Reborn as a comedic artist

Chapter 122 Turning the Mundane into the Miraculous

As the van drove out of the city, the originally smooth asphalt road gradually became somewhat bumpy.

The view outside the window was like a series of old movies with their saturation reduced.

It's no longer the desolate yellow of Shaanxi, nor the moist green of Sichuan, but a gray with a grainy texture.

The massive cooling towers stood like silent behemoths in the distance, white smoke billowing from their chimneys slowly spreading through the murky air.

The poplar leaves by the roadside were covered with a thick layer of dust, making it difficult for even sunlight to penetrate the hazy filter.

Heavy trucks roared past, kicking up dust that seeped into the cracks in the windows.

"Cough cough————"

Lin Yiyi covered her nose and frowned as she looked out the window.

"This is the true nature of Changshan."

Wang Shuo, sitting in the front seat, rolled up the car window completely. Looking at the scene outside, filled with the brutal aesthetics of industrial power, his eyes lit up a bit: "Heavy industrial base... although it's somewhat declined now, this steely vibe is authentic."

Zhao Yufeng sat in the back row, his head hanging even lower.

The car turned onto a cement road full of potholes, and on the walls on both sides of the road were faded slogans painted in red paint: "Safety in production is of paramount importance."

Further ahead, two rusty iron gates appeared at the end of the field of vision.

Above the entrance hung several large, faded iron characters: "[Zhao's Precision Special Steel Factory]".

"arrive."

Zhao Yufeng spoke softly, a rare occurrence for him.

As soon as the car came to a stop, before anyone could even open the car doors, several people rushed out of the guardhouse next to the large iron gate.

The woman leading the group was a middle-aged woman with the latest trend of permed hair, wearing a bright red floral dress and carrying a palm-leaf fan. She rushed toward the car.

Following behind was a burly middle-aged man wearing navy blue overalls and a yellowed white vest, carrying a large stainless steel thermos, with a serious expression.

"Oh my! My daughter! My darling daughter!"

As soon as the car door opened, the woman in red's loud voice boomed like a gong.

As soon as Zhao Yufeng took a step out, he was hugged tightly by his mother. The force was so great that Lin Yiyi, who was standing next to him, felt uncomfortable on her behalf.

"Mom...Mom! Let go! I can't breathe!"

Zhao Yufeng struggled to pull his head out of his mother's arms, his face flushed red.

"You brat, you finally decided to come back!"

Liu Guifen released her grip, lightly patting Zhao Yufeng's back with her palm-leaf fan, then glanced into the car: "Where is he? Where's that big star? Let me see him!"

Just then, Cheng Ming got out of the car from the other side and walked around to the back of the car.

He was dressed simply today, in a white T-shirt and black casual pants, with the cuffs casually rolled up.

But against this gray and drab background, he seemed to be glowing.

Liu Guifen's eyes widened instantly.

Her mouth dropped open, she forgot to fan herself with her palm-leaf fan, stared at Cheng Ming for a full three seconds, and then suddenly slapped her thigh: "Oh my goodness! He's even more handsome in person than in the photos! That nose, those eyes... Old Zhao! Old Zhao, come quick! Our daughter's ancestors' graves are emitting auspicious smoke!"

Standing behind him, Zhao Gang snorted coldly, unscrewed his thermos, took a sip of strong tea, and critically sized Cheng Ming up and down: "Hmph, he's not bad looking, but he looks a bit weak. How many pounds of steel bars can this pretty boy carry?"

"dad!"

Zhao Yufeng was so anxious he stamped his feet, wishing he could disappear into the ground: "What are you saying! This is Cheng Ming! He's a key member of our team! He came specifically to help us!"

"Help us? Forget it! Honey, not that I'm criticizing you, but the factory is having some difficulties right now, but it's not that bad!"

The atmosphere froze instantly.

Lin Yiyi huddled by the car door, too afraid to move. Wang Shuo chuckled and was about to get out of the car to speak up when Zhao Gang's gaze fell on him.

