Back to the 80s Machinery Factory

Chapter 379 Holding onto that little tail and living life to the fullest!
Zhang Guoqiang, Tan Rensong, and Liu Kangwen, the three masters, seemed to be rallying their troops like a Khan, all rushing out to greet them.

"Comrade, what's wrong with your car?" Zhang Guoqiang asked warmly.

"The driving isn't quite right; it veered a bit off course today. I reckon it got a nail in the tire," Wang Li replied.

"Okay! Let us take a look."

……

Nearby, Sun Xiaobei was also surprised to run into someone coming to repair the car, so she seized every opportunity to record the footage.

"Director Chen, you just said that the original purpose of establishing the automobile maintenance and repair center was to repair cars and trucks produced by the provincial machinery factory. Can you also repair cars like these that weren't built by your factory?"

"Of course!" Chen Luyang took this opportunity to promote his family's car maintenance and repair center like crazy.

"We can repair any car on the market, and we can fix it properly."

Hearing Chen Luyang's words, Wang Li was somewhat suspicious: "This is an imported car, you'd better not damage it while you're repairing it."

Chen Luyang laughed: "Comrade, don't worry! All of us masters are the backbone of the factory's hand-made car manufacturing team. We've worked on both Japanese and Italian cars, and our skills are top-notch!"

Wang Li, observing the skilled and efficient movements of the several masters, asked:
How much will it cost to repair our car?

"It depends on which part of your car is broken. The mechanic will tell you after he finishes checking it."

Chen Luyang enthusiastically introduced:
"Regarding spare parts, we also have many models and qualities. You can specify which part you need, and we guarantee the price will satisfy you!"

"Besides, Reporter Sun from Piancheng Daily is right here. All our work is transparent and aboveboard under the watchful eyes of our reporter. Don't you agree, Reporter Sun?"

Sun Xiaobei nodded with a hint of pride.

He stood next to the taxi and simply refused to leave with his notebook.

The problem with taxis is quite simple.

There was a nail stuck in the front left tire. All I had to do was take the tire off and patch it up; it was that simple.

But just as Zhang Guoqiang was inspecting the inside of the tire, he suddenly discovered—

"Hey? Comrade, why is your brake line leaking oil?"

He pointed to a metal oil pipe inside the right front wheel, with obvious oil stains on the pipe wall, and the brake fluid level in the reservoir was already below the minimum mark!
Wang Li's expression changed: "I knew it! The brakes have been a bit soft lately. I thought it was just like that with foreign cars..."

Zhang Guoqiang said, "You need to replace the brake line, otherwise it could be dangerous if the brakes fail."

Wang Li first asked, "How much does the brake hose cost?"

Zhang Guoqiang said, "Tire repair is 1.5 yuan, and an oil pipe is 3 yuan a piece. It's metal and made by our provincial machinery factory."

"Brake fluid costs 2 yuan, and your car only needs half a bottle, so it'll be 1 yuan."

"Our basic maintenance costs 5 cents, specialized maintenance costs 1 yuan, and labor costs 2 yuan."

"It'll be 9.3 yuan in total, but you can just give me 9 yuan."

Oops...

After Sun Xiaobei quickly wrote down the numbers on the paper, her eyes widened in surprise.

Car repairs are so expensive?!

A bicycle tire repair costs 30 cents, but a car tire repair costs almost five times as much.

However, Wang Li thought the price was quite reasonable.

Previously, they would also drive the car back to the factory's repair station for repairs, and they were familiar with the prices and parts available.

For these problems with the car, the service would cost at least 12 yuan if we took it back to our own company's repair shop.

"Okay, let's fix it."

Upon hearing Wang Li's casual remark, Sun Xiaobei's pupils dilated in shock once again!

He just casually pulled out 9 yuan?!
I'd heard that being a taxi driver wasn't a job for just anyone, and that they could earn around 80 yuan a month. Seeing this today, I can confirm that they really are rich!
Watching the three mechanics at the car maintenance and repair center busily repairing the car, Sun Xiaobei asked all the questions she needed to and learned all the information she needed to.

They packed up and left.

Seeing the reporter leave, Wang Li glanced around and, seeing no one nearby,
He stood next to Chen Luyang, who was in charge, and whispered, "Comrade, I'll give you 9 yuan, but you give me a 20 yuan note."

"No... comrade, we dare not!" Chen Luyang refused frantically.

These days, the "three-level invoice management system" is still strictly enforced, and the repair center also uses the "unified repair industry invoice of the city".

If someone reports him or it's discovered that he issued false invoices, paying back 5% of the business tax is a minor issue.

If the business license is revoked, then everything is ruined.

To put it more precisely, if one's own violations affect their studies at Peking University, it would be a life-altering event.

