Back to the 80s Machinery Factory

Chapter 592 I Quit

Hao Fengchun rushed forward, asking urgently, "Are we on the list? Did we really make it?"

"Isn't this absolutely necessary?" Yu Anshan said casually, showing no sign of the tension he had just displayed.

The tone was as casual as if he were saying he was having sauerkraut stew with glass noodles for dinner.

"When we get back to the guesthouse tonight, let's borrow their phone and report this good news to Director Wang."

As they were talking, several other representatives who had also passed the preliminary review came up to them with smiles.

After congratulating each other, the group of representatives put their arms around each other's shoulders and started smoking "victory cigarettes" on the spot.

I can't help but be unhappy!

Passing the initial review means that their factory's prototype vehicles no longer need to wait for review, material replenishment, or test runs, and can be directly included in the Canton Fair's general exhibition catalog as "export samples".

Some are happy and some are sad.

Those organizations that were happy can finally breathe a sigh of relief.

But those factories that were included in the review and postponement lists did not have it so easy.

Some people were dejected, some carried blueprints and ran up and down to find experts to sign them, and some even squatted on the ground to spread out the materials for verification.

Long queues formed outside the printing room, and the corridors were filled with people running around carrying documents; even the announcements in the meeting room were drowned out by the noise.

"Don't panic."

A conference staff member stood on the steps and shouted,
"Those who complete the required documents tomorrow morning and pass the review will still be able to participate in the Canton Fair!"

This statement acted like a shot in the arm, and the representatives at each booth were busy again.

On the east side of the Machinery and Vehicles Pavilion, in front of the booth of Dongzhou Automobile Repair Factory, several delegates were gathered together, looking anxious.

"Other data are easy to obtain, but the 'actual test report on chassis load stress' is impossible to get!"

Engineer Duan Yuehu's voice changed from anxiety.

They brought a light truck this time. It was small and attractive, and they originally intended it to be an "export light vehicle".

Logically speaking, this should be a sure thing.

Who would have thought that we'd get stuck on the very last item?

Incomplete dynamic strength test data!
Actually, it's not that they didn't want to complete that report.

As originally planned, they would conduct another round of testing at the factory before setting off to update the latest data.

However, the equipment was occupied by the final assembly workshop at the time, and the deadline was tight, so it was decided to submit the previous sample data first.

Unexpectedly, this reviewer focused specifically on this item.

To get that report back, we'll have to redo the "full load lifting static pressure test".

During testing, the entire vehicle must be lifted up to inspect the stress deformation of the chassis welds and longitudinal beams.

It sounds simple, and it's not difficult to operate.

The difficulty is that there wasn't a single company in the entire exhibition area that made jacks!
Jacks are bulky and heavy, and most models have hydraulic cylinders. If you're not careful, they can leak oil and damage the ground.

Normally, this kind of equipment is only used at the workshop workstations; no one dares to bring it to exhibitions.

If someone really needs to be temporarily brought in, it has to go through the approval of the exhibition setup department and the signature of the safety officer, which takes at least half a day.

Even more critically, the venue had explicit rules:
"No hydraulic or pneumatic equipment may be used within the exhibition area to prevent oil from the ground from causing injury to personnel or damaging the exhibition setup."

In other words, even if someone were willing to lend it, the venue wouldn't allow it.

Duan Yuehu was extremely anxious.

“A ‘full load lifting static pressure’ test only takes five minutes. But this truck weighs more than a ton, and it’s impossible to even squeeze through a crack by manpower alone!”

Factory leader Xu Tiecheng's face also turned ashen; he gritted his teeth fiercely.

"Submit the other materials first, and then ask the review panel to grant half a day to see if we can conduct a supplementary test."

……

Unfortunately.

Communication failed.

In the afternoon, they took a large stack of documents to the review office.

Several people took turns explaining the car's structure, blueprints, and data sources, and even emphasized that the chassis had undergone a full-load test at the factory, but the report was not brought with the car.

The experts on the review panel weren't exactly arrogant; they just shook their heads and sighed.

"Comrades, we understand your situation."

"Without actual measurement data, we cannot confirm the strength indicators of the chassis."

"Without confirmation, export-level certification cannot be issued."

"Without export certification, your vehicle cannot enter the Canton Fair."

Duan Yuehu and the factory leaders tried every possible explanation, using both kind and harsh words.

