Fusion System: Rebirth in a Courtyard - Bird Fighting Chronicles

Chapter 61 The Flour Scandal Reveals Bias, Irrefutable Evidence Shatters Hypocrisy

Just after the Lunar New Year, before the chill of winter had completely dissipated in Beijing, chaos erupted in the canteen of the Hongxing Steel Rolling Mill. Near lunchtime, Old Wang, a forging worker, suddenly clutched his stomach and squatted on the ground, his face pale and his forehead beaded with cold sweat. Soon after, more than a dozen workers began experiencing abdominal pain and diarrhea. Workshop director Zhou rushed to the scene and immediately arranged for the sick workers to be taken to the factory clinic. At the same time, he ordered the security department to seal off the canteen kitchen and thoroughly investigate the cause of the incident.

Lin Chen had just led his R&D team to complete the third performance test of the new mold when he received a notification from the workshop communicator. Rushing to the canteen, he found it already crowded with workers. In the open space outside the canteen, a sick worker was huddled on a bench, clutching his stomach, while the doctor from the infirmary was taking their temperatures and dispensing medicine. Old Zhang, the canteen manager, squatted on the ground smoking, his face even more pale than the sick worker's. In the canteen kitchen, Sha Zhu was gripping a spatula, his face flushed with anxiety, while Yi Zhonghai stood beside him, his brow furrowed as he explained something to a colleague from the factory office.

"It must be the flour!" someone shouted from the crowd. "The steamed buns I ate today tasted bitter and had a musty smell!" "Me too! The filling in the buns this morning had a strange taste. I didn't pay attention at the time, but now I realize it must be because the ingredients weren't fresh!" The workers discussed animatedly, pointing the finger at the quality of the canteen's ingredients. Hearing the discussion, Sha Zhu jumped up in a panic: "Impossible! The flour I get is all good, how could there be a problem? Don't make baseless accusations!"

"Whether it's slander or not, we'll find out by investigating." Yi Zhonghai turned around, his face bearing his usual stern expression. "Comrades from the factory office, I can testify that Sha Zhu has worked diligently in the canteen for so many years, and he always strictly follows the regulations when purchasing ingredients. This time, the workers' stomach upsets might be due to the warmer weather, or perhaps it's a quality issue with the flour itself. It has nothing to do with Sha Zhu's operations."

Upon hearing this, the workers were all unhappy. "Master Yi, what you're saying is wrong! We all ate in the canteen, we didn't eat anywhere else, how could it be another reason?" "Exactly! Even if you're close to Sha Zhu, you can't be so biased towards him, can you? So many workers have stomach problems, it must be a problem with the canteen!" Yi Zhonghai's face darkened: "I'm an eighth-grade fitter, I've worked in the factory for thirty years, when have I ever shown favoritism to anyone? I'm just stating the facts. I know Sha Zhu's character, he would never joke around with the workers' health."

Lin Chen frowned and walked to the kitchen door. Inside, several security guards were inspecting the ingredients. Several opened bags of flour lay on the floor, one of which was dark in color and mixed with tiny mold spots. Lin Chen squatted down, picked up a little flour with his fingers, and smelled it. A faint musty smell wafted out. He scanned it with the system's "Item Identification" function, and the system panel immediately displayed: "Moldy flour, production date October 1964, shelf life 3 months, severely expired, contains aflatoxin, consumption may cause gastrointestinal discomfort."

"Master Sha Zhu, is this bag of flour the one you used today?" Lin Chen asked, pointing to the moldy bag of flour. Sha Zhu's eyes flickered, he nodded and then shook his head: "I...I don't know, it was fine when it arrived this morning, how could it be like this..." Yi Zhonghai quickly stepped forward, blocking Sha Zhu: "Xiao Lin, you need evidence to speak. This flour might have been problematic when it was purchased, it has nothing to do with Sha Zhu. You know the canteen's purchasing process, it's handled by the purchasing department, Sha Zhu is only responsible for processing, how would he know the flour was expired?"

