ocean-life Chapter 18 Your voice is so loud, louder than the people's?
Chapter 18 Your voice is so loud, louder than the people's?
"Wang Xiufen! Do you not want to work here anymore?!"
Inside the workshop, a middle-aged man with a beer belly and a gold chain around his neck was pointing at a female worker with gray hair and cursing loudly.
His name is Cao Wang, and he is the owner of this small factory, or as he puts it, "the leading entrepreneur in the area."
In reality, he's just a nouveau riche who made a small fortune in the building materials business in his early years. A few years ago, he took over this half-dead machinery factory, specializing in taking low-end parts processing orders and making a profit by squeezing the workers' meager wages.
"This batch of goods is due to ship tomorrow, and you fucking gave me three defective products?"
Cao Wang picked up three parts and slammed them onto the worktable, sending up a shower of metal shavings.
"Are you blind or crippled? Huh?"
Wang Xiufen stood there, her body slightly hunched, her calloused hands nervously twisting together.
She's fifty-seven this year and has worked in this factory for almost ten years. She's quick and good at assembling parts and has never made a mistake.
But today, she was indeed distracted.
Because his son, Li Fulan, hadn't called home for three months.
Her son had previously said he was working for some special organization and that it was inconvenient to contact him. Although she said, "It's good that he's doing well," she couldn't hide her worry.
Last night I dreamt again about my son having a high fever when he was little. I've been restless all day today, and my hand trembled so much that I broke a few parts.
"Mr. Cao, I'm so sorry, it's my fault. I... I'll make up for it, you can deduct it from my salary..."
Wang Xiufen lowered her head, her voice trembling.
"Compensate? Can you afford to compensate?" Cao Wang took a step forward, spitting in her face. "This batch of goods is for a major client in the provincial capital. How am I supposed to explain if there's a problem? Is your monthly salary enough to cover the losses?"
"How about this, we'll deduct your entire salary for this month, and you'll work an extra week to cover the shortfall!"
Wang Xiufen's face turned pale instantly.
Will my entire salary be deducted this month?
The family is waiting for this money to buy medicine; Old Li has a bad back and needs to take medicine every month…
"I……"
"What do you mean, 'you'? You don't want to? Then get out!" Cao Wang stood with his hands on his hips, looking like he owned the place. "Who do you think you are? Can't this factory function without you?"
Just then, an old but firm voice rang out from the side.
"Don't bully me!"
Cao Wang turned his head and saw a dark-skinned, thin old man wearing drab gray work clothes walking over from the loading and unloading area.
Li Deming, Wang Xiufen's husband, is a loader at the factory.
"Old Li, mind your own business!" Cao Wang frowned.
"If I don't care about my wife's affairs, who will?" Li Deming walked to Wang Xiufen's side, shielding her behind him. "It's just three parts, is it really necessary to curse like this? She's worked in this factory for ten years, when has she ever made a mistake? One occasional mistake, and you treat her like this?"
"Ten years? So what if it's ten years?" Cao Wang sneered. "I paid her an extra ten years' worth of salary!"
"You..." Li Deming's face turned red with anger, "How can you be like this? We are all people, you can't do this—"
"people?"
Cao Wang laughed as if he had heard the biggest joke in the world.
"What are the people worth?"
He shoved Li Deming aside, pointed at the workers in the workshop who were too afraid to even breathe, and spoke in a voice so loud it sounded like he was announcing hope Yao's great declaration.
"In my factory, I'm the boss!"
"I can fire whoever I want, and I can deduct whose salary I want!"
"The people? Can the people pay your salary? Can the people pay your social security?"
"Here, I, Cao Wang, am the ruler!"
Li Deming was pushed and stumbled, almost falling. Wang Xiufen quickly helped him up.
Two elderly people with gray hair stood there in such a sorry state, while the workers around them all lowered their heads and did not dare to utter a sound.
Cao Wang stood with his hands on his hips, smugly enjoying the thrill of having "a word that carries immense weight."
Just then.
The workshop door was pushed open from the outside.
Sunlight streamed in, and against the backlight, a figure walked in unhurriedly.
Black training uniform, military boots, buzz cut, exuding a chilling aura.
Lin An.
"Your voice is so loud."
His tone was very calm, as if he were saying that the weather was nice today.
"Is it bigger than the people?"
Cao Wang was taken aback for a moment, then frowned and sized up the uninvited guest.
"Who are you? This is my factory, no unauthorized personnel allowed—"
Before he could finish speaking, his voice trailed off.
Because he saw the view outside the door.
It was pitch black.
It was full of people.
People wearing camouflage uniforms, helmets, and carrying guns.
Two military trucks blocked the factory gate, and soldiers jumped out of the trucks and quickly spread out, completely surrounding the factory area.
Although those dark gun muzzles weren't pointed directly at him, the oppressive feeling made his knees buckle, and he almost knelt down.
"You...you all..."
Cao Wang's voice trembled, and his arrogant and domineering face instantly turned pale, filled with fear.
"What do you want? I... I'm operating legally! I have a business license!"
Lin An ignored him.
He walked straight toward Li Deming and Wang Xiufen and stopped in front of the two elderly people.
Then, he did something that no one expected.
He bowed slightly, his tone becoming incredibly gentle and polite.
"Uncle Li, Aunt Wang, hello both of you."
"I am your son Li Fulan's colleague, my surname is Lin, and my name is Lin An."
"Li Fulan is very busy with work right now and it's inconvenient for him to come and pick you up in person, so he specifically asked me to invite you two to stay at his place for a while."
"The car is outside, it's ready."
"If you two have anything to pack, just say so. We're not in a hurry."
When he said "please," his voice was exceptionally clear.
Li Deming and Wang Xiufen looked at each other, momentarily speechless.
My son's colleague?
This is quite a spectacle... What kind of organization does his son work for?
Seeing that the two elderly people were a little confused, Lin An added, "Folan asked me to tell you two that he misses you very much. He will be staying for a while this time. His company offers benefits such as free medical check-ups and all-inclusive meals and accommodation."
Wang Xiufen's eyes immediately reddened.
After three months of silence, I finally received news from my son.
"well……"
She nodded repeatedly, her voice choked with emotion, "We'll go, we'll go right now..."
Lin An nodded, then turned to look at Cao Wang, who was still standing there, trembling like a leaf.
"By the way, you're Boss Cao, right?"
"It's...it's me..." Cao Wang's voice seemed to be squeezed out from his throat.
"What you just said was quite interesting."
Lin An's lips curled up slightly, but that smile was more frightening than his lack of a smile.
"Who cares about the people? You think you're the boss in your factory?"
"I will have someone remember those words."
Cao Wang's face instantly turned from deathly pale to ashen.
"Comrade Lin... I was talking nonsense just now, I had too much to drink, I..."
"Drunk on drinks? Drunk on drinks in the middle of the day?" Lin An said with a half-smile. "Boss Cao is in really good health."
He didn't say anything more, turned around and helped the two elderly people walk out.
As he reached the door, he seemed to remember something and said something without turning his head:
"By the way, someone will be coming to check the factory's accounts, labor contracts, and workers' social security contributions in a couple of days."
"Boss Cao, you'd better get ready."
Cao Wang's legs went weak, and he collapsed to the ground.