Chapter 002: The Situation

As for how to uncover Zhang Haishan's background, Zhao Dongsheng already had an idea in mind, which was to find a breakthrough from Zhang Hu. After all, children are easier to deceive and do not lie.

If Zhao Dongsheng's performance can satisfy Zhang Haishan, Zhang Haishan intends to take him under his wing and bring him along to a new position.

However, from the perspective of future trends, Zhang Haishan is undoubtedly a strong potential stock.

Upon arriving at the factory gate, several trucks loaded with goods entered through the main entrance, escorted by a police car, and proceeded towards the factory area

"Xiao Zhao, where did you learn this skill? This dish is simply on par with that of a chef in a fine restaurant," Zhang Haishan praised Zhao Dongsheng's culinary skills after tasting his dish.

"Yunying, this is the hero who saved our Deputy Factory Director Zhang's son, Technician Zhao Weiguo, a top student from Yanyun University." Wang Jianjun smiled as he introduced Zhao Dongsheng to the girl in the white dress, and then introduced the girl in the white dress to Zhao Dongsheng, "Weiguo, this is Yuanyuan's classmate, Qin Yuning."

This is a production line introduced by Deputy Factory Director Wu from West Germany, reportedly costing over 20 million. Wang Jianjun, aware of the origin of these goods, replied with a smile, "With this batch of equipment, our factory's products will be able to reach several higher levels, allowing us to sell them at a good price in the market"

Zhao Dongsheng is very clear that in this struggle for power, only by aligning with the right faction can the Huangzhou Machinery Factory be his place of fortune; otherwise, he can only be suppressed by others

The atmosphere at the dining table was very harmonious, and Zhao Dongsheng intentionally brought up the self-defense counterattack in the southern border, which prompted Zhang Haishan to open up and passionately recount the brutality of that war.

If Zhang Haishan had a background, he would not be so low-key in the factory; at the very least, he should make his presence felt. However, he has not made any contributions and is indifferent to the affairs of the factory. The only explanation is that he already knows his next destination, and the Huangzhou Machinery Factory is merely a stepping stone in his life, with no attachment whatsoever.

After making up his mind, Zhao Dongsheng lazily yawned and slowly drifted into slumber

In the evening, when the night was deep and quiet, Zhao Dongsheng lay on his side in the hospital bed, gazing out at the moon and lost in thought

What is inside that, such a grand display? After the convoy left, Zhao Dongsheng glanced at the cargo loaded in the carriage and asked Wang Jianjun with a smile

"Gaining experience?" Upon hearing this, Zhao Dongsheng immediately became interested and looked at Wang Jianjun with great curiosity, as this news was extremely important to him

Before long, a sumptuous feast was laid out on the dining table amidst Zhao Dongsheng's methodical busyness

In the recent change of leadership at the Huangzhou Municipal Government last year, Gu Liancheng, the Deputy Director of the Provincial Government Office, assumed the position of Mayor. Backed by Zhou Haoran, the Governor of Hedong Province, he aims to make significant achievements in Huangzhou. As the star enterprise of Huangzhou City, the Huangzhou Machinery Factory is naturally his primary target to secure.

As the two individuals drank and conversed, they inadvertently closed the distance between them significantly

Zhao Dongsheng and his companions stopped at the entrance, allowing the convoy to pass first

Unlike Zhang Haishan, this site is also the starting point for Zhao Dongsheng in this world

Hello. Zhao Dongsheng smiled and greeted Qin Yuning.

The situation is clear, and the books are arranged neatly. Deputy Factory Director Zhang has transferred here instead of returning to Beijing, which is not only a small place but also unfamiliar to him, offering no benefits for Deputy Director Zhang. Wang Jianjun peeled another banana, chewing as he spoke, "Although our factory cannot compare to those wealthy state-owned enterprises, it is still a key provincial enterprise, and many people are eager to get in. As soon as Deputy Director Zhang arrived, he was appointed as the deputy director, which surely indicates that he has some backing, and it is likely quite significant."

Zhang Haishan originally intended to develop his career in the military, but due to his father's directive, he had no choice but to take off his military uniform and obediently come to the Huangzhou Machinery Factory to cultivate himself, thus leaving the military life and entering the political arena

Zhang Haishan smiled upon hearing this, remained silent, picked up the newspaper and began to browse through it, secretly regarding Zhao Dongsheng with newfound respect

Zhao Dongsheng is not the kind of person who is content with solitude; otherwise, he would not have become the chief engineer of that renowned multinational electronics company. Just like in another world, he would never remain hidden in a small place like Huangzhou Machinery Factory. Similar to Zhang Haishan, Huangzhou Machinery Factory is merely a stop in his life journey.

Leaving Zhang's home, Zhao Dongsheng went to his residence, a five-story staff dormitory with weathered walls. If he remembered correctly, his room was on the third floor

In another world, Zhao Dongsheng has quite a deep understanding of food; he has almost tasted delicacies from all over the globe and has also mastered excellent culinary skills

"When I was in college, I learned from a fellow villager who worked as a chef in a restaurant." Zhao Dongsheng smiled slightly upon hearing this and casually found an excuse to brush it off.

