fictionpage Chapter 156 Resisting Contributions and Gaining a Firm Foothold
Chapter 156 Resisting Contributions and Gaining a Firm Foothold
The shadow of the food shortage had not yet completely dissipated, but the workshop of Zhangcheng Agricultural Tool Factory was already bustling with activity. After half a month of stable grain supply, the anxiety on the workers' faces had been replaced by reassured smiles. Ten high-efficiency spinning machines were running around the clock, and the gears produced were piled up like small mountains. Even the air was filled with the fresh scent of industrial production, a mixture of machine oil and cotton thread. Lin Chen was squatting next to the machine tool, instructing the young technician Wang Xiaohu on how to adjust the newly modified feed device. Beads of sweat on his forehead glistened in the sunlight, and the back of his work clothes was already soaked with sweat, leaving dark marks.
"Remember, the feed rate must be controlled at 0.02 millimeters per increment. Too fast and the tool will break; too slow and it will affect efficiency." Lin Chen gently applied force to Wang Xiaohu's wrist, allowing the milling cutter to land precisely on the gear blank. "This machine is like a person; you have to understand its temperament and not just work it recklessly." Wang Xiaohu nodded repeatedly, his eyes full of admiration—it was this young deputy factory director who not only led everyone through the food shortage but also transformed the originally cumbersome old machine tools into precious gems, enabling apprentices like them to process qualified precision parts.
"Deputy Factory Director Lin! Factory Director Zhou wants you to go to his office. He says the commune leaders are here!" Old Zhang from the gatehouse shouted, his voice tinged with barely perceptible tension. Lin Chen straightened up, wiping the machine oil off his hands, a hint of doubt creeping into his mind. The famine had just ended; shouldn't the commune be busy coordinating agricultural production? Why were they suddenly sending people to the farm implement factory? He instructed Wang Xiaohu to continue practicing, then strode towards the office building. From afar, he saw Factory Director Zhou Ming standing in the corridor with three men in cadre uniforms. Zhou Ming's face was somewhat grim, his fingers unconsciously rubbing the cigarette case in his pocket.
"Lin Chen's here! Come quickly and greet Secretary Li, Officer Zhang, and Officer Wang from the commune." Zhou Ming, seeing Lin Chen, grasped at a straw and waved hastily. Secretary Li, the leader, was about fifty years old, with high cheekbones and sharp eyes. He wore a faded Zhongshan suit with a bright red badge pinned to his collar. He sized up Lin Chen's oil-stained work clothes, his brow furrowing slightly, his tone carrying an undeniable authority: "You're Lin Chen? I heard you're quite capable in technical matters, increasing the farm implement factory's output several times over?"
"Secretary, you flatter me. It's all thanks to the hard work of the workers and the overall coordination of Director Zhou," Lin Chen replied neither humbly nor arrogantly, his gaze sweeping over the briefcases in the hands of the other two staff members, catching a glimpse of the edges of reports peeking out. Secretary Li grunted in acknowledgment and entered the office first, sitting down in a wicker chair. Staff member Zhang immediately handed him an enamel mug filled with strong tea, steaming gently. "Let's get straight to the point. I'm here today to convey the commune's decision," Secretary Li said slowly, taking a sip of tea. "The whole county is currently engaged in collective construction. The commune needs to build a new agricultural machinery repair station, requiring five new spinning machines as supporting equipment. Considering the recent good performance of your agricultural implement factory, your factory will donate these five machines to support the collective cause."
"A donation?" Zhou Ming's voice suddenly rose, then he quickly lowered it again. "Secretary Li, this won't do! Our factory just survived the food shortage, and our funds are already tight. These five spinning machines cost 1,500 yuan each, not counting labor and raw materials. If we donate them, we won't be able to maintain our production!" As he spoke, he reached for the account books on the table, but Secretary Li raised his hand to stop him. "Factory Director Zhou, this is a unified arrangement by the commune, not something to discuss with you." Secretary Li's face darkened. "Now we advocate 'collective first, individual second; public first, private third.' Your factory has been consuming the grain coordinated by the commune; now it's time for you to contribute to the collective. If you don't cooperate, it means you have a problem with your ideological awareness, and you'll have to consider the consequences."
Lin Chen stood to the side, his fingers gripping the hem of his clothes tightly. He instantly understood that this was no "donation" at all; it was clearly a forced levy. During the famine, they had stockpiled grain in advance and supplied it to the commune and workers at cost price, only to have it become a tool for the commune to manipulate them. The five spinning machines accounted for half of the factory's existing equipment. Donating them would not only interrupt production but also prevent the fulfillment of previously signed orders from neighboring counties, and the breach of contract penalties would be a huge sum, practically cutting off the farm implement factory's lifeline.
