Volume Two: The Path to Eminence Chapter 21: The Procurement Revolution (Part One)

Within two days, my formal appointment at the factory was finalized. When the official announcement was made at the Supply and Marketing Division, Zeng Yunfeng, the newly appointed Vice Factory Director in charge of supply and marketing, was also in attendance. I later heard that personnel appointments at the section level were typically announced only by the Director of the Human Resources Division, with no factory leadership present. This exception, made by the Vice Director in charge, made many people realize the weight of my position.

After the announcement, Ruan Changqing called me to his office to brief me on the situation in the division, particularly regarding procurement.

To be specific, the First Procurement Section originally had five staff members in addition to the section chief. However, following the procurement scandal, only two remained. One was an older comrade named Li Zhengjiang, in his fifties; he was highly experienced and very upright, but perhaps because he was too honest, he had been overlooked in the previous environment and never promoted. Unexpectedly, after the scandal, he was blessed by misfortune and remained untainted.

The other was a young man named Xia Shuyong. Having been transferred to the procurement section less than a year prior, he was also uninvolved in the scandal.

Ruan Changqing told me, "We are indeed short-staffed. The screening process for anyone being transferred to procurement is very strict, so you will have to manage for a while. Fortunately, the two comrades we have now have been tested and cleared; they are both trustworthy."

Leaving Ruan Changqing’s office and entering the First Procurement Section office, Xia Shuyong immediately came to greet me and led me to my desk. The layout was similar to my former desk when I was in the Second Sales Section, partitioned off at the back of the office with a sofa nearby, though it seemed a bit more spacious. The desk was meticulously clean and tidy, and tea had even been prepared. It must have been Xia Shuyong’s doing. This Xia Shuyong was a thoughtful man. Though he might be three or four years my senior, he was incredibly respectful toward me. In the past, I had been averse to those who were overly enthusiastic toward superiors, but now that I had become a leader myself—albeit a minor section chief—I realized that having the support of one’s subordinates is always a good thing. A leader without support becomes an isolated figure, and it becomes impossible to carry out work. It was necessary to offer appropriate encouragement to those who supported me, so I smiled at Xia Shuyong and said, "Shuyong, thank you."

I sat down at my desk. If I had felt a flicker of excitement at the moment of the announcement, sitting there now, I felt no such thing. Instead, a sense of gravity weighed on me; the complex situation facing the First Procurement Section forced me to be on my guard.

Fortunately, with the factory’s attention, Ruan Changqing’s guidance, and the support of Li Zhengjiang and Xia Shuyong, the work proceeded quite smoothly.

We soon audited the existing suppliers, communicated with them one by one according to their size, explained the issues that had occurred in the factory’s procurement, and clarified the policy that the factory would not pursue the suppliers. We gradually stabilized them, and some even took the initiative to lower their prices.

Once procurement returned to normal, I had Xia Shuyong draft a notice to all suppliers emphasizing the factory's commitment to transparency and our rejection of back-door dealings, stating that any future bribery of procurement staff or leadership would result in immediate termination of the supplier's status. After it was approved by Factory Director Shi, the notice was issued in the factory’s name, causing a strong reaction among the suppliers.

When your luck is down, you might chip a tooth drinking cold water. But when fortune arrives, good things knock on your door even while you sleep. Shortly after I took office, the factory provided me with a pager—a Chinese-language one, at that. I had been Deputy Section Chief for only two months when the Housing Management Office of the General Affairs Division notified me that I had been allocated a one-bedroom apartment.

At that moment, I was thrilled. I finally had my own place, even if it was just one room and a living room. At the same time, I felt a pang of sadness; if I had owned a home sooner, Xiang Xiulan might not have left me. It seemed we were never meant to be. Still, I told myself that no matter how beautiful a first love is, it has already become the past. One must look forward; why dwell on old history?

When I went to the Housing Management Office to pick up the key, Section Chief Xie was there. As soon as he saw me walk in, he grabbed my hand and shook it. "Congratulations, Section Chief Wang!"

Assuming he meant the apartment, I shook his hand firmly and replied, "Thank you, Section Chief Xie."

He shook my hand even more vigorously. "When you first joined the factory, I said you had limitless potential. I was right; you’re finally on your way."

He invited me to sit on the sofa in front of his desk. I replied, "I’m just a novice, and I look forward to the guidance of an experienced veteran like you."

"Don't say that! You're flattering me. To be honest, it just means I'm old and useless. I'll likely just drift until retirement. You, however, are different. This is just your first step; you have a bright future ahead. I’ll be looking to you for support in the future."

As I left with the keys, Section Chief Xie walked me out and said solemnly, "Section Chief Wang, I honestly advise you not to renovate that place. It’s a waste of money. You won’t be staying there long."

I didn't say much, just shook his hand to express my gratitude.

***

Before I had moved, I was reading in my dormitory one evening when I heard a knock. I opened the door to find a sales manager from one of our suppliers—I had met him once in the office. His name was Manager Gou, and he was accompanied by a young man. I had no idea how he found my residence.

I didn't invite them in, but asked, "Manager Gou, is there something you need?"

"Just wanted to report on some work to you, Section Chief Wang," he said with a beaming smile.

"Let’s discuss work in the office tomorrow," I replied, still showing no intention of letting them in.

