Fusion System: Rebirth in a Courtyard - Bird Fighting Chronicles

Chapter 194 Old Traces of Steel Rolling Mills: A Chapter of Original Aspiration

The next morning, Lin Chen got up especially early. The morning mist had dissipated from the courtyard outside the window. By the communal pond in the middle courtyard, Qin Huairu was leading her apprentice in arranging fabrics, preparing for the opening of business. From the front courtyard came the sound of Yan Xiaowei teaching his child to recite arithmetic formulas, with the faint clatter of abacus beads mixed in. He pulled out a navy blue jacket—a work uniform custom-made by Chenqing Company last year, with the understated "Chenqing Fine Craftsmanship" logo embroidered on the left chest. He then dressed his son Xiaoyu in a little suit, smiling as he said, "Today we're going to the place where Dad worked hard back then, so we need to dress smartly."

Su Qing had already prepared breakfast: millet porridge cooked until soft and sticky, served with freshly made sugar-coated fried dough, and pickles brought from the south. "Yesterday, Guangtian said that the steel rolling mill has changed a lot. They've even set up a technology exhibition hall to display old equipment and innovative achievements." She placed a piece of sugar-coated fried dough on Xiaoyu's plate. "Director Zhou Jianguo has been in charge of the exhibition hall's construction since his retirement. I heard he's been looking forward to your return for a long time."

Just after breakfast, Liu Guangtian arrived pushing his bicycle, a brand-new canvas bag hanging from the handlebars, printed with the words "40th Anniversary of Hongxing Steel Rolling Mill". "Brother Lin, Sister-in-law Su Qing, Xiaoyu, are you all ready?" He waved the blue badge in his hand, "I talked to the factory and got you VIP passes, which allow you to visit the production area. Ordinary people don't get this kind of treatment."

Xiaoyu skipped over and tugged at Liu Guangtian's sleeve: "Uncle Guangtian, does the factory have that kind of big forging press that Dad talked about? The one you fixed with a wrench!" Liu Guangtian bent down and picked him up, teasing him on purpose: "Of course we do, but the forging presses now are much more advanced than the ones back then. They're all computer-controlled. But the story of your dad fixing the machine back then is engraved on the wall of the exhibition hall in the factory."

It's only two stops from the courtyard house to the steel mill, but the streets along the way have changed dramatically. The bumpy dirt roads of yesteryear have been replaced by smooth cement roads, the low houses on both sides have become two-story buildings, and the grain stores and department stores have been transformed into bright supermarkets. Only the old locust tree on the street corner remains, its lush branches covering half the street. "This tree is quite old," Lin Chen said, pointing to the old locust tree with emotion. "When I first returned to the city, I bought roasted sweet potatoes under this tree. Back then, one sweet potato could keep me full for half a day."

Reaching the entrance of the steel rolling mill, Lin Chen stopped in his tracks. The old, weathered iron gate had been replaced by a grand stainless steel gate, with a new plaque reading "Hongxing Precision Forging Co., Ltd." hanging on the gateposts. Next to it, the old sign "Hongxing Steel Rolling Mill" remained, its paint slightly peeling but polished to a gleaming shine. The security guard in the gatehouse, seeing the VIP pass in Liu Guangtian's hand, immediately stood at attention, saluted, and said with a smile, "Director Liu, Director Zhou already instructed us that you would be bringing distinguished guests today."

Upon entering the gate, the first thing that catches the eye is a spacious square, in the center of which stands a sculpture—a worker holding a hammer, with a precision machine tool beside him, and the five characters "Inheritance and Innovation" engraved on the base. "This was erected last year to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the factory's founding," Liu Guangtian explained. "The sculpture is modeled after Director Zhou and you. Back then, you two were a golden duo in the factory, one leading the technological innovation and the other in production management."

