Volume Two: The Path to Azure Clouds – 20. A Sudden Turn of Events (Part II)

Two days later, the human resources department notified me for a talk, officially confirming the news. The director of the department was now Lin Ke. After Deng Zitu was promoted to Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee, Lin Ke had been promoted to deputy director and had since risen to the position of director. Seeing Lin Ke again, I no longer felt as casual as I had when he was just a section chief; in fact, I felt somewhat reserved.

I believe that the psychological perception and attitude between people, and the resulting behavior, depend entirely on the relative positions of the individuals and the influence one holds over the other. When someone can determine your fate or exert a massive influence upon it, it is impossible to be casual with them. It is simply not in the nature of things.

Conversely, Lin Ke appeared quite relaxed yet solemn. He smiled and said to me, "Dongshan, you have been at the factory for nearly five years now, haven't you?"

"Yes, almost five years. You were the one who helped me process my onboarding paperwork when I first arrived," I replied.

"Right, I remember," Lin Ke continued. "You have stood the test of time. Regardless of the work environment, you have always remained diligent and grounded. The organization is well aware of this."

"Now, in accordance with the Factory Party Committee's decision, we intend to place a burden upon your shoulders. We are preparing to appoint you as the Deputy Section Chief of the First Procurement Section under the Supply and Marketing Department. You are aware of the major issues that have recently surfaced within the factory's procurement process. Factory Director Shi and the Party Committee are determined to overhaul these operations. Therefore, this is a heavy responsibility. According to procedure, I must consult you to see if you have any opinions on the matter."

Although Song Dagang had mentioned this to me, he hadn't specified the position. The First Procurement Section was the core of the Supply and Marketing Department, responsible for purchasing the factory's primary raw materials. Unlike department-level roles, which typically have a director and a deputy, a section usually has only one chief or a deputy chief in charge. Thus, this position was critical and significant. Although I knew I would be handling procurement, I had not anticipated such a vital role, and my heart felt heavy with the weight of it.

However, I knew that this "consultation" was merely a routine formality before a formal appointment. It was a promotion and a show of trust; one could not refuse. Besides, no matter how great the challenge, I had to summon the courage to accept it. Finally, I had the chance to prove myself, and I should not fear difficulty. I spoke solemnly to Lin Ke: "I have no objections. Since the organization trusts me, I am determined to do the job well and live up to that trust."

"Good, good, that is good," Lin Ke said, repeating the word three times. "The Party Committee still needs to hold a meeting to deliberate on this. If it passes, Factory Director Shi will want to speak with you as well. You should prepare yourself mentally for that."

I was grateful that Lin Ke had given me a heads-up about Director Shi, and I replied, "Understood. Thank you, Director Lin."

A few days later, I received the expected notification that Director Shi wanted to see me. I felt somewhat anxious. Although Director Shi had trusted me in the past, things were different now; he was the Factory Director. Since I started working here, this was my first time being summoned for a talk by the top leadership.

When I arrived at his office door, I saw Director Shi on the phone. I intended to wait, but he gestured for me to enter. Once inside, he continued his call while pointing to the chair in front of his desk, signaling me to sit.

I was moved. Many department heads, let alone factory directors, would not show such consideration. Generally, important people do not care about the feelings of those beneath them. Some, who might not even be truly important—merely middle management—would not only ignore your feelings but might intentionally leave you standing aside just to demonstrate their authority and prestige. Take the former director, Jia Guangming, for example; whenever I went to him for a signature, he would often leave me waiting for a long time. In my view, using such tactics to display authority is vulgar and ridiculous, yet in reality, it is exactly what some leaders enjoy doing.

Director Shi finished his call quickly and looked at me with a smile. "Xiao Wang, you have been working in the workshop for over two years now, haven't you?"

I nodded and replied, "Yes, Director Shi, two and a half years."

"Indeed. I have been observing you these past two years. You are a capable young man, diligent, serious, and resilient. You have grown quickly." Changing his tone, he added, "I also found your previous insights regarding the factory's procurement issues to be excellent."

"The procurement problems have been fully exposed. While the issues are grave, their exposure is a positive development; it provides us with the opportunity to solve them. However, for me, this is a heavy burden." Director Shi’s expression became increasingly serious as he spoke.

"Currently, the factory's procurement system is essentially paralyzed and in urgent need of change. Changqing has already been moved to head the Supply and Marketing Department. I have tasked him with overseeing procurement directly. Since the deputy director for this area has not yet been appointed, he must handle it personally. Changqing is a man of integrity, but his individual strength is limited. Therefore, he needs a suitable assistant to manage the specifics. After much thought, I believe you are the best fit. The Party Committee has approved your appointment as the Deputy Section Chief of the First Procurement Section, and the formal order will be issued shortly."

Director Shi stared at me, his eyes filled with trust and, perhaps, expectation. "I have complete faith in your character. The procurement department cannot afford any more problems. When it comes to staffing that department, character is my primary concern."

"You may not be familiar with the specific details of procurement yet, but you have ideas, and your overall approach aligns with the factory's direction. It is normal to feel pressure at the start. Even I, who once only handled production and now manage the entire factory, face many difficulties and pressures. But I believe that after these two years of tempering, you have matured. Given your natural aptitude, you should have no trouble adapting."

"Procurement is not just about choosing the right people; it is more importantly about establishing 'open, fair, and just' mechanisms. We must avoid situations where procurement behavior is dictated by individual influence. We should rely on bidding, competitive selection, and other institutional mechanisms rather than the whims of any single person. This will help minimize procurement costs and reduce corruption risks, avoiding the illicit activities of the past."

"Of course, this is no simple task. It will be a grueling process, but we must be determined to solve the problem at its roots. However, the factory's production cannot stop for a single day, and raw material procurement must keep pace. The recent scandal has caused significant distress among our suppliers; many are fearful of being implicated. If we were to alienate them all, no one would be left to sell us raw materials. Therefore, we must be strategic and flexible in dealing with them. This is something I want to emphasize to you."

"Most suppliers are not inherently eager to rely on gift-giving or bribery to do business; they were forced into it by the environment and the loopholes in our old system. We cannot blame them entirely. I have reported this to Director Zheng and instructed Changqing: let bygones be bygones regarding the suppliers' past behavior. We must continue to treat them with warmth, but we must also reason with them. Make it clear that such behavior is no longer tolerated. Set the rules now: future procurement will be based solely on quality and price. Any future violations will result in an immediate termination of business and legal accountability. In short, smoothing our relationship with suppliers to restore normal operations is an urgent priority. This requires you to be upright in your own conduct while exercising great patience."

"If you encounter problems, report them to Changqing. He has extensive experience, and most importantly, he balances principle with flexibility. You should learn from him. Of course, for major issues, you may come to me. So, do you have confidence in this new role?"

To be honest, hearing Director Shi’s words, I felt both deep gratitude and a heavy sense of pressure. But I understood that a scholar dies for one who truly knows him. I could not let Director Shi down. I replied firmly, "Please rest assured, Director Shi. I will go all out to handle the procurement work according to your instructions and requirements, ensuring that I uphold both principle and flexibility."

Director Shi nodded with satisfaction and smiled. "Good. I believe you can do it. Go and do a good job."