Created in China Recap, Plot, Synopsis
Created in China Synopsis
Liu Jun, who returns to his hometown of Donghai in the late 1990s after studying in Germany. Embracing the tides of the times, he is determined to transform his father’s old machinery factory into a technologically advanced, modern manufacturing enterprise. Grounded and pragmatic, Liu Jun works hard to adapt to and integrate into the domestic environment while exploring management strategies and overcoming technical challenges.
With solid expertise and an idealistic spirit, he helps the Tengfei Factory undergo multiple upgrades and transformations. Ultimately, he realizes his personal value, and the Tengfei Factory rises to prominence in the wave of China’s manufacturing boom.
Created in China Recap
Episode 1 Recap
Autumn 1998, Liu Jun, returning from Germany, stepped onto his homeland. What greeted him was not just the urban changes he hadn't seen in six years, but also the devastating news that his family's factory was on the verge of bankruptcy. As soon as the plane landed, he immediately called his German colleague to briefly explain the situation. His father, Liu Shitang, had a sudden stroke and was hospitalized due to poor management, remaining unconscious to this day.
The chaos of airport illegal taxis hiking up prices gave this mechanical engineering PhD his first taste of the stark realities of human relationships under the tide of the market economy. Just at this moment, a figure of medium height brushed past him. Liu Jun instinctively called out the name "Qian Hongming".
This was the man who had once been as close as a brother to him, and who they had fought desperately with before Liu Jun went abroad, vowing to sever all ties. Now, he was the manager of the second department at Xiangtong Machinery Import and Export Company. With a shiny small car and a well-tailored suit, he looked completely refreshed and radiant, silently announcing the rise and fall of personal destinies in the torrent of the times.
Six years had passed in the blink of an eye. On the way to the hospital, the atmosphere in the car was particularly awkward. Qian Hongming deliberately avoided the route where the factory was located, while Liu Jun maintained a weary silence. Both were communicating cautiously, trying not to touch the scar that lay between them, lacking the carefree nature of their childhood. There was less conversation on the road, with 'less is more' being the unspoken rule.
Liu Jun spent most of the time asleep until the car pulled up outside the hospital. After Liu Jun rushed to the hospital, Qian Hongming returned home to help his elder sister, Qian Hongying, take care of their bedridden mother. During their casual chat, Qian Hongming revealed his inner frustration. He had thought that achieving success in his career would allow him to stand tall in front of Liu Jun, but he found that the other man was completely indifferent.
This calculation of his, in contrast, made him feel like a clown. However, even after many years had passed, the feud between the two families, tracing back to the previous generation, had never been resolved. Back then, Qian Hongying, needing to raise money for her parents' medical expenses and her brother's tuition, had no choice but to borrow from Liu Shitang.
In Qian Hongming's eyes, Liu Shitang's intention in lending the money was malicious, causing his sister to suffer from rumors, which ruined her chances of promotion and delayed her marriage. Meanwhile, Liu Jun's paternal aunt insisted that Qian Hongying was the third party who ruined her brother's marriage, and her entanglement directly led to Liu Jun's mother's death from prolonged depression. Liu Jun firmly believed that his father was the root cause.
If the truth had been clarified sooner, things wouldn't have escalated to this point. These words left his paternal aunt speechless, and she could only advise him to resolve the knot in his heart with his father soon. In the evening, Qian Hongming came to visit him at the hospital and arranged to take Liu Jun to inspect the factory the next day. As they exchanged smiles, the ice between them slightly melted.
The next morning, Liu Jun stood in front of the factory area from his memory. Not only had the facade of the factory changed, but the factory name had also become "Qianjin Machinery Plant". Old security guard Uncle Zhang hastily handed him the keys. Liu Jun walked through the familiar factory path. The workshop that used to be bustling with activity was now lifeless.
He picked up a screwdriver from a toolbox and chiseled hard at the ground a few times, analyzing that the factory had serious problems in both equipment and management. Qian Hongming raised sharp questions about manufacturing standards, his rapid-fire inquiries momentarily silencing Liu Jun. In this era driven by profit, upholding principles was a luxury, and he had no right to blame others.
But Qianjin Plant was the foundation of the Liu family; as a man of character, how could he stand by and watch his family business decline without doing anything? Just as the two of them stepped out of the workshop, the supplier, Boss Quan, happened to arrive with a group to demand payment, and a fierce conflict erupted between the two sides.
Just as tensions were high, Master Xu, a veteran of the factory, along with the workers, timely brought the situation under control. Liu Jun voluntarily took responsibility, pleading with Boss Quan for a two-day grace period to clarify the accounts, and promising to raise funds for repayment. With Qian Hongming acting as a guarantor, Boss Quan reluctantly agreed.
Only after the debt collectors had left did Master Xu reveal the truth: the factory had been owing wages for a long time. Liu Jun immediately pressed Master Xu about the truth behind the shutdown. Master Xu retrieved a contract. It turned out that Liu Shitang, in his eagerness for achievement, had taken on an order far exceeding the factory's technical capabilities. The sample products were consistently plagued by unresolved pore and pinhole defects.
After multiple unsuccessful attempts, Liu Shitang was overwhelmed by stress and hospitalized. Master Xu emphasized that if the goods could not be delivered next month, even bankruptcy liquidation would not be enough to fill this bottomless pit. Facing this predicament, Liu Jun borrowed Qian Hongming's office to contact his assistant in Germany. Qian Hongming made proper arrangements for his food and lodging and took him back to his own home.
Liu Jun met Qian Hongming's wife, Shen Jiali, a designer, for the first time. In the quiet of the night, Shen Jiali sensed the subtle atmosphere between her husband and their guest. Qian Hongming confessed that the long-standing feud between their families made their friendship feel like walking on thin ice. In the following days, Liu Jun spent his days and nights immersed in the workshop, improving the molds. The final products met all of the client's requirements.
Master Xu was eager to resume production. Liu Jun inquired about the technical lead and was shocked to realize that no one in the factory truly understood design. Just then, a call from the hospital informed them that Liu Shitang had regained consciousness. Liu Jun rushed to the ward and was overjoyed to see his father's fingers moving slightly.
Episode 2 Recap
After Liu Shitang was discharged from the hospital, although his health was not as robust as before, he recovered reasonably well. Seeing his son Liu Jun bring the factory back from the brink of bankruptcy, he felt quite relieved and planned to have his son inherit the family business. However, Liu Jun was determined to leave; he only agreed to stay in the country for one year, after which he would return to Germany to work.
At the same time, Qian Hongming secretly guarded against his elder sister Qian Hongying resuming contact with Liu Shitang, repeatedly advising his sister to keep her distance. Late at night, Liu Shitang suddenly had palpitations and accidentally knocked over a water cup. Hearing the sound, Liu Jun rushed over and silently stayed by his father's side, listening to him ramble about the past, his heart filled with mixed emotions.
To keep his son, Liu Shitang first appealed to his emotions, and then purchased a property to give him. When Qian Hongming came to visit for a housewarming, he brought the good news that his wife Shen Jiali was pregnant and persuaded Liu Jun to stay in Donghai to start a business.
Liu Jun did not change his original intention, stating that if he said he would only be back for one year, it would be one year, and half-jokingly suggested selling the property to Qian Hongming. Facing the luxuriously decorated mansion, Qian Hongming secretly sighed about the unreachable property prices. Shen Jiali had severe pregnancy reactions, and Qian Hongming, feeling for his wife, suggested she resign and rest.
