Siheyuan: Starting from the driver

Chapter 732 Without rules, nothing can be accomplished.
A few days later, it was July.

The beginning of the month is always a busy time.

Fortunately, Li Kailang is no longer a driver, so he doesn't have to be so busy and overworked.

Warehouse.

"Hurry up! This batch of bearings is urgently needed by Workshop Two to meet their export quota! Who will be responsible if the task is delayed?!"

Li Mazi was anxiously directing the loading and unloading workers to unload goods in front of a warehouse.

This batch of bearings had just arrived and shouldn't have been used in large quantities so quickly, but the production department's urgent orders were overwhelming.

Yi Zhonghai arrived with the material approval form, just in time for this flurry of activity.

He watched the bustling yet orderly scene in the warehouse, so different from the usual somewhat scattered and sluggish state, and felt a strange unease.

When he saw Li Kailang standing to the side, flipping through the material layout plan in his hand and quietly checking some data with Li Mazi, he subconsciously stopped and did not immediately step forward.

"Xiao Li, I remember this batch of bearings was planned to be reserved as spare parts for the maintenance team. How many were used this time? Will there be any replacement bodies later?"

Li Kailang's voice was not loud, and his tone was calm, but it carried a clear sense of order and decisiveness, which was completely different from the driver he remembered who only knew how to drive.

“Deputy Section Chief Li, we’ve used two-thirds of the planned reserves. The material order is an urgent order specially approved by the Production Department, so we can only issue the materials according to the order.”

"As for anything to add, I haven't said anything yet," Xiao Li replied quickly.

Li Kailang nodded and quickly jotted down a few notes in his notebook: "Okay, got it. Tell the workshop to be careful and make sure the loading and unloading workers are on the safe side, there can't be any quality issues."

"Also, keep the passageway at the warehouse entrance clear, don't let things block it."

He looked up, his gaze sweeping over the items piled up in a corner of the warehouse, and pointed: "Over there, who's in charge of that area? Do some maintenance and cleaning."

A young warehouse keeper immediately ran over to organize it.

The beginning of the month is another busy time. Although the pace of the entire warehouse is tense, it appears well-organized and highly efficient under Li Kailang's brief instructions.

Yi Zhonghai saw this and felt even more complicated; Li Kailang was already showing some of the qualities of a leader.

He squeezed the list of materials in his hand and silently joined the queue at the back.

Yi Zhonghai's subtle changes did not escape Li Kailang's notice out of the corner of his eye, but he was too lazy to pay attention.

"Alright, I'll leave this to you."

Li Kailang patted Li Mazi on the shoulder and then turned to leave.

Instead of returning to the materials department, he went straight to the warehouse to find Old Wang, who was in charge of bookkeeping.

He had worked as a warehouse manager for most of his life and knew the supplies here inside and out. Li Kailang happened to have some questions for him.

"Deputy Section Chief Li."

Li Kailang nodded: "Master Wang, could you please tell me in detail the current situation of the warehouse supplies, especially whether there are any problems with the statistics on consumables?"

Old Wang was stunned for a moment, not expecting that he would actually open the door and ask about this.

Previously, Section Chief Qian was in charge of the warehouse supplies. Since Li Kailang didn't manage this matter after he arrived, he assumed that Li Kailang wouldn't either.

Unexpectedly, after more than half a month, it actually took care of things.

"Master Wang, is there some unspeakable reason for this?"

Stared at intently by Li Kailang, Old Wang felt a little embarrassed and cautiously replied, "No, no."

"Just say so if you don't have one."

Now that things have come to this, Old Wang can only tell the truth: "Deputy Section Chief Li, the accounts are all recorded on time."

"However, losses are inevitable in any material flow. Our factory's calculation method is to deduct a certain amount of natural losses as is customary."

"Standard practice?" Li Kailang raised his head, his gaze calm but sharp. "What is the natural loss rate? Is it a factory-wide regulation? Is there supporting documentation? Does each loss rate correspond to a specific batch?"

A series of questions made Old Wang break out in a sweat.

The extensive management of warehouses has a long history. The so-called "natural losses" are often a murky account, leaving room for certain operations.

Is this Deputy Section Chief Li here to get serious now?

"Well," Old Wang carefully chose his words, "there's no specific ratio written down; it's mostly based on experience and old rules."

"Without rules, nothing can be accomplished!" Li Kailang's tone remained calm.

"Master Wang, you are very experienced. From now on, I need all materials entering and leaving the warehouse to be clearly marked with quantity, specifications, and the person in charge. Material requisition forms and warehouse entry forms must be fully signed."

"The previous vague method of 'loss' statistics has been discontinued. Unless there is a clear scrapping approval document or accident report, all losses will be treated as shortages."

"Understand?!"

Old Wang felt a chill run down his spine, realizing that things were truly about to change in this warehouse.
This Deputy Section Chief Li is not only knowledgeable in his field, but also ruthless.

Those who try to take advantage of the supplies or skim some profits are likely to run into a brick wall.

