NCCnovel Chapter 151 Setting Off South, Unwavering Original Intention
Chapter 151 Setting Off South, Unwavering Original Intention
In Beijing in 1978, the chill of winter had not yet completely faded, and a thin layer of frost still clung to the bluestone pavement of Nanluoguxiang. The gate of the Hongxing Courtyard was open, and the Liu brothers led the way, carrying heavy wooden crates. The corners of the crates were carefully wrapped with old cotton wadding; inside were the core molds and forging tools that Lin Chen had accumulated over the years. Lin Chen followed behind, carrying a worn canvas backpack. Half of a steel mill technical backbone certificate peeked out from the side pocket, its cover worn and faded.
"Master, please check again. I put that set of wear-resistant wrenches on top for you, just in case we encounter equipment malfunctions on the way." Liu Guangtian stopped, fine beads of sweat glistening on his forehead, but he didn't bother to wipe them away. The blue work clothes he was wearing were a gift from Lin Chen; the cuffs were frayed, but they were spotless. Liu Guangfu clutched an oil paper package, his face flushed, and handed it over: "Master, this is half a pound of brown sugar I traded with the scrap yard owner. It's humid in the south; you can soak it in water to ward off the cold."
Lin Chen smiled as he accepted the oil paper package, his fingertips brushing against the thin calluses on the boy's palm—the result of two years of learning forging from him. He pulled out two thread-bound manuals from his backpack, the covers inscribed with "Essentials of Precision Forging" in calligraphy: "Guangtian, you are steady and should focus on mold calibration; Guangfu, you are agile and should study tool repair. If you encounter any problems you can't solve, write to me, and I will reply on the 15th of every month."
Qin Huairu hurried over carrying a blue cloth bundle, a freshly picked forsythia tucked behind her ear, softening the fine lines around her eyes. Her sewing shop had only recently established itself at the street corner, and the floral polyester jacket she wore was a new design she had made herself, the stitches fine and neat. "Master Lin, this is a padded jacket I sewed overnight, lined with freshly fluffed cotton. It's cool in the south in the mornings and evenings, so it'll be perfect for you to wear under your work clothes." She opened the bundle, revealing a dark blue padded jacket with delicate cloud patterns embroidered on the collar. "And this jar of pickled radish, sweet and sour, will whet your appetite when you eat it with steamed buns."
Just as Lin Chen was about to thank him, he heard the clatter of abacus beads coming from the front yard. Yan Bugui, carrying an old cloth bag, strode over, his old reading glasses with the broken leg still perched on his nose, secured with a hemp rope. "Little Lin, I've calculated it all for you. The price lists for raw materials from those hardware distribution centers in Zhangcheng and Foshan, as well as the detailed costs of railway transportation, are all recorded in here." He handed over a thick ledger, the words "Chenqing Hardware Preparation Record" neatly written on the cover. "If your technical workshop needs an accountant, I'll go there after I retire. I'll just pay you a small salary, enough to eat."
This made everyone laugh. No one expected that the "calculator expert" who used to keep accounts even for half a cornbread would now be so generous. Lin Chen opened the ledger; the first page was filled with densely packed numbers, clearly indicating the origin, purity, and transportation losses of different specifications of steel. Simple cost accounting formulas were also drawn in the margins. "Teacher Yan, your kindness is more precious than anything else. Once the studio is stable, I'll invite you to be the first to manage the accounts."
Liu Haizhong stood at the courtyard gate, leaning on his cane. His legs were still weak after his stroke, but he insisted on seeing her off. He clutched a bottle of sorghum liquor wrapped in kraft paper—a special grade he'd asked someone to buy from the distillery. "Xiao Lin," he said, "when you're in the south and doing business with people, a good drink will make you look good. Remember, no matter how skilled you are, you have to know how to conduct yourself. Don't learn my old temper." Aunt Liu followed behind, holding a pair of cloth shoes with layered soles. Her eyes were red as she said, "These took me a month to make. The soles are mixed with hemp thread; they're more durable than rubber shoes and comfortable to walk in."
Yi Zhonghai, supported by his mother, walked over, carrying a mahogany box with somewhat faded lacquer. In the past two years, the old man had completely abandoned any plans for retirement, focusing instead on training apprentices in the workshop, his face now showing a peace he hadn't possessed before. "These are my notes from when I was young, learning a craft from a German engineer. They contain the secrets to forging precision gears, which will be useful for your research and development." He opened the box, revealing a yellowed notebook; the handwriting was faded, but the drawings were extremely precise. "If you encounter any technical difficulties, just write to me, and I'll search through all the old materials to help you figure it out."
