Courtyard house: Just the right amount of pressure, leaving you bewildered but not brain-damaged.

"Section Chief, those workers who are gambling..."

As soon as he stepped out of the office building, Gao Xiaosheng couldn't wait to speak.

"What? You're not willing to just hand it over to the working group like this?"

Zhou Jiasheng took out a cigarette, handed it to Gao Xiaosheng, and lit it for him with a match.

"Xiao Gao, in the security department, you're the most quick-witted and have the strongest work ability."

"Work hard, you'll definitely have a bright future."

A sudden, unexpected pie-in-the-sky gesture landed all over Gao Xiaosheng's face, effectively shutting down his next sentence.

"If it's really an illegal casino operation or gambling, I will definitely handle it strictly according to the law, and no one can change my mind."

Zhou Jiasheng took a puff of his cigarette, patted Gao Xiaosheng on the shoulder, and said...

"But these people, no matter how you look at it, are just getting together during their lunch break to have some fun."

"They're all workers with impeccable political backgrounds; even if they're locked up in detention, what can be done with them?"

"At worst, they'll just lock you up for an afternoon and have you write a self-criticism."

"But doing this puts the work group in a bind."

Zhou Jiasheng continued earnestly, "The duty of the security department is to maintain the stability and unity of the factory, so that they have no worries and can wholeheartedly contribute to the construction of the new society."

"Now is a critical moment for the working group to take over the factory; stability is the top priority."

"If our punishment is too severe, the workers will become resentful, not only towards our security department, but also towards the working group."

"At that time, Team Leader Wei Bai will have to spend a lot of time and effort to appease the workers."

"After all... cough cough"

Zhou Jiasheng looked around and, seeing that no one was nearby, lowered his voice and whispered, "Boss Lou and his men may not really be willing to step back and honestly collect their share of the profits."

"How many people has he planted in the steel rolling mill over the past few years? Could he be taking advantage of the chaos to sow discord between the workers and the work team?"

"If Team Leader Wei doesn't handle this well and it causes a mass incident, no one can guarantee how big the impact will be."

"At this critical juncture, we have to be wary of many things. The most important thing is to cooperate with the working group to take over the factory safely and smoothly."

"Do you understand?"

Gao Xiaosheng curled his lip indignantly. He wanted to say that Section Chief Zhou was worrying unnecessarily. The public-private partnership was an irreversible trend. Let alone a mere Lou Zhenhua, even if capitalists banded together to resist it, it would be useless.

If we really anger the higher-ups, it's not impossible that they might stage a mass acute copper poisoning incident.

But these are things he could think but not say. Gao Xiaosheng nodded reluctantly, muttering under his breath, "I understand, but I just don't understand why they want stability on one hand, and on the other hand, they want me to investigate the theft of scrap materials. Isn't that contradictory?"

Zhou Jiasheng gently slapped Gao Xiaosheng on the back of the head.

"What do you mean by 'fighting with both hands'? The work group can't be too tough, but it also can't be too weak. If it doesn't even handle theft cases, wouldn't that be telling the workers that they can steal anything from the factory from now on?"

"Moreover, they didn't expect to solve the case; they just wanted the security department to make a show of force and deter the workers."

"Who would have thought you actually caught someone!"

"When I went to report, Team Leader Wei was stunned. It took several people a long time to discuss and decide on the punishment standard."

"As you know, it looks heavy, but it's actually handled with care."

Gao Xiaosheng's eyes were practically bulging out.

Listen to what kind of talk this is.

He even put on a show, as if he was just being delusional and making a scene for himself.

Working tirelessly from dawn till dusk, forgetting to eat and sleep, working diligently and conscientiously for a week, finally catching an unlucky guy and solving the case, only to create a problem for the task force instead?

Seeing Gao Xiaosheng's indignant expression, Zhou Jiasheng realized that his words had dampened his subordinate's enthusiasm and quickly tried to make amends.

"Ahem, Xiao Gao, regardless of what the task force thinks, you handled these two cases exceptionally well!"

"Our security department needs someone like you."

He kept praising her outwardly, but secretly he was complaining inwardly. His luck was also top-notch, but he was a bit of a pain.

A theft case and a gambling case both had their breakthroughs in neighbors living in the same compound. Where can you go to seek justice in this situation?

Before Gao Xiaosheng could react, Zhou Jiasheng tossed him one pancake after another, intending to feed him all at once.

"Xiao Gao, don't be fooled by the fact that the security department is keeping a low profile now. By the end of the year at the latest, the working group will take over the entire steel rolling mill, and then we'll be very busy."

"You'll have plenty of opportunities to make a name for yourself then."

"Work hard and achieve something, then I'll have the confidence to apply for a promotion that breaks the rules for you."

"Your current administrative rank is level 24, right? Try to get promoted to level 23 next summer."

Gao Xiaosheng subtly curled his lip.

This trick might work for others, but is Gao Xiaosheng someone who's short of a few dollars?

If Section Chief Zhou hadn't given in today and had insisted on following the rules, bringing those eighteen arhats—no, those eighteen gamblers—back to the detention center, he could have earned back at least half a year's salary.

"By the way, you're new to Beijing, don't have a boyfriend yet, right?"

"Perfect timing! I have a comrade who's been discharged from the army. His daughter is about your age. I'll talk to him in a few days and arrange a blind date for you two."

"If both parties feel good about each other, they can get married at the end of the year, which will be a major life event."

After Zhou Jiasheng finished speaking, he looked at his capable assistant with satisfaction, fully expecting Gao Xiaosheng to be extremely excited and thank him repeatedly.

As a result, Gao Xiaosheng's reaction once again surprised him.

"Section Chief, there's no need to trouble yourself. I'm still young and not in a hurry to get married. Let's talk about it in a few years."

Gao Xiaosheng shook his head and waved his hands, as if the blind date Zhou Jiasheng had found for him was a monstrous monster that couldn't be seen in public.

He cursed the section chief in his mind, going over all the hundreds of swear words he had learned in the rural Northeast and the military.

What kind of section chief is this, so ungrateful and quick to kick someone when they're down?

Not only does it prevent him from making money, but it also requires a housekeeper to manage the household; it's utterly outrageous and inhumane.

If it weren't illegal to assault a leader, I would have shown him what a fist the size of a sandbag is like, and what it means to be so red.

"Hey, what an open and honest young man. Why are you so shy on a blind date?"

Clearly, Zhou Jiasheng had misunderstood.

"Are you worried that the person I introduce you to won't suit your taste?"

"Don't worry, my eldest niece is beautiful and has a cheerful personality. If she hadn't failed the college entrance exam, you wouldn't have had a chance."

Zhou Jiasheng was not lying.

His comrade's child was indeed quite good; at least in Zhou Jiasheng's opinion, he was a good match for Gao Xiaosheng.

"Section Chief, I really didn't mean it that way. It's just that I haven't been working for long, and my mind is all on my job. Let's talk about blind dates after things are more organized at work."

Gao Xiaosheng was suffering.

He now understands how difficult it is to refuse a leader's subtle coercion.

Not to mention the 1950s when having more children was encouraged, even decades later, young people who pass the civil service exam or work in state-owned enterprises still have many leaders who are keen to introduce them to potential partners.

In this situation, a hard refusal is definitely not an option; you must be tactful and avoid clashing with your superior, otherwise you'll face endless trouble.

(The editor authorized the release of the VIP chapters today, but I've decided to upload them tomorrow. Today's two chapters are still free public chapters. That's just how I am; I'm determined not to release them early as promised.)