Chapter 61: Chen Dazhu Sneaks into the Machinery Factory! An Encounter with Li Junsheng?

Ma Yulian returned home to find the house empty. Li Junsheng and Li Xiaoyu were across the hall, taking care of Li Chun-ya, and the rich aroma of chicken soup drifted from their apartment. In contrast, Ma Yulian’s side was cold and deserted; no one cared whether she was hungry or not.

This infuriated Ma Yulian, who stood at her doorway, cursing with veiled insults.

As evening approached, Chen Dazhu, unwilling to lose face in front of Ma Weidong, made a point of meeting his son, Chen Zhiyuan, outside the factory after work.

“Dad, why are you still hung up on that scrap metal?” Chen Zhiyuan sounded impatient, clearly reluctant to be drawn into his father’s schemes.

Chen Dazhu replied only, “We’ve taken their favor; we have to do the job. If this works out, there’ll be plenty more benefits down the line. Don’t worry about the rest—just help me get into the factory, and I’ll handle the rest.”

“How am I supposed to sneak you in? The old man at the gate is strict,” Chen Zhiyuan protested.

The machinery factory wasn’t like the textile mill; it was a prime target for thieves. Anyone who managed to steal some iron or copper could make a handsome profit.

But Chen Dazhu had already eyed a method for getting inside. “I noticed there’s someone taking out the trash at this hour. Why don’t you go in and help him push the bin? I’ll hide inside and get in that way.”

“That’s disgusting,” Chen Zhiyuan complained, clearly repulsed. Yet Chen Dazhu, face dark, wasn’t one to balk at climbing into a trash bin—he’d do it himself if needed.

His son, on the other hand, hesitated at even pushing the bin. “Don’t you want more money than you could ever spend? If you do, just do as I say!” At the mention of money, Chen Zhiyuan’s spirits revived.

He went to find the old man responsible for the trash, and sure enough, saw him struggling to push the bin out. Chen Zhiyuan offered to help, feigning kindness.

He pushed the bin through the factory gate to empty it, only to have the gatekeeper check it thoroughly to make sure nothing was hidden inside. Only then was he allowed out.

Through this ruse, Chen Dazhu successfully slipped into the machinery factory.

Once inside, his aim was clear: he headed straight for Old Zhao, who guarded the warehouse.

Feigning camaraderie, Chen Dazhu approached as if he were an old worker. “Brother Zhao, care for a good cigarette? Must be boring, keeping watch here all day without anyone to talk to.”

Old Zhao’s face remained impassive; he wasn’t swayed by Chen Dazhu’s attempts to ingratiate himself.

“This is a restricted area. No smoking or drinking here. Do you want me to get fired?” Old Zhao’s stern words froze the ingratiating smile on Chen Dazhu’s face. He hadn’t expected so many rules just for guarding a warehouse.

“My apologies, I forgot.” Chen Dazhu was quick-witted. Seeing that cigarettes and liquor wouldn’t win Old Zhao over, he looked for other ways to curry favor. He noticed the teacup by Old Zhao’s hand was nearly empty and promptly fetched water for him. He also sent Chen Zhiyuan to buy a packet of good tea.

Snacks and sunflower seeds followed, but most importantly, he bought a whole roast chicken.

Though Chen Zhiyuan was less than enthusiastic, the promise of money kept him obedient. He bought everything as instructed.

Chen Dazhu pushed the roast chicken and snacks directly in front of Old Zhao. “Brother Zhao, it’s almost dinner time and you still have to watch the warehouse. That’s tough. Here, I bought you some food—don’t be shy, help yourself.”

He tore off a drumstick and pressed it into Old Zhao’s hand, who regarded him with a mixture of surprise and amusement. This man was certainly willing to spend.

Well, as the saying goes, one’s mouth is softened by others’ food, and one’s hands are tied by their gifts.

Old Zhao took a couple of hearty bites, his mouth filled with savory meat, and his attitude toward Chen Dazhu softened considerably.

“Alright, I can see you’re earnest, so let’s speak plainly. What exactly do you want from me? Tell me, and I’ll see if I can help. If I can’t, don’t hold it against me.”

At these words, Chen Dazhu was overjoyed. He continued to serve tea and ply him with food, delighted that he’d finally gotten the man talking.

“Brother, it’s nothing much. I just wanted to ask how the scrap materials in our factory are handled.”

“I have a relative who runs a recycling station. He heard about the factory’s scrap and wants to cooperate on recycling. Who should I talk to about this?”

At this, Old Zhao gave a half-smile. “Your relative is shrewd. The stuff left over here is called scrap, but it’s actually quite valuable! That’s why I’m here watching it so closely. If your relative wants to buy that scrap, he’ll have to talk to Chief Zhou from the Equipment Department. He’s in charge and has the authority to allocate those materials.”

“At best, I can point you in the right direction. Also… I can tell you’re not a worker here. Otherwise, you’d know who Chief Zhou is. How did you get in?”

But Chen Dazhu was focused only on seeking out Chief Zhou and brushed off the question. “My son works here. I just happened to catch a break thanks to him.”

Old Zhao nodded meaningfully. So that’s how he managed to get in—some workers breaking the rules.

Chen Dazhu didn’t notice the suspicious look in Old Zhao’s eyes. He was too busy celebrating the lead he’d just obtained. After bidding farewell to Old Zhao, he pulled Chen Zhiyuan aside to discuss their next move.

“Have you met Chief Zhou from the Equipment Department? We just need to find him. If that fails, arrange a meeting for me—I’ll talk to him about buying the scrap myself.”

Chen Zhiyuan curled his lip. “I’ve seen him—he’s pretty arrogant for a small-time chief. I don’t know what there is to be so proud of…”

As Chen Zhiyuan grumbled, father and son suddenly saw several large trucks pull up at the gate.

Chen Dazhu was surprised. “No wonder this place is a machinery factory—such a spectacle. All these big trucks must be delivering something.”

Chen Zhiyuan, also witnessing this scene for the first time, agreed. “It must be. I’ve never seen so many big trucks before. Just one of those is worth a fortune!”

“When will our family be able to afford a car? All the factory leaders come and go in their own cars—it’s impressive.”

“We’ll have one sooner or later. I should go before the gatekeeper notices me!” Chen Dazhu was about to leave when a familiar voice caught his ear.

“Brother Gatekeeper, open up—we’re here to pick up a shipment!”

Chen Dazhu froze, baffled. Wasn’t that Li Junsheng’s voice?

He looked back and, sure enough, saw Li Junsheng at the factory gate, offering a cigarette to the gatekeeper, trying to get in.

Chen Dazhu rubbed his eyes to make sure he wasn’t mistaken—it was indeed Li Junsheng.

Chen Zhiyuan was equally puzzled. “Dad, what’s Li Junsheng doing here?”

Chen Dazhu shook his head. “I don’t know. Has he become a driver? Still… now that he’s handed his job to you, even the gatekeeper doesn’t recognize him. Otherwise, he wouldn’t need to ingratiate himself with cigarettes.”

Chen Zhiyuan was quite pleased by this, and the two of them settled in at the sidelines, convinced that Li Junsheng wouldn’t be able to get in, eager to watch the show unfold.