Although Shen Jiali understood her husband's good intentions, she was not yet ready to be a full-time housewife and only gave a vague response. At the subsequent class reunion, Qian Hongming revealed to Liu Jun that Lin Yue, the boss of Haoyuan, was a major shareholder of the City No. 1 Machine Factory. This person acquired the state-owned enterprise not because he valued manufacturing, but because he coveted the appreciation potential of the factory site.
Qian Hongming analyzed the capital operations of the City No. 1 Machine Factory with Liu Jun: it was first taken over by a wealthy businessman, then resold to a female overseas Chinese, achieving astonishing profits in a short period through transnational financial operations. He further revealed Lin Yue's deeper intention in operating Haoyuan - aiming to cling to shareholder Lei Dongbao and thus connect with Song Yunhui's network at Donghai Group.
Liu Jun marveled at how well-informed Qian Hongming was, and the latter emphasized that this was a necessary survival skill for doing business in China. As they were talking, old classmates arrived one after another, and drinks and pleasantries were exchanged during the meal. The next morning, Liu Jun unexpectedly met Lin Chuan in the community elevator. After she caught a glimpse of him wearing work clothes, she hastily left before reaching her destination floor.
After arriving at the factory, the process reforms promoted by Liu Jun met strong resistance from the veteran masters led by Master Huang. Liu Shitang quickly mediated, suggesting they first try producing samples. However, during the actual operation, Master Huang, who was technically skilled but arrogant, openly challenged him. Liu Jun did not back down and replicated a workpiece of the same precision on the spot.
Liu Shitang reprimanded his son for not understanding seniority, while Master Xu took the opportunity to mediate and accompanied Liu Jun to continue improving the tools. Afterwards, Liu Shitang warned his son that Master Huang held considerable prestige in the factory, and Master Xu, while appearing fair, was in fact openly and secretly vying with Master Huang. Only by balancing each other could they maintain factory stability.
Liu Shitang declared that Master Xu absolutely could not be left alone in the factory, otherwise one faction would dominate. Liu Jun, however, believed that technological innovation should not be constrained by people, and the father and son argued incessantly. On the other side, because the City No. 1 Machine Factory was about to be demolished and transformed into real estate, Qian Hongying planned to switch jobs with her friend and specifically came to ask for Qian Hongming's opinion.
Qian Hongming told Qian Hongying that the City No. 1 Machine Factory had two major shareholders, Lin Yue and Lu Guangfa, both of whom were prominent figures in Donghai. However, neither of them had any experience in real estate development, so he did not recommend Qian Hongying going with them. Qian Hongying wanted to have dinner with the boss to discuss taking over for Manager Hao, but she was refused by Qian Hongming.
She instantly realized her brother was again suspecting her of using her looks to gain favor, and the siblings parted ways unhappily. As night fell, Liu Jun sought out Qian Hongming to drink away his sorrows, confiding in him about his management difficulties and admitting that dealing with people was his weakness.
Qian Hongming advised him to play to his strengths and avoid his weaknesses: as an engineer who studied abroad, he should establish industry barriers through technological innovation; as long as there was a technical threshold, there would be policy support and market access. Personnel disputes should be handled by Liu Shitang, and with each person having their division of labor, efficiency would be greatly increased. Liu Jun was greatly inspired, and while drinking and chatting with Qian Hongming, they outlined a completely different business blueprint.
Episode 3 Recap
Qian Hongming noticed a piano next to him in the bar and proactively paid to invite Liu Jun to perform on stage. Liu Jun's exquisite piano skills attracted the attention of Lin Chuan and her sister-in-law Xia Haiping. Only then did Lin Chuan realize there had been a misunderstanding earlier. She specifically asked the waiter to send Liu Jun a bottle of wine along with a business card.
Introduced by Qian Hongming, Liu Jun and Lin Chuan officially met and learned that she was actually Lin Yue's younger sister. During their conversation, Liu Jun deeply analyzed the development potential of stainless steel precision manufacturing. His professional insights impressed Lin Chuan, and he was immediately invited to visit the City No. 1 Machine Factory. Meanwhile, Liu Shitang came downstairs to the Qian family home with gifts. After much hesitation, he entrusted them to Qian Hongying, but she politely refused.
Liu Shitang admitted that these gifts were specifically prepared for Qian Hongying, feeling distressed that her health had been worn down by years of caring for the sick. Hearing this, Qian Hongying's expression was complicated. She watched Liu Shitang leave alone. After entering the house, Qian Hongying noticed her mother's abnormal condition and quickly called Qian Hongming. Liu Jun immediately rushed back with Qian Hongming and drove the elderly lady to the hospital.
However, Qian Hongming knew in his heart that his mother was terminally ill and held her hand, tears streaming down his face. Outside the hospital, Liu Jun draped his jacket over Qian Hongying. After returning home alone, he looked at his mother's posthumous photo, feeling deeply saddened.
Lin Yue learned that Liu Jun would be visiting the City No. 1 Machine Factory for inspection and specially arranged for Chief Engineer Wang, a technical authority, to accompany him throughout, intending to test his temperament. Lin Chuan thought this move was inappropriate. Chief Engineer Wang held an important position but had to receive an unknown junior, which would inevitably lead to resentment.
But Lin Yue disagreed, feeling that testing Liu Jun was the top priority, as it concerned his sister's lifelong happiness. Although Lin Chuan flatly denied having any interest in Liu Jun, she couldn't help but take out a mirror to examine her makeup upon returning to her office. On the day Liu Jun arrived at the factory, Lin Chuan personally welcomed him and introduced Chief Engineer Wang.
She originally intended to accompany him throughout, but Liu Jun declined, citing that it would not affect the work. Instead, he and Chief Engineer Wang had a pleasant conversation and immediately hit it off. Seeing his sister sitting alone in the office looking unhappy, Lin Yue remarked that Liu Jun was indeed quite interesting. When Chief Engineer Wang led Liu Jun on a tour of the CNC workshop, Liu Jun felt some regret about the idle imported CNC machine tools.
Chief Engineer Wang explained that these equipment were primarily set up by the Japanese side, and the core technology was always monopolized by foreign parties. With the withdrawal of the Japanese engineers, the equipment became paralyzed, and restarting them would require paying high debugging fees. Although these equipment easily allowed the City No. 1 Machine Factory to obtain high-tech certification, the management preferred short-term high-profit projects, leading to the high-end equipment only being used to produce low-end products.
Liu Jun stated frankly that this was a serious waste of resources. Chief Engineer Wang deeply agreed but could do nothing about it. After all, new product development requires continuous massive investment, and success is unpredictable, which is far less appealing to capital than OEM business. Additionally, Chief Engineer Wang pointed out a core dilemma in the industry to Liu Jun, which was the severe loss of young technical talent.
This industry is different from the computer field; it has neither miraculous explosive growth nor the possibility of rapid upward mobility. It requires long-term accumulation; without ten years of hard work, it's difficult to see results. After the visit, Liu Jun politely declined Lin Yue's dinner invitation, excusing himself by saying a friend had lost his mother. Chief Engineer Wang didn't understand why he missed a good networking opportunity.