Unfortunately, the experts stuck to the standards and refused to budge.

It seems that the fruits of several years of hard work are about to be lost because of a single report, preventing them from participating in the Canton Fair.

In a fit of rage, Duan Yuehu slammed an enamel mug onto the ground with a loud crash.

In an instant, the white jar shattered into several pieces, and hot water was spilled all over the floor.

The sound exploded in the corridor.

"What's the noise?"

Chen Luyang was startled in the translation workroom next door.

Several young interpreters craned their necks to look outside, their faces filled with barely suppressed gossip.

The conference organizers also rushed over upon hearing the commotion, and the corridor of the conference building was soon bustling with people.

"Something happened? Which organization is it from?"

"Could they have started fighting?"

In an instant, the burning passion for gossip in everyone's hearts ignited!

Chen Luyang darted to the door and peeked out!

That afternoon, he heard howling from the next room. To his utter surprise, they were smashing a water jar!
"What's going on?"

Chen Luyang frowned and asked the conference staff member who was craning his neck to look inside, who had been lying in the corner early in the morning.

The young man was from the conference organizing committee; he had a red work badge pinned to his chest. He muttered to himself as he quietly peeked into the doorway:
"The engineers from Dongzhou are furious."

"Get angry?"

“Hmm,” he said in a low voice, mysteriously.

"I heard that their vehicles failed the re-inspection because they were stuck on the chassis strength report. The expert group refused to sign it, saying that they hadn't conducted an on-site static pressure test."

On-site static pressure test...

Chen Luyang was taken aback.

This test is very simple!

Use a jack to lift the car up and stabilize it. Then check the deformation of the chassis and whether the welds are cracked.

But he quickly realized what was happening.

There aren't any jacks in the Industrial Machinery Hall!
He's practically covered the entire exhibition area these past two days.

From large machine tools to CNC stamping, from axle assemblies to diesel engine prototypes, they even have wrenches for tightening screws, but they've never seen a jack.

After all, what's exhibited here are complete machines and complete processes, focusing on technical level and product line scale, not small tools for car repair.

Even if such things exist, they're usually found in auto repair exhibition areas or parts sub-venues.

Thinking of this, he couldn't help but feel sorry for that factory.

He himself came from a machine factory, so he knows all too well the hard work behind it.

From design, parts, and assembly to getting a prototype vehicle to run on the runway, it takes at least several months of work.

Behind the scenes, countless people worked through the night drawing diagrams, welding overtime, and testing the engine until sparks flew.

Those selected from across the country and sent to the import and export preview are all the factory's best-kept skills.

Now, however, it is stuck outside the review process because it is missing a jack.

Anyone would go crazy from holding their breath in this situation.

Thinking of the jack... Chen Luyang's pupils contracted.

Strictly speaking, the small jacks from the repair shop are all the right size, have the right load-bearing capacity, and are the right stability. If you really bring them over, they will definitely come in handy.

But the problem is... he can't take it!

The security protocols for the conference were as rigid as iron.

Every piece of equipment and every machine that entered the site was listed in advance and sealed with a seal.

If external equipment is to be brought in, an application must be submitted first, then the person in charge of the exhibition area must sign it, and finally the security team must approve it.

Without the proper paperwork, you can't even get through the gate.

Moreover, the rules of the venue were clearly written:

"The use of any mechanical or hydraulic equipment is strictly prohibited within the exhibition area. Any damage or accident caused by improper operation will be the responsibility of the unit and the individual."

Even just trying it out or giving it a thumbs up is a violation of regulations.

This is not a repair shop.

The exhibition hall floor is polished terrazzo, and underneath it is all reinforced concrete.

This stuff is most afraid of oil.

Once hydraulic oil seeps in, it can take up to two weeks to clean it properly.

If it's even a little slippery, someone will fall down.

Besides, this is a national exhibition.

Even the slightest safety issue will result in the booth being shut down, and the entire Industrial Machinery Hall will be publicly criticized.

What's even more fatal is his identity.

The conference's job roles were rigidly defined; even within the same exhibition area, different roles had vastly different levels of authority. Factory representatives could touch the equipment, review experts could ask questions, and technicians could assist with re-inspections.

The translator's job is to review foreign language materials, documents, and instructions.

Chen Luyang appeared in the Industrial Machinery Hall as a technical translator.

