A nation's industrial development begins with junior engineers.

This chapter is after chapter 43 and before chapter 44 of the main text.

Some readers pointed out that these two chapters were disjointed, which is why I realized that this chapter had been removed. I'm adding it now, explaining why the former machinery factory employees were willing to follow Yang Youning's orders, and why Li Huaide was so worried about this blunder.

This chapter is not part of today's update; more related chapters will be released later. Tomato's drafts are really unpredictable!

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After listening carefully to the two master chefs' tearful accounts, Yang Youning finally understood what had happened.

It turns out that the factory manager, in collusion with his sister-in-law, swindled nearly half a year's wages from the factory workers.

The factory manager was quite cunning, employing a method of slowly boiling a frog.

In the first month, half of the wages were paid out. Seeing that the workers were receptive, the amount was increased in the second month.

I can still accept seeing workers.

So, they went all in and pocketed the third month's salary.

If the workers hadn't been worried about him, leading to his exposure, he might have continued to roll around.

Unfortunately, his cleverness backfired; the sister-in-law he had always trusted was also having an affair.

On the day the affair was exposed, the factory manager was preparing to flee with his sister-in-law when she unexpectedly appeared with her lover and threw him into the sewer.

At the time, the police were only focused on finding the factory director and forgot about the sister-in-law.

Once they have a chain of evidence, they can't catch anyone else.

Without catching the person, there was no money.

The honest, simple folks at the machine factory had no choice but to beg for food from the machine department.

The Ministry of Machinery Industry realized they couldn't ignore the situation, since the leaders of the machinery factory were appointed by them. However, the problem was too big to be solved.

Finally, the buck was passed to the steel rolling mill.

Isn't your steel rolling mill the favored son of the Ministry of Machine Building? I'm in trouble, aren't you going to help me out?

Having figured out the cause and effect, Yang Youning also wanted to cry.

I thought it was just a hundred or so people, and the steel rolling mill was a big company, so they wouldn't let anyone go hungry.

And yet, there's still this huge tail hanging there.

When Master Lin saw Yang Youning frowning, his heart pounded with anxiety.

Logically speaking, Yang Youning's salary for the past few months is none of his business, and the other party has no reason to interfere.

After all, they are now considered employees of the steel rolling mill.

But life just couldn't go on anymore.

Yang Youning slammed his hand on the table, making a loud noise.

The teacups on the table were all knocked over.

The two craftsmen were also startled, and then felt bitter, realizing they wouldn't get paid.

"Xiao Liu! Where is that bastard Li Huaide?"

Liu Shunlin entered the office, carefully closed the door, and then stood still to report to Yang Youning: "Factory Director, Deputy Factory Director Li came to the office today to report that he had reception duties. He should be in the reception area."

"Alright, please make sure to take good care of the two master chefs for me!"

Then, he said to the two master craftsmen, "Once we're in the steel rolling mill, we're all family. Wait here for me, I'm going to get something!"

With that, he strode out of the office with a triumphant air.

Half an hour later, Yang Youning pushed open the office door again.

He only had a faint bruise on his face and was carrying something that looked like a brick in his hand.

Yang Youning swaggered up to the two craftsmen and slammed the brick in his hand onto the table.

"Diandian!"

The two master craftsmen then noticed that these weren't bricks, but individual sheets of paper.

"Black Ten!"

Yang Youning thoroughly enjoyed the shocked looks on the two master craftsmen's faces. "We don't have any more, and we won't make up for any less! Take it away and divide it up, just to get to know the machinery factory thoroughly."

"Work hard at the steel mill from now on. I can't guarantee anything else, but I'll definitely get paid on time! How about that!"

The two master chefs exchanged a delighted glance. They had only planned to complain and ask for some advance payment of their wages today.

The bottom line is 5 yuan, just enough to give the whole family something to look forward to.

I didn't expect Yang Youning to be so generous as to actually make up for the previous salary?

Master Lin's hands trembled as he reached for the stack of money.

But Master Qin pressed down on his arm: "Factory Manager, you...you're a good person!"

