Major Heavy Industry: Starting with a Fake Marriage

Chapter 18 Power Switch

Someone switched on the power. The planer roared and started running. It vibrated a little at first, but Jiang Cheng adjusted a few parameters, and the vibration disappeared. He put a blank in, and the machine began cutting. The cut surface was smooth and flat, much better than before.

"It's done!" someone shouted.

A cheer erupted in the workshop. Several workers rushed forward, lifted Jiang Cheng up, and tossed him into the air. Sun Jianguo stood by, his face ashen, unable to utter a single word.

The news quickly spread throughout the factory. Factory Director Zhou came to see for himself, and seeing the planer running again and the even better processing results than before, his face beamed with joy.

"Jiang Cheng, well done!" He patted Jiang Cheng on the shoulder. "You've done a great job this time!"

Jiang Cheng smiled but didn't say anything. He was very familiar with what Director Zhou said; he had performed a great service last time, but what was the result?

He's exhausted and just wants to find a place to lie down.

That night, he returned to his dorm and collapsed onto his bed. Zheng Yanxi sat beside him, gently wiping his sweat. She didn't say anything, but her eyes were full of heartache and pride.

The next day, the factory held an awards ceremony. Jiang Cheng was awarded a first-class merit and received a bonus of two hundred yuan. At the meeting, Factory Director Zhou said that a technical innovation team would be established, headed by Jiang Cheng, to specifically study the renovation of old equipment.

Sun Jianguo sat in the audience, his face as gloomy as if it were about to rain.

After the meeting, Huang Deqing was transferred back to the machine repair workshop from logistics, still as a level six fitter. When the master and apprentice met, Huang Deqing patted his shoulder, said nothing, but there were tears in his eyes.

That evening, Jiang Cheng treated Huang Deqing, Zheng Huaiyuan, and Professor Qian to dinner. Zheng Yanxi cooked several of his signature dishes. Professor Qian, drinking his wine, was as happy as a child: "Good! Good! I knew this kid was good!"

Zheng Huaiyuan smiled, a rare occurrence for him: "This time it was good luck, but it also showed our ability. The road ahead is long, so don't be arrogant."

Jiang Cheng nodded: "Uncle Zheng, I'll remember."

Huang Deqing didn't say much, he just kept drinking, one glass after another. Jiang Cheng knew he was happy, so he didn't try to stop him.

As the party was ending, Zheng Huaiyuan suddenly said, "Jiang Cheng, there's something I want to tell you."

"Please speak."

"The province is holding a technical exchange meeting soon, and all the cities and prefectures are sending representatives. Director Wang asked me to inquire whether you would be willing to present your renovation plan."

Jiang Cheng was taken aback: "Me? Go to the provincial capital to speak?"

Zheng Huaiyuan nodded: "Your system isn't as simple as just modifying a planer. If it can be widely adopted, it will benefit the entire industry. Director Wang said the province attaches great importance to it."

Jiang Cheng was silent for a moment, then said, "Uncle Zheng, I'll think about it."

Zheng Huaiyuan looked at him and nodded: "Okay, let me know when you've thought it through."

On the way home, Zheng Yanxi asked, "Don't you want to go?"

Jiang Cheng said, "It's not that I don't want to, it's that I'm a little afraid."

"What are you afraid of?"

"I'm afraid I'll give a bad lecture and embarrass myself," Jiang Cheng chuckled. "If I, a fitter, went to the provincial capital to give a lecture, would people believe me?"

Zheng Yanxi grasped his hand: "You can even fix a planer, what are you afraid of when you give a lecture?"

Jiang Cheng looked at her, a warmth spreading through his heart. Yes, if she could even modify a planer, what was there to be afraid of?

"Shall I go then?"

"Let's go," Zheng Yanxi said. "I'll go with you."

Jiang Cheng smiled and said, "Okay."

A week later, Jiang Cheng went to the provincial capital.