He was neither a representative of the exhibiting factory nor an engineer.

A translator went out to adjust the equipment?
A single sentence from someone else can label him as "overstepping his authority and interfering with exhibition affairs" and "disrupting the order of the venue."

At best, they'll be suspended from their duties; at worst, their translation qualifications will be revoked.
They also had to write a self-criticism, submit it to the Ministry of Industry for approval, and keep a record.

Chen Luyang looked hesitant and conflicted. After thinking for a moment, she shook her head and returned to the translation room.

……

Before long, news of the Dongzhou Automobile Repair Factory spread throughout the Industrial Machinery Hall.

We're all in the car manufacturing business, and we all know how difficult it has been to get to where we are today.

"Should we all go and help lift the car?"

Someone called out,
The next moment, all the delegates in the exhibition area spontaneously gathered around the small truck from Dongzhou Factory.

In an instant, dozens of figures dressed in blue overalls and khaki shirts all squatted down.

"Here, put a piece of wood down so you don't slip!"

"The angle is wrong here, move the lever back a bit, and press down further!"

Someone brought wooden mats from the machine tool factory's booth next door, while others removed steel pipes from the display stand to use as pry bars.

Some people even took off their coats and laid them on the ground to examine the welds on the chassis.

Yu Anshan and Hao Fengchun also rolled up their sleeves, wiping away sweat as they pondered the points of force application.

Cao Qinghang gritted his teeth, veins bulging on his hands, and shouted:
"Hey everyone, let's do it again! Don't let it slip... One, two, three, lift!"

……

Hearing the shouts coming from the meeting room, Chen Luyang in the translation room couldn't sit still any longer.

Using the excuse of going to the restroom, he ran out of the exhibition hall to take a look!
In the very center of the exhibition hall, the light truck from Dongzhou Factory was surrounded by a huge crowd.

Some representatives held steel tape measures, using one hand to measure angles;

Some even knelt on the ground, taking notes on the drawings with pencils, afraid of missing a single piece of data if they blinked.

Chen Luyang stood at the door, her heart pounding, her fists clenching tightly.

This is simply not going to work!
Repair shops can lift cars because they have pits and lifts, providing a good point of leverage and enough space.

The showroom floor is terrazzo, flat and smooth, with the car's undercarriage only a dozen centimeters off the ground, making it impossible to find any point of support.

With the truck fully fueled and equipped with a sample cargo box, it weighs a total of one and a half tons, which is not something a group of people could lift with their arms.

Xu Tiecheng of Dongzhou Factory has completely lost hope.

Duan Yuehu squatted on the ground, his eyes filled with the suffocating feeling of "almost reaching out, but just missing by a hand".

Chen Luyang was all too familiar with this feeling of suffocation.

That's what it felt like when he carried his blueprints around in the dead of winter, bumping into walls everywhere he went to technical schools to try and find production cooperation, but no one responded!

Just then, Yu Anshan raised his head from the crowd, his gaze passing over the throng and landing squarely on Chen Luyang.

Their eyes met briefly in mid-air.

No one spoke.

Hao Fengchun wiped his sweat and muttered to himself:
"If only Xiao Chen's thing could work..."

Cao Qinghang also subconsciously looked at Chen Luyang, but he only shook his head slightly.

Although everyone knew that Chen Luyang had the equipment, they also understood that he couldn't take the lead in this matter.

Chen Luyang is currently the technical translator for the conference, not a factory representative;

The jack wasn't an exhibit at the conference; it was an item from his own factory.

If we actually bring it to the exhibition hall and it gets on the attention of the security team, the entire mechanical hall will be criticized as well.

I know, he took the jack to help his brother factory participate in the Canton Fair.

If someone with ulterior motives were to do so, they might think that Chen Luyang was trying to sneak his own jack into the import and export preview.

Chen Luyang was also aware of this.

After a series of possible consequences flashed through my mind,

He gritted his teeth, and surprisingly, he calmed down.

Oh shit!

What's there to be afraid of!
A surge of heat rushed to Chen Luyang's chest, and he strode up to Xu Tiecheng.

"Director Xu, I have something that might be of help to you."

Xu Tiecheng was taken aback and looked up at him.

Chen Luyang spoke calmly.

“Our repair shop has a small hydraulic jack, which is longer than a large brick by a hand and as thick as two stacks of People’s Daily newspapers. It can lift your car.”

