After Li Mu persuaded Papa Lee and Li Ma, they went to Xiling Coal Mine the next day to apply for the first batch of layoffs this year.
However, when Li Mu's parents arrived at the West Ridge Coal Mine Guild, before they could tell them the purpose of their visit, a director of the guild said to the two of them, "Aiya, you two came just in time. I happen to have something to do and have been looking for you for the past few days. In the end, the two of you have both taken leave."
Li Mu's parents were a little surprised. Then, they heard the director say apologetically, "Daoping, Yunfang, you two have always been the model couple of our Xiling Coal Mine. Now that the mine is going through a difficult period, there are some problems that we have to let the two of you set an example for."
The union director didn't know how to phrase his words. Although they had been studying the layoff list, they had always avoided putting couples on the first batch of layoffs this year. According to the previous convention in the mine, couples would try to arrange for the female to be laid off as much as possible.
However, two nights ago, the vice president of the union, Xue Guilan, called his home and asked him to put Li Daoping and Xiao Yunfang on the layoff list this month. The union director didn't want to do something that would offend people, but when he thought of Xue Guilan's status and the fact that her husband was the head of Xiling Coal Mine, he could only bite the bullet and do it.
After waiting for Li Daoping and his wife for a few days, they finally appeared today.
Li Daoping was a little surprised. "Director, there are many couples like us in the mine. What kind of example can the two of us be?"
The union director hesitated for a moment and avoided their gazes. "Isn't there going to be another batch of workers being laid off? In addition, our production reduction plan for the second half of the year is out. There will be more and more workers being laid off in the future …"
Li Daoping frowned. He was very puzzled by the union director's vague words, so he blurted out, "Director, if you have something to say, just say it. If you keep beating around the bush, we'll get dizzy."
The union director sighed and glanced at the two of them. He gritted his teeth and said, "Fine, I won't beat around the bush. The union has decided to add the two of you to the layoff list at the end of this month."
Papa Lee was a little surprised. Although he and his wife had voluntarily applied to be laid off, the guild just happened to ask them to be laid off. What was the meaning of this?
Besides, being laid off was a big deal. No one would be added at the last minute. The name list had been announced long ago and the staff had also talked to each other. How could there be such a last-minute addition?
When Papa Lee voiced his doubts, the union director's expression was a little evasive.
Things that did not conform to the rules were always difficult to explain, especially this kind of immoral act of trying to destroy someone else's rice bowl. It was even more difficult to explain. If Li Daoping went around making trouble because of this matter, he would probably be scolded by all the workers in the mine behind his back.
Therefore, the union director had no choice but to say, "Actually, it's only a matter of time before both employees are laid off. If we don't do it this time, we won't be able to avoid it at the end of this year. If you don't believe me, let me show you something."
As the union director spoke, he took out a name list from the drawer and handed it to Li Daoping. "Take a look. This is the draft list of the second batch of layoffs. All the names with an S at the end are both employees. Take a look and see how many there are."
Li Daoping roughly looked. Although he did not count the names in detail, at least half of them were on the list. He also found the names of the couple.
The name list given by the union director was not fake. Li Daoping and his wife were originally on the second batch of layoffs this year. They were just temporarily moved to the first batch.
Li Daoping looked at the name list and still did not understand. Since their names were in the second batch, why were they moved to the first batch? However, it was his wife, Xiao Yunfang, who reminded him, "That's enough, Daoping. Don't forget why we are here."
Li Daoping nodded. He and his wife did come to apply to be laid off, but the strange and funny thing was that he and his wife were inexplicably arranged to be laid off.
But thinking about it, there was no need to go into it. Anyway, the two of them had been persuaded by their son and were ready to go into business. In that case, there was no need to care about this.
Li Daoping put down the name list and said to the union director very seriously, "Director, to be honest, we came here today to apply for layoffs. Since the union also wants us to be laid off, we won't say much. However, you have to grant us a long vacation. From tomorrow until the layoff notice is officially issued, we won't go to work during this time."
When the director of the union heard this, he almost burst into tears. This was great. Regardless of whether Li Daoping was telling the truth or not, with his words, he could say to the public that it was the couple who applied to be laid off on their own initiative instead of forcing them to join the union. In this way, he could avoid being condemned by everyone.
As for asking for a long vacation, it was too easy!