Although he was all alone in the city, he had a wide-open world to explore.
However, when it's time to be shrewd and cautious, you have to hold on tight and absolutely cannot make a single wrong step.

"Then you can give me a 15 yuan order!" Wang Li conceded.

"Comrade, let alone 15, I wouldn't even dare to offer you 10," Chen Luyang said.

Seeing that Chen Luyang looked genuinely troubled,
Wang Li pulled out a pack of "Da Qianmen" cigarettes and secretly slipped it into Chen Luyang's hand, whispering:
"Bro, could you please replace the fuel lines on my car with imported ones on the ticket?"

Chen Luyang was speechless. This taxi driver had quite a few tricks up his sleeve!

Imported oil pipes are 3 yuan more expensive than ordinary oil pipes.

If you're talking about violations, then yes, they are!

However, in terms of operability, it is indeed operable.

Writing an extra 3 yuan is still within the "safety line".

Chen Luyang accepted the cigarette and said with a smile, "Today is the opening of our new factory, so I'll give you a free seat spring repair service as well."

"What's that?" Wang Li had never heard of the term before and looked on with curiosity.

“When we drive for a long time, we often experience back pain, right? So we use leaf springs and other materials to strengthen the support of the driver's seat, which makes it much more comfortable to sit in.”

Chen Luyang explained to Wang Li with a sincere expression.

However, although he said "some materials," they were actually just some scraps.

As for springs... there are plenty of those!

As long as the mechanic finds the right angle and position, and locates the right support point under the seat, the issue of seat comfort can be greatly improved.

He opened for business today, but there's no revenue yet!
Today, we can only make money; we absolutely cannot do any business that loses money.

But Wang Li didn't know any of this!

He drives every day, and his back does hurt.

He immediately agreed when he heard that the seats could be improved for free.

After Zhang Guoqiang and the other mechanics finished repairing the car, Wang Li drove around the West Railway Station square several times to make sure the car was fixed before returning to the repair center.

"These seats are really comfortable after you adjusted them!" Wang Li exclaimed as he got out of the car to pay.

"That's all thanks to our master's excellent skills." Chen Luyang smiled as she tore off the invoice and handed it to Wang Li.

"Comrade, could you please help us promote our repair center? Introduce us to your colleagues and friends!"

Wang Li looked at the "12 yuan" on the invoice with satisfaction and said with a smile, "No problem, I'm off!"

Chen Luyang waved goodbye to him reluctantly, "Come again next time, Brother Wang!" Watching the taxi drive away,

Chen Luyang and his group looked at the 9 yuan they had just received with great joy in their eyes!
"Come on, everyone, let's split the draw!"

Chen Luyang took out the "Daqianmen" cigarettes and shared them with everyone. Just as he was about to pick up a broom to sweep up the broken firecracker debris, he saw an acquaintance standing next to the factory building.

"Brother Sheng?!" Chen Luyang rushed over excitedly.

"I thought you weren't coming! Why are you standing outside? Come in and sit down!"

Sheng Haisen said, "I arrived early this morning, but I smell bad, so I'll just look around from the outside."

Even though he washes the basin with water every day, the smell of that kind of thing still seeps into his clothes from years of collecting scraps and dealing with old things.

Sheng Haisen gazed at the newly renovated factory, looking at the red firecracker debris scattered on the ground, his eyes seemingly piercing through space, and murmured:
"When my brother and I opened our sunflower seed factory, it was just as lively."

"Back then, we roasted several batches of melon seeds, and everyone who came to congratulate us could grab a handful and crack them open."

Seeing that he was lost in his memories, Chen Luyang did not disturb him, but simply listened quietly.

A trace of melancholy, a sense of "things have changed" appeared on Sheng Haisen's face.

"When I was a child, I always heard the line in operas, 'I watched his tall building rise, I watched him entertain guests, and I watched his building collapse.'"

"It was quite lively when I was a child, but now I can understand it."

Sheng Haisen suddenly shut up, looking embarrassed, and said, "Look at me, on your joyous day, I'm saying such discouraging things!"

Chen Luyang knew he was upset, and also knew that Sheng Haisen's words were spoken from the heart and not intentionally meant, so she asked:

"Brother Sheng, when is our brother coming out?"

Sheng Haisen said sadly, "There are still more than three years left."

"Ugh! Let's not talk about him. I came here to give you a gift for your business opening!"

As he spoke, Sheng Haisen took out a golden toad ornament from his bag and handed it to Chen Luyang.

Chen Luyang took it and looked at it!
Heavy!

Moreover, the top of the golden toad's head is polished and shiny, making it look like an old object that has been around for a long time!
"This toad was brought out of the village by my brother and me. We didn't find it; it was left over from a business during the Republic of China era."

