aircannonsinc Chapter 1052 Liu Haizhong Wants to Show a Movie
Chapter 1052 Liu Haizhong Wants to Show a Movie
Xu Damao pushed his gleaming Forever brand bicycle, with a red ribbon wrapped around the handlebars, slowly swaying towards his home. He glanced at Liu Haizhong standing at the gate, deliberately sighed, and said with a hint of "exhausted but unable to hide his pride": "You're right, old man. I've been really tired lately. The factory's screening schedule is booked until next week, showing 'Tunnel Warfare' and 'The Southern Expedition and the Northern War' non-stop. Other factories keep sending people to borrow me. Sometimes I have to run between two places in one day, carrying that dozens of kilograms projector back and forth. My arms are almost not my own anymore."
Although his words were full of complaints, his peripheral vision was like a searchlight as he secretly glanced at his bangs, his eyes revealing an undisguised smugness—he simply wanted someone to praise his competence and the factory's favor, since he was the only one in the entire factory doing this "glamorous job."
Liu Haizhong had been thinking about showing off his "Second Uncle" status in the courtyard lately. Hearing Xu Damao's words, his eyes lit up. He took two steps forward, his tone urgent: "Damao, I have something to tell you. This courtyard has been so quiet lately. I'd like to ask you to show a movie here to liven things up for the neighbors! Don't worry, I definitely won't let you do this for nothing. I'll pay you, you decide how much!" He was calculating in his mind: if he could get Xu Damao to show a movie in the courtyard, the neighbors would definitely praise him, and he could show off his own abilities and competence.
Xu Damao was about to agree immediately—getting paid for showing a movie, how could he miss such a good deal? But the words caught in his throat as he suddenly remembered what had happened before: a while back, he had secretly moved the projector into the yard to earn some extra money when the factory wasn't looking, only to be caught by Gu Nan, who immediately scolded him, saying it was against factory rules to take on unauthorized work, and almost gave him a disciplinary action. He had finally managed to mend his relationship with Gu Nan, and it wasn't worth offending him again for a little money.
Thinking of this, the smile on his face faded, and he waved his hand, his tone revealing his difficulty: "Uncle, you'd better not think about this. It's not that I don't want to give you face, it's just that I really can't do it—I really can't show movies in the courtyard. After all, that incident just happened not long ago, and the factory is keeping a close eye on things. Deputy Factory Director Gu also specifically told me to behave myself and not to cause any trouble in private, otherwise my salary will really be deducted." He deliberately emphasized the words "Gu Nan" in order to make Liu Haizhong back down and stop dwelling on the matter.
Liu Haizhong's mind raced, and he instantly grasped the crux of the matter—it was obvious to everyone that Gu Nan was behind Liu Guangtian's affair. Although no direct evidence had been found, Gu Nan was currently riding high in the steel rolling mill; the technical department and the production workshop all had to listen to him. He wielded real power, and Liu Haizhong, as a mere team leader, could not afford to offend him.
He knew perfectly well that someone like Gu Nan would likely look down on his opportunistic and sycophantic behavior. But circumstances were beyond his control; if he really went head-to-head, forget about securing a future for his son; he might not even be able to keep his position as team leader. So he suppressed his resentment and frustration, waved his hand at Xu Damao, and softened his tone: "You're right, I was indeed a bit too hasty. Let's put this matter aside for now and talk about it later."
Seeing that he had relented, Xu Damao secretly breathed a sigh of relief and quickly nodded and bowed, saying, "Uncle is right, everything needs to be considered carefully. Shall I head back now?" He was also worried. Deputy Factory Director Li had sent him to another city to handle the film screening, and he wasn't allowed to participate in any of the factory's core meetings or important decisions. It was clear that he had been marginalized. He had originally wanted to take advantage of the film screening to make a good impression on Gu Nan and become a familiar face, but now he couldn't even get close to Gu Nan or get any useful information. He could only return home dejectedly.
Liu Haizhong, on the contrary, relaxed and paced around the yard twice with his hands behind his back. He secretly rejoiced: He had originally planned to take advantage of the movie screening to join in the fun and chat with the higher-ups, but now it seems that Xu Damao was right. At this time, the factory was in a critical moment where Gu Nan and Deputy Director Li were vying for power. It was better not to get involved in this mess and to just keep to his own business and live a peaceful life.
The night passed in the blink of an eye. The next morning, just as dawn was breaking, the alley was still quiet, save for a few early roosters crowing. Gu Nan had already gotten ready and left the house. His dark blue work jacket was neatly ironed, and he was carrying a canvas bag containing the blueprints and tools he needed for the exam.
Just as Gu Nan reached the entrance of the courtyard, he bumped into Yi Zhonghai, who was waiting there. Old Yi was wearing a faded Zhongshan suit and clutching an enamel mug. Upon seeing Gu Nan come out, his face immediately lit up with a warm smile, and he quickly came forward, his tone deliberately ingratiating: "Vice Factory Director Gu, good morning! You see, I've worked in the factory for so many years, from apprentice to now, I'm considered a veteran employee. I can figure out the technical stuff with my eyes closed. So, this time, is it... that you don't need to participate in the technical assessment? That way, you won't take up a spot, and you can leave more opportunities for the younger generation."
He was secretly calculating in his mind—for some reason, his memory had been getting worse lately, and he'd almost forgotten many of the skills he used to be good at and the technical parameters he was familiar with. Now, he was at most a level four fitter. If he really went to take the exam and failed, revealing his ignorance, wouldn't he be laughed at by everyone in the institute? Especially in front of his friends, he would be even more ashamed.
Gu Nan looked at him, a faint smile on his face, his tone neither soft nor hard, but with an undeniable certainty: "I'm sorry, Master Yi. The assessment list has already been submitted. It's a unified arrangement by the factory, from the factory manager to the apprentices, no one is exempt. You'd better hurry up and prepare, lest you become rusty."
Yi Zhonghai wanted to say something more, such as mentioning how many apprentices he had mentored and how many contributions he had made to the factory, but Gu Nan didn't give him the chance. After a slight nod, she walked straight past him. Today was the day of the engineer evaluation exam. According to regulations, he was still six months short of the required qualifications for senior engineer, but he had still registered. It wasn't that he was in a hurry for a raise, but rather that he wanted to take this opportunity to test his abilities—after years of hard work in the workshop and studying a lot of foreign technical materials, he was confident that he could reach the senior engineer level; all he lacked was an opportunity to prove himself.
Watching Gu Nan's retreating figure, Yi Zhonghai's smile instantly froze. His lips twitched, and he cursed inwardly, "That unreasonable brat!" But there was nothing he could do. He gripped the enamel mug in his hand, the rim chipping painfully against his palm—it seemed there was no escaping this exam. He could only grit his teeth and walk into the factory, mentally planning to cram with a few old buddies later, hoping to memorize as much as he could.