Chapter 45: A Night of Public Commendation in the Newspaper

Director Qian left the rolling mill factory with the freshly produced sample of the new type of lubricant grease and the complete set of technical documents, feeling satisfied.

Before departing, he gripped He Yuzhu’s hand firmly. “Comrade He, this spirit of turning waste into treasure and self-reliance deserves vigorous promotion! Await good news from the ministry!”

The good news arrived sooner than expected.

Three days later, the latest issue of the "Industrial Innovation Brief" was almost run into Director Yang’s office by the factory’s administrative officer.

The front-page headline was striking and bold:

“Turning Waste into Treasure Creates a Miracle! Hongxing Rolling Mill Factory Breaks Through Waste Oil Regeneration and New Lubricant Grease Technology!”

Core principles unveiled for the first time: Alkali neutralizes waste oil acidity; tung oil and gypsum powder enhance wear resistance!

The brief detailed the technical points and significant implications, concluding with a special note: “This technology was developed under the leadership of Comrade He Yuzhu’s research team at Hongxing Rolling Mill Factory, providing invaluable experience to the entire national industrial front!”

The news instantly ignited the whole rolling mill!

Workers eagerly circulated the brief’s summary, freshly reprinted overnight by the factory office, their faces glowing with pride.

“Team Leader He! You’ve truly brought honor to our rolling mill!”

“Featured on the ministry’s front page! Such recognition! Incredible!”

Director Yang’s face beamed with pride as he stood on the steps of the factory office building holding a megaphone, his voice resonant: “Comrades! Quiet down! Tonight, the canteen will serve extra meals! Plenty of meat! Let’s celebrate our rolling mill’s technological breakthrough making the ministry’s front page!”

“We must especially commend Comrade He Yuzhu and his technical research team! They are the heroes of our rolling mill!”

Inside the canteen, the atmosphere was lively and brightly lit.

Usually rationed braised pork was piled high today, and workers carried their meal boxes with faces shining with a rare glow and smiles.

He Yuzhu, Engineer Chen, and Technician Su Qing were surrounded by colleagues, receiving waves of congratulations and toasts.

Su Qing’s cheeks were slightly flushed as she quietly stood beside He Yuzhu, her eyes full of pride.

“Team Leader He, a toast to you!”

“Engineer Chen! Technician Su, thank you for your hard work!”

He Yuzhu held an enamel mug filled with the factory’s homemade bulk white liquor, spicy yet warming.

He smiled in response, his gaze sweeping over the noisy canteen, briefly resting on Li Huaide’s strained smile and the nearly crushed wine glass in his hands before moving away.

The joy of victory was genuine, but the necessary vigilance remained intact.

The celebration dinner was drawing to a close.

He Yuzhu accompanied Director Yang to see off the last few factory leaders, preparing to find Su Qing to go home together.

Suddenly, Engineer Chen staggered over, his face ashen, clutching tightly a red notebook—the very one containing the core data of the lubricant grease!

“Yu… Yuzhu! Something’s wrong!” Chen’s voice trembled as he thrust the notebook into He Yuzhu’s hands. “Look!”

A dark shadow fell over He Yuzhu’s heart as he flipped open the notebook.

The pages detailing the final formula ratios, additive sequence, and key temperature control parameters had been neatly torn out, leaving only jagged edges!

“Just now… I was about to put the brief away, and when I opened it… it was like this!” Chen was sweating profusely. “This… this is the core process! Who did this?!”

He Yuzhu’s eyes instantly turned cold. He closed the notebook, his voice low yet composed: “When did you discover this? When was the last time the notebook was intact?”

“Right before the celebration dinner! I personally locked it in the technical department drawer! The key is only with me and Su Qing!” Chen said urgently.

Su Qing arrived upon hearing the news. Seeing the torn notebook, her face paled. “I… I finished organizing the data this afternoon and handed the notebook to Chen to lock away…”

At that moment, the factory office secretary came rushing over, breathless, holding a plain brown envelope. “Team Leader He! Director Yang! This was just found at the factory gate’s communication room! It’s addressed to Director Yang personally! It’s… an accusation letter!”

Director Yang frowned deeply and tore open the envelope.

Inside was a thin sheet of paper with crooked handwriting, written with the left hand:

Director Yang Weimin:

I report that He Yuzhu of the Procurement Department has plagiarized technological achievements! The core formula and process of the new lubricant grease were independently researched and completed by his wife, Su Qing! He Yuzhu has abused his power to seize his wife’s credit and deceive the world!

I urge the factory director to uphold justice and severely punish this academic scoundrel!

An informed party

The festive atmosphere in the canteen instantly froze.

All eyes turned toward He Yuzhu and Su Qing, their expressions complex.

Director Yang’s face turned ashen, his hand trembling slightly as he gripped the letter.

He looked at He Yuzhu, then at Su Qing, who was pale and biting her lip, and said solemnly, “Yuzhu, Comrade Su Qing, come with me to the office! Chen, come as well!”

The atmosphere in the director’s office was heavy.

The accusation letter lay spread on the large desk like a filthy rag.

“Yuzhu, this letter…” Director Yang looked at He Yuzhu, hesitating.

He sincerely did not believe He Yuzhu capable of such an act, but the letter named names and involved Su Qing…

He Yuzhu did not glance at the letter. His gaze fell on Su Qing as he calmly asked, “Su Qing, where is your original experimental record book?”

Su Qing was momentarily stunned, then her face turned even paler. “In… in my technical department drawer! I’ll go get it right away!” She turned and hurried out.

Soon she returned, clutching her blue-bound notebook tightly.

She trembled as she flipped to the final section recording the lubricant grease experiments.

The records were still there! But… the pages documenting those few critical successful experiment data, additive sequences, and temperature control parameters were also torn out, leaving only the bare spine!

“I… I remember clearly! Right here! I recorded the proportions of graphite powder and gypsum powder added! And the critical temperature point for refining lard!” Su Qing pointed at the blank space, her voice choked with tears and disbelief. “How… how could it all be gone?!”

Chen gasped sharply. The core data—the key pages of both original record books—had been destroyed!

This was clearly an attempt to completely erase the evidence and cement He Yuzhu’s guilt of “plagiarism”!

“Investigate! Security Department! Search immediately!” Director Yang slammed the desk in fury. “The technical department’s door lock! Everyone with access to these two notebooks! Dig down to the roots until you find who tore these pages!”

He Yuzhu picked up Su Qing’s torn blue notebook and held it close to the light, scrutinizing the edges of the torn pages.

The jagged edges appeared hurriedly torn. His finger lightly traced the tear, and suddenly his gaze sharpened!

Near the binding spine, at a very subtle tear edge, he noticed an almost imperceptible semicircular indentation, its edge remarkably smooth and sharp.

This was no fingernail mark. It looked more like… a small, sharp metal tool, accidentally pressing on the paper while tearing.

“A surgical blade,” He Yuzhu’s voice echoed in the silent office, cold and resolute. “The person who tore the pages used a thin-edged tool like a surgical knife and inadvertently pressed it onto the paper at a certain angle.”