The First Volume's Most Natural Beauty Chapter 16: Branch Secretary and Small Group Leader

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  "Secretary, something's wrong! The canning factory has had an accident!" Office worker Little Li rushed into the town mayor's office in a fluster, startling Tang Yi who was writing materials.

  "What's the hurry!" Tang Yi furrowed his brow, gently put down his pen, and tidied up the sheet of white paper filled with English letters. Only then did he raise his head to ask, "What's going on? Speak slowly, look at you! What a state you're in?"

  Nobody knew what Tang Yi had been writing day and night, line after line of C language English code, program functions. Who in this small town could understand it? Nobody would know that this was the source code for a Linux operating system that could rival Windows XP in over a decade. The Linux source code is open to everyone, and Tang Yi is a computer enthusiast who studied its source code every day when he was in college, creating his own personalized window operating system. Recently, with some free time on his hands, he wrote down the source code from memory, thinking that it might come in handy someday. Although some things were no longer clear, the overall framework was still intact, especially the network interface and security aspects, which were Tang Yi's favorite parts to research and remembered most clearly. As for the true creator of Linux, Linus Torvalds had just written the prototype Freax this year, and it was completely incomparable to the graphical operating system that Tang Yi had developed over a decade with countless researchers and hackers.

  Xiao Li had a habit of speaking vaguely, even in front of leaders, and couldn't change it. He didn't know how many times he was scolded by Liu Da Zhong for this reason. Tang Yi, on the other hand, didn't care about these minor matters.

  Xiao Li wiped the sweat from his forehead with one hand, and gestured urgently with the other, saying: "Secretary Tang, the workers are rioting, Old Chen can't control them, you'd better go take a look!"

  Tang Yi was also somewhat surprised, what's going on with the workers? He hastily said: "Let's go take a look!" Grabbed the briefcase on the table and rushed out of the door with Xiao Li. On the way, he asked Xiao Li for details, but Xiao Li didn't know much either. He had just received a call from Old Chen at the canning factory asking for help, and when he heard that the situation was urgent, he didn't bother to ask questions and rushed to report to Tang Yi.

  The canning factory is a few hundred meters west of the town, with white lime-painted slogans on red brick walls: "Adhere to one central task and two basic points, make great strides forward under the leadership of the Party." The brick wall has barbed wire on top, and directly east is a large iron gate that can accommodate two Liberation trucks side by side.

  The environment in the canning factory is not bad, the usual rough ground of the factory, it won't be muddy on rainy days, and it's not like the cement road has dust on dry days. Several rows of bungalows are planted with flowers and grass, even around the big factory buildings, some evergreen pines were planted. To say nothing else, the original factory director Liu Jia Shun did a good job in terms of greening.

  The noise from the factory side could be heard from a distance, and Tang Yi and Xiao Li turned around to see that the iron gate of the factory was surrounded by twenty or thirty workers, all of whom were excitedly arguing. The new factory director, Chen Fangyuan, explained with a bitter face, although he was a capable person in the town, but after all, he had never been a leader and had never seen such a scene before. While speaking, he wiped the sweat from his forehead, and his fat body trembled. Tang Yi really wondered how someone with this gene could give birth to a beautiful girl like Chen Ke.

  Chen Fangyuan turned his head and saw Tang Yi, as if he had seen a lifesaver, and shouted loudly: "Secretary Tang, you've finally arrived! Come quickly!" As he spoke, he pushed through the crowd and ran to Tang Yi's side, letting out a long sigh of relief. Only then did he put his heart at ease, for he had been worried that these excited workers would lose control.

  When Tang Yi appeared, the workers also quieted down. After all, he was the town leader and still had some deterrent power. Tang Yi frowned and asked Chen Fangyuan: "What's going on? Tell me." Had he made a mistake just after taking office? Tang Yi couldn't help but get a little angry. He looked up to see Wang Ercheng standing among the workers, and remembered how Chen Ke had cried after visiting his home that day, so he also beckoned him over: "Wang Ercheng, you come too, tell me about the situation, why are they arguing? You're the worker's representative, everyone else, disperse!"

