A hundred flavors of life

Chapter 1486 Stepping on the Villain! (Please Subscribe!)
The next morning, at the entrance of Donglin Detention Center.

A green Jeep 212 with the words "Donglin Machinery Factory" painted on it was parked on the side of the road.

Hua Shier leaned against the car door, a cigarette dangling from his lips, his military overcoat collar turned up, obscuring half his face.

Section Chief Zheng from the factory's security department got out of the driver's seat, rubbed his hands together, and exhaled a puff of white breath:
"Engineer Cui, it's really cold today. I heard that Zhang Wenming's wife is getting a divorce and hasn't even sent him any clothes. Do you think he's been shivering in there these past few days?"

Zhang Wenming is Secretary Zhang, but he has been dismissed because of this incident.

Hua Shier handed Zheng Ke a cigarette and said with a smile:
"That grandson usually acts all high and mighty, he's probably going to suffer a lot now that he's in there!"

Zheng Ke smiled and took the cigarette, first lighting it for Hua Shier, then lighting it for himself and taking a puff.
"Engineer Cui, the factory director has assigned you to handle Secretary Zhang's matter, and has instructed our security department to fully cooperate with you. I know you don't get along with that bastard Zhang Wenming. What a coincidence! I don't like him either. This time, we'll do whatever you say!"

That's right. Director Chen entrusted Hua Shier with the entire responsibility of handling Secretary Zhang's affairs, but of course, it had to be within the framework of compliance and couldn't be too drastic. This was the second condition that Director Chen agreed to for Hua Shier that night at 'Nightfall'.

Well, the first condition is to hold a banquet at Dingqinglou to apologize.

Originally, Director Chen did not intend to interfere with Secretary Zhang and would handle the matter as it was to be handled. However, since Hua Shier made a condition, he readily agreed and instructed the security department to fully cooperate, which led to the two people coming to pick up the person.

While it was said to be a welcoming ceremony, Hua Shier actually came specifically to "step on the villains" because it was almost Chinese New Year!

At this moment, Zheng Ke made his stance clear and also wanted to take the opportunity to teach Secretary Zhang a lesson. The two looked at each other and smiled knowingly.

Hua Shier raised his hand and glanced at his watch.

Nine o'clock sharp.

Zheng Ke checked his watch: "It's almost time!"

Just as he finished speaking, the small iron gate of the detention center creaked open, and a figure shuffled out.

Zhang Wenming was wearing the gray jacket he wore when he was arrested that day. Now it looked like he had picked it up from the street; it was all wrinkled and dirty. His hair was a mess, his face was covered in stubble, and there were two dark circles under his eyes. It was hard to tell if he had been beaten up inside.

He squinted to adjust to the light outside, then looked up and saw the 212 bus, followed by two people standing next to it.

Zheng Ke from the Security Department, and also—Cui Guoming.

For a moment, Zhang Wenming felt extremely ashamed. He had already become somewhat numb to the fact that PC had been arrested and that he had been interviewed and used as a negative example these past two days. However, being seen by his old rival Cui Guoming in this disheveled state still made him feel unbearable. He wished he could disappear into a crack in the ground.

"Cui, Cui Guoming, what brings you here?"

Zheng Ke went up and kicked Secretary Zhang, causing him to stumble.
"Who are you talking to? Watch your tone, Zhang Wenming! You've brought shame to our factory, you know that? Just wait until we get back, I'll give you a good beating!"

Secretary Zhang sensed something was wrong after hearing Zheng Ke's words, and he quickly backed away.

"I'm not going with you. My detention period hasn't expired yet. It's against the rules for you to take me away now!"

Hua Shier, with a cigarette dangling from his lips, stepped forward with a gloating smile:

"Xiao Zhang, look at your uncultured appearance! You call yourself a secretary? You need to read more books, you know!"

"According to the 'Interim Provisions on Enterprise Security Responsibility System' promulgated a few years ago, the enterprise security department is responsible for 'assisting Uncle Hat in investigation and handling' and 'taking assistance and education measures for employees with minor illegal and criminal behavior'. So, bringing you back to the factory for education is within the scope of our factory security department's work!"

