Chapter 34: Sulfur Has Its Price, Undercurrents Rise Again

The laboratory of the steel mill's technical department was filled with the pungent scent of chemical reagents.

Technician Chen, an old acquaintance with thick glasses, frowned as he pointed to the freshly printed inspection reports on the table.

"Yuzhu, this pile of junk of yours... the composition is truly a mess!" he said, tapping the report. "Look here, these bags of caked yellow powder are primarily sulfur. The purity is decent, but they've clumped badly due to moisture, and there are impurities mixed in."

Technician Chen sighed, "In a word, the useful components lack purity and are in poor condition, while there’s a mountain of useless, even harmful, ingredients!"

"If you use it as raw material for smelting, the cost is too high, and reputable factories won't touch it. If you dump it as trash, the pollution is too severe for anyone to take it! Li Huaide's move is truly vicious!"

He Yuzhu carefully examined the report, focusing on the data for the sulfur column. "Engineer Chen, this sulfur... what is the purity level?"

"The elemental sulfur content is roughly seventy to seventy-five percent," Technician Chen said, pointing at the figures. "The impurities are mainly gypsum powder and some soil. If you could purify it or find a suitable application... it might have some value. But the key is that you have such a massive quantity, and it's in such poor condition. How do you plan to handle it?"

"Sulfur..." He Yuzhu tapped the number on the report, his eyes brightening slightly. "Engineer Chen, do you think... the soap factory might need sulfur?"

"The soap factory?" Technician Chen paused, adjusting his glasses. "Sulfur... I believe it's used in the bleaching and sterilization processes? I'm not sure of the exact usage, but sulfur powder is indeed a raw material for some chemical plants, pharmaceutical factories, and... yes, soap factories!"

He suddenly realized, "Are you thinking of... offloading this sulfur waste to the soap factory?"

"Not offloading," He Yuzhu corrected him. "It's waste utilization. We provide the raw materials, they save on the cost of purchasing pure sulfur—it’s a win-win."

"The idea is good!" Technician Chen's eyes lit up, but he immediately shook his head. "But your sulfur is heavily clumped and mixed with impurities. Would the soap factory even want it?"

"Chunks can be crushed, and impurities can be removed through screening or washing," He Yuzhu said firmly. "It all comes down to the price. We sell it at a waste-material rate; as long as it's significantly cheaper than what they normally pay for pure sulfur, it will be attractive! It's better than them spending a fortune on pure sulfur, isn't it?"

Looking at He Yuzhu’s calm, confident demeanor, Technician Chen thought for a moment and slapped his thigh. "There's a chance! I know Old Liu in the technical department of the City Soap Factory! I’ll write you a note; go and have a talk with him! Take this inspection report with you and be honest about everything! Whether it works out or not depends on how you negotiate!"

***

With Technician Chen's note and the inspection report in hand, He Yuzhu returned to the procurement department with a brisk stride.

He immediately asked Xiao Wang to look up the address and telephone number of the City Soap Factory, while he began to ponder a pre-processing plan for the sulfur waste.

Crushing... he would need a crusher. Screening... he would need screens. Washing... he would need space and a water source.

As for the space, the open-air cargo yard would barely suffice. The crusher and screens... he would have to ask the maintenance workshop for help.

He reached for the telephone to call the maintenance workshop, but Deputy Section Chief Sun Jianguo pushed the door open, looking a bit strange.

"Xiao He, I just received a notice from the personnel department... Xu Damao is back."

***

He Yuzhu’s hand, holding the receiver, paused. He said in a flat tone, "Oh? Has his re-education period ended?"

"It's over," Sun Jianguo lowered his voice. "However... his position as the factory broadcaster is definitely gone! The personnel department has temporarily assigned him to... the factory's waste recycling station. He's a temporary worker under the logistics department."

The waste recycling station? He Yuzhu raised an eyebrow.

That place was dirty, exhausting, and offered few perks; it was essentially the most marginalized position in the factory. It seemed Xu Damao had truly hit rock bottom this time.

"Got it." He Yuzhu showed no reaction and proceeded to dial the number for the maintenance workshop.

Watching He Yuzhu’s indifferent attitude, Sun Jianguo shook his head, thinking to himself: That jerk Xu Damao probably isn't even worth a glance from He Yuzhu anymore.

***

The courtyard, evening.

Xu Damao, wearing a filthy recycled-cloth work uniform, dragged his exhausted body back into the compound.

