Starting from Robinson Crusoe

Chapter 609: Chapter 3: Resignation (Part 2)

Yesterday the crusher room was left unattended the whole day. If it causes any loss to the factory, can you take responsibility for it?

You’re so young, why do you work like this?

I’m telling you, don’t think just because you have a high degree that our factory really needs someone like you. These days, society lacks everything except college graduates..."

Before he could finish, Chen Zhou hung up the phone and pulled up the quilt to continue resting.

...

This time, before he had even been asleep for an hour, a rush of footsteps sounded in the hallway, followed by a heavy knock on Chen Zhou’s dorm room door.

When Chen Zhou got dressed and opened the door, he was greeted by a large round head with a receding hairline.

"Xiao Chen, you’ve got quite a temper recently, even daring to hang up on my call?

I’ve heard from President Liu that now you don’t even respond when he greets you. What, our factory is too small for you, can’t afford a great figure like you?"

The person speaking was the one who had just been hung up on. This man was Vice General Manager Wang of the cement factory’s production technology department and Chen Zhou’s direct superior.

He had a close relationship with the current head of the cement factory, but personally, he was not very capable. Every time there was a meeting to formulate production plans, he would always talk off-topic, and product quality checks were always a mess.

Calling him incompetent would be putting it nicely. If not for his connections with President Liu, the factory would even hesitate to hire him as a regular worker.

Ironically, the less capable a person is, the more they like to assert themselves. Vice General Manager Wang loved being flattered, especially when people would "speak their minds after drinking," respectfully toasting him while reeking of alcohol and uttering syrupy words.

Chen Zhou hated such social events and disliked saying insincere things. Though he was competent at his job, he was least favored by Vice General Manager Wang.

Ironically, Chen Zhou had a high academic qualification in the factory and was young. Equipment testing and repair always required his involvement.

Although Vice General Manager Wang usually bore grievances against him with nowhere to vent them, Chen Zhou’s unapproved absence from work for the past two days finally gave him leverage. Coupled with a word from President Liu, he felt even more emboldened and seized the opportunity to vent his long-standing dissatisfaction.

...

Looking down at the man who was nearly a head shorter than him, Chen Zhou took a moment to remember who he was.

Although Chen Zhou had little impression of President Liu, this guy, as his direct superior, had often disgusted him during work.

Chen Zhou had quite a vivid memory of Vice General Manager Wang.

When he first started working at the factory, with not much social experience, Chen Zhou often felt hard to deal with such veterans in the workplace who would use their age or position to suppress him.

If it came to a dinner table, the situation would get even worse, which was one of many reasons why Chen Zhou despised working at the cement factory.

As an engineering guy, he wanted a clean, direct, and simple work environment, like blueprints where verticals are vertical and horizontals are horizontal, with clearly defined lines.

In his heart, he would rather spend a whole day discussing mechanical structures with an old repairman than exchanging a few words with such opportunistic people.

...

While Chen Zhou was reminiscing, not saying a word, Vice General Manager Wang thought he controlled the situation, puffed up his belly, and tried to squeeze into the dorm. While squeezing, he kept on criticizing and mocking Chen Zhou, occupying the high ground with his words.

It is said that those who are right will not relent and those who are wrong will argue a little.

This "pillar of the cement factory" finally found a chance to display his power, eager to berate Chen Zhou until he was utterly humiliated, making him admit fault submissively before magnanimously letting him off the hook.

But who would’ve thought, standing at the door, Chen Zhou, though looking no different from two days ago, was actually a ruthless character who had once wielded life-and-death authority over thousands and had ended dozens of lives?

As Vice General Manager Wang moved a step forward, his shoulder was slammed by Chen Zhou’s large hand.

Weighing over 180 pounds, his bulky frame was cumbersome, but with enough force, it had an impact that one or two ordinary people couldn’t block.

Though Chen Zhou was tall, his build was rather slim, appearing scholarly and not at all looking strong, yet with just one hand, it was as if he had erected a wall, firmly blocking Vice General Manager Wang outside the door.

"Vice General Manager Wang, I remind you not to squeeze inside. This is private space."

Chen Zhou said, displeased, while raising his phone.

"I didn’t leave work without permission, whatever the process is, handle it accordingly, other matters you probably don’t have the authority to lecture me on, please just head back where you came from.

Also, you better be courteous with your words, my phone is recording."

"Ha!"

What Vice General Manager Wang detested most was when people added ’Vice’ before calling him General Manager, but truly infuriating him was Chen Zhou’s attitude.

Usually, after finishing his duties, it was okay, but now he had the moral high ground and was Chen Zhou’s superior, yet this guy didn’t even show humility?

Raising his head to glare at Chen Zhou viciously, Vice General Manager Wang intended to forcefully enter the dorm to display his leadership dominance.

However, Chen Zhou’s mention of "recording on the phone" gave him pause—

The current internet was too advanced, and especially these young people, they could just upload one’s misdeeds online to expose them, and with his record unclean, he most feared suffering on this matter.

Moreover, with things as they were now, reason was on his side, if he acted first, it wouldn’t be favorable, and if it escalated to calling the police and involving public security, it wouldn’t be good for him or the leaders above.

After all, they were not locals, and even though they invested and built a factory here, creating some jobs, they did cause quite a bit of pollution, many local residents had complaints about their factory, some even petitioned the government.

If it escalated, the local police would surely side with the locals, and they wouldn’t gain anything.

In an instant, many thoughts flashed through Vice General Manager Wang’s mind, he stepped back and with restrained anger, fixedly stared at Chen Zhou who was holding a phone.

"Fine, whatever process is necessary, follow it!"

According to our factory regulations, leaving work without permission deducts three days’ salary, you’re gone two days, deduct six days’ salary, no objections, right!"

"Haha, then why deduct six days’ salary, I might as well just resign."

Chem Zhou heard this, without a ripple in his heart, even feeling a bit amused.

Their cement factory was considered an enterprise, and the procedures for entry, the contracts signed, were all very formal.

Last night, while charging his phone, thinking of leaving the cement factory, he specifically checked how to resign.

He found that leaving the factory was really a hassle, not only requiring submission of a written resignation letter in advance but also handing over documents and equipment materials, returning work uniforms and badges.

During financial settlements, matching salary, reimbursing funds, dealing with social security and housing funds, notifying direct superiors, and only after the personnel department’s approval can one officially resign.

All these troublesome matters were too cumbersome for him at 53 years old, after all.

He was troubled about how to write a formal resignation letter, worried the personnel department procedures would be too slow, and here came Vice General Manager Wang of his own accord.

With this factory-concerned leader "helping," his resignation procedure could proceed swiftly.

As for those six days’ salary—

Who cares!

"You said it!

Quitting, right, fine, write a resignation letter now, do you believe I’ll have you pack up and leave the factory today."

Vice General Manager Wang thought Chen Zhou was angered by the deduction of six days’ salary, felt a bit thrilled, and immediately incited the young man further.

As expected, upon hearing this, Chen Zhou took the bait, instantly leaving the doorway, heading to the desk to pick up a pen and paper to write the resignation letter.

Seeing he was about to kick this unappealing fellow out of the factory, Vice General Manager Wang worried Chen Zhou might reconsider halfway writing the resignation, sarcastically added.

"The market isn’t good now, young people shouldn’t be too impulsive, work conditions like at our factory aren’t easy to find.

Think it over before resigning, once you leave here, there’s no place like this, no other factory would pamper you..."

Before he finished his words, Chen Zhou had already put down the pen, flung the paper on the desk onto his face.

The "resignation letter" was written very simply, with only one short line written—

"The world is so big, I want to see it."