After drinking tea for a while and chatting for a while, seeing that the atmosphere was about the same, Cao Zhiqiang smiled slightly and took the initiative to take out a box of Havana cigars from his arms.

"Havana cigar, would you like one?" Cao Zhiqiang smiled slightly as he opened the box.

Chen Jiabang was stunned for a moment, then nodded with a smile: "I definitely can't accept other people's words, but since it's President Cao's treat, of course I have no problem!"

Speaking of this, Chen Jiabang was not polite to Cao Zhiqiang, and took the initiative to take a cigar from inside, then skillfully removed the envelope, then skillfully picked up the cigar cutters and began to cut off both ends of the cigar.

From the look on his face, you could tell that he had been in contact with him before.

Sure enough, after cutting the cigar, Chen Jiabang skillfully picked up a long-handled match, lit it, and started to bake the cigar.

"Yo!" Cao Zhiqiang, who also took out a cigar, said in surprise, "Old Chen, you understand very well!"

Chen Jiabang smiled and said while toasting the cigar: "In the past, I received foreign guests with the leader and smoked this thing with the foreign guests, so I know how to smoke it."

"Have you received foreign guests?" Cao Zhiqiang continued to be surprised, "You seem to have been assigned to the Hongguang Factory very early, right? Why, our factory has received foreign guests before?"

"Of course." Chen Jiabang smiled and said, "At that time, when I first came to this factory, there were many Sulian experts in the factory, and many of them loved smoking cigars. I was specialized in smoking cigars at that time.

I was responsible for receiving them, so I learned a little bit about them.”

"Expert Su Lian?" Cao Zhiqiang was stunned, "That must have been in the 1950s, right?"

"Yeah." Chen Jiabang baked the cigar, lit a match, lit the cigar, put it in his mouth and took a puff.

After letting the smoke pass through his lungs, Chen Jiabang slowly exhaled the smoke.

As the smoke was exhaled, Chen Jiabang's expression gradually became calmer, and his eyes fell into memories.

"When I was first transferred to the Hongguang Factory, it was 1958. At that time, our relationship with the factory was still very good, and there were many Sulian experts in the factory, and we all got along very happily.

For example, in this cigar bar, the old expert I was serving at that time smoked cigars almost every day, and seeing my curiosity, he taught me step by step how to smoke cigars, and also told me many cigar stories."

After smiling slightly, Chen Jiabang took another puff of his cigar, and then continued: "At that time, I had just graduated from technical secondary school, and I was very high-spirited and curious about everything.

At that time, I not only secretly smoked cigars with the old expert, but also chatted with him, talked about state affairs, and even argued with him many times about the route.

Haha, when I think about it, I really didn’t know the heights of the world at that time.”

Cao Zhiqiang also lit up his cigar at this time, took a long puff of smoke and said, "It's normal for a scholar to be angry. I'm sure others won't be as knowledgeable as you."

"Yes." Chen Jiabang nodded, "He is an old expert. Although he is often annoyed by me, he is very kind to me afterwards, just like a normal person.

Speaking of which, those old experts who came from the north were really nice people, but it’s a pity, it’s a pity.”

Cao Zhiqiang naturally knows what he regrets, but naturally he can't say much about this kind of thing, nor can he comment much.

"It's not a pity." Cao Zhiqiang smiled slightly, lay back on the sofa, crossed his legs, and said leisurely, "The wheels of the times are rolling forward, and every era has its own mission.

The past is past, all we can do is live in the present and look to the future.

Everyone has to look forward, right?"

"Haha, you're right." Chen Jiabang nodded with a smile, followed Cao Zhiqiang's example, crossed his legs, and leaned deeply on the back of the sofa.

This relaxed posture is the best proof of the relationship between the two parties.

Generally speaking, when people in this period talk about things in the office, only if their relationship is strong enough can they sit so relaxed, which means they are completely unguarded against you.

If the relationship was even slightly worse, it would never be possible to reach this point.

Seeing the other party making this gesture, Cao Zhiqiang smiled again, and then said: "By the way, speaking of which, I haven't congratulated you yet. I heard that you have been nominated as the next director of our Hongguang Factory?

Congratulations! From now on, I will call you Director Chen, hahaha!"

"Um?"

When Chen Jiabang heard this, he was stunned, subconsciously sat up straight, and quickly explained to Cao Zhiqiang: "President, don't get me wrong, the nomination of the factory director was made by people from the Industrial Management Committee, not me.

When I heard the news, I was also surprised.

And I also told Factory Director Li that I absolutely cannot be the factory director.

If you really want to be the president, you have to be the president.

After all, who doesn’t know that our Hongguang Factory’s achievements today are almost all due to your own efforts.

