Rui Chao and Wang Quanbin were relatives of a certain leader in Liuhe County. After the Taoyuan Copper Mine project was approved, all sorts of opportunistic figures flocked in like migrating fish crossing a river; their job positions were merely benefits granted to that leader by the Taoyuan Copper Mine side.

This sort of thing was unavoidable. China is a society built on guanxi (personal connections). A project as massive as the Taoyuan Copper Mine was like a fat piece of meat everyone coveted. If benefits weren't distributed to the local influential figures, every step taken in the future would be met with obstruction.

If one wished to eat the meat to their satisfaction, some of the broth always had to be shared.

When they first started their posts, Rui Chao and Wang Quanbin were relatively reserved because the people they dealt with were technical experts hired at high salaries from other large mining corporations. The two of them only had the qualifications of coal mine supervisors, so they genuinely had little to boast about.

Later, the leadership decided to hire some ordinary laborers locally for tasks like clearing trees and driving stakes. Wang Quanbin, being quick-witted, immediately pulled Rui Chao along and they volunteered to take charge of this work that required dealing directly with the local populace.

At the time, the laborers' daily wages were about eighty yuan, yet they paid the Taoyuan people only forty yuan—working from sunrise to sunset, eleven hours a day. The lunch standard was also reduced from ten yuan to six, and after stirring a pot of cabbage stewed with pork from top to bottom, one could barely find a few slices of snowy white fat.

The pair colluded with figures both above and below, raking in massive profits. Despite this, the uninformed Taoyuan people still felt this job was quite lucrative. After all, the road construction a few months prior was harder and dirtier, and they had to bring their own food for only fifty yuan a day. Now, although they earned ten yuan less daily, Foreman Rui had told them that if they performed well, he would secure long-term jobs for everyone at the mine after this project concluded.

From these twenty Taoyuan workers, Rui Chao and Wang Quanbin managed to skim off eighty yuan in meal allowances daily, eight hundred yuan in wages, twelve hundred yuan in overtime pay, plus seven hundred and fifty yuan for five fabricated positions—totaling over 2,800 yuan. They allocated five hundred of this to a mid-level leader, one hundred to the accountant, one hundred to the cashier, and thirty to the canteen supervisor, leaving each of them with just over a thousand yuan per day.

It was incredibly profitable.

The simple Taoyuan folk had no idea about the shady dealings. They were managed by these two men daily, and when they received their wages once a week, it was in cash directly from the pair, without even a pay stub or anything similar. They assumed this was just the mine’s protocol.

For an eighty-yuan wage plus sixty yuan in overtime, totaling one hundred and forty yuan, they only received the meager portion of forty yuan. Furthermore, if the weather turned stormy and they couldn't work, Rui Chao and Wang Quanbin would dock their pay. If someone was injured and couldn't work, not only would they receive no medical treatment, but they wouldn't even get paid for that day.

Wang Zhuo was unaware of all this. If he had known, Rui Chao and Wang Quanbin would have already been beaten until they were searching the ground for their teeth...

Five minutes later, Yan Xiaopeng and Gong Qiang rushed over in their car, followed closely by Lu Weimin driving Qi Fei and Guan Yingying.

By then, Wang Zhuo had found an emergency medical kit in the pickup truck and was personally attempting to extract a deeply embedded piece of wood from Xiao Nian’s foot. The splinter’s location was difficult to spot; if handed over to another doctor, it might easily be left inside. Wang Zhuo happened to find the kit, so he decided to handle it himself.

As Qi Fei and the others got out of the car, Wang Zhuo was using a sharp pair of tweezers to pry at the sole of Xiao Nian's foot. The sight of fresh blood made several people look away. Xiao Nian gritted his teeth, silently holding his leg and turning his face aside to avoid looking.

“Done,” Wang Zhuo finally said, carefully withdrawing the tweezers with a smile. “All clean. That was the last one.”

Clamped in the tweezers was a slender, half-centimeter long splinter, dripping bright red. If Wang Zhuo hadn't had his clairvoyance assisting him, extracting this fine splinter, which was buried three-tenths of an inch deep, would have required cutting another centimeter-long slit into Xiao Nian’s sole.

“Wang Zhuo, excellent technique,” Meng Mingliang praised.

“I studied medicine, after all,” Wang Zhuo laughed casually. “Forget picking out a splinter; I could even perform a vasectomy on a rabbit.”

The Taoyuan people didn't know what a vasectomy was, but they understood surgery. Everyone instantly felt even more respectful; being able to perform surgery was impressive.

Hearing him mention sterilization surgery, Guan Yingying let out a soft scoff, while Qi Fei could only manage a wry smile.

While cleaning and disinfecting Xiao Nian’s wound, Wang Zhuo asked without looking up, “Director Yan, is there a mine regulation against providing medical care to temporary workers?”

The frontline of any major mining enterprise is equipped with a medical rescue team, and the Taoyuan Copper Mine was no exception.

If multiple people were injured, it might be understandable for the medical team to prioritize formal staff, but Wang Zhuo felt that a rule stipulating care only for regular workers and ignoring temporary staff was utterly deplorable.

Yan Xiaopeng paused, then stated firmly, “No. I specifically held a meeting emphasizing that everyone must be treated equally. If anyone suffers an injury or illness within the mining area, regardless of who they are, we must do our utmost to provide treatment.”

The Taoyuan villagers exchanged glances, realizing such a rule even existed.

