Chapter 134: Scavenging or the Second Factory?

"Oh, I see. That works. I’ll pick up some groceries on my way home from work. How come you’re home all of a sudden? Is this the home phone?"

Shen Guodong nodded and replied, "Yes. You’ll understand when you get back. I’m heading back to the factory now; I still have some things to take care of."

Although Liu Yueru was quite puzzled as to why he had suddenly called, she nodded in agreement. "Don’t worry, go ahead and get your work done. Everything is fine on my end. I’ll go pick up some things right after I get off work."

Shen Guodong pushed the large wooden crate in his house further inside so it wouldn't obstruct the walkway, then hurried back to the factory.

In truth, given his current position, it wouldn't have mattered much if he hadn't returned, but he wanted to see how the construction was progressing.

The Baldy was currently dressed in a suit, clutching a briefcase, and supervising the construction site.

"Everyone, keep up the good work! We’ve secured the Shencheng project for the Fengcheng First Factory. What you’re building right now will become the most luxurious factory in all of Fengcheng."

The group of migrant workers naturally understood what the Fengcheng First Factory represented in the city. They had also heard that their boss had connections with the factory director and was offering very high wages—nearly one yuan a day. Such a lucrative gig made the workers eager to pick up the pace.

Of course, Shen Guodong was well aware of the risks; he hadn't promised the one-yuan daily wage right from the start, or they might have just slacked off. Instead, he had set the condition that the work must be completed within a month to earn that rate, emphasizing that quality and quantity must be maintained.

The Baldy, having worked in real estate for many years, knew that to build something quickly and with quality, you had to bring in more hands. Since this was the business of his "sugar daddy," he certainly couldn't afford to be perfunctory. He had been on-site personally these past few days to oversee the work. Seeing him there, Shen Guodong walked over to greet him.

Upon seeing Shen Guodong, the Baldy immediately exclaimed with surprise, "Oh, Factory Director, you’re here! Don’t worry, I’m watching this factory every single day; there definitely won’t be any issues."

Shen Guodong patted the Baldy on the shoulder, satisfied. "Good, I trust you. Get this done well, and there will be plenty of money in it for you. Keep up the hard work."

"Understood, don't worry about it. Brother Shen, would you like to grab a meal together tonight?"

Shen Guodong shook his head. "Forget it. I have some things to take care of tonight. You take the boys out to eat. Make sure everyone leaves on time; no overtime allowed. If I catch anyone working overtime, I’ll deduct their pay."

"Go back and get some rest so we can keep at it tomorrow morning. Even though our schedule is tight, we must prioritize quality and quantity, and you must take care of your health."

This statement was the greatest protection he could offer these workers. There had been news reports previously about factories pushing migrant workers to work through the night to meet deadlines. Even with high overtime pay, the workers would push themselves until they collapsed from heatstroke. Shen Guodong, however, insisted that health came first.

After checking the site, Shen Guodong headed over to Assembly Line 1, where everything had already been dismantled.

Old Wang was surprised to see him again. "Factory Director, is there something you didn't explain clearly?"

"Everything is mostly covered. I just came to see how Line 1 is being handled. The new machinery should be delivered tomorrow."

"Don't worry, our crew is fast. The folks from the Second Factory will be here soon, and we’ll just handle the handover ceremony then."

Shortly after, the team from the Second Factory arrived. Their leader was a middle-aged man with a protruding belly. As a workshop director, he felt it was beneath his dignity to take over discarded machinery from the First Factory, so he had intended to handle the pickup quietly. To his surprise, he found Shen Guodong there and immediately fawned over him. "Oh, isn't this Factory Director Shen? You're here!"

Shen Guodong looked confused. "And who are you?"

"I’m the assembly line director from the Second Factory, Wang Dafu. Don't you recognize me? We grew up in the same neighborhood as kids."

Shen Guodong was bewildered. "Is there such a person? I don't recall."

Wang Dafu pulled out a cigarette and offered it to Shen Guodong respectfully. "Factory Director Shen, you must be a busy man with a lot on your mind. I’m just here for the handover. This is Line 1 from the First Factory, right?"

Shen Guodong nodded. "That's right. Take a look."

Old Wang stood by, sighing with regret. "This has been with us for such a long time. What does the Second Factory plan to do with it?"

Wang Dafu nodded. "Well, we were short on a few parts. For our factory, this is a pretty decent way to boost production capacity."

Old Wang frowned immediately. "Weren't you saying before that even when our secretaries went to buy parts from you, you wouldn't sell them? How come you suddenly have them now?"

Wang Dafu shook his head. "Oh, that’s not it. We have to prioritize our own production capacity, right? We only sell what’s extra. We didn't have any to spare back then; we barely had enough for a few months."

Old Wang sighed again. "Fine, since it’s already dismantled, go ahead and haul it away."

Wang Dafu beamed. "That’s the spirit! Your First Factory is so impressive now. I hear you're switching to new American machines tomorrow; your output is going to skyrocket!"

Watching Wang Dafu’s sycophantic behavior, Shen Guodong found him incredibly oily. Every time he finished a sentence, Wang Dafu would sneak a glance at Shen Guodong.

The workers from the Second Factory dismantled the machine and loaded it onto their truck. As they worked, Wang Dafu approached Shen Guodong again. "Factory Director Shen, how about I host a dinner tonight? It’s not often we get to meet."

Shen Guodong shook his head. "No need. Business is business. Let’s just get this sorted out—how much was the final price again?"

Old Wang nodded. "Since this is an old machine but still operational—aside from the missing parts—we sold it to them for 100,000 yuan."

Wang Dafu quickly chimed in, "Exactly, exactly."

In truth, the Third Factory had also offered them an assembly line, but they chose the First Factory's because it had been better maintained.