Black Gold 1983

Chapter 29 Han Changhe, Department of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering

Hongxing Mine is a standard state-owned key coal mine with a well-organized hierarchy and a strict system.

The mine has a full range of permanent functional departments: production department, geological survey department, labor and wages department, finance department, security department, and more than a dozen other departments, each with its own responsibilities, all in an orderly manner.

In the family compound, having someone from a particular department is considered a prestigious thing, something to be proud of when relatives visit during holidays.

Of all these departments, Renye is most familiar with the Mechanical and Electrical Engineering Department.

Firstly, the current head of the Mechanical and Electrical Engineering Department, Han Changhe, has a close relationship with his family.

Back when Ren Shouyi was the captain of the No. 2 Coal Mining Team, Han Changhe was the deputy captain. The two worked together for almost ten years, and Han Changhe would visit Ren Shouyi's home every few days.

Back then, Renye was just a snotty-nosed boy who always followed Han Changhe around. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that Han Changhe watched him grow up.

Secondly, to the west of the mining area, there is a warehouse of scrap equipment under the unified management of the Mechanical and Electrical Engineering Department.

It's called a warehouse, but it's actually just a large courtyard surrounded by several rows of red brick bungalows.

The open ground was piled high with obsolete motors, speed reducers, and chains, stacked together with rust marks, like mounds of iron lumps. On rainy days, rusty water would trickle down, and on sunny days, dust would settle on the ground. All year round, it was filled with the stench of a mixture of machine oil and rust.

When I was a kid, I loved to run around here when there was nowhere else to play. Behind the warehouse was a patch of overgrown weeds, teeming with mosquitoes that could bite you to death. But for a bunch of teenagers, it was a lot of fun. If we were lucky, we could even see men and women doing some unspeakable things behind the haystacks.

In those days, the atmosphere was conservative, and everyone was reserved and restrained. There were many young workers in the mine, and they had nowhere to go to find a partner, so this barren meadow became a natural "dating spot".

Renye was only ten years old at the time, and he was lying in the grass with a few older children, staring wide-eyed at the scene.

However, due to the overall upgrading and renovation of the mining area a few years ago, this area has now been uniformly planned and rectified, and transformed into a regular dedicated warehouse for electromechanical equipment.

Renye rode his old bicycle, braving the biting cold wind of early spring, all the way to the warehouse.

Starting your own small coal mine requires purchasing a large amount of discounted second-hand mining equipment in the early stages, which inevitably involves dealing with the electromechanical department.

The factory workers were all busy with their own tasks, and the gatekeeper was lax, with the old man dozing off in his booth. Renye seized the opportunity, quietly leaned his heavy-duty truck against the roadside, and slipped silently into the warehouse courtyard.

Before even entering the courtyard, a loud, forceful cursing voice could be heard coming from inside.

"Look at this! What the hell is this sealing ring? It's crooked like that, no wonder it leaks oil! Where are the people from the Jixi factory? Did they leave? If they left, you have to call them back! The mine spent over a million yuan on this huge thing, not to buy it as a decoration!"

Upon hearing that familiar voice, Renye's lips curled up slightly, and he stepped inside.

The man who was swearing was currently sporting a large, round belly, and his military green cotton-padded jacket was stretched taut. He had a small head, but his hair was combed and slicked back, making him look exceptionally well-groomed compared to the dusty-faced miners.

Looking at that bulky figure from behind, Renye couldn't help but call out, "Uncle Changhe."

When Han Changhe turned around, the wrinkles on that round face immediately squeezed into a flower shape.

"Hey! Nephew!" He rushed over in three strides and slapped Renye on the shoulder: "What brings you here, kid?"

Renye chuckled sheepishly, "I was just browsing around since I had nothing else to do."

Han Changhe winked, revealing a cunning expression: "You've been quite the big shot in the mine lately, haven't you? Everyone's saying you took advantage of her engagement and forced yourself on Tian Mancang's daughter, you know... you know?"

Several workers nearby perked up their ears, amusement playing on their lips, and slowed down their work.

