60s: I have a store

Chapter 610 He was conscripted.

Zhou Yimin returned to his office, first carefully organizing and filing the pork delivery receipts from the morning, and then quickly processing several urgent food purchase requests, signing his name on them.

After finishing these important tasks, he leaned back in his chair, stretched, and looked around the quiet office. Suddenly, he felt a bit bored out of his mind.

He glanced around the room, finding nothing that required immediate attention, then got up and left the office, wandering aimlessly around the factory area.

As I walked, I unknowingly arrived at the entrance of the research lab.

He used to come here often. Since he led everyone to successfully invent the solar water heater and the air fryer, the equipment and conditions in the research lab have improved a lot, and the research atmosphere has become more and more intense.

"Since I'm just killing time anyway, I might as well go in and take a look," Zhou Yimin thought to himself, and then pushed open the door to the research lab.

The door creaked open, and the busy crowd looked up at the sound. When they saw Zhou Yimin, they all stopped what they were doing, smiled warmly, and greeted him.

"Section Chief Zhou is here!" a young researcher who was adjusting the equipment said with a smile.

"Section Chief Zhou, what brings you here today?" Another female researcher, who was recording data, looked up, her tone full of respect.

As everyone knows, the research lab's current scale and achievements are inseparable from Zhou Yimin's help.

When developing solar water heaters and air fryers, Zhou Yimin coordinated resources and solved the material problem. He also personally led the team to overcome the difficulties one by one.

Otherwise, the status of the research lab would definitely not be so high.

It can be said that without Zhou Yimin, there would be no such inventions that are so beloved by everyone.

Zhou Yimin smiled and waved to everyone: "Just came by to check in and see how busy you all are lately."

His gaze swept over the various instruments and semi-finished products displayed in the research lab, and he asked curiously, "Any new inventions lately? Show me something new."

Upon hearing this, the smiles on everyone's faces faded, and they all shook their heads helplessly.

A researcher wearing glasses sighed: "Section Chief Zhou, we've tried a few new ideas recently, but none of them have been very successful. The rest are still in the exploratory stage."

Another person chimed in, "It is indeed quite difficult. It's not easy to come up with something new."

Just then, the door to the inner room of the research lab opened, and Li Chongguang came out.

He was wearing a white lab coat stained with oil, his hair was a little messy, but his eyes were very bright.

Upon seeing Zhou Yimin, his eyes lit up, and he immediately strode over, saying warmly, "Yimin, what brings you here? Come in and have a seat."

As he spoke, he gestured with his hand and pulled Zhou Yimin inside.

The inner room was Li Chongguang's office. The small space was filled with various blueprints and parts, and a simple cot was placed against the corner of the wall. It seemed that he often stayed up late here recently.

Li Chongguang poured Zhou Yimin a cup of hot water, then pulled up a chair and sat down. He was about to say something when he let out a long sigh.

"Yimin, you have no idea how much pressure I've been under lately, I'm almost suffocating." Li Chongguang rubbed his temples, his voice full of exhaustion.

Zhou Yimin paused, holding his water glass, and asked with some confusion, "What's wrong? Isn't everything fine? Solar water heaters and air fryers are so popular now, the factory should be paying more attention to the research lab."

"It's precisely because we take it so seriously that it's such a headache," Li Chongguang said with a wry smile.

"As you know, once these two products came out, the factory's profits improved significantly, and the leaders' expectations for the research lab skyrocketed. Before, we were chasing after the leaders for resources; now, the leaders are constantly demanding results from us."

He picked up a document on the table and flipped through it irritably: "Well, Director Hu just came by last week and said that we need to develop another product like the air fryer that can open up the market as soon as possible."

“Deputy Director Li called again yesterday to urge us to produce results within the stipulated time, otherwise the research lab’s benefits will be reduced.”

Zhou Yimin then realized that the leader's high expectations had turned into heavy pressure.

Looking at the dark circles under Li Chongguang's eyes, he understood somewhat: "Indeed, the expectations are too high, which makes people hesitant. Inventions and creations can't be rushed step by step; they need inspiration."

"That's for sure," Li Chongguang sighed.

