Siheyuan: Starting from the driver

Chapter 785 Kim Geon-hyun Joins the Company!
The next day.

The day Kim Geon-hyun officially resigned, the weather was exceptionally clear, as if even the heavens were celebrating for him.

The gate to the Third Parts Factory remains as inconspicuous as ever, with the familiar smell of engine oil and metallic dust filling the air.

He had very few personal belongings: a cardboard box stuffed with professional books, notebooks, and a red cloth bag, and an old tool bag that had accompanied him throughout the workshop.

Workshop director Zhang Tietou and several experienced workers who were on good terms with him came to see him off. They held his hands tightly and said things like "Come back and visit often," their voices full of reluctance.

But no one tried to persuade him to stay.

"Thank you! Thank you everyone for coming to see me off. I'll come back when I have time!"

Kim Geon-hyun thanked them one by one, with a gentle yet distant smile on his face.

Wang Lixing and Mu Guangfu stood by the window, watching Jin Jianxian's figure gradually disappear into the distance.

His eyes were filled with complex emotions: fear, resentment, jealousy, and disbelief. He hadn't expected that he would actually keep his word and leave.

There was also a trace of regret.

What is there to regret?
Was it that she failed to crush him, or that she finally realized she might never be able to reach his level?
Since starting night school two weeks ago, the two have finally experienced the hardship of working and studying at the same time.

It's unbelievable that Kim Geon-hyun was able to graduate under such circumstances; I have no idea how he did it!
"Damn it!" Bao Daxing gritted his teeth by the window.

It wasn't Jin Jianxian's departure fueled by gritted teeth, but rather the aggressive behavior of Factory Director Yang.

At this moment, Jin Jianxian walked steadily with his back straight. His faded but clean work clothes seemed to exude a brand new spirit on him.

He walked out of the parts factory step by step, each step seemingly shattering all the gloom and constraints of the past three years.

The sunlight shone on him, warm and comforting, and finally, it was no longer stingy with its rays.

Beep--

A large truck was parked outside the factory gate.

"Hey! Old Jin! Over here!"

Li Kailang sat on the truck, waving with a bright smile.

"Cheerful!"

Upon seeing him, Kim Geon-hyun was very happy and went to greet him.

"How about that? Aren't you proud? I specially drove my truck out to pick you up today!"

Li Kailang took the box from his hands. "Wow, it's quite heavy! The weight of knowledge!"

"That's enough! I've never ridden in a truck before in my life. This is the first time I've ever seen one!" Jin Jianxian laughed.

"Okay, I'll drive you around and let you experience it!"

"Come on! Get in the car!"

As soon as Kim Geon-hyun got on the bus, he became very interested in everything inside, looking left and right.

Rumbling--

The truck's vibrations and roar made Kim Geon-hyun burst into laughter.

"set off!"

Li Kailang didn't drive out of the city. It was still rush hour, so there weren't many people on the streets, which was a good opportunity to go for a stroll.

After visiting several nearby attractions, Jin Jianxian thoroughly enjoyed himself. "Wow! This has broadened my horizons."

Having had their fill, they headed back home.

On the way, Li Kailang asked, "By the way, did your factory manager give you any trouble?"

"Trying to make things difficult for me? Not really, but even if he wanted to, he'd need an opportunity!"

"Thanks to Director Yang's phone call, Bao Daxing's face turned black, and he's been avoiding me for the past two weeks!"

When this was mentioned, Jin Jianxian couldn't help but beam with excitement, and he recounted all his experiences during this period.

It seems that I have finally found a friend I can confide in.

"Good! It's time to teach him a lesson. It's good that you left."

Jin Jianxian nodded: "Yes, you don't know, my coworkers all saw me off this morning, including Bao Daxing."

After talking for an unknown amount of time, the truck finally drove back to the outside of the steel rolling mill.

Jin Jianxian looked at a name that was completely different from that of a parts factory.

A place where he was once mocked by Wang Lixing, who said, "You can't even get through the gate."

Now, he is able to come in, and this will be his workplace from now on.

