Rebirth in 1960, My Industrial Age

Chapter 22 Heavy Tasks
In the factory director's office, after Li Zhengyang came back, he called Bai Kang and Zhou Fengnian over.

"Comrade Zhou Fengnian, haha, this seems to be the first time we meet since you came back from the countryside. I'm sorry for making you feel wronged before."

Director Li smiled and poured Zhou Fengnian a cup of tea, then said with a smile: "Don't worry, this kind of thing will not happen again in the future."

"Thank you, director."

Zhou Fengnian said that he had also benefited from it, so he didn't care much; as for Zhang Anhong's matter, he would just keep it in mind for the time being.

“What about the production of heat-fast and electric blankets?”

Director Li quickly asked about the new workshop, and then said, "I'll tell you this good news. The Russians accepted these two things and they are quite satisfied."

"We plan to bring back 10,000 each before the New Year, and we may add another 10,000 before March. That means the new workshop will produce a total of 40,000 by March."

After hearing this number, not to mention Zhou Fengnian, even Bai Kang said with a bitter look on his face
"Director, this workload is too difficult. Our workshop has only been built for less than a month, and there are 30 apprentices. We really can't move fast enough."

Bai Kang immediately turned around and poured out the same grievances that Zhou Fengnian had poured out to Director Li.

Li Zhengyang turned to look at Zhou Fengnian, who noticed and said, "It is indeed a bit difficult, unless you add a night shift, the machine doesn't rest and the people don't rest either.
But if we have to work twelve hours, a few days or even a month, the workshop workers can handle it. If we can hold on until March, the factory director will…”

Zhou Fengnian didn't say the rest of the words, but Li Zhengyang had already thought of it.

The workers will definitely rebel. Isn't this pure oppression? If they can overcome it in a short period of time, it can be said that it is for the construction of the revolution.

This went on for several months, and Zhou Fengnian worked twelve hours a day. He felt that he couldn't do it and would get seriously injured from exhaustion.

Director Li thought for a while and said, "Does that mean we need at least three shifts to do this?"

Zhou Fengnian said: "Three shifts is best, and it will put less pressure on the workers. If we can get enough people for three shifts, I can train them and they can start working quickly."

"Well, I will discuss this with the secretary and other factory leaders, and I'll let you know when the results are out. But Director Bai and Director Zhou, you should be prepared at all times."

"Got it, Director."

After saying that, Bai Kang and Zhou Fengnian left the factory director's office.

After returning to the workshop, Bai Kang wiped his head and said to Zhou Fengnian: "Brother Zhou, we will be busy from now on, but I didn't expect the Russians really wanted it."

"Yes, this is much more profitable than using the raw materials to pay off debts directly. If we export this, we can save a lot of agricultural products and industrial materials."

Zhou Fengnian nodded and said, he knew how picky the Russians were about their agricultural products.

As for fruits, they don’t want big ones or small ones, they just want the right size; it’s too much trouble and waste, causing the farmers to suffer a lot of losses.

"But I'm going to be busy soon. I guess I won't even go home often when I'm busy."

Zhou Fengnian said with a smile: "It will be fine after we are done with this. The new workshop is so popular, Director Bai, you will definitely be promoted to a higher level by then."

Bai Kang said with a smile: "Thanks to Brother Zhou."

Not long after, the factory notified us to transfer an additional 100 workers to the new workshop, so that the machines could continue running and the workers could be present to complete the task as quickly as possible.

In order to complete this task, many workshops and logistics in the factory cooperated, and there were people on duty in the canteen, so the workers on duty at night would definitely be hungry.

Bai Kang was so busy that he didn't even go home. He pulled a bed in Zhou Fengnian's dormitory and rested there.

The factory didn't have any vacant dormitories for him, but there were dormitories for 10 people, but Bai Kang couldn't get used to sleeping there, so he went to Zhou Fengnian with a bottle of wine to ask for a place to sleep. Zhou Fengnian was also very busy, but his busyness was training workers and maintaining machines.

After all, it is very stressful to have machines running 24 hours a day. The life span of today's machines is not long, and they are often used intensively.

It's like a young man who has just entered society, carrying heavy bags 24 hours a day.

Anyone with a discerning eye could tell that it wouldn't last long, so Zhou Fengnian had to do maintenance on it. He would maintain the machinery every day while the workers were eating during their shift change.

It is rare that there are two products that the Russians like. They believe that China's industry was built under their guidance.

They looked down upon China's industrial products and only accepted raw materials and semi-industrial parts as payment for their debts.

This time, they accepted the two products, the hot water heater and the electric blanket. It may be because winter is approaching, the Russians want to give some benefits to their subordinates, and there is no time to build the factory, etc.

But it is always good to be able to pay off debts, which is much better than making profits.

Although Zhou Fengnian didn't know how much these two things were worth to the Russians, he knew that they must be expensive since the leaders of the First Ministry of Machine Building attached so much importance to them.

Maybe you can negotiate a good price.

They were exhausted because the workers at least had three shifts and two shifts to alternate between them, but Zhou Fengnian was the only one and had to work almost fifteen hours a day in the new workshop.

"Director Zhou."

Just as Zhou Fengnian had just directed the maintenance of the machine, a familiar voice came from behind him.

Zhou Fengnian looked back and saw that it was Bai Kang walking towards him with a bag in his hand. He smiled and said to him:

"I knew you didn't go to eat, Director Zhou, so I brought it to you. Would you like a drink?"

Zhou Fengnian asked, "Director Bai, this is..."

"The factory manager knows that our workshop has been working hard this month, so he used his connections to get us a batch of offal and bones. People in other workshops only have one meal ticket, but everyone in our workshop has two."

At this point, Bai Kang leaned in and whispered, "We two can get a portion of offal, go to the cafeteria and eat it, and give you some tonic food, Director Zhou."

"Pig offal, it's really rare. But forget about having a drink, why don't you go to my place and start a fire?"

Zhou Fengnian thought for a while and said that his cooking skills were not bad and the meals he made now were a little better than home-cooked meals.

Moreover, Zhou Fengnian now does not miss any opportunity to improve his cooking skills. Except for lunch when he is too busy in the morning and evening, he has to cook for himself.

"Okay, I finally get to taste your cooking skills, Director Zhou. As for drinking, forget it, I was just kidding, haha."

Bai Kang agreed immediately. He also wanted to get closer to Zhou Fengnian, so it didn't matter where they ate.

"Then wait until the shift changes. Director Bai, please go to the dormitory and wait for me. I will talk to the squad leaders after the shift changes and then go right away."

"Okay, then I'll go back and wait for you, Director Zhou."

After Bai Kang left, Zhou Fengnian took some time to tell his fourth sister Zhou Chunhua that she would come to his place for dinner after get off work, and then left.

Now Zhou Chunhua goes to his house for dinner every night. Zhou Fengnian cooks and Fourth Sister washes the dishes. This allows Zhou Chunhua to save more money and he can also improve his cooking skills.

(End of this chapter)