Back to the 80s Machinery Factory

Chapter 550 The Repair Shop Boss is an Idiot
These words immediately touched Director Lu's heart.

"Yes! In our whole lives, what haven't we saved up and used sparingly? Whether it's machines or furniture, if it breaks, we fix it first, and if it can be repaired, we keep using it."

"I can't bear to throw it away, and I can't bear to replace it."

Chen Luyang nodded deeply.

“My dad can’t bear to throw things away either.”

"That palm-leaf fan at home only has a few wings left, but they still treat it like a precious treasure and use it to fan themselves every day. The breeze I blow is stronger than that fan..."

As the group chatted casually, Zhang Guoqiang's voice rang out from the courtyard:

"Driver! The car is fixed, come and have it checked!"

The driver quickly put down his teacup, got up, and followed Chen Luyang out.

In the yard, the hood of the old 212 SUV was already closed, and the thick layer of grime on the body had been wiped off, making it look much better.

Zhang Guoqiang took off his oil-stained work gloves and slapped the repair record sheet onto the front of the vehicle:
"The engine block and oil passages were cleaned, and the oil pan bolts were tightened again. The ignition system was completely replaced, the suspension shock absorbers were repaired, the electrical wiring was tidied up, and the lights are working again."

"It's not a complete renovation, but it will ensure that you don't encounter any major problems on your way back."

The driver nodded repeatedly, then suddenly seemed to remember something and spoke up:
"So... have you installed all those new generic parts from your factory for me?"

moment,

Chen Luyang was proud.

Look!

Even the forestry team knows about our universal parts.

That's an incredible level of fame!
Given time, it will spread like wildfire across the entire country!

Just as Chen Luyang was brimming with confidence and high spirits, preparing to firmly implement the universal parts policy,
Next to the SUV,
Zhang Guoqiang wiped his hands and nodded solemnly: "It's installed."

"Spark plugs, ignition coils, nozzle tubes, brake push rods, coupling sleeves, rubber gaskets—all the standard sizes were used."

"These parts are fine for your car. If they break down again in the future, come to our repair shop and we can replace them anytime. You don't need to worry about parts."

The driver chuckled good-naturedly, "That's good, that's good! I feel much more at ease going back now."

Saying,

He walked around the car, his eyes lingering subtly on the newly replaced parts. His gaze flickered briefly before quickly returning to its usual honest and unassuming manner.

I paid the money without hesitation.

The driver got into the car, stepped on the gas, and the SUV sputtered twice, emitting white smoke as it slowly drove out of the repair shop gate.

Once the car had completely disappeared from the street corner, the courtyard erupted in chaos.

"A great start!"

"Such a large sum on the very first day!"

"This is for good luck; our repair shop is sure to prosper!"

Everyone was in high spirits, and Sun Hongjun was about to go out to buy wine while still dressed.

Amidst the commotion, Zhang Guoqiang looked completely bewildered.

"What are you thinking about, Uncle Zhang?" Chen Luyang asked cheerfully.

“Director Chen, I feel something’s not right…” Zhang Guoqiang said, frowning.

Chen Luyang was taken aback: "What's wrong? Wasn't everything going smoothly?"

Zhang Guoqiang said, "This vehicle is supposed to be from the forestry team, but the condition of its chassis and suspension is clearly not like it's been running on mountain roads all year round."

"If you were to drive through the woods every day, the suspension would have been shaken to pieces long ago, and the frame would have cracked. But when I inspected it, there weren't many major problems with the chassis. Instead, the engine and ignition system were completely broken."

"Furthermore, many parts inside the car are severely rusted, and there is even a smell of stale grease in the oil system. It is obvious that the car has been sitting for too long and has hardly been driven at all."

"But he just said something about hauling timber and transporting fertilizer every day... that doesn't make sense."

Chen Luyang was immediately alarmed!
He doesn't have to believe what others say.

But Zhang Guoqiang would never lie to him.

Moreover, Zhang Guoqiang's skills and eye for talent are absolutely infallible.

Almost instantly, Chen Luyang's pupils contracted.

"He's after our common parts!"

Sun Hongjun was picking up his coat and about to leave when he heard this, and paused for a moment, asking in surprise:
"Isn't it normal to come looking for generic parts? Our factory repairs cars by replacing parts, right?"

Tan Songren chimed in, "Yes, Director Chen. Since the repair shop opened, we've shipped out at least a hundred, if not dozens, of generic parts."

"When people bring their cars in for repairs, they all just replace whatever's broken. Isn't replacing a part a normal thing?"

Liu Kangwen also said, "Although I have the same suspicions as Guoqiang, I don't think that driver is a shrewd person. He paid the money readily. If he really had some other intentions, could he have kept it a secret?"

