The bus, though bumpy and making his backside ache, didn't break down, and the journey was uneventful.
Chen Yang breathed a sigh of relief upon successfully arriving in Qinghe City. Fortunately, it wasn't the eighties yet. In a few more years, the reform and opening-up would officially begin.
When north and south began to connect, that was when the real dangers would emerge.
Many people dared to take risks for money, and some places even had notorious bandit villages that set up checkpoints, becoming road bullies.
Those who drove buses back then, who didn't secretly keep a few large iron pipes? Robbery was a minor issue; some with darker hearts even harmed people, taking both the vehicle and the goods.
It was only while sitting on the bus that Chen Yang belatedly realized he had come out with such a large sum of money without any concealment.
After all, in this era, a farmer's income from a year's labor was at most a few dozen yuan. The fifteen hundred yuan in his pocket was equivalent to many people's life savings.
If he encountered robbers, he certainly wouldn't be able to keep his money. If they were particularly ruthless, his life might not be spared.
"Don't flaunt wealth. Next time, I need to find a way to hide the money properly," Chen Yang thought to himself. At this time, the "Da Tuan Jie" (a colloquial term for the 10 yuan bill) was basically the largest denomination in circulation. Forget about hundred-yuan bills. This stack of "Da Tuan Jie," even if sewn into the inner pockets of his clothes, would create a noticeable bulge that any fool could detect.
"Master, which way is the City Red Star Machinery Factory?"
After getting off the bus, Chen Yang quickly asked someone for directions to his destination in Qinghe City.
The last bus from Liuhe County to Qinghe City departed at three in the afternoon, arriving in Qinghe City at four-thirty, and returned to Liuhe County at five. This meant Chen Yang was pressed for time and had to finish his business before five to return.
There were no hotels back then. Whether in the city or county, guesthouses required a letter of introduction from a commune or unit. Without one, you were out of luck, no matter how much money you had.
Even sleeping on the street wasn't an option. If encountered by patrolling police, you couldn't explain yourself and would be arrested as a "blind flow" (a term for unregistered transient people).
"The machinery factory is on the east side of town. Follow Renmin Road straight until you reach Industrial Avenue. The factory is number one on Industrial Avenue."
The passerby enthusiastically gave Chen Yang directions. The Red Star Machinery Factory was a renowned enterprise throughout Qinghe City in this era.
You must realize that the most prized possessions at the time were the "three turns and one sound" (bicycle, sewing machine, watch, and radio). The Red Star Machinery Factory was capable of producing Red Star mini-pickup trucks, and a large portion of the tractors in Anhui Province were manufactured by Red Star. This speaks volumes about the factory's status.
This factory, at present and even well into the 1990s, was the pride of the people of Qinghe City!
It boasted the largest workforce in Qinghe, with over eight thousand workers at its peak, covering all eight major trades.
Among them, there were nearly ten skilled workers at level eight or above in machining, fitting, and welding!
The factory even had its own hospital, school, and theatrical troupe. Some people might not have had to leave the factory from birth to burial.
In this era, super-large state-owned enterprises like Red Star Machinery Factory were highly sought-after by countless individuals, with people scrambling for a formal employee position.
And the influential figure Chen Yang was looking for was currently working as a laborer in one of Red Star Machinery Factory's workshops!
At this time, holding such a coveted "iron rice bowl" job, most people would likely have planned a stable life, perhaps aspiring to become a workshop director or even a factory leader.
However, that individual had a unique vision and found a path to prosperity. If Chen Yang didn't have memories from his past life, he might not have had such courage.
After thanking the person who gave directions, Chen Yang hurried towards the Red Star Machinery Factory. Although the influential figure had mentioned working at Red Star Machinery Factory, Chen Yang had no idea about the specific department or workshop. This was one of Red Star Machinery Factory's peak periods, with seven to eight thousand employees. Finding one person wouldn't be easy.
He rushed along and finally arrived at the factory's main gate a little past one o'clock.
But a problem arose: Chen Yang had no letter of introduction and no acquaintances. The factory's security department guarded the gate, and without a work pass, he couldn't even enter the factory grounds, let alone find anyone.
This was also due to Chen Yang's somewhat simplistic assumption. In his past life, he was still a student around this time and in the following years, so he was not very familiar with the rules of this era.
It wasn't until he truly entered the business world, in the eighties, and started his ventures overseas, that he returned to China to start a business in the nineties.
That was the period when state-owned enterprises underwent large-scale reforms, and countless workers were laid off. State-owned enterprises had long lost their former glory.
Moreover, as an overseas investor, he was highly valued by the leaders of any state-owned enterprise, and they would eagerly arrange for welcoming and escorting him for inspections.
It was nothing like now. At this time, entry and exit controls at Red Star Machinery Factory were still very strict. After all, the factory's workpieces were state assets, and the factory's security department even had armed personnel!
If anyone dared to act rashly, they might even be shot on the spot.
As time ticked by, Chen Yang was so anxious he was breaking out in a cold sweat.
"Brother, I really need to see Zhang Weiyang urgently. Please help me pass on a message."
Chen Yang had no idea how many cigarettes he had given out. If he hadn't been so generous, the security personnel might have already taken him in for questioning. Loitering around the factory gate in broad daylight, did they think the security department was useless?
"Don't rush us. The factory has nine departments and dozens of workshops, plus a factory hospital, school, and their families, tens of thousands of people. Where do you expect us to find Zhang Weiyang?"
"Without a letter of introduction or a guarantor, we dare not let you into the factory. Everything in the factory is the country's means of production. If even one item is lost, we'll lose our jobs."
The burly men from the security department puffed on their hand-rolled cigarettes. Having accepted his cigarettes, they couldn't outright kick him out, but none of them would let Chen Yang in. Explaining it to him was already a courtesy.
Chen Yang had even considered slipping them some money, but he held back. This era was different from later times; many people genuinely cared for the factory.
If it backfired, it would be problematic!
Moreover, he was just looking for someone, not trying to steal Red Star Machinery Factory's secrets. At worst, he could come back next time and spend more time, and he would eventually find Zhang Weiyang.
Just as Chen Yang was about to give up and prepare to catch his bus, a man in a blue worker's uniform, with a disheveled face, hurried out of the factory.
"Zhang Weiyang!"
Although his face was smeared with oil from the machines and he looked younger than in later years, Chen Yang recognized him instantly.
It was him!
Zhang Weiyang, one of the leading figures in Shenzhen's digital technology in his past life, the founder of a giant mobile phone manufacturing company with an annual output of over a hundred million units!