Rebirth in a Courtyard: I Am a Little Hunter

When the clock on the wall pointed to 2 p.m., the oval table in the small conference room of the steel rolling mill was already full. Director Yang sat in the center, with Li Huaide to his left, and the other deputy directors and heads of relevant departments such as the labor union, publicity, and logistics were seated in turn.

The air was thick with the mingled scents of cigarettes and tea. Everyone's expression seemed calm, but their eyes betrayed different thoughts. Rumors of the more than 20,000 kilograms of wild game had already spread, and everyone knew the theme of this meeting.

Factory Director Yang cleared his throat and got straight to the point: "Comrades, the only topic of this impromptu meeting today is the handling of the batch of wild game that Comrade Wei Chen purchased from Inner Mongolia, and the issue of rewarding Comrade Wei Chen himself. Let's first have Comrade Li Huaide introduce the specific situation."

Li Huaide was well-prepared. He took out a prepared brief report and clearly explained the purchase quantity, types of materials, and warehousing status.

When they heard the figure "preliminary count shows that the net weight of various wild game is about 29,200 catties", many people present couldn't help but gasp and their eyes flashed with eager light, even though they were mentally prepared.

This isn't just over 20,000 jin, it's nearly 30,000 jin!

After the introduction, Factory Director Yang looked around and said, "Everyone is aware of the situation. This batch of supplies arrived just in time, solving our factory's major year-end supply problem and giving us the upper hand. However..."

He then changed the subject, saying, "It's a good thing, everyone's eyeing it. My office phone hasn't stopped ringing since yesterday. The Light Industry Bureau, the district government, the subdistrict office, and even higher-level departments have all expressed their 'concern'."

He paused, observing the reactions of the crowd, and then slowly said, "Comrade Huai De and I have had a preliminary discussion and believe that we cannot keep this batch of supplies to ourselves. On the one hand, it would not conform to the spirit of our superiors and could easily cause a negative impact; on the other hand, it would not be conducive to the long-term development of our factory. Therefore, we suggest that we proactively report the results to our superiors and allocate a considerable portion of the supplies for unified distribution to support our brother units and people in greater need."

As soon as the words were spoken, a brief silence fell over the conference room. Some frowned, some seemed lost in thought, and others looked reluctant to part.

Deputy Factory Director Zhang, who is in charge of production, spoke first: "Factory Director, Deputy Factory Director Li, I agree in principle to your voluntary surrender of the funds for the sake of the overall situation. However, how much is 'a considerable portion'? Our factory has thousands of employees who are eagerly anticipating the New Year. If too much is surrendered, I'm afraid it will affect their morale." His words represented the concerns of some people.

A deputy factory manager surnamed Liu chimed in, "Yes, Director. Our factory has done a good job with production this year. The workers have worked hard all year and are looking forward to this year-end bonus. It's only right that we hand over the profits, but the proportion has to be just right. I suggest that about 30% should be handed over, and the rest must be distributed to all the factory workers so that everyone can have a prosperous New Year!"

Several other deputy factory directors and managers also spoke, some emphasizing the importance of stability within the factory, while others hinted that they could appropriately "take care" of related units, but only if the factory had sufficient staff.

Li Huaide listened quietly, and only after everyone had finished speaking did he begin to say slowly and deliberately: "Vice Factory Director Zhang and Vice Factory Director Liu's concerns are very valid. Employee welfare must be guaranteed, as this is the foundation for stable production. The factory director and I have also considered this issue repeatedly."

He picked up the report in front of him and pointed to a set of data: "Our preliminary statistics and estimates show that after standardized slaughtering, cutting, freezing and storage, the final edible meat yield of this batch of wild game is approximately 18,000 to 19,000 jin (6,500-6,500 kg) plus some internal organs and bones. My suggestion is that we voluntarily hand over about 9,500 jin (4,250 kg), accounting for half of the total. This portion of meat should be handed over under the guise of supporting brother units and local people in need, and will be allocated by higher authorities."

"We'll keep about 10,000 jin for distribution of our factory's New Year's goods." Li Huaide said confidently. "This 10,000 jin may sound like less than the total amount, but let's do the math. In previous years, when our factory distributed pork for the New Year, it was based on the number of people. How much pork did each person get? Half a jin? Eight liang? At most a jin! And it wasn't even guaranteed to be the exact weight, and the quality was inconsistent."

This year, with this initial batch of 10,000 jin (5,000 kg) of wild game, we can devise an even more generous distribution plan. My initial idea is that each full-time employee should receive at least two jin (1 kg) of wild game meat, plus the planned pork, peanuts, and sunflower seeds. This year's New Year's supplies will definitely surpass those of our fellow factories!

He scanned the crowd and continued, "More importantly, what did we gain by voluntarily surrendering these 9,500 jin? We gained recognition from higher authorities and preferential policies. Could the Light Industry Bureau be more lenient with our production quotas next year? Could we get more allocations for scarce raw materials? Could the neighborhood committee be more supportive of our residential area's management? Could the district prioritize our steel mill for any good policies or projects? Can these things be exchanged for a few thousand jin of frozen meat?"

Li Huaide's words were like an abacus, clearly calculating the pros and cons. The meeting room fell silent as everyone weighed the options in their minds.

Factory Director Yang summarized at the opportune moment: "Comrade Huai De's considerations are very comprehensive. Giving away half is a good gesture and builds goodwill, without causing any serious damage. The remaining half is enough for all the factory workers to have a truly good New Year, stabilizing morale and boosting confidence. This is a win-win situation. Does anyone have any further comments?"