"Whether it's a purchasing issue or not, we can find out by checking the purchase records and inventory registers." Lin Chen stood up, his gaze sweeping over the kitchen's inventory shelves. "Moreover, the flour didn't just expire a day or two ago; it's moldy to this extent, meaning it's been expired for at least a month. As a canteen chef, not checking the quality of ingredients when purchasing and not verifying the production date before processing is dereliction of duty."

Yi Zhonghai's face darkened further: "Xiao Lin, are you deliberately targeting Sha Zhu? You had a conflict with him before, but you can't use this opportunity to settle a personal score, can you? Let me tell you, Sha Zhu is the factory's veteran chef, his cooking is excellent, and the workers all love his food. This was just an accident; there's no need to make a fuss." Li, the factory office clerk, quickly tried to smooth things over: "Master Yi, Director Lin, everyone calm down. Let's investigate the situation first before taking any action."

Lin Chen ignored Yi Zhonghai's accusations and turned to Section Chief Zhang of the Security Department, saying, "Section Chief Zhang, could you please have someone bring over the canteen's purchase ledger and inventory register, and also retrieve the flour purchase records for the past three months from the purchasing department? Also, call over the canteen worker who was in charge of inspecting the ingredients this morning for questioning." Section Chief Zhang nodded and immediately arranged for someone to carry it out.

Not long after, the security personnel brought over the purchase ledger and inventory register. Lin Chen opened the ledger and examined it carefully. The ledger recorded the date, quantity, type, and person in charge of receiving each purchase. It did indeed record a batch of flour purchased on October 25, 1964, weighing 500 jin (250 catties), and the person in charge of receiving it was identified as "Sha Zhu". Looking at the inventory register, it showed that this batch of flour was used from November 1964 until January 10, 1965, when it was recorded as "used up," but in reality, there were still two full bags left in the kitchen.

"Master Shazhu, this ledger shows that this batch of flour was used up on January 10th, so why are there still two bags left?" Lin Chen asked, pointing to the record in the ledger. Shazhu's face instantly turned bright red, and he stammered, "I...I can't remember, it's probably a mistake when registering..." Yi Zhonghai quickly chimed in, "Registration errors are normal. The cafeteria is so busy, how could Shazhu have time to check carefully? Besides, even if it was registered incorrectly, it doesn't prove that Shazhu deliberately used expired flour."

"Whether it was intentional or not, just ask the handyman who inspects the ingredients." Lin Chen finished speaking and looked at Xiao Li, the handyman standing to the side trembling. Xiao Li was an apprentice who had just been assigned to help in the canteen last month, and he was usually very afraid of Sha Zhu and Yi Zhonghai. Under Lin Chen's gaze, Xiao Li hesitated for a moment before speaking: "This morning, Master Sha Zhu asked me to move two bags of flour from the corner of the warehouse. I immediately noticed that the flour was the wrong color, and I told him it might be expired. He said it was fine, the workers wouldn't be able to tell anyway, and told me not to meddle..."

"You're talking nonsense!" Sha Zhu jumped up in a panic. "When did I say that to you? Don't frame me!" Xiao Li took a step back in fright, not daring to speak again. Yi Zhonghai quickly said, "Officer Li, this is just Xiao Li's side of the story, it can't be used as evidence. Sha Zhu isn't that kind of person, he must have misremembered." Lin Chen sneered, "Whether it's just one side of the story or not, we'll know by checking the purchasing records. If it's a problem with the purchasing department, then the flour purchasing records for the last three months should show how this batch of expired flour ended up in the cafeteria; if it's Sha Zhu's problem, then there definitely won't be any recent flour purchasing records, because he's been using this expired flour all along."

Soon, Section Chief Wang from the purchasing department arrived with the purchasing records. The records showed that the most recent purchase of flour was on January 15, 1965, with 300 jin (150 catties) purchased. The production date was January 1965, and the shelf life was 6 months. It was still stored in the purchasing department's warehouse and had not been delivered to the canteen. "Officer Li, this is very clear," Lin Chen said, pointing to the purchasing records. "The fresh flour purchased on January 15th is still in the purchasing department's warehouse and has not been delivered to the canteen. The canteen has been registering flour as 'used up' since January 10th, but in reality, it has been using expired flour produced in October 1964. This shows that Sha Zhu deliberately did not use fresh flour, but chose to use expired flour in order to save ingredients so that he could secretly take the fresh flour home."