On the east side of the square was the technology exhibition hall, a white-walled, gray-tiled building with red lanterns hanging at the entrance, giving it a festive feel. Just as he reached the entrance, an elderly man with gray hair, wearing a Zhongshan suit, greeted him, his wrinkled face beaming with smiles. "Xiao Lin! We've been waiting for you!" The old man quickly stepped forward, gripping Lin Chen's hand tightly, so firmly that Lin Chen felt a slight pain.

"Director Zhou!" Lin Chen was also very excited. The old man in front of him was Zhou Jianguo, the workshop director from back then. Although his hair was completely white, he was still in good spirits and his eyes were still sharp. "You're still so healthy!" Zhou Jianguo patted his shoulder, then looked at Su Qing and Xiao Yu, and said with a smile, "My health is all thanks to you! The high-efficiency rust removal tool you developed back then reduced so many workplace injuries for us. Now, the old workers in the factory all give you a thumbs up!"

Stepping into the exhibition hall, Lin Chen felt as if he had traveled through a time tunnel. The first exhibition hall displayed equipment from the early days of the factory. A rusty old-fashioned forging press stood quietly in the center, with wrenches, files, and yellowed production reports from that time displayed in a glass cabinet next to it. "This is the forging press you repaired back then," Zhou Jianguo said, pointing to the old machine. "Back then, the bolts were loose, and we tried several wrenches but couldn't tighten them. You took your own alloy wrench and fixed it in no time. I still remember that scene clearly."

Xiaoyu curiously stepped forward, touched the casing of the forging press, and asked, "Grandpa Zhou, this machine is so old, can it still work?" Zhou Jianguo smiled and said, "It doesn't work anymore, it's become a treasure! Last year, a foreign delegation came to visit, and they all gave this machine a thumbs up, saying it's a living fossil of Chinese industry." He pointed to the photo wall next to him, "Look at this photo, it was taken when Xiaolin was repairing the machine back then. Your father was so young back then!"

In the photo, Lin Chen, dressed in blue overalls, sweat beading on his forehead, is intently tightening a bolt with a wrench in his hand. Zhou Jianguo stands beside him, holding an oil lamp for illumination, while a crowd of onlookers gathers around. Looking at the photo, Lin Chen's thoughts drifted back to that night: the forging press suddenly malfunctioned, halting production in the entire workshop. Liu Haizhong, sweating profusely, tried several wrenches, all of which broke. On a whim, he pulled out a fused alloy wrench, which unexpectedly solved the problem. "That night, we worked overtime until dawn. When production resumed, the workers cheered," Lin Chen remarked. "That was the first time I truly felt that technology could change the status quo."

The second exhibition hall showcases technological innovations. Glass cases neatly display products from different eras, from initial ordinary parts to later precision gears, and now to automotive bearings, bearing witness to the factory's transformation. The most eye-catching exhibit is a separate display case labeled "Lin Chen's Innovation Achievements Zone," containing his original mold designs, self-made alloy tools, and a beautifully bound technical manual. "This is the forging manual you wrote back then," Zhou Jianguo said, picking up the manual. "We reprinted hundreds of copies and distributed them to every apprentice. Now, almost all the key technical personnel in the factory have studied this manual."

Lin Chen opened the manual; the handwriting was still clear, and each page was filled with dense annotations. Some were production suggestions written by Zhou Jianguo, while others were improvement methods added later by technicians. "I just jotted down notes casually back then; I never imagined they would come in so useful," Lin Chen said, moved. Zhou Jianguo patted him on the shoulder: "This manual of yours has saved us from several emergencies! One year, the factory received an urgent order with extremely high precision requirements for the parts. Everyone was clueless, but in the end, we consulted your manual, improved the mold according to the methods in it, and completed the order on time."

As they were talking, a group of young people in blue overalls walked in. The leader was a young man in his thirties, wearing glasses and looking very refined. "Director Zhou, Factory Director Liu, this must be the expert Lin Chen you often mention?" The young man quickly stepped forward, handed over his business card, and said, "My name is Zhang Lei, I'm the head of the technical department, and I grew up reading your technical manuals."

