Chapter 180: Great Benefactor, Great Hero

In the morning, in the general manager's office of Factory 760, Zhou Ming was reading the newspaper when Director Wang from the Metalworking Workshop knocked and entered. He approached Zhou Ming's desk with great respect and reported, "Boss Zhou, the situation in the Metalworking Workshop is very good, and the colleagues there are also very pleased to welcome your parents back to work."

Zhou Ming nodded. Since Cai Zhongxian was dealt with, his parents had indeed returned to work at the factory. People from their generation were very driven, and they couldn't sit idle at home every day.

Of course, Zhou Ming had been worried about potential changes in the factory due to Cai Zhongxian's issues, so he had asked Director Wang to take extra care and report on the situation daily. There were also rumors about Su Han, but compared to the issues, this was minor. After all, the rumors were stirred up by Cai Zhongxian, and as long as the source was cut off and the unit leaders were made aware, the rumors would soon disappear.

"Director Wang, thank you for your trouble. Recently, there have been many issues in the factory, and I haven't had much time to visit the workshops. I'm relying on you to take care of my parents," Zhou Ming said.

Director Wang replied, "Boss Zhou, I understand. The factory has had its designation as a production enterprise revoked, and you need to find a new way forward for the factory and secure wages for all the employees. I will certainly cooperate and support you! Moreover, I've known Director Zhou for many years, and he has helped me a lot. Even if you didn't mention it, I would still do this."

Zhou Ming gave Director Wang a few more instructions, and then Director Wang left the office. At this time, Zhou Ming's pager went off. He took it out and saw it was a message from Du Peng.

Zhou Ming picked up the phone on his desk and called Du Peng. The call was quickly answered. "I should be back in Yanjing in a few days. I remember you wanted to contact a CCTV official, right?" Du Peng said.

"Yes, you know the situation with my factory. I want to do some advertising on CCTV to increase our visibility. Can you help me get in touch with the leaders at CCTV?" Zhou Ming asked.

"Not a problem. I have many acquaintances in the publicity department," Du Peng said.

"Great. Once you're in Yanjing, give me a call, and I'll come over immediately," Zhou Ming replied.

Du Peng agreed, and Zhou Ming then asked about the situation in Nanjiang. Du Peng said that things were going well there. The nightclubs were stable, and the stock market had settled down since new regulations were implemented. While the overall situation was still improving, there were fluctuations every day, unlike the previous explosive growth. Nanjiang's investors had come to understand the nature of the stock market better through financial news, and speculation had become more rational.

After hanging up, Su Han came over and asked, "Is there no problem contacting the CCTV leaders in Yanjing?"

Zhou Ming nodded and said, "There shouldn't be any problem. Du Peng's father is Du Zhongyuan, the next president!"

The President is the nominal highest leader of the country, someone everyone looks up to. While seeing such a person on TV or in the newspapers might be common, hearing about someone's family member becoming a national leader was quite surprising. Su Han was no exception. Hearing Zhou Ming's words, she gasped, "The President? Is that really true?"

"Of course. It's just that it will be for the next term," Zhou Ming said confidently. In Zhou Ming's memory, Du Peng's grandfather became the President this year in his past life.

"Let's not talk about that. By the way, Xiao Han, how is the relocation of the canning factory going?" Zhou Ming asked.

Su Han replied, "I came to update you on this. The relocation of the canning factory has been completed. All the production equipment was moved yesterday, and today, according to your request, I have also transferred the original employees of the canning factory."

"All of them?" Zhou Ming asked.

Su Han shook her head. "Not all of them. I only transferred the equipment operators. The other workers were given some money and dismissed."

Su Han looked a bit uneasy. "Zhou Ming, is what I did not very good?"

Zhou Ming cupped Su Han's face and looked into her eyes. "No, I think what you did is the best!"

Zhou Ming said this not just to comfort Su Han but because he truly believed it was the right thing to do. The reason was simple: Factory 760 did not need that many people.

The situation at the Xiling Canning Factory was indeed dire, but that wasn't Zhou Ming's or Su Han's fault. Now that Zhou Ming could buy the equipment from the canning factory, arrange for these workers who had been poor for years, and help the factory with overdue wages, it could be said they had done their utmost. If they were to keep all the workers, it wouldn't be kindness but rather a problem of poor judgment.

