Chapter 8 The underground business of state-owned enterprises

  The old "Audi" drove out of the city and started shaking violently. The road surface was uneven, and the wheels bounced up and down. There were loud noises both inside and outside the car.

  As we entered the city, the hustle and bustle of the urban area gradually subsided. One by one, the rustic yet modern inns, wine houses, and shops flashed by, their gaudy facades a testament to the wealthy farmers' pursuit of urban chic. The ornate signboards and wind-blown banners hung side by side, set against the backdrop of fiery red doors. In front of the stores, shiny sedans and large water vats were arranged in rows, showcasing the juxtaposition of modernity and tradition, avant-garde and simplicity. The young women on the roadside, dressed in red tops and green pants, with bright lips and teeth, enthusiastically smiled and beckoned passersby to come and do business. However, upon closer inspection, their plump figures and listless demeanor, lounging lazily on stools, would evoke memories of rural housewives, leaving one feeling rather uncomfortable.

  "This countryside, no matter how rich people are, they're still rustic landlords... rustic landlords..." The secretary-general commented on the scenery along the way and yawned tiredly.

  "Don't look down on local tyrants. They can open a shop by the road and make enough for you to live on for a lifetime." Driver Xiao Zhang glanced at Secretary Long.

  "I'm not sleepy." The secretary-general finished yawning and turned to ask the mayor, "Mayor Yu, this mining machinery factory is the last one you've researched, right?"

  "What's wrong, tired of fighting?"

  "Ah, ah," the secretary-general hastily put on a spirited appearance, "These days following you around, I've really learned a lot of things!"

  "Director Yu, you don't know, this old secretary has been craving for a drink." The driver and the secretary general always had endless fun, "Let's let him have a good drink today!"

  "Shut up, kid! Just drive your car properly! Even if it's drinking, you're not even qualified."

  The secretary-general followed the new mayor to inspect the city for a month, and his butt was almost shattered. He really envied those deputy mayors who were railway police officers, each in charge of a section. When the mayor came to their territory for investigation, they could just accompany him for a few days. But he couldn't, as a comprehensive person, he had to follow from start to finish.

  Were it not for those startling questions and the new mayor's refreshingly unconventional approach to governance, his body and mind would have given out long ago.

  A row of workshops weathered and worn, desolate and dilapidated. In front of the office building, two huge stone pillars over 10 meters high still stand on both sides of the worn stone steps, showing the grandeur and splendor of that year. Entering the factory yard, it is full of snow everywhere. On the surrounding ice and snow covered broken walls, a large block of words filled with high-pitched and stirring emotions can be seen faintly.

  "Director Yu, welcome!" The voice of Jin, the director of the mining machinery factory, was a bit hoarse, and with his dry physique and black cotton clothes, he didn't look like the director of a state-owned enterprise, but rather like the chairman of a rural poor association after liberation.

  The three deputy factory directors and the three general managers behind him shook hands with Mayor Yu one by one, exchanging pleasantries.

  "Director Yu, shall we go to the office first?" Behind the car, Vice Mayor Tie Yu, who was in charge of industry, came down and took on a half-master attitude.

  "Let's take a walk around the factory area first!"

  "Heh, there's nothing to see." Tiyu shrugged her shoulders. "Production stopped several years ago. Except for the security guards, hardly anyone comes to work. Let's just go into the office!"

  "If that's the case, we might as well not come and just listen to their reports in the government building." Mayor Yu humorously vetoed his idea and led the way towards the factory district.

  "Since Mayor Yu wants to see it, then let's take a look."

  At this time, the keen-eyed Secretary General noticed that Director Jin and his colleagues exchanged a swift and secretive glance.

  Two?

  Is this the once-famous Jiyuan Mining Machinery Factory?

  The Baili Factory area, desolate and still. The machines have stopped their thunderous work. Row upon row of tall factory buildings stand like solemnly standing graveyards in the cold northern sky, bleak and sorrowful. Large mechanical processing equipment is wrapped in thick wax paper, with a large "seal" character written on the outside packaging cloth. The workshop that was once bustling with activity is now icy cold and devoid of vitality. The massive air hammer lies powerless on the ground, like a fallen giant, silently expressing its loss and sorrow.

  "Mayor, don't look anymore, go back to the house!" Tiyu and Jin Changzhang stared at my back, seemingly unwilling for this desolate scene to enter my eyes too much, repeatedly advising me to go to the office.