Zheng Ke, standing to the side, said to the two security guards who had followed him:
"Look at how cultured Engineer Cui is! He speaks so well, let's give him a round of applause!"

As they spoke, the three of them surrounded Hua Twelve and began to applaud.

Hua Shier waved his hand: "That's enough, basic stuff!"

Zhang Wenming pointed at Hua Shier and shouted, "Cui Guoming, get out of here! This has nothing to do with you!"

Before he could finish speaking, Zheng Ke went up and kicked him again:
"What the hell are you doing? You dare to bully Engineer Cui right in front of me? You're not giving me any face! No wonder you dare to break the law! You've got some nerve!"

Secretary Zhang was so frightened that she quickly explained, "Director Zheng, how could I dare not give you face? I meant that this matter has nothing to do with Cui Guoming!"

Zheng Ke went up and slapped him hard across the face:
"You think it's okay just because you say so? You're the factory manager, aren't you? Factory Manager Chen has already handed over your matter entirely to Engineer Cui. Now, Engineer Cui's opinion is the factory manager's opinion, understand?"

Zhang Wenming's eyes widened in disbelief. He pointed at Cui Guoming and said, "You!"

Hua Shier spat directly at him: "Heh, pui!"

It was spat right in Zhang Wenming's face.

After spitting, Hua Shier launched into a tirade:
"Get out of here! Aren't you ashamed? You gambler, womanizer, and whore, you're a disgrace, a shameful wretch, a morally bankrupt, self-destructive, unambitious, disgusting, immoral, depraved, and a beast who behaves like a dog, lewd and shameless, lacking self-respect, infamous, shameless, and utterly disgraceful!"

He blurted out those words in one breath, shocking everyone present.

Zheng Ke said with a look of admiration:
"So cultured! See that? This is what a cultured person is like. Even when they're cursing, they have so many words. Unlike you guys, your cursing is all like something out of an action movie. You don't have a single serious word. You all better learn from this and start cursing!"

After speaking, he and two security guards applauded again.

Zhang Wenming was so frustrated he felt like vomiting blood. That night at the Nightclub, he had said "self-degrading" to Cui Guoming, and now this kid wasn't just repaying him tenfold; he must have looked up the idiom in advance!

"you"

Before he could say anything, Hua Shier had already turned around and walked towards the jeep without looking back, leaving only a sentence:
"Don't talk to me, I find you disgusting. Zheng Ke, I'm leaving you to me."

Zheng Ke suppressed a laugh and ordered his two subordinates, "I also find it dirty. Hurry up and put him on the truck. Isn't that embarrassing enough?"

The two security officers were fine at first, but when Engineer Cui and their section chief said they thought it was dirty, they also started to look disgusted. With expressions of catching a 'stinky manure', they shoved Zhang Wenming into the car.

Twenty minutes later, inside the security department of Donglin Machinery Factory.

A stove was burning in Zheng Ke's office, with a tin chimney sticking out of the window, making the room warm and cozy. The wall clock ticked away, and steam rose from the enamel mug on the table.

Zhang Wenming squatted against the wall, unsure of what to do with his hands.

He glanced at Zheng Ke sitting behind his desk, then at Hua Shier leaning against the window smoking, and felt increasingly uneasy.

Zheng Ke took a sip of water, then slammed the enamel mug on the table and said:

"Engineer Cui, the factory manager has entrusted this matter to you. What do you think we should do? Set the tone!"

He gestured towards Hua Shier with his lip.

Zhang Wenming looked at Hua Shier, his eyes filled with a complex mix of emotions, like a spilled spice shop, including resentment, anger, a barely concealed fear, and a barely perceptible pleading.

Hua Shier stubbed out his cigarette, took out two packs of cigarettes from the inside pocket of his military overcoat, and threw them onto Zheng Ke's desk.

Two plumes of smoke traced an arc in the air before landing steadily in front of Zheng Ke.

