Chapter 5: Let Us Strive Together, Student Su

The Red Flag Factory's products were gradually being phased out, and the business had fallen into dire straits. Underlying tensions, once hidden, began to surface. To appease the workers' anger and deflect the conflict, a high-profile target for corruption charges was needed.

The factory director and the Party secretary held immense power and had significant political backing; they were not people who could be touched on a whim. Su Kui, however, as the vice director in charge of sales, was a sufficiently weighty figure to serve as a scapegoat for public outrage.

Su Kui himself was not without fault. Although the amount of his embezzlement was not substantial and much of it existed in a legal gray area, one only needs to look closely enough to find trouble. Lacking a formidable patron, it was hardly surprising that Su Kui was marked for sacrifice. Furthermore, there was another critical issue: Su Kui had a reputation for impropriety, and he was not particularly discreet about it. Su Kui was refined and powerful, so naturally, rumors of his romantic entanglements were rife. Most vivid were the tales of his affair with the "Black Peony" from the radio station. Liang Jiyong had heard the details described so many times by others that it felt as if they had witnessed the trysts themselves.

Because of this, Su Kui became the perfect target. Yet, for now, these matters had not been exposed; Su Kui remained a prestigious vice director, a deputy bureau-level official. Though fifty years old, he looked barely forty.

Liang Jiyong remembered clearly that three years later, when he returned home on leave from the military to search for news of Su Wanqing, he had visited Su Kui in prison. He could hardly believe his eyes. In those three years, Su Kui had aged twenty years—he looked older than Liang’s own father, who was over sixty. But at this moment, Su Kui was still full of vigor.

"Uncle Su!" Liang Shaoping’s attitude was far less familiar than Liang Jiyong’s. She rarely interacted with Su Kui, and while she often disagreed with her father, she had come to respect his assessment of Su Kui.

"Xiaoyong, thank you for yesterday. I was just telling Wanqing we should go check on you. Are you alright?" Su Kui asked politely.

"I’m fine. I’ve got a hard head—can take a punch!" Liang Jiyong grinned, his demeanor carefree.

"Those boys from the Red Star Factory are getting more and more out of line," Su Kui said indignantly.

Last night, feeling dejected after failing her exams, Su Wanqing had gone out to clear her head with a few close classmates. Liang Jiyong, acting as her protector, was naturally in tow. At a newly opened dance hall in the Red Flag Factory living quarters, they had clashed with a group of youths from the Red Star Factory. The incident started when a troublemaker expelled from the Red Star Factory, who hung around the streets, insisted on forcing Su Wanqing to dance. The guy was notorious for leaving women from the Red Flag and Cotton Mills pregnant and abandoned. Naturally, Su Wanqing wanted nothing to do with such a degenerate. Relying on his reputation as a local thug and flanked by seven or eight lackeys, he ignored her repeated refusals. Liang Jiyong, who had been dancing with another classmate, rushed over and flattened the scoundrel with a single blow.

Although there were only four boys on their side, Liang Jiyong fought with ferocious intensity, and since they were on Red Flag Factory turf, he wouldn't let the Red Star crowd run wild. In the end, the thugs were terrified into retreat, though Liang Jiyong had taken a heavy blow to the head with a club, resulting in a groggy night of sleep.

"Shaoping, long time no see. Are you heading to Yunzhou?"

"Yes, have some business at the school," Shaoping replied casually.

"Hop in. I’m heading to Yunzhou for some errands too; it’s on the way," Su Kui said.

Shaoping hesitated, but Liang Jiyong didn't stand on ceremony; he opened the passenger door and sat in front. "Thanks, Uncle Kui, saves me waiting for the shuttle!" Seeing her brother get in, Shaoping climbed into the back seat with a sigh.

"Is Wanqing home?" Liang Jiyong asked casually.

"No, Di Yutong dragged her off to go swimming at noon. I’m planning to head to Yunzhou to buy some books later; I’m picking them up on the way," Su Kui replied.