"What?" Xu Tiecheng didn't react for a moment.

"You're saying you have a jack?"

“Yes,” Chen Luyang nodded, “but not here, at my repair shop.”

"If you don't believe me, you can come with me to see the real thing. It can weigh as much as a 1.5-ton truck, no problem."

Xu Tiecheng, Duan Yuehu, and the representatives from Dongzhou Factory behind them were all stunned.
These past two days they've been keeping watch in the exhibition hall; they know exactly who's on the judging panel, who's the translator, and who's the engineer.

From beginning to end, they never even considered the possibility that Chen Luyang was a colleague.

After a few seconds, Xu Tiecheng subconsciously shook his head and said with a wry smile:

"Comrade, you must be joking. This car is no toy."

"I'm not joking," Chen Luyang replied seriously.

"If you don't believe me, I can take you to see it right now."

"Are you serious?" Xu Tiecheng sensed something was wrong and asked back.

Chen Luyang nodded, "I can take you to see it right now."

Xu Tiecheng was about to speak when he saw Chen Luyang raise her wrist to check her watch, frown, and add:
"But I need to ask for leave first."

……

At this time, the translation team's office was at its busiest.

The first batch of exhibits that passed the initial review has just been finalized.
The translation team must not only complete the trilingual translation table of "approved units", foreign language labels, and technical parameter summaries by 10 p.m. tonight, but also unify the wording and submit them to the secretariat;

At the same time, the remarks of the second batch of "review units" should also be filed.

Each person had a small stack of "yellow signature pages" on their desk, the time stamps as neat as collar buttons around their necks.

Just as everyone was working hard with their heads down, Chen Luyang ran and pushed open the door, rushing to Gao Yaning's side.

"Team leader, I'd like to ask for leave."

"Reason?" Gao Yaning looked up and frowned.

Chen Luyang replied, "Dongzhou Auto Repair Factory is missing a supplementary test of chassis static pressure."

"They're going to review it tomorrow. If we can't fill in the missing data, it might be rejected and we won't be able to participate in the Canton Fair."

"No way." Gao Yaning refused decisively.

"You're a translator, not a repairman."

"We need to submit all the verification forms from our unit to the secretariat before 10 p.m. tonight. Do you think it's appropriate for you to take leave at this time?"

Gao Yaning lowered his head and continued working on the materials, clearly indicating his intention to get rid of him.

Chen Luyang stood still: "Team leader, I'll be right back in two hours."

Gao Yaning didn't even look up: "Are you informing me?"

Chen Luyang took a deep breath: "I humbly request that the team leader grant me two hours of leave."

Given Chen Luyang's personality, he would have wisely left long ago if he encountered such an awkward situation.

But this time, there's really no way to retreat.

"Team leader, this is a car heading to the Canton Fair," Chen Luyang said urgently.

"We are also translators going to the Canton Fair."

Gao Yaning looked up, examining Chen Luyang with a rational and scrutinizing gaze.

"Comrade Chen Luyang, you entered the exhibition as a technical translator, so you need to know your place!"

"Order and fairness are the bottom line of the entire conference system."

"If you leave now, it will put the translation work in a passive position, and the entire team will be affected by your absence!"

She paused, her tone growing colder:
"Don't think that just because you fetched two jugs of water for your comrades, you can get some leeway at a crucial moment."

“If you do not comply with the regulations and leave your post without permission, I will revoke your translation qualification and send a letter to the Ministry of Industry and the National Machinery and Electronics Corporation.”

Seeing the tense atmosphere, Zhang Weilun quickly tried to smooth things over:
"Team leader, Xiao Chen is just doing this for work; his situation is indeed special. If we all work a little harder, we can definitely finish by 10 p.m. tonight."

Liu Qing quickly added, "Yes, team leader, we can finish these tasks. Xiao Chen going there won't delay the mission."

Gao Yaning didn't look at them; her tone left no room for argument.

"I don't have fakes here, and I won't give fakes to anyone."

"If you want to leave, then hand over your documents and leave."

The room fell silent for a moment.

Several colleagues who were busy translating looked up and secretly glanced at them.

Chen Luyang's Adam's apple bobbed slightly, and then he reached out and placed the ID card on Gao Yaning's table.

"I quit."

(End of this chapter)