Yi Zhonghai's face turned deathly pale. He hadn't expected Lin Chen to investigate so thoroughly. Sha Zhu was even more terrified; his legs went weak. He had indeed intended to secretly take fresh flour home for Qin Huairu, which was why he had deliberately used the expired flour from the corner of the warehouse. He hadn't expected such a serious incident. "I...I didn't mean to..." Sha Zhu's voice trembled with tears. "I just thought expired flour didn't matter, I never imagined it would cause so many workers to have stomach aches..."

"It's alright?" Lin Chen's tone turned serious. "Aflatoxin is a potent carcinogen. Even slight mold can cause serious harm to the body if consumed over a long period. As the canteen cook, you are responsible for the food safety of hundreds of workers in the factory, yet you used expired flour to cook for them for your own selfish gain. This is a serious dereliction of duty! Moreover, you falsified inventory records in an attempt to cover up the truth, which only compounded your mistake!"

Hearing Lin Chen's words, the workers angrily surrounded him. "So that's how it is! No wonder the steamed buns have had a strange taste lately!" "To bring fresh flour home to Qin Huairu, they actually risked our health, that's too much!" "This must be dealt with seriously! We can't let it go like this!" Yi Zhonghai looked at the angry workers, knowing that there was no use in siding with Sha Zhu, and could only sigh: "Sha Zhu, you did make a mistake, you should be punished."

Officer Li said with a grave expression, "According to the investigation results, Comrade Sha Zhu, as the canteen cook, was seriously negligent in his duties, using expired flour that caused food poisoning in several workers, and falsifying inventory records, which is a serious offense. After deliberation by the factory office, it has been decided to give Sha Zhu a major demerit, deduct six months' bonus, suspend him from his cook position, and transfer him to the logistics workshop to do cleaning. At the same time, Old Zhang, the canteen manager, was given a warning for inadequate supervision and had one month's bonus deducted."

Sha Zhu slumped to the ground, his eyes vacant. He never imagined he'd lose his cook job over a bag of flour—his most prized position in the factory. Yi Zhonghai patted him on the shoulder, whispering words of comfort, "Don't be discouraged, it's only temporary. Once things calm down, I'll talk to the factory leaders and get you transferred back to the canteen." Lin Chen frowned upon hearing this, stepping forward to say, "Master Yi, this isn't something that can be solved with a few words. Workers' health is no small matter. If this isn't dealt with seriously, similar problems will arise in the canteen again."

Yi Zhonghai glared at Lin Chen: "Lin, I know you and Sha Zhu had a conflict before, but you can't be so ruthless, can you? He's already been disciplined, what more do you want?" Lin Chen sneered: "I'm not ruthless, I'm doing this for the benefit of all the factory workers. The canteen's management has serious loopholes. Not only is the food inspection not strict, but the inventory management is also chaotic. This incident is just a warning. If it's not thoroughly rectified, even bigger problems will occur in the future."

Officer Li nodded: "Director Lin is right. The factory office has also realized the problems with the canteen management and plans to thoroughly overhaul it. Director Lin, you have a lot of experience in workshop management and technology research and development. The factory leaders want you to take on the role of leader of the canteen overhaul team, responsible for formulating the canteen's management system and overhaul plan. What do you think?" Lin Chen was taken aback for a moment, then nodded: "No problem, I will definitely complete the task well."

After taking over the task of rectifying the canteen, Lin Chen immediately threw himself into the work. He first conducted a comprehensive investigation of the canteen's food procurement, acceptance, inventory, and processing, and found many problems: there was a lack of effective communication between the purchasing department and the canteen, and food procurement was not timely; there were no unified standards for food acceptance, and it was all based on the subjective judgment of canteen staff; inventory management was chaotic, with expired and fresh food mixed together; hygiene conditions in the processing process were poor, kitchen utensils were not disinfected, and operators did not wear masks and gloves.