  Chen Fangyuan whispered to Tang Yi: "Just now he was the one who made the most noise..." Tang Yi glared at her, and Chen Fangyuan was so scared that she swallowed back what she was going to say next.

  The workers on the other side also gathered together and whispered for a while, and finally Wang Ercheng seemed to have persuaded them. Those workers all slowly dispersed, and Wang Ercheng walked over to Tang Yi's side with some embarrassment. This simple-minded fellow seemed to be a bit embarrassed. Tang Yi immediately saw through his thoughts and smiled: "Don't think that you're troubling me, don't be embarrassed, speak up, why did you quarrel? You are the workers' representative, you go first."

  Wang Ercheng opened his mouth and smiled foolishly: "Secretary Tang, you...you still remember my name?"

  Tang Yi smiled and said: "Just because I remember your name doesn't mean I'll speak up for you, so tell me, what's going on?"

  Wang Ercheng scratched his head and stuttered: "It's just, it's just that the factory owes us several months' wages. We want to find a new factory director to solve this problem. With Chinese New Year approaching, we need to buy some necessities..."

  Tang Yi frowned: "Salary? Didn't the town promise you that it would be solved together with the county finance at the end of the year? Why are you making trouble again, and what does this have to do with Old Chen?"

  Wang Ercheng saw that Tang Yi's expression was not pleasant, and he didn't dare to hide it. He hastily said: "It's true, it's not us making a fuss, it's what the secretary said. He said if we don't get paid again, after a long time, this matter might fall through... So we... Also, the big pineapples in the cold storage are still worth some money now, if... If they're made into canned goods and can't be sold, it's better to... It's better to divide them up now..."

  Tang Yi heard it vaguely, "Secretary, which secretary? What's with the big pineapple?"

  Chen Fangyuan cleared his throat and said in a low voice, "Comrade Secretary Tang, let me say it." Tang Yi nodded, and he continued, "The secretary is now the factory secretary Liu Jiashun..."

  "I'm telling you to wait, wait, what did you just say? What factory secretary?" Tang Yi was confused, and Chen Fangyuan said in surprise: "Liu Jia Shun is now the party branch secretary of the factory, it was decided by the town, didn't you know?"

  Tang Yi's tone, no need to say, is again Liu Dazhong's idea. What a factory party branch, this small factory has only a few dozen workers, it's already good if there are one or two party members, and it's worth setting up a party branch? This is clearly just a disguised way of calling for Liu Jiashun to fight for power in the canning factory!

  Tang Yi's face sank as he asked again: "What about the big pineapple?"

  Chen Fangyuan explained: "We have over a thousand kilograms of good-quality pineapples in the cold storage, and these workers are busy selling them to earn some wages for the New Year. I'm not sure whether to sell them or make jam out of them."

  "Why sell it? Isn't making canned goods good enough?"

  Chen Fangyuan coughed a few times, not daring to speak up, but Tang Yi knew he must have thought wrongly and smiled: "If you have any ideas, just say them. You're now familiar with the situation too, I'm just an outsider, it doesn't matter if I make mistakes."

  Chen Fangyuan accompanied with a smile: "That is, that is, Secretary Tang, you are not in the canning factory, you don't understand, the fruit used for canning is generally... generally..." Tang Yi continued: "Rotten fruit?" Chen Fangyuan dryly laughed: "Not to the point of rotten fruit, but they use some misshapen melons and unmarketable fruits that can't be sold on the market. However, our cold storage's big pineapple is top-grade, first-class fruit, now if we sell it, it can sell for 2-3 yuan per kilogram, calculating the cost of making canned goods, maybe it's not as good as selling it like this."

  Tang Yi nodded slightly. Why the former canning factory didn't operate according to market principles, but instead purchased high-quality pineapples as raw materials, there must be some ulterior motive, but now is not the time to investigate these things. Tang Yi doesn't want to look into it either. When the water is clear, there will be no fish. If he himself wants to dig up past old accounts, it will only bring greater obstacles to his own work. He should focus on the future, not the past.