  "Let's go." I persisted, my eyes fixed on the brilliance of the sun shining on piles of scrap metal; against the snowy backdrop, that dazzling flash was indeed a bit dazzling.

  "Is it a welding workshop ahead?" My intuition tells me.

  "Director Yu, you, have you been to our factory before?" Director Jin asked in surprise.

  Of course, I have been here before.

  More than a decade ago, I graduated from Jiyuan University. My graduation project was done here. At that time, I was pure and innocent, dreaming every day that after graduation, I could stay in Jiyuan, become an urban resident, and start a new life with my fellow villager girlfriend, leaving the countryside behind.

  Yes, this is the largest workshop - the welding workshop. That row of automatic argon arc welding machines, lined up like soldiers, was so mighty back then! The cables they spat out were like vines, covering the entire workshop floor. When the power was turned on, each cable head would burst into a brilliant welding spark. The sparks flashed and flickered, illuminating the entire workshop.

  Arrived, No. 5 machine. It was exactly where I interned back then.

  It was a hot day in May, and people in the workshop had already taken off their outer clothes. I put on my thick work uniform made of labor cloth, picked up the welding tongs, and heavily struck the welding rod against the metal welding piece that came down from the overhead crane. "Zzzt..." The electric welding machine started, and the electrode at the tip of the welding rod merged with the welding seam, emitting a scorching temperature and dazzling light. In the "sizzling" song of the electric current, one by one, the welding rods were burned, melted, and the molten metal flowed gently down to the junction of the two metal pieces, finally joining them tightly together. Suddenly, "ding ding ding", a pleasant bell rang out, and the overhead crane came over. My female classmate, Hua Meirong, who had come to the factory for an internship with me, poked her head out of the small window of the crane, looked down at me, and showed a sweet smile. When she saw that the quality inspector, Master Shi, had inspected my welding piece and nodded in satisfaction, she waved at me from above, as if giving me a reward.

  There, I was completely enchanted by the fiery life in the factory and workshop. Every time a qualified workpiece I welded was taken away by the overhead crane, a warm current of happiness surged through my body: I had become a real man. I could use my own hands to contribute something to society, to the factory, and to my future wife.

  Time has changed, and the past is no longer the same. The fiery life of those years has become a beautiful memory. Now, the welding machines are covered in thick dust, with rust spots all over them. Bundles of welding wires are tied together, discarded in the corner, accompanied by layers of spider webs.

  Alas! A modernized mechanical processing enterprise, how can it collapse just like that?

  It is said that the revival of this factory in Jixian City was a brain-twister. Two years ago, during the popular "bankruptcy" craze, the clever people of Jixian were the first to let the factory apply for bankruptcy, and instantly shed several hundred million yuan in debt. However, the mining machinery factory, which had been lightly armed, did not reappear in glory as people had expected, but instead never recovered from then on.

  "Director Yu, it's cold outside, let's stop here!" Tiejue and Jin Changzhang kept reminding me.

  But my footsteps, however difficult it is, cannot stop.

  My heart is burning with passion.

  I don't believe that this mechanical giant of the past would really fall like this. Those top-notch technical talents in the domestic electromechanical industry, those skilled frontline workers, how many first-class products have they produced that were praised by customers at home and abroad?

  In my dazed memory, the large mechanical equipment with "MADE IN CHINA" on the dock again appeared in front of me. In a foreign land, I have seen more than once, not just in one country, the simultaneous marking of "CHINA SHENYANG MINING MACHINERY MANUFACTURING CO., LTD." in both Chinese and foreign languages, at that time, how excited my heart was!

  In my devout thoughts, with a thread of hope still lingering in my yearning, my footsteps keep moving forward, forward... all the way.

  In this deathly silence, even if I can find a bit of vitality, it's worth the trip.

  Three?

  Far, far away, like the first thunderclap of spring, like a gentle breeze on a cool summer day, in the midst of desolate stillness, a series of loud crashes suddenly shook the vast factory yard.

  Boom! Boom! Boom! A massive object is crashing into the Earth.

  This sound is like a solemn melody, striking people's hearts and stirring their souls.

  "What's going on?" Mayor Yu's spirit was shaken for a moment.

  "Go take a look!"

  "Mayor Yu, this..."?

  Pushing aside the thick cotton curtain, a wave of heat suddenly rushed over.

  Ah, this is exactly the sweltering heat in front of the forge that he was familiar with.

  The air was filled with the smell of sweat and mildew, the ironworkers were so hot that their shirts were stuck to their backs, and fine beads of sweat appeared on their foreheads.