"Section Chief Wang, it will only take a few minutes," he persisted.

Fearing that continuing the conversation in the hallway would look bad to others in the factory, I let them in. My dormitory was a collective unit, so there was nowhere to sit. I let them take the only two chairs while I sat on the bed.

"I really think it's better to communicate these things at the office," I said before they could speak.

"It’s nothing major, just wanted to check in and foster our relationship." Though he said this, I knew better. After our policy shift, their products were less competitive in quality and price, and our orders from them had dropped significantly. We kept them on as a backup, but only for sporadic purchases to maintain supplier stability. I knew this, but I wasn't about to bring it up.

"What you're doing puts me in a difficult position," I said, staring at him. "You know the factory's latest policy; we are not allowed to have private contact with suppliers. You coming here like this forces me to break the rules."

"We’ve read the notice, and frankly, we fully support it. We’re just here to exchange information; it doesn’t count as private contact."

"If you support it, then don't make things difficult for me. Let’s talk tomorrow at the office," I said firmly.

"Section Chief Wang, you have such strong principles. I truly admire you." Hearing a forty-year-old man call himself "Little Gou" in front of me was ridiculous.

But I had to admit, Manager Gou had nerves of steel. Even after I effectively showed him the door, he kept smiling and said, "It’s nothing major. You know the quality of our factory's products; I’m willing to stake my reputation on it." He paused. "As for the price, that's negotiable."

"Fine, I understand. Let’s talk in the office tomorrow." I stood up, looking toward the door. Manager Gou had no choice but to stand, and the young man followed suit. We shook hands, and they left quietly. I was worried about any noise they might make, but it seemed Manager Gou was a seasoned veteran who knew how to handle himself.

After they left, I felt tired and prepared to sleep. By chance, I noticed a black plastic bag under my desk. I had no idea where it came from.

I pulled it out and opened it to find two bottles of Wuliangye liquor. Looking closer, there was a carton of cigarettes. After taking out the liquor, I noticed the cigarette packaging looked slightly worn. Curious, I opened it. It contained two packs of cigarettes, but they felt loose. I emptied the packaging, and to my shock, two stacks of hundred-yuan bills fell out—twenty thousand yuan in total. They looked blinding under the dim light, and I was terrified.

I realized then that Manager Gou must have slipped it under the desk. These people would stop at nothing to achieve their goals.

At first, I wanted to turn it in to the factory, but that would make the matter public. If I soured the relationship with this one supplier, I didn't know how others would react, and I didn't want to disrupt the stability we had finally achieved. I decided the best course was to return it quietly the next day.

I packed everything back up and called Manager Gou. It took three tries for him to answer.

"Section Chief Wang, any instructions?" His voice sounded as if he were still smiling.

"Not at all. I just wanted to ask if you left something behind at my place," I said, cold and calm.

"Not that I know of. I haven't lost anything," he replied innocently.

"Perhaps the young man who was with you left it?" I asked.

"Impossible. He didn't bring anything, let alone lose anything," he feigned ignorance.

"A black plastic bag, Manager Gou. Think about it." I didn't want to play games.

"What black plastic bag? I have no idea."

"Oh, then it must not be yours. I’ll have to turn it over to the Security Division so they can post a lost-and-found notice," I said, intentionally.

He grew anxious. "Actually, it’s nothing—just some wine and cigarettes. Don't worry about it."

"I’m allergic to alcohol and smoking is bad for my health. If you don't want to poison me, come and take it back." Hearing him admit it, I felt relieved, though I still didn't mention the money.

"It was just some extra overtime pay, since you've been working so hard for us," he finally blurted out.

"I certainly can't accept money. Come and get it. You know the factory rules." Overtime pay? It was nearly a year’s salary.

"Rules are rigid, but people are flexible. This is just the old custom, why be so serious, Section Chief?" he said, still smiling.

"If you don't come to collect it, I won't be handing it to the Security Division—I'll be handing it to the Disciplinary Committee," I said sternly.

"Don't! Fine, I give up. I've never met anyone as stubborn as you. I'll have someone pick it up immediately."

"I have no choice; I'm a cautious man." I softened my tone. I couldn't deal with them in the future, but there was no need to burn bridges. As I grew older, I realized I wasn't as impulsive as I used to be.

After hanging up, I felt relieved. However, I soon realized something was wrong. If I returned the goods without a receipt, they could claim I had kept them. I needed a witness. Xia Shuyong was the perfect choice; he was trustworthy, and involving him would be a sign of my confidence in him.

I called Xia Shuyong, and he arrived quickly, which pleased me. I explained the situation, and he was clearly happy to be involved in such a delicate matter, seeing it as a sign of trust. It brought us closer.

Shortly after, a soft knock came at the door. I had Xia Shuyong open it. It was the young man from the night before, alone. He looked surprised to see Xia Shuyong, but then saw me and calmed down. I said nothing, just gestured to the spot under the desk. He didn't speak, grabbed the bag, waved, and left.

The next day, Ruan Changqing sought me out regarding the incident. Xia Shuyong must have told him. Ruan said, "Little Wang, you handled that well. But that supplier—that 'Manager Gou'—must be removed."

"I agree, Director. It’s a matter of policy."

"Good. Just make sure you handle the aftermath properly."