Without you, our Hongguang Factory might have disappeared long ago.

So don’t worry, I will definitely refuse this matter!"

Cao Zhiqiang burst into laughter: "Alright, Old Chen, look at you, what are you doing? Do you think I'm here to punish you? Then you're mistaking me."

After smiling slightly, Cao Zhiqiang continued: "Besides, don't think about it, our factory management committee will not just nominate someone to be the factory director, they also have to listen to the leadership.

And who should the people on the factory management committee listen to? You should know this better than me, right?"

Chen Jiabang frowned, then sighed: "I know that the Factory Management Committee of our factory nominally listens to Secretary Dong, but in fact it listens to Factory Director Li.

After all, Director Li has been in the factory for so many years and his prestige is unrivaled.

What's more, the so-called enterprise reform is being carried out now, and the factory director responsibility system is being implemented. Director Li's power will be even greater.

Therefore, if it were not for Director Li’s instruction to nominate me as factory director, no one would do it.”

After a brief pause, Chen Jiabang said again: "President Cao, don't worry, although Director Li is my old leader, I am very self-aware.

I know who has the greatest credit and who is the most important to our factory.

To put it bluntly, the current Hongguang Factory can do without me, Chen Jiabang, but it absolutely cannot do without you, Cao Zhiqiang.

The reason is very simple, that is, the Hongguang Factory at this time is no longer the original Hongguang Factory."

Speaking of this, Chen Jiabang frowned and sighed: "The original Hongguang Machinery Factory was, after all, an enterprise directly under the Ministry of Metallurgy. It had a bright sign, large quantities, and a high industrial output value. It was a large and important enterprise in the capital, and even more so.

It is an important source of small treasury for the ministry.

At that time, with the support of the Metallurgical Department, we were able to do everything conveniently and were envied wherever we went.

But it's different now.

Now all departments are undergoing rectifications, and our Hongguang Factory is no longer the Hongguang Factory it used to be.

Although we still have the title of being directly under the Metallurgical Ministry, in fact the ministry no longer cares about us, or in other words, has given up on us.

Otherwise, the previous rectifications would not have struck us first.

Now that our factory land in the city has been handed over, the main factory has to move to the branch factory in the northeast.

That's all thanks to your original planning, especially the Sino-Japanese joint venture Chaoyang Electronics Factory project you brought about.

Without this box project, our factory might not even have the qualifications to retain it, and its signboard would be taken away.

Although you have planned ahead and created many solutions for us, such as this publishing house and transportation companies.

But I know that if there is no big backend, let alone this publishing house, even the transportation company cannot continue to operate.

Especially our transportation company, what we do is inherently marginal, and if we don't do it right, it's easy for people to say it's speculation.

In the past, when Hongguang Factory was booming, no one dared to speak against us.

But it's hard to say now.

The reason why our factory looks quite prosperous is that all businesses are progressing smoothly.

Others don't know, but I know, and it's all because of you, Mr. Cao Zhiqiang.

Because everyone in the world knows that behind you is Mr. Xu, and although Mr. Xu has retired, his prestige is still there.

Especially the current heads and heads in the Metallurgical Department have to give Mr. Xu some slack.

Not only that, I heard that you also have a good relationship with Mr. Wang, who is in charge of publicity.

Mr. Wang is still in his position, and he has a lot of power. I heard that he is still in charge of discipline.

In the beginning, our publishing house did special things just for Mr. Wang's sake.

For Mr. Wang's sake, few people dare to find trouble in the country, let alone the capital city.

So, it’s not that I don’t want to be a factory director.

But I know very well that I don’t have that ability now.

If I become the director of the factory, I will not be able to protect our Hongguang Factory.

Only you, President Cao!

Only if you become the director of this factory can you completely cover our Hongguang Factory and lead our factory to continue to glory.

Therefore, please don’t misunderstand me, I really have no intention of going beyond you!”

Hearing Chen Jiabang's sincere words, Cao Zhiqiang smiled slightly, then waved his hand and said: "Okay, Old Chen, I understand what you mean, but you don't have to be so anxious. Just listen to me first."

After taking another puff of cigar, Cao Zhiqiang said slowly: "Old Chen, since you know that the most prestigious person in our factory is Director Li, and the people on the factory management committee basically follow his wishes, then you

You should know that it was Director Li’s wish to nominate you as the next factory director.

But Director Li is not only your old leader, but also my old leader.

In particular, my current relationship with Factory Director Li is not ordinary, and he must know my situation better than you.

Therefore, why do you think that I won’t know about it when Director Li asks someone to nominate you as the next director?”

Chen Jiabang blinked: "You mean...you already knew about this? And you agreed to it?"
To be continued...