Black Gold 1983

Chapter 23 Coal Mining Team 3

"That's right! During the major safety inspection in the fourth quarter last year, the pass rate for tunnel support in Team Four was barely over 80%, while ours was 96%. Why would they lay off us when our team is doing the same? That's absurd!"

"In my opinion, whether the mine lays off Team 3 or Team 4, they don't care at all. They just want to see who can't cause trouble and who has no connections. What's the use of Team 3 being so good? In Team 3, whose family member holds any official position in the mine? Every single person in this room, without exception, is related to any of the mine's leaders? Who has ever visited the section chief or mine manager during holidays?"

"Let's take a look at Team Four. Team Leader Zhao Dehai is Section Chief Xu's brother-in-law, and Deputy Team Leader Li Mingyi is the nephew of the Transportation Section Chief. Otherwise, with all those safety issues, they would have been removed long ago."

Liu Yuejin sighed, took off his glasses, and slowly wiped them with the corner of his clothes. He continued, "They dragged our team into this mess because they thought we wouldn't cause any trouble, or that we wouldn't be able to. Because we're honest, we're obedient, and we have no connections! To put it bluntly, it's just an excuse for the higher-ups to legitimately protect our team."

Zhao Tietou suddenly stood up, causing the chair to tilt backward and fall to the ground with a thud.

"So you're just going to accept it like that? Captain Tian, ​​we've followed you for over a decade. Are you just going to watch our brothers get sent to all sorts of places, earning a meager thirty or forty yuan a month, only to come home and get yelled at by their wives for being good-for-nothings?"

"Tie Tou!" Chen Zhiqiang stood up from under the window and grabbed Zhao Tie Tou's arm. "Why are you yelling at Team Leader Tian? How did Team Leader Tian get hurt? It's all because you impulsively got into a fight yesterday, and Team Leader Tian shielded you, which is why this happened! The mine doesn't even know how they'll punish you for this!"

Zhao Tietou was stunned by the shout, and the anger on his face slowly dissipated, replaced by a look of shame in his eyes.

He rubbed his hands together, sat down awkwardly, and said in a much softer voice, "Team Leader Tian, ​​that's not what I meant. I... I was just in a hurry."

Tian Mancang waved his hand, indicating that it was alright.

"I'm just as anxious as you are. You're the pillars of your families, and so am I. Sui'er's mother isn't in good health, and I have elderly parents to support. I don't know when my back injury will fully heal, and whether I'll be able to go down the mine again is uncertain. If we lose this income from the coal mining team, my family won't be able to make ends meet."

His words were so honest that they left no room for response.

Silence fell over the room once more.

After a long silence, a young miner who had been squatting in the corner finally spoke in a deep voice, breaking the deadlock.

"I've heard some people at the mine gossiping these past few days, saying that it's because of Sui'er and that kid Renye that Section Chief Xu lost face, which is why he's targeting our Third Team."

One sentence completely shattered the unspoken understanding between everyone.

Zhao Tietou roared, "What the hell are you talking about! What does this have to do with Sui'er's daughter! From now on, if anyone dares to gossip about this in the team again, don't blame me, Zhao Tietou, for turning my back on them!"

But now this matter can no longer be kept secret. The affair between Lao Ren's wild boy and Sui'er a few days ago has already spread throughout the entire family compound, and even all over the mine, it's being discussed everywhere, and everyone knows about it.

At first, everyone in the team thought that Sui'er and Section Chief Xu's son were engaged, and that was a done deal.

Everyone secretly hoped that if this marriage would go through, they would have the backing of the powerful Labor and Wages Department, which would give them an advantage in the future assessments, job assignments, and welfare allocations of the Third Coal Mining Team, and give them more confidence in the mine.

Now look what's happened! The cabbage we carefully nurtured has been eaten by a pig!

Despite his respectable appearance, Renye is a lazy bum who spends his days idly. He's always involved in any joking or mischief that happens at the mine.

To be honest, with his carefree and irresponsible nature, he wouldn't pass the eyes of these uncles and elders in the third team at all. No matter how you look at it, he's not a good match for Sui'er's daughter.

Moreover, I heard that Ren Shouyi, the former captain of the No. 2 coal mining team, retired early due to injury. According to the factory's policy, sons should inherit their fathers' jobs. The mine specially reserved a stable job in the electromechanical department for Ren Ye, which was a coveted position that everyone envied.

No need to go down into the deep well, sheltered from the wind and rain, easy work, clean and respectable job, but that kid just had to act recklessly, saying he wouldn't go and then not going, throwing away a secure job for nothing, not knowing how to live a peaceful life at all.

Tian Mancang's face was somber, and his voice was filled with remorse: "Brothers, if it is truly because of my family's private affairs that the Third Team has fallen to this state, it is I, Tian Mancang, who owes you all a debt of gratitude. I am sorry."

"Team Leader Tian, ​​what are you saying!" Zhao Tietou was the first to get angry.

Tian Mancang waved his hand, stopping him from continuing.

He propped himself up and tried to sit up. The injury in his waist made it difficult for him to move, and the veins on his forehead were bulging, but he gritted his teeth and forced himself to sit up straight.

"Iron Head, let me finish what I have to say."

His gaze shifted from Zhao Tietou and swept over the others one by one. Liu Yuejin, Chen Zhiqiang, Sun Dayong... he recognized every face; they had all shared life and death with him underground.

"I, Tian Mancang, have worked at Hongxing Mine for twenty-three years, and I've been the captain of the third coal mining team for almost ten years. In these ten years, my brothers and I have suffered a lot, endured a lot of hardship, and lived in constant fear. We know exactly what it's like underground; we've always been living with our lives in our own hands."

He paused for a moment, his voice a little hoarse.

"But none of you have ever deserted. We carried the flag of the Third Squad together."

"The mine is laying off three teams now, whether it's due to a general trend or some other reason. If it has anything to do with my Sui'er, then I, Tian Mancang, have let everyone down."

Zhao Tietou was about to speak again when Chen Zhiqiang pulled him back.

"I don't know if I'll ever fully recover. Even if I do, whether I'll be able to go back down the mine is uncertain. My time as team leader was already coming to an end."

He raised his head, his voice suddenly rising a few decibels: "But the brothers of the Third Team cannot be scattered! You've followed me for ten years, I can't let you end up being discarded like a burden!"

"Tomorrow, I'll go find the mine leaders, one by one. I'll tell them that the dismantling of the coal mining teams must be based on performance and according to the rules, not on these underhanded methods! The performance of Team Three speaks for itself; anyone who wants to touch Team Three will have to ask me, Tian Mancang, for permission first!"

"If the mine insists on targeting Team Three and breaking up our organization, then let me, the team leader, be the first to be removed!"

"So I beg you all," Tian Mancang said, bracing himself on the bed with his hands and struggling to get up to bow, "Give me a chance to make amends."

"Team Leader Tian! What are you doing!" Zhao Tietou rushed forward and grabbed him, saying, "You still have an injury on your back, don't move!"

Chen Zhiqiang quickly stepped forward and supported Tian Mancang's shoulders from the other side. The two of them held him down and wouldn't let him get up.

Zhao Tietou's eyes reddened, and his voice trembled: "Team Leader Tian, ​​what kind of talk is this? What do you mean you've let everyone down? If it weren't for you leading the team all these years, would the brothers in Team Three have been able to work safely until now?"

"What happens in Team Three is everyone's business! You say you're going to see the mine leaders, then we'll go with you! This is everyone's business; we can't let you shoulder the burden alone!"

"Yes! Let's go together!"