Courtyard House: From Deputy Division Commander to Civilian, Progressing All the Way

"Minister Zhao, don't worry."

Lin Yang's voice was strong and resonant.

"I'll personally oversee this! I'll issue a top-secret transfer order and conduct the most rigorous selection process among all the key backbone enterprises under the Ministry of Heavy Industry! I guarantee that every worker sent to Jin Yin Tan will be a top-notch craftsman, capable of carving with a file!"

Li Yunlong, watching from the side, was filled with excitement. He suddenly stood up and grabbed Lin Yang's shoulder.

"Yangzi! Well done! I'm on the southeast coast, waiting to hear the roar from the Northwest!"

……

Two days later.

A top-secret transfer document bearing the joint seal of the Ministry of Heavy Industry and the Second Ministry of Machine Building was distributed to major factories and mines across the country through confidential channels.

Hongxing Steel Rolling Mill in Beijing.

Inside the factory manager's office.

Lin Fan, dressed in a sharp Zhongshan suit, held the top-secret document that had just been delivered by the confidential clerk, his expression extremely solemn.

Over the past three years, Lin Fan has become increasingly composed and capable in his role as factory director. Under his leadership, the steel rolling mill's production capacity has doubled year after year, and the workers' welfare benefits have also improved steadily.

After reading the contents of the document, he immediately picked up the red secure phone on the table and dialed the security department's number.

"Old Zhang, immediately notify all fitters, forgers, and welders at level six or above in the entire factory. An emergency mobilization meeting will be held at 2 PM in Conference Room One. Remember, this meeting is of extremely high importance; no one is allowed to take leave!"

After hanging up the phone, Lin Fan walked to the window and looked at the bustling factory area outside.

He knew the weight of the document personally signed by his younger brother, Lin Yang. Although the document did not specify what the task was, only stating "supporting the top-secret national defense project in Northwest China," the offered benefits were enough to drive any worker crazy.

Salary will be doubled based on the original level!

Each month, an extra 30 catties of specially supplied fine grains, 5 catties of pork, and 2 catties of cooking oil are provided!

For families who remain in their original hometowns, the factory and the local government will provide them with special care and give them priority in school enrollment and employment!

In an era when goods were centrally purchased and distributed, and meat and grain coupons were more valuable than money, this level of treatment was like a mountain of gold falling from the sky.

Two o'clock in the afternoon.

The first conference room of Hongxing Steel Rolling Mill was packed.

Hundreds of highly skilled workers gathered together. These people are the steel rolling mill's prized possessions and the backbone of its technical expertise.

Yi Zhonghai sat in the corner of the first row.

Although he was almost sixty years old, he was still one of the few level eight fitters in the factory. In recent years, due to the strong rise of Lin Yang and Lin Fan, he had to keep a low profile in the factory, not daring to even speak loudly, for fear of being caught doing something wrong and being dismissed early.

Liu Haizhong sat on the other side. He was still a level seven blacksmith, but in recent years, obsessed with officialdom, he had never given up the idea of ​​climbing the ranks. However, under Lin Fan's watchful eye, he couldn't find any opportunity to scheme or climb the ladder.

Besides these familiar faces, there was another figure peeking out from the crowd—Jia Dongxu.

Jia Dongxu was originally only a level three worker, and by rights he wasn't even qualified to attend this meeting. But he shamelessly begged the workshop director, insisting that his skills had improved by leaps and bounds recently, and managed to sneak in to watch the excitement.

On the podium, Lin Fan cleared his throat and began his mobilization speech into the microphone.

Comrades.

Lin Fan's voice was steady and loud.

"I've gathered everyone here today to convey a top-secret political mission from our superiors."

"The nation is constructing a top-tier national defense project in the vast Gobi Desert of Northwest China, a project that will determine the very survival of the Republic! Now, the project has reached its most critical stage, and urgently needs a group of highly skilled and hardworking industrial workers to provide support!"

Lin Fan did not reveal any information about the atomic bomb, but simply read aloud the parts of the document that were permitted to be made public.

When Lin Fan read out the astonishingly generous benefits one by one...

The entire conference room instantly erupted into chaos, like a pot of boiling water!

"My God! My salary has doubled! And there's a special allowance of five kilograms of pork every month!"

"This isn't going to support construction, it's going to enjoy life! Five pounds of meat! We don't even eat that much meat in a whole year these days!"

"If I get selected, my whole family won't have to go hungry anymore, and I'll be considered someone who has made a great contribution to the factory!"

The workers' eyes were all red, their breathing became heavy, and each of them was calculating the enormous debt in their minds.

Yi Zhonghai gripped the hem of his clothes tightly, and a burst of long-suppressed fervor shot out from his cloudy old eyes.

"The Great Northwest... Top Secret National Defense Project..."

Yi Zhonghai screamed wildly in his heart.

He had been oppressed by the Lin family's shadow for far too long, both in the courtyard house and the steel mill. He desperately needed a chance to turn his life around.

If he could become an eighth-grade worker and participate in this top-secret national project in the Northwest, he would be a national hero! After a few years of training and gaining experience, even Lin Fan would have to treat him with utmost respect. Moreover, the double salary and specially supplied resources would be enough for him to comfortably save a large sum of money for retirement!

This was practically the last straw God had given him!

Liu Haizhong was so excited that his whole body trembled.

"A top-secret project definitely needs cadres to manage it! I, Liu Haizhong, am technically proficient. If I could go there, with my organizational skills, becoming a workshop director would be a piece of cake!" Liu Haizhong thought excitedly, as if he could already see himself wearing a cadre uniform with four pockets, pointing and gesturing to the workers.

Sitting in the back row, Jia Dongxu's eyes were shining, and he was practically drooling.

His mind was filled with the words "five catties of pork per month" and "doubled salary".

The Jia family has been struggling financially these past few years. Qin Huairu has given birth to Banggeng and Xiaodang in quick succession, and is now pregnant again. Jia Zhangshi spends her days complaining about not having enough to eat and calling him a useless good-for-nothing.

If he can secure this spot, then Jia Dongxu can completely turn his life around, become a great contributor to the Jia family, and never have to suffer his mother's humiliation again!

"Limited spots available! Only twenty spots available across the entire factory!"

Lin Fan poured cold water on the stage.

"This selection process isn't about who signed up first; it's about conducting the most rigorous technical assessments! Only the truly skilled professionals, capable of achieving precision down to the micrometer level, will be qualified to wear this glorious construction uniform!"

"Those who wish to register, please go to the workshop director after the meeting. Next Monday, an expert team sent by the Ministry of Heavy Industry will personally conduct a practical assessment in the workshop!"

The meeting concluded amidst the workers' enthusiastic discussions.

……