Chapter 79

Chapter 73: The Humble Door is Now Open for You

At around two or three in the morning, Xiao Chen from the security department of the agricultural machinery factory walked into the guardhouse, patted Da Mao, who was sleeping on the table, and said, "Damn, I watched a movie tonight, and it got me all fired up. I can't sleep now. You go back to the dormitory and get some rest. I'll stay here for the night."

Da Mao, extremely sleepy, mumbled, "Thanks, buddy. I'll go back and sleep." As he walked to the door, he turned around and asked, "What movie did you watch? It must have been pretty intense."

"It was something with Ye Moumou. The title was 'I Am a Beauty.' It was really intense, the body, the tongue, tsk tsk..." In Qingzhou dialect, "intense" means "pleasurable."

Xiao Chen's nostalgic expression deeply hurt Da Mao, who grumbled, "Remember to call me next time." With that, he yawned and swayed out of the room.

There was no moon that night, and without a flashlight, it would be hard to find the toilet. The entire agricultural machinery factory was quiet, with the occasional night breeze rustling through the treetops. Da Mao walked for about ten minutes. Xiao Chen estimated that he was already asleep in the dormitory. He looked around, saw no one, opened the small iron gate on the side of the guardhouse, and shone his flashlight into the distance. Four or five people quickly walked out of the shadows, nodded at Xiao Chen, and silently entered the factory.

Among them was Xia Fugui, a close confidant of Wei Gang, who followed them in without a word. When they turned toward the office building, Xiao Chen spat at Xia Fugui's back and muttered, "Damn, weren't you so tough before? Cursing everyone, and now you're just a nobody?"

The next morning, as soon as Wei Gang entered the factory, the head of the first workshop ran over to intercept him, looking flustered. "Director Wei, it's not good. The workers are causing a commotion."

"Don't panic. What's there to commote? They're out of line!" Wei Gang maintained his composure in front of his subordinates, walking with a steady gait and asking calmly, "What's going on? Take it easy, the sky won't fall!"

"Your office was broken into last night. A list was posted, and it's said to be... the list of laid-off workers you finalized..."

Wei Gang stopped abruptly, his mind reeling, almost losing his balance. He trembled and asked, "What?"

Although the agricultural machinery factory wasn't in dire straits yet, the city's intentions were clear: restructuring and layoffs were almost certain. Zhang Changqing, who had been the factory director for life, didn't want to be cursed by the workers until his last day, so he feigned illness and went to a sanatorium at the beginning of the year.

Wei Gang seized this opportunity to rise to power, taking charge of the factory's personnel and financial affairs. With his strict administrative style, he managed to maintain the factory's stability for a year, leaving a good impression on the city. Recently, his uncle Wei Chenfeng had passed on the message that if he could handle the factory's layoffs well, he would be almost certain to be promoted to deputy director of the light industry bureau. Moreover, the deputy director's position was just a stepping stone; after the current director retired in two years, he would be the designated head.

As for who would be laid off, it wasn't a problem. Over the years, he had a group of confidants, lackeys, and mistresses to arrange. Additionally, there were those who were shrewd and resourceful, who had come to build relationships and couldn't be ignored after receiving gifts. There were also those with connections in higher places, whose requests couldn't be refused. With a total of over 400 people in the factory, only one-fifth would be retained, leaving few spots.

A few days ago, he had roughly finalized the list, with some adjustments still needed. There were some difficult people who needed to be handled carefully before the final list could be announced. But someone had leaked the list, causing chaos.

Wei Gang's face turned pale, and he ran toward the office building, forgetting his leadership demeanor. The head of the first workshop pursed his lips, muttered a few complaints, and hurriedly followed.

A large crowd gathered outside the office building, with people of all ages and genders. Various voices echoed in the open space, creating a chaotic and anxiety-inducing atmosphere. When they saw Wei Gang, the crowd surged forward, instantly surrounding him.

"Director Wei, is the list real?"

"Wei Gang, explain yourself. Why am I being laid off?"

"Damn, if you make me leave, I'll report you to the city!"

"Don't think we don't know what you're up to! You're trying to ruin the factory and get a promotion? No way!"