Zheng Ke was taken aback: "Engineer Cui, what's going on?" He felt that everything had been agreed upon, and now they were throwing away two packs of cigarettes. Did Engineer Cui have a deep grudge against Secretary Zhang? Was he going to kill her?
Hua Twelve said calmly:
“Zheng Ke, Zhang Wenming has brought shame to our factory this time. He has made us lose face. If word gets out, all the more than 10,000 employees will be embarrassed.”

"In my opinion, he needs to learn a lesson, a profound one, and be properly educated. As for how to educate him, you know better than I do!"

Zheng Ke looked at the two cigarettes on the table, unable to hide his smile. He thought it was no big deal, but they just gave them back to him? Engineer Cui is really meticulous in his work.

A smile spread across his face as he gathered the two packs of cigarettes and stuffed them into the drawer.
"Don't worry, Engineer Cui, I know this all too well. I'll make sure he remembers it. It's been shown in movies. They put a dictionary under his chest and then hit him with a hammer. You can't tell from the outside. They also wrap a stick in a towel and hit him on his ribs. It hurts, but he can't make a sound. They make him kneel on a washboard all night. If his knees are swollen, they'll say it's a flare-up of old arthritis."

Zhang Wenming's legs started trembling when he heard him say that, and he could barely squat down: "No...you guys...don't you carry people around anymore? I'm still here!"

Hua Shier smiled and stopped him:
“Zheng Ke, when it comes to educating people, you have to pay attention to the methods. If you hit them, they will make mistakes; if you scold them, it will hurt their feelings. You have to start from their thoughts. Education is about touching their soul!”

Zheng Ke looked completely bewildered: "How do you touch a soul? Do you poke it with a stick?"

Zhang Wenming was so scared he almost peed himself.

Hua Shier was both amused and exasperated by Zheng Ke's words. Were people all so simple and unpretentious these days? He waved his hand with a smile.

"Here's a suggestion: take the new factory regulations after the reform and opening up, plus the 'Employee Code of Conduct,' which totals more than 200,000 words, and put him in solitary confinement for three days, making him copy these two documents, once a day!"

"If he doesn't want to copy, that's fine too. Just put up a sign saying what he did wrong, and make him move parts in the quality inspection workshop. During his breaks, he'll clean the toilets!"

Section Chief Zheng was horrified when he heard about this. Copying more than 200,000 words a day, his hands would cramp up from all that copying.

If they don't copy, they'll be forced to work in the quality inspection workshop with a sign on their backs—that's even worse!

The quality inspection department is full of old women. With the kind of thing Zhang Wenming did, he'll either be drowned in spittle or gossiped about behind his back.

Zhang Wenming pointed at Hua Shier:
"Cui Guoming, writing 200,000 words a day? Are you deliberately messing with me? Don't ever fall into my hands again, or we're not done!"

Section Chief Zheng clapped his hands:
"Engineer Cui, you see? We can't be soft-hearted with these stubborn people. I think your method is acceptable, but when they come to our security department, we can't just leave them untreated. You have to listen to me on this!"

He shouted towards the door, "Da Liu, Er Biao, come in!"

Two burly young men pushed open the door and walked in. When they stood there, they looked like two iron towers.

Zheng Ke opened the pack of cigarettes Hua Shier had given him, took out two boxes, threw them to the two men, and then gave the order:
"Lock this Zhang fellow in a dark room and teach him a lesson so he'll remember it and experience one of our traditional activities!"

The two men responded, and ignoring Zhang Wenming's struggles, they grabbed him and dragged him away.

After they left, Hua Shier asked, somewhat puzzled, "What are traditional projects?"

Zheng Ke laughed and said, "My dear Engineer Cui, can I tell you about this? Just wait and see!"

Twenty minutes later, when Zhang Wenming returned, his glasses were broken and his face was covered in bruises.

Hua Shier couldn't help but laugh. He thought it was some kind of traditional event, but it really was traditional.

Zheng Ke asked, feigning concern, "You didn't beat him up, did you? What happened to Zhang Wenming?"

Er Biao reported, "Section Chief, this isn't our fault. Zhang Wenming slipped and fell while walking."