  Tang Yiyu thought for a moment and asked: "Do you think there's a difference between high-quality pineapple and low-quality pineapple canned goods?"

  Chen Fangyuan dryly laughed and said, "Of course there's a difference. With good raw materials, the things made will naturally taste better. It's just that this difference isn't very big and can't completely make up for the price gap in the cost of raw materials."

  Tang Yi nodded slightly and said, "In that case, I have a suggestion. It's winter now, so there aren't many fruits in your cold storage, right? If you sell these pineapples, what will the workers do? Continue to be laid off? I think it's better to make them into canned goods, but you need to come up with a way to package them nicely, preferably like those gift boxes of packaged fruits for Chinese New Year. Two bottles per box, and you can set a higher price. On the packaging, you must indicate that they are high-quality pineapples, with a guarantee of 'fake one, compensate ten'. As for sales channels, let's temporarily focus on the county for now. You can go to the county TV station to make an ad, showcasing our high-quality pineapples. When delivering goods, you can adopt a 'pay after delivery' approach for those small retail stores. If they don't sell well, they can be returned. Additionally, give those stores a higher profit margin, and they'll promote your products themselves! I still don't believe that our county's canned food factory can't compete with outsiders!"

  Chen Fangyuan was stunned, and Tang Yi smiled again: "Of course, I'm an outsider, after all, it's up to you what to do, I just made a suggestion." Chen Fangyuan didn't make a sound, as if still savoring Tang Yi's words.

  Tang Yi didn't bother with him anymore, and asked the silly-looking Wang Ercheng beside him: "Where's Liu Jia Shun? Go call him over. As for the salary issue, please reassure everyone that we will definitely make sure everyone has a comfortable Spring Festival!"

  Wang Ercheng nodded vigorously, and the young secretary's words made him completely convinced. Since Tang Yi had spoken up, he naturally wouldn't make any more trouble and quickly ran towards a bungalow, which was the office of the Canned Goods Factory Party Branch.

  In fact, through the window, Liu Jia Shun had already seen Tang Yi, but he knew that as the party branch secretary, he hadn't been approved by Tang Yi, so he didn't dare to show his head. When Wang Er Cheng came to call him, he couldn't hide anymore and could only grit his teeth and pretend to be strong. The ugly daughter-in-law would eventually have to meet her parents-in-law, and he didn't believe that Tang Yi could eat him alive.

  As he watched Liu Jia Shun approaching, Tang Yi's face gradually sank, and he turned his head to instruct Xiao Li in a low voice: "Go make a phone call to summon Secretary Liu!"

  Liu Jia Shun stood nervously in front of Tang Yi, this young secretary had not spoken much, frowning and thinking deeply, Liu Jia Shun's heart was beating faster and faster, even when the county leaders came to inspect their work before, he hadn't been so nervous, the person opposite him seemed to have given himself unprecedented great pressure.

  When Liu Da Zhong Jian's figure appeared, Liu Jia Shun finally breathed a sigh of relief, and with the mainstay, he also had some unexpected thoughts. He wondered why Liu Secretary was invited to come? It seems that this second-in-command is still a second-in-command, and when it comes to making decisions, the first-in-command has the final say. Thinking about this, he couldn't help but feel a little proud.

  Liu Dazhong's face didn't look good. This Tang Yi, when something happens, he doesn't show up himself, but instead gets someone else to call me. What is this? Does he think I'm at his beck and call? If it wasn't about the canning factory, he wouldn't have come no matter what.

  A gentle breeze blew in, and a few cypress trees swayed slightly in the distance. The snow on their leaves fell rustling down, revealing a hint of green, driving away some of the winter chill.

  Tang Yi smiled and greeted Liu Da Zhong, but his words were straightforward: "Secretary Liu, was it you who decided on the party secretary of the canned food factory?"

  Liu Dazhong, although over fifty years old, had a robust physique and a ruddy complexion. His body was more vigorous than many young men, his voice loud and clear, rivaling that of Xiao Secretary. "It's the decision of the town party committee."

  Tang Yi doubted: "Isn't this wrong? Why didn't I know about the decision made by the party committee? Am I not a member of the party committee?"

