Chapter 89 (1/2)
Beautiful Leg Attack
Early the next morning, Xia Lei and Liang Si-Yao went to plot number thirteen after breakfast. In the car, Liang Si-Yao phoned to call the workers she had recruited from technical schools to gather.
“Si-Yao, our machining plant has not been built yet. Why are you telling them to gather?” said Xia Lei.
“They are your employees so you’ll have to meet them, of course. And, there should be a building plan for the machining plant, right? It’ll cost us money to get a design company to do it for us. The workers have nothing to do anyway. Let them come up with a building plan and we can save on costs.”
Xia Lei laughed, “They’re Science and Engineering students, not Architecture. Can they design a blueprint for a machining plant?”
“They definitely can’t do anything too complicated but we’re not asking for much. According to our company’s nature, I feel we’ll only need workshops, dormitories, a canteen and an office building. These are all simple constructions. I think they can do it,” said Liang Si-Yao.
Xia Lei thought for a bit and said, “I actually have an idea I’ve been thinking about for a while and that’s to not build a brick structure; it would take too long to build. We can use new building materials to build the the office and dormitories, and steel and galvanised iron sheets for the workshops. The construction won’t take over a month if we do this.”
Liang Si-Yao smiled as she said, “So you already have a plan. We’re on the same page then. Let’s do it like you said and have everything built as quickly as possible.”
They talked and chatted and arrived at plot number thirteen before they knew it.
Xia Lei saw over ten youths before he got out of the car. The group consisted of boys and girls and several electric scooters were parked next to them. It looked like they had come on those electric scooters. In the city, electric scooters would always manage to reach their destination before a car would.
“Are they the students you recruited from the technical institute?” asked Xia Lei.
“Mm. They are all the latest graduating students and classmates. It’ll be very lively to have them all working together,” said Liang Si-Yao.
“Let’s go take a look.” Xia Lei alighted and walked over to the group of youths with Liang Si-Yao.
Someone spotted Xia Lei and Liang Si-Yao and said, “Big Sister Liang is here.”
The group of youths stopped their chatter and came forward. They greeted Liang Si-Yao one by one and were all very amiable. Some made to greet Xia Lei too but gave up because they didn’t know who he was. Quite a few were also quietly looking Xia Lei up and down, trying to guess his identity.
“Friends, let me introduce you. This man next to me is Thunder Horse Manufacturing’s Chairman, Chairman Xia Lei. Our Chairman Xia is also the best machinist and welding engineer in our country. He can use normal lathes to process high precision parts which could only be imported from Europe and America otherwise. He is unparalleled in this in China.”
The youths were excited upon hearing that and called out ‘Chairman! Chairman!’ over and over. They did not hide their adoration for him and they all behaved like they were meeting a celebrity.
“Wow, our Chairman Xia is so young and handsome!” A girl said quietly to her friend.
“Manual processing for high precision parts? Holy shit, that’s bomb. I wish I could be as amazing as Chairman Xia,” said a guy.
Xia Lei did not seem outwardly moved by their words and he smiled as he greeted them, shaking hands one by one.
Xia Lei knew well that one of the reasons these people were willing to join the yet-to-be-constructed Thunder Horse Manufacturing because of their admiration for his skill. Another reason could possibly have been Liang Si-Yao’s beauty. Many young men were willing to go to work at a company because they could see their goddess there.
“When do we officially start work, Chairman Xia?” A bookish, bespectacled girl stood in front of Xia Lei. She looked a little nervous and her pale face had a faint blush.
“After a month, at most. We gathered you all today to get you involved in the construction process. I would like you guys to design a blueprint for the workshop. Can you guys do it?” said Xia Lei.
“We’re…” The bespectacled girl looked like she was about to say ‘We’re Science and Engineering students’ but she did not say it in the end.
The others also shut their mouths and didn’t dare to speak out.
Xia Lei smiled as he said, “I know what you guys studied but machine design and the construction industry is not that different. We are constructing a building for manufacturing machinery and parts processing and we don’t need complex building designs like those in the chemical industries. We only need a simple workshop, dormitories, office building and canteen. I plan to use new building materials and galvanised iron sheets. I believe you guys can do it.”
Liang Si-Yao added, “You guys will also be doing paperwork in the office building and live in the dormitories. Don’t you want to be able to design your own office and dormitories?”
The bespectacled girl gathered her courage and said, “I’ll try.”
“I’m in too,” came a wave of agreement.
Xia Lei looked at the bookish, bespectacled girl and asked kindly, “What’s your name?”
“I’m Guan Ling-Shan,” said the bespectacled girl. She seemed to be perpetually shy for some reason.
“You’ll be in charge of this matter, then,” said Xia Lei.
“Me?” Guan Ling-Shan’s small mouth gaped open unbelievingly.
“Yes, you. Do you have confidence that you’ll do well?” said Xia Lei.
Guan Ling-Shan nodded her head hard, “Yes, Chairman Xia, I’ll definitely do this well.”
Xia Lei looked at a boy next and smiled, “What’s your name? What are you good at?”
The boy was rather spritely and smiled as he said, “My name’s Yin Hao, Chairman Xia. I’m good at electrical design.”
“Not bad. The company will make use of your speciality in the future and you will have your chance to show your skill,” said Xia Lei.