He looked up and saw the towering gate of the steel rolling mill, reflecting the metallic luster in the sunlight. Large trucks came and went in an orderly fashion through the wide gate.

Taking a deep breath, the unique air of the steel rolling mill, a mixture of steel, machine oil, and a certain vibrant energy, filled my lungs, instantly dispelling the last trace of stale smell that had lingered at the entrance of the parts factory.

The truck came to a steady stop in front of the cadre building, and the engine noise gradually subsided, but Jin Jianxian's heartbeat was like that engine, thumping loudly.

"Come on, Lao Jin! Director Yang has been talking about you for ages!" Li Kailang jumped out of the car nimbly, dusting himself off.

"Alright, it's time to meet Director Yang. I should thank him." Jin Jianxian raised an eyebrow, surprised that he would be able to meet Director Yang so soon, and felt a little uneasy.

Thanks to Director Yang's help, he was able to avoid trouble at the parts factory and even get a job at the steel rolling mill.

The cadre building was even more impressive than Jin Jianxian had imagined; the staircases were spacious and bright, and the terrazzo floors were so shiny they could reflect light.

Walking on it, my steps seemed much lighter than when I was in the parts factory.

He tried to calm his nervousness about meeting a high-ranking leader for the first time, silently rehearsing what he was going to say.

When they arrived at the door with the sign that read "Factory Director's Office," the secretary, Wan Shen, was not there, but it had been arranged beforehand.

Li Kailang raised his hand and knocked on the door, his voice booming, "Director Yang! We've brought the person to you!"

"Please come in!"

As soon as the door opened, Jin Jianxian felt his eyes light up.

The office is spacious and bright, with several potted green plants thriving.

Director Yang stood up from behind his large desk, his smile was very friendly, and his sharp eyes were warm, completely unlike the aloof official Jin Jianxian had imagined.

"Director Yang! Hello!"

Jin Jianxian quickly stepped forward, his voice tinged with barely perceptible nervousness, "Jin Jianxian reporting for duty! Thank you so much for your help!"

The words were on the tip of his tongue, but he felt that "life-saving grace" was too heavy, so he changed his words at the last minute, but his gratitude was evident in his expression.

Factory Director Yang walked around the table, warmly extended his hand, grasped Jin Jianxian's hand firmly, and shook it vigorously:

"Good! Good! Comrade Jin Jianxian! We've been waiting for you! Sit down, sit down quickly and let's talk! Kailang, you sit down too! You must be tired from your journey!"

Jin Jianxian sat down as instructed, his buttocks only touching half of the sofa, his back ramrod straight.

Li Kailang sat casually to the side and laughed, "No trouble at all, Factory Director. I took Lao Jin for a spin around the city and broadened his horizons!"

As they spoke, their eyes met.

"Oh? How are you feeling?" Director Yang joked with a smile, personally pouring hot tea for the two of them.

Jin Jianxian mistakenly thought it referred to the feeling about the steel rolling mill.

"Impressive! So impressive!" Jin Jianxian held the teacup, the warmth in his palms easing his tension.

"Just like I imagined, the steel rolling mill is full of life! Just now, standing at the gate, watching the trucks coming and going, I felt completely relaxed."

"Haha, that's right! People thrive when they move, trees die when they're moved! You're really wasting your talents in that parts factory!" Director Yang's eyes were full of admiration.

"I know Director Bao too well. I can tell almost everything about his little schemes just by listening to him on the phone."

"These past three years have been tough on you, it hasn't been easy! Especially considering you managed to finish night school and get your diploma! That takes a lot of perseverance!"

Factory Director Yang gave a thumbs up, "With this kind of enthusiasm and ability, you'd definitely have a bright future in our steel rolling mill!"

Kim Geon-hyun was a little embarrassed by the praise, "It's all thanks to your last phone call, otherwise I wouldn't have been able to come."

He thought of Bao Daxing's face, as black as the bottom of a pot, and finally felt a sense of triumph.

"Those are minor matters! Our factory is in dire need of young people like you who have real talent and are willing to delve into things!" Director Yang waved his hand and said seriously.

“I’ve looked into your situation. You’re a night school student majoring in mechanical engineering, with excellent grades and rich practical experience. Our factory is in dire need of a key person like you.”

