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

Chapter 1139 He Yuzhu Meets Zhu Tao

Seeing his resolute attitude, Xu Damao knew that he was now insignificant and dared not say anything more. He could only awkwardly reply with "Yes," turn around and quietly retreat out, making sure to close the door gently.

The moment the door closed, Gu Nan's smile vanished, and his eyes turned cold. He stared at the densely packed numbers on the report, a cold smile playing on his lips—he saw right through Xu Damao's schemes. He was nothing more than trying to climb the social ladder and seek personal gain. If anything went wrong, pushing this opportunistic guy out as a scapegoat would be perfect.

Meanwhile, He Yuzhu, wearing a blue apron and carrying an empty lunchbox, walked briskly towards the factory director's office. He was calculating in his mind: the new factory director had just taken office and would definitely be eating in the factory canteen. As the head chef, if he could figure out the director's tastes, he could show off his culinary skills at lunchtime—like braised pork or stir-fried liver—and maybe leave a good impression on the new leader. Perhaps then, he could get better treatment from the factory's welfare system. Reaching the office door, he straightened his clothes and tightened his apron strap before knocking. His voice was loud and clear: "Director Zhu, this is He Yuzhu from the canteen. I'm here to ask what you'd like for lunch? We have fresh pork belly and some live fish that just arrived. What kind of food would you like? I'll prepare it for you in advance!"

He Yuzhu stood at the door of Zhu Tao's office, his hand raised to the door, his knuckles slightly curled, yet he hesitated to knock. His heart was pounding like a rabbit's, unsure of what to do. He had heard that the new factory director, Zhu, had been transferred from the main factory and supposedly had extensive connections and real power. He had hoped to use his culinary skills to strike up a conversation, become familiar with Zhu, and perhaps even get a promotion. But now that he was actually there, he felt like a dumpling in a teapot, unable to utter a single word, afraid that saying the wrong thing would backfire and leave the new director with a slick, unpleasant impression.

Just as he was hesitating, he heard footsteps approaching from the other end of the corridor. Zhu Tao, dressed in a sharp Zhongshan suit with the collar buttoned tightly, carrying a black briefcase, was walking towards the office. He Yuzhu's heart skipped a beat, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. He quickly straightened his back, forced a slightly stiff smile, and didn't know what to do with his hands and feet.

Zhu Tao also noticed him, paused, and stopped to look him over. He'd only been at the steel rolling mill for a few days and didn't know most of the people there yet. Seeing this man blocking the entrance, looking flustered, he assumed he was there to complain about workshop issues or have some dissatisfaction with the newly implemented attendance system. Being a newcomer, he wanted to win people over and establish a friendly image, so he put on a polite smile and spoke gently: "Sir, you wanted to see me? What can I do for you? If you have any difficulties at work, please let me know."

He Yuzhu finally came to his senses. He had seen Zhu Tao from afar at the commendation meeting at the main factory before, and knew that this was a big shot from above, so he naturally recognized him. He nodded quickly, his smile warming up, and the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes deepened: "Director Zhu, you may not know me. I'm He Yuzhu from the kitchen at our factory. I'm just a cook. You're new here, so if you want to try some home-cooked food in the future, just let me know!"

“Master He,” Zhu Tao nodded, tapping lightly on the handle of his briefcase with his fingertips, signaling him to continue, “I wonder what brings you here? Is there anything about the food in the kitchen that needs improvement?”

He Yuzhu rubbed his hands together and finally said what he had been thinking about for a hundred and eighty times: "Factory Director, I just wanted to ask what kind of food you usually like to eat? Although I'm not a head chef in the kitchen yet, I do have an eighth-level chef's certificate! In terms of skill, I'm not the best in the factory, but I'm not far off. Braised pork knuckle and braised pork intestines are my specialties!" He emphasized the words "eighth-level chef" to show his confidence—he had earned this certificate through his own hard work back then, and there weren't many people in the factory who had it.

Zhu Tao was somewhat surprised to hear this. He raised an eyebrow and looked at him with a probing look in his eyes: "Oh? Chef He is also an eighth-level chef? Then how come..." He didn't finish his sentence, but the meaning was obvious—an eighth-level chef in the factory's kitchen should be the head chef, how come he's just a "cook"? There must be something fishy going on.

These words struck a chord with He Yuzhu, and a look of grievance immediately appeared on his face. He turned down at the corners of his mouth, and with a hint of indignation, he recounted his experiences at the steel rolling mill, embellishing the details. Of course, he only mentioned what was in his favor, without mentioning a word about his usual laziness and shirking of responsibility. In particular, he described Gu Nan as a troublemaker who took advantage of his youth and arrogance to trip him up at every turn. He said that Gu Nan had stolen his limelight by taking advantage of his kinship with the old factory director, and that he had spread rumors in front of the leaders, causing him to be unable to get important positions despite his excellent skills, and that he could only do odd jobs in the kitchen.

Zhu Tao listened, his fingers stroking his briefcase, gradually making sense of the situation. He Yuzhu was clearly trying to use him to suppress his rival; Zhu Tao saw through his little scheme immediately. However… his eyes darted around, and he decided that this man wasn't entirely useless. Gu Nan had been making waves in the factory lately, innovating several production processes, earning praise even from several veteran technicians, and subtly overshadowing Zhu Tao, the new factory manager. If he could send He Yuzhu to stir things up and cause Gu Nan some trouble, even if it didn't work out, it would at least distract him; even if things went wrong in the end, Zhu Tao wouldn't be blamed, and at worst, He Yuzhu could be made a scapegoat.

Having figured this out, Zhu Tao's smile deepened. He patted He Yuzhu's arm lightly, with a touch of warmth: "Master He, I know about this. Don't worry, the factory's talent can't be buried. As the factory manager, this is what I'm in charge of. Come, let's talk in my office. Tell me the details, who's bullying our technical talent? I can help you figure it out. We can't let honest people suffer." As he spoke, he took out his key, opened the office door, and stepped aside to let He Yuzhu go in first.

When He Yuzhu saw that Zhu Tao had relented and even patted his arm, he was overjoyed. He felt that the matter was almost certain to succeed, so he straightened his back a bit and hurriedly followed Zhu Tao in, bowing and scraping. He kept saying "Thank you, Factory Director" while his mind was already plotting how to make Gu Nan suffer, as if he could already see the other party being scolded and embarrassed.