Chapter 158: Director Huang of the Research Institute

Zhang Jianshe brought Zhou Yimin and the others to the research institute but didn’t take them inside.

Not just anyone could enter the institute casually.

It might be fine for an ordinary institute, but theirs was anything but ordinary.

“You all wait here for a moment.”

With that, Zhang Jianshe hurried in on his bicycle, leaving Zhou Yimin and the others near the gate. There were armed guards posted at the entrance.

This time, Zhang Jianshe went straight to find the person in charge of the canteen.

After all, even their research lab couldn’t possibly finish off two whole wild boars!

He knew full well that comrades from other labs were also suffering from poor nutrition.

Anyway, with Yimin in their lab, there would be plenty of opportunities to eat well in the future—no need to worry about food. After visiting Zhoujiazhuang a few days ago, he had a clearer idea of his future son-in-law’s mindset.

“Director, someone from the institute is here to see you,” a staff member reported.

Director Huang, who was in charge of logistics, was briefly stunned. “Here to see me? Who?”

Though he was a leadership figure overseeing logistics, he wasn’t all that familiar with the institute’s researchers. Mostly because they had nothing to talk about—those guys only ever spoke in complex scientific theories, and he had no way to join the conversation.

“Comrade Zhang Jianshe.”

Director Huang thought for a moment before finally recalling who Zhang Jianshe was.

There were quite a few people at the institute—two to three dozen labs, with the larger ones having dozens of researchers. It wasn’t realistic for Director Huang to remember every single one of them.

That was normal, considering they rarely interacted.

Director Huang followed the staff member outside.

“Comrade Zhang Jianshe, what can I do for you?” Director Huang extended a hand.

His mind was full of guesses—was it another request for extra meals?

Just a few days ago, another lab head had asked him to improve the canteen meals, saying the researchers were doing intense brain work and poor nutrition would delay their projects.

All he could do was promise to try his best.

After all, the whole country was tightening its belt. Compared to that, while the institute’s meals weren’t luxurious, at least people weren’t starving.

Some of the complaints about hunger were due to people taking food home and not finishing their own meal portions.

He was helpless too!

Higher-ups had ordered that all efforts be made to ensure proper food and nutrition for research staff. But he was practically begging around every day—contacting grain stores and slaughterhouses—just trying to get more food.

Before Zhang Jianshe could speak, someone hurried over and cut in, “Director Huang, thank goodness you’re here.”

Director Huang’s face showed resignation. This was the same guy who’d come to him a few days ago.

He’d claimed some of his lab members were developing color blindness and had demanded improved nutrition.

“Comrade Liu, the canteen is giving everyone an extra egg today. That’s the best we can do for now, please try to hold on.” Director Huang quickly shut him down.

An extra egg—he’d delivered on his promise, right?

Given the current situation, you really couldn’t ask for much more.

Sure enough, although the man looked a bit disappointed, he still sighed with some relief. One egg was better than none. He hadn’t wanted to bother Director Huang either, but the project they were working on was critical and had to be completed this month.

There could be no delays.

“Thank you for understanding, Director Huang.”

Director Huang waved his hand. “No, I should be thanking you. I know you’re offering your knowledge in service of the nation, and your work is important. My job is to support you logistically. If the food’s not good enough, that’s on me.”

He wouldn’t dare complain about the researchers. Last time he muttered a single sentence, the higher-ups chewed him out.

Director Huang had realized his mistake and had reflected deeply.

That’s why he’d been scrambling these past few days, using all his contacts to find more food.

Seeing him speak this way, the visitor was even more reluctant to press further.

Director Huang turned to Zhang Jianshe. “Comrade Zhang, we’re adding eggs at lunch today.”

Clearly, he thought Zhang Jianshe was there for the same reason.

Zhang Jianshe gave a helpless smile. “Director Huang, a relative of mine from back home just brought in two wild boars. I came to ask if our institute might want them, if…”

Before he could finish, Director Huang’s face lit up. “Yes, absolutely! Where is your relative? I’ll have someone pick them up right away!”

Even Liu Zhiyong, who was still there, looked delighted.

“Comrade! Are you serious? That’s fantastic!”

Zhang Jianshe nodded. “Really. They’re waiting outside right now. Last night, wild boars came down from the mountain and ruined their crops. They managed to kill eleven, and knowing I might need some, they saved two for me.”

Director Huang grabbed Zhang Jianshe and started heading for the gate. “Come on, let’s go take a look.”

He was overjoyed.

Unplanned meat supplies like this were their favorite. The institute had a budget—not exactly poor—but it wasn’t like you could buy things just because you had money.

Not even as a research institute.

And theirs wasn’t the only institute in the capital. Some others were even more critical than theirs.

It was a pity they’d only gotten two of the eleven wild boars—but that was still better than nothing.

They arrived at the gate and saw Zhou Yimin and the others, and especially the two wild boars lying on the ox cart. They were overjoyed.

Director Huang immediately pulled out a pack of cigarettes and handed some to Zhou Yimin and the two villagers from Zhoujiazhuang.

“Comrades, have a smoke. We’ll take the wild boars—don’t worry, we’ll make sure you get a fair price.” Director Huang wanted to build a good relationship. If they could provide more game in the future, that would be ideal.

Zhang Jianshe introduced them. “Yimin, this is Director Huang from our research institute.”

Zhou Yimin shook his hand. “Hello, Director Huang!”

Soon, Director Huang learned that Zhou Yimin was a procurement officer at the steel factory.

He was immediately tempted and tried to poach him—hoping to bring Zhou Yimin over as a procurement officer for their institute. If Zhou worked for them, maybe next time they’d get more than two wild boars out of eleven.

But Zhou Yimin politely declined.

“Comrade Yimin, don’t be so quick to say no…” Director Huang quickly listed all the institute’s perks, hoping to tempt him.

Zhang Jianshe interrupted, “Director Huang, don’t make things hard for him. He’s a hot commodity at the steel plant. If we try to poach him, I’m not sure we could handle the blowback.”

He had a decent idea of how things worked.

If they stole Zhou Yimin away, the steel plant would go ballistic—like poking a hornet’s nest.

That was the capital’s top steel factory, a massive operation with over ten thousand people, directly under the Ministry of Industry.

“How about this—let’s give him a procurement quota he can take back to the village. His village is expanding chicken farming and vegetable production.” Zhang Jianshe hinted subtly.

He was also looking out for Zhou Yimin. The more institutions Zhou was tied to, the safer he would be in the long run.

Director Huang’s eyes lit up at the suggestion.

(End of Chapter)