Chapter 031: The Courage of a Commoner

As expected, the town quickly sent a reply.

While Wang Qiang accompanied Liao Wenfeng on an inspection tour of the workshop, checking the workers’ diligence, Lu Dahai summoned Qin Xiaohui and urgently had her call both men to his office.

Inside the office, Lu Dahai was pacing anxiously, muttering, “What am I going to do? The town called me over—what now?” After speaking, he looked at Liao Wenfeng with obvious discomfort. “Liao, what’s wrong with you? How could you actually let someone go complain to the town?”

Clouds of worry darkened Qin Xiaohui’s face; she clearly realized the situation was bad.

Liao Wenfeng straightened up, glanced at Wang Qiang's impassive face, then gritted his teeth and took the blame upon himself. “Boss, this was my fault. You can punish me as you see fit.” Upon uttering these words, a sudden lightness washed over him. He understood, more or less, that from today onward, the position of general manager at Jin Gong Machinery Factory would no longer be his.

The past half year had been tormenting; Liao Wenfeng had considered resigning many times. This time, there was no need to hesitate—based on his knowledge of Lu Dahai’s temperament, he would likely be fired directly.

Just as he had imagined, Lu Dahai erupted after hearing this, “What kind of work are you doing? Are you even fit to be the general manager? If you can't handle it then—”

“Boss Lu,” a calm, unyielding voice broke in unexpectedly. It was Wang Qiang.

Lu Dahai turned a cold face toward him. “Wang, you don’t need to speak up for Liao—”

Wang Qiang interrupted again, “I’m not speaking up for him. I forced him to let someone go to the town to complain.”

Liao Wenfeng gave a bitter smile. He had already taken all the blame, so why would Wang insist on shouldering it as well?

Qin Xiaohui looked at Wang Qiang in surprise and doubt.

“You?” Lu Dahai’s brows knit tightly, barely holding back his anger, trying to keep his tone even. “Why did you make them actually go complain? Do you know Secretary Li just called and cursed me out, demanding I go to the town hall and give him an explanation?” He truly wanted to vent his anger at Wang Qiang, but Wang was not a formal employee of Jin Gong and had family ties; if Lu Dahai truly exploded, word would spread and ruin his reputation. Maybe because of this, he restrained himself, though his attitude toward Wang Qiang had lost its former warmth.

Wang Qiang noticed, but remained calm. “If we don’t let them complain to the town, those people will always treat their state enterprise status as a shield. The reward and punishment system might intimidate them for a while, but not forever. We have to cut their psychological dependence at the root, make them see themselves as employees of Jin Gong Machinery Factory, not state enterprise staff.”

“That’s all well and good, but what do we do now?” Lu Dahai snapped.

Wang Qiang stood up, speaking mildly, “I’ll go with you to see Secretary Li. I guarantee a satisfactory resolution. If I fail, I’ll work for you free as a laborer for three years, as compensation for your losses.”

Upon hearing this, Liao Wenfeng sighed. Wang, there’s no need for this. Convincing Secretary Li is easier said than done.

Lu Dahai stared at Wang Qiang for a long moment, then said, “Let’s go.”

…

Town Hall.

Normally, the secretary and the mayor would not share an office, but Minqiang Town was poor, so the building was constructed as one.

Calling it a building was generous; it was only three stories up and down, the structure aged, its facade worn and shabby.

Led by staff, Wang Qiang and Lu Dahai walked inside.

Secretary’s Office.

Knock knock. Xiao Wu rapped on the door. “Secretary, Lu Dahai is here.”

“Come in,” a hoarse male voice answered from within.

Xiao Wu opened the door and gestured to Lu Dahai and Wang Qiang. “Go in.”

Wang Qiang followed Lu Dahai inside. The room was stark, furnished only with a desk and two hot water bottles, nothing else. It didn’t resemble a secretary’s office at all. Behind the desk sat a man of about forty, thin to the point of emaciation, with a patch of baldness atop his head despite his relatively young age. He was hunched over, writing something.

The door clicked shut as Xiao Wu left.

Secretary Li continued writing, not speaking to them.

Seeing Lu Dahai standing awkwardly, his hands clenched and trembling, Wang Qiang was secretly amused. Lu Dahai, so domineering at the factory, was now reduced to this?

It was clear Secretary Li was deliberately leaving them hanging, not even offering seats.