  A giant iron disc-shaped model is being forged, which is undoubtedly the base of some large-scale equipment.

  Looking further ahead, a captivating scene left people stunned.

  A spacious assembly line terminal, a giant oil sampler is rotating at a uniform speed. It goes up and down, under the weak power traction, * with exquisite design, each part moves freely.

  "Kowtowing machine!" Mayor Yu suddenly shouted out loud.

  He walked over with big strides, admiring the ingenious combination of rods on one hand, and glancing at the operation records made by the two workers out of the corner of his eye.

  He understood it clearly.

  This is a trial of a newly designed oil extraction equipment.

  "Oh, Mayor Yu, the workers are so bored that they're secretly driving around for fun!"

  "Hmm, have fun then. All chapters are handwritten, please go to house.xs555."

  "Director Yu, look, it's almost noon," said Director Jin, glancing at his watch. "We haven't made our report yet."

  "This is the best report." Mayor Yu ignored his anxiety and took a step forward, carefully searching around.

  Suddenly, from a half-concealed small door crack, he vaguely discovered two wheel tracks, oh, is this an exit? Following the tracks further, he saw a narrow concrete path stretching towards a small gray building in the depths of the factory yard.

  "Xiao Zhang, bring the car over!" Mayor Yu suddenly shouted loudly.

  The car sped away along that small road.

  "Director Yu, that's another company renting our factory!" Director Jin shouted loudly from behind the car.

  However, it was too late. Their mayor was quick and agile, and he took a step ahead and stepped into the small grey building's door.

  Compared to the dilapidated exterior of the factory building, this small grey building is a different world, a true utopia. Upon entering the building, a spacious and bright hall unfolds before one's eyes. The ceiling is arched and transparent, allowing warm sunlight to pour in, making the interior feel like spring. In the center of the hall is a well-manicured lawn, with rows of sprinklers watering the tender green grass, emitting an atmosphere reminiscent of rain.

  All right! People gazed in amazement at this enchanting fairyland, breathing in the fragrant air in big gulps.

  He walked in, and the young lady stood up politely to greet him: "Sir, welcome. Our company sells modern CNC machine tools, newly designed energy-saving boilers, oil extraction equipment that represents advanced trends, and also JY08 excavators that have occupied domestic and foreign markets."

  "Thank you, please show us your samples." At this time, Mayor Yu became a buyer.

  "Alright, sir, look!"

  The young lady pressed the button, and the curtains on the wall quickly opened. One after another enlarged slides introducing new products were projected onto the screen, stunning everyone.

  Here, Mayor Yu saw again those eight big characters that made him excited:

  "China Jincheng Mining Machinery Manufacturing".

  "Lao Jin, what play are you acting out?" At this moment, Tie Yu was already stunned.

  Like a stranger's intrusion, he suddenly discovered an absolutely unshowable secret that had been kept in his heart for a long time. The city's deep gold factory director constantly wiped the sweat seeping from his forehead, and a cold disappointment appeared on his face.

  It's all over!

  "Old Jin, today I won't be polite." Mayor Yu joked and pointed to the upstairs with a wave of his hand.

  "Alright, Mayor Yu, you're indeed a sharp-eyed one. Well, I'll be bold today and lay everything out on the table. Come on, let's go upstairs!"

  That trembling voice was surging, sounding a bit tragic.

  The entrance on the second floor had no signs. Mayor Yu led people to push open the door, and a pale blue light made everyone's eyes shine. Server room! Computer server room! The mayor's eyes lit up, seeing that in small compartments separated by PVC boards, staff held mice, staring at the screens of color monitors, operating nervously.

  A whole row of American Dell brand computers! Mayor Yu was amazed in his heart.

  Looking at the content on the screen again, he was even more surprised. What was being implemented here was the most advanced computer-aided design - a complete CAD engineering system.

  "Base, connecting rod, oil wheel, arm shaft..." He stared at the colorful interface, muttering to himself as he sat down beside a young man.

  "Little Liu, the mayor has arrived. Get up quickly and report to the mayor..." Manager Jin reminded his subordinate.

  "Ah, Mayor?!" Little Liu's mind was still stuck in the depths of brain development, and he suddenly heard the director's shout, startling him.

  "Hey, kiddo, take a seat!" Mayor Yu smiled slightly and sat down with a plop, casually reaching for the mouse to start scrolling through the desktop. "Is your stuff confidential?"

