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

Chapter 1140 Zhu Tao Understands the Situation

Zhu Tao nodded, turned around, pushed open the office door, and went in first. He Yuzhu followed closely behind, his eyes unconsciously scanning the furnishings of the room like a scanner—a large mahogany desk stood by the window, its surface gleaming, with an enamel mug in the center bearing the words "Serve the People," and several thick files piled up beside it, their edges neatly stacked; in the corner stood a military green metal cabinet, a faded production pacesetter certificate pasted on its door, looking simpler than expected, exuding the down-to-earth spirit of an old-fashioned cadre.

Zhu Tao walked to the kettle against the wall, picked up a clear glass, poured He Yuzhu a cup of warm water, and then took out a bag of Longjing tea from the drawer to brew himself a cup. The tea leaves swirled and slowly unfurled in the hot water, releasing a delicate fragrance that filled the small office. As he handed the glass to He Yuzhu, a gentle smile remained on his face: "Master He, have some water first, to soothe your throat. You were talking so fast earlier, your voice is a little hoarse."

He Yuzhu was taken aback for a moment, then quickly took the cup with both hands. The warmth of the cup, felt between his fingertips, traveled up his arm, and warmed him to his heart. He hadn't expected this senior factory manager from the main plant to be so kind. He knew that all the factory leaders, big and small, used to sit with their legs crossed, waiting for their subordinates to serve them tea and water. This was the first time someone had personally handed him water like this. Holding the cup, he unconsciously straightened his back a little, his earlier awkwardness dissipating as if softened by the warm water.

"Director Zhu," He Yuzhu took a sip of hot water, cleared his throat, and spoke with barely suppressed excitement and a deliberately feigned sense of grievance, his eyes reddening slightly. "You don't know, but many employees in our kitchen and several workshops have been persecuted by that brat Gu Nan! Just because he's young and arrogant, and knows how to curry favor with the old director, he's now the deputy director, wielding power and influence. How dare we ordinary folks utter a sound? We can only swallow our grievances and not dare to say a word of justice. Now that you're here, we finally have someone who can stand up for us, and we finally have someone to rely on!" He emphasized the word "persecuted" as he spoke, gripping his water glass tightly, his eyes filled with a gnashing hatred, as if he had suffered a great injustice.

Zhu Tao sat in his large office chair, leaning slightly back, his fingers lightly tapping the desk, making a soft "tap-tap" sound. A faint smile remained on his face, like a Maitreya Buddha: "Master He, no rush, speak slowly. Explain the whole story clearly, don't leave out any details, so I can be fully informed." His words sounded reassuring, but his tone revealed no particular bias, as if he were simply patiently listening to an ordinary employee's everyday complaint, without the slightest prejudice.

He Yuzhu, however, failed to grasp the nuances of the words, taking the factory manager's genuine intention to stand up for him. Feeling even warmer inside, he leaned forward, slammed his water glass onto the table with a clang, and said, "Factory manager, I'll speak frankly then! You must help us, the ones who have been wronged, to vent our anger!"

Zhu Tao nodded, picked up his enamel teacup, took a sip, and slowly said, "I'll still call you Zhuzi, it sounds more friendly. Just say what you want to say, no need to beat around the bush. As long as it's reasonable, I'll definitely help you if I need to."

He secretly plotted—it seemed He Yuzhu truly harbored a deep-seated grudge against Gu Nan, hating him to the core. He could use He Yuzhu as a springboard to inquire about Gu Nan's past at the factory, hoping to find some leverage. Dealing with someone like Gu Nan, whose power base was solidifying and who had the support of the veteran technicians, was indeed difficult for him, an outsider factory manager, to handle alone. If he could mobilize the employees he had "offended" to launch a collective attack, he could both undermine Gu Nan's morale within the factory and clear himself of any wrongdoing, earning a reputation for "acting in the people's best interests"—a sure-fire win.

Thinking this, Zhu Tao's gaze towards He Yuzhu became more scrutinizing, like a carpenter examining a suitable tool, calculating how to use it most conveniently. Meanwhile, He Yuzhu was still passionately accusing him, spittle almost splattering onto the table, completely unaware of the fleeting calculation in the depths of Zhu Tao's eyes. He only felt that he had finally found a backer, and the day of bringing down Gu Nan was not far off.

Zhu Tao sat upright in the somewhat old wooden chair in his office, the back of which was worn smooth and shiny. His fingers were long and slender, with distinct knuckles, and he was lightly tapping the glass plate on the desk, making a soft "tap, tap" sound. Sunlight streamed in through the window, casting a small shadow in front of him and illuminating the deep-seated caution in his eyes.

He knew perfectly well that his ostensible reason for coming down from the main factory was to inspect the production situation in each workshop, but in reality, he was carrying out instructions from several higher-ups to "get a clear picture of the situation at the grassroots level and rectify any unhealthy practices." This meant that his every word and action represented the attitude of those above him, and he couldn't afford to make even the slightest mistake. If he made a mistake here, not only would he lose his current position as factory director, but he would also likely be branded as "incompetent" and face dire consequences. He knew all too well the methods those higher up used; they were ruthless when it came to disciplining people and always had absolute authority.

Across from him, He Yuzhu was talking animatedly, his face flushed red with excitement. Zhu Tao listened patiently, but in his mind, he had already filtered through the words again and again—it was nothing more than trivial matters about Zhang San and Li Si in the workshop, who took advantage of whom, who talked badly about whom behind their backs, the same old things over and over again, really nothing worth listening to.

But he couldn't interrupt hastily, much less show impatience. These days, you can't see into someone's heart; who knows which words might contain hidden meanings, or which single word might lead to an unexpected chain of events? He could only maintain the air of a factory manager, keeping a calm expression on his face, occasionally letting out a soft "hmm" as a response, neither appearing perfunctory nor giving a clear attitude.

He Yuzhu, oblivious to his thoughts, became increasingly animated as he spoke, spittle flying from his mouth with each word, nearly landing several times in the enamel mug on the corner of the table that bore the inscription "Serve the People." Suddenly, he leaned forward, his upper body almost reaching over the table, and lowered his voice, saying mysteriously, "Director Zhu, let me tell you the truth, most of these messy things in the factory are caused by that kid Gu Nan! He takes advantage of his youth and quick hands to snatch work everywhere, and he always finds fault with others—it's really underhanded!"