Chapter 5: Irrefutable Evidence, Turning the Tables

"Look! Everyone, look!" Xu Damao pointed at the newly posted big-character poster, his spit flying. "Special treatment! Fine food and meat! While the worker brothers are gnawing on cabbage leaves, certain people are cooking their own private meals!"

"What kind of behavior is this? This is severe extravagance and waste! It is alienating oneself from the masses! We must dig deep into the root cause of this!"

The unsuspecting workers whispered among themselves, buzzing with discussion.

Wang Dahai was trembling with rage, his face pale. "Xu Damao! You... you are slandering me!" He made to rush forward to confront him.

"Chief Wang, stay calm." He Yuzhu firmly pressed down on his arm as he stepped off the tricycle, his voice exceptionally calm. His eyes swept across the crowd and the jumping, hysterical Xu Damao. "Fighting with a mad dog is beneath us. Watch me."

Instead of paying any attention to the bulletin board, He Yuzhu pushed the tricycle directly toward the warehouse behind the canteen, his pace steady and forceful. Wang Dahai hesitated for a moment, then hurried to follow.

"Oh! Isn't this our great chef, Comrade 'Silly Zhu'?" Xu Damao, sharp-eyed, immediately abandoned the crowd and chased after them, blocking the tricycle with a sarcastic, mocking tone. "What kind of good stuff are you hauling? Could it be more 'special supply' for the leaders' private meals? Why don't you let everyone take a look and broaden their horizons?"

The crowd surged over, looking curiously at the tricycle, which was tightly covered with sacks.

He Yuzhu stopped and looked at Xu Damao, his expression blank. "Xu Damao, was that big-character poster issued on behalf of the factory's propaganda department, or is it a rumor you fabricated yourself?"

Xu Damao paused, then stiffened his neck. "I am reflecting the voice of the masses! What, feeling guilty? Do you dare let everyone see what you’re hauling in that cart?"

"You want to see?" A cold, sharp curve appeared at the corner of He Yuzhu's mouth as he suddenly ripped away the covering sack!

*Whoosh!*

Half a side of frozen pork, white and showing clear signs of being crushed and dented, was exposed to everyone's eyes. The chill and the faint smell of raw meat wafted out.

"Meat?!" the crowd exclaimed.

"So much meat?!"

"This... why is this meat all dented and pitted? Is it spoiled?"

Xu Damao was stunned for a moment, then immediately jumped up as if he had grasped a golden opportunity, pointing at the meat with a sharp, distorted voice. "Aha! Silly Zhu! Wang Dahai! You actually dare to resell spoiled meat?! This is sabotaging the worker brothers! The crime is even worse! I’m going to report this to the security department right now!" He turned to run.

"Stop!" He Yuzhu’s shout was like a thunderclap, causing Xu Damao to stumble to a halt.

He Yuzhu pulled two documents stamped with bright red seals from his coat, held them high, and spoke in a booming voice that drowned out all the noise:

"Look clearly! This is the procurement receipt for the Red Star Rolling Mill canteen! This is the shipping manifest from the Capital Meat Processing Plant cold storage! Three hundred and twenty catties of imperfect, frozen pork at a clearance price."

"Purchased at seventy percent of the Grade A meat plan price! All receipts are complete, and the procedures are compliant! Xu Damao! You keep accusing us of waste and of seeking special treatment! Well, I’d like to ask you!"

He Yuzhu stepped forward, his eyes piercing straight at Xu Damao. "Our canteen is calculating carefully, using seventy percent of the planned price to secure over three hundred catties of meat for all the worker brothers in the factory! Is this waste? Or is it providing benefits for our fellow workers?!"

"As a propaganda cadre, you posted a big-character poster without investigating the facts, slandering the canteen's work and undermining worker unity! What is your motive?!"

With every word He Yuzhu spoke, his voice grew louder, and the red seals on the documents in his hand were clearly visible in the sunlight.

The surrounding workers were instantly in an uproar!

"Seventy percent off? That much meat?!"

"Oh! This meat looks a bit dinged up and frozen, but there’s definitely nothing wrong with the inside!"

"Master He is amazing! To be able to secure this!"

"Xu Damao is truly trash! Someone brings meat for everyone, and he makes false accusations!"

Public opinion shifted instantly! The workers looked at Xu Damao with disdain and anger.

Who doesn't want a little more fat in their bowl? He Yuzhu and Wang Dahai bringing in cheap meat made them heroes! Xu Damao was trying to cut off everyone’s supply of meat!

Xu Damao’s face turned deathly pale, and cold sweat broke out instantly.

He looked at the two stamped documents in He Yuzhu's hand as if he had seen a ghost. He never imagined that Silly Zhu and Wang Dahai weren't doing private business, but had actually gone to secure cheap, off-plan meat! And with all the paperwork in order!

