MM Racing Chapter 1136 A Fire
Chapter 1136 A Fire
He summoned the clerk, Xiao Li, and briefly explained: "At 2 PM this afternoon, there will be a meeting for directors in the small auditorium. Notify all workshop directors to arrive on time and not to be late. Set up thirty chairs in the meeting room, with a podium at the front, and also prepare tea and notebooks. Oh, and make twenty copies of last month's production summary report to distribute to all the directors."
Xiao Li wrote it down in his notebook, nodded, and replied, "Okay, Deputy Factory Director Gu, I'll take care of it right away."
The rest would be handled by his subordinates. Gu Nan picked up his enamel mug, took a sip of hot water, and continued checking the data on the reports. Sunlight streamed through the window, casting a bright spot on the table. A faint smell of machine oil lingered in the air—the unique scent of a steel rolling mill—which made him feel at ease.
Half an hour later, Gu Nan arrived at the small auditorium of the steel rolling mill on time. Pushing open the door, he found that quite a few people were already seated inside. The long table was surrounded by the directors of various workshops, including the veteran director Wang of the forging workshop and the recently promoted director Liu of the heat treatment workshop. They were all holding notebooks and chatting quietly about the background of the new factory director and his future plans.
Gu Nan glanced around and saw that everyone was present except for the head seat, which was reserved for the new factory manager, Zhu Tao. He didn't move to the front but found a seat towards the back, tapping his fingertips lightly on the table as he mentally reviewed the production situation he might need to report later.
The poplar leaves outside the window rustled in the wind, like countless invisible hands gently tapping on the glass, dappled sunlight dancing on the ground as the branches swayed. The murmurs in the auditorium gradually subsided. The employees, who had been whispering and exchanging glances, sat up straight, their eyes drawn as if by a magnet to the door—the red-lacquered wooden door was tightly shut, the brass knocker gleaming coldly in the light. Everyone held their breath, awaiting the arrival of the new factory director. This crucial meeting, which would determine the future of the steel rolling mill, had even summoned the busiest master craftsmen from the workshops. The air was thick with a mixture of tension and anticipation, like a taut bowstring, ready to officially begin.
Someone started whispering about Gu Nan not becoming the factory director. Several young workers in the back row lowered their voices, and one clicked his tongue regretfully, "Honestly, Deputy Director Gu has been a master at managing production these past few years. Our factory's output has increased, and he's certainly contributed a lot, even if he didn't do the work himself. Why wasn't he promoted?" Someone immediately chimed in, lowering their voice even further, "I heard from people in the office that the higher-ups probably don't trust young people and think he's too impulsive, so they brought in a 'veteran' from outside to keep things in check." These words buzzed like mosquitoes in the crowd, and no one dared to speak loudly—after all, Gu Nan was sitting in the very center of the front row, wearing a crisp blue overall uniform, his collar buttoned up tightly, his back ramrod straight, and his profile sharp and cold; he didn't look like someone who could be easily fooled.
Unbeknownst to them, Gu Nan's hearing had long been altered by the system. Even the faintest whispers in the back corner were crystal clear to him, as if they were spoken face-to-face. Yet, his face remained impassive, his fingers tapping lightly on the table, producing an almost inaudible sound, as if he hadn't heard a thing. He genuinely wasn't particularly concerned—climbing from a regular technician to deputy factory director in just three years was far better than he had initially expected. As for the position of factory director, it wasn't part of his current plans, so why rush it?
The employees waited for almost fifteen minutes, but the new factory manager still hadn't arrived, and the air in the auditorium gradually became heavy. Some people started secretly checking their watches, their fingers tracing the dials, their faces revealing barely suppressed impatience. "What's wrong with this new factory manager? He's late for his first meeting, isn't he putting on airs?" "Could he have run into some trouble on the way? I heard there was a section of road in the suburbs that was damaged today..." Various speculations spread among the staff, but Gu Nan remained calm. He knew all too well this bureaucratic tactic—deliberately being late was a way to give his subordinates a hard time, to wear down their arrogance during the waiting period, so as to demonstrate his own importance.
Sure enough, almost an hour later, just as some people in the back row started yawning and the workshop foremen in the front row couldn't help but frown and exchange glances, the red-lacquered wooden door creaked open. Zhu Tao walked in, wearing a brand-new Zhongshan suit, the fabric crisp and without a single wrinkle, his hair slicked back so that even a fly would slip on it. He carried a black briefcase, his steps steady, his face bearing just the right amount of apology, as if he had truly been delayed at the last minute.
His gaze immediately fell on Gu Nan, as if he had already identified this spot. He strode over and extended his hand across the table: "Deputy Factory Director Gu, I'm really sorry. I was passing by the workshop just now and saw the workers debugging the new equipment, so I stayed a little longer. I was busy looking at the recent production reports and equipment operation status of the steel rolling mill, which caused the delay. I'm so sorry to have kept everyone waiting."
Gu Nan stood up, his movements unhurried, and shook hands with him, feeling the slight sweat on the other's palm. A gentle smile appeared on his face, and his tone was sincere: "It's nothing. Director Zhu has been concerned about the steel mill's production since he arrived, which is truly an honor for our factory. Waiting a little while is nothing. As long as we can get the factory running smoothly, it's worth waiting, no matter how long it takes." His words were impeccable, giving Zhu Tao a way out while subtly praising him, making him appear exceptionally sensible.
Zhu Tao smiled and nodded, a hint of satisfaction flashing in his eyes. He turned and walked to the head seat. He first cleared his throat and briefly introduced his resume—which major factories he had worked in and what key projects he had been in charge of. His words conveyed the meaning of "experienced" and "tough," as if all the problems of the steel rolling mill could be solved as soon as he arrived.
After finishing his introduction, he abruptly changed the subject, his gaze sweeping across the room like a searchlight, his tone turning serious: "I just looked at the reports in the workshop. In the past three months, our steel rolling mill's output has dropped by nearly 10%, while the scrap rate has increased by two percentage points. Have you ever thought about what's going on? Is it because the equipment is old? Or because people are lazy? Or is someone in their position neglecting their duties?"
The room fell silent instantly; you could hear a pin drop. The employees looked at each other, none daring to speak—the reasons for the decline in production were complex, including raw material issues, aging equipment, and the recent decrease in orders; it was far too complicated to explain in a single sentence. But under the new factory manager's angry questioning, no one dared to offer any explanation.