Chapter 001: The Joke of Fate
At this moment, what Zhao Dongsheng most wants to know is whether he and Bai Xin exist in this era, after all, he has inexplicably arrived here, which could very likely trigger a series of chain reactions
He has navigated through society in another world for many years, adeptly handling interpersonal relationships, and naturally does not consider himself as a benefactor of the Zhang family
There is a saying that wherever there are people, there is a world of rivers and lakes; where there is a world of rivers and lakes, there are grievances; where there are grievances, there are factions. The Huangzhou Machinery Factory is so large that it is naturally impossible for it to be a monolithic entity, all in harmony.
Zhao Dongsheng initially thought he was dreaming; when he realized his situation, he immediately let out a curse, feeling that fate had played a huge joke on him
Huangzhou Machinery Factory has one chief and two deputy directors, with the chief being Bai Keming and the deputies being Wu Kui and Zhang Haishan
What particularly surprised Zhao Dongsheng was the astonishing size of Zhao Weiguo's little brother in his pants, which could be described as "cannon" level
"Xiao Zhao, thank you for saving my Huzi." Zhang Haishan was very pleased with Zhao Dongsheng's response, smiling as he patted Zhao Dongsheng on the shoulder. He was a native of the capital, speaking with a genuine Beijing accent
Due to lying in bed for an extended period, Zhao Dongsheng was assisted by a female nurse to take a walk in the courtyard in the afternoon. Compared to more than thirty years later, the air in this era is fresh and pleasant, and the sky is a clear blue, giving him a refreshing sense of ease and comfort
Since Zhao Weiguo has not been at the Huangzhou Machinery Factory for long and is still unfamiliar with the situation in the factory, Zhao Dongsheng plans to obtain information about the entanglements and interpersonal relationships within the factory from Wang Jianjun
In that case, who is secretly plotting against Zhao Weiguo? This question lingered in Zhao Dongsheng's mind, perplexing him and filling him with vigilance.
Due to having consumed a considerable amount of alcohol, Zhao Dongsheng merely leaned back on the sofa in the lounge and dozed off, only to find himself inexplicably returned to thirty years ago -- 1988, inhabiting the body of a man named Zhao Weiguo
If Zhao Dongsheng remembers correctly, he was attending the year-end party hosted by the company in New York last night, where toasts were exchanged and the atmosphere was quite lively
After returning to the ward, Zhao Dongsheng opened the bag containing the fruit, eating while subtly inquiring about matters in the factory with Wang Jianjun
"The factory director has overpraised me; this is what I ought to do." Zhao Dongsheng smiled as he released Zhang Haishan's hand, discreetly removing the prefix "deputy" from the title of deputy factory director, while some information about Zhang Haishan began to surface in his mind
Zhao Dongsheng is very clear that since he has returned to the year 1988, he is now both Zhao Dongsheng and Zhao Weiguo, and he will embark on a completely new life path under the identity of Zhao Weiguo.
The "Tiger" mentioned by Zhang Haishan refers to his only son, Zhang Hu. Zhang Haishan's wife, Zhao Mei, does not reside in Huangzhou; instead, she lives in the capital with Zhang Hu and visits Zhang Haishan in Huangzhou every summer vacation
Bai Keming recommended the chief engineer Fang Cheng to serve as the deputy factory director to the city, citing that Fang Cheng is familiar with the situation in the factory and is also proficient in the business
Just when people were beginning to believe that Zhao Weiguo could not be saved and the factory had already started preparing for his memorial service, Zhao Weiguo miraculously opened his eyes at noon today. However, at this moment, he had already undergone a "transformation" and had become another person—Zhao Dongsheng
A week ago, some children from the Huangzhou Machinery Factory's residential area went swimming in a pond within the factory premises. A young boy accidentally got his foot entangled in the water weeds in the pond. At a critical moment, Zhao Weiguo, who was passing by, jumped into the water without hesitation, risking his life to rescue the boy. However, he succumbed to exhaustion and nearly drowned, and was subsequently taken to the best hospital in Huangzhou City, the First People's Hospital.
Zhang Haishan, having a military background, participated in the self-defense counterattack in the southern border during the late 1970s, where he was awarded a first-class merit. Two years ago, he transitioned to the Huangzhou Machinery Factory as a deputy factory director, holding the rank of a deputy division-level officer.