Liu Jun frankly stated that his visit was only to inspect the equipment and he had no intention of collaborating. Lin Yue, on the other hand, commented that Liu Jun was not worldly-wise. Ever since Qian's mother passed away, the old house felt instantly empty. Qian Hongming planned to sell the old house and buy a new one.
As Qian Hongying reminisced about the past and looked forward to the future, her younger brother solemnly promised that he would eventually make enough money to buy villas for her and Shen Jiali. In the twilight, Liu Jun visited with groceries and had a long heart-to-heart talk with Qian Hongming downstairs, sharing their ambitions.
After this, Liu Jun imported advanced equipment from Germany and devoted himself wholeheartedly to technological research and development and the establishment of product standards, leaving sales, production management, and worker scheduling to Liu Shitang, who was more skilled in those areas. After preparations were complete, Liu Jun had a detailed conversation with Chief Engineer Wang over tea about his entrepreneurial plans and received his support.
Chief Engineer Wang also reminded him that high returns come with high risks, and R&D investment is by no means a small sum. Liu Jun was confident that he could persuade his father to invest, but unexpectedly, the father and son argued again over the topic of new product development. Just as they were at a stalemate, Lin Chuan suddenly came to visit.
Episode 4 Recap
Suddenly, a beautiful girl came to visit his son, and Liu Shitang warmly welcomed her, eagerly asking if Lin Chuan was single, wishing he could finalize the marriage immediately. Seeing his father like this, Liu Jun felt helpless, finding an excuse to send him away. Lin Chuan stated directly that she came to express her gratitude and successfully invited him to have dinner together tomorrow.
Shen Jiali saw a bottle of perfume in her husband's pocket and mentioned it somewhat tentatively. Qian Hongming immediately explained that the perfume was a gift he bought for Liu Jun, thinking it would be a good thing if he could get married to Lin Chuan. On the day of the dinner, Liu Jun specifically bought flowers, which made Qian Hongming unable to help but praise his progress.
During the meal, Lin Yue wanted to poach Liu Jun to his factory, but Liu Jun politely refused, stating that he would only work in China for one year. Upon hearing this, Lin Yue glanced at Lin Chuan, but she had no reaction and quietly ate her meal. Then, following Liu Jun's words, Lin Yue inquired about his subsequent plans.
Liu Jun truthfully replied that he hoped to help his father develop a few flagship products, but Lin Yue held a pessimistic attitude and did not want to hear Liu Jun's long-term ambitions, making the atmosphere particularly awkward. The meal ended hastily. Qian Hongming reminded Liu Jun that if he wanted to cooperate with the City No. 1 Machine Factory, he must be wary of Lin Yue, as he wouldn't gain any advantage from him.
Liu Jun, however, had no intention of cooperating. Liu Jun took Qian Hongming to visit his laboratory and showed him the equipment imported from Germany. Qian Hongming gave Liu Jun a heads-up, reminding him of the risks and consequences of doing these things.
Liu Jun said that since he had returned, he didn't want to be someone who drifts with the current but rather a leader, and that no matter how much opposition there was, he would insist on independent research and development. The 5th Shanghai Mechanical Industry Exhibition and Sales Fair was approaching, and Liu Jun took his father Liu Shitang to Shanghai to purchase all the accessories.
Although Liu Shitang felt the money was flowing like water, he still supported his son. While having dinner, Liu Shitang met his old friend Old Zhang and learned that he was making instrument punches. Old Zhang revealed that he had previously gone out to find an advanced original machine, dismantled it, and spent a full half year imitating it. Liu Jun pointed out the issues with rough imitation, which embarrassed Old Zhang.
Liu Shitang was angry that his son was too blunt. Back at Qianjin Factory, Liu Jun was there early and late every day, staying in the factory to install equipment, completely unlike the delicate person they had imagined.
Master Xu and Master Huang saw this scene and sighed that they had spent a lot of time learning skills as apprentices before they could become qualified, but now with imported machine tools, young guys could produce qualified finished products after just two days of learning, worrying that their skills would become increasingly useless. The next morning, Master Huang saw Liu Jun still diligently researching and had a slight change of opinion about him.
After Liu Jun's careful assembly, the equipment was completed. He checked it again before powering it on. During the two-hour long test, Liu Shitang stayed in the laboratory with his son Liu Jun until the final test was successful. Liu Jun was ecstatic, and as an old father, Liu Shitang felt immensely relieved seeing this, believing the money was well spent. In the blink of an eye, the Spring Festival was approaching. The Lin family was very lively.
Lin Chuan did not forget to call Liu Jun to send her blessings. Qian Hongming accompanied his wife Shen Jiali to spend the holiday with Qian Hongying. Lin Chuan, on the other hand, stayed in the living room chatting and laughing with her father, a warm scene. Time came to 1999. Liu Jun's advanced equipment produced precision finished products. At the same time, he spent money to buy some instruments.
Liu Shitang reminded his son that he was seriously over budget. Liu Jun understood his father's meaning and said that the urgent task was to optimize the experimental steps, use the elimination method, and give him two more days. The young technician responsible for supervising the experiment was addicted to computer games, resulting in the steel material being taken out after more than ten minutes, all of which was scrapped and required repurchasing steel.
Liu Jun decided to personally supervise the laboratory and asked Liu Shitang to bring him his change of clothes and check all computers in the factory and delete the games. Subsequently, Liu Jun contacted Lin Chuan, wanting to pay to use the testing workshop of the City No. 1 Machine Factory.
Lin Chuan wanted to personally supervise Liu Jun's experiment, but Chief Engineer Wang clearly knew she wanted to glean some insights from it and directly pointed out the existing problems in the City No. 1 Machine Factory, which made Lin Chuan look thoughtful. Soon, Liu Jun successfully applied for the testing center. The person in charge, Yu Shanshan, arranged the afternoon time for him. Coincidentally, Liu Jun met Chief Engineer Wang and showed him his newly made experimental sample, receiving praise from Chief Engineer Wang.
Episode 5 Recap
Liu Jun brought the newly developed sample to City No. 1 Machine Factory for testing. Lin Yue secretly instructed Yu Shanshan, a technician at the testing center, to accompany him throughout the process, intending to steal core data. Chief Engineer Wang had already known the hidden details, and specifically advised Liu Jun to be cautious in his words and actions and focus on the experimental process.
During the experiment, Yu Shanshan pretended to read technical books on the surface, but was actually secretly observing Liu Jun's operating parameters. However, Liu Jun did not deliberately conceal anything, as he knew that fragmented data alone could not reproduce the technical results. The special heat treatment process for the material required dynamically adjusting the temperature curve based on the composition. This complex process would take even a professional team several days to grasp the essence.
Lin Chuan suddenly visited the laboratory under the guise of caring about the research and development progress, tentatively offering help, which Liu Jun politely refused. To show that he was not deliberately concealing the experimental situation, Liu Jun proactively gave a copy of the experimental data to Yu Shanshan. When Yu Shanshan saw the dense temperature correction records, she realized that the threshold for this technology was far beyond expectations.
After the experiment ended that evening, Liu Jun, for safety reasons, offered to take Yu Shanshan home, but saw her boyfriend arrive to pick her up. Lin Chuan was displeased with Liu Jun's favoritism, so Liu Jun had to personally drive Lin Chuan home. Due to continuous overspending on research and development, Liu Shitang had to consider selling property to maintain operations.