Lin Chen took the business card and said with a smile, "Manager Zhang is young and promising! The factory's technological innovation now mainly relies on young people like you." Zhang Lei said excitedly, "Expert Lin, when I first joined the factory, I encountered a problem: the forged gears always cracked. Later, after reading your manual, I realized it was due to improper forging temperature control. I adjusted the temperature according to your method, and the problem was solved. I've always wanted to thank you in person!"

Zhou Jianguo suggested, "Xiao Lin, why don't we go take a look at the production area? The production lines are all automated now, a world of difference from back then." Lin Chen readily agreed and followed the group to the production area. Stepping into the workshop, Lin Chen was stunned by what he saw: in the spacious and bright workshop, rows of automated machine tools were neatly arranged, robotic arms precisely gripped parts, conveyor belts transported workpieces to various processes, and several workers sat at their workbenches, controlling the equipment through computers. The smoky, bustling scene of the past was nowhere to be seen.

"This is a fully automated forging production line that we introduced last year," Zhang Lei explained. "From raw material input to finished product output, the entire process is automated, and the production efficiency is ten times higher than before, with a scrap rate of less than 1%." He pointed to a machine tool that was in operation. "The core mold of this machine tool was improved based on your original design concept. We have integrated modern precision manufacturing technology, and the accuracy can reach 0.001 millimeters."

Lin Chen walked to the machine tool and carefully observed the mold's operation. He reached out and touched the newly produced gear; its surface was smooth as a mirror, and the tooth spacing was uniform and precise. "Not bad, not bad," Lin Chen said approvingly. "You've made improvements to the mold material, haven't you? The wear resistance of this alloy material is much better than what I used back then." Zhang Lei said admiringly, "Expert Lin truly has a unique vision! We adopted a new type of titanium alloy material, which was developed in cooperation with universities. Its service life is three times longer than traditional materials."

Just then, an old worker walked over, recognized Lin Chen, and said excitedly, "Master Lin! Do you remember me? I'm Wang Tieshan! I still remember how you taught me to read forging blueprints back then!" Lin Chen looked at the old man in front of him, recalling the honest apprentice from years ago, and said with a smile, "Tieshan, of course I remember! You learned the blueprints very well back then; I even said you had a talent." Wang Tieshan sighed, "If it weren't for your teaching, I would still be an ordinary worker. Now my son also works in the factory, doing technical research and development with Supervisor Zhang. I often tell him to learn from Master Lin and diligently study the technology."

In the workshop, Lin Chen exchanged technical insights with the workers and answered their questions. A young worker asked, "Expert Lin, the automotive bearings we produce always overheat when rotating at high speeds. Do you have any good solutions?" Lin Chen thought for a moment, then picked up a pen and drew a sketch on a piece of paper: "You can add a guide groove inside the bearing and use oil-air lubrication. This will both cool it down and improve the lubrication effect. I used this method when I was developing automotive bearings at Chenqing Company."

The young worker took the sketch and studied it carefully. He quickly understood the principle and said excitedly, "Thank you, Expert Lin! I'll go and try it out right away. If it succeeds, it will solve our big problem!" Zhou Jianguo smiled and said, "As soon as Xiao Lin came, he solved a technical bottleneck for us. It's truly a blessing for our factory!"

After touring the production area, the group went to the conference room. Zhou Jianguo took out a document and handed it to Lin Chen: "Xiao Lin, this is our factory's technology development plan. We'd like to ask you to be our technical consultant and guide us." Lin Chen took the document and read it carefully. It detailed the technology research and development direction for the next five years, including fields such as new energy vehicle parts and aerospace precision components. "This plan is very forward-looking," Lin Chen said, "However, in the field of aerospace components, the precision requirements are extremely high. Your existing equipment may not meet the requirements, and you will need to introduce more advanced testing equipment."

