Chapter 91: Gathering Storm Clouds

Shen Guodong had not expected it! This young man, quite inadvertently, revealed to him a crucial piece of information. With this in hand, he could draw inferences, showcase his own strengths, and expose the other’s weaknesses. When the time came, he would be able to make full use of these, and perhaps he was not as without opportunity as he had feared.

Shen Nanfeng remained quite confident. In that instant, a subtle look of amusement appeared on his face…

They arrived at the office.

A middle-aged man’s voice called out.

The two of them pushed open the door and entered.

As for the young man, he tactfully took his leave.

The middle-aged man had a square face and wore a blue shirt—a color very much in vogue in this era, as were blue and gray.

This was none other than Wang Dayou, who had once worked at the First Lathe Factory.

He had once served as deputy director.

Wang Chenliang was his subordinate. If Wang Dayou had not left, the contest for the position of factory director would never have been between Director Xu and Wang Chenliang.

“You’re from the First Lathe Factory, aren’t you?” Wang Dayou glanced at the pair. Though he was momentarily struck by Zhou Meiniang’s beauty, he quickly composed himself, showing little interest. It was clear he was a man of principle.

“Yes, Director Wang, I’ve heard of your reputation. You were an excellent factory director who came from our own ranks. If you were still with us, I’m sure our factory would be the best in Fengcheng by now!”

Shen Guodong offered a round of flattery.

Though Wang Dayou could tell it was merely polite talk, people are always pleased by such words, true or false—there could be no doubt of that.

Upon hearing this, Wang Dayou replied, “No need for empty courtesies. Even if I were there, things might not necessarily be better than they are now. Let’s get down to business.”

This was merely a formality.

Wang Dayou was well aware of the current state of the factory. Wang Chenliang’s earlier letter had explained it all clearly: after the factory brought in the new production line, it had cost a great deal.

Yet the newly imported line was still inferior to that of the Third Factory.

In terms of strength and scale, they could not match the Fourth Factory either.

They were, at best, on par with the Second Factory.

Given all this, on what grounds could they expect Shencheng Steelworks to choose them as a partner? With no advantage in any area, could it really be just for some meager sense of sentimentality?

That would be a joke.

Now that he was a man of the Shencheng Steelworks, it was his duty to act in their best interests. The higher-ups would expect an explanation; such a casual decision, made without a convincing justification, simply would not suffice.

“Director Wang, we’ve come here today to discuss the Fengcheng branch’s order and whether it might be entrusted to our factory. You know we’ve recently imported a brand-new production line from abroad, and in terms of capacity and both the quality and quantity of products, we can certainly meet your requirements. Also, there’s another key reason: we’re in the process of applying for a special fund from higher up. If you agree to work with us, the funds will be allocated, and we’ll be able to set up a dedicated production line for your company in every aspect!”

Shen Guodong spoke earnestly.

“The special fund is still under application—whether it comes through or not isn’t exactly up to you,” Wang Dayou replied blandly. The reasoning was clear: even if the order were signed, there was no guarantee the funds would be approved. That was beyond their control.

This was Wang Dayou indeed!

To have come from a place like Fengcheng to a city as large as Shencheng, he was certainly no ordinary man.

Shen Guodong smiled. “Director Wang, you may rest assured on that point. You know the old factory director as well as I do—his character is well known to you. We can absolutely secure the special funds!”

“Very well, leave the documents with me. I’ll review them and discuss with the other officials. For now, please go and rest at the guesthouse we’ve arranged for you,” Wang Dayou said, making it clear it was time for them to leave.

This unexpected turn of formality caught Shen Guodong off guard. What was with this man? Was he really so unmoved by personal connections?

He was baffled.

Wang Dayou had not even shown the slightest interest in their proposal before politely turning them away!

What could be the reason?

This left him deeply perplexed, unable to understand.

But since they had already been dismissed, there was nothing more to be done…

Shen Guodong said, “Then, Director Wang, we’ll take our leave and let you look over the materials.”

They left the office.

Outside, Zhou Meiniang said, “Guodong, it seems Director Wang didn’t want to hear anything you had to say. Did we come all this way for nothing? He didn’t even let us finish the basic introductions. Do you really think he’ll choose us at the tender meeting?”

“I don’t know. Judging by how things look, our chances don’t seem high. But nothing is ever certain. I still believe there’s room for a turnaround somewhere.”

Shen Guodong felt utterly lost.

His trip to Shencheng had been met with a head-on blow—even before he could display his talents, he had been turned away.

If things continued like this, there would be no chance at all. But man proposes, and he still believed that with effort, he could succeed.

The scene just now had undoubtedly cast a shadow over him, as was only natural. He could only feel helpless in the face of it.

“What are we going to do? If we can’t secure this order, you’ll lose your bet with Yuan Junfeng. Not only will you owe him two thousand yuan, but you’ll have to resign as well. Didn’t you say your plan with Baldy also depends on your managing the factory’s projects? If it falls through, then Baldy…”

Zhou Meiniang voiced her worries.

A single misstep could have repercussions everywhere.

This was obvious enough: if things did not go smoothly, Shen Guodong’s future would be gravely affected.

That was inevitable. At that moment, nothing could adequately describe what he was feeling.

His mind was a haze. Everything he’d said and done before seemed to have been thrown into disarray.

He didn’t know where to begin, as if a knot had been tied in a rope by Director Wang, and as the one meant to untie it, he still had to find the right end to start with.

Right now, Shen Guodong was at a complete loss. He wore a look of bewilderment, unsure of what to do next.