That year the flowers bloomed 1981

Chapter 1373 I Don't Need This Kind of Support

Thursday, May 7th, overcast and rainy.

At 10 a.m., the light rain that had been drizzling all night finally stopped, but the sky was still terribly overcast, and it was estimated that the annoying drizzle would start falling again soon.

Niu Hongzhang was on the phone in the office, his tone very calm and even a little respectful, but his face was even more gloomy than the sky outside the window.

"Yes, we discussed it a few days ago when he came back. He doesn't want to leave out any of the important components."

"You don't want to let go at all? Hah, you don't want to let go of the driver's cab either?"

"We didn't focus on the driver's cab, but I know there's a batch of large stamping machines that just got shipped from Eastern Europe, supposedly for the expansion of a new stamping workshop. I guess he wants to hold onto them."

"It was loaded from Eastern Europe? So, he's very active in the Kamas project now?"

"."

Niu Hongzhang narrowed his eyes and said with certainty, "Yes, they are very proactive. Their technical department has been working overtime frequently these past few days; they must have started tackling the technical challenges."

The person on the other end of the phone suddenly interrupted Niu Hongzhang, saying somewhat seriously, "Niu Hongzhang, stop talking about 'them,' you're part of the Light Automobile Company."

"Besides, you are also their leader, and you are fully capable of monitoring any actions taken by the plant in real time, instead of explaining the progress of the Kamaz project to me with words like 'should' and 'estimate'."

"You need to understand that the higher-ups have always supported and trusted you because they believe you won't let us down."

Niu Hongzhang was taken aback for a moment, then quickly said, "Understood, sir. I will report back to you as soon as I have confirmed information."

"."

Niu Hongzhang had maintained a calm and composed demeanor throughout the phone call, but at this point, he unconsciously became humble, only realizing it after hanging up.

Niu Hongzhang sat wearily in the chair, and after a long period of contemplation, he suddenly laughed self-deprecatingly.

"Does the higher-ups support me? If they don't, shouldn't I have already slunk away like the previous one?"

When Niu Hongzhang was first transferred to the light vehicle company, he was full of enthusiasm and ambition. However, in just two or three years, he has become like a figurehead who can do whatever he wants.

Ma Zhaoxian and Li Ye are simply outrageous. They were polite at first, but later they completely disregarded Niu Hongzhang, causing the opportunists below to fawn over him, making Niu Hongzhang completely unmanageable.

No matter how much you shout, they simply won't listen.

If you're a senior leader but can't command your middle managers, what kind of control are you talking about?
"But is this my fault?"

Although any paratrooper would face similar problems, Niu Hongzhang felt that his start was simply hellish.

When Niu Hongzhang was first transferred to the light vehicle company, he sensed something was wrong. The main factory was being held hostage by a branch factory.

Niu Hongzhang immediately requested support from his superiors.

For an organization, support boils down to two things: personnel and money.

Even a skilled cook can't cook without rice; you can only command people if you have money. In the end, Niu Hongzhang tried his best but couldn't get any money. On the contrary, the branch factory that Ma Zhaoxian had personally trained kept supplying the main factory with funds.

How can Niu Hongzhang possibly arm wrestle with Ma Zhaoxian? He's already half-defeated right from the start.

Even if the higher-ups don't have the money, surely they could give two people? Given Niu Hongzhang's situation, he could bring a trusted confidant with him when he takes up his post.

Although several of Niu Hongzhang's close confidants from his original unit were unwilling to come back and start over, it was still possible for the higher-ups to assign him a capable assistant. After all, it was a division-level position, and there were plenty of people willing to fill it.

In the end, for reasons unknown, no one was assigned to Niu Hongzhang. So now, when his superiors call to say they support him and trust him, Niu Hongzhang is genuinely unmoved.

Because it seems that the biggest support he has received is that his position remains unshakeable.

But Niu Hongzhang doesn't see this as support, because he has done nothing wrong in this position and his opponents can't find any fault with him. Why should they shake him?

Especially after last year's Shanghai Auto Show, Li Ye clamored, "I'm keeping an eye on you too," which led to a group of petty people constantly trying to trip up Niu Hongzhang and sow discord among themselves.

However, Niu Hongzhang held himself to unprecedented standards, living a frugal and simple life, upholding justice even at the cost of family ties, and refusing to take a single penny of public funds. He repeatedly thwarted the open and covert attacks of those treacherous villains.

So even if the higher-ups don't support him, his position is unshakeable.

"Whoo~"

Niu Hongzhang let out a long breath, stood up, opened the door, and walked towards the No. 1 factory.

Even without any support, he still had to obey the arrangements made by his superiors. He needed to find out exactly what stage the research progress of the Kamas project had reached so that his superiors could better weigh the pros and cons.

Niu Hongzhang was well aware that if the First Factory was still in the research and development phase, he wouldn't take any major actions. However, if they had already made a significant breakthrough and were about to achieve great success, then the real competition would begin.

Only then might Niu Hongzhang receive more support.

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

Niu Hongzhang entered the factory with a stern face and headed straight for the research and development workshop without looking to the side.

Why does Niu Hongzhang keep his eyes straight ahead? Because if he looked around, he would find that almost everyone either avoids him or pretends not to see him and ignores him completely. Who could stand that?

Thinking back to his old workplace, whenever Niu Hongzhang came down from the workshop, everyone would greet him warmly with phrases like "Secretary Niu, you've arrived!" or "Secretary Niu, you've come to inspect in person!" These words warmed Niu Hongzhang's heart.

But the people at the branch factory acted as if they were guarding against thieves or avoiding the plague; it was simply outrageous.

Moreover, once they arrived at the R&D workshop, Niu Hongzhang had to meticulously fill out a "Personnel Entry and Exit Record" at the reception desk at the workshop entrance.

This was a rule established by Li Ye: no matter who it was, even if Ma Zhaoxian came, they still had to fill out a record.
Don't be so indignant. Many people aren't even qualified to enter the R&D workshop. They can't even fill out records!

And just as Niu Hongzhang was filling out the record, he heard someone shout from inside, which almost made him throw his pen away in anger.

"Old Niu is here~~"

That shout was very melodious, just like a certain singing style in Peking Opera, with a twist and turn, and a strange flavor, which caused a burst of laughter.

Given these working conditions, would Niu Hongzhang be willing to come?

The person on the phone just now was very dissatisfied with Niu Hongzhang's inability to accurately grasp the project progress, but can you blame Niu Hongzhang for that? You try it yourself.

When Lu Zhizhang entered the R&D workshop with a dark face, not only did no one explain anything to him or report on his work, but Niu Hongzhang was also ordered "not to touch anything."
Because these are all precision instruments or research materials, any movement of them carries responsibility.

Therefore, Niu Hongzhang might not even come to the branch factory once a month now, because it would be pointless for him to come. Without anyone to explain things to him, he simply wouldn't understand. It would be better to find out the situation indirectly through a few informants.

But Niu Hongzhang's trip today was not in vain.

Because the research projects that were so popular just a few days ago, with everyone working overtime, have all been covered with tarpaulins and sealed up.

(End of this chapter)