  "On the land of Luoyang, everyone is a minister of the king. To the mayor, we have no secrets to keep." The young man said with humor.

  "Hehe, and you said there's no secret to keep." Mayor Yu took over the conversation, "Today, I almost let Mr. Jin fool me!" With a few clicks of the mouse, Mayor Yu exited the current program on his computer, then opened the internet, chose a familiar browser, and typed in a query. One by one, URLs appeared:

  Hilltop USA

  Guelph University in Canada

  Germany EGCC company

  These world-renowned design engineering brand companies and research institutions are being visited one by one by the mayor of Jiyuan City, China.

  What technology are you using?

  "It depends on the user's requirements - some users require us to use German technology, while most users prefer to use American A&E specifications."

  "Then our 'national standard' needs to be converted?"

  "Yes."

  Is it troublesome?

  "It's very troublesome. But for a computer, it's not difficult."

  "Mayor, it seems you're a computer expert. You're also skilled online!"

  "We're the same, both internet worms."

  The mouse clicked and entered the "email". In the "inbox", a stack of emails appeared. Among them, one email title showed the English words "Booking 200 sets of loading and unloading sleeves".

  "Are you, as the designer, also in charge of sales?"

  "Our factory director said that technology and market are inseparable."

  What, really, is this real? Mayor Yu was about to speak again when his throat suddenly choked up. In the "inbox", he saw batches of orders.

  It's really getting a bit unbearable: those letters one after another in different scripts urging him to deliver the goods made his eyes burn.

  This factory, which has publicly announced its closure and suspension of production, how dare it accept so many orders?

  Excavators, catalytic cracking furnaces, and energy-saving oil extractors - one order is for over a dozen units, with each unit costing over 10 million yuan. This bankrupt enterprise doesn't even have smoke coming out of it, its material warehouse is empty with nothing to store; its finished product warehouse has been empty for a long time with no goods to deliver. What kind of method did they use to guarantee the production and delivery of so many products on schedule?

  This dilapidated factory, which appears to be in a state of disrepair on the surface, is actually conducting massive transactions worth tens of billions behind the scenes.

  What about them??

  Unless it is...?

  His hands suddenly stopped operating, and his eyes stared blankly at the screen.

  Yu Mayor, shall we move forward a bit more?" Ti Yu reminded him.

  "Wow, okay!" Mayor Yu hastily stood up and shook hands with the young man to bid farewell.

  As he walked, he leaned quietly into the young man's ear and asked in a low voice: "How much do you earn in a month?"

  "Salary 300 yuan, bonus, prize money... 10,000!"

  "Oh?" Mayor Yu was taken aback at first, then burst out laughing.

  At this point, he fully grasped the overall strength of the mining machinery factory.

  On this piece of land in Jixian, he discovered an underground treasure basin.

  Four

  The room is not big, the house is monotonous and empty, people come in, the electric wire hanging from the ceiling sways back and forth, and the light also shakes uncertainly.

  This is Jin Changzhang's humble office. When his superiors come to visit, he receives them here.

  "Director Jin, if customers come, I think you won't bring them here." Mayor Yu started scolding Director Jin as soon as he entered the room.

  Mr. Jin's eyes were gloomy, and he opened his mouth, but nothing came out.

  "You should hang a scroll with 'The Inscription of a Humble Abode' on the wall, which would match your intention!"

  Mr. Jin sat there, still silent.

  A pair of eyes stared straight out the window, a face full of helplessness...

  Under the winter sun, a faint ray of light outlines the distant contours of the factory.

  The matter had been exposed, and a sense of despair filled his entire body. His mind was racing, thinking of what else he could do to make amends.

  "Come on, boss," said Mayor Yu, lighting a cigarette and taking a long drag, "are you going to confess voluntarily or do I have to expose your old tricks?"

  The house is quiet and still, with a heavy and oppressive atmosphere.

  Mr. Jin puffed out smoke rings, completely gone was the courtesy and humility of just a moment before. He stared intently at this young mayor who had suddenly appeared, as if he were staring down an opponent across the negotiating table.

  "Old Jin, you really are something, secretly doing such a big thing..." Deputy Mayor Tie Yu was half surprised and half regretful, shaking his head and talking non-stop.

  "Director Yu." The silent Jin boss finally spoke up. He didn't care what Tie Yu had said, at this moment, the vice mayor was as if he wasn't in front of him. His eyes were only fixed on the new city mayor, "If I'm not mistaken, you used to be the CEO of a large military-industrial enterprise, and later went to Europe to study for an MBA... hmm, this morning's scene, others may not understand, but you will."