After a few casual words, the atmosphere gradually improved.

Factory Director Yang immediately mentioned that Jin Jianxian's treatment was exactly the same as Li Kailang's.

A level 14 technician earns 48.5 yuan a month. After one year, they will be promoted to level 13, and their future salary will depend on their own abilities.

"Besides these, what other requirements do you have? Do you need the factory to allocate you a house?"

"By the way, do you have a boyfriend? If you don't, the factory can try to arrange one for you."

Not only in terms of salary and job rank, but also in terms of lifestyle, even marriage arrangements were made. Li Kailang felt no jealousy about this, as he lacked nothing else.

He has a bicycle, a house, a radio, and a whole host of other things.

Upon hearing this offer, Jin Jianxian's heart skipped a beat. In the parts factory, he had toiled for three years and was still just an ordinary technician, without any promotion.

You'll instantly level up to 14 upon arrival!
This starting point is even higher than he expected!

As for the wedding, let's put that aside for now.

"No need, no need." Jin Jianxian waved his hands repeatedly: "My home is not far from the steel rolling mill, and there is no need to arrange anything else."

Seeing that Jin Jianxian truly didn't want it, Director Yang didn't say anything more.

"Okay, just let me know if you need anything."

“Hey, Director Yang, I just remembered that Lao Jin doesn’t have a bicycle. How about the factory provides him with one?” Li Kailang suddenly said.

In the past three years, he had never seen Kim Geon-hyun ride a bicycle. Kim Geon-hyun was reluctant to ask for one, but he was more likely to ask.

"Oh, no, thank you. It's alright. My home isn't far from the steel mill; I can just walk here." Jin Jianxian waved his hands repeatedly, sounding rather flustered.

"Hahaha! You little rascal, you've come all the way here to freeload." Factory Director Yang laughed and pointed at Li Kailang.

He turned to his desk, took out a ticket from the drawer—it was a bicycle ticket.

"I happen to have a bicycle ticket here, Comrade Jin Jianxian, you can take it."

"How could I possibly accept this?" Jin Jianxian felt even more embarrassed and waved his hand in refusal.

Seeing this, Li Kailang didn't care about anything else, snatched the bicycle ticket, stuffed it into Jin Jianxian's pocket, and patted it.

"It is not right to refuse a gift from an elder. Why not take it? Besides, bicycle tickets are so valuable these days; you can't always buy one even if you have the money."

“If you don’t accept it, how can we be at ease letting you work at the steel mill with peace of mind? Just accept it. If you don’t accept it, we won’t be at ease.”

"Oh, right, Director Yang, since you're being a good Samaritan, why don't you just reimburse the cost of this bicycle too? It's quite expensive!"

"Haha! Great! I'll reimburse you! The factory will reimburse you. If the factory can't, I will!" Director Yang laughed and replied.

"Thank you, Director Yang!"

Before Kim Geon-hyun could speak, Lee Kai-leung agreed first, and then stretched out his arm.

Now that things have come to this, Jin Jianxian said gratefully, "Thank you for your kindness, Director Yang."

"Not at all, I'm glad you like it!" Director Yang laughed and exchanged a glance with Li Kailang.

It was as if what they had just done was 'rehearsed'.

Li Kailang added, "What else do you need? Just say the word. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. You can ask for anything."

"No need, a bicycle ticket is fine." Jin Jianxian stood up excitedly, his voice trembling slightly with emotion.

"Director Yang, I will definitely work hard and live up to your trust!"

Factory Director Yang nodded emphatically: "I believe in you!"

“Kai Lang, you’re familiar with this, so I’ll trouble you to take Xiao Jin to complete the onboarding procedures and pick up the materials.”

"Alright, Factory Manager! I've got it covered!" Li Kailang patted his chest and assured them.

"How about I come to work next week?"

"Yes, yes." Kim Geon-hyun nodded repeatedly.

Today is Friday, so we still have more than two days to rest.

"Alright, Xiao Li, with Xiao Jingang here, I'll trouble you to take good care of him."

"Ok."