"Oh, what a coincidence, I’m going to Yunzhou to buy books too!" Liang Jiyong said. Inside, he felt an inexplicable longing to see Su Wanqing. The figure in his memory felt somewhat blurred, yet impossible to erase.

Su Kui smiled slightly, thinking this was merely an excuse. He was well aware of Liang Jiyong’s feelings for his daughter, but he also knew that Wanqing and Jiyong could only ever be friends. For one, Liang Dahong held deep, irreconcilable misunderstandings about him. Secondly, while Liang Jiyong was a decent lad, he was far from the son-in-law Su Kui envisioned. The elder brother, Liang Shaoan, was a truly outstanding young man. If Jiyong weren't so unruly, and if he were more steady and had a university degree, perhaps he might be considered.

As for Liang Dahong’s misunderstandings, Su Kui had tried to explain, but the man hadn't believed him, and he had no interest in explaining further. He respected Dahong’s character but disagreed with his rigid adherence to outdated values. Su Kui believed he was simply securing his own interests within permissible limits; this was the reality of the times, so what did his small actions amount to?

"I heard you’re joining the army?" Su Kui asked.

Liang Jiyong shook his head. "It’s a time of peace; there’s no real point or future in the military. Better to learn, to arm my mind, or I’ll miss the pace of the new era."

Su Kui was surprised; these were not words he expected from the likes of Liang Jiyong. In his mind, Jiyong was just a hot-blooded, mischievous, but fundamentally decent boy. Even if the Liang children weren't scholars, they were never bad people; of that, he was confident. But this sounded nothing like the child he knew.

"Are you planning to repeat your final year? Does your father agree?" Su Kui knew that Dahong had always hoped one of his children would pursue a military career, and Jiyong seemed the most suitable candidate.

"Yes, he agreed. Besides, I’m an adult now; I can decide my own life’s path."

"Heh, well said. You’re all growing up. Time flies—when the Red Flag Factory was first built, Shaoan hadn't even been born yet." The eldest, Liang Shaoan, was born the year after the factory was established; nearly thirty years ago.

"By the way, Shaoan is graduating this year, right? Any word on his placement?"

"He’s finished his doctorate, but nothing is set yet."

Su Kui sighed. "Shaoan is a talent. The Red Flag Factory needs talent, but unfortunately, the factory isn't as prosperous as it used to be. The macro-environment is worsening. Still, Shaoan should find a good job; the major plants under the Ministry of Machinery are full of promise."

The Red Flag Machinery Factory was state-owned, but it had been handed over to local management; it was now a provincial enterprise, distinct from the major plants under the direct jurisdiction of the Ministry of Machinery.

As they spoke, the car pulled over. Ahead, two young women appeared: one in a white dress, the other in a purple skirt. The girl in white had long, flowing hair and an ethereal, otherworldly grace. The girl in the purple skirt had wavy hair, a high bridge of the nose, and a stunning figure—ripe and alluring like a peach.

The figure from his memories overlapped with the present, yet Liang Jiyong did not feel the overwhelming agitation he had expected. Instead, he felt a calm relief and a smile tugged at his lips—it was good to see Su Wanqing again. This time, he would not let her go, this girl who had haunted his dreams across two lifetimes.

He had almost forgotten the girl beside her, Di Yutong, but the memory was resurfacing. Di Yutong was one-quarter Russian; her grandfather had been a Soviet expert sent to help build the country. After the two nations severed ties, the expert left, but Yutong’s grandmother remained, later marrying a worker at the Red Flag Factory. Her name was foreign, but when her household registration was filed, it was recorded as "Di Yutong." In reality, she took her grandmother’s surname, Chen.

Di Yutong and Su Wanqing were polar opposites: one ethereal, the other fiery. While Yutong lacked Wanqing’s grace, she had a more provocative figure, lighter skin, and an incredibly outgoing, passionate personality. She had many suitors at school, yet she seemed to disdain them all.

