The Fiery Era: Becoming an Industrial Giant

Chapter 86: Ministries Come to Claim Credit [Seeking Monthly Tickets]

"Zhiqiang, over here."

At the entrance of Donglaishun, Lü Yi was waiting outside. Upon seeing Zhou Zhiqiang riding a bicycle, he immediately waved and called out.

After the bicycle stopped, Lü Yi called his wife over to greet her: "Zhiqiang, this must be your sister-in-law, you are so lucky; this is my wife, Liu Xiaoqiao, she works as a childcare worker on Qianmen Street."

Zhou Zhiqiang smiled and said, "Hello, sister-in-law. I am Zhou Zhiqiang, and this is my wife, Guo Yuting. She works at the Second Hospital."

"I'm so grateful for the section chief's help at the factory. Without him, I wouldn't have been able to get things done so smoothly."

After listening, Liu Xiaoqiao smiled and said, "Zhiqiang, you are just too modest. Actually, I heard from Lü Yi that he owes his position in the factory to you. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to become the branch factory manager so smoothly."

This is almost a certainty; Lü Yi will be setting up a branch factory in Changping next month, so there's no need to hide it.

Lü Yi said with a smile, "Let's go in first. Fortunately, it's not too hot today. It's almost the last bit of time we'll have to eat mutton hot pot."

Once the temperature rises in a few days, I won't feel like eating mutton hot pot anymore.

There's no air conditioning now. Once the temperature reaches its peak, even people who love lamb won't come to Donglaishun for hot pot anymore.

Otherwise, with the charcoal fire burning, eating hot pot would be pure torture.

After inviting the group into the restaurant, Lü Yi ordered two jin of meat, one jin of tripe, a plate of vegetables for hot pot, a plate of frozen tofu, and half a jin of noodles.

"Order more if it's not enough, I'm well-prepared today!"

Zhou Zhiqiang quickly said, "That's enough, that's too much. We can't possibly finish it all."

This meal will probably consume two months' worth of meat rations for Lü Yi's family; they've probably already used up all their meat rations for next month.

However, seeing that Liu Xiaoqiao showed no sign of reluctance, Zhou Zhiqiang knew that the couple had discussed this matter.

The pot was quickly brought out, and after the soup simmered, Lü Yi called for the meat and vegetables to be added.

The group chatted as they ate.

After picking up a piece of mutton with his chopsticks, Lü Yi smiled and said to Zhou Zhiqiang, "Zhiqiang, I will be officially transferred at the beginning of July. Tomorrow, Monday, the factory's Party Committee will probably officially approve your position as the head of the technical department."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Zhiqiang was taken aback and said, "Monday? I didn't know about this."

Lu Yi laughed and said, "You're always busy in the office and never show your face, or you spend the whole day in the workshop. I've never seen you go to see the leaders."

Deputy Factory Director Liu knows you're busy, so he asked me to pass on some things to you; Zhiqiang, you should also report your work to the leaders in the future.”

Zhou Zhiqiang laughed and said, "Hey, I always thought I'd show some results before going to the leaders, and besides, with you here, Brother Lü, I don't have to worry about those things at all."

Just now, Liu Xiaoqiao had advised him not to be too polite in addressing people, saying that calling him "section chief" would seem too formal, so Zhou Zhiqiang simply called him "Brother Lü".

"Haha, Zhiqiang, you'll have to take over all the things I'm busy with from now on; that's how it is for us cadres, when we're busy we have to run around to so many places, sometimes our legs just can't stop."

Not to mention you also have to worry about the technology; you'll probably be even busier in the future.”

Lu Yi paused here, then suddenly remembered something and continued to Zhou Zhiqiang: "By the way, Zhiqiang, there seems to be news about the deputy section chief I told you about last time."

This position will be retained, and someone will be sent over soon; I heard it's from the Ministry of Machine Building.

Upon hearing this, Zhou Zhiqiang asked, "People from the ministry? What brings them to our small factory?"

