Chapter 35: Turning Sulfur into Treasure, Deputy Li’s Obstruction

The municipal soap factory was permeated with a unique scent, a blend of grease, caustic soda, and a faint, sharp tang of sulfur.

He Yuzhu followed Engineer Liu from the technical department, weaving through rows of steaming mixing vats and molding workshops, until they reached an open yard behind the raw material warehouse.

Piled on the ground were mounds of sulfur chunks, dark yellow in color, surrounded by fine dust and impurities left behind from sifting.

"Look here, Team Leader He," Engineer Liu said, pointing at the sulfur pile before picking up the sample report He Yuzhu had brought. "This batch of yours—it’s in just about the same sorry state as the damp, clumped mess we have in our own warehouse! Crushing? Sifting? Washing? Which one of those isn't a massive drain on time and labor?"

"Once you turn on the crusher, the dust alone is enough to choke a man to death! Washing requires drying! When you tally up the costs, it’s hardly cheaper than just buying new sulfur powder! And that’s not even mentioning the risks!"

Engineer Liu shook his head; he was clearly not optimistic. As an old acquaintance introduced by Technician Chen, he spoke his mind plainly.

He Yuzhu did not rush to rebut him. He crouched down, picked up a piece of the soap factory's waste sulfur, then picked up a piece of his own sample. He weighed them in his hands, testing their hardness, before walking over to a small puddle of rainwater nearby and tossing both pieces in.

"Look at this, Engineer Liu."

The sulfur chunks sank into the murky water. Tiny bubbles began to rise slowly from their surfaces, and a faint, almost imperceptible film of oil gradually formed on the water's surface.

"This is..." Engineer Liu leaned in closer.

"Impurities," He Yuzhu said, pointing to the oil film. "Sulfur itself is insoluble in water, but the organic impurities and some soluble salts mixed in will leach out."

"The stuff in your warehouse has been sitting for so long that the impurity content is likely higher, and the oil film would be even thicker. According to Engineer Chen’s testing, my batch contains mainly gypsum powder and a small amount of soil, with far fewer organic impurities."

Engineer Liu looked at the sulfur piece from He Yuzhu’s sample in the puddle. It produced fewer bubbles, and the oil film was barely visible. A flicker of change crossed his eyes.

He Yuzhu stood up and brushed the dust from his hands. "Crushing, sifting, and washing are indeed tedious. But what is the price of waste material? And what is the procurement price for new sulfur powder? The difference is enough to cover the processing costs and still save your factory a significant sum!"

Engineer Liu’s eyelids twitched. He was clearly tempted, yet he remained cautious. "That may be true, but this processing… who is going to do it? Our factory doesn't have the spare manpower for this."

"We will handle the processing!" He Yuzhu said firmly. "Crushing, sifting, washing, and drying—all of it will be completed at the rolling mill! Your factory only needs to send a truck to pick up the processed sulfur powder!"

"I guarantee that what we deliver will be dry powder ready for immediate use! If it doesn't meet the purity requirements, we’ll take it back, and you won’t owe us a single cent!"

"You're handling the whole thing?" Engineer Liu was truly surprised now; the offer was incredibly sincere.

"Every bit of it!" He Yuzhu nodded. "It can be written into the contract! Our rolling mill will provide the space and the labor for processing. We will settle the payment with your factory based on the weight of the qualified sulfur powder, using the waste material price."

"For your factory, this saves on procurement costs, solves the raw material issue, and eliminates any worries about processing pollution. It’s killing three birds with one stone!"

Engineer Liu stroked his chin, looking at He Yuzhu and then at the heap of "junk" on the ground, his mind rapidly calculating the costs.

Waste material pricing… full processing included… picking up the finished product… the temptation was simply too great.

***

"Team Leader He, this proposal of yours…" A smile finally appeared on Engineer Liu’s face. "It’s quite interesting! Come, let’s talk it over in my office! Let me see that test report of yours again!"

***

Rolling Mill Procurement Department.

He Yuzhu had just locked the preliminary agreement signed with the soap factory into his drawer when Deputy Section Chief Sun Jianguo pushed the door open, a worried look on his face.

"Xiao He, the soap factory… did you close the deal?"

"It’s done. The letter of intent is signed; we’re just waiting for their leadership to process the paperwork," He Yuzhu said, his tone relaxed.

"Good! That’s wonderful!" Sun Jianguo let out a sigh of relief, then lowered his voice. "However, Deputy Factory Director Li… has assigned you more work!"

He Yuzhu’s brow furrowed. "What kind of work?"

"That same pile of waste!" Sun Jianguo gave a wry smile. "He heard from somewhere that you’d solved the sulfur problem, so he immediately dumped the remaining alkali chunks and those barrels of waste oil-wax mixture onto you as well!"

"He even said… since you’re so capable of turning trash into treasure, you should ‘see the good deed through to the end’ and ‘properly dispose’ of the rest! The deadline… is still one month!"

