Siheyuan, my new life

Chang Changzheng nodded slightly. Clearly, Xue Yongheng's suggestion was basically in line with his thoughts. In his opinion, it was highly inappropriate for the worker named Hao Aiguo to ask Guo Yongping, who had just joined the purchasing department, to provide cheap grain for all the residents at the courtyard meeting. It was even more excessive to label Guo Yongping as a sabotage element after being firmly refused. Fortunately, no serious consequences resulted. Therefore, when dealing with Hao Aiguo, criticism and education should be the main approach. However, as the head of Hongxing Steel Rolling Mill, he was still unable to completely control the situation at the secretary's office meeting and could not make decisions on his own. So he could only continue to listen to the opinions of the other factory leaders. He then looked at the factory leaders opposite him and said, "Comrade Changhe, Comrade Zhenning, Comrade Huaide, please share your thoughts as well."

Noticing that neither Factory Director Liu Changhe nor Union Chairman Tao Zhenning intended to speak, Li Huaide cleared his throat and said loudly, "Secretary Chang, I personally feel that Deputy Factory Director Xue's handling of the matter is biased. Hao Aiguo openly pressured Guo Yongping, a purchasing clerk in the purchasing department, to undermine the national policy of unified purchase and sales. After being rejected and reprimanded by Guo Yongping on the spot, Hao Aiguo even went so far as to label Guo Yongping as a sabote. You should know that Guo Yongping's home has a 'Family of Glory' sign hanging on its door. Hao Aiguo actually slandered a military dependent who had only been working there for two or three days as a sabote. This behavior must be dealt with seriously. Otherwise, once it gets out, our Hongxing Steel Rolling Mill will also be affected. Just imagine, Comrade Dou Dagang has just passed away, and his relatives are being slandered without cause. If the military finds out about this, they will probably intervene."

Hearing Li Huaide's words, everyone present understood his unspoken meaning. Dou Dagang had only been gone for a short time due to illness, and his nephew had only been in Beijing for two or three days from his hometown in Henan Province when he was pressured and slandered by his fellow residents. If Guo Yongping did not agree with the steel rolling mill's handling of the matter, and if this young man went to Dou Dagang's old comrades-in-arms and former leaders to report the situation, the consequences would be uncontrollable. It should be noted that everyone present had attended Dou Dagang's funeral. Among the old comrades-in-arms and former leaders who came to see him off were many high-ranking and powerful figures, and there were even two staff members who came to see him off on behalf of the top leaders.

Chang Changzheng frowned. Only then did he realize that Guo Yongping was just a young man not even twenty years old. If he was dissatisfied with the steel mill's handling of the matter, who could guarantee that Guo Yongping would swallow his anger? You must know that young men of this age are full of youthful vigor. It's better to be safe than sorry. What if Guo Yongping really brought this matter to Dou Dagang's old comrades and leaders? What would they think?

Just then, the telephone on his desk rang. Chang Changzheng reached for the black receiver and said in a deep voice, "This is Chang Changzheng. Who is this?"

A somewhat hurried male voice came through the receiver: "Hello, Secretary Chang, this is Xiao Huang from the Production Department. Could you please take Deputy Factory Director Xue to the phone? I need to speak with him urgently."

Chang Changzheng responded and looked up at Xue Yongheng on the opposite sofa: "Deputy Factory Director Xue, it's Deputy Director Huang from the Production Department who has something urgent to discuss with you."

Xue Yongheng frowned, quickly got up and walked to his desk, took the microphone, and said in a low voice, "Deputy Director Huang, this is Xue Yongheng."

The urgent voice of Deputy Director Huang came through the microphone: "Deputy Factory Director Xue, Director Feng from the Second Fitter Workshop just came to report that Hao Aiguo, a fifth-level fitter in the workshop, was arrested by Deputy Director Xiong of the Security Department and his men. The reason for his arrest is that last night, at a general meeting in the courtyard where he lives, Hao Aiguo openly forced He Daqing, the canteen manager of the Security Department's training base, to get cheap grain for all the residents of the courtyard, which is suspected of violating the national policy of unified purchase and sale. The security department's security section has already questioned the workers who live in the same courtyard as Hao Aiguo and confirmed that this did indeed happen."

Upon hearing this, Xue Yongheng couldn't help but curse, "Is Hao Aiguo's brain full of shit? Who does he think he is? An ordinary worker in a workshop, how dare he openly force the director of the canteen at the security department's training base to violate the national unified purchase and sales policy? He's hopeless, he deserves to be arrested by the security department." After saying that, he hung up the phone.

The steel mill leaders in the secretary's office had already heard about Hao Aiguo's arrest from Xue Yongheng's words. The leaders present couldn't help but look at each other in surprise. Except for Li Huaide, who had already heard about this from Guo Yongping, the other leaders also deeply agreed with Xue Yongheng's words. Hao Aiguo, an ordinary worker, dared to openly force the director of the canteen at the security department's training base to violate the national unified purchase and sales policy. He really didn't know the immensity of heaven and earth. This was a blatant slap in the face to the security department. Obviously, He Daqing had reported this matter to the leaders of the security department, which was why Deputy Director Xiong personally led the team to arrest him.

Xue Yongheng let out a heavy breath, and repeated the contents of the phone call to Secretary Chang and several other leaders of the steel rolling mill. Then he said angrily, "It seems that Hao Aiguo is simply audacious. He must be dealt with seriously."

Several leaders present, including Chang Changzheng, nodded in agreement. They wondered who gave Hao Aiguo the courage to openly coerce a deputy section-level cadre in the security department into violating the national policy of unified purchase and sale. This was nothing short of an undisguised act of provocation.

Chang Changzheng reached for a cigarette, lit it, took a deep drag, and said in a low voice, "Since the security department has already intervened, we shouldn't rush to make a decision. Let's wait and see what their opinion is." He then shut his mouth.

At this moment, Chang Changzheng was really hoping that the Security Department would suggest dismissing Hao Aiguo from his job. That way, he could go along with it and directly express his agreement. Unless the other factory leaders were out of their minds, none of them would go against the Security Department because of Hao Aiguo, who was obviously backward in his thinking. After all, that person's existence was like a mountain hanging over the heads of all the leaders of Hongxing Steel Rolling Mill. Think about the leadership of Hongxing Steel Rolling Mill. How many people were sent away directly or indirectly by that person?

At the same time, Chang Changzheng was secretly relieved that the call from the production department came in time. Otherwise, he would have really had to agree to Xue Yongheng's proposal. Imagine if he had waited until he made his statement and then found out that the security department had intervened, he would have been in a much more passive position.