"We've thought of that too," Liu Guangtian said, "but we're a bit tight on funds; importing a single set of testing equipment costs several million." Lin Chen pondered for a moment, then said, "How about this? I'll have Chenqing Company donate a set of precision testing equipment to you, and send a few technical experts to help train your staff." Everyone was stunned. Zhou Jianguo said excitedly, "Xiao Lin, how can we accept this? A set of testing equipment is incredibly valuable!"

Lin Chen smiled and said, "Director Zhou, without your support and the steel rolling mill platform back then, I wouldn't be where I am today. Now that I have the ability, it's only right that I give back to the mill. Besides, the mill's technological development is also good for our Chenqing Company. We can cooperate and jointly develop high-end products." Su Qing also said, "Yes, Chenqing Company has always wanted to cooperate with established domestic companies to achieve resource sharing and common development."

Zhou Jianguo and Liu Guangtian exchanged a glance, both seeing excitement and gratitude in each other's eyes. "Xiao Lin, thank you!" Zhou Jianguo gripped Lin Chen's hand tightly. "All the employees of our steel rolling mill will never forget your kindness!" Liu Guangtian added, "Brother Lin, you're always like this; no matter how far you go, you never forget your roots."

At noon, the factory prepared a simple lunch. Lin Chen ate with the workers in the canteen, reminiscing about the old days. "The food in the canteen wasn't nearly as plentiful back then," Lin Chen said with a smile, looking at the braised pork and stir-fried vegetables on his plate. "Back then, you needed meat coupons to buy meat, and we could only afford braised pork during festivals." Wang Tieshan said, "Yes, you even gave me your meat coupons back then so I could use them to nourish my sick mother. I still remember your kindness to this day."

Listening to the adults' conversation, Xiaoyu asked curiously, "Dad, back then you didn't have anything good to eat or play with, so why did you still work so hard?" Lin Chen patted his son's head and said earnestly, "Because we wanted to make our country stronger and wanted future generations to live a better life. Look at us now, the equipment in the factory is becoming more and more advanced, and everyone's lives are becoming more and more prosperous. This is all the result of the hard work of generations." Xiaoyu nodded as if he understood, and said, "Dad, I want to study hard in the future and invent even more advanced machines."

In the afternoon, technicians from Chenqing Company delivered the precision testing equipment. Lin Chen personally guided the workers in installation and debugging, explaining the operating methods to them. Zhang Lei and the technical staff gathered around, taking careful notes. Whenever they encountered a problem they didn't understand, they would ask Lin Chen for help, and Lin Chen patiently answered them one by one.

Before leaving, Zhou Jianguo and Liu Guangtian, along with all the factory workers, saw Lin Chen and his family off at the factory gate. The workers held up a banner that read "Thank you, Expert Lin Chen," their faces filled with gratitude and reluctance to part. "Little Lin, come back and visit often!" Zhou Jianguo waved and said. Lin Chen waved back and said, "Director Zhou, Guangtian, fellow workers, I will come back often. I wish the factory continued success!"

On the way back, Xiaoyu leaned against Lin Chen's chest and said, "Dad, I learned a lot today. I know how amazing you were back then, and I also know how important technology is." Lin Chen smiled and said, "Dad isn't amazing. What's amazing are the generations of workers who stick to their posts and delve into technology. Technology is the cornerstone of national development. Only by mastering core technologies can the country be strong and the people happy."

Su Qing, arm in arm with Lin Chen, watched the steel rolling mill recede into the distance outside the window and sighed, "Time flies. That young man who used to sweat buckets in the workshop is now a respected technical expert. But I can see that this place is still what you care about most." Lin Chen nodded and said, "This place holds my youth and my original aspirations. No matter how far I go, I will never forget that I came from here."

As the sun sets, the white smoke billowing from the steel mill's chimneys transforms into a golden beam of light. Lin Chen knows that this factory holds the memories and dreams of countless people, and his original aspirations will be passed down here forever.