"I can't sleep at night now. My head is full of new ideas, but none of them work. The researchers below me are suffering along with me. They all have dark circles under their eyes from staying up all night. A couple of days ago, a young man even fainted in the lab from exhaustion."

"What kind of situation is this? Research and development is supposed to be a very rewarding thing, but now it has become a burden."

He stood up and paced back and forth in the office a few times: "Yimin, when you led us in making inventions, your thinking was so clear. What do you think we should do now?"

Seeing Li Chongguang's anxious expression, Zhou Yimin also fell into deep thought.

He knew that being pushed around like this was unpleasant, especially in research and development, which required a calm and focused approach; excessive urging would only backfire.

The two continued chatting, and Li Chongguang would always steer the conversation back to the main point.

"Yimin, what do you think? Wouldn't it be great if there were something as convenient and practical as an air fryer? You're quick-witted, do you have any ideas?"

In just a few words, every sentence revolved around the hope that Zhou Yimin could come up with a good idea.

Zhou Yimin listened, feeling somewhat speechless.

Only then did he realize that Li Chongguang hadn't simply wanted to chat and vent his frustrations by pulling him into the office; he was clearly pinning his hopes on him.

He smiled helplessly and didn't hide anything: "Hey Section Chief Li, you're going around in circles just to get me to come up with some ideas, right?"

Li Chongguang wasn't embarrassed at all when his thoughts were exposed. Instead, his eyes lit up, and he rubbed his hands together and chuckled, "You really understand me!"

“You have a thorough understanding of market demand and a quick mind. Those two inventions you made last time were both groundbreaking. Now our brains are practically turned to mush. Could you give us some pointers and maybe we can open up some new ideas?”

Zhou Yimin shook his head, but in his heart he did not refuse.

After all, I've put in a lot of effort to get the research lab to where it is today, so I should naturally help if I can.

"Alright, I can't guarantee anything, but let's exchange ideas. Maybe we'll come up with something while we're talking."

Li Chongguang certainly wouldn't refuse: "Yimin, what do you say about us continuing to develop kitchen appliances?"

After all, with an air fryer as a foundation, developing another kitchen appliance shouldn't be too difficult. Zhou Yimin shook his head: "It's still quite difficult for a small kitchen appliance to surpass an air fryer. We might as well change our approach."

"With electricity so expensive these days, wouldn't it be great if we could invent energy-saving or convenient appliances for people to use?"

Li Chongguang narrowed his eyes: "Energy saving? And convenience?"

“It doesn’t necessarily have to be limited to the kitchen,” Zhou Yimin said, changing the subject.

"Look, solar water heaters solve the problem of hot water, and air fryers solve the problem of cooking; they're both closely related to daily life. Besides these, what other inconveniences do people experience in their daily lives?"

Li Chongguang stroked his chin and pondered, "There are many inconveniences, such as washing clothes. Clothes dry slowly in winter and are stiff."

Zhou Yimin's eyes lit up: "Hey, this direction seems interesting! Could we make something that can quickly dry clothes? It can dry clothes without the sun, and it can be placed at home. It can't be too big, otherwise it's pointless."

"So that means a small dryer?" Li Chongguang immediately drew it on the paper.

"Using hot air? Or some other principle? If it could be combined with solar energy, wouldn't that be even more energy-efficient?"

Zhou Yimin leaned closer to look at his sketch: "You can give it a try! Look at this..."

The two chatted back and forth, their thoughts flowing like a tap turned on, gradually replacing the dull atmosphere in the office with their lively discussion.

Zhou Yimin suddenly stopped halfway through his sentence, his brows furrowing slightly.

He stared at the sketch drawn by Li Chongguang, and the excitement that had just emerged in his heart slowly faded away. Instead, he felt that he had made a mistake.

"What's wrong?" Li Chongguang looked up in confusion when he suddenly fell silent.

Zhou Yimin clicked his tongue, his tone tinged with uncertainty: "Section Chief Li, haven't we been a bit presumptuous?"

He pointed to the sketch and said, "Think about it, this small dryer looks convenient, but is there really such a big market for it?"

Li Chongguang paused on the paper with his pen in his hand: "What do you mean by that?"