"Please, please don't make a mistake! It's not worth it for us!"

Master Lin realized what was happening and quickly pushed the stack of money bricks in front of Yang Youning. "Right, right, don't make a mistake! We're fine!"

Yang Youning was taken aback, but a warm feeling welled up in his heart.

"Take it! Don't worry, this money isn't illegal! You can treat it as... that kind of reserve fund."

"Xiao Liu, go with the masters to distribute the money. Be careful to avoid people; this doesn't go through the finance department."

After saying that, he looked at the two hesitant old masters and said, "Hurry up, don't delay. I still have some headaches to deal with. Once you're done, come back quickly!"

Upon hearing the factory manager's words, Master Lin immediately stood up and placed the money in Liu Shunlin's hand: "Factory manager, is there a task coming up? If it's urgent, we'll stay here. Comrade Liu can handle the distribution!"

“We two old folks still have some skills. Factory director, please give the order!” Master Qin also stood up.

Yang Youning was both annoyed and amused.

"Master craftsmen, you've only been in the factory for a short time. I don't even know everyone here. How are you going to pay your wages? What if someone fraudulently claims them? Wouldn't that be letting down the factory manager's good intentions?"

"This matter will have to be handled by you!"

The two old men thought about it and agreed. They immediately grabbed Secretary Liu and ran outside, saying they needed to resolve the matter quickly so they could come back and take over the mission.

After the others left, Yang Youning began to cry out in pain.

"It hurts so much, like a dog biting."

Li Changfu walked out of the cubicle, holding a bottle of medicinal wine in his hand.

"Oh, you're not good enough for this. You're complaining about such a small injury?" Li Changfu scrutinized Yang Youning's rough face. "For such a minor injury, just roll an egg on it. You don't need that."

He then put the medicinal wine aside.

"Little Yang, you're no good. You can't even beat Li Huaide. Like father, like son. Back in your day, your dad couldn't even get close to three or five ordinary thugs!"

Yang Youning looked annoyed. He hadn't expected Li Huaide, who was as thick as dough, to be so unsportsmanlike in a fight. Li Huaide immediately attacked his lower body, and Yang Youning almost got hit before he was even ready.

"By the way, what were you thinking, going to get into a fight?"

Yang Youning laughed and wanted to stand up and show off, but the movement aggravated the pain in his thigh, so he squinted and sat down obediently.

"After hearing the story about the machine factory, I felt like it sounded so familiar. Then I realized, isn't the factory director exactly the same as Li Huaide?"

"If the director of that small, run-down machinery factory can embezzle public funds, then what about our Deputy Director Li? How many people are there in the machinery factory compared to our steel rolling mill?"

"Hehe, I just went over, started a fight, made my demands, and got all this from him! I bet he has more!"

Li Changfu frowned: "It's already like this? Why don't you just notify the security department? It'll save you from having this big scourge in your eyes."

Yang Youning lit a cigarette and asked, "Old Li, what benefits would it bring to our factory if we took him down?"

Li Changfu's eyes narrowed, and he looked like he was about to explode in anger.

"You said, take him down and then transfer someone else. But this guy is even more cunning than Li Huaide, what should we do?"

Li Changfu was stunned.

Despite Li Changfu's seemingly nonchalant demeanor in front of the Minister of the First Ministry of Machine Building, he was simply taking advantage of his familiarity with the Minister and knowing his true nature.

Let's try a different leader; they might not even be as good at talking as the new Master Qin.

Mr. Li still didn't delve into some of the more complex political topics.

“Old Li, you see, I thought I could keep Li Huaide in check, but if it were someone else, it definitely wouldn’t work.”

"It's better to raise him like a fat pig; at least we'll have some meat to eat during famine years!"

Li Changfu's eyes lit up. "Hey, kid, you've learned it! You're starting to get the hang of Lao Xia."

Yang Youning looked up triumphantly.

That makes sense. These days, all profits have to be handed over. Although wages are paid on time, such a large factory is bound to have some unexpected events.

Having food in hand gives you peace of mind.

Our factory director has taken the first step towards Machiavellianism.