Having reached this point, the pros and cons were clearly weighed, and with Director Yang and Li Huaide, the two main leaders, having reached a consensus, others, even if they had their own ulterior motives, could no longer openly oppose it. After all, the prospect of "in exchange for preferential policies" described by Li Huaide had potential benefits for everyone present. Soon, the plan for the distribution of wild game was approved in principle.

Next, let's talk about Wei Chen's reward.

Factory Director Yang directly presented the results of his discussion with Li Huaide: "Comrade Wei Chen has made a great contribution this time, and the reward must be substantial! I propose that Comrade Wei Chen be awarded the titles of 'Factory Advanced Worker' and 'Production Model Worker' for this year; his treatment should be promoted one level, to Level 3 Clerk; at the same time, the factory party committee should compile his advanced deeds and apply for the title of 'Sijiu City Advanced Worker'. Let's discuss it."

No one objected to the honor and promotion. Wei Chen's contributions were genuine, and a substantial reward was deserved and would serve as an incentive.

However, when Director Yang seemingly casually added, "In addition, considering Comrade Wei Chen's outstanding contributions and the actual difficulties his family faces, the factory has decided to grant him a special permanent position as an extra reward and consideration for him personally," the atmosphere in the meeting room froze slightly.

Permanent employee positions! These are incredibly valuable!

Deputy Factory Director Sun, in charge of personnel, adjusted his glasses and cautiously began, "Factory Director, I fully agree with rewarding Comrade Wei Chen. But the number of permanent employees… shouldn't we reconsider? The factory's flexible staffing quota is very tight this year; several children of veteran employees are waiting…"

Li Huaide immediately chimed in, "Deputy Factory Director Sun, I understand your concerns. The limited number of slots is a fact. However, when rewarding employees, we can't just look at seniority; we must consider their contributions! Comrade Wei Chen brought back nearly 30,000 jin of meat this time, solving the major problem of meat for the entire factory during the Spring Festival and indirectly stabilizing production. How significant is this contribution? Is it worth a slot? I believe it is! In fact, it's far more than worth it!"

He emphasized, "We need to establish a clear direction—as long as someone makes outstanding contributions to the factory, the factory will never treat them unfairly! This demonstrates the organization's care more effectively than bonuses or certificates, and it will also motivate others more! Moreover, this quota is specially approved and doesn't take up any regular recruitment slots. Deputy Factory Director Sun, we can find ways to accommodate the children of those long-serving employees on the waiting list next year, or coordinate through other channels. But Wei Chen's contribution must be recognized this year!"

Li Huaide's words were reasonable and well-founded, carrying an undeniable weight. Factory Director Yang nodded in support. Seeing this, Deputy Factory Director Sun knew that the two main leaders had already discussed it, so he said no more, but secretly made a mental note that the young man named Wei Chen would need to be re-evaluated.

Seeing that the personnel department had no objections, the other deputy factory directors naturally didn't object either. Thus, the reward plan for Wei Chen was smoothly approved.

The meeting then discussed some detailed rules for the allocation of funds and arrangements for subsequent commendation activities, and ended in an atmosphere that seemed harmonious but was actually filled with hidden agendas.

After the meeting, Li Huaide did not leave immediately. Instead, he waited until most of the people had left before slowly tidying up his notebook and strolling back to his office.

After closing the office door and shutting out the noise from outside, Li Huaide's composed expression relaxed slightly, revealing a hint of barely perceptible smugness. He walked to the window, watching the workers downstairs leaving get off work one after another, their faces beaming with smiles and anticipation. He lit a cigarette and took a deep drag.

In this "wild game incident," he planned and coordinated well with Director Yang, not only successfully defusing the potential pressure to demand more, but also turning the crisis into an opportunity, securing tangible benefits for the steel mill and for himself personally.

The portion of meat handed over will serve as a lubricant to smooth things over; the portion left in the factory will solidify his popular support; and the generous reward given to Wei Chen not only demonstrates his "ability to recognize talent" and "love for talent," but also further binds this outstanding young man to his cause.

"Wei Chen..." Li Huaide slowly exhaled a smoke ring, uttering the name, a hint of admiration and calculation flashing in his eyes. This kid is truly his deputy! No, more than a deputy, he's practically a lucky charm! Single-handedly, he managed to bring back such a huge quantity of scarce supplies. His ability, his luck, his courage... If the factory ever has a similar "special mission" in the future, he'll be the one for it.

Thinking of the three well-processed, high-quality deer that Wei Chen had secretly given him, Li Huaide's smile deepened. This kid knows the rules, knows when to advance and retreat, and knows how to handle things. Those three deer are far more valuable than any tobacco or alcohol; whether for personal enjoyment or as a gift, they're a very prestigious item.

"One permanent employee position..." Li Huaide flicked his cigarette ash, lost in thought. The factory's decision to give one already showed their importance. But Li Huaide felt it wasn't enough. If you're going to do someone a favor, you should do it thoroughly, making sure they remember it. He remembered he had a few unused reserve positions from years ago, originally intended for use in a critical situation...

"Why not just give him one too!" Li Huaide thought for a moment and made his decision. One spot was a reward, two spots would be an immense favor!

Thinking of this, Li Huaide walked back to his desk, sat down, opened a drawer, and began rummaging through it. He needed to find the document for that quota first, and when Wei Chen returned to work, he would find a suitable opportunity to give it to him privately. He needed to let Wei Chen know that this extra quota was a personal favor and support from Li Huaide, and was completely different from the factory's public reward.

The sky outside the window gradually darkened, but the light in Li Huaide's office remained on for a long time. He was planning how to maximize the benefits brought by this "meat" incident and transform them into his political capital and network of connections. And Wei Chen was undoubtedly an increasingly important piece in his game.