"Uncle Yi, this is a family heirloom." Lin Chen solemnly accepted the notebook, his fingertips touching the yellowed pages, his heart filled with emotion. He recalled how, when he was first reborn, Yi Zhonghai had always favored the Jia family to win over Sha Zhu, but with the collapse of the retirement group, the old man finally rediscovered his craftsman's original intention. "Don't worry, I will take good care of it and pass on my skills like you have in the future."
"Master Lin, wait for me!" Xu Damao hurried over on a worn-out bicycle, a large cloth bag strapped to the back. Since Lin Chen introduced him to the scrap yard, he had completely changed his petty thieving ways. Not only did he marry a virtuous widow, but he also managed the scrap yard's sorting business with his quick wit, finally looking like a respectable person. "These are dried longans I asked a relative in the south to buy for you, to help you relax on the road. I used to be a bit of a rascal, always going against you, please don't take it to heart." He scratched his head and smiled, "In the future, if you have any scrap steel or waste to dispose of, just let me know, I'll help you contact the channels and guarantee a fair price."
Lin Chen patted his shoulder: "The past is the past. I'm happy for you that you're doing well now." Looking at the familiar faces in front of him, he recalled the despair he felt when he was reborn on that cold night in 1960—the shadowy figure of Jia Zhangshi instigating Jia Geng to steal grain, Liu Haizhong's angry roars as he beat and scolded his children, and the sound of Yan Bugui calculating grain coupons with his abacus. Now, all that remains here is the warmth and reluctance between neighbors.
"It's getting late, or we'll miss the train," said Aunt Li, carrying a thermos filled with freshly boiled tea eggs. "Eat some if you get hungry on the road to replenish your energy. Take good care of yourself when you get to the South, and write to let me know you're safe."
A group of people escorted Lin Chen toward the alley entrance. As they passed the Jia family's door, Jia Dang, who was helping to watch the shop, saw Lin Chen and quickly ran out to hand him a paper package: "Master Lin, this is a clothing design sketch I drew. The clothing industry is very developed in the south, so it might be useful as a reference for work uniforms in your studio." The young girl had already been admitted to a textile industry school and was the first college student in the school. She had her hair in a ponytail and her eyes were full of youthful vigor.
"Jia Dang is really promising!" the neighbors praised. Qin Huairu stood to the side, her face full of pride. She looked at Lin Chen, her eyes filled with gratitude: "Master Lin, if you hadn't enlightened me back then, I would still be making a living by pretending to be pitiful. If you need a seamstress, Jia Dang and I will come and help."
Lin Chen nodded: "Okay, once the studio is stable, I'll invite you and your daughter first." Reaching the alley entrance, he glanced back at the gray bricks and tiles of the Hongxing Courtyard. The communal pond in the central courtyard, the forging stone in the backyard, and the old locust tree in the front yard all carried memories of two lifetimes. "People's hearts aren't ledgers; sincerity is fundamental," he murmured, speaking both to the neighbors and to himself.
The train station was bustling with activity, as travelers from all directions carried their luggage. Wang, the cadre sent by the research institute to pick him up, was already waiting at the ticket gate. Seeing Lin Chen surrounded by a group of people, his hands full of gifts, he couldn't help but smile and say, "Master Lin, you really have a lot of connections in Beijing."
"These are all my neighbors, my closest people," Lin Chen said, putting the gifts from his neighbors into the suitcase that Officer Wang had helped carry. He hugged everyone goodbye until the ticket inspector urged him to leave, then turned and went into the waiting room. Through the window, he saw the Liu Guangtian brothers still waving, Qin Huairu holding Jia Dang in his arms, Yan Bugui wiping his eyes with his sleeve, and Liu Haizhong leaning on his cane, trying to see on tiptoe.
The green train slowly started moving, and the cityscape of Beijing outside the window gradually receded, eventually becoming a blurry outline. Lin Chen sat by the window, taking out the old horseshoe from his backpack—this was the first item he had fused since his rebirth, now polished to a shine, becoming his lucky charm. He gently stroked the horseshoe, the pale blue halo of the system panel appearing in his mind, the beginner quest prompt "Fuse two pieces of scrap metal" still vivid in his mind.