Qian Hongying, a full-time real estate agent, suggested using a mortgage loan plan, which could both retain asset ownership and alleviate cash flow pressure. This proposal brought some relief to the overwhelmed Liu Shitang, but the lights of the heat treatment furnace burning day and night in the workshop still indicated a huge financial black hole.
Aunt Fu, as an old friend of Liu Jun's mother, seeing Liu Jun working tirelessly and forgetting about sleep and food, proactively offered to help him. Out of complete trust, Liu Jun not only told her the safe password but also imparted the operating procedures for the key equipment without reservation.
Subsequently, Qian Hongming came to find Liu Jun and revealed to him that Lin Yue had sent someone to inquire about Liu Jun's suppliers, and with his methods, he would soon be able to find out the information. Lin Yue's method of bypassing technological research and development and directly copying the industry chain made Liu Jun both angry and confused.
He didn't understand why an enterprise of City No. 1 Machine Factory's scale would be fixated on imitation rather than innovation. It was precisely because of this that Liu Jun clearly realized Lin Yue's intention in sending Yu Shanshan. Her seemingly casual gaze interfered with Liu Jun's work state. This suppression reached its peak when Lin Chuan visited again.
When Lin Chuan appeared with carefully prepared Western food, Liu Jun's attitude towards her was extremely cold, and his deliberate act of sharing food with Yu Shanshan completely provoked Lin Chuan, causing her to leave in anger. Aunt Fu continued to stay in the laboratory recording data for Liu Jun. In contrast, Liu Jun was rejected by multiple companies due to his factory's insufficient production capacity, with only City No. 1 Machine Factory agreeing to cooperate with him.
One morning, Liu Jun discovered that the black notebook containing key data had disappeared, and Aunt Fu's phone was also unreachable. The father and son quickly rushed to Aunt Fu's home, only to find out it was an unintentional mistake when she was tidying up her belongings, ultimately turning out to be a false alarm. Early in the morning, Lin Chuan put on makeup, specifically waiting for Liu Jun to appear and create a chance encounter.
However, Liu Jun intentionally avoided riding the elevator with her, using the excuse of forgetting something. For several consecutive days, Lin Chuan did not see Liu Jun at City No. 1 Machine Factory, and proactively inquired about the situation with Chief Engineer Wang, learning that Liu Jun would be coming to the CNC workshop for testing the next day. Subsequently, Liu Jun brought the revised process drawings to consult with the master workers in the workshop.
Master Huang, with years of experience, spotted the omissions in the key data at a glance. Under the guidance of the master worker, Liu Jun quickly corrected the errors. To express his gratitude, he specifically brewed hot tea for Master Huang and stood by, observing Master Huang's operating technique. Master Huang's operation was smooth and flowing, every movement precise and accurate. Long-formed work habits made him subconsciously toss the processed parts towards the collection tray.
This action was quickly caught by Liu Jun, who was quick-witted. Realizing his previous carelessness, he was especially careful in subsequent operations, handling each part gently. Immediately afterwards, Master Huang accompanied Liu Jun to City No. 1 Machine Factory for product testing. Chief Engineer Wang revealed to Liu Jun that he had previously received a task from Lin Yue to create imitations but ultimately chose to refuse. Liu Jun was deeply moved by this.
He believed there was a significant gap between domestic industrial technology and international advanced levels and expressed his confusion regarding Lin Yue's development path based on imitation. Liu Shitang specifically rushed to Shanghai to secure investment. General Manager Liu clearly stated that cooperation intent could only be determined after the sample passed inspection. In the CNC workshop, after carefully inspecting Liu Jun's finished product, Chief Engineer Wang highly praised his almost seamless welding process.
Just as he was about to inquire about technical details, the highly alert Master Huang interrupted the conversation in a timely manner. After an on-site inspection, Master Huang had to admit that times were changing. The young technical workforce and advanced equipment configuration at City No. 1 Machine Factory made him profoundly realize that industrial development had entered a new phase. He also gradually changed his mindset and fully supported Liu Jun's path of technological innovation.
Episode 6 Recap
Liu Jun accompanied his father Liu Shitang to Shanghai to discuss business. In front of the client Mr. Liu, he truthfully disclosed the product cost. This frankness, which went against industry convention, won the client's praise, but made Liu Shitang, who was well-versed in business rules, secretly shake his head. Afterwards, Liu Shitang took his son to visit Manager Qin and technician Lao Han at the testing center, quietly handing over a red envelope during the handshake.
This action greatly confused Liu Jun, who championed technology above all else. He firmly believed that his product's performance could withstand any test. However, Liu Shitang explained that giving the red envelope was just to ensure the other party tested carefully and did a good job. Finally, Liu Jun's experimental product achieved breakthrough progress, with all indicators reaching industry-leading levels. Relying on his excellent technical strength, he successfully signed the first supply contract with Mr. Liu.
With the initial victory secured, Liu Jun decided to entrust the production process to City No. 1 Machine Factory for contract manufacturing. When sharing the good news with his friend Qian Hongming, Liu Jun specifically showed him the product patent application and the draft contract manufacturing agreement, full of confidence in the binding force of the spirit of contract.
However, when Qian Hongming saw the contract content, he immediately poured cold water on Liu Jun, stating frankly that under the current market environment, contracts and patents were difficult to truly restrain a businessman like Lin Yue, and advised him to prepare for the worst. Meanwhile, to thank Qian Hongying for her help, Liu Shitang specifically selected a high-end cashmere scarf as a gift.
The next morning, Lin Chuan learned that shareholder Lu Guangfa was about to visit City No. 1 Machine Factory. Lin Yue frankly admitted that Lu Guangfa's trip was to review Liu Jun's contract manufacturing agreement. As an important shareholder of City No. 1 Machine Factory, Lu Guangfa shrewdly discovered during the contract review that two special clauses were clearly preventive measures set against Lin Yue.
However, Lin Yue scoffed at this, believing that a young man like Liu Jun, who hadn't been tempered by the business world, was not worth worrying about at all. Lu Guangfa developed a strong interest in this principled young man. He reminded Lin Yue that intellectuals who stuck rigidly to principles were more difficult to deal with, and that he must remain vigilant during the cooperation process. Lu Guangfa's reminder made Lin Yue suddenly realize the risk of technology leakage.
Lin Chuan suggested using existing technological reserves to simultaneously develop similar products, but this was firmly rejected by Lin Yue. In Lin Yue's view, investing heavily in R&D only to benefit others was a foolish act. This short-sighted thinking filled Lin Chuan with deep worry. As Lin Chuan drove back to the underground parking lot, she happened to encounter Liu Jun who was repairing a vehicle.
Liu Jun sighed that the mechanical principles of a car were far simpler than the human heart, and directly questioned Lin Chuan whether City No. 1 Machine Factory would steal his technical achievements during the contract manufacturing process. Faced with this sharp question, Lin Chuan was speechless and could only defend her brother, which resulted in a heated argument, and the two parted ways unhappily. Qian Hongming's department suddenly encountered a major error in order review.
His subordinate suggested inserting an urgent order through the special channels of City No. 1 Machine Factory. Trapped in a difficult situation, Qian Hongming had no choice but to seek Liu Jun's help. Although Liu Jun had just had a dispute with Lin Chuan, under Qian Hongming's persuasion, he still took the initiative to visit her and apologize. Lin Chuan maintained a reserved demeanor on the surface, but was secretly delighted inside, and eventually accepted Liu Jun's apology.
