Chapter Eighteen: Yi Zhonghai Throws in the Towel

“Director Liu, you’re here.”

Liu Haizhong swaggered into the first workshop, where Guo the Cripple immediately came up to greet him.

Liu Haizhong was quite pleased with Guo and smiled as he spoke.

“Team Leader Guo, is Master Yi also in this workshop?”

Liu Haizhong asked knowingly but feigned innocence, deliberately making sure everyone in the workshop knew he didn’t get along with Yi Zhonghai.

“He’s here, he’s here. I’ll take you over,” Guo replied.

Liu Haizhong nodded and followed Guo to where Yi Zhonghai was standing.

At this moment, Yi Zhonghai and Jia Dongxu were sneaking off in a corner, shirking their duties. Because Yi was a Level 7 fitter and no one dared to mess with him in the workshop, others often turned a blind eye to the mischief he and his apprentice got up to.

Liu Haizhong stood silently behind Yi Zhonghai, not speaking right away.

Guo also didn’t warn Yi and Jia, because they were currently discussing Liu Haizhong.

“Master, what do you think of Liu Haizhong? He’s useless, yet he became the workshop director. I really don’t understand what the factory leaders were thinking. I think you’d be a better director.”

“Dongxu, you know the truth. But don’t worry, even if Liu Haizhong is the director here, he won’t be able to cause any trouble.”

“Right, he’s just a useless man. Once he’s here, we can be even more carefree. Whatever we say, he’ll have to do.”

“Exactly, exactly.”

Yi Zhonghai was very pleased with Jia’s flattering words, completely missing the subtle smirk at the corner of Jia’s mouth.

“Ahem, Yi Zhonghai, Jia Dongxu, who told you two to slack off here?”

Yi Zhonghai was startled by Liu Haizhong’s sudden voice, and Jia Dongxu pretended to be very flustered.

“Oh, Director Liu is here.”

When the two saw it was Liu Haizhong and Guo, they stopped taking it seriously.

“Yi Zhonghai, didn’t you hear me ask you a question? Who told you to slack off here?”

“What do you mean, Liu Haizhong? We’re just resting because we’re tired from work.”

Before Yi Zhonghai could speak, Jia Dongxu retorted rudely, showing no regard for Liu Haizhong.

Yi Zhonghai was the same, but he was more cunning and immediately tried to guilt-trip Liu Haizhong.

“What? Liu Haizhong, you just became the workshop director and already want to oppress us workers? We’re tired from work, so what if we take a break? What’s wrong?”

Liu Haizhong was no longer the man he used to be. He didn’t know why, but he felt a voice in his mind constantly guiding him on how to handle every situation.

“You say you’re tired and taking a break, right? Fine.”

Liu Haizhong’s expression turned disdainful as he shouted.

“Team Leader Guo, have everyone in the workshop stop working and come here for a meeting.”

“All right.”

Guo knew Liu Haizhong was about to deal with Yi Zhonghai.

He had long been displeased with Yi, but since Yi’s skills were among the best in the steel rolling factory, Guo dared not offend him lightly.

But Liu Haizhong was different. He had become director of the first workshop—there was no way no one was backing him.

Soon, all the workers in the first workshop stopped their tasks and gathered where Yi Zhonghai and Jia Dongxu often shirked their duties. Seeing Liu Haizhong and Yi Zhonghai there, the workers began whispering among themselves.

“It seems Yi Zhonghai knows Director Liu. That means Yi Zhonghai will be even more brazen now.”

“Sigh, we have such bad luck. Yi and his apprentice already make things hard for us. Now with Liu Haizhong here, these two will be even more arrogant.”

“I bet we’ll have even more work in the future. This is too tough.”

Liu Haizhong raised his hand to quiet everyone, cleared his throat, and spoke.

“I called you all here to clarify something. Just now, Master Yi and his apprentice said they were resting because they were tired from work. I want to ask if that’s really true?”

At Liu Haizhong’s question, the noisy crowd immediately fell silent, then the workers started rushing to report.

“Yi Zhonghai and Jia Dongxu are lying. They hardly did any work and just stayed here.”

“That’s right, Master Yi and his apprentice are lying.”

“Director Liu must punish them. They’re always like this. We end up doing their work.”

Liu Haizhong looked triumphantly at Yi Zhonghai and Jia Dongxu.

“Anything to say?”

Yi Zhonghai and Jia Dongxu’s faces darkened. They had thought that with their status, no one would dare speak against them even when Liu Haizhong questioned them.

But because of their past misdeeds, resentment had long built up.

Now that there was a chance to vent, the workers exploded without restraint.

“Hmph, so what if we slack off? I’m a Level 7 fitter. You think you can fire me?”

Liu Haizhong smiled and directly announced the punishment.

“Yi Zhonghai has shirked his duties during work hours, abusing his position as a Level 7 fitter to oppress lower-level workers. He is fined two months’ salary, which will be distributed among all the workers in the first workshop.”

Yi Zhonghai’s face turned beet red as he retorted.

“On what grounds? Why should my salary be given to those useless people?”

“On what grounds? Because they’ve been doing your work for so many years.”

Liu Haizhong no longer looked at Yi Zhonghai’s sullen face and turned to Jia Dongxu.

Unlike Yi Zhonghai, Jia Dongxu was still a temporary worker.

“Jia Dongxu, you’re still a temp but dare to shirk your duties. If you become a regular employee, that would be unbearable. Starting today, you’re fired. You won’t be docked this month’s wages.”

“You…”

Jia Dongxu was too angry to speak.

At this moment, Yi Zhonghai stepped in. Jia Dongxu was still useful to him, and he couldn’t afford to see him lose his job.

“Liu Haizhong, who gave you the right to do this? You say fire someone and that’s it? I’m going to see Director Yang now. I don’t believe you, a mere director, can control the whole workshop.”

“Liu Haizhong, just wait. Let’s see how long you can stay proud.”

Jia Dongxu followed Yi Zhonghai toward Director Yang’s office, but another voice interrupted.

“What Director Liu decides is what I decide. What? You have a problem with that?”

The speaker was Li Huaide.

He had come just to observe and see if Liu Haizhong was settling into the first workshop. After all, Liu Haizhong had been recommended by Wang Lin.

Yi Zhonghai said nothing when he heard that it was Li Huaide and turned to leave with Jia Dongxu.

Li Huaide was displeased that Yi Zhonghai ignored him but knew Yi Zhonghai was going to see Director Yang. He wanted to see how Director Yang would respond.

Li Huaide smiled at Liu Haizhong, clearly approving of his actions.

“Director Liu, well done. Everyone, disperse and get back to work.”

“All right, thank you, Deputy Director Li. Thank you, Director Liu.”

The workers were especially happy now. Yi Zhonghai’s salary was not low, so sharing it among them meant each got a bit more. With an extra yuan or so in their pockets, how could they not be pleased?