In response to these problems, Lin Chen developed a detailed rectification plan. He created a "Canteen Food Ingredient Management System" by integrating "old ledgers, carbon paper, and counters" to record in detail the purchase date, shelf life, quantity, inspector, recipient, and usage of each batch of ingredients, ensuring traceability. For the food inspection process, he established unified inspection standards, requiring joint inspection by the purchasing department and the canteen, and resolutely returning any substandard ingredients. Regarding inventory management, he implemented a "first-in, first-out" system, storing expired and fresh ingredients separately and affixing clear labels. In the processing stage, he required operators to wear clean work clothes, masks, and gloves, disinfect kitchen utensils daily, and maintain a clean and hygienic processing area.

To boost the morale of the canteen staff, Lin Chen implemented a performance appraisal system that linked workers' wages to the canteen's service quality, food waste, and hygiene standards. Staff who provided good service, minimized waste, and met hygiene standards received bonuses, while those who failed to meet these standards had their wages deducted. He also set up a suggestion box in the canteen to encourage workers to provide feedback and suggestions on service quality and menu items, allowing for timely adjustments to the menu and services based on their feedback.

After the rectification plan was implemented, the canteen underwent a complete transformation. The quality of ingredients was guaranteed, and expired ingredients were no longer used; hygiene conditions in the processing环节 were greatly improved, and workers no longer had to worry about eating unclean food; the variety of dishes also increased significantly, with different dishes available for workers to choose from every day. Workers' satisfaction with the canteen has been increasing, and those who used to complain about the food now praise the changes.

At noon, Lin Chen was inspecting the rectification work in the cafeteria when Qin Huairu approached him. She was wearing a logistics workshop uniform, holding a lunchbox, and had a fawning smile on her face: "Director Lin, you've worked hard. This is braised pork I made for you, please try it." Lin Chen glanced at the lunchbox in her hand and shook his head: "No need, thank you. The food in the cafeteria is delicious; I can get it myself."

Qin Huairu's smile froze for a moment. She put down her lunchbox and said in a low voice, "Director Lin, I know I was wrong before. I shouldn't have morally blackmailed Shazhu, and I shouldn't have opposed you. Shazhu has been transferred to the logistics workshop to clean, and he's very unhappy about it, drinking every day. He knows he was wrong. Could you talk to the factory leaders and ask them to transfer him back to the canteen? All he can do is cook; he can't do anything else. How will he survive if he stays in the logistics workshop?"

Lin Chen looked at Qin Huairu and said seriously, "Senior Sister Qin, Sha Zhu was transferred to the logistics workshop because he made a mistake by using expired flour, causing food poisoning among the workers. This is a serious dereliction of duty. The factory's punishment is already very lenient. If it were someone else, they would have been fired long ago. If he wants to be transferred back to the canteen, he can only rely on his own efforts, perform well, and strive to gain the approval of the factory leaders. I cannot bend the law because of your plea; that would be unfair to the other workers."

Qin Huairu's eyes reddened: "Director Lin, I know you are fair and selfless, but Shazhu is really pitiful. He treated you badly before, and I apologize on his behalf. Please, for the sake of our neighborhood, help him." Lin Chen sighed: "It's not that I don't want to help him, it's that I can't. The canteen is for all the factory workers, and it concerns the health of hundreds of workers. I can't joke around with their health. If Shazhu really wants to go back to the canteen, he should reflect on his mistakes, perform well in the logistics workshop, and when the opportunity arises, I will recommend him to the factory leaders."

Seeing Lin Chen's resolute attitude, Qin Huairu knew that further pleading was futile and could only leave in disappointment. Watching her retreating figure, Lin Chen felt no sympathy whatsoever. Qin Huairu had spent her entire life relying on others. She had previously used her master-apprentice relationship with Yi Zhonghai to gain a foothold in the fitter's workshop, and she had used moral blackmail against Sha Zhu to obtain food and money, never considering relying on her own efforts. Now that Sha Zhu was down on his luck, she wanted to use pleading to get him back to the canteen and continue his old life. Such a person would never truly grow up.