"Hey comrade, can I borrow a light?" The middle-aged man across from Lin Chen offered him a cigarette, interrupting his thoughts. The man wore faded work clothes, his cuffs stained with machine oil, and a badge that read "Zhangcheng Agricultural Tool Factory" pinned to his chest. "Judging from your backpack full of tools, are you going to Zhangcheng for technical work too?"
Lin Chen took the match and lit the man's cigarette: "Yes, I'm going to the Zhangcheng Research Institute to work on precision manufacturing. Are you a foreman at the farm implement factory?"
"My name is Lao Zhou, and I'm a technician at the farm implement factory." The man took a drag of his cigarette, his brow furrowing. "The spinning machines in our factory are almost broken down; they're incredibly inefficient. The commune is pressing for farm implements, and the factory manager is so anxious he's covered in blisters. I heard the research institute hired a technical expert, but I didn't expect him to be so young."
Lin Chen's heart skipped a beat. He took out his notebook from his backpack and flipped to the sketch he had drawn of the improved spinning machine: "Master Zhou, do you think this plan is feasible? I modified similar equipment when I was in the steel rolling mill, and it improved efficiency by 30%."
Old Zhou took the notebook, his eyes lighting up instantly: "These drawings are incredibly accurate! Look here, our spinning machine's gears aren't meshing properly, and your improvement plan is exactly what's wrong. It's a pity, our factory manager has consulted several experts, but they all refused to come because our factory is too small." He sighed, "Zhangcheng's light industry is underdeveloped, and it's precisely because it lacks technical talent like you."
The two men chatted more and more congenially, and Old Zhou told Lin Chen about the plight of the farm implement factory in detail: raw material shortages, outdated equipment, loss of skilled workers, and the most pressing issue was that the commune was about to start spring plowing and urgently needed a batch of new plowshares, but the existing equipment simply could not meet the precision requirements. Lin Chen listened attentively, his pencil quickly sketching on a piece of paper, and before he knew it, a rough sketch of an improved plowshare mold had been drawn.
"Master Zhou, take a look at this mold design." Lin Chen pushed the sketch in front of Old Zhou. "It's forged using alloy scrap, making it twice as hard as ordinary steel, and it also reduces scrap loss. I've tried it at the steel rolling mill, and the scrap rate can be reduced from 15% to 3%."
Old Zhou nodded repeatedly, his voice trembling with excitement: "Master Lin, if your plan works, our factory will be saved! I'll go back and talk to the factory manager, and we'll pay you a technical consultant's salary, at least thirty-five yuan a month!"
Lin Chen smiled and waved his hand: "Salary isn't urgent, let's fix the equipment first. My purpose in going to Zhangcheng this time is to put the technology into practice." Looking at the scenery outside the window that was gradually becoming greener, his blueprint became clearer and clearer—by using the system's integration technology, he would first help the agricultural implement factory solve its immediate problems, gain a foothold, and then enter the field of precision manufacturing. This would allow him to accumulate capital while avoiding political turmoil, which was more promising than simply going to a research institute.
As the train journeyed into the late night, most passengers were asleep, leaving only the clanging of wheels against the rails in the carriage. Lin Chen leaned back in his seat, closed his eyes, and the system panel automatically appeared: 1580 points, unlocked skills "Basic Material Analysis" and "Precision Forging Blueprint," allowing him to upgrade the material fusion level to level three. He consumed 10 points to analyze the alloy scraps in his backpack, and the panel immediately displayed the composition ratios and fusion suggestions.
"Ding—The system has detected that the host is about to enter a new stage of development, triggering a side quest: Assist in the upgrading of Zhangcheng's light industry. Quest rewards: 500 points, unlock the 'Equipment Modification' skill, and gain access to local resources." The system notification sounded in his mind, and the light blue quest panel was clear and concise.
Lin Chen opened his eyes, a smile playing on his lips. He took out Yi Zhonghai's notebook from his backpack and flipped through it in the dim light of the carriage. The old man's handwriting was strong and vigorous, every forging step was written in extreme detail, and there were countless revisions on the margins. This was not only a technical notebook, but also the original aspiration passed down from generation to generation of craftsmen.