Due to Liu Jun's almost strict requirements for product quality, allowing not even a tiny error, any slight deviation had to be reworked, which caused strong resistance among the workshop technicians. When Lin Yue discovered that the high defect rate led to soaring costs, he immediately ordered the deduction of bonuses for all workers. This measure undoubtedly intensified the workers' resentment towards Liu Jun. Liu Jun's heart was filled with guilt, but he didn't know how to salvage the situation.
In the hospital delivery room, Qian Hongming meticulously cared for his wife Shen Jiali, who was in labor, even considering details like hair accessories. Her mother was deeply comforted by her son-in-law's thoughtfulness and privately advised her daughter to prioritize husband and children, suggesting it would be best to quit her job and focus on managing the household. However, Shen Jiali never wanted to give up the industry she loved.
That evening, Lin Yue hosted a dinner for Liu Jun and presented the latest production samples. Liu Jun felt deeply confused by the workers' perfunctory attitude towards their work. Products that could clearly meet standards if done carefully were made so reluctantly.
Lin Yue promised to strengthen workshop management, but regarding the technical confidentiality issue that Liu Jun was most concerned about, he only guaranteed that he would fulfill the contract stipulations, but could not guarantee against potential technical leakage by the workers.
Episode 7 Recap
Qian Hongming received the latest model of mobile phone as a gift and accepted it readily without any hesitation. In contrast, Liu Jun was strictly supervising the production process in the workshop when he suddenly noticed a worker acting suspiciously, looking around nervously. Liu Jun immediately stepped forward to question him, suspecting him of stealing technical drawings. A fierce conflict erupted between them, and they wrestled together in the workshop. Workers gathered around, and the scene was chaotic.
The workshop foreman quickly stepped forward to mediate. What was found on the worker was not a drawing, but an adult book. After the truth came out, Liu Jun left angrily under the strange looks of the crowd, feeling deeply frustrated. Qian Hongming's family was blessed with a baby daughter. He wanted to share the joy with Liu Jun immediately, but couldn't reach him.
At this time, Liu Jun drove alone to the seawall and fell into contemplation while facing the surging waves. On the other side, after Lin Chuan learned about the workshop conflict, she suggested to her brother Lin Yue that the involved employee should be disciplined for violating labor discipline. Lin Yue, who never involved himself in specific management, became suspicious of his sister's unusual actions and sensed her extraordinary attention towards Liu Jun.
Qian Hongming found Liu Jun at the seawall and advised him from the perspective of someone with more experience, pointing out that as a returned technician, he could not expect ordinary workers to fully understand his technical ideals. After reflection, Liu Jun realized that his management style had problems. When he returned to the workshop to apologize to the workers, Lin Yue suddenly appeared and asked if the employee needed to be disciplined.
Liu Jun clearly stated there was no need to pursue the matter, which surprised the employee involved. That evening, Liu Jun voluntarily attended the workers' gathering and successfully narrowed the distance with the group of workers through this exchange, laying a good foundation for subsequent work cooperation. During the financial audit the next day, Liu Jun discovered anomalies in some accounts.
Upon learning this, Liu Shitang earnestly pointed out his son's immaturity in enterprise management and reminded him to use company funds appropriately. Afterwards, Liu Jun went to visit Qian Hongming's newborn daughter and bought a gift for the child. Qian Hongming chatted with Liu Jun and mentioned things about City No. 1 Machine Factory.
On the other side, when Liu Shitang met with client Mr. Liu, the latter suddenly produced a new contract with a quote drastically reduced by 20% compared to before. Mr. Liu explained that similar competing products had appeared on the market with comparable technical specifications. Almost at the same time, Liu Jun received a call from Chief Engineer Wang, confirming that the product's core technology had been leaked.
After careful investigation, Liu Jun recalled that during the R&D process, only Fu Ayi had access to the notebook containing key data. Liu Shitang analyzed and pointed out that Fu Ayi was very short of money and was highly likely to have sold the technical information for personal gain. It was precisely because of this that Liu Jun decided to sue City No. 1 Machine Factory for alleged infringement, accusing them of commercial espionage.
Meanwhile, Lin Yue seized the opportunity to accelerate the production of counterfeit products, attempting to capture market advantage. Liu Jun went to City No. 1 Machine Factory to confront them but was refused entry, so he turned to Lin Chuan for help.
The guilty Lin Chuan apologized to Liu Jun, admitting she couldn't persuade her brother to stop, and also advised him to seriously consider the potential consequences of litigation, but Liu Jun insisted on protecting his rights through legal channels. In the following days, Liu Jun visited several law firms, but they all politely declined due to Lin Yue's influence in the local area.
Returning home, facing Fu Ayi who was cooking, Liu Jun didn't explicitly reveal the truth but still dismissed her for other reasons. The next day, the tax department suddenly conducted an inspection of Liu Shitang's Qianjin Factory, suspecting tax evasion. Liu Jun confessed to his father, speculating that it was retaliation for suing Lin Yue.
Upon hearing this, Liu Shitang was furious, pointing out that even if the factory couldn't withstand an investigation at all, such an investigation would cause huge losses in business reputation. At his father's strong insistence, Liu Jun had to withdraw the lawsuit, and Liu Shitang personally apologized to Lin Yue. The series of setbacks left Liu Jun disheartened. He went alone to his mother's grave to confide, feeling a deep sense of powerlessness regarding the huge gap between ideals and reality.
Episode 8 Recap
Torrential rain poured down. Liu Jun finished paying respects at his mother's grave and turned back. On the way, he encountered a broken-down car. Inside were many students from a Hope Primary School, and their female teacher was anxiously seeking help. Liu Jun happened to know a bit about car repair and didn't hesitate to offer assistance.
At this moment, Liang Sishen, a volunteer for the Hope Primary School, grew worried when the school bus didn't return on time, so she went up the mountain to look for it. By the time she rushed there, Liu Jun had already successfully repaired the car. To express her gratitude, Liang Sishen proactively invited Liu Jun back to the school to wash up.
Liu Jun inadvertently caught a glimpse of Liang Sishen's car and felt a sense of familiarity, which stirred a ripple in his heart. The children at the school were innocent and lively. They voluntarily offered Liu Jun milk and pulled him along to the vegetable garden to pull up vegetables. Liang Sishen came forward to greet Liu Jun and said that she sometimes came here, finding that it wasn't just about helping others; she herself benefited inwardly.
That night, Liu Shitang personally cooked dinner, and the father and son talked at the dinner table. Liu Shitang nagged about his son's lifelong matter, as many people his age were already grandfathers. While they were talking, Yu Shanshan suddenly called Liu Jun, claiming she had something most important to him, and proposed they meet. It turned out that Yu Shanshan was ashamed of Lin Yue's actions.
It just so happened that after one year of settling in, she could leave City No. 1 Machine Factory. So, when she heard that City No. 1 Machine Factory had just finalized deals with two foreign buyers, she immediately obtained the foreign buyers' information and gave it to Liu Jun. However, Liu Jun had been repeatedly struck by reality recently and was already disheartened, no longer wanting to pursue the matter.
