Chapter 67

On New Year's Day in 1985, the employees of Factory 501 had a prosperous year. The factory's nearly six-month project on the production of simulation machines brought in substantial profits.

Especially the two batches of projects exported by AVIC to Pakistan and the United States, although the latter had not yet been delivered, the down payments had already been credited to Factory 501's account. The two foreign exchange incomes, combined, amounted to nearly 100,000 US dollars, which could buy a lot of good things that money couldn't buy on a regular day.

For example, color TVs, refrigerators, and washing machines...

Although various household appliances could not be supplied freely, the scoring and lottery system was still feasible. Prioritizing frontline positions, past and present model workers at all levels, dual-income families, years of service, job titles, and peer evaluations were all factored in, and then everyone within a certain range would draw lots to decide.

Those who didn't draw the lots didn't need to worry, because Factory 501 had prepared more "New Year's goods." Items like soybean oil, pork, and flour were not worth mentioning, and domestically produced black-and-white TVs, large 28-inch bicycles, radios, and polyester fabric could be distributed freely.

However, behind the abundant New Year's goods, the employees of Factory 501 were uneasy and anxious.

"Director Yi, I heard that our factory is going to be sold to an individual and become a private enterprise. Is that even possible?"

The employees who received the New Year's goods did not all rush home. Hong Yijue, the former head of the Technology Department, now the director of the General Affairs Department of the后勤科 (Logistics Department), whose job was mainly to manage the cleaning and greening of the factory area—basically, he was the head of the street cleaners.

Seeing others carrying large and small packages home, and looking at the pork, soybean oil, and flour in his own hands, Hong Yijue felt anything but balanced. However, it was still a time of rationing in 1985, and his New Year's goods were already more abundant than those of most factory workers in Xiucheng.

Deputy Director Yi Yue, who had also had a good harvest today, was annoyed by Hu Jiefang's announcement that he would not take the New Year's goods paid for with foreign exchange. The other management colleagues naturally did not want to ask for those TVs and refrigerators.

Deputy Director Yi Yue had already chosen a 12-inch black-and-white TV of the Kunlun brand, which his wife and children had happily taken home. Now, he was empty-handed, but seeing the greasy hand of Hong Yijue, who had touched the pork, he dared not let him touch him, or his new shirt would be oily, and he would be heartbroken.

"Don't believe those street rumors. If you do your job well, the organization won't let you down," Yi Yue said impatiently, frowning. "Alright, move aside, I need to go home."

"Director Yi, please give us a clear answer. Is the state really going to sell Factory 501?"

"Is it something you can interfere with? Just wait for the state's arrangements. Why bother with so many trivial matters!" Yi Yue, like swatting a fly, circled around Hong Yijue and quickly left.

Hong Yijue, holding the New Year's goods, couldn't catch up with him and could only watch as Yi Yue walked away.

Similar scenes played out many times in the vast Factory 501. Beneath the surface of the New Year's celebration, the factory was already in turmoil.

By January 3rd, not only Hu Wenhai but also Wang Yichun could no longer wait. Early that morning, Wang Yichun, along with the director of the Xiucheng Machinery Industry Bureau, Zhang Mingjie, and a group of bureau leaders, arrived at the headquarters of Factory 501 and immediately notified all members of the factory committee and the main leaders of the accounting department to gather in the top-floor meeting room.

Standing behind Wang Yichun was none other than Hu Wenhai, who had changed into a neat wool suit.

January in Northeast China was already a very cold winter. When the members of the factory committee and the accounting department arrived, panting with white breath, they saw Wang Yichun, who was already well-prepared.

On his left and right were Hu Wenhai and Hu Jiefang. Below Hu Wenhai were the bureau leaders, while Hu Jiefang's side was still empty.

The members of the factory committee, who had already heard some rumors, silently and obediently sat on the side of Hu Jiefang. As more and more people from Factory 501 arrived, the seats on Hu Jiefang's side quickly ran out.

When the accounting department people came in, they had to bring their own chairs and sit against the wall behind the factory committee members.

"Alright, everyone is here, let's start the meeting!" Wang Yichun, with his rich experience in chairing meetings, found this scene at Factory 501 not too challenging. He said calmly, "I have an announcement to make. After Hu Wenhai's application, the Municipal Party Committee and the Municipal Government have decided to sell Factory 501 to Hu Wenhai. The entire sale plan has been agreed upon by Hu Wenhai and the municipal government leadership. I will now announce the preparatory matters for the sale process..."

"Wait, I disagree with selling Factory 501!"

