MM Racing Chapter 1137 can only end
Chapter 1137 can only end
Gu Nan sat down beside him, picked up the enamel teacup in front of him, and took a sip of hot water. The steam blurred the expression in his eyes, but he knew things were going as he expected—Zhu Tao had just taken office and was bound to establish his authority first; it was perfectly normal for him to start with production issues—a common tactic for new officials. He didn't interrupt, but listened quietly, his fingers lightly tracing circles on his knee.
Next, Zhu Tao launched into a lengthy critique, addressing everything from lax discipline to a lack of responsibility, from technological updates to cost control. While some of his points were vague and even off-topic, every sentence carried an undeniable authority. He would occasionally slam his fist on the table, making the young employees in the front row shrink back in fear. The employees, heads bowed and staring at their shoes, dared not breathe, unsure whether to defend themselves or admit fault. They simply felt that this new factory manager was far more stern than the previous one.
Zhu Tao criticized for about ten minutes, and seeing that everyone below had their heads drooping and their faces were almost pale, he suddenly changed his tone—he knew in his heart that he was new to the steel rolling industry and was far less familiar with the specific production processes and equipment models than Gu Nan. If he really delved into it, he was afraid he would expose his ignorance. He looked at Gu Nan, his tone softening, with a hint of "concern for his subordinate": "Deputy Factory Director Gu has worked hard in the factory these past few years, and you know the situation in the factory best. It's all thanks to you keeping an eye on things, otherwise it would probably be even worse. But then again, as your deputy, you also bear an unshirkable responsibility for not correcting these problems in time. You need to pay more attention in the future."
Gu Nan didn't refute at all. After he finished speaking, he straightened his posture and straightened his back even more, and replied seriously, "The factory manager is right. I did have some shortcomings. I have kept every point you made in mind. I will definitely make improvements later, talk to the workers more, and increase production as soon as possible and reduce the scrap rate."
Zhu Tao hadn't expected him to be so compliant. He'd thought that Gu Nan, being young and impetuous, would at least offer some explanation, or even flaunt his "seniority," but he'd never imagined he'd be so "sensible." He gave Gu Nan a few more simple instructions, asking him to deliver the detailed reports from each workshop that afternoon. Seeing the other man nodding and agreeing throughout, appearing humble and eager to learn, Zhu Tao felt a little uneasy—was Gu Nan truly honest, or was he hiding something deeper? He looked quite young, so how could he be more composed than those seasoned veterans?
While pondering, Zhu Tao felt that this meeting to establish his authority was about over, and if it dragged on any longer, it might become awkward. So he waved his hand and said, "Alright, that's enough for today. Go back to work. Think carefully about what I said and don't take it lightly."
The employees, feeling as if they had been granted a pardon, quickly got up and left, their steps lighter, soon emptying the large auditorium, leaving only the soft clatter of tables and chairs. Seeing that everyone had left, Gu Nan also stood up and said to Zhu Tao, "Factory Manager, if there's nothing else, I should go back to the workshop. They're waiting for me to check on the newly arrived rolling mill rolls; they say they're an imported model, and I need to oversee the installation."
Zhu Tao nodded, watching his retreating figure disappear through the doorway. His fingers tapped lightly on the smooth tabletop, his brow furrowed slightly—this Gu Nan was more difficult to deal with than he had imagined. Gu Nan walked out of the auditorium, glancing up at the poplar leaves rustling in the wind. Sunlight filtered through the leaves, falling on his face, and a barely perceptible smile played on his lips—"Don't worry, Director Zhu, the real show is just beginning."
Gu Nan returned to his office, brewed a strong cup of tea, and leisurely sat down in a wicker chair. He knew that Zhu Tao, having just taken office, was completely clueless about the factory's situation and would inevitably need to consult with him, the "veteran," to understand the details. Therefore, he didn't rush to deal with the miscellaneous tasks on his desk. Instead, he neatly arranged the recent production reports, the personnel rosters for each workshop, and the equipment maintenance records, placing them in the most prominent position on his desk, and waited patiently for news.
He was always calm and collected. The factory manager position wasn't even on his agenda; the deputy factory manager's job was already enough to keep him busy—production progress in the workshop, worker attendance and rewards/punishments, raw material inflows and outflows—none of it could be done carelessly. Right now, he was only focused on doing his job well; as for who was the factory manager or how power was divided, he didn't care much. Sunlight filtered through the leaves outside the window, casting dappled shadows on the reports. He picked up his teacup, took a sip, and felt a sense of peace amidst the aroma of tea mixed with a faint smell of machine oil.
Xu Damao couldn't sit still. He paced back and forth at the entrance of the forging workshop, his leather shoes scraping against the cement floor with a "scratching" sound. His brows were furrowed, and his heart was pounding like a frightened rabbit.
He had spent a lot of effort to mend his relationship with Gu Nan recently—last time he was caught secretly swapping scrap metal in the workshop, it was Gu Nan who put in a good word for him so he wouldn't be punished; during holidays, he would always bring two bags of snacks to Gu Nan's house, calling him "Brother Gu" all the time, hoping to gain some backing. He thought that with this relationship, once Gu Nan naturally became the factory manager, he could benefit from it, even if it was just a transfer from the forging workshop to logistics, a relatively easy job.
But who would have thought that the factory manager position would fall into Zhu Tao's hands! He had never even heard of this name before. He had asked several familiar colleagues, but no one knew anything about Zhu Tao's background—which department he had been transferred from, how powerful his connections were, or whether he was easygoing or harsh. He knew absolutely nothing.
"What am I going to do?" Xu Damao scratched the back of his head, his knuckles almost turning his scalp red, his heart pounding with panic. He had helped Gu Nan with a lot of miscellaneous tasks and had done a lot of favors, both openly and secretly. Now that Gu Nan hadn't become the factory director, wouldn't all his efforts have been wasted? What if Zhu Tao was difficult to get along with, and after hearing about his past shady dealings, he didn't like him anymore? Life would probably be even harder from now on—the work in the forging workshop was tiring and dirty, and he had wanted to leave for a long time.
He stood rooted to the spot, momentarily at a loss, his grip on the gleaming wrench tightening until his knuckles turned white.
Unlike Xu Damao's anxiety, He Yuzhu was grinning from ear to ear. He stood in front of the counter in the canteen kitchen, chopping ribs with a cleaver. His movements were fast and even, producing uniformly sized pieces of ribs. Even the splattered oil smelled delicious, but his mouth remained wide open, and he couldn't hide the smile in his eyes.
He'd been on tenterhooks, terrified that Gu Nan would actually become the factory manager. Gu Nan seemed easygoing, but he was ruthless and wouldn't tolerate any dishonesty. Those little tricks he'd used in the factory—like giving an extra half-spoon of meat to familiar workers or secretly overcharging at grocery stores—wouldn't fool him. If Gu Nan became manager, he'd definitely use him as an example to set the rules. Then, forget about getting any extra benefits; he might even lose his current job as head chef.