“These days, who doesn’t hang their clothes out to dry in the yard or on the balcony? On sunny days, they can dry them in the sun, and on rainy days, they can hang them for a few more days. Although it’s a bit slower, it doesn’t cost a penny,” Zhou Yimin analyzed, counting on his fingers.

"But no matter how small the dryer is, it still needs electricity, right? Ordinary families are frugal and try to save money wherever they can. They might not be willing to spend money on something that is dispensable."

"Besides, during the rainy season, every household needs a dryer, but what about at other times? It might just become a decoration. Who would want to buy an item that takes up space and is rarely used?"

The more he talked, the more sense it made. The light that his previous ideas had brought seemed to be shrouded in a thin mist: "Look, solar water heaters solve a basic need. You can't take a shower without hot water."

"Air fryers can make cooking more varied and are useful in every household. But dryers... don't seem to be indispensable."

After saying that, he couldn't help but sigh, blaming himself for being too hasty and for not thinking things through before blurting out his thoughts.

Unexpectedly, Li Chongguang shook his head after listening, not only unmoved by his words, but his eyes shone even brighter: "Yimin, your idea is wrong."

He put down his pen and said firmly, "You only saw the daily lives of ordinary families, but you didn't see the special circumstances."

"For example, living in a dormitory, which is a small space, clothes hang all over the room on rainy days, making it damp and musty. If there were a small dryer, do you think they would use it?"

When designing the system, energy saving was taken into account. Even when drying clothes, it doesn't use much electricity. For the workers, they are still willing to spend a little more to improve their living standards.

Zhou Yimin was stunned by what he said, and his brows gradually relaxed.

He had to admit that he hadn't considered the situations Li Chongguang mentioned.

Seeing that his expression softened, Li Chongguang pressed on, saying, "I think this direction is reliable! Let's not think too much about it yet, let's make a sample and try it out first. True gold fears no fire, whether it's good or not, the market will decide!"

As he spoke, he lowered his head and began to draw on the paper again, his strokes becoming more forceful than before, as if he could already see small dryers being placed in every household.

Zhou Yimin still had some concerns, rubbing his chin, still hesitant: "That's true, but don't forget the current situation."

“Take the workers in our factory for example. Their monthly salary is only a few dozen yuan. After deducting food and family support, they can hardly save any money.”

"Even if this dryer is made cheaply, it would still cost at least a hundred or two hundred yuan, right? With people's spending power nowadays, I'm afraid not many people can afford it."

He paused, then added, "And have you thought about it? Fabric is now in limited supply. You need fabric coupons to buy fabric, and without them, you can't even buy a patch."

“Ordinary families don’t buy more than a few new clothes a year. They wash and wear the clothes they usually wear. Where do they get so many clothes that need to be dried? The demand is limited. Even if the product is good, it probably won’t be able to be promoted.”

The excitement on Li Chongguang's face faded a bit, and he stopped writing.

Yes, he really hadn't thought about these practical issues in detail.

The office fell silent for a moment, with only the occasional hum of machinery coming from outside the window.

Just then, Zhou Yimin's eyes suddenly lit up, as if he had been awakened by something, and he slapped his thigh: "Section Chief Li, I've got it! If we can't afford it domestically, we can go abroad!"

"Abroad?" Li Chongguang was taken aback, not understanding what he meant.

"That's right!" Zhou Yimin became more and more excited as he spoke, and stood up and paced around the office a few times.

"Think about it, many foreign countries have more developed industries than us, their people have money and strong purchasing power, and they don't lack cloth, so they have plenty of clothes."

"Besides, some countries have humid climates and are rainy all year round, so their demand for dryers is definitely much greater than that in China."

"If we can sell these small dryers abroad, we can not only solve the sales problem, but also help the country earn foreign exchange. Wouldn't that be a win-win situation?"

Li Chongguang's eyes widened instantly. He jumped up from his chair, walked over to Zhou Yimin, and his tiredness vanished, replaced by barely suppressed excitement: "Yimin, how did you get such a brilliant idea? This is amazing! How come I never thought of that!"

They were all thinking of giving up, but then Zhou Yimin suddenly said that it was possible to export it.

Li Chongguang's mood was like a rollercoaster ride; if he weren't young and healthy, he might not have been able to withstand it.

(End of this chapter)