Wang Yichun looked up and followed the voice to the third person on Hu Jiefang's side, who stood up excitedly and shouted, "Factory 501 is state property. How can it be sold to an individual? Especially Hu Wenhai, who is he? An 18-year-old high school dropout. Is the municipal government joking with the thousands of employees of Factory 501?"

"Hmm." Wang Yichun frowned slightly, looked at the person, and said, "I know you, Deputy Director Yi Yue, right? Fine, you can reserve your opinion, but this is a decision made by the Municipal Party Committee and the Municipal Government. After expressing your opinion, you can sit down."

"Mayor Wang!" Yi Yue did not sit down as Wang Yichun suggested but instead shouted even louder, "As a leader of Factory 501, I must be responsible to the more than 3,000 employees! How can I sit down at such a time? Have you asked the broad masses of employees about the decision to sell Factory 501? Has it been approved by the factory's party committee? This is an illegal order, and we cannot accept it!"

"Deputy Director Yi, do you still have any sense of organization and discipline?" Wang Yichun was not one to be trifled with. He immediately slammed the table and shouted, "Is Factory 501 still a state-owned factory? Can the Municipal Party Committee and the Industrial Bureau, as the superiors of Factory 501, not make decisions for Factory 501? Are you trying to rebel?"

"Factory 501 is state property, but it is also the property of the employees of Factory 501! Even the superiors cannot ignore the opinions of all the employees of Factory 501, can they?"

"All the employees of Factory 501? Do you even qualify to represent them?" Wang Yichun was not one to back down. He immediately countered, "I don't believe this is still my party's territory. When did it become your turn to represent the workers?"

Wang Yichun glanced sideways at Hu Jiefang and asked, "Director Hu, do you oppose the decision of the superiors?"

Hu Jiefang, under everyone's gaze, paused for a moment and then shook his head, "Report to Mayor Wang, I do not oppose the decision of the superiors."

"Then Secretary Luo, do you oppose it?" Wang Yichun asked Luo Likou, who was next to Hu Jiefang.

Luo Likou, without hesitation, shook his head and loudly said, "My old man doesn't oppose it. I trust Wenhai with the factory. If I hand it over to this bunch of good-for-nothings, I'm afraid my deceased colleagues will come out of their graves to curse me!"

Luo Likou's words made the faces of all the factory committee members present turn various shades. It was undeniable that the management of the factory was getting worse, far inferior to the generation of Luo Likou and Hu Shiwu when the factory was first built.

"Ha, Deputy Director Yi, the factory director and the party secretary of Factory 501 do not oppose the decision of the superiors. What do you mean by the opinions of all the employees of Factory 501?" Wang Yichun's face turned serious, and he said sternly, "I will repeat, the decision to sell Factory 501 is made by the Municipal Party Committee and the Municipal Government. Factory 501 is still a state-owned factory, and it is not your place to oppose it! Now, Deputy Director Yi, sit down! If you have any questions, we can discuss them privately. Do not disrupt the meeting order!"

Yi Yue, with a dark face, sat back down. After Wang Yichun's reprimand, the meeting room temporarily calmed down, and the meeting continued.

"Regarding the preparatory work for the sale of Factory 501, the first step is to clear all the assets of Factory 501, including but not limited to land, buildings, equipment, tools, materials, technology, archives, brands, trademarks, etc., including tangible, intangible, and current assets, and deferred assets. The asset clearance will take one week, followed by a general meeting of all employees of Factory 501 to announce the entire sale process and the employee resettlement plan. The property transfer plan and the employee resettlement plan will be publicly displayed..."

Under the intimidation of Wang Yichun and the entire leadership of the Xiucheng Industrial Bureau, and the joint suppression of Hu Jiefang and Luo Likou, the meeting proceeded smoothly. However, everyone in the meeting room knew that Hu Wenhai's battle to acquire Factory 501 had just begun, and there would be many more dramatic scenes to come.

The meeting lasted from morning until the end of the workday, and only when the factory's work bell rang did Wang Yichun announce the adjournment of the meeting.

Outside the factory office building, countless employees who had heard the news were eagerly waiting. After the meeting, Yi Yue deliberately chose a quiet path and hurriedly walked out of the factory, but he was suddenly intercepted by someone.

"Director Yi, I know you are on our side. We must not let Hu Wenhai, that tuzaizi, succeed in the acquisition!" Hong Yijue blocked the path, bowing and scraping to show his loyalty, "Director Yi, I am Hong Yijue!"

"Get out of the way, you're blocking the path!" Yi Yue pushed Hong Yijue aside and spat, "Do you even deserve to be surnamed Zhao?"

...

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