He nodded quickly: "Yes, yes, don't worry, Deputy Section Chief Li, I will definitely rectify it according to your requirements!"

Li Kailang nodded and then emphasized, "You are a veteran comrade with plenty of experience and you are familiar with the factory's situation, so I'm entrusting you with keeping a close eye on things."

"If you have any suspicious circumstances, or if you feel that someone or something is inappropriate, report it to me at any time."

Old Wang understood immediately: "Understood! Understood! It's my duty, I dare not be careless."

He knew very well that this Mr. Li was extremely careless when looking at houses, and it would be difficult to fool him.

"Alright, go ahead and get busy." Li Kailang waved his hand, signaling to Old Wang.

Watching his retreating figure, Li Kailang naturally knew that getting some warehouses to follow the rules would be a bit troublesome, and this matter required Section Chief Qian's approval.

Immediately, Li Kailang went back to the Materials Department to find Section Chief Qian.

dong dong~
"Section Chief Qian."

"Deputy Section Chief Li, is there something you need?"

Section Chief Qian looked at Li Kailang, who was rushing over.

"Well, I just went to the warehouse to inquire about the losses, but Master Wang was vague about it."

In short, Li Kailang plans to take action against this document issue.

This aspect was mentioned in the report that Li Kailang and Section Chief Qian had submitted previously.

At the time, we only saw the phenomenon of "re-submitting" receipts, but now it seems that this is just the tip of the iceberg.

Back then, he had just arrived and it wasn't appropriate to take action directly. Now, he's been here for over half a month and is quite familiar with everything.

It's time to take action!
"About this matter," Section Chief Qian naturally knew about the shady dealings involved, and he turned a blind eye to the slight shady practices of his subordinates.

After all, as long as the materials science department can keep operating, it's only right that he makes some extra money; he can't afford to infringe on everyone's interests.

"What are you going to do?"

"I plan to organize an internal training session on standardized document handling procedures, reducing unnecessary processes, and so on."

The words were left unsaid, but the meaning was self-evident.

Section Chief Qian frowned: "Take action against this kind of thing. I think it would be better if you could find some time to talk to Old Wang and Master Lin and emphasize it to them privately. That might be more effective."

This is clearly an attempt to downplay the issue, resolve it internally, and avoid public training and potential backlash or discussion.

But then I thought about how Li Kailang had done a good job in the past two weeks, and how he had Director Yang protecting him.

If it could be standardized, that wouldn't be a bad thing.

Then, changing the subject, he said, "What you said is true; regulations are indeed needed."

"In that case, I fully support your idea. You will take the lead in streamlining the document process within the department, and anyone who dares to refuse it can come to me."

"Take a look at how to make the process run more smoothly, and how to avoid missing signatures or reviews."

Li Kailang was caught off guard by Section Chief Qian's sudden change of heart, but then his face lit up with joy. "Okay, Section Chief Qian, regarding the document review, I plan to start by clarifying the internal processes and identifying any problems."

Li Kailang gave a brief explanation of what needed to be done, explaining that resolving the document issue required a step-by-step approach.

Section Chief Qian agreed, giving him a legitimate opportunity to intervene in management and collect "evidence".

Next, Li Kailang will be very busy.

after get off work.

Li Kailang spent an extra half hour processing the document issues.

I was stopped as soon as I got back to the yard.

"Xiao Li! You're back. Why are you so late today?" Yan Bugui asked as he watered the flowers.

"I was busy with some things and got late. Is there anything I can help you with?" Li Kailang replied casually, looking at Yan Bugui.

Half an hour has passed, and Yan Bugui is still watering the flowers, something he would never normally do.

It felt like she was waiting for him on purpose.

"Nothing serious! I just noticed you've been so busy and working so hard lately!" Yan Bugui leaned closer. "I got a bottle of good wine, want to try some?"

Sure enough, he needed to talk to him about something.

However, this wine is unnecessary. Anyone who knows Yan Bugui knows that this wine is almost certainly diluted with water, and anyone who drinks it will get a headache.

"Uncle, I appreciate your kindness, but I won't drink this wine. Just tell me what's on your mind."

Yan Bugui rubbed his hands together, suddenly feeling speechless.

Seeing this, Li Kailang understood what Yan Bugui wanted: it was still about Yan Jiecheng's job.

Over the past few days, the buzz surrounding his appointment as deputy section chief has subsided considerably, and people are no longer as angry as they were when they first heard about it.

After thinking about it for the past few days, everyone has come to understand why Li Kailang said those things back then.

After all, the steel rolling mill isn't even hiring loading and unloading workers anymore, so how could they possibly squeeze anyone in? There's no hope of success unless Director Yang takes charge.

Of course, most importantly, none of the households in the courtyard needed to find jobs after graduating from junior high or high school this year, so there was no need to look for Li Kailang.

The only person in the entire courtyard who needed help was Yan Jiecheng.

“Uncle, I already mentioned this in the yard a few days ago. You wanted me to help you find a job, but I can’t do that.”