"Secretary Li, I have a question for you." Lin Chen stepped forward, looking directly at Secretary Li. "The purpose of the commune building the agricultural machinery repair and distribution station is to improve agricultural production efficiency, right?" Secretary Li was taken aback, not expecting this young technician to dare to interrupt. He nodded, "Of course, this is for the benefit of all the farmers in the county." "But if we donate the spinning machines, the factory's production will stop. Not only will we be unable to supply the urgently needed agricultural machinery parts to the surrounding communes, but we will also default on the orders we signed with neighboring counties. In that case, it will affect the spring plowing production of more than a dozen communes. This is probably contrary to the original intention of the commune building the repair and distribution station, isn't it?" Lin Chen's voice was not loud, but every word was clear, instantly freezing the atmosphere in the office.
Secretary Li's face turned pale, then flushed, his fingers tapping loudly on the enamel mug. "You're just making excuses! The collective business needs support, and as a state-owned factory, you must obey orders!" "We will obey orders, but we must be tactful and not act recklessly," Lin Chen continued without backing down. "Donating five spinning machines won't solve the fundamental problem. What the agricultural machinery repair station lacks most isn't equipment, but skilled workers who can operate and maintain it. Our factory can send technical experts to the commune to train technicians for the repair station free of charge, and we can also provide technical drawings and help them debug the equipment. This is much more effective than simply donating a few machines, and it will also save the commune money."
"Train skilled workers?" Secretary Li was clearly surprised by Lin Chen's suggestion, and his tone softened. He had initially thought that forcibly assigning tasks would easily cause resistance, but the commune's quotas were tight, leaving him no choice but to proceed. If the task could be completed through technical support, it would avoid offending the agricultural implement factory and genuinely solve the repair station's problems—a win-win solution. "How many skilled workers can you train? How long will it take?"
"We can train 10 skilled workers at once for a month, with a guaranteed learning curve," Lin Chen had already planned. "The theoretical classes will be taught by Su Qing, our factory's accountant. She's a high school graduate with a high level of education, so she can explain the technical principles clearly. The practical classes will be taught by me and the experienced technicians in the workshop, who will guide them step-by-step in operating the spinning machine and learning maintenance techniques. After the training, we will issue certificates to qualified technicians to ensure they can work independently."
Secretary Li was still hesitating when Officer Zhang leaned close to his ear and whispered, "Secretary, this plan is feasible. The repair shop really lacks skilled workers; we've recruited several times, but no one knows how to operate the new equipment. If the farm implement factory can train them for free, we can save on training fees, which is more cost-effective than buying several machines." Secretary Li pondered for a moment, then stood up and walked to the window. Looking at the busy workers and running machines in the workshop, he made up his mind. "Okay, we'll do it your way." He turned around, extending his hand, "But I'll make it clear from the start: if the trained technicians aren't qualified, the commune will still come to you for the equipment."
"Don't worry, we'll guarantee it with our skills." Lin Chen grasped his hand, and the calluses on his fingertips startled Secretary Li—these were hands that had truly worked, unlike those of cadres who only knew how to talk. After seeing the commune members off, Zhou Ming let out a long sigh of relief, patted Lin Chen on the shoulder, and said, "Good lad, thanks to you, otherwise our factory would have been completely drained. But training skilled workers is no small matter. Will Su Qing agree? She's in charge of finance and purchasing; she's already busy enough."
"I'll go talk to her," Lin Chen said with a smile. "Su Qing is meticulous; she'll definitely be fine teaching. Besides, this is an opportunity for her to get more exposure to technical work. We'll need her help with cost accounting and market analysis when we develop new products." He strode towards the finance department, and upon opening the door, he saw Su Qing hunched over her desk checking ledgers. Sunlight streamed through the window, casting a soft halo around her hair. Hearing the noise, Su Qing looked up, a hint of weariness on her face, but a smile instantly bloomed: "The commune people left? They didn't give you any trouble, did they?"
Lin Chen explained the assigned tasks and his proposed technical training plan in detail. Su Qing's brows furrowed. "You want me to teach a theory class? I've never taught before. What if I don't do a good job? Besides, the accounts from the finance department need to be submitted to the commune soon. I'm afraid I won't have time to prepare lesson plans." "I believe in you." Lin Chen pulled up a chair and sat opposite her. "You graduated from high school, so you're more educated than us technicians. I'll explain the technical principles to you once, and you'll definitely understand them. We can work overtime to handle the finance matters at night. Training technicians will not only help the commune solve problems but also enhance our factory's reputation. In the future, when we encounter similar assignments, they'll consider it more carefully."
