspicion.
Before he could even ask, "What are your orders, Director?", Zhu Tao slammed the office door shut with a click. The noise was light, but it hit Zhong Yi like a rock. His eyelids twitched, and he was about to ask, "What's wrong, Director?" when Zhu Tao leaned closer and said in a low voice, "Director Zhong, in my opinion, you're really wasting your talents by being the canteen manager."
Just as Zhong Yi was about to say a few polite words, "Factory Director, you flatter me. My only skill is managing the canteen," Zhu Tao dropped another bombshell, his eyes gleaming: "I'm planning to promote you to deputy factory director. What do you think?"
Zhong Yi's heart skipped a beat, as if he'd been hit hard. Deputy factory director? This position was far superior to the canteen manager, overseeing the production scheduling of most of the factory—a position countless people would kill for. His first reaction was to refuse—there's no such thing as a free lunch. Zhu Tao was clearly trying to win him over, probably with ulterior motives, likely using him to deal with his master. But then he thought, if he pretended to agree, he might be able to find out Zhu Tao's true intentions, see what he was really up to, and then tell his master everything—that would be a service done.
He deliberately put on a troubled look, rubbed his hands together, and said with a somewhat naive embarrassment, "Factory Director, you've gone a bit too far with this joke. I'm only good at cooking and managing the canteen's purchasing and hygiene. But the position of deputy factory director involves managing a whole host of things, including production and technology. I'm really not up to the task. I'm afraid I'll mess things up for you and delay important matters for the factory."
Zhu Tao, however, persisted, taking another half-step forward, bringing the two even closer. He lowered his voice, almost whispering in Zhong Yi's ear, "Zhong Yi, don't underestimate yourself. Everyone knows you, Director Zhong, are well-connected in the factory. From the workshop foreman to the old man sweeping the floor, everyone gives you face. You manage the canteen impeccably, keeping clear accounts, and no one complains. That's real skill." He then changed the subject, his eyes becoming more tempting, "Actually, it's not difficult. If you help me with one thing, the deputy factory director position is yours, no doubt about it."