The Fiery Era: Becoming an Industrial Giant

Chapter 82 Copying Rong's Homework [Seeking Monthly Tickets]

"Probably not. If the leadership has approved the expansion, why wouldn't they provide support? Logistical support shouldn't be delayed."

Zhou Zhiqiang shook his head and said that he had heard from a senior leader of the Ministry of Machine Building that they planned to build a branch factory. Although they said they would discuss it after returning, the matter was basically settled.

With a branch factory about to be built, how could they possibly not be able to guarantee the supply of materials later on?

"We will support it, but there will be limits to our support."

After saying this, An Xiangjie paused for a moment, then continued, "Today, Deputy Factory Director Liu complained to me that in the future, the factory might only guarantee each person half an ounce of meat, three qian of oil, and three jin of coarse grains per week."

"Is this temporary, or will it continue like this?"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Zhiqiang compared the current situation to what he had just heard and immediately felt that it was a bit lacking.

Today, a senior leader from the First Ministry of Machine Building made it quite clear that Dafeng Machinery Factory—no, in the second half of the year—would be renamed Dafeng Agricultural Machinery Factory.

By then, Dafeng Agricultural Machinery Factory will have expanded to about 3,000 people. Including its branch factories, it will be considered a large factory in Beijing.

However, this logistics subsidy standard doesn't seem like the logistics standard of a large company.

After a month, all you get is two ounces of meat, a little over one ounce of oil, and twelve pounds of coarse grains; this is an extra benefit the factory gives to its workers, which requires buying meal tickets, and then using those tickets to buy lunch at the factory.

Although money was required, food coupons were not, which could be considered a hidden benefit provided by the factory to its workers.

However, this standard is much lower than before. Meat and oil alone are reduced by half. Although the amount of whole grains is not reduced, workers who do heavy physical labor will naturally eat more whole grains after reducing the amount of meat and oil.

While this is certainly enough to meet the workers' subsidy standards, other small factories might not even offer such food subsidies.

However, their Dafeng Machinery Factory is about to become Dafeng Agricultural Machinery Factory, and with the expansion of the workforce, the purchase of machine tools and equipment, and the establishment of branch factories, the logistics should be adequately supplied.

If they can't even afford meat, how can the workers have the motivation to produce anything?

"It will be like this all year, but they have kept quite a few people in the factory, meaning that Dafeng Machinery Factory should figure out its own way."

An Xiangjie smiled and then continued, "Previously, the supply wasn't entirely planned; 30% was allocated to the factory for procurement."

This time it's even less, only 50% of the quota; now we have enough money, we just need people to run the errands.”

Giving quotas means giving purchasing power; they can purchase freely from other places or provinces. As long as it doesn't involve speculation, buying low and selling high, the amount they can purchase is up to the factory's own ability.

Cross-city and cross-province issues are beyond the scope of the procurement department; they require the intervention of factory leaders.

However, there were only a few factory leaders at Dafeng Machinery Factory, and Liu Fuhua was usually busy with many things at the factory. If it was a cross-province procurement, he could only ask An Xiangjie, the deputy factory director, for help.

He used to be a big boss. Anjia owned not only this factory, but also a coal mine, a textile factory, several restaurants, clothing stores, and so on.

When it comes to compradors, An Xiangjie is definitely more suitable than Liu Fuhua, after all, the public-private partnership has only been around for a few years.

A few years ago, An Jia was still running a business, but now he has only retired for two or three years.

Zhou Zhiqiang asked, "Deputy Factory Director An, you never seemed to get involved in this kind of thing before, why this time?"

“The factory used to be thriving, and the workers were united in their efforts. I felt that the factory didn’t need me.”

An Xiangjie said with a smile, "But in the end it is still a joint public-private enterprise. Dafeng Machinery Factory will give me a share of the profits. The factory needs to do things, and I will lend a hand if I can."

"Deputy Factory Director An is truly enlightened, many times more so than I am."

Zhou Zhiqiang praised without reservation.

This wasn't just lending a hand; compared to other capitalists, An Jia was practically "bleeding" to help. The first time he paid for the small tractor project, the second time he paid for the dormitory building, and the third time he even helped with the procurement of supplies. It's just unclear whether he paid for it this time.

Logically, he should have paid a little, but Zhou Zhiqiang was too embarrassed to ask.

An Xiangjie said with a smile, "We're all from the factory, it's only right."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Zhiqiang thought to himself, "Does this mean they already consider me one of the factory's employees?" While that wasn't entirely wrong, this Deputy Factory Director An hadn't always acted this way.

The car fell silent, and neither of them spoke after that.

As they approached Nanluoguxiang, An Xiangjie suddenly spoke up: "Deputy Section Chief Zhou, you are the smartest person in our factory and often meet with the higher-ups. I would like to ask you a question."

"Is what I'm doing now okay?"

They even used honorifics, and after An Xiangjie finished speaking, he took out an envelope and intended to give it to Zhou Zhiqiang.

Upon seeing this, Zhou Zhiqiang clicked his tongue and pushed the envelope back, saying, "Deputy Factory Director An, please don't do this. I absolutely cannot accept this."

But if you ask me if it's feasible, I feel it's similar to when I was in school. You'd get to see a good student's homework and just copy it.

When he said these words, Zhou Zhiqiang spoke in a very low voice, so low that even the driver in front of him could not hear what he was saying.

"You mean"

An Xiangjie's eyes lit up; those words truly resonated with him, as he had been thinking exactly about this lately.

"Vice Mayor Rong is currently enjoying immense prestige; in a couple of years, she might even become my direct superior."

The Rong family didn't fight the mainland head-on; they spread their resources across several places. So, in the 1970s and 80s, they returned to rapidly develop the economy and subsequently rose to prominence.

Copying this template will definitely work, it just takes a few years of hard work, but once you get through it, everything will be fine.

"Thank you, Deputy Section Chief Zhou. Your words have put my mind at ease."

An Xiangjie felt somewhat at ease and said that talking to smart people is easy, and no one in his family supports him, but outsiders can see through Zhou Zhiqiang's thoughts at a glance.

After the car pulled up and parked in front of the No. 63 courtyard in Nanluoguxiang, the driver got out to help Zhou Zhiqiang get his bicycle.

"Deputy Factory Director An, thank you for bringing me back today. If there's nothing else, I'll head back now."

After Zhou Zhiqiang finished speaking, he planned to get off the bus and go home.

But as soon as he finished speaking, An Xiangjie grabbed his sleeve and said to Zhou Zhiqiang with a smile, "Deputy Section Chief Zhou, I heard your wife is pregnant recently? Do you want me to bring you some things this time?"
It's hard to say about other things, but some canned milk powder is still available.

That's it.

"Deputy Section Chief Zhou, don't be so polite with me. If you really feel bad about it, you can give me the money later."

"Thank you very much, Deputy Factory Director An."

Thinking of his own child, Zhou Zhiqiang did not refuse again; he could buy milk powder, but only bagged milk powder, and he would have to wait until the child was born.

He couldn't get milk powder coupons at Pigeon Market, and Zhou Zhiqiang didn't really want to go to the black market; going to the black market alone was too dangerous, and he didn't want to go at all without a companion.

It's only been five or seven years, and Zhou Zhiqiang felt that there shouldn't be any problem for him to make contact with patriotic businessmen.

　Asking for a monthly ticket!

　　
　
(End of this chapter)