The elder of the Zhang family is one of the veterans of the military. A few years ago, he was transferred to the central government to assist the number one leader in his work, making him a significant figure in the political arena

However, although Luo Tiejun has stepped back to a secondary position, his ally Guan Jianguo has taken up the role of Organization Minister in Hedong Province. Therefore, Bai Keming can be considered to have a certain indirect connection with Guan Jianguo; otherwise, he would have been taken down by Gu Liancheng long ago

Zhao Dongsheng first respectfully called out "sister-in-law," then took the initiative to run into the kitchen, rolled up his sleeves, and busily worked away, chopping vegetables and stir-frying. In contrast, Zhao Mei became a mere spectator

After staying in the hospital for about ten days, Zhao Dongsheng had fully recovered, and therefore he was discharged on a Sunday

Zhao Dongsheng had nothing else to do anyway, so he readily agreed. The four of them then mounted the bicycles parked downstairs and rode out of the factory, chatting and laughing.

Wang Jianjun's statement is very reasonable; if Zhang Haishan does not have a sufficiently strong backing, it would be very difficult for him to hold the position of deputy director of the Huangzhou Machinery Factory

More than twenty million? Wang Yuanyuan and Qin Yuning couldn't help but smack their lips upon hearing this. The two of them had never witnessed a transaction of such a colossal amount in their lives. If converted, this more than twenty million would be equivalent to several hundred million twenty years later.

"Hai Shan, this Xiao Zhao is really quite impressive." After Zhao Dongsheng left, Zhao Mei smiled and said to Zhang Haishan, "People like Zhao Dongsheng, who are both articulate and capable, are rare to come by.

It is said that Deputy Factory Director Zhang is just biding his time at the factory, waiting for the right moment to be promoted. When mentioning Zhang Haishan, Wang Jianjun couldn't help but recall an incident, swallowing the half banana in his hand in one bite, chewing it while mysteriously speaking to Zhao Dongsheng.

Zhang Haishan is not afraid of heaven or earth, but he is afraid of his old man. When he was young, he was often punished by his old man with a belt on his backside

As the saying goes, since one has come, one should make oneself comfortable. Although Zhao Dongsheng is unclear about how he returned to the year 1988, since he is here, he must live on as Zhao Weiguo.

Apart from the driver Li Qiang, Zhang Haishan had no trusted confidants in Huangzhou. Zhao Dongsheng not only possesses an academic background but is also clever and quick-witted. More importantly, he selflessly saved Zhang Hu.

In the 1980s, due to the scarcity of motor vehicles, bicycles became an essential means of transportation for urban residents and were particularly favored by young people, who would purchase one whenever conditions permitted

Bai Keming is a subordinate of Luo Tiejun, the former secretary of the Huangzhou Municipal Government. Luo Tiejun stepped back last year and was appointed as the vice chairman of the Provincial Political Consultative Conference.

Hello. Qin Yuning stood up and smiled while nodding slightly at Zhao Dongsheng

As today is Sunday, Wang Jianjun plans to go to the park in the afternoon with Wang Yuanyuan and Qin Yuning, and therefore invites Zhao Dongsheng to join them

The primary task before Zhao Dongsheng is to ascertain the identity of Zhang Haishan and to investigate whether he has a strong background in the capital. If Zhang Haishan indeed possesses a formidable background, Zhao Dongsheng decides to align himself under his command; if Zhang Haishan's background is average, then Zhao Dongsheng will join the faction of Wu Kui.

Zhao Dongsheng privately compared Bai Keming, Wu Kui, and Zhang Haishan. From the current situation, Wu Kui, supported by Gu Liancheng, has the best prospects and is likely to oust Bai Keming from the leadership of the Huangzhou Machinery Factory

With the support of Gu Liancheng, the martial leader who occupied the "timing" quickly opened up the situation in the factory, gaining a group of followers, and stood in equal footing with Bai Keming, secretly vying for and competing for the discourse power within the factory.

Oh—" Zhao Dongsheng nodded upon hearing this, feigning a look of sudden realization

After finishing the meal, Zhao Dongsheng took the initiative to go to the kitchen to wash the dishes and plates, leaving a very good impression on Zhang Haishan and Zhao Mei

Zhang Haishan sent Li Qiang to drive Zhao Dongsheng back from the hospital, inviting him to lunch at home to express gratitude for saving Zhang Hu

The current Secretary of the Huangzhou Municipal Committee, Feng Shuisheng, is the former mayor of Huangzhou. Naturally, he does not have a favorable impression of Bai Keming, who is closely aligned with Luo Tiejun, and he stands by as Bai Keming is suppressed by Wu Kui

Based on his memories, Zhao Dongsheng knew that the girl wearing the plaid skirt was named Wang Yuanyuan, who was Wang Jianjun's girlfriend. She had joined the factory last year and worked in the logistics department. As for the girl in the white dress, he had no recollection of her whatsoever

Compared to Li Qiang, Zhao Dongsheng, who comes from a formal educational background, is better positioned to provide greater assistance to Zhang Haishan in his political career

When Zhao Dongsheng pushed open the door, Wang Jianjun was chatting and laughing with two beautiful girls in the room, one of whom was wearing a plaid dress, while the other was dressed in a white dress

In contrast to the overt and covert power struggles between Bai Keming and Wu Kui, Zhang Haishan adopts a much more low-key approach. Not only is he an outsider, but he is also a military transfer official with no foundation in Hedong Province, which has kept him from participating in the power struggle between the two, allowing him to enjoy a more leisurely existence

As Wang Jianjun stated, Zhang Haishan came to the Huangzhou Machinery Factory to gain experience. He is a well-known direct descendant of the Zhang family from the capital, and once the time is right, he will be assigned to another position. Therefore, he behaves in such an unassuming and low-key manner at the Huangzhou Machinery Factory

Zhao Dongsheng met Zhao Mei, a charming and elegant woman, at Zhang Haishan's home, where she was preparing meals in the kitchen