r18novel Chapter 1009 Gu Nan Attends a Meeting
Chapter 1009 Gu Nan Attends a Meeting
Xu Damao was speechless for a long time, his face flushed red, and he quickly swallowed back the words that were about to come out. He knew perfectly well that the situation in the factory was currently unpredictable, with Deputy Director Li and Gu Nan openly and secretly vying for power, and it was hard to say who would have the last laugh. These two were people he couldn't afford to offend, and the safest course of action at the moment was to stay out of it and remain silent, lest he say something wrong and get himself into trouble.
Over here, Factory Director Yang strode up to Gu Nan, deliberately taking two steps to the side to avoid the prying eyes around them. He lowered his voice, carrying a solemnity that only the two of them could understand: "Gu Nan, I was taken away by them, but it's nothing serious. It's just that some old accounts need to be checked. I have nothing to hide. But you have to remember, the higher-ups have also run into some trouble recently. Someone is sabotaging us behind our backs, and their actions are quite significant."
He paused, his eyes filled with earnestness, his gaze heavy, as if entrusting a child to someone, or giving a final plea: "I know you are capable, quick-witted, and have a stable position in the factory. From now on... please take good care of him. He is a good man, who has devoted his entire life to the factory's production, always concerned about the well-being of the workers below, without a single selfish thought."
Gu Nan looked at the gray hair at Factory Director Yang's temples and the wrinkles around his eyes, and his heart sank. He knew that Factory Director Yang was not one to make empty promises; for him to speak so frankly, it was clear how serious the situation was. He nodded solemnly, his tone firm: "Factory Director, rest assured. The higher-ups have treated me well, and I remember that kindness. I will do what I should do without hesitation. If you need me to pass on a message or find any materials, please don't hesitate to ask, and I will take care of it."
Factory Director Yang waved his hand, a relieved smile on his face, as if a heavy burden had been lifted: "I'm fine here. The innocent are innocent. Let them investigate if they want. But you, keep a close eye on things in the factory and keep a tight grip on production. Especially that batch of new equipment. Make sure there are no problems during the debugging. This is a matter of life and death for all the workers in the factory. Don't let anyone take advantage of the situation and ruin the factory."
"Don't worry," Gu Nan assured him again, his voice as steady as a steel rolling mill in a workshop, exuding an undeniable power.
Factory Director Yang patted him on the shoulder, the warmth of his palm carrying the weight and steadfastness characteristic of an old-school cadre. Without saying another word, he straightened his clothes, turned, and followed the men in uniform into the jeep parked by the roadside. The door slammed shut, the engine started, the car kicked up a cloud of dust, and quickly disappeared at the end of the tree-lined path leading to the factory gate.
The car had barely driven a few steps when Deputy Factory Director Li, as if he had timed it perfectly, strode over from the office building. A forced smile plastered on his face, the wrinkles around his eyes crinkling, making him look like a shrewd fox: "Deputy Factory Director Gu, what were you whispering about with Factory Director Yang just now? Was there some important instruction about the factory? If so, let's discuss it together, so as not to delay important matters."
Gu Nan looked up at him, a faint, almost imperceptible smile playing on her lips. Her tone was as calm as if she were talking about the weather: "Nothing important. She just told me to keep a close eye on production in the workshop, especially the debugging of the new equipment, and to keep a close watch to make sure nothing goes wrong. The rest is none of my business."
A flicker of suspicion crossed Deputy Factory Director Li's eyes as his gaze swept over Gu Nan's face several times, clearly indicating his disbelief. However, he knew he couldn't force Gu Nan to repeat his private conversation, so he could only offer an awkward smile, muttering, "We should keep a closer eye on him," before turning and walking away. His retreating figure exuded a sense of resentment, his steps heavier than when he arrived.
Gu Nan watched his retreating figure, a cold glint in his eyes. He knew that with Director Yang's departure, the delicate balance within the factory had been completely shattered, and the days to come would likely be anything but peaceful. This storm had only just begun.
He turned and went back to his office, closing the door behind him to shut out the noise outside. His fingertips tapped lightly on the smooth tabletop, making a rhythmic "tap-tap" sound. His mind was already racing—the progress of the new equipment's debugging, the morale of the various shifts in the workshop, the possible tricks that Deputy Director Li might pull… He had to think ahead of every step in order to stand firm in this storm and protect the responsibility entrusted to him by Director Yang.
Xu Damao stood at the workshop entrance, his heart pounding like a rabbit's. The news of Director Yang's arrest was like a stone thrown into the pool of the steel rolling mill, splashing everywhere and causing widespread panic. Now, the only people who really had the power in the factory were Deputy Director Li and Gu Nan.
He knew perfectly well that Gu Nan's reputation in the factory was indeed better than that of Deputy Director Li. The workers privately praised Gu Nan for being practical and down-to-earth. But Deputy Director Li was different. Everyone knew that he had powerful backers. After such a big blunder recently, anyone else would have been dismissed long ago, but he was still sitting comfortably in his position as deputy director. The reasons behind this were obvious.
Xu Damao scratched his head, looking troubled. He had just reconciled with Gu Nan, and even offered to pay for the broken glass at the Intermediate People's Court a couple of days ago, hoping to keep to himself. But if he didn't speak to Deputy Director Li, he feared he might lose his job in the projection team if the latter took power. Just as he was contemplating whether to sneak back to the warehouse to hide, he heard someone call out behind him.
"Isn't this Da Mao?" Deputy Factory Director Li walked over with his hands behind his back, a smile on his face, but his eyes held a hint of scrutiny. "Come here, I have something to tell you."
Xu Damao's heart skipped a beat. There was no way to avoid it now, so he had no choice but to bite the bullet and approach, bowing and scraping as he said, "Vice Factory Director Li, you wanted to see me?"
Gu Nan, who was not far away, glanced at it but remained silent. He could guess what Deputy Factory Director Li was up to—nothing more than taking advantage of Factory Director Yang's troubles to quickly build up his faction and consolidate his power. He never got involved in such things, finding them pointless, but today, seeing Deputy Factory Director Li's determined look, he had some other thoughts.
If we don't give this guy surnamed Li a little nip in the bud and let him get what he wants smoothly, it would be too easy for him.
Gu Nan turned and walked towards the office building, his steps neither hurried nor slow. Once inside his office, he sat down in a chair and looked out the window as Deputy Factory Director Li was whispering something to Xu Damao. Xu Damao's enthusiastic nodding made Gu Nan's lips curl into a slight smile.
"Ring ring—" Gu Nan picked up the phone on the table, dialed the switchboard, and said crisply, "Pass the word that all workshop directors should come to the conference room in ten minutes to discuss the next phase of production scheduling."
He was in charge of production, so convening a meeting with the workshop directors was perfectly legitimate, and no one could find fault with it. But he knew in his heart that the meeting was held at the wrong time—it happened right at the crucial moment when Deputy Factory Director Li was trying to win people over.