Chapter 27: The Power of Song Hecheng**

The next day, Tao Yu went to the mechanical factory.

Director Li noticed the bandage on Tao Yu’s hand and immediately suggested that she take a day off to rest.

After all, someone as talented as her was truly rare, and Director Li didn’t want to lose her.

Tao Yu politely declined, exchanged a few words, and then returned to her desk to continue working.

At lunchtime, while the other employees went to the cafeteria, Tao Yu stayed at her desk alone.

At this moment, she was carefully reviewing a design document related to die-casting machines.

After going through it, she concluded that the document must have come from the small factory on the other side.

It was about a new design concept for die-casting machines.

More accurately, it seemed like a draft.

Since it was only a design draft, it hadn’t yet been implemented, meaning there was no physical prototype of this new die-casting machine yet.

But why was this draft just left in the corner, completely ignored?

This brought to mind the mechanical factories contracted by Song Hecheng.

Based on Director Li’s introduction the day before, Tao Yu gathered that the old, outdated mechanical factory had been completely revamped and transformed into the brand-new Lingtian Machinery Group.

She also understood the immense power of Song Hecheng.

At Lingtian Machinery, ninety percent of the R&D projects were focused on heavy and super-heavy machinery.

The nearby sub-factories were involved in areas like agriculture, construction, petrochemicals, electrical machinery, packaging, basic infrastructure, and heavy mining machinery.

As for the main Lingtian factory, where Tao Yu worked, it focused on core automotive fields, spacecraft improvements, and some highly classified military projects.

With such a vast range of important and varied projects, it was easy to imagine how many top talents from all over the country had been brought together by Song Hecheng’s Lingtian Machinery.

In Tao Yu’s memory, by the 1980s, China’s automotive industry had reached a bottleneck and had not made any significant breakthroughs.

The reasons for this stagnation were clear:

1. Lack of high-precision, high-quality raw materials.
2. Shortage of relevant talent.
3. Lack of funds—this was the most critical issue.

It wasn’t until later, when China introduced foreign investment and talent, that joint ventures and imported car brands began to emerge.

This world was extremely similar to the world of Huaguo.

Based on a similar historical timeline, Tao Yu speculated that, as she had heard during the interview at the mechanical factory:

Song Hecheng himself was a highly skilled mechanical talent who had studied abroad.

Moreover, he had returned with substantial amounts of US dollars and a team of top-tier technical talent.

With money, technology, and people at his disposal, was Song Hecheng’s ambition to break through the domestic technological bottleneck and become the first person in Huaguo to establish its own unique car brand?

And what about those highly classified aerospace and military projects—were they related to his larger goals?

Thinking of this, Tao Yu raised an eyebrow.

She acknowledged that Song Hecheng was indeed powerful, not only in his abilities but also in his extraordinary courage.

So… perhaps it’s not entirely impossible.

Tao Yu snapped out of her wandering thoughts and refocused on the die-casting machine materials in her hands.

This model of die-casting machine could only be considered a very small machine at the factory.

It was indeed inconspicuous, and it wasn’t surprising that it had been left in a corner, neglected.

But this seemingly insignificant die-casting machine would actually be very helpful for Tao Yu’s future plans…

Just as she immersed herself in thought again, Director Li interrupted her.

He walked toward Tao Yu, holding a document in his hand, smiling cheerfully.

“Xiao Tao, why aren’t you heading to the cafeteria for lunch?”

Tao Yu put down the blueprint in her hands and stood up.

“I’ll go in a moment. Did the Director need something from me?”

Director Li, in a good mood, nodded and handed her the document.

“The factory manager asked me to handle your onboarding procedures before he left. So, I’m here to have you fill out some forms.”

“What you have in your hands is the background check and a confidentiality agreement for you, which is part of the factory’s hiring protocol set by Mr. Song. I hope you don’t mind.”

Tao Yu understood. After all, she would be involved in so many confidential projects, so the background check and signing a confidentiality agreement were necessary and reasonable.