“Good rules, but sadly misquoted by crooked monks,” Wang Zhuo sneered, then asked, “Does the mine have a rule prohibiting anyone from using mine vehicles without authorization?”

“That regulation certainly exists; unauthorized personal use of company vehicles violates policy,” Yan Xiaopeng paused here before adding, “However, this rule has a prerequisite: transportation can be requested from leadership for life-saving situations or urgent family matters, and it wouldn’t count as private use.”

“This young man suffered a work-related injury, right? He is eligible to use a vehicle,” Gong Qiang also sensed the crux of the matter and explained. “Even if it wasn't a work injury, but a villager gathering wild vegetables on the outskirts of the mine, we have a moral obligation to treat him and send him back.”

Hearing this, the Taoyuan people finally understood. It turned out that Rui Chao and Wang Quanbin were intentionally bullying them. Meng Mingliang thought about it—there was no need to save face for them anymore. If they could stoop to such acts, how could anyone trust them to arrange long-term jobs for the villagers?

Stepping forward two paces, Meng Mingliang said, “Wang Zhuo, as you’ve seen, they not only refused to arrange treatment for Xiao Nian but also wouldn't provide a vehicle to take him back to the village. According to what Director Yan just said, isn't that a violation of mine regulations?”

“I suspect it’s more than just that,” Wang Zhuo chuckled, looking at the slightly embarrassed Yan Xiaopeng and asking, “Director Yan, what is the standard wage the mine provides for temporary workers?”

As soon as Rui Chao and Wang Quanbin heard this, they knew everything was ruined. If it had only been the preceding issues, perhaps a reprimand or reassignment would suffice. But once money was brought up, how could their extensive illicit gains from this period possibly remain hidden?

This question was no challenge for Yan Xiaopeng, as employee benefits and compensation had always been a key focus in corporate management, and he was very meticulous about this area, understanding it thoroughly from top to bottom. He glanced knowingly at Rui Chao and Wang Quanbin and replied to Wang Zhuo, “Regular female workers receive fifteen hundred a month with four rest days. Male workers doing indoor jobs get eighteen hundred with two rest days. Outdoor workers get twenty-four hundred a month with no fixed rest days, but they are allowed two half-day paid leave days.”

“Twenty-four hundred?” Meng Zhongmi was the first to cry out. “Isn't it forty yuan a day?”

“Forty yuan a day?” Not only Yan Xiaopeng but even Wang Zhuo were stunned. Forty yuan compensation for a day of labor was excessively exploitative!

“You two, come here,” Yan Xiaopeng said, his face ashen, beckoning Rui Chao and Wang Quanbin over.

Gong Qiang had a good memory. “The thin one is surnamed Rui; the other is surnamed Wang.”

Rui was a Manchu surname, not often encountered, while Wang shared a surname with Wang Zhuo, but Wang Zhuo had no affinity for this Wang Quanbin.

“Speak. What’s going on?” Yan Xiaopeng’s voice carried barely suppressed rage. His direct superior had been at the mine for barely half an hour, and these two bastards had already stirred up such a major mess. This was more humiliating for him than being slapped across the face.

Rui Chao and Wang Quanbin approached with steps more hesitant than a young bride mounting a sedan chair. After grunting for a long time without producing a word, they simply hung their heads, accepting their guilt.

Yan Xiaopeng cursed in frustration and looked awkwardly at Wang Zhuo, at a loss for what to say.

“I hope this is just an isolated incident,” Wang Zhuo said with a faint smile, eyeing him and using a joking tone. “If anything similar happens again, I will have to question your competence as Director Yan.”

Yan Xiaopeng’s face flushed scarlet, nodding repeatedly in embarrassment. Although Wang Zhuo was the same age as his son, the difference in status was immense. Such a significant oversight occurred just as his work was beginning; Wang Zhuo not severely criticizing him was already showing him great deference.

As for questioning his competence, there was no doubt about it. It clearly meant that if Yan Xiaopeng couldn't handle even this small matter, he was essentially useless as a General Manager and might as well resign instead of waiting to be forced out.

“Alright, I’ll come tomorrow to change your dressing,” Wang Zhuo said after wrapping Xiao Nian’s foot, patting his leg and looking up at Meng Zhongmi. “Help him into the vehicle; I’ll send someone to take him back.”

“Which one of you is in charge?” Yan Xiaopeng appropriately asked the Taoyuan villagers.

“I am,” Meng Mingliang stepped forward.

Yan Xiaopeng also stepped forward, taking Meng Mingliang’s hand. “On behalf of the Taoyuan Copper Mine, and myself, I offer my sincere apologies first. I will immediately return any wages that have been held back after the investigation. Today’s work ends now; you will be paid for the day, and you are to report for work as usual tomorrow. I will assign you a new supervisor.”

“Thank you, Director Yan,” Meng Mingliang said, both surprised and thrilled. This meant everyone’s income would nearly double—from twelve hundred to twenty-four hundred! It was like gold raining down from the sky.

“I am ashamed…” Yan Xiaopeng added with a bitter smile. “If you must thank anyone, you should thank Chairman Wang. If he hadn't discovered this, I would still be completely in the dark.”

Indeed, they had Wang Zhuo to thank. Every Taoyuan person looked at Wang Zhuo, their admiration for him immeasurable. The very Rui Chao and Wang Quanbin who usually barked orders at them were like timid sparrows in front of Director Yan, and yet Director Yan was showing such deference to Wang Zhuo. Previously, they only knew Wang Zhuo was a good man, a capable man; who could have imagined he was this sharp?