Chapter 31: Trouble at the Factory

It was just after work, and the factory gates bustled with people coming and going. When they saw the boss’s new lackey squaring off against the foreman, notorious for currying favor with the boss while lording it over the workers, many couldn’t help but stop and watch.

Among the onlookers was a young woman unfamiliar with Jiang Fan but who had heard of him—Shen Tingting, recently crowned the factory beauty upon her arrival. Knowing Jiang Fan was a friend of Hao Meng, she found herself growing concerned for him.

The foreman, adept at playing both sides, decisively blocked Jiang Fan’s path. It wasn’t merely because Jiang Fan ignored his existence; more so, it was a calculated move after weighing the potential benefits. Just days before, Chen Anlong had scoffed at Jiang Fan in the dumpling shop, dismissing him as nothing special, and now here he was, newly employed in the factory. The foreman concluded that this so-called lackey wasn’t truly valued by Chen Anlong.

Now, Jiang Fan was openly flouting factory rules. By stepping in to stop him in front of everyone, the foreman could prove he wasn’t afraid of authority, intimidate the workers, boost his own standing, and indirectly demonstrate his loyalty to Chen Anlong—a win on multiple fronts.

What he hadn’t anticipated was Jiang Fan’s utter disregard for the rules, and instead of backing down, Jiang Fan threatened him, leaving him humiliated in front of so many eyes. To shrink away now would not only risk losing the boss’s favor but would also shatter his authority among the workers—an outcome the foreman could not accept.

“You take the factory’s pay, you must take responsibility for what happens here. I’m enforcing the rules. Take the food back now and I’ll let this go,” he said, invoking the regulations and hinting that as long as Jiang Fan didn’t insist on carrying the food out, he’d let it slide, thus saving face.

“Go argue with your mother, you fool.”

Jiang Fan had always found the foreman’s posturing intolerable. With both hands full and little patience left, Jiang Fan didn’t bother with further words. He cursed, then kicked the foreman hard in the stomach. As the foreman staggered back, doubled over, Jiang Fan stepped forward and swept his leg with force across the foreman’s face.

Clutching his face, the foreman collapsed in agony, now thoroughly enraged. He shouted at the nearby security guards, “What are you all standing around for? Beat this bastard within an inch of his life!”

There were at least eight or nine security guards present, both on duty and among the curious crowd. But with one side being their superior and the other a man close to the boss, none dared to move. Only two guards who were close with the foreman drew their batons and advanced on Jiang Fan.

“Watch out!”

Both Shen Tingting and the frail girl Jiang Fan had offered to help shouted in unison as the two guards approached from behind.

Jiang Fan, alert to the commotion, bent and twisted to shield his head, spotting the two guards out of the corner of his eye. With a sweeping kick, he knocked one to the ground. Then, using the food tray in his hand, he blocked the other’s baton and landed a heavy kick to the man’s groin.

The guard dropped his baton and crouched on the ground, hands between his legs, his face turning purple with pain, heedless of the surrounding women.

Seeing the usual tormentors of the workers toppled, someone began to clap, soon joined by cheers and applause.

Chen Anlong had just entered the exclusive dining hall for himself and the Taiwanese managers when his secretary rushed in to report the incident.

Just as he rose to head to the factory gate, Vice President Tang—who oversaw security—caught the gist of the story from the secretary’s account.

“Mr. Chen, you’d best not get involved in something so trivial,” Tang cautioned. “If you do, there’s only one possible outcome: firing your new hire. He broke the rules first, and as the boss, it would seem improper to show favoritism in front of so many employees.”

Chen Anlong snapped, “That troublemaker’s been here two days and already stirs up trouble. Fire him, then.”

“I don’t see it that way,” Vice President Tang replied with a smile, offering no further objection.

Seeing Tang’s attitude, Chen Anlong sat back down and told his secretary, “Leave it for now. Keep an eye on things but don’t let the factory descend into chaos.”

Chen Anlong took Tang’s advice not just because of his position as Executive Vice President, but because Tang was also the nephew of Zhan Haocheng, overseeing the investment on his uncle’s behalf.

After the confrontation, with the foreman and two guards subdued, no one else dared to intervene.

The foreman, who had been preparing to get up when he saw the guards step in, now sat on the ground, too embarrassed to continue feigning injury but too frightened to rise.

Jiang Fan’s two trays of food had spilled during the scuffle, and the new trays were dented from the attack.

Knowing Chen Anlong didn’t care for him, Jiang Fan figured he’d be fired after this incident. Since he’d be leaving anyway, he saw no reason not to vent his anger.

He strode over to the foreman, smacked the back of his head, and asked, “Weren’t you just telling them to hit me? Why so quiet now?”

“I—I—I…” the foreman stammered, unable to finish.

“Useless dog.”

Seeing the foreman’s miserable state, Jiang Fan kicked him hard in the face, then smashed the battered tray over his head. The scraps of food still inside splattered over him, making him look even more pathetic.

Jiang Fan returned to the staff dormitory, refilled the empty tray, and left the factory. After searching for a while, he finally found the frail girl. Not wanting to implicate her, he signaled with his eyes, left the food at the convenience store, and let her retrieve it herself.

Still preoccupied with Ah Zhen’s younger sister, Jiang Fan searched the dispersing crowd and eventually found the emaciated girl, though Ah Zhen herself was nowhere to be seen.

“Come on, I’ll take you to eat,” Jiang Fan said gently, moved by the girl’s gaunt appearance.

“Big brother, what if my sister can’t find me and gets worried?”

“Don’t worry, after all the commotion, she’ll know I took you.”

Jiang Fan led Ah Zhen’s sister to the dumpling shop, asked Uncle Qiu to make her a bowl of dumplings, said he’d be back soon, and returned to the factory.