Chapter 6 Leaving the Oil Field

  Xiao Huang Ping grew up in a state-owned enterprise, where young workers had to apprentice under a master before they could learn any skills.

  A worker without a master will never become a big shot no matter how hard he works.

  Xiao Pang's computer skills are half-baked, but his mouth is as sweet as if he had a bucket of sugar hanging from it. Su Cheng disagreed, but he didn't get annoyed. For three days in a row, he helped with fetching water and cooking meals, and even helped tidy up the dormitory. He called it: "Having something to do", and his younger schoolmates were impressed by his diligence.

  Su Cheng felt embarrassed and couldn't refuse, so while making the report, he casually mentioned a few words. Xiao Pang listened seriously and didn't say anything, every time just saying: Thank you, Master.

  After a long time of shouting, Su Cheng couldn't oppose every time, so Xiao Pang shouted even more happily, and it became an accomplished fact in the process - this trick was also learned from his old man's factory.

  Actually, Su Cheng was also feeling sentimental.

  Younger brothers of this era are really too useful.

  The empty cup was raised in mid-air for two seconds before Xiao Pang rushed over at the speed of a hundred-meter flying man, laughing and saying: "Master, let me pour water for you."

  My fingers are tired, rubbing my shoulders, Xiao Pang immediately followed up with professional-level techniques, accompanied by a silly smile: "I'm retired from the hospital's military medical department, and it's said to be the most relieving."

  At noon, it's time to eat, Xiao Pang is the first to run out and the first to run back, bringing back lunch, as well as serving tea, water, and soup.

  Colleagues in the same department would sometimes look at Xiaopang with amusement, but they never said anything strange or picked on him. The relationships between people in this era were still relatively harmonious and friendly, slightly progressive, but only to the level of the mid-1990s, and cunning, treachery, and venomousness had not yet become popular.

  With Su Cheng's participation, the personnel department's report was naturally clean and tidy, accurate and clear, and received praise from Deputy Minister Ma.

  Liu returned with a flushed face and immediately found Su Cheng. With a pleased expression, he asked: "Little Su, have you figured out which department to go to these past few days?"

  It's time for him to be rewarded for his achievements.

  It turned out that Su Cheng hesitated for a moment and said: "Liu Shangchang, I want to go to the oil field."

  "Going to the oil field?" This time, Liu didn't take it as a casual remark and furrowed his brow, saying: "Xiao Su, the environment of the oil field is vastly different from Beijing. Moreover, once you go down there, it's not easy to come back."

  "I understand." Su Cheng nodded heavily. He really did want to understand, as a Chinese department student, staying in the ministry would ultimately be unable to avoid writing materials and doing documents, only by going down to the oil field could he truly use his own expertise.

  Liu, on the other hand, had a completely opposite view. In his opinion, sending Beida Chinese Department students to oil fields was simply a waste of talent, so he advised a few more sentences and saw Su Cheng's firm attitude, then said: "Okay, let's give you another week to consider, and we'll talk again at that time."

  Su Cheng reluctantly left, but his intention to go to the oil field spread quickly throughout the Petroleum Department.

  Xiao Pang heard that and didn't even have time to eat, he found his dormitory and shouted: "Master, why do you want to go to the oil field? Is someone bothering you?"

  Su Cheng said with a mixture of laughter and tears: "No one is bothering me, I just want to go to the grassroots."

  "Want to go to the grassroots level?" Xiao Pangzi repeated in disbelief.

  No matter which era, China has always been central over local. Whether it's power, status, prospects or income, it's all the same. The ministries are even better places, and Wang Ting et al opposed Su Cheng going to the Petroleum Department, wasn't it because the Petroleum Department would be abolished in the ministerial reform?

  Of course, the abolition of ministries does not mean that all ministerial staff will be disadvantaged. Historically, officials above the deputy department level are safe, and those at the section chief level and a large number of related households can also be transferred to other ministries or other powerful departments.

