Master, That's My Wife and My House! - Chapter 22

Wu Wenhua’s eyes lit up, and he immediately grinned, saying, “This…this is a bit embarrassing, isn’t it? This was your idea, and you’re the one who came up with the product. How can I take credit for it?”

“You’re wrong about that. The product itself is good, but you did the experiment! Without you being there to confirm its safety, it couldn’t have been made, right?” Chen Feng asked seriously.

Wu Wenhua laughed and nodded slightly, saying, “Okay, if that’s the case, then I’ll take it with me. I’ll tell you later whether it’s safe or not.”

“Alright, then thank you for your hard work, Section Chief Wu.”

The two chatted for a while longer. Wu Wenhua was growing to appreciate Chen Feng more and more. There were plenty of capable people these days, and which state-owned enterprise didn’t have a few big shots? But people who were capable and sensible were rare. This young man, Chen Feng, seemed to be capable, sensible, and most importantly, he could do good deeds. He was a rare find, extremely rare.

“By the way, how’s the progress on your end about what we talked about before?” Wu Wenhua suddenly asked. The self-rescue device was, in the end, a spur-of-the-moment idea, and it was hard to say what kind of results it would yield. Therefore, Wu Wenhua valued the thing he had been paying attention to, which was to provide safety assurance for the belt system.

Chen Feng’s expression turned serious, and he immediately said, “We’ve made some progress, but it will take time to finalize the details. At the latest… within half a month!”

Chen Feng already had the plan, but to be honest, when to bring it out depended on whether Wu Wenhua could survive this life-or-death ordeal. If he died down there, there would be no point in bringing it out; it would only allow others to reap the benefits.

Wu Wenhua’s face lit up with joy, and he nodded, saying, “Brother, you’re a capable man, and I believe what you say. I’ll be waiting for your good news in half a month.”

“Okay!” Chen Feng nodded. He remembered that Wu Wenhua’s accident was only recently, but he didn’t quite remember the exact date.

Thinking of this, Chen Feng suddenly said to Wu Wenhua, “Section Chief Wu, I think that underground safety cannot be guaranteed by equipment alone. Sometimes we also need to instill good safety knowledge and habits in the workers.”

Wu Wenhua nodded slightly and said, “I understand what you mean. Our mine has been strengthening safety education for the workers, but this is not something that can be accomplished overnight. Let’s take it slowly!”

Chen Feng laughed and said, “Indeed, to be honest, most of us miners haven’t had much schooling and are quite averse to learning. We can only rely on our leaders to give us instructions, which is really inefficient.”

There was nothing that could be done about it. In the 1970s, a miner’s work unit couldn’t even find two literate people. Even the section and district cadres were illiterate. They could work hard, but expecting them to learn new things was too much to ask.

Wu Wenhua chuckled and said, “Our mine is also working on making our cadres younger and more knowledgeable. Things will definitely get better in the future. Brother Chen, if you have any good ideas or suggestions in the future, you can let me know. We’re all young people, so it’s easy to communicate.”

“What Section Chief Wu said is true. If you ask me, when it comes to safety now, one thing is to ensure a good working environment and standardize it. Another thing is that leaders and workers need to be aware that even when rescuing people… they must first understand whether the environment is safe or not. They can’t just rush in on a whim,” Chen Feng said meaningfully.

Wu Wenhua didn’t catch the hidden meaning in Chen Feng’s words, but she was very interested in the word “standardization,” so she asked, “What does standardization mean?”

“Standards are essential for efficiency!” Chen Feng explained, “Standards for work sites include how flat the ground is, where flammable and explosive materials are not allowed to be placed, and designated storage areas for tools. In mines, apart from major accidents, most accidents are caused by small, unseen things. Standardized work sites should be able to avoid some unnecessary work-related injuries.”

“In addition, leaders and workers need to be aware of their work areas. In the event of an accident, will there be secondary accidents? For example, if someone is trapped in a tunnel and everyone wants to rescue them, they must first find out if the area will produce toxic or harmful gases and whether the ventilation is good. Once they go in, they need to know whether they are rescuing someone or going to their death. Only by knowing this can they save their own lives,” Chen Feng said with a smile.

Wu Wenhua’s eyes lit up, and he nodded repeatedly, saying, “That makes sense, that makes sense, brother. You’re quite insightful. It’s true that hearing your words is better than reading for ten years. I had a general idea of ​​some things, but they were always vague. What you said today has really enlightened me.”

Chen Feng laughed and said, “That would have to be because Section Chief Wu has this awareness. At most, I just helped to push things along.”

Wu Wenhua and Chen Feng found themselves getting along very well, and Wu Wenhua wouldn’t let go of Chen Feng for a while, until Chen Feng’s stomach started making a rumbling sound.

Wu Wenhua was taken aback, then asked in confusion, “Brother, you…you haven’t eaten?”

Chen Feng wasn’t embarrassed. Humans are made of flesh and blood, and we eat grains and cereals. Is it strange to be hungry? It would be strange not to be hungry.

“Ah! I rushed over from the Mining University at noon and missed lunch, so I didn’t eat. It’s okay, I’ll just grab something to eat when I get back,” Chen Feng said.

Wu Wenhua felt extremely guilty and repeatedly said, “Oh, I’m sorry, I’m sorry. You see, once I start talking, I can’t stop. Let’s go to the cafeteria for a bite to eat.”

Chen Feng did not refuse. When dealing with leaders, one must be careful in every way, but being careful does not mean being obsequious. If you don’t treat yourself like a human being, over time, the leader will really not treat you like a human being either.

When the two arrived at the canteen, Wu Wenhua immediately asked the canteen to prepare a special meal. Without being extravagant, he asked the canteen to stir-fry some pork and serve a bowl of rice, which Chen Feng ate with great relish.

“Brother, I’ve been negligent today, please don’t take offense at my gift.” Wu Wenhua greatly admired Chen Feng, feeling that this man was much better than those around him who only knew how to fawn over him.

“It’s alright, Section Chief Wu, you’re too kind. We’re usually busy at the factory, and we don’t always get enough to eat. It’s normal for anyone who’s working,” Chen Feng said with a smile.

Wu Wenhua smiled and nodded, then took out a piece of paper from his pocket and said, “Thank you for taking care of these things. Take this with you. Before you leave, go to the mine supply and marketing cooperative to pick up some things.”