80s Wife is Sweet and Sassy - Chapter 474

80s Wife is Sweet and Sassy 
Chapter 474 – Scaring two old foxes (1) 

Translator : Moon Lee
Editor : Tea
This translation made by Moonlight Teatime.
Please read my translation only at Moonlight Teatime. 
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At this point, the factory director and the secretary had already drunk quite a bit. 

Their eyes were hazy and unfocused. 

Drinking was all about the atmosphere, with good liquor, good food, and good company. 

Tonight, they had all three, so without realizing it, they had both overindulged. 

They loosen up, and their tongues were starting to slur.

“Xiao Gu… You’re too impulsive, that’s not good… really not good!” 

The factory director patted Gu Ye hard on the shoulder, finally voicing some heartfelt words. 

He had worked in the state-owned factory for decades. He might not have developed any great skills, but his ability to play it safe and smooth things over had reached perfection. 

That was precisely why he had managed to hold onto the factory director’s seat for so long.

Since he was in a good mood from drinking, he decided to pass on this ‘survival wisdom’ to Gu Ye.

The secretary, equally drunk, patted Gu Ye on the other shoulder and said earnestly:

“Too much rigidity leads to rupture. Xiao Gu, you need to control that temper of yours!”

By this time, Dabao and Xiaobao had finished eating and were curiously watching the factory director and the secretary with innocent, puzzled faces, they didn’t understand what was being said.

“Go to Shou Hongbin’s house to do your homework.”

Chu Qiao said, while handing them a plate of spring rolls and sending them off to Xuan Hongxia’s place. 

This kind of ‘life lesson for surviving bureaucracy’ wasn’t something children needed to hear. 

In her opinion, while the factory director and the secretary made some valid points, their advice didn’t suit young people. If young people weren’t full of energy and drive, could they even be called young? 

Young people needed sharpness and spirit that was what pushed society forward. If everyone just lived passively and lifelessly, how could progress ever happen? 

Gu Ye chuckled and steered the conversation elsewhere. 

“I appreciate your advice and concern, but… have you heard any rumors? There’s talk that a batch of large factories might soon undergo reform, and our Xingda Factory might be on that list.”

The moment these words were said, the factory director and secretary immediately sobered up instantly. 

Their eyes cleared, their minds sharpened, and they both spoke in unison, “What kind of reformation?” 

The reform and opening-up policy had been talked about for years, but Xingda Machine Tool Factory hadn’t really changed, it was still the same as always. 

All the two of them wanted now was to coast along peacefully into retirement. Before that, they absolutely didn’t want any kind of reform that would rock the boat.

But Gu Ye wasn’t in a hurry. He calmly continued eating, slowly and deliberately. 

Once he felt they were hooked enough, he finally spoke:

“I just heard that our Xingda Factory’s performance has been declining year by year, becoming a major burden on the state, and you both are well aware of this.”

The factory director and the secretary nodded repeatedly. They knew this all too well.

But Xingda wasn’t the only factory in this situation, others were doing even worse.

Then Gu Ye continued, “Many factories in Shanghai are struggling right now. Every year, the state has to pay out large sums in wages, and the burden is too heavy. If this keeps dragging on, the state just can’t sustain it. So reform is inevitable. And since Xingda is a leading enterprise in the industry, it might be the first one to face the hit.” 

“What kind of reform is the higher-ups planning? Xiao Gu, come on, don’t keep us hanging!” 

The factory director and the secretary urged him anxiously, sweat forming on their foreheads. 

They had heard some vague rumors too, but those rumors had been circulating for years with no action taken, so they hadn’t taken it seriously.

But now that Gu Ye brought it up so directly, they could no longer stay calm. 

As veterans of ‘muddling through’, nothing terrified them more than reform. They were already too old and couldn’t keep up with the new changes anymore. 

Chu Qiao kept her head down as she quietly ate her food, barely holding back laughter. 

Gu Ye’s ability to lie with a straight face had really reached new heights. 

In truth, the machine tool factory’s reform was still at least five or six years away, it was far too early.

Gu Ye poured more wine for the two leaders.

“Don’t worry, this is a long story. Let’s eat and talk.”

The factory director and the secretary clinked glasses absentmindedly, then pressed him to speak. 

All they wanted now was to hear what the higher-ups were planning so they could prepare countermeasures. At the very least, they had to survive until retirement! 

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