Naturally, Wang Qiang and Lu Dahai could only wait.

Soon, Wang Qiang noticed a sheen of sweat forming densely on Lu Dahai’s forehead. It was morning, overcast, and not hot—this was cold sweat, evidence of some internal struggle.

Perhaps twenty minutes passed.

Just as Wang Qiang grew impatient, the man behind the desk suddenly looked up, his first words laced with a cold sneer. “Well done, Lu Dahai!”

Lu Dahai’s knees buckled. He stammered, “Secretary Li, please, let me explain—”

“Explain what?” Secretary Li interrupted rudely, angry. “When you bought the factory, what did our contract say? Only a few months have passed and workers are coming to me, complaining you’re marking them absent without cause? Come closer.”

Lu Dahai, legs trembling, shuffled forward as if deeply afraid of Secretary Li.

“I’m asking you,” Secretary Li tapped the desk lightly. “Didn’t you promise me that as long as workers don’t miss more than three days, you won’t dismiss them? Didn’t you agree to pay at least three hundred yuan monthly? Now you regret it? Trying to find ways to withhold their wages? Where’s your sense of contract?”

Lu Dahai muttered, “Sec…Secretary, I—I won’t deduct their wages.”

Wang Qiang had thought Lu Dahai, prominent as he was, would at least defend himself. Yet after only a few words, he caved in? He knew many believed ‘the people cannot contend with officials,’ but with reason on one’s side, what was there to fear?

Hearing Lu Dahai’s capitulation, Secretary Li looked pleased, waving his hand. “That’s enough, go back. Don’t let me see this kind of nonsense again.”

Lu Dahai, dejected, was about to respond.

Suddenly.

Wang Qiang, who had been silent, spoke up. “Secretary, isn’t it improper for the town government to interfere in private enterprise management?”

Lu Dahai gasped, jumping up in fright, reaching to cover Wang Qiang’s mouth.

Secretary Li, who had begun to lower his head to write again, looked up, squinting. “What did you say?”

Lu Dahai frantically signaled Wang Qiang to stop talking.

Wang Qiang pretended not to notice, unafraid, looking Secretary Li straight in the eye, enunciating: “I said, isn’t it improper for the town government to interfere in private enterprise management?”

Secretary Li turned sharply to Lu Dahai, pointing at Wang Qiang. “Who is he? Does he understand the rules?”

Lu Dahai, miserable, began, “He—”

“Who I am doesn’t matter,” Wang Qiang retorted. “Since you ask if I understand the rules, I’ll ask you: as a servant of the people, do you understand the rules? If I were to report you to the county or city for meddling in private enterprise management, what do you think would happen?”

Lu Dahai was so terrified his face turned ashen, nearly in tears. Wang, what are you doing? Haven’t you caused enough trouble already? How can you dare say such things? Isn’t this guaranteed to infuriate Secretary Li?

But contrary to his expectations, Secretary Li’s face was dark, but only briefly. Soon, a strange, amiable smile appeared, his tone gentle. “Young man, what do you want to say? It’s not that I want to interfere in Jin Gong Machinery Factory’s affairs, but when Lu Dahai bought the factory, he signed a contract with us, promising to employ three hundred workers. Now the workers are complaining to me—I can’t ignore them, can I? Still, as a servant of the people, I must listen to what the people have to say. Go ahead, speak. If your argument makes sense, I guarantee I’ll never interfere in Jin Gong Machinery Factory’s management again.”

Wang Qiang smiled faintly. “Do you mean it?”

“I do!” Secretary Li nodded.

Good.

He had been waiting for this assurance.

He knew well that the town was troubled by the issue of three hundred workers, eager for Jin Gong Machinery Factory to take them on, so they wanted Lu Dahai to resign himself quickly.

However, Wang Qiang had known from the start that this attitude from the town was the source of the workers’ leverage. If it wasn’t resolved, Jin Gong Machinery Factory wouldn’t be able to talk about management, and things could worsen. Some things must be said with great courage: having taken the boss’s money, he must resolve the crisis. Today, he was prepared to rid Lu Dahai of his troubles, ready to eliminate the workers’ main advantage once and for all!

He was just an ordinary citizen, law-abiding, truly unafraid of Secretary Li’s retaliation. Wang Qiang had completely let go of his fear; not only would he speak, but he would speak in a way that would leave the town utterly convinced.