Director Li then continued discussing Tao Yu’s salary and benefits.

“As per the factory manager’s instructions, your salary will be raised by two levels, according to the pay scale for employees with five years of service in the office.”

“Your monthly salary will be 150 yuan, with separate bonuses for quarterly and annual projects.”

“Additionally, the factory provides things like peanut oil, dried fish, and more each month. You can see the list on this paper; it’s all written down.”

Director Li went on to detail the other items the factory would give Tao Yu monthly, like rice, noodles, towels, enamel cups, and even snowflake cream.

He explained everything without taking a breath, as if afraid she might not appreciate the benefits and leave.

She would be earning the same salary as someone with five years of service right from the start?

Tao Yu’s mood lifted slightly, and she calmly asked Director Li:

“Director, do employees with five years of service really receive all these benefits?”

The once talkative Director Li paused for a moment.

He recalled what the factory manager had said before leaving:

“Arrange the best benefits for Comrade Tao.”

The manager had specifically told him,

“Don’t tell her everything.”

So, Director Li figured it was better to meet Tao Yu privately without anyone else around, or else his words might get exposed.

After a moment of hesitation, Director Li resumed his smile.

“Yes, Xiao Tao, these are the benefits for employees with five years of service here. Don’t worry, just take them without any psychological burden.”

Seeing Director Li’s shift in demeanor, Tao Yu already understood what had happened.

She smiled and responded:

“Okay, thank you, Director.”

And thanks to Manager Song too…

After work, Tao Yu went to the logistics department alone. Sure enough, someone was on duty, and a net bag full of items was ready for her.

“You’re Tao Yu, right? Everything’s prepared. Just sign here and take it.”

The staff at logistics greeted her enthusiastically.

After signing, Tao Yu picked up the heavy net bag and two brand new thermos bottles and headed home.

The mechanical factory wasn’t far from her home. As Tao Yu reached the alley, she saw her mother, Li Juan, chasing a woman with a broom outside their door.

Tao Yu’s expression remained calm as she silently walked forward with her things.

Li Juan quickly noticed her daughter’s return. She pulled Tao Yu behind her and pointed the broom at the woman in front of them, warning her coldly:

“He Saihua, go back and tell Tao Lijun that I have nothing to do with your family. Tell him to hurry up and get the divorce papers!”

“If you keep pushing me, I’ll go to Chayazi Commune and make sure you and the Tao family are finished!”

Tao Yu stood behind Li Juan, observing the woman named He Saihua.

Hmm, she seemed to remember now.

This woman was the original’s aunt-in-law, living in Chayazi Commune with Tao Lijun’s older brother and the original’s grandmother.

Just yesterday, after Tao Lijun left, someone from Chayazi Commune had come.

But He Saihua wasn’t really paying attention to Li Juan’s words. Her eyes were glued to the net bag Tao Yu was carrying.

She couldn’t even look at Li Juan as she retorted:

“Li Juan, you crazy woman, I’m your sister-in-law! You dare hit me? Aren’t you afraid of being struck by lightning?”

“Tao Lijun is your husband. It’s natural for a woman to serve her husband. How can you kick him out when he comes home?”

“And that… the people in the big courtyard weren’t lying to me. You two really have become rich…”

He Saihua’s eyes were greedily fixed on the net bag in Tao Yu’s hand, especially when she saw the red thermos bottles.

She couldn’t help but swallow and forced a fake smile at Tao Yu:

“Yu’er, you’re a good girl, but don’t learn from your mom. Hurry up and give me what’s in that net bag.”

“I’ll take it back to your grandma, and those thermos bottles… your sister and brother could really use them…”

“Use them? You wish!”

Before He Saihua could finish, Li Juan cursed and raised the broom to strike.

But Tao Yu, who had remained silent, reached out and stopped Li Juan.

She took a couple of steps forward and asked coldly:

“Are you here looking for us?”

He Saihua, still fixated on the items in Tao Yu’s net bag, distractedly replied:

“Isn’t it because of Tao Lijun’s matter…”