The union director immediately gave the two a long vacation approval slip and stamped the official seal. He also personally called the two's departments and directly explained to the two's superiors. Therefore, Li Mu's parents got the long vacation application without any difficulty.
The union director was also very cunning. When he called the two's superiors, he did not forget to emphasize that the two of them took the initiative to apply for layoffs.
Therefore, Li Daoping and his wife became famous in the Xiling Coal Mine.
While everyone was frightened by the word layoff, the couple who took the initiative to apply for layoffs became the topic of discussion in the entire Xiling Coal Mine.
…
While his parents went to the mine to apply for layoffs, Li Mu was too lazy to go to the driving school. He stayed at home and continued to develop his Easy Listening website.
In the morning, Zhang Kexuan sent Li Mu some photos of their performance through his email. There were more than 20 photos in total. They were all carefully selected and post-processed. At first glance, it really looked like it. Especially Zhang Kexuan, it was not an exaggeration to say that he was very handsome.
Li Mu immediately sent all the photos to Zhao Kang and gave Zhao Kang his first task: to promote the Simple Plan Band in all the major forums and websites in the province, especially the local websites in Jinling. The most important one was the campus forum of Jinling University.
After that, Li Mu asked Zhao Kang to find a way to contact the editor of the portal website, and he himself would find a way to publicize the band by publishing a press release on the website. There were two main points of publicity. One was that the band was very good, and its original song, Li Bai, would never be tired of listening to it. The other was to euphemistically express the band's youth and pop style. After all, things that were too rock and roll would never be recognized by the mainstream market.
Li Mu did not care about how Zhao Kang was going to operate the company. He just reminded Zhao Kang, "The fifty thousand yuan is the operating fee, which also includes his personal public relations fee. If he thinks it's necessary, he can go to Beijing in advance and build a good relationship with the editors of the portal website. It's still very easy to get in touch with the editors of the portal website now, but once the portal website becomes a high and mighty online publicity platform, it'll be very difficult for the editors to get in touch with you.
Therefore, Zhao Kang packed a few clothes in the afternoon and took his laptop to Jin Ling. Before boarding the plane to Yan Jing, he sent a message to Li Mu, "I'll board the plane to Yan Jing immediately and try to complete the task."
Li Mu replied, "Public relations costs money. Don't be reluctant to spend money. Try to contact all the content editors of the portal website that you can find. You decide how you want to spend it."
After replying to this message, Li Mu was amazed by Zhao Kang's execution ability. If this good friend of his could maintain such passion, he would definitely become his best partner in the future.
It only took Papa Lee and Li Ma one morning to complete all the paperwork at Xiling Coal Mine. Before they could even have a meal at home, their home phone and their parents' phones were ringing with all kinds of calls.
Almost all of the calls were from his parents' coworkers. When they found out that the couple had applied to be laid off, they called to express their concern. After all, what they did was really shocking. Moreover, the coworkers also thought that the couple must have found a better way to make a living, which was why they gave up their jobs. Hence, they called to inquire about the situation.
Li Mu was having a headache from the constant ringing of the phone at home. However, he still teased his parents with a smile, "Dad, Mom, it seems like the two of you have caused quite a stir in Xiling Coal Mine!"
Li Daoping smiled bitterly, "What can it cause? The people calling are all colleagues. They are just curious about why your mom and I took the initiative to be laid off. They are asking me if there is a better way out."
Li Mu asked casually, "The leaders of the mine should be very curious too, right?"
"They're not curious." Li Daoping was a little confused. "Speaking of which, it's quite a coincidence. Your mom and I went to the union to apply to be laid off. Before we could say anything, the union director vaguely said that the leaders have decided to add your mom and me to the list of laid off at the end of the month."
Then, Li Daoping roughly told them about the strange things he had experienced today.
Li Ma, who was at the side, said indifferently, "Just let them give it to us. Anyway, we have already decided to go down. Why should we care so much?"
"That's true." Li Daoping smiled and waved his hand. "I reckon that our house will be full of coworkers and coworkers after work. In my opinion, since we don't have to go to work anymore, we might as well take Little Mu to the countryside to visit my parents. We can stay in the countryside quietly for two days."
Li Ma nodded. "We have to go and visit them. I'll go pack some clothes and buy some things on the streets in the afternoon."
Then, his parents began to prepare to go back to their hometown in the countryside after lunch. They did not think much about being laid off. However, Li Mu felt that something was wrong.
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