As Jin Jianxian stepped out of the factory manager's office, he felt light on his feet. Sunlight streamed in through the corridor windows, falling on his faded work clothes, as if they were coated with a golden halo.

Li Kailang nudged him with his elbow, his face beaming with excitement, "Come on, I'll take you to handle the formalities and familiarize you with the system!"

For the next half day, Jin Jianxian worked with great efficiency under the guidance of Li Kailang, who was also a "living map" (meaning he could easily navigate the area).

The personnel department handled the procedures exceptionally smoothly, and the files were filed in no time.

Then he took him to the logistics department to collect materials: two brand-new dark blue work clothes, a pair of thick safety shoes, two wear-resistant coarse canvas gloves, and a safety helmet.

"Wow, there's so much stuff!" Jin Jianxian exclaimed sincerely. He was once again deeply impressed by the standardized practices of a large factory and its emphasis on protecting the health and well-being of frontline workers.

This stands in stark contrast to the makeshift work safety supplies used by parts manufacturers.

Put these on the truck.

Afterwards, Li Kailang took him on a tour of the various workshops.

"Look, that's the steelmaking workshop over there, it's fiery red, you can feel the heat from far away!"

"Look, this is the steel rolling workshop! Those big machines inside are the factory's prized possessions!"

"This is the machine repair workshop."

That's the warehouse area.

After a quick tour, I took him to the technical department to meet the two bosses.

On the way to find the two, a group of technicians watched, all very curious.

"Director Wang, Engineer Ling, this is my classmate, Comrade Jin Jianxian," Li Kailang introduced.

"Comrade Jin Jianxian, hello!" The two shook hands with Jin Jianxian.

"Director Wang, Engineer Ling, hello, I'm Jin Jianxian, just call me Xiao Jin."

On the way here, Li Kailang introduced the two of them to him.

"Comrade Xiao Jin, we've been waiting for you!" Engineer Ling said with a smile. "From now on, we'll have to trouble you to take good care of the machines in the workshop."

With Li Kailang as such a good example, he also thought that Jin Jianxian was just as good as Li Kailang, and so was Director Wang.

"Not at all, please continue to guide me in the future." Kim Geon-hyun adopted a very humble attitude.

After a few casual words, Director Wang and Engineer Ling introduced Jin Jianxian to everyone.

"Please continue to guide me in the future," Kim Geon-hyun said, bowing.

"Where."

"I would appreciate any guidance from Comrade Jin Jianxian."

The technicians also compared Jin Jianxian to Li Kailang, not daring to underestimate him.

In the past month or so, Li Kailang's abilities have proven themselves to be real.

Those who are of the same generation as Li Kailang are probably not much different.

Seeing the pleasant atmosphere, Director Wang and Engineer Ling nodded in agreement.

"Xiao Jin, where do you want to sit?"

Engineer Ling pointed to the empty workstations, and of course, he also pointed to Li Kailang's workstation.

Jin Jianxian's gaze unconsciously drifted to the seat next to Li Kailang. Although it was empty, the two adjacent workstations already had occupants.

He felt a little regretful, but then he felt relieved.

The technical department is only so big; it's just a few steps away to talk to Kailang, so it doesn't matter how far or near.

He chose a spot against the wall that was well-lit and relatively quiet: "Director, Engineer Ling, I'll sit here, it's fine."

“Okay!” Director Wang nodded.

Li Kailang immediately transformed into a service worker, helping Jin Jianxian clean up.

"Alright, Lao Jin, you have your 'territory'! Come back next Monday, and we can officially start work!"

It's only my first day here, so it's impossible to immediately assign me work or have me review documents.

I've collected all my things and cleaned up my workstation. With nothing else to do, it's time to head home.

Li Kailang clapped his hands: "Come on! Everything's ready, I'll drive you home!"

Jin Jianxian looked at his brand-new workstation.

Looking at my enthusiastic friends around me.

Looking at the bright and clean technical department office.

Then I touched the precious bicycle ticket in my pocket.

An unprecedented sense of security and boundless anticipation for the future rose in my heart.

"Okay! Go home!"

(End of this chapter)