Looking into Lin Chen's determined eyes, Su Qing's worries gradually dissipated. She recalled the scene of the two of them harvesting grain side by side during the famine, and how he always managed to come up with a solution in times of crisis, which filled her with confidence. "Okay, I'll give it a try." She nodded and took out a brand-new notebook from the drawer. "Explain the technical principles to me now, and I'll write down the key points to organize my lesson plan tonight." Lin Chen immediately perked up, took out a structural diagram of a spinning machine from his pocket, and began to explain the working principles of gear transmission and the feeding mechanism. Su Qing listened very attentively, and her notebook was soon filled with dense writing. When she encountered something she didn't understand, she asked questions in time. The two of them huddled together, discussing with great enthusiasm.
When the news reached the workshop, the workers were abuzz with discussion. Old technician Uncle Wang, puffing on his pipe, said, "Free training for technicians? Isn't that a thankless task? We're already too busy with our own work." Wang Xiaohu retorted, "Uncle Wang, have you forgotten how Deputy Factory Director Lin helped us during the food shortage? He must have a reason for doing this. Besides, teaching others skills will enhance our factory's reputation." Master Liu, who was wiping down the machine tools, chimed in, "I think Deputy Factory Director Lin is right. Having equipment alone is useless; you need people who know how to use it. If we train technicians, the equipment they use in the future might even be made by our factory. This is a long-term plan."
Three days later, the 10 skilled workers selected by the commune arrived at the farm implement factory. Most of them were young commune members from various production brigades, some of whom had never even seen a spinning machine before, and looked at the complex equipment with blank expressions. At the opening ceremony, Secretary Li personally attended, and looking at the neatly arranged trainees and the banner hanging on the wall that read "Intensive Technical Training Course," he said to Lin Chen and Su Qing, "I'm placing all my hopes on you. If you don't produce qualified skilled workers in a month, I'll hold you responsible."
The training quickly got on track. Every morning from eight to ten, Su Qing gave theoretical lectures to the trainees in the conference room, covering everything from mechanical principles to blueprint reading. She explained things clearly and logically, and even made simple teaching aids to make abstract principles easy to understand. One trainee named Zhao Erzhu had a low level of education and often struggled to keep up. Su Qing used her breaks to tutor him individually, drawing and explaining diagrams repeatedly until he understood. Zhao Erzhu said gratefully, "Teacher Su, you explain things even more clearly than our village's primary school teacher! I couldn't even do simple abacus calculations before, but now I can actually read blueprints!"
After 10 a.m., the trainees moved to the workshop for practical lessons. Lin Chen divided the trainees into two groups: one group learned to operate the spinning machine from him, and the other group learned equipment maintenance from Uncle Wang. He started by teaching the most basic steps of starting and stopping the machine, patiently correcting the trainees' operating postures and emphasizing safety regulations. One trainee accidentally knocked over a tool rack, turning pale with fright. Lin Chen didn't criticize him but helped him pick up the tools, saying, "It's okay, beginners are prone to nervousness. In the future, check the surrounding environment before operating the machine; developing good habits will prevent mistakes."
During the training, Su Qing also had to handle financial work, often working late into the night. Lin Chen saw this and felt sorry for her. Every night, he would make her a cup of brown sugar water and stay with her to check the accounts and revise the lesson plans. Once, Su Qing fainted due to overwork. Lin Chen rushed her to the infirmary and stayed by her bedside without leaving her side. When she woke up, Su Qing looked at his bloodshot eyes and said softly, "I'm fine, just a little tired. I haven't finished revising the lesson plans yet." Lin Chen's face hardened: "No more staying up late. You must rest properly today. I'll revise the lesson plans." That night, Lin Chen stayed up all night revising the lesson plans and helping Su Qing check the accounts. He finally fell asleep by her bedside just before dawn.
Two weeks later, the trainees' skills had improved significantly, and most of them could independently operate the spinning machine to process simple parts. When Secretary Li came to inspect, he saw Zhao Erzhu skillfully operating the machine and producing gears with the required precision. He couldn't help but give him a thumbs up: "I didn't expect you could really train these novices into skilled workers. Lin Chen and Su Qing, you've done a great job!" Lin Chen smiled and said, "It's all thanks to the trainees' willingness to work hard, and the help of experienced technicians like Uncle Wang."
Just as the training was about to end, an accident occurred. A trainee named Sun Hao, eager to learn, didn't follow the proper procedures, causing the spinning machine's gears to jam and the machine to emit a piercing roar. Sun Hao was terrified and stood frozen, unsure what to do. Uncle Wang angrily scolded, "How many times have I told you to check the equipment before operating it? You just won't listen! If this machine breaks, can you afford to pay for it?" Sun Hao's eyes welled with tears, and he choked out, "I didn't do it on purpose. I just wanted to learn quickly so I could go back and help the commune."