As dawn approached, the train finally pulled into Zhangcheng Station. A damp mist hung over the platform, carrying the distinctive scent of southern vegetation. Old Zhou, carrying Lin Chen's luggage, hurried out of the station: "Young Master Lin, I'll take you to the factory to stay. The dorms are simple, but they have a separate backyard, which will be convenient for your fusion experiments. If the factory manager knew you were willing to help, he would definitely come to pick you up personally."
Lin Chen followed Lao Zhou out of the station and saw a bicycle with a sign that read "Zhangcheng Agricultural Tool Factory" on it. A red ribbon with the words "Welcome Technical Experts" was tied to the back of the bicycle. A middle-aged man in a Zhongshan suit walked quickly over, holding an enamel mug in his hand, his face full of urgency: "I am Zhou Ming, the factory manager of the agricultural tool factory. You must be Master Lin? Lao Zhou called me and said you had an improvement plan, so I rushed over overnight."
"Director Zhou, you're too kind." Lin Chen grasped his hand, feeling the thin calluses on the other's palm, knowing he was a pragmatic director. "The plan still needs actual testing. Let's go to the workshop and check out the equipment first."
The group walked towards the farm implement factory. The number of pedestrians on the road gradually increased: vendors carrying loads, students with schoolbags, and workers in overalls, each with a busy and energetic expression. Lin Chen looked at the blacksmith shops and sewing shops on the street and felt a surge of emotions—there was no backstabbing or infighting like in the courtyard houses here, only a desire for development and a need for technology. This was exactly the stage he wanted.
Inside the farm implement factory workshop, several old spinning machines creaked and groaned, the operators sweating profusely, yet still unable to keep up with production. A pile of scrapped plowshares lay in the corner, all defective products due to insufficient forging precision. Zhou Ming looked at the scrap and sighed, "This is half a month's output. If we can't solve this problem, the commune's spring plowing quota will be unfulfilled."
Lin Chen walked to the spinning machine, took out the wrench he carried with him, and gently unscrewed a gear. He used the system to analyze the gear, and the panel immediately displayed the problem: "The gear material has too high a carbon content, and the meshing surface is severely worn. It is recommended to fuse manganese steel and chromium steel to improve wear resistance." He turned to Zhou Ming and said, "Factory Manager Zhou, prepare some manganese steel scraps, refractory clay, and coal for me, and find two skilled technicians to assist me. I can modify the gear mold today."
Zhou Ming nodded quickly and told someone to prepare the materials immediately. Lin Chen took off his coat, revealing the blue overalls underneath, took the gloves Old Zhou handed him, and walked to the forging furnace. Looking at the glowing red flames, he recalled his days at the steel rolling mill, the earnest way Liu Guangtian and his brother studied, and the words of advice from the neighbors in the courtyard. The old horseshoe in his palm was slightly warm, as if reminding him—no matter where he went, he must never forget his initial commitment to earning a living through technical skills and treating people with sincerity.
As the first rays of sunlight streamed through the workshop windows, Lin Chen, holding the newly forged gear, walked to the spinning machine. Old Zhou and the technicians gathered around, their eyes filled with anticipation. Lin Chen installed the gear, gently turned the machine switch, and the spinning machine's operation instantly became smooth and steady, without the previous creaking noises.
"Success!" the technicians cheered. Zhou Ming, overwhelmed with emotion, grasped Lin Chen's hand, his voice trembling slightly. "Master Lin, you're truly our factory's savior! I'll immediately apply for technical consultant benefits for you, arrange the best dormitory for you, a monthly salary of forty yuan, and even provide you with a dedicated laboratory!"
Lin Chen smiled and shook his head, his gaze turning to the vibrant city of Zhangcheng outside the window: "Director Zhou, the salary isn't urgent. I want to set up a technical innovation team in the factory to teach the workers the improvement plans. That's the only way to solve the problem at its root." He knew that one person's strength was ultimately limited. Only by passing on the technology could he truly drive the upgrading of light industry. This was the real meaning of his trip south.
On the distant streets, pedestrians gradually increased, and a new day began. Lin Chen gripped the forging hammer in his hand, feeling the weight transmitted through the hammerhead, his heart filled with determination. He knew that his journey south had only just begun, and countless challenges lay ahead, but as long as he held fast to his original aspirations and relied on his skills and sincerity, he would surely be able to carve out his own niche in this fertile southern land.