Seeing this, Yu Shanshan felt dissatisfied and revealed to him that Liu Shitang had gone to apologize to Lin Yue. Shen Jiali knew about Liu Jun's experiences and felt sympathy, but Qian Hongming believed this was a necessary path for growth and hoped that after going through these things, his sharpness would be somewhat tempered. Liu Shitang found Qian Hongying again, preparing to sell a shop to exchange for some funds for the factory's turnover.
Qian Hongying knew Liu Shitang had made up his mind and couldn't persuade him further, merely telling him to trust Liu Jun's ability. Subsequently, Liu Jun returned to his alma mater with his self-developed product, hoping to achieve mass production through patent transfer using professor resources. With his advisor's recommendation, several suppliers quickly started production. After the technical barrier was broken, the product's price advantage crushed City No. 1 Machine Factory.
Liu Jun handed over the patent income to his father, predicting that City No. 1 Machine Factory would face severe market competition in two months. Liu Shitang worried about the consequences of such retaliatory competition and advised his son to know when to stop. At the same time, City No. 1 Machine Factory's products, produced using stolen technology, were repeatedly subjected to price pressure by customers due to quality issues, forcing them to continuously lower prices for disposal.
Xia Haiping brought back new foreign fashion items for Lin Chuan. Lin Chuan took the opportunity to persuade her sister-in-law to restrain Lin Yue's excessive behavior. In contrast, the harassed Lin Yue could only swallow the bitter pill of the technical leak. Liu Jun adopted Yu Shanshan's suggestion to contact foreign suppliers. After consulting Qian Hongming about foreign trade procedures, he sent cooperation emails overnight and commissioned a German lawyer to handle patent infringement matters.
The next day, Liu Jun went to the Hope Primary School again to check the circuits. Upon leaving the school, he unexpectedly met Liang Sishen. The scene of them talking while returning to the city together was witnessed by Lin Chuan, which caused a feeling of melancholy in her heart. After returning home, Liu Jun discovered that Aunt Fu had returned home.
He questioned his father why he was soft-hearted enough to rehire this person, worrying that they would need to be guarded when discussing matters in the future. The next day during his morning run, Liu Jun revealed to Qian Hongming that he planned to return to Germany after helping his father build the new workshop. Qian Hongming bluntly said that the factory could no longer do without him.
On the other side, Lin Yue's product was returned by foreign buyers due to documentation issues. Facing the expiration of the loan deadline, Lin Chuan had no choice but to seek help from Qian Hongming. After analyzing the reason for the return, Qian Hongming suspected Liu Jun was secretly operating behind the scenes, worrying about the potential conflict that might arise. After Lin Yue found out the truth through connections, he became furious in his office and threatened revenge.
His wife, Xia Haiping, arrived in time and advised him based on family responsibilities, hoping her husband would let go of the grudges. Liu Shitang urgently urged his son to go abroad to avoid trouble, but Liu Jun did the opposite, proposing a plan to sell the old factory and establish a new one under his own name. Facing the composure and strategy his son had shown recently, Liu Shitang began to re-examine this young man who used to be reckless.
Episode 9 Recap
Due to the feud between her brother and Liu Jun, Lin Chuan got drunk. When she returned home, she encountered Liu Jun, and the atmosphere in the elevator was particularly awkward. Liu Jun suppressed the discomfort in his heart and helped Lin Chuan back to her residence. Lin Chuan, using her drunken state, asked Liu Jun about what he had done, held his hand, and invited him for another drink.
However, facing this situation, Liu Jun still tried his best to remain calm. Lin Chuan acutely sensed that he still harbored resentment towards her brother and promised to do her best to persuade Lin Yue. The next morning, Liu Jun accompanied his father Liu Shitang to inspect the old factory workshop. The mottled machine tools carried the memories of two generations. This factory, which sustained the family's livelihood, embodied half of Liu Shitang's life's work.
Facing the wave of industrial upgrading, the father and son had to make a difficult choice. Liu Jun made a pledge to his father, vowing to take the enterprise to new heights. To find a site for the new factory, Liu Jun had been busy for days without success. His old classmate Wang Xi from the Investment Promotion Bureau strongly recommended the land in Kujiang District from three aspects: policy support, location advantage, and industrial infrastructure.
After Liu Jun adopted the suggestion, the new factory's environmental assessment and safety assessment were successively approved. Upon hearing the news, Lin Chuan worried about the placement of the old factory's workers. She proactively contacted Liu Jun to say she had found a suitable party to take over.
On the day of the meeting, Lin Chuan, dressed elaborately, revealed important information in the car: Liang Sishen had a close relationship with Lin Yue, and her husband was Song Yunhui, the helmsman of Donghai Group. As they were talking, Liu Jun knocked over a bicycle. As he got out of the car to check, a group of people suddenly swarmed over and punched and kicked Liu Jun.
Lin Chuan got out of the car to intervene, recognized one of the individuals, but was kicked to the ground. In the end, the two were isolated and helpless, and Liu Jun's left little finger was tragically severed by a sharp object. On the way to the hospital, Liu Jun endured the intense pain and instructed Lin Chuan to contact his close friend Qian Hongming. Holding the severed finger, Lin Chuan fought back tears and comforted Liu Jun.
After Liu Jun entered the emergency room, the police arrived in a hurry. Lin Chuan, thinking that the events of the night were related to her brother, deliberately concealed the identity characteristics of the involved individuals. Qian Hongming rushed to the hospital upon hearing the news. After briefly explaining the situation, Lin Chuan hurried back home and went straight to her brother Lin Yue's place to demand an explanation. Lin Yue was panicked upon seeing his sister covered in blood.
When he learned that Liu Jun had been beaten, he adamantly denied it was his doing and stated that he had already let go of his prejudice against Liu Jun. But Xia Haiping also suspected her husband and kept a close watch. Lin Chuan was disheartened and declared before leaving that she would no longer conceal the truth from the police. After overnight surgery, Liu Jun's severed finger was successfully replanted.
The police questioned Lin Chuan again, stating that the assailants had a Jiangxi accent. Lin Chuan was also from Jiangxi. Lin Chuan evaded key details on the grounds of being overly frightened. In contrast, Lin Yue's subordinate was uneasy and had no choice but to confess that it was his own decision to send people to make Liu Jun bleed. Liu Jun was furious upon hearing this. In the middle of the night, Qian Hongming returned home.
Thinking that his friend Ma Yue's wife was a reporter for Donghai Business News, he provided her with material for a report. As expected, the incident was published in the next day's newspaper. After seeing the content, Lin Yue asked his subordinate for their opinion. The subordinate advised him not to intervene at this time to avoid further complications, but Lin Chuan demanded that he visit the hospital. Liu Shitang stayed by the hospital bed all night without sleep.
Looking at his son, who was covered in injuries, his heart ached as if being cut by a knife. After dawn, Qian Hongming personally came to take over. Liu Shitang didn't know how to communicate with Qian Hongming, so he simply handed a packet of money to Qian Hongying, asking her to pass it to her younger brother to express his gratitude. Liu Jun woke up and saw the content published in the newspaper.
He didn't understand why something that could be solved by law had to be deliberately made into a big sensation. Qian Hongming told Liu Jun that public opinion supervision was originally the media's responsibility. There was no problem with them increasing their chances of winning within the framework of the law.