"Exactly! Exactly!"

Wei Gang's face was ashen, and he remained silent, his neatly pressed suit losing buttons in the chaos. Finally, with the help of the security department, he managed to push through the crowd. In the office, Xiao Chen from the security department said, "We've checked. It seems someone from the factory tried to steal money and items. They broke into three offices but found nothing valuable. In frustration, they posted the list."

Da Mao, who had violated the security regulations by switching shifts with Xiao Chen the previous night, dared not say anything. He added, "It must be someone from the factory. I was on duty last night, and no outsiders entered. No one else knew the importance of the list."

The head of the security department asked in a low voice, "Director Wei, should we report this to the police? Without your instructions, we can't make a decision."

Wei Gang shook his head. The priority was to calm the workers and avoid further conflict. He said, "Since nothing valuable was stolen, let's drop it. Immediately call a meeting with the factory leaders, workshop heads, and team leaders."

Over the weekend, rumors about the factory's layoffs intensified. It was said that only one-tenth of the workers would be retained, and the list had already been finalized. Those with good relationships with Director Wei and those who had given gifts were said to be staying. Several female workers who were close to Wei Gang were on the list of those staying. Ding Mei, whose husband worked in the city committee, received calls from female colleagues asking if the rumors were true. Following her husband's advice, Ding Mei confirmed the rumors, saying, "Everyone knows I offended Director Wei recently. I'm even preparing for my own future." When people heard that even Ding Mei, whose husband was a deputy director of the city committee, couldn't stay, the rumors spread like wildfire, and the factory was in an uproar.

Although they had expected this day, no one was prepared for the panic and despair it brought. Many had spent their entire lives at the factory, some were the children of factory workers, and others had taken over their parents' jobs. The factory was their entire world. Suddenly losing it left many feeling lost.

The anxious crowd finally erupted, and for two days, groups of workers blocked the director's office, demanding answers from Wei Gang. Wei Gang had to calm the workers during the day and his mistress at night. He had indeed planned to keep these women, but now, to avoid suspicion, he had to remove a few names.

But who to remove and who to keep? This dilemma left Wei Gang in a state of turmoil.

On Sunday evening, he received a call from Xia Fugui, inviting him to a place called "East of the River" to relax. Wei Gang didn't want to go, but Xia Fugui's persistent persuasion and his own frustration made him agree. After dinner and drinks, Xia Fugui mentioned a new place with some fun activities. Wei Gang, used to this routine, followed him to a bathhouse called "Clear Water Bend."

Xia Fugui usually arranged these outings, and there had never been any issues. After a bath and a foot massage, Wei Gang confidently took a girl to a private room. The place was indeed excellent, with a beautiful and skilled girl. Before they could start, she blushed and said, "It's my first time. Please be gentle..."

Wei Gang, experienced in such matters, teased, "The path was never swept for guests, and the humble door is now open for you. First times are the best, as long as it's not your first time today, I'll give you a big red envelope."

As he spoke, the door was slammed open, and several aggressive security officers rushed in, pinning Wei Gang to the bed. A man with a camera took several close-up shots. Usually, such raids with journalists were organized by the city. Wei Gang assumed it was just bad luck and tried to offer money to resolve the issue privately. However, the journalist took more photos, confirming the charges of solicitation and bribery. The girl, seeing the situation, claimed he had raped her. Wei Gang, furious, demanded to call their leader. The lead security officer sternly refused, and Wei Gang realized he was in deep trouble.

When he was taken to the police station, the famous Deputy Director Liu of the city bureau was on duty. Wei Gang's face turned ashen. He had no connection with Liu Tianlai, who was known for his strict and incorruptible nature. Falling into his hands meant trouble.

Wei Gang had planned to pay a fine and spend a night in detention, using a fake name to get through it. But with Liu Tianlai, all his hopes were dashed.

A row of people, all caught in the raid that night, sat in the police station. Liu Tianlai walked up to Wei Gang, feigning surprise, "Oh, isn't this Deputy Director Wei of the agricultural machinery factory?"

All eyes turned to Wei Gang, who felt a burning sensation on his face. He forced a smile, "What a coincidence... Director Liu..."

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