"We’re here!"

Yue Yihan was driving, with Xie Changning in the passenger seat. The moment they arrived at the Anong County Machinery Factory, her gaze fixed on the plant.

Two cyan gateposts stood at the entrance. One of them bore the factory’s name in red: Anong County Machinery Factory.

Flanking the gateposts were tall red walls, covered in slogans typical of the era.

Time is steel, efficiency is life!

Go all out to exceed the annual plan!

The sight made Xie Changning’s blood boil with excitement.

Yue Yihan parked the car at the entrance of the Anong County Machinery Factory and found the gatekeeper, asking him to announce their arrival.

Not long after the message was sent, a skinny little old man in a military-green jacket and a small green cap came rushing over.

The little old man stopped by the car. "Hello, are you the new factory director?"

This little old man was none other than the vice factory director of the Anong County Machinery Factory, Wang Guofu.

He looked up and saw a man with a crew cut and a resolute expression. The man looked reliable, and young...

"Yes, I’m the new director’s husband. We’re here to drop off some furniture and get things settled in..." Yue Yihan nodded, speaking with Wang Guofu.

Hearing he was the director’s husband, Wang Guofu paused for a moment in surprise, then led the two of them to the staff housing compound.

The director’s residence was located in the innermost part of the factory. Unlike the Su’s Small Western Building in Chuncheng, the living conditions here were still decent—a large, single-family courtyard home.

Compared to the small Western-style house, Yue Yihan preferred this kind of large courtyard.

As Xie Changning’s pregnancy progressed and she grew heavier by the day, a single-story home like this was far more suitable. It would also keep him from worrying while he was back in Chuncheng.

"When the transfer notice came, our superiors told us to clean this place up. It’s all been tidied." As Wang Guofu spoke to Yue Yihan, he kept glancing at Xie Changning out of the corner of his eye.

Xie Changning was beautiful and had a very refined, artistic air about her.

She didn’t look like a production technician at all. Wang Guofu lowered his gaze, deciding not to dwell on his first impression.

’I should have faith in the leadership,’ he thought.

Noticing Wang Guofu’s scrutiny, Xie Changning turned to him. "Hello, Vice Factory Director Wang. I’m the newly appointed director, Xie Changning. From now on, you can just call me Xiao Xie."

They would be working together in the future, so Xie Changning spoke very politely.

"Hello, hello. You don’t have to call me Vice Factory Director. My name is fine."

"Then you can call me Xiao Xie, and I’ll call you Uncle Wang."

He looked to be around sixty years old; she couldn’t just call him by his given name. That would be rude.

Wang Guofu didn’t object this time, simply nodding in agreement.

Because they had so many belongings, Wang Guofu called over two young men to help them move. Once everything was in place, Xie Changning prepared to head back to Chuncheng with Yue Yihan. Before she left, she spoke to Wang Guofu.

"Uncle Wang, could I see the factory’s historical records?"

And so, when she departed, the history of the Anong County Machinery Factory departed with her.

After seeing Xie Changning off, Wang Guofu returned to the factory.

"Vice Factory Director, I heard the new director is a young, pregnant woman?"

"That’s right! And I hear she’s quite beautiful, too!"

"You saw her. Quick, tell us, is she easy to get along with?"

Everyone chimed in, peppering Wang Guofu with questions. They were all afraid of getting laid off when the new director took office.

After leaving the Anong County Machinery Factory, Xie Changning’s brow furrowed.

The situation there was even more troublesome than she had imagined.

All the workshops had shut down, and the workers were just milling around the factory with nothing to do. ’I... have to go back and ask the Director for design slots.’

’Only if I design something will people be willing to pay for it!’

"Is something proving difficult?" Yue Yihan asked, noticing her silence as he drove and glanced at her expression.

Yue Yihan’s career path did not overlap with Xie Changning’s.

Their military armaments were supplied by specialized factories and couldn’t be arbitrarily changed. Moreover, the requirements for military-grade equipment were different from those for civilian equipment, so Xie Changning hadn’t even considered that market.

...

As she moved out of the screw factory’s housing compound, everyone was very reluctant to see Xie Changning go.

"Changning, remember to come back and visit us often, you hear!"

"That’s right, we’ll miss you!"

"SOB, SOB, SOB... That mean Director, stealing Changning from us!"

Everyone had a great impression of Xie Changning, and after spending so much time together, they were all extremely sad to see her leave.

After hugging each of them goodbye, Xie Changning got into Director Zhao’s car and set off on the path to her promotion.

Although the Anong County Machinery Factory wasn’t large, she was the director. She could determine the factory’s operational direction!

Most importantly, the machinery factory was very flexible; she could produce some light industrial products.

Instead of a color photocopier, Xie Changning was leaning more toward a printer.

In the current global market, printers were a scarce commodity. Xie Changning planned to compete internationally for this market share. As long as her printer appeared at the Guangzhou Trade Fair, she would profit!

Of course, she was currently short two machines. She needed to see what machinery the factory already had.

If they didn’t have the right equipment, she would have the workers build a few by hand first. Later, after being accepted into the Guangzhou Trade Fair, she could go abroad to look at machinery.

"Xiao Xie, did you get a look at the factory when you were moving in? What did you think?"

"I’ll need the Director’s full support for the next few months’ wages, HAHAHAHA."

Director Zhao asked, and Xie Changning didn’t hold back.

The factory had shut down, so where was the money to pay the workers’ wages?

The fact that the workers hadn’t started a collective protest was already a sign of mutual understanding.

Director Zhao: "..." ’This girl hasn’t even officially started, and she’s already learned to be as thick-skinned as Wang Lisheng, asking me for wages!’

Despite his internal grumbling, Director Zhao still felt that Xie Changning was being thorough.

"If you borrow from the Industrial Bureau, you have to pay it back."

"Of course!"

’Whether I can pay it back is a question for after I take over the factory. I’ll just agree for now,’ she thought.

Director Zhao could see it now. Upon becoming a factory director, Xie Changning had automatically turned into a real tough customer—unflappable and utterly shameless.

He was the one who had vouched for her, and he was the one who had overseen her appointment. What else could he do?

’Help her, of course!’

Arriving at the entrance of the Anong County Machinery Factory, the car stopped, and Xie Changning got out with the Director.

Xie Changning turned her head and saw the workers standing in neat rows at the factory gate. As she stepped out of the car, they shouted in unison, "Hello, Director!"

Then, Xie Changning saw Wang Guofu approach, holding large red flowers, which he pinned on Director Zhao and then on her.

Xie Changning: "..."

"We welcome the Director’s visit and welcome the new factory director to her post!" Wang Guofu greeted the two of them.

Director Zhao nodded and then looked at Xie Changning.

Xie Changning started walking. "Let’s go. We shouldn’t block the entrance. Since Director Zhao is here, let’s all go take a look at the factory’s situation. If there are any difficulties, we can report them to him."

Xie Changning’s words made Wang Guofu’s eyes light up.