Sheng Haisen said, "I don't have anything valuable on me, so I'll give you a golden toad as a blessing for your new factory opening, smooth work, and booming business!"

"This gift is wonderful!" Chen Luyang held the golden toad in both hands, truly grateful and delighted from the bottom of her heart.

Even if we don't have a big eagle and a little lion, a golden toad will do!
Chen Luyang said, "Brother Sheng, I know you have an attachment to this factory and are reluctant to leave."

"If you don't mind, our repair center can be your home from now on. You're welcome to come home anytime!"

Sheng Haisen smiled and shook his head: "If the person isn't home, the home isn't home anymore."

"Xiao Chen, keep up the good work!"

"If you can use this factory, it means we have a connection. If you encounter any trouble in the future, come to me."

Chen Luyang smiled and nodded: "Yeah!"

……

In the afternoon,

Chen Luyang led a few people to clean up, while Zhang Guoqiang and several other workers inspected the cars that had driven over.

Sun Hongjun, rooted in the kitchen, ruthlessly chopped the 4 jin of pork that Lao Zhang had brought into pieces with a cleaver. He then blanched it in water, carefully sprinkled it with sugar, vinegar, soy sauce and a whole bunch of seasonings, and stewed a pot of fragrant braised pork!

That evening, everyone in the repair center gathered in front of the wooden planks in the backyard.
"May our business prosper and grow ever stronger!"

Chen Luyang stood up, picked up his wine glass, and shouted out joyfully.

"cheers!"

Everyone stood up happily and clinked their glasses together.

"Wishing the repair center great success, and wishing us all the best!"

Everyone shouted together, their eyes filled with enthusiasm and hope for the future.

"I made 9 yuan repairing a car today."

"If I repair 100 cars a day, I can earn 900 a day!"

"If you repair 10000 cars a day, you can earn 9 a day, 27 a month, and 300 million a year...!!"

Before Li He could finish his thoughts, Zhang Guoqiang quickly stopped him!
"You might as well work us to death! Repairing 10000 cars a day—we're made of flesh and blood, not robots!"

"Even a bicycle factory can't repair 10000 bicycles a day!"

Li He had a wonderful idea: "Then let our factory produce hundreds of thousands more cars, and then we can hire more people, and that will create a cycle!"

"Hmm!" Chen Luyang pointed at Li He and praised, "You have a good idea!"

That's how we should think!

"Once business stabilizes, we'll need to recruit more staff and expand the repair center. Once we achieve success, we'll earn respect from everyone in the province!"

"That's right! They all think highly of us!" Zhang Guoqiang was determined to make a name for himself here and show that bastard Lao Yue!
"Hey? Director Chen, why aren't you drinking?" Jiao Long noticed that Chen Luyang hadn't picked up his glass for a while, so he raised the bottle to pour him some wine.

"I have to go back to school soon, so I won't drink anymore." Chen Luyang reached out and covered the rim of the cup, deciding not to drink another drop.

"Director, are you leaving so soon? Can't you stay overnight and go back tomorrow?" Zuo Zhuo was reluctant to part with Chen Luyang and tried to persuade her to stay.

“Yes! Our repair center is opening today, it’s such a happy day, let’s have a drink, and tomorrow morning we’ll all take you back to school together,” Sun Hongjun also encouraged.

Chen Luyang shook his head with a wry smile: "I also want to have some fun with you guys and fight until dawn."

"But today is the deadline for registration at the school, so I have to go back."

Upon hearing this, everyone felt a pang of disappointment after their earlier joy.

Seeing the somber atmosphere, Sun Hongjun quickly urged, "Don't just drink, everyone try my braised pork!"

Everyone picked up their chopsticks and started putting pieces of meat into their bowls.

We all come from machine factories.

The most important principle in the machinery factory: no matter how good or bad the factory's profits are, the canteen's standards must be maintained in terms of both quality and quantity!

The workers do manual labor and hard work every day.

In terms of canteen and meals, we must ensure that standards are met so that the workers can eat well and get proper nutrition.

Jinba Auto Maintenance and Repair Center has also implemented this basic principle in Pian'ercheng.

Even though the repair center doesn't make much money, they provide plenty of food, meat, and eggs at every meal.

A group of young men ate with gusto, each one brimming with boundless energy!
Seeing that they had almost finished eating,

Chen Luyang called Director Lu to his side and instructed him:

"Director Lu, you must be very careful about the process of collecting money, setting prices, and issuing invoices."

"We're unfamiliar with this place. Although we can ask the comrades in the Ministry of Industry for help if something happens, it still means asking for favors. We should try not to ask if we can avoid it."

(End of this chapter)