aircannonsinc Chapter 1058 Provoking trouble
Chapter 1058 Provoking trouble
Yi Zhonghai was speaking with great enthusiasm when he was interrupted. His face immediately darkened, but he still managed a smile: "Oh? Xiao Wang, what brilliant idea do you have?"
Xiao Wang adjusted his glasses and said in a neither humble nor arrogant tone, "Master Yi, do you remember the precision boring machine that broke down in Workshop No. 3 last time? The factory hired several junior engineers, but they couldn't fix it after two days of trying. In the end, Deputy Factory Director Gu personally took charge. With just a vernier caliper and a few drawings, he managed to find the error in the gear meshing and fixed it in less than half a day. That kind of skill can't be bought with power."
Upon hearing this, the surrounding chatter immediately subsided considerably. Many people nodded in agreement—the incident was indeed still vivid in their minds. Back then, in order to meet the deadline, Gu Nan was hunched over under the sweltering machine tool, adjusting precision parts, his body covered in oil and grime, looking like a piece of charcoal. He hadn't even had time for lunch, and everyone had witnessed it.
Yi Zhonghai was speechless, his face flushing red and then pale, as if he had been slapped in public. His anger burned even more fiercely, his internal organs aching as if suffocated by thick smoke. But he knew that arguing further would only make him more humiliated, so he reluctantly shut his mouth, though the resentment in his eyes clearly stated—this wasn't over. His eyes darted around, and he turned and walked hurriedly towards Deputy Factory Director Li's office—this matter still needed Deputy Factory Director Li's intervention; after all, bringing down Gu Nan would be a win-win situation for both of them.
He was calculating in his mind: as long as Deputy Factory Director Li could seize upon the pretext of "abusing power for personal gain" and severely criticize Gu Yiben at the factory meeting, even if no concrete evidence was found in the end, he could still give Gu Yiben a reputation for "misconduct," making the old employees of the factory uneasy. Then, Deputy Factory Director Li could smoothly take the position of factory director, and he wouldn't have to worry about not having a good life. Perhaps he could even use this connection to erase the fourth-level fitter's assessment result, or even promote him further.
The corridor lights were dim and flickering, casting Yi Zhonghai's shadow crookedly on the wall like a hovering ghost. He was focused on rushing forward, completely unaware that not far behind him, Gu Nan stood at the door of his office, a pen twirling between his fingers, the cap spinning, his eyes calm and expressionless, like a layer of thin ice. Some clowns won't learn their lesson until they've personally run into a brick wall.
Yi Zhonghai quickly walked to the door of Deputy Factory Director Li's office, composed himself, and gently knocked on the door. His knuckles tapped on the wooden door, making a soft "tap-tap" sound.
In the office, Deputy Factory Director Li was seething with anger. He had just received news that Gu Nan had not only passed the intermediate engineer exam, but also the senior engineer exam on his first try, making him the youngest senior engineer in the factory. He could barely accept the intermediate level, but the senior level? It felt like a thorn in his side—after all, he himself had toiled for so many years to even reach the intermediate level.
What infuriated him even more was that Gu Nan was not only the deputy factory director but also held the title of senior engineer, which undoubtedly gave him even greater prestige among the factory's technical backbone. The two had already been openly and covertly vying for the factory director's position, and now Gu Nan had added such a significant advantage, which was certainly not a good thing for him.
"Damn it, Zhang Zhi is a complete waste!" Deputy Factory Director Li cursed inwardly. He had asked Zhang Zhi to rig the exam, but the guy hadn't accomplished anything. Now, Gu Nan had gotten all the credit. Despite his anger, he really had no way to deal with Zhang Zhi. He couldn't just fire him over something like this; that would make him seem petty.
Just as he was pacing restlessly, there was a knock on the door.
Deputy Factory Director Li raised his voice impatiently, "Alright, who is it? Come in."
The door was pushed open, and Yi Zhonghai walked in, bowing slightly, with a cautious smile on his face: "Deputy Factory Director Li, it's me, Yi Zhonghai. I have something I'd like to discuss with you."
Deputy Factory Director Li glanced at him and asked in a flat tone, "Master Yi, what can I do for you?"
Yi Zhonghai quickly stepped forward and lowered his voice to recount how Gu Nan had just been promoted to senior engineer. He then emphasized the point with a hint of provocation in his eyes: "Deputy Factory Director Li, look at this... Gu Nan is now both deputy factory director and senior engineer. This momentum is really disadvantageous for you! The old technicians in the factory already respected him, and now they'll probably be even more eager to please him."
Deputy Factory Director Li gave a heavy "humph," his anger rising again. He scratched his head in frustration, looked at Yi Zhonghai, and said with a hint of helplessness, "Master Yi, I know this is a tricky matter. But tell me, what can I do now? The assessment results have already been published; we can't just suppress them, can we?"
Yi Zhonghai took two steps forward, almost touching Deputy Factory Director Li's desk, his voice barely audible, but his eyes gleamed with calculation: "Deputy Factory Director Li, in my opinion, we can create momentum through public opinion. Think about it, find a few gossipy old guys in the workshop, and have them spread the word while queuing in the canteen or during breaks in the workshop, saying that Gu Nan's senior engineer title was obtained through back channels and tricks, and that it wasn't earned based on real merit."
He paused, spittle almost splattering onto the table: "When the news spreads throughout the factory, the workers will definitely think Gu Nan is no good, ruining his reputation. If it gets out of hand, he might even lose his position as deputy factory director! After all, who wants to work for a leader who takes crooked paths?"
Deputy Factory Director Li, seeing his impatient expression, merely smiled indifferently, tapping his fingertips lightly on the table, making a soft "tap-tap" sound, as if weighing the weight of his words: "Is this the method you're talking about? It's simple and direct. But Gu Nan's skills are well-known throughout the factory. Last time, that imported precision machine tool caused so many experienced workers to struggle, but in the end, wasn't it him who fixed it after three days and three nights without sleep? Could this senior engineer title really be something he obtained on his own?"
Yi Zhonghai knew perfectly well that Gu Nan's skills were indeed excellent, and his professional title was most likely earned through genuine examination. But he was simply unwilling to accept it. Ever since Gu Nan came to the factory, he had surpassed him in every way: technically, he was far superior to the veteran workers; in terms of position, he had become the deputy factory director at a young age; even the neighbors in the courtyard thought Gu Nan was more capable than him, this "old man." He wouldn't swallow his pride until he brought this kid down!
So he gritted his teeth, the veins on his neck bulging: "Whether he took the exam himself or not is no longer important! What's important is that as long as everyone believes that Gu Nan pulled some tricks, then he'll be speechless! He'll be drowned in spittle!"