Hua Shier shook his head with a smile, "You think you can just throw yourself and leave a big footprint on your face?"

Zheng Ke said with a look of disgust:
"How can someone so young act like a woman? She can't even stand up straight. Did she knock over the concrete floor of our little dark room and break it?"

Er Biao suppressed a laugh: "No, that kid's too soft-boned, how could he possibly break a concrete floor!"

Zhang Wenming said in a disheveled manner:
"Zheng Ke, always leave yourself a way out, so you can meet again in the future. Cui Guoming, are you really going to push things to the extreme? We'll be seeing each other all the time in the future, aren't you afraid of my revenge?"

Hua Shier chuckled and said, "Little Zhang, be honest with yourself, didn't you try to sabotage me before? Guess why I'm the one handling your matter today?"

Zheng Ke found it even more amusing:

"No, Zhang, do you still think you can go back to the way things were? You've become a disgrace to our factory. Let me tell you, you've been dismissed. Would the factory director hire someone with such a tainted reputation as his secretary?"

Zhang Wenming was immediately dumbfounded. He was still thinking about how to deal with these two people after this was over.

But what's the point of doing anything now?
He's afraid he'll be played to death!

Zhang Wenming, true to his reputation as a petty person, was adept at yielding and immediately admitted his mistake:

"Zheng Ke, Brother Cui, I was wrong. It was all my fault before. I'll definitely change from now on. I'll copy the factory rules, okay?"

Zheng Ke spread his hands: "Look how much better this is! We didn't have to hurt each other!"

Hua Shier sighed. This petty person would die with a single step. He suddenly felt a bit bored and stood up, saying to Zheng Ke:

"Let's do it the way we agreed. I'm going back to work!"

Zheng Ke smiled and said:
"No problem, I'll handle things here. Just watch, Engineer Cui!"

Hua Shier went to the technical department to report for duty and, while he was at it, repaired the broken machines so that they could be running normally that same day.

In the afternoon, when Director Chen heard reports from his subordinates that several workshops that had been shut down had resumed production, he couldn't help but sigh. He realized that he had indeed been blinded by scoundrels before. Cui Guoming was capable of everything. Even machines that Russian experts couldn't figure out, he could fix on the same day he arrived at work. Such talent should be given important responsibilities and not pushed away.

In the afternoon, he personally went to the technical department and publicly praised Hua Shier, saying that he had fixed a machine that even Russian experts couldn't fix, and that the factory would give him a bonus.

In addition, Director Chen announced that the technical department will hold an upgrade exam on Friday, and technical personnel who want to be promoted to engineer or senior engineer can register.

In reality, this was a special session specifically for Huashi 12 students. If others could also pass the exam, it would be a bonus.

Factory Director Chen also spoke with Hua Shier alone, saying that the union had prepared a special rehearsal room for him, and that his working hours would be flexible, with the focus on rehearsing for the Spring Festival Gala.

Factory Director Chen also said that if the Spring Festival Gala performance is successful and brings glory to the factory, there will be a reward from the factory.

Actually, this was a good deal, but he didn't know that after Hua Shier was promoted to senior engineer, he lost interest in working in the factory.

Three days later, when Secretary Zhang came out, his hands were clenched into chicken claws. He had been copying the factory rules, 200,000 words a day. If he didn't finish copying them, he wouldn't get any food.

After being released from solitary confinement, the matter wasn't over. The factory posted a notice of punishment for Zhang Wenming.

Because Zhang Wenming violated laws and regulations, the factory office decided to dismiss him and send him to work as a factory worker.

However, there were no vacancies in the workshop at the moment, so Zhang Wenming could only help clean the toilets in the sanitation team for the time being.

Zhao Hailong and Liu Ye are two inhuman beings. They wander around the toilet all the time, littering cigarette butts and urinating everywhere. They thoroughly enjoy the pleasure of taking revenge on Secretary Zhang!
Thanks to 08a, Little Tiger of the Demon Realm, and Brother Li Meng of the God of Death for their donations, and thanks to the brothers who voted for monthly tickets and recommendations. Thank you so much!