Lu Yi shook his head and said, "We used to be a small factory, but now we're a different story. Anyone with eyes can see that we have a bright future." This is the first domestically developed and produced tractor, and its practicality has already been tested in the rural areas surrounding Beijing. Its performance and quality are excellent.

The ministry is also considering export earnings; once production expands, they can choose to supply domestically or export at will.

Moreover, Zhou Zhiqiang was well aware that the discovery of the Daqing Oilfield in two years would be the time when their factory's tractor production would explode.

Once the domestic oil shortage problem is resolved, mechanized farming will experience a significant surge, and export-oriented foreign exchange earnings will also gradually improve.

Currently, there are only two ways for China to earn foreign exchange through exports: one is through the Ministry of Foreign Trade, which is entirely dependent on diplomatic progress. If diplomacy is done well and more diplomatic relations are established with other countries, then their foreign trade will be easier.

If you can't even handle diplomacy, then forget about foreign trade; people won't even bother with you.

Another way to earn foreign exchange is through the Canton Fair, which was proposed by Mr. Zhou. Every year, many countries are invited to this event, which serves as their window to the outside world. If they see a good product, they sign a trade order.

"I couldn't find out who came. It seems that neither Deputy Director Liu nor Director Zhao knew anything about it, but they must be from the ministry who know some technology."

Lu Yi instructed, "They're probably just here to take advantage of us, Zhiqiang. Just act normally with them. At worst, the factory director, the party secretary, and Deputy Factory Director Liu will all be on your side. You're one of our factory's people."

"Yes, I know. I don't have the energy for that. I just need to get things done."

Zhou Zhiqiang casually said, "If we can find a suitable partner, that would be fine too. Ideally, someone who knows some technology and can work hard and be helpful would be fine. We're not picky."

I'm afraid of someone trying to steal the credit, someone who doesn't know anything but likes to boss people around.

Lu Yi said with a smile, "Then you should go directly to the factory director and the party secretary. Putting everything else aside, whoever sabotages tractor production is the factory director's number one enemy right now!"

"Too."

Zhou Zhiqiang smiled and stopped thinking about the deputy section chief's matter. He had all the advantages in the world, so why worry about someone who was just trying to take credit?

Afterwards, Lü Yi and Zhou Zhiqiang talked about some things related to the branch factory.

Although the branch factory is in Changping, there will definitely be a car in the factory. At that time, it will definitely be Lu Yi, the factory director and secretary, so it will be convenient for him to go back to Beijing.

After a satisfying meal, Zhou Zhiqiang and Lü Yi parted ways at the entrance of Donglaishun Restaurant.

Today's meal cost a lot, more than ten yuan, which is equivalent to a month's salary for an ordinary apprentice.

The two of them also packed half a pound of meat, some tofu, and vegetables to take home, all of which were not yet cooked; they could cook them for dinner that night.

On the way home, Zhou Zhiqiang said to his wife, "Yuting, let me take you home first, and then I'll go to the bank to withdraw the money."

Guo Yuting agreed, saying, "Okay, I won't go to the bank. It's pointless."

Zhou Zhiqiang had discussed the loan with Guo Yuting. After learning how much savings her family had, Guo Yuting didn't seem to care much about lending out two hundred yuan.

She had never experienced the feeling of lacking money since she was a child. After she started working, her family stopped paying her for a period of time, so she had to spend her own salary.

However, her mother later secretly subsidized her, sometimes giving her twenty or thirty yuan a month.

Guo Yuting didn't worry much about money; if her husband said he wanted to lend it, then she would.

When Zhou Zhiqiang rode to Nanluoguxiang, he spotted a familiar face and slowly braked to a stop. Then he shouted, "Tian Dong, over here!"

Zhao Tiandong, who was some distance away, turned his head and saw that it was Zhou Zhiqiang. He immediately said a few words to the person next to him with a happy expression, and then ran over: "Brother Zhiqiang, what are you doing here?"

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(End of this chapter)