In the afternoon, Lin Chen was in his office finalizing the canteen's management regulations when Director Zhou walked in, holding a document: "Lin, I have good news for you. Your new forging process R&D project has won the city's Science and Technology Progress Award, with a prize of 500 yuan. You will also be recognized at the city's industrial conference. The factory leadership has decided to have you represent the factory at the conference and present your research results there."

Lin Chen was stunned for a moment, then said happily, "Really? That's wonderful! Thank you, Director Zhou, and thank you to the factory leaders for your trust!" Director Zhou patted him on the shoulder: "You deserve this. Your research and development achievements have not only improved our factory's production efficiency but also contributed to the city's forging industry. This award is well-deserved. By the way, Master Yi Zhonghai is very interested in your research and development achievements. He just came to my office to ask if he could also participate in the subsequent research and development work. What do you think?"

Lin Chen frowned. Yi Zhonghai's sudden desire to participate in the research and development was definitely not out of genuine interest in helping, but rather an attempt to use the guise of research to solidify his position within the factory. Moreover, Yi Zhonghai was an eighth-level fitter, specializing in fitter work, and unfamiliar with forging processes. His participation in the research wouldn't be of much help and might even slow down the progress. "Director Zhou, I don't think it's appropriate," Lin Chen said. "Master Yi is an eighth-level fitter, specializing in fitter work, while our research project focuses on forging processes, which he might not be familiar with. Furthermore, our research team members already work very well together; adding a new member suddenly might affect the research progress."

Director Zhou nodded: "I also think it's not quite right. Although Master Yi is skilled, he's not really good at forging. I've already told him to focus on his work in the fitter's workshop. By the way, the city's industrial conference is being held early next month. You should prepare your speech during this time, introduce our research and development achievements well, and bring honor to our factory." Lin Chen nodded: "Don't worry, Director Zhou, I will definitely prepare well."

Back at the courtyard house that evening, Lin Chen had just entered the central courtyard when he saw Yi Zhonghai and Sha Zhu squatting at the gate, smoking. Sha Zhu's face was full of dejection, and he kept muttering, "I've lost my job as a cook. I can't cook delicious food for everyone anymore..." Yi Zhonghai patted him on the shoulder: "Don't be discouraged. I've already spoken to Director Zhou and asked him to transfer you back to the canteen. He said he'll consider it. I'll talk to the factory leaders again in a few days, and it'll definitely work out."

Upon seeing Lin Chen, Yi Zhonghai's face darkened. "Lin, you're back. I have a question for you. Did you tell Director Zhou that I wasn't suitable for the research and development project?" Lin Chen nodded. "Yes, I did. Master Yi, I was just telling the truth. Your expertise is in fitter work, and you're not familiar with forging processes. You wouldn't be of much help in the research and development. Besides, the members of the research and development team are already working together very well. Suddenly adding a new member would affect the progress of the research and development."

"Tell the truth? I think you're deliberately targeting me!" Yi Zhonghai's voice rose a few decibels. "I've worked in this factory for thirty years. What kind of technology haven't I seen? Forging isn't my specialty, but I know a thing or two about it. How can I not be of any help? You're just afraid I'll steal your credit!" Lin Chen sneered, "Master Yi, if you really understood forging, you wouldn't have sided with Sha Zhu over using expired flour. You don't even care about the workers' health, how can you be genuinely dedicated to research and development? I think you're just using research and development as a pretext to consolidate your position in the factory, aren't you?"

Yi Zhonghai's face flushed crimson instantly, and he trembled with rage: "You...you're talking nonsense! When have I ever been indifferent to the workers' health? I just felt that Sha Zhu didn't do it on purpose, and there's no need to make a fuss!" "Whether it's making a fuss or not isn't up to you to decide," Lin Chen said coldly. "More than a dozen workers have been hospitalized because of Sha Zhu's negligence. If that's making a fuss, then what is a big deal? As a key technical member of the factory, you not only fail to set a good example but also favor your negligent colleague. Your image as a moral exemplar is nothing but self-deception."