The technical exchange meeting was held in the auditorium of the Machinery Department. More than 200 people from across the province attended, all of whom were key personnel from the industrial systems of various cities and prefectures. Jiang Cheng was scheduled to speak third in the afternoon. The two speakers before him were experts from research institutes, who spoke very professionally, and the audience was practically dozing off.

When it was Jiang Cheng's turn, he walked onto the stage, looked at the sea of ​​people below, and took a deep breath.

"My name is Jiang Cheng, and I'm a fitter at Shencheng Hongxing Machinery Factory," he said. "Today, I'd like to talk to you about how to modify the oldest machines with the least amount of money."

Some people laughed. What could a fitter possibly say?

But as he spoke, the laughter faded. Jiang Cheng began by discussing the problems with the planer, then moved on to his thought process, the modification process, and the final results. He spoke practically, without any empty theories, just solid, useful information. The audience listened more and more attentively; some began taking notes, while others raised their hands to ask questions.

When he finished speaking, thunderous applause erupted.

Director Wang walked onto the stage, shook his hand, and said, "Xiao Jiang, you spoke well! You explained it even more clearly than those experts!"

After the meeting, several people surrounded him, asking for the blueprints and his contact information. Jiang Cheng responded to them one by one, but in his heart he remembered what his master had said: There are many capable people, but few who can achieve great things. He had only taken the first step; the road ahead was still long.

It was already dark when he returned to Shenyang. Zheng Yanxi was waiting for him on the platform. When she saw him get off the train, she came to greet him.

"How is it?"

Jiang Cheng smiled and said, "It's alright."

The two walked back side by side. The night breeze was cool, but Jiang Cheng felt warm inside.

In stark contrast to the couple's tender moments, someone in the factory was currently fretting over a piece of paper. It was an official letter from the provincial capital, signed by the Provincial Mechanical Research Institute—the institution where the two experts worked. The letter was short, containing only one sentence:

"Regarding the malfunction of the imported rolling mill at Shencheng Hongxing Machinery Factory, we will send personnel to reinvestigate the matter."

Factory Director Zhou held the letter tightly, unable to sleep all night.

On the third day after returning from the provincial capital, Jiang Cheng was summoned to Director Zhou's office.

As soon as he entered, he sensed something was wrong. Director Zhou sat behind his desk, his face grim, the ashtray in front of him overflowing with cigarette butts. Old Meng, the head of the technical department, was also there, along with two strangers—wearing Zhongshan suits, their expressions serious, clearly from higher up.

"Jiang Cheng, sit down," Factory Director Zhou said, gesturing to a chair.

Jiang Cheng sat down, waiting for the other party to speak.

One of them, dressed in a Zhongshan suit, spoke up: "You're Jiang Cheng? The fitter who said there was a problem with the imported rolling mill?"

The question was asked very skillfully. "Saying there's a problem" and "discovering a problem" differ by only one word, but the meaning is completely different. Jiang Cheng immediately understood that this person was up to no good.

"It's me," he said.

Zhongshan nodded, took a document out of his bag, and placed it on the table: "I'm from the Provincial Machinery Research Institute, my surname is Han. This is my colleague, his surname is Liu. We're here today to re-verify the matter of that rolling mill."

Re-verify. Jiang Cheng recalled the report Li Jianguo had shown him, and the conclusion written by the two experts—improper operation caused the bearing seat to shift. Now it seemed they were here to "implement" that conclusion.

"Comrade Han, please ask whatever you want," Jiang Cheng said.

Engineer Han opened his notebook: "Were you the first to spot the problem?"

"Yes."

"How did you discover it?"

"Observe," Jiang Cheng said. "There was an unusual noise when the machine was running. I tapped the rollers and found the sound was wrong. Later, I took it apart and saw that there were indeed cracks."

Engineer Han and Engineer Liu exchanged a glance. Engineer Liu asked, "You're just a fitter, what makes you think it's a crack? Do you have any evidence?"

Jiang Cheng looked at him and suddenly smiled: "Engineer Liu, have you ever repaired machines before?"

Engineer Liu was taken aback: "What do you mean?"