The crowd started talking amongst themselves, which eased the atmosphere of suspicion somewhat.

Putting everything else aside, the fact that he was quick to pay makes him seem like someone with bad intentions.

If an ordinary person hears that repairing a car will cost tens or hundreds of dollars, they'll haggle for ages to save every penny.

But the driver didn't even frown. He counted the money cleanly and quickly, took the receipt, and left, as if he really wanted to "get it fixed and on the road as soon as possible."

But these words only made Chen Luyang's expression more serious.

It's not cost-effective to replace parts in this extent on an old car.

Normal people either make do with what they can, or they simply scrap it.

But this person didn't hesitate at all and replaced everything, even specifically requesting the few common parts that had just been made.

He spends money freely, but what is he after?
"Isn't that why we came here—for these few parts?"

The more Chen Luyang thought about it, the stranger it seemed. He couldn't help but curse inwardly.
Great!
He let out a heavy breath, a hint of annoyance flashing in his eyes.

He had just returned to the repair shop and was overjoyed by the good start. He couldn't stop smiling when he saw customers coming in, and he didn't have time to think about anything else.

Once the excitement got the better of them, they forgot all the necessary caution.

But the other party pretended to be honest and simple, speaking only the truth and paying the money readily, which made people feel even more at ease.

Chen Luyang's mind was in turmoil, and her expression inevitably darkened.

Director Lu immediately noticed something was wrong and lowered his voice to ask quietly, "Director Chen, weren't you all smiles just now? Why did you suddenly look so down?"

Chen Luyang didn't want to spoil everyone's good mood, and besides, these were, after all, just her own suspicions.
simply,

Chen Luyang laughed and said, "It's nothing... I was just thinking that the door was opened a bit too wide, and it would have to be overhauled on the first fare. I feel sorry for the driver's money."

Upon hearing that Chen Luyang was concerned about the driver's money, the people in the room immediately laughed.

Sun Hongjun waved his hand and said, "Hey, Brother Chen, why are you worrying about this?"

"The driver didn't even flinch when he paid, why should we bother with that?"

Li He chimed in, "That's right. Uncle Zhang has already reminded them of everything that needed to be reminded. Since they're willing to fix it, then they've accepted it."

"We do honest work, we earn our living with our skills, and we have no guilty conscience."

Jiao Long also declared confidently, "Exactly!!!"

"Besides, such a big order would make anyone else secretly happy."

"You're the one who's worried about other people's money first."

Everyone chimed in, creating a lively atmosphere.

Chen Luyang suppressed her doubts.

Everyone has just returned to the factory and finally received their first order. It's a time when we need to boost morale, and there's no need for everyone to worry about things because of me.

He put on a smile and clapped his hands: "We've had a great start today! Tonight, everyone has to have a big celebration to mark the official opening of the repair shop in the new year!" Outside the courtyard, the sky was gradually darkening, and dusk was already settling over the area around the West Railway Station.

Passengers carrying large and small bags squeezed into the station, their breath rising and falling in the dim light of the streetlights, creating a scene that was both desolate and noisy.

But inside, the fire was burning brightly, and everyone was toasting and laughing. After a sip of wine, their cheeks flushed red.

This meal marked the first major event of the new year for the repair shop.

Chen Luyang picked up his wine bowl and said with great enthusiasm, "Brothers, let's have our first meal of the year!"

"This year, we'll make our repair shop's reputation even better!"

"Yes! Cheers!"

Everyone raised their bowls in unison, laughter and the clinking of bowls filled the room, and they drank it all in one gulp.

Just as the repair shop was celebrating its successful start to the new year,
In a dimly lit warehouse on the western outskirts of the city,
Several people were gathered around the dilapidated 212 SUV, disassembling the newly installed generic parts one by one under the lantern light.

The driver who had seemed so honest and kind in the repair shop earlier now had a completely different attitude, constantly complaining:
"Damn it, I spent a fortune just to replace these few parts!"

"There were clearly several other cars available, but they had to pick this piece of junk. I was on tenterhooks when they drove it over, afraid that it would break down halfway."

At this moment, a middle-aged man in his forties next to him raised his hand and gently tapped a pipe on his shoe, speaking slowly and deliberately:
"Old Zhao, what's wrong with you getting so angry?"

"I can't bear children, I can't hold wolves."

"If you were to replace a car that was still in relatively good condition, the repair shop might not be willing to replace all of them at once."

"It has to be an old, dilapidated car that looks like it's about to fall apart, then people won't think twice about it."

"By the way, you went to get your car repaired today. Did anyone suspect anything?"

Driver Zhao curled his lip in disdain: "Doubt?"

"The boss of that little repair shop is a greenhorn in his early twenties, barely out of his teens, what could he possibly suspect?!"