  But in the worst-case scenario, even the most unlucky department member would not be assigned to a grassroots position like an oil field.

  Su Cheng knew that his choice was unexpected by many, but he had already made up his mind. Since he had been reborn in this era, he should do something with it. If he just wanted to live a comfortable life, there were ways to do so, why bother staying in the ministry and struggling for promotion.

  Based on his known professional information, going to the oil field is the best choice.

  Xiao Pang saw Su Cheng not speaking, anxiously spinning around like his butt was on fire, saying: "Master, you've never seen the environment of an oil field, there's no room for a Chinese department university student or a level 8 computer science graduate to show off. Even if you want to go to the oil field, you should at least wait until you're a bit more senior before going."

  Su Cheng shook his head and said, "If I wanted to be an official, why would I come to the Petroleum Department?"

  He said it with sincerity, and Xiao Pang's blood was boiling as he listened. He slapped his thigh heavily and shouted: "Master, I'll go down to the oil field with you!"

  "Will your family agree?"

  The little fatty was stunned for half a day and said with a sigh: "Dad would rather kill me than let me leave Beijing, oh dear..."

  Su Cheng smiled and skipped this section, saying with a relaxed expression: "Isn't the Petroleum Department going to be disbanded soon?"

  "What's the harm in downsizing? There are also benefits to personnel diversion." Little fatty Huang Ping said with a hint of persuasion: "According to rumors, there are at least a dozen preferential policies in the department, such as housing allocation, fully-funded overseas study, and promotion to subordinate business units. As long as you voluntarily divert, even Harvard and Oxford are possible."

  It was the late 1980s, just when the craze of going abroad began to spread. Of course, those who could become China's earliest returnees were still a small group of people from the upper class, such as these laid-off personnel from various ministries and commissions.

  When ordinary people are struggling to make a living, the favored sons of heaven are overjoyed because they have received scholarships from the University of Pittsburgh. Meanwhile, the unlucky kids in the central ministries are reading Harvard and Cambridge Oxford, and a few years later, they return home, and the craze for academic qualifications will send them back into the ministry's doors again...

  Knowing the history of Su City, he sighed and asked: "What about you?"

  "My credentials are not good, and I don't have a high rank. It's best to transfer to the Energy Department; otherwise, just stay at the Petroleum General Corporation. State-owned enterprises also have their advantages, with so much oil nationwide, it's enough to get rich." The Energy Department mentioned by Xiao Pangzi will appear in next year's departmental reform, taking over the government functions of the original Ministry of Petroleum, Ministry of Coal, Ministry of Electric Power and Ministry of Nuclear Industry, in order to achieve separation of politics and business. However, five years later, in 1993, the Energy Department was abolished again, and the Energy Department and the Ministry of Electric Power were restored, while the Ministry of Petroleum and the Ministry of Nuclear Industry did not return to the State Council sequence, but their actual power was not weakened either.

  The choice of any department staff would not be worse, Su Cheng did not comment, but instead said: "Haven't had dinner yet, I'll treat you."

  A week later, Su Cheng finally boarded the train to Dongying.

  Persuasion was ineffective, and Director Liu instructed before departure: "Little Su, I'll leave your relationship with the Petroleum Department. If you change your mind, come back, there's nothing to be ashamed of. Do you understand?"

  Suzhou is heavily polluted.

  "I've found an old classmate, Lin Yonggui. He's now working at the Victory Oil Field Battle Command Center. When you arrive, be sure to look him up." Director Liu let out a sigh, he indeed wanted to leave Su City behind.

  At the platform, Su Xing was also observing Su Cheng.

  As a half-brother, he had deep misgivings about Su Cheng and always kept an eye on his news.

  Heard that he volunteered to go to the grassroots oil field, Su Xing almost didn't believe his ears. He had to see Su Cheng leave Beijing with his own eyes before he could feel at ease.

  The green car slowly started up.

  ……