"The job assignments in the factory are not something a lowly deputy section chief like me can control. I don't have that authority. I'm sorry."

Yan Bugui's smile froze completely on his face, turning red and white in turns.

He was planning to wait a few days until the hype died down before approaching Li Kailang and saying some nice things to get his help.

I never expected him to be so resolute. He said he wouldn't help and that was it. That's so heartless.

Looking into Li Kailang's calm yet aloof eyes, he finally understood that what the other party said that day was no exaggeration!

Li Kailang was about to walk forward when Yan Bugui, his lips trembling, finally took a step forward and blocked Li Kailang's path.

"Xiao Li, Section Chief Li, please, just for the sake of Jie Cheng being from the same compound as you, I'm begging you?"

Li Kailang shook his head: "Uncle, you're a teacher, how could you not understand what I mean? Don't think that I'm just a lowly deputy section chief. Even if I were a section chief or director, I wouldn't be able to recruit anyone."

"You haven't seen what the situation is like outside. Even Director Yang isn't hiring. Do you think I'm more capable than Director Yang?"

"Instead of looking for me, you should look for Yi Zhonghai. He has a better chance than me."

He had never approached Yi Zhonghai, but Yi Zhonghai simply refused.

Yan Bugui hesitated for a moment, then finally gritted his teeth and said, "That makes sense, but...aren't you a college student? You're close to Director Yang, who knows..."

These words infuriated Li Kailang, and the fatigue on his face instantly vanished, replaced by a warm, flushed complexion.

"No! Uncle, it's my business to be close to Director Yang. It's because Director Yang values ​​me and gives me face. But I can't be shameless and thick-skinned."

"What you're doing is hurting me!"

"No... I didn't mean that! It's just that..." Yan Bugui was at a loss for words for the first time in front of Li Kailang.

Li Kailang showed no mercy and directly exposed the 'scars'.

"Uncle, to be honest, Yan Jiecheng's current situation is the result of his own actions."

“I recommended him for a job as a loading and unloading worker before, but he refused because he thought it was too tiring. Then you recommended him for a job at a scrap yard, but he refused because he thought it was too dirty!”

"Cui Yuan went to work as a loading and unloading worker, then switched to electrician after a year, and his life is thriving. Bai Xiuwen went to the scrap yard, and now he's also doing well after a year."

"Now it's all good! They're doing well now, and that's the result of all their suffering. You can't expect me to selflessly sacrifice everything just because they're doing well now, can you? To let Yan Jiecheng skip all those hardships?"

“If you want Yan Jiecheng to skip this step, fine, but he has to show some real skill. But what skill does he have? Tell me.”

"They all graduated from junior high school, and neither of them is worse than the other, so how come there's such a big difference?"

Li Kailang's words left Yan Bugui speechless.

His lips trembled as he tried to say something to salvage the situation, but he found himself unable to utter a single word.

He knew his son's character perfectly well.

"Xiao Li, I'm really sorry, I was overthinking it."

Yan Bugui, his face flushed, apologized and hurriedly left, his steps unsteady, his back view looking somewhat disheveled.

His little scheme wasn't just unsuccessful; it was completely shattered by the other party!
The argument between the two also attracted everyone's attention.

Seeing that Li Kailang had driven Yan Bugui away, Jia Zhangshi was inexplicably unhappy.

"Hey! Isn't this our newly appointed Deputy Section Chief Li back? Look how busy he is! Being an official really makes a difference, even the bar has been raised!"

“We’re all from the same hospital, and he just won’t help us. That’s really something. I never knew he was like this before.”

This sarcastic greeting instantly shattered the silence of the courtyard.

Li Kailang paused, staring intently at her.

With her hands on her hips, Jia Zhangshi glared at Li Kailang with her triangular eyes, her face full of meanness.

The gaze of the entire courtyard seemed to instantly focus on Li Kailang and Jia Zhangshi.

Seeing Li Kailang stop, Jia Zhangshi became even more agitated, pointing at him and shrilly, "What? Now that you've become a high-ranking official, you can't even answer a question anymore?"

"Or are you looking down on our compound? Think we're poor and shabby, and afraid we'll bring bad luck upon us? Huh? Deputy Section Chief Li?"

She deliberately emphasized the words "deputy section chief," her tone dripping with sarcasm.

Looking at Jia Zhangshi's unreasonable face, Li Kailang showed no anger, but remained as calm as ice.

Suddenly, he darted forward.

"Clap clap clap!"

After being slapped repeatedly, Jia Zhangshi was completely disoriented, her eyes filled with stars, and she finally collapsed to the ground.

"Jia Zhangshi, are you asking for a beating?!"

The chilling words that came from Li Kailang's mouth startled Jia Zhangshi.

In an instant, all the fear he had felt towards Li Kailang came flooding back, as if it were still vivid in his mind.

Li Kailang wouldn't tolerate her.

Terrified, she hurriedly fled this dangerous place like a stray dog, not daring to utter a single word.

Li Kai ignored the subtle glances from the surrounding households without offering any explanation.

(End of this chapter)