Moreover, Officer Gu, who was in charge of the case, also revealed that there were many surveillance cameras at the scene of the incident, making it not difficult to apprehend the culprits. However, having gone through this incident, Liu Jun did not want to upset his father anymore and decided to let it go completely. Lin Yue specifically went to the hospital to visit Liu Jun.
He admitted that it was his subordinate who had acted without authorization and had now surrendered to the police. To express his apology, he proposed acquiring Qianjin Factory at a high price, taking in and settling the workers, and paying the sum in one lump sum. Just then, Aunt Fu came to the hospital to deliver food. Seeing Lin Yue in the ward, she quickly hid.
Episode 10 Recap
Facing the reconciliation conditions proposed by Lin Yue, Liu Jun fell silent. As the person in charge of the factory, he had to consider the livelihoods of hundreds of workers; as a son, he was even more worried that his father Liu Shitang would suffer the same harm. After weighing his options, Liu Jun chose to drop the matter of pursuing legal responsibility.
After Lin Yue left, Liu Jun looked at his severed little finger, feeling a mix of emotions, and profoundly experienced the cruelty of the game between capital and humanity. After Lin Chuan learned that her brother and Liu Jun had reached an agreement, she stated frankly that he would never let it go in this lifetime, nor would he forgive the Lin family, and it also meant that there was no longer any possibility between her and Liu Jun.
With things having come to this point, Lin Chuan could only let go of her feelings, and she sat in the car, weeping profusely. Aunt Fu took the opportunity of delivering food to confess to Liu Jun, claiming that she did not know the importance of that technical notebook initially, and her son had stolen and sold the data to Lin Yue in order to get a job at City First Machine Works.
Hearing this, Liu Jun was furious, scolding Aunt Fu and her son's actions as utterly shameless. Seeing the situation, Qian Hongming quickly persuaded Aunt Fu to leave the ward to prevent the conflict from escalating. Liu Shitang went alone to City First Machine Works to negotiate with Lin Yue, changing his usual smooth approach and stating his intentions firmly. Although he considered himself ordinary, as a father, he would absolutely not tolerate his son being insulted.
Before signing the cooperation agreement, he added an extra condition, which was that Aunt Fu and her son must be held legally responsible. Soon after, the police took the two away for the crime of infringing on business secrets. Time flew by, and the relocation of City First Machine Works was imminent. Chief Engineer Wang was filled with reluctance, but Lin Chuan believed that relocating to the distant suburbs was an inevitable trend of industrial upgrading.
On the other hand, Liu Shitang was packing his belongings, preparing to leave, when Old Huang suddenly chased after him, begging to return to the new factory. This veteran master craftsman was eliminated because he could not adapt to the automated production line, but Liu Shitang politely refused his request, stating that the Tengfei New Factory also focused on intelligent equipment. In the cold winter of 1999, Liu Jun named the new factory "Tengfei" and personally supervised the construction.
He was almost demanding about the construction standards, which caused dissatisfaction among the contractors. Liu Jun had considered arranging a light duty job for Old Huang, but was strongly opposed by Liu Shitang, because Liu Shitang advocated using this opportunity to eliminate the chronic problem of relying on age and seniority within the factory. He also took out a sum of money for Liu Jun to distribute red envelopes to the workers to ease relations.
Unexpectedly, the workers gave back stone piers, mocking him as having a "concrete head that doesn't know how to adapt." Yu Shanshan came to visit the construction site feeling guilty, blaming herself for indirectly causing Liu Jun's attack by providing the foreign company supplier information initially. Liu Jun didn't mind at all, and instead comforted Yu Shanshan, even jokingly suggesting "meeting more to make up for it," and their relationship warmed subtly as a result.
After Tengfei Factory opened, Liu Jun was busy fighting on two fronts: on one hand, he was recruiting technical talent with high profile, and on the other, he was making time to date Yu Shanshan. The applicant Luo Qing stood out with his precise 30-second self-introduction, and his impressive professional achievements made Liu Jun very satisfied. At this time, Dong Qiyang, the General Manager of City First Machine Works, suddenly visited and proposed touring the workshop.
When the two discussed industry trends in depth, Dong Qiyang asserted that mid-range products were the market mainstream, reminding Liu Jun that focusing stubbornly on high-end technology might make survival difficult. This judgment plunged Liu Jun into anxiety. Yu Shanshan found it difficult to get a taxi in the suburbs and had to ask her friend Lu Huadong for help. The latter took the opportunity to show off his driving skills to try and gain her favor, but it backfired.
When Lu Huadong invited her to watch a newly released movie, Yu Shanshan declined, citing tiredness. Unexpectedly, upon returning home, she saw Liu Jun waiting downstairs, who also offered a movie invitation. Due to Lu Huadong's presence, Yu Shanshan had to refuse again. The two romantic rivals exchanged brief pleasantries, both showing gentlemanly demeanor. In the following days, Liu Jun ran around everywhere dealing with credit matters.
Due to the new factory's lack of credit endorsement, loan applications were repeatedly rejected by banks. He instructed his father to maintain the production pace while he rushed around raising funds. Meanwhile, Qian Hongming met his friend Old Gao during a business trip. Seeing how the other person had become successful in just a few years highlighted his own awkwardness, leaving a bad taste in his mouth.
Episode 11 Recap
Qian Hongming and Old Gao were both classmates and colleagues, but in just eight years, the difference between them was like heaven and earth, leaving him with mixed feelings. However, Qian Hongming was very smart and immediately thought of Old Gao using his position for convenience to trade letters of credit. Old Gao gladly admitted it, saying that Qian Hongming was outstanding during school and was also quite capable after graduation, fully capable of earning more money.
Although Qian Hongming deeply understood this principle, he knew that wealth is sought in danger, and for the peace of his family, he really did not dare to take the risk. After the business trip, Qian Hongming returned home and brought his wife Shen Jiali a camera.
When Shen Jiali heard that it was generously given by Old Gao, she couldn't help but yearn for the high salaries and benefits of the special economic zone, and casually mentioned hoping the whole family would move there to make a living. Qian Hongming did not directly state the source of Old Gao's money, but simply smiled it off.
On the other hand, Liu Shitang mortgaged the shop behind Liu Jun's back, but the appraisal price was not high enough to solve the problem at all, so he had no choice but to ask a friend for help. It was precisely for this reason that Liu Shitang took his son to visit private capital. Manager Li was willing to provide a loan below ten million, but the high interest made it difficult for the factory to bear.
Liu Jun implored Manager Li to lower the interest for stable long-term cooperation and revenue. Manager Li stated that he specialized in business overlooked by banks and had different fundraising channels, insisting on high-interest loans. Liu Jun had nowhere to turn and repeatedly encountered setbacks. Just as he was feeling disheartened, Qian Hongming came to visit with lotus seed soup personally cooked by Shen Jiali, and learned about his financial chain collapse.
Liu Jun told Qian Hongming that there were only two ways now: either falsify accounts to get a loan, or get a windfall. The former went against his conscience, and the latter was entirely up to luck. Neither was a path he could or wanted to take. That night, Qian Hongming went home and told his wife that he would be very busy in the coming days.
The next day, he proactively applied for resignation from the company, but the leadership valued his talent and decided to let him lead the setup of the bonded area branch. Qian Hongming was flattered upon hearing this. He then invited Liu Jun to his office, revealed his identity as the manager of the bonded area, and offered to use his position for convenience to raise three million funds for him, only requiring repayment upon the expiration of the credit period.