He Yuzhu’s gaze turned cold. Li Huaide had seen him find a way out and immediately dumped an even thornier mess on him, hoping to see him trip and fall.

"I see." He Yuzhu’s voice was calm, revealing no emotion.

"Those alkali chunks are as hard as iron, and the waste oil-wax is filthy and sticky…" Sun Jianguo shook his head. "This is clearly meant to make things difficult for you! Xiao He, how about I go talk to Deputy Factory Director Li…"

"No need." He Yuzhu interrupted him and stood up. "Since he’s given it to me, I’ll take it. Section Chief Sun, please inform the warehouse that I’m taking over the remaining waste."

Sun Jianguo looked at He Yuzhu’s steady eyes, knowing he had a plan, and sighed. "Fine! As long as you know what you’re doing! If you need help, just ask!"

He Yuzhu didn't return to his office; he went straight to the technical department laboratory.

"Engineer Chen, I’m going to need your help again." He Yuzhu pointed to the sections on the report concerning the alkali chunks and the waste oil-wax. "These alkali chunks are mainly a mixture of caustic soda and soda ash, and they’ve solidified too much. Is there any way to make them… looser? Or is there any place that needs this low-purity mixed alkali?"

He Yuzhu then pointed to the waste oil-wax. "Besides burning this waste machine oil mixed with paraffin as fuel, is there any other outlet? As fuel, it produces too much smoke and is heavily polluting."

Technician Chen pushed up his glasses and stared at the report, his brows knitting together. "These alkali chunks… to loosen them, either you crush them physically, but they’re too hard and it’s too much effort, or… neutralize them with acid? But that costs even more! As a raw material… the purity is too low; established factories won't want it. The waste oil-wax… burning it is the simplest method, but you’re right, the pollution is bad."

He pondered deeply, then his eyes suddenly lit up. "Wait! Caustic soda… soda ash… mixed alkali… Right! The paper mill! In their pulping process, they seem to use some mixed alkali solution, and their purity requirements aren't that strict! As long as the price is cheap enough!"

"A paper mill?" He Yuzhu asked immediately. "Engineer Chen, do you have a contact there?"

"Old Wang in the technical department of the municipal paper mill studied with me! I’ll write a note for you!" Technician Chen immediately grabbed a pen.

***

"And what about the waste oil-wax?" He Yuzhu pressed.

"That…" Technician Chen frowned again. "As a mold release agent? Too dirty. Making candles? Too many impurities; it smokes black when lit… unless you can find a small workshop that needs low-grade fuel and isn't too worried about smoke… for example… a brick kiln? Or… a sand-casting drying room? They might need cheap fuel to bake their molds…"

A brick kiln? A drying room? A lightbulb went off in He Yuzhu’s mind! The suburban communes! Many communes had brick kilns and small foundries that made parts for farm machinery!

***

Rolling Mill Waste Recycling Station.

Xu Damao, wearing greasy recycled fabric overalls and broken gloves, was struggling alongside several temporary workers to load a pile of iron filings onto a truck.

"Xu Damao! What are you dragging your feet for! Hurry up!" the team leader barked impatiently.

"Yes… yes! Coming!" Xu Damao quickly lowered his head, gritting his teeth and pushing hard, feeling utterly miserable. This godforsaken place was filthy and exhausting, and the pay was pitifully low!

Just then, laughter drifted from the entrance of the recycling station. Xu Damao instinctively looked up and saw He Yuzhu walking side-by-side with Old Zhang, the warehouse manager, the two of them gesturing toward the open-air freight yard.

Old Zhang sounded impressed. "Team Leader He, you’re really something! You actually found a way to deal with that pile of sulfur lumps?"

He Yuzhu smiled. "I suppose so. I negotiated a partnership with the soap factory. Still have to figure out the rest."

"The rest?" Old Zhang clucked his tongue. "Those alkali chunks and that waste oil are even harder to deal with!"

"Where there’s a will, there’s a way." He Yuzhu’s tone was indifferent, his gaze sweeping across the recycling station.

Xu Damao quickly lowered his head, pretending to struggle with moving the iron filings, but his heart was pounding wildly! He Yuzhu! It was He Yuzhu again!

He actually managed to sell that pile of junk sulfur? And he was acting so nonchalant about it! Why?! Why is he always so lucky?!

He listened to the sound of He Yuzhu and Old Zhang’s footsteps fade away before he looked up again, watching He Yuzhu’s straight back disappear toward the freight yard, his eyes filled with such venom they could almost bleed!

He suddenly remembered the draft of the whistleblower letter he had hidden under his tattered sleeping mat, the one he had racked his brains to write! It accused He Yuzhu of corruption, bribery, and moral decay—especially those two hundred yuan of unexplained bride-price money!

No! I can’t wait any longer!

Xu Damao looked around, his gaze sweeping over the pile of scrap, then over the mean-spirited face of the team leader… Suddenly, a person flashed into his mind! Someone who hated He Yuzhu just as much and definitely had the means to do something about it!

Deputy Factory Director Li!