Sha Zhu suddenly stood up, raising his fist to strike Lin Chen: "How dare you talk about my master like that! I'll fight you to the death!" Lin Chen was prepared, dodging to the side and grabbing Sha Zhu's wrist. Sha Zhu was quite strong, but Lin Chen, with his system-enhanced physique, easily pinned him to the ground. "Sha Zhu, don't think you can do whatever you want just because someone's on your side," Lin Chen's voice was authoritative. "If you dare lay a hand on me again, I'll report you for disorderly conduct and send you to keep Yi Xiaofeng company!"

Sha Zhu was so frightened he didn't dare move. Yi Zhonghai quickly stepped forward: "Xiao Lin, let him go! He just acted impulsively, he didn't mean it." Lin Chen released Sha Zhu's wrist and said coldly: "I'm warning you, don't cause me any more trouble. If I find out you're favoring those who are derelict in their duties, or doing anything underhanded again, I will not tolerate it!" After saying that, he turned and went into his room.

Back home, Lin Chen opened the system panel, which displayed: "Side quest completed 'Exposing Sha Zhu's dereliction of duty by using expired flour, thwarting Yi Zhonghai's bias,' reward: 6000 points, current points: 159500. Side quest completed 'Developing a cafeteria improvement plan to improve cafeteria management,' reward: 8000 points, current points: 167500. New feature unlocked: Team Management."

The team management function will allow Lin Chen to manage team members more effectively, improve team efficiency and cohesion, and will be very helpful for him in leading the R&D team and managing the canteen renovation team in the future. Lin Chen nodded in satisfaction. He thought of the city's industrial conference and had a new plan in mind: when introducing the R&D results at the conference, he would also promote the factory's canteen renovation results so that more companies could learn from them. This would not only bring honor to the factory but also enhance his own reputation in the city.

Just then, a new main quest popped up on the system panel: "Successfully present your R&D achievements and cafeteria renovation experience at the city's industrial conference, gain the approval of city leaders, and receive a reward of 20000 points, unlocking the 'Policy Alignment' function." Lin Chen's eyes lit up. The policy alignment function would allow him to learn about national and municipal industrial policies in advance, providing policy support for the factory's development and his future entrepreneurship, which was crucial for him.

He took out paper and pen and began preparing his speech for the industrial conference. The speech was divided into two parts: one part introduced the research and development process, technical characteristics, and application prospects of the new forging process, and the other part introduced the background, measures, and results of the cafeteria renovation. He also specially used a system that integrated "old projector parts + magnifying glass + lights" to make a simple projector, and made slides of the research and development results drawings and before-and-after comparison photos of the cafeteria renovation, which would be convenient to display at the conference.

That evening, Lin Chen was revising his speech when there was a knock at the gate. He opened the door and saw Director Zhang from the neighborhood office, holding an envelope: "Xiao Lin, this is your letter, sent from the south, registered mail." Lin Chen took the letter; the sender's address on the envelope was a machinery factory in the south, and the sender was named "Zhou Ming." He quickly opened the letter, which said that the machinery factory in the south had prepared new forging equipment and was waiting for him to come and help with the debugging. It also said that they would be sending representatives to the city's industrial conference and wanted to discuss cooperation with him in detail at the conference.

Lin Chen was overjoyed; this was truly a double blessing. Attending the industrial conference would not only gain him recognition from city leaders but also allow him to establish cooperation with machinery factories in the south, paving the way for his future development there. He wrote a reply to Zhou Ming, informing him that he would attend the industrial conference on time and would go to the south to help debug the equipment after the conference.

Moonlight streamed into the room, illuminating the speech and drawings on the table. Lin Chen knew that his life was about to reach a new peak. Although Yi Zhonghai and Sha Zhu were still secretly causing him trouble, and Xu Damao, who was about to be released from prison, might also pose a new threat, he already had enough strength and confidence to face all challenges.