Zhang Haishan stayed in the hospital for more than half an hour, and before leaving, he advised Zhao Dongsheng to take good care of his health and not to worry about the work at the factory
Summer of 1988, Huangzhou City, Hedong Province, First People's Hospital
Due to prolonged asphyxiation in water, Zhao Weiguo has remained in a coma since being admitted to the hospital. The doctors' outlook is very pessimistic, estimating that there is an eighty to ninety percent chance that Zhao Weiguo will not survive this ordeal
The young man known as "Thick Eyebrows" is Wang Jianjun, a colleague of Zhao Weiguo at the factory. They share a dormitory, and it can be said that Wang Jianjun is Zhao Weiguo's only friend at the factory
Unlike Zhao Dongsheng, who remained unconscious, Zhang Hu only choked on a few mouthfuls of water and was merely startled; he returned home after spending one day in the hospital
Compared to other competitors, Fang Cheng possesses unique advantages, benefiting from both geographical and human resources. Just when Bai Keming thought that Fang Cheng's appointment as deputy factory director was a sure thing, at the last moment, Wu Kui, the director of Huangzhou Foundry, was transferred over and became the new deputy factory director
The reason Wu Kui was able to defeat Fang Cheng in the intense competition is due to the recommendation of Gu Liancheng, the mayor of Huangzhou City
Zhao Weiguo, Zhao Weiguo!" The voice involuntarily raised its volume, interrupting Zhao Dongsheng's contemplation
The man with a square face is the father of the little boy saved by Zhao Weiguo, Zhang Haishan, the deputy factory director of the Huangzhou Machinery Factory, and the young man wearing glasses is his driver, Li Qiang
A memory is about Zhao Dongsheng: Zhao Dongsheng, 36 years old, a renowned multinational tycoon -- the chief engineer of Heil Electronics. He has remained single due to his inability to forget his first love, Bai Xin, who died while trying to save him. He is regarded as the quintessential top-tier bachelor in the eyes of girls
The person behind Zhao Weiguo's kick to this place clearly wields significant power; having such a hidden enemy undoubtedly poses an extremely dangerous and distressing situation
In the midst of his astonishment, Zhao Dongsheng could not help but feel a sense of comfort: Zhao Weiguo not only had a professional background, but was also tall and strong, with an impressive demeanor and handsome appearance, belonging to the type of person who leaves a good impression at first sight
The former deputy director of the Huangzhou Machinery Factory retired in the middle of last year, leading to intense competition among various factions in Huangzhou for the vacant position of deputy director, all eager to secure this role
According to the corresponding relationship between military and local ranks, the deputy division level in the military corresponds to the deputy bureau level in local government. Although Zhang Haishan is a deputy bureau-level official, according to the convention of military officers being demoted by one rank when transitioning to civilian positions, he was assigned to a position at the director level, thus becoming the deputy director of the Huangzhou Machinery Factory. Strictly speaking, this is a case of a high-ranking official being underutilized.
Bai Keming has been in charge of the Huangzhou Machinery Factory for ten years, possessing profound expertise. Many of the cadres in the factory were promoted by him, and his words carry significant weight within the factory
Huangzhou Machinery Factory is a municipal enterprise at the deputy department level in Huangzhou City, a leading player in the local business community, employing thousands of workers, with welfare benefits ranking among the best in Hedong Province
"Deputy Factory Director Zhang, I sincerely apologize, I was just lost in thought." Zhao Dongsheng, seeing this, quickly walked over, extended his hands with a beaming smile, and shook Zhang Haishan's hand, his face full of apology and his attitude extremely respectful
However, Zhao Dongsheng quickly overturned his own speculation. In his memory, Zhao Weiguo had a kind personality, and he searched through his memories but could not find any instances of Zhao Weiguo having conflicts with others. In other words, Zhao Weiguo did not have any enemies
Zhao Dongsheng leaned against the hospital bed, staring blankly at a large tree outside the window, his expression vacant
Zhao Dongsheng's mind is currently in turmoil, with two completely different memories colliding with each other, making it difficult for him to distinguish which memory is illusory and which is real
Zhao Dongsheng finally came to his senses, realizing that the voice was calling him. He turned around and saw a young man with thick eyebrows and big eyes walking towards him.
Zhao Dongsheng walked forward with his head down, still not accustomed to his new identity, thinking that he was calling someone else
Another memory is about Zhao Weiguo: Zhao Weiguo, 21 years old, a native of Shan Nan Province, graduated as the top student from the renowned School of Mechanical Engineering at Yanyun University in the capital city, and was assigned to work as a technician at the Mechanical Factory in Huangzhou, Hedong Province
University graduates in the 1980s were indeed rare, unlike twenty years later when they became as numerous as cattle, and jobs were assigned by the state, eliminating the troubles and frustrations of crowded job fairs
Especially at Yan University, an undisputed leader in the academic world, its graduates are the elite at the pinnacle of the ivory tower. They either enter various ministries or major state-owned enterprises, and at the very least, they find positions in provincial party committees and provincial governments. Under no circumstances should they end up in a little-known place like the Huanghe State Mechanical Factory.
"Deputy Factory Director Zhang, I see you have arrived." As he walked, a voice came from behind Zhao Dongsheng
Wang Jianjun is the son of a worker at the machinery factory, twenty-two years old, one year older than Zhao Dongsheng. At the age of sixteen, he replaced his father, who was injured on duty, and became an employee of the factory, securing the coveted iron rice bowl that everyone envies. Having grown up in the factory, he is well aware of the various grievances and relationships within it, and he eagerly shared everything he knew with Zhao Dongsheng.
However, what Zhao Dongsheng found difficult to understand was that since Zhao Weiguo graduated from Yanyun University, how could he be assigned to Huangzhou Machinery Factory as a technician? This was completely illogical and could be described as extremely puzzling
For Zhao Dongsheng, in order to establish a foothold in the Huangzhou Machinery Factory, it is essential to first understand the factions within the factory, so that he can avoid making some basic mistakes and thus avoid taking unnecessary detours
As the two memories gradually merged together, Zhao Dongsheng's thoughts became increasingly clear, and in the face of his current situation, he could only shake his head and smile wryly
Zhao Dongsheng not only saved Zhang Hu this time, but also indirectly salvaged a family, preventing the Zhang family from falling apart
Could it be that Zhao Weiguo offended someone he should not have during his time at school, and as a result, was kicked to Huangzhou? This is the most reasonable explanation that Zhao Dongsheng could think of
Zhao Dongsheng, disregarding Zhang Haishan's advice, insisted on personally escorting him to the hospital entrance, watching as he departed in a green jeep.
However, the situation of Bai Keming's family holding a dominant position was broken last year
Behind the young man, there is a man in his thirties with a square face and a young man wearing glasses. The young man with glasses is carrying some fruits and supplements.