Looking at Wang Shuo's broad shoulders and thick waist, Zhao Gang's expression softened slightly: "This one's alright. He looks like he's got the work in him. Young man, where did you used to work as a bricklayer? You've built up a good physique."

Wang Shuo: "————"

He, the esteemed cultural and tourism ambassador of Shaanxi, the number one cross-dressing influencer on the internet, and a top student in photography, has become a bricklayer here!

Although he had worked on construction sites, his main job was carrying water.

"Hello, Uncle. Hello, Aunt."

Cheng Ming seemed completely oblivious to the barb in Zhao Gang's words. With his signature gentle smile on his face, he stepped forward, neither humble nor arrogant: "I've heard Yu Feng mention you two before. Meeting you today, Uncle is indeed vigorous and full of presence, and Aunt is also radiant. No wonder you were able to give birth to such an outstanding daughter as Yu Feng."

This flattery was done subtly and discreetly.

Liu Guifen was overjoyed, shoving Zhao Gang aside and enthusiastically grabbing Cheng Ming's hand: "Oh my, this kid has such a sweet tongue! Come on, come on, don't stand by the door, you're covered in dirt! Let's go to the office, Auntie just had someone cut a watermelon!"

As she spoke, she ignored her husband's face, which was as black as the bottom of a pot, and dragged Cheng Ming into the factory area.

Zhao Yufeng covered his face in despair, waved to Lin Yiyi and Wang Shuo, signaling them to hurry up and follow.

The group entered the factory area.

It wasn't as bustling as I'd imagined.

The huge factory building appeared somewhat empty, with several production lines at a standstill and only a few workers inspecting equipment in a corner.

The air was filled with a mixture of rust and engine oil smells.

Abandoned steel pipes and scraps are scattered everywhere on the ground, and weeds grow wildly in the corners of the walls, even sprouting from the cracks in old machines.

This depression is visible to the naked eye.

"I'm sorry you had to see this."

Zhao Gang walked behind, looking at the deserted factory. His tone was less aggressive than before, but more somber: "Environmental inspections have been stricter in the past two years, and with steel prices plummeting, we've lost more than half of our orders."

"This old factory has outdated equipment and high energy consumption. It can't compete with big factories on price, and as for quality—well, it's just so-so."

He looked up at Cheng Ming, who was walking ahead, and shook his head: "Yu Feng insists that you can help, but I don't believe it. This is a real business, a business that's head-to-head, not something you can solve by singing and dancing online."

Wang Shuo leaned closer to Zhao Gang and offered him a cigarette: "Uncle, you can't say that. The world has changed. Even the best wine needs advertising."

"Your steel is hard, but if no one knows about it, it's just a pile of scrap iron. Our Old Cheng, on the other hand, has the ability to turn stone into gold."

"Midas turned into gold?"

Zhao Gang took the cigarette, tucked it behind his ear, and glanced sideways at Wang Shuo: "Young man, you think bragging is free? If he can conjure up some money from this pile of scrap metal, I, Zhao Gang, will call him 'Big Brother' from now on!"

front.

Cheng Ming didn't rush to the office to eat watermelon.

He stopped in front of an abandoned blast furnace.

This blast furnace is about thirty or forty meters high, and its surface is covered with rust. The reddish-brown rust looks like living moss, crawling all over the furnace body.

Several thick pipes crisscross and spiral, connecting the surrounding cooling pools and dust removal towers.

The sunlight slanted down, casting huge shadows on these steel behemoths.

This visual impact is rough, wild, and carries a kind of dying magnificence.

"Cheng Ming?"

Seeing that he wasn't leaving, Zhao Yufeng cautiously approached him: "Is it... too strong a smell? Why don't we go to the office?"

Cheng Ming reached out and wiped his hand on a railing covered in grease, his fingertips instantly becoming stained with a layer of dark red rust.

He looked at the stains on his fingertips, a slow smile curving his lips, his eyes gleaming with an excitement Zhao Yufeng couldn't decipher: "Who says this is a run-down factory? This is a perfect filming location! Watch me turn the mundane into something magical!"