In the fiery red era of the heavens, refrigerators are refreshed daily.

Chapter 73. 73. Tips and Analysis

A strong sense of shame, mixed with immense gratitude, surged into Zhou Bingsheng's heart like molten lava, burning his cheeks.

He could no longer accept this so readily! What kind of talk was this!

He, Zhou Bingsheng, hadn't reached the point where he needed charity! He had to do something, to repay this heavy debt of gratitude that almost suffocated him, with what he had that he could still offer.

His thin fingers unconsciously traced the rough edges of the newspaper, his heart churning with turmoil.

“Xiao Yang…” Zhou Bingsheng finally spoke, his voice dry as if sandpaper were being rubbed.

Yang Guangming looked up at the sound, his clear eyes meeting Zhou's. He put down the slightly worn fountain pen in his hand and asked, "Master Zhou, is something the matter?"

His voice remained as calm as ever, as if he had simply been interrupted from an ordinary task.

Zhou Bingsheng subconsciously pushed up his glasses that had slipped off his nose, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down with difficulty, as if trying to swallow the embarrassment stuck in his throat.

His face bore a deep sense of apology and an unspeakable embarrassment, making his wrinkles seem even deeper.
"I feel really guilty about this matter. It's like a stone weighing on my heart day and night."

You've helped my baby prepare so much formula; even for someone at the factory manager level, that's an incredibly difficult task. I know you must be..."

He paused, unable to utter the words "owing someone a huge favor," and simply sighed heavily, his brows furrowed with deep sorrow.

“Master Zhou,” Yang Guangming interrupted him, his tone still calm but revealing an undeniable firmness, “Don’t think like that. Let’s agree to keep the accounts first, and then discuss it again when Xiao Bao’s mother has recovered and your finances are better. If I say it, I mean it, so you can rest assured.”

He even slightly curved the corners of his mouth, trying to dispel Zhou Bingsheng's heaviness.

That's not how it works!

Zhou Bingsheng was somewhat agitated, his voice unconsciously rising a few decibels, but he immediately realized he had lost his composure and quickly lowered it, his voice filled with an almost earnest anxiety:

"I know you keep your word, and you mean well! But I feel... embarrassed! Really embarrassed! Like I owe a debt I can never repay!"
You've helped me so much, saving Xiaobao from his emergency; I have to find a way to... make it up to you.

He spoke the word "make amends" with particular solemnity, as if he had used all his strength, each syllable landing heavily on the ground.

Looking into Zhou Bingsheng's eyes behind his glasses—eyes slightly red and even a little moist from excitement, shame, and chronic sleep deprivation—Yang Guangming could clearly sense the inherent pride and stubbornness of an old-school intellectual.

There was struggle, pain, and a persistent determination in his eyes.

Yang Guangming paused for a moment, then did not immediately refuse as he had before.

He realized that simply offering comfort or rejection to someone like Master Zhou would only cause him more pain.

Accepting his "rewards" within his means might be the only way to truly lighten the burden on his heart.

Zhou Bingsheng keenly sensed the softening in Yang Guangming's silence. He took a deep breath and made up his mind.

He leaned forward slightly, and from two desks away, lowered his voice, conveying a sense of almost desperate entrustment:

"Xiao Yang, I've worked in the factory for so many years, and I've experienced all sorts of ups and downs."

There's something I... I'd like to offer you a few words of advice.

His voice was even lower, his gaze like two sharpened knives piercing through thick glasses, fixed intently on Yang Guangming. The office was unusually quiet, save for the faint sound of machinery coming from afar outside the window.

Yang Guangming immediately sat up straight, his eyes focused and bright, as if he had instantly entered a state of readiness: "Master Zhou, please speak, I am listening carefully."

He knew that it was no ordinary person for Master Zhou to take such a serious "advice" so seriously, even breaking years of silence.

Zhou Bingsheng glanced around the empty office again warily, making sure no one was passing by in the corridor, before speaking in a lower, more cautious voice:

"Zhao Guodong, the deputy factory director, do you know him? He's a powerful figure who took charge of some production departments as soon as he arrived."

Right now, he's lacking a full-time secretary. This position…

He paused, his gaze sweeping over Yang Guangming's face with scrutiny and an almost burning expectation. "I'm observing from the sidelines, but this position... you have a chance!"

He spoke the last three words with unwavering resolve and conviction.

Yang Guangming's heart skipped a beat, like a stone thrown into a calm lake, causing ripples to spread rapidly.

Zhao Guodong was one of the key targets he had locked onto since his transmigration!

The deputy factory director, known for his decisiveness and pragmatism, being his full-time secretary is undoubtedly the most promising and core position he can look forward to right now, a stepping stone to a higher platform.

He had been quietly preparing, observing, and waiting for the right opportunity.

To everyone's surprise, the usually taciturn Zhou Bingsheng took the initiative to break through this barrier and so clearly expressed his support!

“I…” Zhou Bingsheng paused for a moment, as if he was trying his best to overcome some huge psychological barrier, searching through the ruins of his memory for those deliberately sealed fragments.

His gaze behind his glasses became unusually complex, sharp yet revealing a long-buried pain and self-mockery, which ultimately transformed into a penetrating insight into the world: "I have sat in this position...."

He spoke softly, “How high is the threshold inside, how deep is the water, where is the key… I… still have some experience.”

Every word he uttered seemed to have been painstakingly retrieved from the deep well of time, carrying the rust of years and a heavy, damp chill.

These words were like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, stirring up towering waves in Yang Guangming's heart.

This is the first time Zhou Bingsheng has taken the initiative to mention his deliberately forgotten and deeply secretive career as a "factory director's secretary".

Moreover, he was actually willing to do this in return!

This means that he will open the door to his long-sealed memories and share all the lessons he has learned through a lifetime of hardships and even humiliation without reservation!

The value of this "reward" far exceeds what a few kilograms of milk powder coupons can measure!
Yang Guangming felt a surge of warmth welling up in his heart, an impact that was a mixture of shock, gratitude, and a tremendous sense of opportunity.

“Director Zhao, this person…” Zhou Bingsheng continued, his voice lowered even further, almost a whisper, carrying a penetrating insight.

He is decisive and efficient, and hates procrastination. He has an extremely strong sense of time; being even a minute late can make him frown for a long time.

(End of this chapter)