Hearing Qian Hongming's idea, Liu Jun was overjoyed. Both of them were immersed in busyness, and their careers gradually improved. In the blink of an eye, four months had passed, and Liu Jun repaid the loan on schedule. Early in the morning, Qian Hongming rushed to work, but the company car broke down, making him so angry that he severely reprimanded the repair shop. Liu Jun's factory had considerable efficiency, repaying three million in just four months.
Qian Hongming, meanwhile, revealed his desire to buy an imported car and even planned to upgrade to a luxury house for his wife and daughter. Luo Qing suddenly proposed to resign from Liu Jun because his family forced him to take the civil servant exam. Although Liu Jun felt a little regretful, he approved the resignation, stating that he would welcome him back anytime. Afterwards, Liu Jun took Qian Hongming to meet a forum netizen.
Qian Hongming gossiped about Liu Jun's important romantic matters, but ever since Yu Shanshan declined his invitation last time, Liu Jun had actively given up pursuing her, mistakenly believing that she was with Lu Huadong. As soon as the words fell, Liu Jun saw Lu Huadong, shocked that the other person was the forum netizen. As soon as they met, Liu Jun realized the misunderstanding. Afterwards, Lu Huadong took them to a car dealership.
Qian Hongming took a liking to a car that was expensive but had a well-known brand, making Liu Jun marvel at how quickly Qian Hongming was making money from his job. Liu Jun learned from Lu Huadong that Yu Shanshan had sworn not to date before she turned thirty, realized that Yu Shanshan was still single, and immediately contacted her to see a movie. Yu Shanshan gladly agreed.
The next day, Liu Jun and Yu Shanshan watched a movie at the cinema, looking like a couple deeply in love. At the same time, a leak occurred at the factory. Worker Cao Fei was dozing at his post. When he heard the equipment alarm sound, he still slowly went to check, ignoring the warning "Do not enter while equipment is running," and tragically died in an accident due to violating operating procedures.
Episode 12 Recap
When Liu Jun received the notification and rushed to the hospital, his father Liu Shitang was already waiting outside the emergency room. The investigation showed that the deceased Cao Fei was the only son in his family. Liu Jun advocated for additional compensation beyond the insurance payout, but Liu Shitang firmly opposed it.
As the first work-related death accident since Tengfei was founded, Liu Shitang insisted on handling it according to regulations, believing that excessive concessions would undermine management authority and make it difficult to win over everyone in the future. With the entry of the safety supervision department, the heat treatment workshop was sealed off, leading to a complete halt in subsequent processes, and consequently affecting the bank loan that had entered the review stage.
Employee Old Zhu suggested to Liu Jun to properly arrange things with all parties to show sincerity. Liu Jun asked him to book a private room at a restaurant. Unexpectedly, the investigation personnel only had a simple meal in the canteen, affirmed Tengfei factory's safety management, and stated that the case would be closed as soon as possible and the heat treatment workshop could be unsealed in about three days.
After negotiation, the factory reached an agreement with Cao Fei's family, paying additional funeral expenses beyond the statutory compensation. However, Cao Fei's family still set up a mourning hall in the workshop, obstructing the resumption of work. To prevent Liu Jun from acting impulsively, Liu Shitang ordered people to block him outside the factory and faced the chaotic scene alone, feeling helpless about it. On the way home, Liu Jun and Lin Chuan met unexpectedly.
While the two stopped to chat, Lin Chuan's own experience told Liu Jun that City No. 1 Machine had handled many similar labor disputes, emphasizing that in employee injury and death accidents, if an enterprise breaks through the institutional bottom line out of compassion, it will inevitably bury greater hidden dangers. Just as they were talking, Yu Shanshan suddenly called. Hearing Lin Chuan's voice, she felt very uncomfortable. Coincidentally, Dong Qiyang invited Lin Chuan to dinner.
Learning that Liu Jun was present, he warmly invited both of them to come along. Regarding the Cao Fei incident, the safety department planned to upgrade the safety doors, installing sensing devices to ensure that equipment automatically stops when someone passes through. However, Cao Fei's family incited villagers to surround the factory's main gate. Despite the workers' strenuous attempts to dissuade them, it was to no avail.
The blocking of the factory gate led to a complete shutdown of the production line. Just as Liu Shitang was helpless in the face of the out-of-control situation, Old Zhu produced Cao Fei's alcohol test report, revealing the fact that he had been drinking during work hours. Originally, Old Zhu wanted to conceal it to prevent the insurance company from refusing to pay the pension.
However, seeing the family making unreasonable trouble and truly unable to bear the factory being implicated further, he decided to confess the truth. Subsequently, Liu Jun handed the report to Cao Fei's family. Unexpectedly, the other party tore up the document in public, accusing the factory of fabricating evidence to evade responsibility. Arriving police officers quickly controlled the scene and escorted away the main troublemakers.
Liu Jun watched the hunched backs of Cao Fei's parents being helped away, his heart filled with mixed feelings. He immediately decided on the spot that from now on, any employee found drinking in the factory would have their labor contract immediately terminated. Feeling down, Liu Jun proactively sought out Qian Hongming to confide in him.
Immediately after, Liu Jun received a phone call and rushed back to the factory, learning that technician Fan Xiaolong had suddenly disappeared, and the blueprints he was responsible for keeping had also vanished. Everyone speculated that he had fled the factory during the disturbance caused by Cao Fei's family and was suspected of stealing secrets.
Liu Shitang and others all wanted to calm things down, but Liu Jun insisted on holding him accountable, stating that such malicious behavior absolutely could not be tolerated. The next day, Liu Jun contacted Lin Chuan, hoping she could purchase the blueprints in the market under the name of City No. 1 Machine, thereby luring out Fan Xiaolong. Lin Chuan readily agreed, hoping to use this opportunity to clear up past grievances with Liu Jun.
On the other hand, Yu Shanshan felt unhappy about Liu Jun's frequent contact with Lin Chuan. During a date, she opened his phone call history while he went to the restroom, becoming even more jealous. Lin Chuan, meanwhile, told her sister-in-law about helping Liu Jun. She planned, after the matter was resolved, to have her sister-in-law arrange blind dates for her, completely giving up on any thoughts about Liu Jun.
Liu Shitang and Qian Hongying had a pleasant chat at the bowling alley. The tacit understanding and warmth between them, however, could never progress further due to old family feuds. Liu Shitang mentioned with some emotion that since Liu Jun took over the factory, the title on his business card had quietly changed to Marketing Department Manager.
When he returned home in the evening, he happened to see Qian Hongming coming out from a hotel engagement, with an unknown woman on his arm. Qian Hongying originally wanted to go forward and question him, but was stopped by Liu Shitang, who guessed he was likely just attending a work-related social event. Lin Chuan's meticulously planned strategy for several days was ready to be implemented. She contacted Liu Jun in advance.
She waited alone at the alley entrance, pretending to make a deal with Fan Xiaolong. Liu Jun, disguised as a passerby, rode a bicycle past to confirm the target. After locking onto Fan Xiaolong's identity, Liu Jun directly subdued him. After the police escorted Fan Xiaolong away, Liu Jun personally drove Lin Chuan home.