  Liu Dazhong also knew that this matter was not handled properly, so he patiently explained: "You were busy running to the county seat for those few days and didn't even attend the town party committee meeting. That's why I was thinking of notifying you."

  Tang Yi nodded and said after a moment of contemplation, "Secretary Liu, I disagree with the decision to establish a party branch in the canning factory. The town party committee needs to reconvene to discuss this issue."

  Liu Dazhong smiled, a sarcastic smile, his voice turned strange and eerie, his loud tone seemed to be saying something unusual: "Tang Zhenzhang, I said why do you like to sing against the party committee? Young people shouldn't have some achievements and then raise their tails to the sky, can one person's disagreement push over the party committee's decision?" He always addressed Tang Yixian with his administrative position, but never called him Secretary.

  Tang Yi smiled and said, "Secretary Liu, you're being too serious. How is this going against the party committee? I'm also a member of the party committee, so of course I have opinions to offer. Moreover, I'm in charge of the town's economic work now, and the reform project of the canning factory is something I've been personally overseeing. Why didn't the town party committee listen to my opinion on this matter? Why did they rush to a conclusion?"

  Liu Dazhong snorted: "What's wrong with reform? Does reforming the canning factory mean we don't need the Party's leadership anymore? Comrade Tang Yi, I think your thinking is a bit dangerous!"

  Chen Fangyuan listened to the side and sweated, this big hat came down, not to mention the town leader, even the central leader had to weigh it carefully. Liu Jia Shun, on the other hand, was watching Tang Yi with some schadenfreude, secretly praising Liu Da Zhong, thinking that his uncle's move was really good.

  Tang Yi still had a smile on his face, and his voice didn't change in tone or emotion, remaining calm and peaceful. "Secretary Liu, why would the canning factory not want the party's leadership? It is still under the town committee's leadership, isn't it? But for a small factory with only one or two party members to set up a party branch? This isn't seeking the party's leadership, this is formalism, people doing things superficially. In recent years, the central government's documents have emphasized streamlining institutions and slimming down bloated organs, not setting up more empty frameworks. The canning factory's party organization can be retained, can a small party group be established? Party members can take the lead in setting an example, giving advice to Director Chen, but what's with this party branch? Party branch secretary? Secretary Liu, we can't engage in dogmatism!"

  Liu Dazhong's face turned increasingly ugly, and he laughed sarcastically: "Haha, I've spent my whole life studying Marxism-Leninism, but now that I'm old, I've become a dogmatist, haha."

  Tang Yi remained expressionless and said, "I've heard that there's a before and after, but it has nothing to do with age." Turning his head to face Liu Jia Shun, he continued, "You, the Party branch secretary, are excused! If you still can't bear to part with the canned food factory, then from now on, you'll be the leader of the canned food factory's Party small group."

  Liu Shun's face turned sour as he looked at Liu Dazhong, thinking to himself that it was all over. What level is the head of this party group? Isn't it equivalent to being dismissed from office? Uncle, aren't you harming me? How can you not keep up with the conversation?

  Tang Yi smiled at Liu Da Zhong and said, "Secretary Liu, I will write a good report to the higher-ups about the situation of the canned food factory's party organization, so you don't have to worry about it." All along, Tang Yi didn't want to clash with Liu Da Zhong, but he found that this old man was always making things difficult for him and holding him back. At this point, he no longer showed courtesy or restraint.

  The atmosphere was tense, Chen Fangyuan wanted to mediate, but didn't know how to interrupt. Liu Jia Shun stuttered: "Yes, I'll obey the party organization's arrangement." After some thought, he gritted his teeth and yielded, turning his head away, not daring to look at his uncle's expression, he didn't want to become a scapegoat for Liu Dazhong's stubbornness.

  Liu Dazhong was so angry at his nephew's words that he almost burst his lungs, and with a flick of his sleeve, he turned around and walked away, but after just a few steps, he stumbled and nearly fell over, showing how turbulent and indignant he was feeling.

  Tang Yi gazed at his back, and let out a deep sigh.