Renye was taken aback, then denied it with a grin, saying, "Uncle, don't listen to those women's gossip. Sui'er and I are innocent."

Han Changhe laughed heartily, his large belly jiggling: "You little rascal, still pretending with me! Last time your mother told me to hurry up and find a proper job, and look what you've done, you haven't found a job yet, but you've found a wife first!"

Despite his laughter, Han Changhe's gaze inadvertently swept over Ren Ye.

This guy was still wearing the same old, faded cotton-padded jacket he wore last year. Every young man in the Hongxing family compound was buying new clothes for the New Year. Only this guy was struggling to make ends meet.

Han Changhe, as the uncle, felt uneasy. He didn't ask aloud, nor did he show it on his face. He simply pulled out a brand-new leather wallet from the inside pocket of his cotton-padded jacket and said in a cheerful yet protective tone, "Uncle heard about it. The Mancang family is forcing you to contribute to the bride price, and they want a grand show with 'three turns and one sound' (referring to a specific set of jewelry). Damn it, what's the big deal? Uncle will pay for it!"

Seeing this, Renye quickly reached out to stop him: "No, no, no, Uncle Changhe, I can handle this myself. How can I ask for money to get married? If word gets out, I'll lose face."

Han Changhe chuckled, "Hey! You've got some backbone, buddy. Just like the men from our mine!"

He looked Renye up and down, his smile fading, and his voice turned serious: "Remember this, if you ever encounter any insurmountable obstacles, or if you're short of money or supplies, come find your Uncle Han anytime!"

"Don't worry, Uncle, I'll come to you first if I'm in trouble."

Han Changhe was a generous and magnanimous man who never stingy with money and was righteous and generous to others, so much so that he didn't save much money in his old age.

In terms of skill, in the entire Hongxing Mine, when it comes to tinkering with electromechanical equipment, repairing machines, and doing maintenance, he is second to none; his skills are unparalleled.

No one is perfect, and he has his share of flaws, especially his lustful nature, which he couldn't shake even in his old age. He has the legacy of Cao Cao, and he suffered many setbacks because of this in his past life.

Han Changhe stopped laughing, glanced sideways at Ren Ye, and his small eyes gleamed with shrewdness: "Seriously, what brings you here today?"

"It's nothing." Renye looked around, glancing east and west, then squatted down and touched the casing of an old motor on the ground, as if examining something extraordinary. "It's been so long since I've come to see you. I've missed you."

"Bullshit!" Han Changhe snorted coldly, his eyes widening. "Do you think I don't know you? You're the kind of person who only comes to me when you need something. Back then, when I asked you to come with me to the Mechanical and Electrical Engineering Department, you absolutely refused."

"It's not that I disagree," Renye immediately interrupted, "it's that my dad disagrees!"

In the early 80s, state-owned mines had a "succession" policy, which allowed the children of retired employees to take over their positions as formal employees. At that time, Ren Shouyi retired due to injury, and the mine originally wanted to arrange for Ren Ye to work in the electromechanical department.

Which young person in the mine wouldn't want to work in the electromechanical department? No need to go down the mine, no danger, sheltered from the wind and rain, and you can learn a skill—it's one of the best jobs in the mine.

But Ren Shouyi absolutely refused to let him come, and the two of them even had a fierce argument about it, getting red in the face and their necks bulging.

After that, Renye harbored resentment and simply gave up, spending his days idly and doing nothing, gradually becoming a petty hoodlum in the eyes of the people in the mining area.

Logically speaking, Ren Shouyi and Han Changhe were the captain and deputy captain of the second coal mining team, respectively. They had worked together underground for so many years, so their relationship should have been good.

But for some reason, ever since the roof collapse three years ago, the two have hardly had any contact. They don't even exchange pleasantries during holidays. Han Changhe never visits, and Ren Shouyi never mentions him.

Renye noticed the unnatural look on Han Changhe's face and knew that he and his father were definitely hiding something from him, so he quickly changed the subject, saying, "I heard that our mine has brought in a new gadget, a high-end one? I've come to see what it's like."