"If you say a few nice words to him, he'll be as happy as a fool. I don't know where he gets so much joy every day!"

Finally, driver Lao Zhao spat a large mouthful of phlegm onto the ground.

Just at this time,

Next to the off-road vehicle, several workers disassembled the six parts one by one and neatly laid them out on a tarpaulin.

Under the dim light of the kerosene lamp, the metallic luster of the parts was particularly striking.

Qian Chengguo, with his pipe dangling from his mouth, asked somewhat anxiously, "How is it? Can it be copied?"

An old worker with a stubble beard reached out, rubbed some oil on his hand, looked at it carefully, and nodded.

"The shape is fine; you can copy it by making a mold."

"But our equipment can't keep up with the precision and heat treatment required inside."

Qian Chengguo rudely interrupted him.

"I'm just asking you, can the counterfeit ones even be used?"

Another, younger technician frowned: "It can be used, but it won't last."

"For example, we can wind and mold ignition coils and nozzle tubes, but we can't do the insulation and withstand voltage like others. They will easily spark and clog after running for a short time."

"Components like brake push rods and coupling sleeves can be made in terms of appearance, but the precision is poor and they wear out quickly."

"Not to mention the rubber gaskets, the raw material ratio is not good, they will only last a few months at most after installation."

Qian Chengguo snorted coldly, a hint of ruthlessness flashing in his eyes: "As long as it works!"

"Don't worry about how long it can last, just being able to run is enough for now."

"What we need is speed. We can make a sum of money by repairing a car, and if it breaks down again, we can just fix it!"

Qian Chengguo became more and more smug as he spoke.

"As long as we can make the mold, this will be our business from now on."

……

That night, Chen Luyang had a nightmare.

That's fucking terrifying.

His dream was filled with advanced mathematics, which he couldn't understand at all, nor could he figure out how to solve it.

Unfortunately, his calculus teacher was staring at him with bloodshot eyes, threatening to make him repeat the year if he couldn't solve the problem!
Chen Luyang tossed and turned all night.

I felt listless the next day.

Even when he was feeling down, he would regain his spirits when he saw the repair shop and his brothers who had abandoned their families and homes with him in the morning!

After breakfast, Chen Luyang began packing her bags, embarking on the first major task of the new year:
Gifts!

Although she returned, Chen Luyang came back two days before the start of the semester.

Taking advantage of her current freedom, Chen Luyang began to sort through the large and small packages she had brought. After giving instructions to Director Lu, she carried her things out of the repair shop.

The first person to give a gift was Liang Zhongwei!

Putting everything else aside, whether the steel for the general-purpose parts can be approved is Chen Luyang's biggest concern!
Without steel, no matter how good the blueprints or how detailed the process, it all becomes empty talk.

Without the materials, everything else is pointless!
He wouldn't feel at ease unless he first sounded out the situation and found out what was going on.

However, problems soon arose.

He had no idea where Liang Zhongwei lived, so he could only try his luck at the Municipal Economic Commission.

Inside the guardhouse at the building entrance, the coal stove was burning brightly, and an old man wearing a fur-lined hat was listening to opera on a radio while holding a teacup.

Chen Luyang, carrying large and small bags, knocked on the window of the guardhouse and approached with a smile:

"Sir, Happy New Year! I'd like to see Director Liang. Could you please ask him if he's here?"

The gatekeeper squinted and looked closely at Chen Luyang, then suddenly chuckled.

"Oh, it's you!? When you came here for a meeting last year, everyone else came by car, but you squeezed onto the bus and walked into the compound."

wipe……!
Chen Luyang's smile froze.

The last time the Municipal Economic Commission held a meeting, everyone else came in by car, but he was the only one who walked in.

Chen Luyang has always regarded this incident as a minor humiliation.

I never imagined that today it would actually become a joke, coming from the mouth of the gatekeeper.

And that's not all; the security guard added insult to injury:

"Among all the cadres in that meeting room, you're the only one who looks like a student. I was wondering how someone so young managed to get in."

Chen Luyang was both amused and exasperated, touching his nose: "Grandpa, your memory is really good."

He quickly changed the subject: "Could you do me a favor and call Deputy Director Liang to ask if he's here?"

"I brought some things from my hometown and wanted to wish my senior brother a belated Happy New Year."

The security guard, familiar with the process, picked up the phone and dialed the number.

Unexpectedly, not long after the call was made, someone actually answered in Liang Zhongwei's office, saying that the person was upstairs.

I don't know if it was because of trust in the Peking University student ID card, or because Chen Luyang had previously attended a meeting at the college.

The gatekeeper showed Chen Luyang exceptional trust.

"Director Liang is inside. Go upstairs yourself."

"Okay! Thank you, sir!"

(End of this chapter)