  The mayor of Yucheng nodded without comment.

  "I'd like to request that Mayor Yu, today's matter, it's best not to mention it to others. Ah, just pretend you didn't see anything. Alright?"

  Why?

  "If this news gets out, the factory will be finished."

  "What did you say?"

  "For what reason... I don't want to say more..."

  "Lao Jin, you're too arrogant! Do you still have the government in your eyes?" Tie Yu was furious when he saw Lao Jin's attitude. In the business circle of Ji Yuan, no factory director or manager had ever looked down on him like this before.

  "Deputy Mayor, don't misunderstand. It's not that I look down on your government. But it's some of the things you've done that make us look down on you." He then turned to the chief accountant beside him and waved his hand, "Zhang, bring over those accounts of extortion by government departments, let the mayor take a look."

  What kind of account is this?

  Public Security Bureau Traffic Fines 23 Million Yuan

  The Administration for Market Regulation imposed a fine of 25 million yuan on it.

  The agency has allocated 18 million yuan for vehicle sponsorship.

  The relevant department held a meeting and spent 33 million yuan.

  Expenditure on newspapers and magazines: 5.02 million yuan

  The city's Spring Festival Gala sponsored 4.2 million yuan;

  Government leaders went abroad for inspection and reimbursed 5.6 million yuan in this factory.

  ……?

  "Mayor Yu, what's listed on this bill is all clear; but there are some things that can't be seen that have caused us even greater losses."

  "Mayor Yu, the enterprises in Jizhou have been driven to such a desperate situation by your government!"

  Alas, upon seeing the bill, Mayor Pansy couldn't help but let out a sigh.

  This is probably also a Chinese characteristic. Government agencies treat "their own" enterprises, taking what they want and asking for what they need. After the consumer boom rose, the poor finances could no longer afford the growing public consumption. Some powerful departments stretched out their hands to enterprises. After going bankrupt, the mining machinery factory underwent "restructuring" in name only, but the property rights remained unclear. Especially its legal representative was still Old Jin, an official appointed by the government. In people's impression, the mining machinery factory was still a state-owned enterprise of the past. To complete the fee collection target, to complete the fine task, and even to improve departmental welfare benefits, those "big inspections", "quota competitions", and "sponsorships" came to harass you every day. The more they were tossed around, the more enterprises lost their vitality, affecting economic efficiency, and tax revenue decreased year by year. However, in order to complete the tax collection task, the government had to dig up new sources of taxation, and the final result was that enterprises stopped production. This vicious cycle repeated itself, causing enterprises to be dragged down, and the government's image was also damaged.

  For this kind of thing, the municipal government has repeatedly demanded prohibition. However, if you set up a temple, you have to support the monks, buy them clothes and alms bowls, let them beg for food and eat. Especially now that there are many high-ranking leaders, once they take office, they must be equipped with cars, given treatment, and allowed to hold meetings, issue documents, approve projects, and engage in activities, all of which cost money. If the government doesn't give them money, who will they find to ask for it?

  "Mayor Yu, I'm asking you again: keep your mouth shut!"

  "You know I won't agree."

  "You can make conditions."

  "What conditions? Humph! All laid-off workers are employed; pay two hundred million in taxes every year. Do you dare to promise?"

  "This is no problem." Mr. Jin's attitude was exceptionally pleasant.

  "But then, his tone suddenly changed, 'Mayor, my specific conditions... you may not dare to agree.'"

  "Say."

  "It's very simple. That is, on the day when my factory officially opens, I will hang a big sign at the gate of the factory. On it will be written: Government officials are prohibited from entering!"

  What! The souls of the dead were all astonished and stuck out their tongues.

  "Of course, you, Mayor Yu, Vice Mayor Tie, and Secretary-General, are an exception."

  "Haha......" Mayor Yu heard this and laughed happily, "Old Jin, I'm hungry. Let's go eat."

  "Alright!" Old Jin immediately shouted to the deputy factory director behind him, "Go to the Miner's Tavern!"

  "Mine Mountain Wine House? The grade is too low." Mayor Yu waved his hand generously, "Let's go to 'Flower World', today at noon, I'll treat our taxpayers. Mr. Jin, please give me some face!"

  Boss Jin was taken aback at first, then reacted and clapped his two big hands together, "Alright, today we'll turn the tables! Let's take a bite out of the government!"

  Haha... The crowd burst into hearty laughter, shaking the small house.