Lin Chen quickly went over, turned off the machine's power, and carefully inspected the equipment. He found that only the gears were stuck, and there was no damage. He told Sun Hao to calm down first, and then patiently said, "You can't learn a skill if you're too eager to succeed. We teach you the procedures not to restrict you, but to help you work safely and efficiently. This machine is like a comrade-in-arms; if you treat it well, it will serve you well." As he spoke, he demonstrated how to disassemble and clean the stuck gears. Sun Hao watched attentively, memorizing each step.
After fixing the machine malfunction, Lin Chen called a meeting with all the trainees, using Sun Hao's incident as a case study to emphasize the importance of safe operation. "Technology is for improving efficiency, not for taking risks," Lin Chen said seriously. "When you return to the commune, you must work with a sense of responsibility. You must not only master the technology yourself, but also teach the safety regulations to more people." The trainees were deeply moved, and Sun Hao even stood up to apologize: "Teacher Lin, I was wrong. I will definitely strictly follow the regulations from now on and never be reckless again."
The month-long training program concluded successfully, with all 10 trainees passing the assessment and receiving their certificates. At the graduation ceremony, Secretary Li personally presented the certificates to the trainees, saying to Lin Chen and Su Qing, "This technical training is far more useful than donating five machines. With these technicians, the repair station can be put into operation immediately. If the commune has any further technical needs in the future, we'll need your help again." Lin Chen smiled and said, "Serving the commune is what we should do. If you have any problems in the future, feel free to come to us."
After seeing the trainees off, Zhou Ming praised Lin Chen, Su Qing, and the veteran technicians who participated in the training at a factory-wide meeting, giving each of them a 50-yuan bonus. Zhou Ming said excitedly, "This resistance to the forced contributions has taught me a valuable lesson: technology is our foundation! With technical backbones like Lin Chen, capable assistants like Su Qing, and everyone's concerted efforts, our agricultural implement factory will no longer have to fear being manipulated by others!" Thunderous applause erupted from the audience, and the workers looked at Lin Chen and Su Qing with eyes full of admiration and trust.
That evening, Lin Chen and Su Qing sat on the steps of the workshop, gazing at the stars. The machines in the workshop had stopped, and the entire factory area was quiet, save for the distant chirping of insects. "I never thought we'd actually do it," Su Qing said with a touch of emotion, toying with the fountain pen Lin Chen had given her. The four characters "Striving for Perfection" on the pen were faintly visible in the moonlight. "I told you, if we work together, there's no difficulty we can't overcome," Lin Chen said, turning his head to look at Su Qing's profile, a warm feeling rising in his heart.
Su Qing seemed to notice his gaze, her cheeks flushing slightly. She quickly changed the subject: "Next, we're going to develop new products, right? When will we start designing the small harvester you mentioned before?" "We'll start soon." Lin Chen's eyes lit up. "The food shortage made me realize that farmers not only need good farm tools, but also harvesting equipment that can improve efficiency. We'll draw up blueprints and make models first, and try to make a prototype by the end of the year." He pulled a sketch from his pocket, showing the basic shape of the small harvester. "Look, this design saves manpower and is suitable for small plots of farmland in the south. It will definitely be welcomed by farmers."
Su Qing took the sketch and examined it carefully, occasionally offering her ideas: "Isn't the cost of this part too high? We can use cheaper steel instead. And this transmission mechanism, can we simplify it to make it easier for farmers to maintain?" Lin Chen listened to her suggestions and continuously improved the sketch; their ideas sparked new insights during their exchange. The moonlight shone on them, casting long shadows, as if foreshadowing that the future they were creating together would grow brighter and brighter, like the starlight in the night.
The news of the technical training quickly spread throughout the county, and Zhangcheng Agricultural Tool Factory's reputation grew stronger. Communes from neighboring counties sent people to visit and learn, many requesting that Lin Chen and Su Qing train their technicians, and some even placing large equipment orders. Zhou Ming beamed with joy, telling everyone he met, "Our factory's success today is all thanks to these two young people, Lin Chen and Su Qing!" But Lin Chen and Su Qing were not complacent. They knew this was just the beginning; on the road of technological innovation, many more challenges awaited them, and many more miracles awaited them to create.
A few days later, the commune presented the farm implement factory with a banner that read, "Technological Poverty Alleviation, Assisting the Collective." Lin Chen hung the banner in the most prominent place in the workshop and said to the workers, "This banner is the commune's recognition of us, and even more so, encouragement. We must continue to uphold the spirit of striving for excellence, manufacture better farm implements, serve the farmers, and contribute to the collective cause!" The workers echoed in unison, and the roar of the machines in the workshop rang out again, louder and more powerful than ever before.