"I... I..." Xu Damao’s lips trembled. He wanted to defend himself, but couldn't utter a single word.

"What’s going on? Why is everyone gathered here?" A dignified voice rang out. Vice Director Li, who was in charge of logistics, walked over with a frown, accompanied by his secretary.

He had just finished a meeting and was drawn over by the commotion.

"Director Li!" Wang Dahai looked like he had found a savior. He rushed over, shoved the receipts and the shipping manifest into Vice Director Li's hands, his voice filled with excitement and grievance. "Take a look! Please be the judge! To improve the workers' meals, Comrade He Yuzhu and I went to great lengths at the meat plant to secure over three hundred catties of clearance frozen meat at seventy percent of the cost!"

"The meat just doesn't look perfect, but the inside is absolutely fine! But Comrade Xu Damao... he didn't care about the facts and posted a big-character poster slandering us for being wasteful! And... he even wanted to report us to the security department!" The more Wang Dahai spoke, the angrier he became, his eyes turning red.

Vice Director Li quickly scanned the documents, then looked at the white frozen meat on the tricycle, his eyes brightening!

Off-plan meat sources! And at seventy percent of the price! This was a real, tangible achievement! He looked back at Xu Damao's pale face and the glaring big-character poster, and his expression darkened instantly.

"Comrade Xu Damao!" Vice Director Li's voice was icy. "Is this what you call 'waste'? Is this what you call 'alienating oneself from the masses'?! The comrades in the canteen are doing everything possible to secure benefits for the worker brothers and lowering costs by obtaining off-plan meat."

"You didn't verify the facts, yet you came here to stir up trouble and slap labels on people! Where is your party spirit?! Where is your work discipline?!"

"Director Li... I... I didn't know they..." Xu Damao was completely panicked, rambling incoherently.

"Just because you didn't know, you can write and post whatever you want?!" Vice Director Li interrupted sternly. "I think you’re just afraid the world won't be in chaos! Immediately! Right now! Tear down your rumor-filled poster! Then write a profound self-criticism and hand it to my office tomorrow! As for your work in the propaganda department, I think you’re far too idle!"

"Yes... yes..." As if granted an amnesty, Xu Damao was both ashamed and embarrassed. Under the disdainful gazes of the crowd, he scrambled back to the bulletin board in a disheveled mess and hastily tore down the poster he had just posted, ripping the paper to shreds in his panic.

Vice Director Li turned to He Yuzhu and Wang Dahai, his expression softening, even carrying a hint of approval. "Comrade He Yuzhu, Comrade Wang Dahai, you have done very well! Overcoming difficulties and taking initiative to solve real problems for the factory—this is the kind of cadre we need!"

"The canteen should handle this batch of meat properly and ensure the workers eat with peace of mind and satisfaction! I want to commend the canteen's work this month!"

"Thank you, Director! We will ensure the task is completed!" Wang Dahai's voice trembled with excitement.

He Yuzhu nodded calmly. "Don't worry, Director."

"Good!" Vice Director Li took one last look at the cart of meat, nodded with satisfaction, and left with his secretary.

The surrounding crowd erupted into enthusiastic discussion and cheers.

"Master He is impressive!"

"Chief Wang, when are we getting the extra meal?"

"Finally, we get to eat some meat!"

Wang Dahai stood tall, his face glowing with pride as he directed Ma Hua and the others. "Quick! Move the meat into the cold storage! Be careful! Master He, you make the call on how to handle this!"

He Yuzhu watched as Xu Damao tore down the last piece of the poster and snuck away behind the crowd, his expression remaining unmoved.

This was just a minor interlude. He walked over to the pile of frozen meat and picked up a bone-cleaving knife to weigh it.

"Scrape off the outer layer where it’s frozen white and hard. After it thaws, cut it into chunks and blanch it. Whatever needs stewing, stew it; whatever needs stir-frying, stir-fry it. Add an extra two pieces of meat to every ladle of the big-pot vegetable stew." His voice wasn't loud, but it reached every helper's ears clearly.

"Understood!" The canteen staff responded in unison, starting to move the meat with great energy. At this moment, He Yuzhu’s authority was firmly established. Even Liu Lan looked at him with a sense of awe.

*[Ding! Suitable location detected: Red Star Rolling Mill Third Canteen. Would you like to sign in?]*

"Sign in," He Yuzhu whispered to himself.

*[Sign-in successful! Obtained: Primary Cost Accounting Skill (Fragment). Knowledge has been imparted.]*

A stream of fragmented knowledge regarding ingredient costs, labor, fuel consumption, and rational pricing flooded his mind. Although it was just a fragment, it felt like opening a new window.

The bell rang for the end of the shift. As He Yuzhu stepped out of the canteen, a familiar figure timidly blocked his path. Qin Huairu’s eyes were slightly red, clutching an empty lunch box, looking as if she had something to say but hesitated.