Working at the waste recycling station was dirty and tiring, involving constant lifting and moving. By the end of the day, he was drenched in sweat and his bones felt like they were falling apart.

As soon as he entered the middle courtyard, he heard the shrill voice of Mrs. Jia ringing out from her doorway, as if she were talking to someone:

"...Bah! She really thinks she's a prize! Isn't she just a stinking worker? The Zhou family must be blind! Two hundred yuan in bride price? Do you know how much white flour that could buy?"

"I suspect that Silly Pillar must have used some underhanded means to force the Zhou family into it! He’s just a cook from the cafeteria who's now a procurement officer—who knows how much he's skimmed off the top..."

Mrs. Jia's words filled the courtyard with malicious speculation. She didn't dare name He Yuzhu directly, so she used He Yushui's engagement as a pretext to vent her resentment.

Xu Damao stopped abruptly. Shrinking into the shadows of the moon gate, he listened to Mrs. Jia's curses, and a look of poisonous hatred suddenly flared in his eyes, which had been dim with exhaustion!

He Yushui was engaged? And received two hundred yuan in bride price? That bastard He Yuzhu had caused him such misery, yet his sister was getting a grand marriage?!

A surge of evil energy, mixed with jealousy, hatred, and extreme resentment, rushed into Xu Damao's heart! He clenched his fists tightly.

Just then, He Yuzhu pushed his bicycle into the front courtyard.

Yan Bugui was tending to his wilted potted plants at the gate. Seeing He Yuzhu, he immediately put on a smile. "Back, Yuzhu? I heard Yushui's engagement was quite a grand affair?"

"Yes, it's settled," He Yuzhu replied casually, pushing his bike toward the middle courtyard.

Yan Bugui’s voice was loud enough that Mrs. Jia, standing at her door in the middle courtyard, was silenced as if someone had grabbed her by the throat. Her triangular eyes darted guiltily toward the moon gate.

***

He Yuzhu pushed his bike into the middle courtyard. His gaze swept over Mrs. Jia, who had fallen silent and was avoiding his eyes, and then glanced at Xu Damao, who was covered in filth and huddled in the shadows of the moon gate. He didn't break his stride and continued walking.

Watching He Yuzhu’s upright back disappear behind his door and hearing the clear sound of the door closing, Xu Damao began to tremble violently!

Humiliation! Endless humiliation! And Mrs. Jia's malicious speculation took root and grew wildly in his heart!

He rushed toward the Jia family's door, startling Mrs. Jia just as she was about to retreat inside.

"Mrs. Jia!" Xu Damao lowered his voice, his eyes gleaming with an eerie light. "What you said just now... is it true? Did He Yushui really receive two hundred yuan in bride price?"

Mrs. Jia was so frightened by his ghoulish appearance that she stepped back, then puffed out her chest. "How could it be false? The Zhou family brought pastries and fabric, and the money was wrapped in red paper—the whole courtyard saw it! Two hundred yuan! Tsk tsk..."

"Two hundred yuan..." Xu Damao licked his cracked lips, the venomous light in his eyes flickering frantically. "He Yuzhu is just a procurement team leader, what is his monthly salary? Why would his sister receive two hundred yuan in bride price? Mrs. Jia, tell me... is this money... honestly earned?"

Mrs. Jia's triangular eyes widened. "Need you ask? Of course not! It must be that he..."

"Mrs. Jia!" Xu Damao interrupted her sharply, a twisted smile forming on his face. "Words like that... cannot be spoken lightly. You need evidence..."

"Evidence?" Mrs. Jia was taken aback.

"Yes..." Xu Damao’s voice lowered further, filled with a cold, seductive malice. "Inside and outside this compound, there are quite a few people... watching He Yuzhu. As long as someone... tips off the authorities to look into his accounts... heh heh..."

Mrs. Jia’s murky eyes rolled as she looked at Xu Damao’s hate-filled face, her heart skipping a beat!

This Xu Damao, just released, was already looking to stir up trouble again?

She felt a subconscious flicker of fear, but then she thought of He Yuzhu’s cold, aloof demeanor and the days her family had spent being pushed around, and an evil fire ignited within her.

She didn't respond, but a malicious glint flashed in her triangular eyes. She huffed, turned around, and slammed the door shut.

Standing before the closed door of the Jia house, the smile on Xu Damao's face slowly turned hideous.

He Yuzhu, just you wait! If I can't have a peaceful life, neither will you!

He turned around and slipped back into his room like a ghost, his mind racing to figure out how to get that "report letter" to a place where it would cause the most damage.