"Hi, Jiyong, what are you doing here? You really are a dedicated protector, aren't you?" Di Yutong waved, and for some reason, Liang Jiyong detected a hint of sourness in her tone.

"Are you okay?" Su Wanqing asked calmly, her gaze falling on Liang Jiyong’s forehead, where a bruise remained. That blow from the night before had been no light matter.

"I’m fine. Get in, it’s hot out here!" Liang Jiyong shook his head.

Su Wanqing and Di Yutong sat in the back, exchanging greetings with Shaoping. When Yutong learned that Jiyong was going to repeat his final year, she unexpectedly fell silent. She assumed he was doing it to stay by Su Wanqing’s side, and perhaps Su Wanqing thought the same. The three women in the back soon began chatting, finding common ground in topics like sunscreen and clothing styles, or which actor was more handsome.

Liang Jiyong and Su Kui chatted intermittently. "Uncle Kui, how are sales at the factory this year?"

"Average," Su Kui replied, his mood dampened. He was the vice director in charge of sales, but the poor economic climate left him powerless.

"I heard there have been quite a few returns this year. Our products rarely used to get returned, did they?"

Su Kui’s expression tightened. He glanced at Jiyong, wondering how he knew. It was true, but very few people were aware, not even the head of logistics, Liang Dahong.

"The Red Flag Factory is only so big—there are no secrets here!" Su Kui laughed at himself. "True, walls have ears. There were returns, but it’s no big deal. Two production lines are having issues and need replacing."

"In this climate, replacing production lines isn't easy. We’re struggling just to survive. The province isn't going to foot the bill, are they?"

"Heh, getting the province to pay is harder than reaching the heavens. They should have been replaced three years ago. It’s been dragged out; without updated technology or equipment, and with the same old product designs, how can sales go up?" Su Kui sounded deeply frustrated.

Liang Jiyong said, "If sales don't go up, there’s no money. If there’s no money, workers' wages aren't guaranteed. If workers don't get paid, look at the Red Star Factory or the Cotton Mill as a warning. I heard leadership was purged at both—the sales and procurement directors at Red Star, and even the director and both vice directors at the Cotton Mill. All related to procurement and sales corruption."

Su Kui felt an inexplicable irritation. Although Jiyong felt different than before, he still viewed him as a child. How could he not have thought of the problems Jiyong had raised? Others had told him the same. Yet, Su Kui stubbornly believed he was clean enough; if the Red Flag Factory faced a reckoning, it wouldn't reach him.

Liang Jiyong dropped the subject and pivoted to lighter topics. "By the way, Uncle Kui, how many people from the factory are repeating their final year?"

"Including you, thirteen."

"Wow, that many?" Liang Jiyong was surprised.

"Knowledge is becoming more important. 'Knowledge changes destiny' is no empty phrase. Xiaoyong, I find you much more mature than before; that’s good. Once you’re at school, focus on your studies. You’re a smart boy; if you put in the effort, you have a good chance of getting into university. Wanqing’s failure this time isn't entirely a bad thing. With her usual grades, she’s at the level of Yunzhou University. I hope she uses this setback as a springboard—at least to get into a top-five school, so this year won't have been wasted!"

"An inch of time is an inch of gold, but an inch of gold cannot buy an inch of time! Time waits for no one! Let’s encourage each other, classmate Su!" Liang Jiyong said with feeling. He tilted his head slightly and reached out his hand toward Su Wanqing in the center of the back seat.

Su Wanqing hesitated for a moment before shaking his hand. Her hand was soft, pale, and delicate. Liang Jiyong shook it gently, with no intention of overstaying his welcome.

"Stop getting into fights," Su Wanqing said.

"I don't usually fight," Liang Jiyong replied, "unless I absolutely have to."

His answer left Su Wanqing feeling a headache coming on.