Seeing the time, Zhou Ming said, "It's time for the canning factory workers to be having their meal. Let's go and check on them."

Su Han agreed, so Zhou Ming and Su Han left the office and went to the workers' canteen.

At the canteen, Zhou Ming saw from a distance that a cadre from the logistics department was leading the canning factory workers, who were holding the factory-issued lunch boxes and lining up to get their food. A few workers who had already received their meals were sitting down and eating.

As Zhou Ming and Su Han approached, they greeted Wang Chen, the canning factory director, who was maintaining order. Before they could say much, Wang Chen suddenly knelt down, kowtowing and saying, "Thank you so much, Boss Zhou and Manager Su. We will never forget the great kindness and grace you've shown to all the workers at Xiling Canning Factory!"

What was going on?

Zhou Ming and Su Han were taken aback. Before they could react, the workers who had been lining up for food also knelt down in front of them, kowtowing and saying, "Thank you, Boss Zhou and Manager Su!"

"Director Wang, what are you doing? Get up. If you have anything to say, let's talk about it after standing up!" Zhou Ming and Su Han said, approaching to help Wang Chen up. But Wang Chen refused to stand. He looked up at Zhou Ming and said, "Boss Zhou, I don't know how else to thank you! You don't know, since we met you, all 100 workers at Xiling Canning Factory have, for the first time in five years, felt hope for life!"

Wang Chen's eyes were filled with tears. "Boss Zhou, we were truly abandoned by both heaven and earth. We couldn't even get a full meal for three days. We could only rely on working in the production team to fill our stomachs. We weren't living; we were just waiting for death to come! Only after you came did we have a full meal for the first time and a glimmer of hope! I also heard that you caused a stir at the county government for us. If you don't let us show our gratitude, it will be even harder for us to bear!"

Wang Chen's words shocked Zhou Ming.

Looking at the workers kneeling in front of him, Zhou Ming could clearly see the hope in their eyes. Compared to when he first met them, they had significantly more vitality. If they had seemed like walking corpses before, now they were truly alive, their eyes full of life.

It was clear what they were thinking. They had lived through such harsh times, doing the hardest work in the production team and only getting a bowl of insufficient porridge. Even dying there was no one's concern. But now, Zhou Ming had given them money, allowed them to eat their fill, and provided them with jobs. To them, it was almost like being given a new lease on life.

Zhou Ming was deeply moved.

To be honest, Zhou Ming had only wanted to quietly make money and be a low-key capitalist, not harming anyone but also not thinking of himself as particularly noble. Saving the world was for heroes like Ultraman, not for him. Introducing the canning factory was just a business necessity, and helping these workers was out of a sense of duty. He hadn't expected that for them, it was like being lifted from hell into heaven.

As for causing a ruckus at the county government, it was probably just an exaggeration of their gratitude.

Thinking about this, Zhou Ming took a deep breath and said after a while, "I understand everyone's feelings, and I know what kind of life you had before. But that's no longer the case. Now it's mealtime, and food is crucial for survival. So, I hope you all stand up immediately, and let's have a meal together, okay?"

Seeing everyone looking at each other, Zhou Ming continued, "Now that you are at Factory 760, it means you are employees of Factory 760. And since you know I am the boss, if you really want to show your gratitude, then please eat well and work harder in the future. Is that alright?"

Then Zhou Ming looked at Wang Chen and said, "Director Wang, you are the former leader of the canning factory. Say a few words too. Do you really want everyone to keep kneeling here?"

Only then did Wang Chen wipe

 away his tears and stand up. He turned to the other workers and said, "Comrades, Boss Zhou is right. We are workers, and the best way to thank Boss Zhou is to work hard and produce better products. So now… let's all get up and have a meal!"

Hearing Wang Chen's words, all the canning factory workers stood up from the ground, tears in their eyes, and lined up to get their food.

This scene made Su Han cry uncontrollably. She said to Zhou Ming, "Zhou Ming, you are truly their great benefactor and hero!"