Chapter Twenty-Two: Rising to Power and Prosperity

When it came to the commendation ceremony, everyone was, quite obviously, most concerned about how much of a reward Shen Guodong would receive. This, truly, was the source of envy and jealousy. Everything else was little more than empty honors—useless in practice.

“What are the rewards this time?” someone asked.

“I heard they’re giving Shen Guodong a promotion, plus a cash bonus!”

“Yeah, I heard that too. Apparently, they’re moving him from the maintenance department to head of production. That’s a huge leap—he’ll be right under Deputy Director Xu! If the old director retires and Xu steps up, Shen Guodong will practically become the factory’s second-in-command.”

“And the cash bonus isn’t small either. Did you know it’s at least a thousand yuan?”

“My god, that much? Shen Guodong must have incredible luck, stumbling upon that fault. His life has turned upside down—I can’t even imagine it,” many people murmured.

Their envy and jealousy were not just spoken aloud; it showed plainly on their faces. Of course, anyone in their position would feel the same—it was only natural.

Under countless watchful eyes, the eagerly anticipated awards ceremony finally began.

“In recognition of Comrade Shen Guodong’s outstanding contribution, the factory committee has decided to appoint him as Director of Production, overseeing both manufacturing and external sales of lathes, and to award him a cash bonus of one thousand yuan!” the old factory director announced joyfully.

The announcement left everyone utterly stunned.

When they heard “one thousand yuan,” the entire factory was flushed with excitement. If only that money were theirs—what a fortune it would be! In an era when most salaries were just a few dozen yuan, a thousand yuan was a small fortune. Many families would be unable to save that much in a year.

Even though Liu Yueru had seen a pile of cash the day before, the sight of so much money still made her heart race. Shen Guodong had become a money-making machine—his earnings had far surpassed her imagination.

There was no question about it.

Surprisingly, Shen Guodong himself remained calm—so composed that the directors watching him could not help but secretly admire him. Truly, Shen Guodong was a man worth grooming! Promotion and wealth did not sway him; he concealed all emotions within, not letting happiness show on his face. At least, that was what the directors believed.

In truth, Shen Guodong did not think much of a mere thousand yuan and a minor promotion—it was hardly enough to make him lose his composure. He could earn a thousand yuan at any time.

In the 1980s, opportunities abounded. Every industry was developing rapidly—if you had even a bit of sense, you could hardly remain poor. He believed this with all his heart.

Take, for example, the stars who had just arrived from Hong Kong and Pearl Island to develop their careers here—overnight sensations. If you got in early, the profits were unimaginable! The domestic entertainment industry might not seem ostentatious yet, but it was easy to make money. In these years, figures like Leslie Cheung, Alan Tam, and Chyi Chin were all becoming household names.

And then there were the Four Heavenly Kings, still new to the scene. If you seized the moment just before they entered the mainland entertainment market and stocked up on their tapes and records, you could make a fortune.

To put it plainly, it was all about reselling.

If memory served, this year was when Chyi Chin was discharged from the army. With songs like “About Winter,” he was about to sweep the country—his voice would fill every street and alley!

And at this year’s Spring Festival Gala, a young man named Fei Xiang would take the stage, unknown to most. With just two songs, “Clouds of My Hometown” and “A Fire in Winter,” he would become an idol for countless fans.

After his Spring Festival performance, Fei Xiang’s popularity would far surpass any of those celebrities in the future, whose fame was often inflated by the internet and whose fans were fewer than the hype suggested—mockery and memes were more common than genuine admiration.

But Fei Xiang’s rise was different. Shen Guodong knew that, in this era, whether old or young, people were genuinely captivated by Fei Xiang. If you asked someone on the street who their favorite star was after this year’s gala, the answer would surely be Fei Xiang.

But all that was for later. Knowing these things, Shen Guodong planned to get ahead and prepare, ensuring he would profit handsomely.

He set himself a modest goal—make his first 100,000 yuan.

To others, this might sound like a fantasy. But to Shen Guodong, it was entirely within reach—he had what it took, without question.

He took the thick stack of bills and handed them over to Liu Yueru without a second thought. In an age when pork cost less than a yuan per kilo, a thousand yuan had the purchasing power of tens of thousands in 2020—if not more. Back then, pork cost dozens of yuan per kilo, and ten thousand yuan could disappear in a flash. But a thousand yuan in this era would last a large family a long time, unless you spent extravagantly.

With that, the commendation ceremony came to an end.

Shen Guodong gave a short speech—mostly formal words of thanks to this person and that, nothing of substance.

Liu Yueru was deeply moved. In just two days, she had seen more money than she ever dreamed of in her entire life—four thousand yuan! An enormous sum. Shen Guodong kept two thousand, used one thousand to pay off debt, and set another thousand aside for household expenses.

Now, another windfall had landed in her hands, and Liu Yueru was almost at a loss—she didn’t even know how to spend it all.

At that moment, a discordant voice broke the mood.

“Director! I have something to say. I agree that Shen Guodong deserves the cash reward, but to promote him to Director of Production and put him in charge of sales as well—I question whether he’s truly capable. After all, he discovered the fault by chance. That doesn’t mean he has the necessary abilities. He may have saved the factory from loss, but I still think this decision is inappropriate!”

The speaker was none other than Yuan Junfeng, who glared at Shen Guodong, his jealousy barely concealed.