Neither the big leader nor the leader from Xiangnan directly responded, as they couldn't be sure if what He Yu Zhu said was true or if he was taking this opportunity to benefit Yang Xuan.
Yang Xuan quickly said, "Actually, it's not as exaggerated as Comrade He Yu Zhu said. I'm only sixteen this year. I can take my time with my work level. The most important thing now is to gain experience. Being a fitter is not like being a chef. If a chef's skills are a bit off, the food they make can still be eaten. But if a fitter's skills are off, they can produce defective products that could hurt people."
The big leader nodded, "Comrade Yang is right. We must be meticulous in our work. Products must meet the quality standards before they can be released, to avoid any losses to the country. However, culinary skills are also important, as bad food can give you diarrhea if you eat it."
The leader from Xiangnan chuckled, "However, if Comrade Yang's skills truly reach the level of a fifth-grade fitter, the factory should consider granting him an exceptional promotion. It would be a huge waste to have a fifth-grade fitter doing the work of an apprentice. When it comes to talent, we should be open-minded."
The big leader nodded, "Director Yang, you should arrange for the factory's technical personnel to conduct a technical evaluation of Chef Yang. If his skills truly reach the level of a fifth-grade fitter, it wouldn't be reasonable for him to work as an apprentice for three years before his work level is recognized."
Director Yang said, "Actually, the workshop director has already reported this situation to me, and I also raised it in the meeting. However, some leaders and old workers strongly opposed any special treatment, so the matter was delayed."
The big leader said, "If the situation is true, then this isn't special treatment. When the public-private partnership was happening, the work levels of many old workers were determined based on their specific situations. Even though we have established relevant rules, rules are rigid while people are flexible. We need to analyze each specific situation. The person has the skills of a fifth-grade fitter, yet you still make him work as an apprentice for three years. Is that fair? It's a huge waste too! Waste is a crime!"
With the two big leaders' words, the matter was basically settled.
Yang Xuan and He Yu Zhu had lunch with the leaders, leaving all the food on their plates untouched.
"Didn't Director Yang give you the afternoon off? Why are you going back to the workshop?" He Yu Zhu asked in confusion.
"Can you just ignore the leaders when they say no? I'm still an apprentice. It's not a done deal yet. I'll just behave myself. I have nothing else to do, so helping my master with some work isn't bad either," Yang Xuan said.
"You're going to take these leftovers home for dinner and we'll go drink at your place. You might be a fifth-grade fitter soon, so let's celebrate together," He Yu Zhu said.
Yang Xuan hurriedly said, "Silly Zhu, don't you dare say this out loud. It's not a sure thing yet. If it gets to Director Yang's ears, he'll think we're being unreasonable."
He Yu Zhu nodded, "Alright, I promise not to say anything. You little brat, your head is full of tricks."
Although two big leaders had spoken up, getting Yang Xuan's work level exceptionally recognized was not smooth sailing.
The opinions of the leadership at the Steel Mill were not unified.
"If we exceptionally give Yang Xuan a notice for work level recognition, I guarantee that we'll have a bunch of apprentices demanding the same. It will make our work difficult in the future," Deputy Director Luo strongly opposed.
"But the situation is different now. Two big leaders have spoken. We can't do nothing, or the leaders will lose face." Director Yang said.
"Can we take what happened at the dinner table seriously? The big leader was just saying some nice words because he thought he was a good cook. He was just asking us to handle the situation specifically. This Yang Xuan has only been at the factory for less than half a year. Even if his skills are good, how good can they be? He says he has the skills of a fifth-grade fitter, can you believe that?" Deputy Director Luo said.
"What if he really has the skills of a fifth-grade fitter?" Director Yang worriedly said.
"Impossible, absolutely impossible. I came up from the frontline workers. There's no way to develop fitting skills without time and experience. To reach the level of a fifth-grade fitter, it's impossible. Which one of the factory's fifth-grade fitters didn't spend twenty years working as fitters? Most of them have reached their peak as fifth-grade fitters." Deputy Director Luo said.
"Don't we really need to conduct an assessment for Yang Xuan? Guo, the workshop director of the first workshop, has mentioned to me that Yang Xuan's skills have improved quickly. His master has repeatedly asked the workshop to conduct a work level assessment for him." Director Yang said.
"You're the director, you have the final say. Anyway, I don't agree with granting him special treatment. Once the rules are broken, it'll be hard to manage in the future," Deputy Director Luo said.
Since Deputy Director Luo was in charge of this area, he strongly opposed it, so Director Yang couldn't force him to give Yang Xuan a special promotion.
Director Yang planned to find an opportunity to explain the situation to the big leader and temporarily postpone Yang Xuan's special promotion.
When he got off work, He Yu Zhu brought back two lunch boxes.
As soon as he entered the courtyard gate, Yan Bu Gui spotted him.
"Silly Zhu, you brought food back from the factory again?" Yan Bu Gui looked a bit envious.
He Yu Zhu nodded, "There was a luncheon at the factory today. Yang Xuan and I were the chefs. We brought back some leftover food. The leaders ate the meat, and we just ate the leftovers."
"Isn't Yang Xuan working as an apprentice?" Yan Bu Gui asked in confusion.
"Third Uncle, you don't know. Yang Xuan's cooking skills are even better than mine. Today I specially went to the workshop to ask him for help. The leaders from above all praised his cooking. Even..." He Yu Zhu suddenly remembered Yang Xuan's words and stopped abruptly.
"Even what?" Yan Bu Gui curiously asked.
"Nothing." He Yu Zhu shook his head.
Hearing He Yu Zhu's voice, Qin Huai Ru, who was washing clothes in the middle courtyard, immediately put down her clothes and walked over. Seeing the lunch boxes in He Yu Zhu's hands, her eyes lit up.
"Silly Zhu, you brought food back? Bang Geng has been feeling anxious lately, asking for meat every day. Give these lunch boxes to my kid so he can satisfy his cravings." Qin Huai Ru said, reaching out to take them.
If it were before, He Yu Zhu wouldn't hesitate to give Qin Huai Ru the food. But today, things were different.
He Yu Zhu deftly dodged Qin Huai Ru's hand, "Sister Qin, sorry. The food in these lunch boxes isn't mine, I brought them back for Yang Xuan. I promised him we'd eat together at his place tonight."
Qin Huai Ru smiled, "Yang Xuan's family both works, they don't need this food. You know my situation best. We're really struggling. Can you give these lunch boxes to your sister?"
He Yu Zhu shook his head, "Your Bang Geng doesn't lack oil and water. He even ate a big hen the other day."
Qin Huai Ru was struck by lightning. She knew about Bang Geng stealing the chicken that night. The chicken smell from his mouth was still there the next day, and his clothes were covered in grease spots. Qin Huai Ru found out that night.