The Fiery Era: Becoming an Industrial Giant

Chapter 48 Receiving Salary and New Year's Goods

"The agricultural tractors we produce now are all based on technology provided by the Russians. They are high-powered, fuel-efficient, and suitable for collective operations, which also aligns with the national conditions in Russia."

"But section chief, an orange tree grown south of the Huai River is an orange, but grown north of it is a trifoliate orange. A Russian tractor might not be suitable for our country. I come from the countryside, I know this best."

Zhou Zhiqiang spoke his last sentence with confidence, because the original owner of this body did indeed often do farm work when he was a child.

When I was in elementary school, I worked while going to school. Even when I went to middle school, I often went home to work. I have quite a few memories of doing farm work.

Now that Zhou Zhiqiang has inherited his memories, he speaks with confidence about his experience of farm work.

“In our country, farming is based on villages. How many people and how much arable land can a village have? Even in a large village, a few hundred households is the maximum.”

Agricultural tractors are quite suitable for villages like this, but how many villages this large are there in the whole country?

"Many villages don't have much arable land, and they can't afford Russian tractors. Therefore, a tractor that is easy to operate, low-cost, and consumes little energy is what our country's rural areas need."

Zhou Zhiqiang's explanation was easy to understand, and in just a few words, Section Chief Lü understood why Russian tractors were not suitable for domestic farming.

Then Section Chief Lü turned his attention to the design drawings of a small hand tractor on the table, but after a few glances, he was stuck in his thoughts by the technology on them.

Then, feeling dizzy, he asked directly, "Zhiqiang, how far have you gotten? What are your plans? Do you have any ideas?"

Lü Yi may not understand technology, but he is good at judging people.

Although Zhou Zhiqiang was a college graduate who had only been working for a year, he was exceptionally capable and had made several meritorious contributions at the factory.

The new alloy steel melting furnace process developed recently was specifically praised by the Ministry of Metallurgical Industry, which directly changed the layout and production of domestic steel smelting.

The director of the Iron and Steel Bureau of the Ministry of Metallurgy even specifically requested that Zhou Zhiqiang be promoted. If Zhou Zhiqiang hadn't wanted to stay at Dafeng Machinery Factory, he wouldn't be able to work with Zhou Zhiqiang now.

Without the approval of the Ministry of Metallurgy, the factory wouldn't dare promote Zhou Zhiqiang, a newcomer who had only worked for a year, to the position of deputy section chief.

Ultimately, it comes down to having enough ability to convince people; Lü Yi believed that Zhou Zhiqiang had that ability.

"We're almost at the final stage, but it'll be too late before the New Year. I'll try to push things forward at home during the holiday."

After thinking for a moment, Zhou Zhiqiang continued, "There's nothing difficult about it. The only troublesome part is that we need to modify a small furnace at the Second Steel Plant, which will require some special considerations regarding the steel. Section Chief, could you help us with the communication?"

Regarding the power system, Zhou Zhiqiang originally wanted to jump straight to electric motors for agricultural machinery, as many water pumps are used for irrigation. However, he considered that China had only just decided to develop semiconductors this year.

The transistor electronics factory hadn't been built yet, so even if he wanted to make electric motors, he didn't have the necessary conditions.

Moreover, electric motors are no longer suitable for rural areas; diesel engines are better.

Moreover, small diesel engines can be adapted to many other agricultural machinery and equipment, such as threshers, irrigation pumps, rice milling machines, etc.

During the research and development process, issues such as interface compatibility and operating systems were taken into consideration. In the future, their Dafeng Machinery Manufacturing Plant can be renamed Dafeng Agricultural Machinery Plant.

There is also a large market for agricultural machinery. If agriculture is well taken care of and grain production is increased, it will greatly support the development of heavy industry.

There are no problems with the power system that Zhou Zhiqiang developed and designed this time, and the others are even less of a problem. With the current level of productivity, it is entirely possible to manufacture them.

"I think you'll have more face than me if you go. But since you've said that, just let me know and I'll definitely help you get it done."

Before Section Chief Lü could finish refusing, he gritted his teeth and agreed.

The deputy section chief is working hard on researching new agricultural machinery products; the section chief can't just do nothing, can he?

Otherwise, when the new machinery is in place and it's time to reward those who have contributed, Lü Yi will truly lose all face.

"Zhiqiang, if you need any help, just let me know. If the leaders don't agree, I'll stay in their office and not leave!" Zhou Zhiqiang said with a smile, "Hahaha, then I won't stand on ceremony with you, Section Chief. You'll have to make a few more trips then."

After chatting in the office for a while, Lü Yi saw that it was almost time, so he called Zhou Zhiqiang to go and collect their wages and New Year's goods together.

Zhou Zhiqiang packed up the documents and drawings on his desk, put them all in his bag, and then followed Lü Yi toward the finance department.

Before leaving, the two checked the technical department and then locked the door before departing.

Today is my last day at the factory; I don't need to come tomorrow.

In a few days, it will be Lunar New Year's Eve.

Tomorrow, Zhou Zhiqiang and Guo Yuting will go shopping for New Year's goods. The New Year's goods distributed by the factory are a welfare benefit, but they also need to buy other things.

This is Zhou Zhiqiang's first year in this era, so he needs to prepare well.

He doesn't plan to go back to the village; he'll just ask someone to send some things to Teacher Wu at the township middle school and the village head.

After falling out with that family in Hongqi Village, Zhou Zhiqiang didn't go back home for even a single day.

Besides, the city is bustling during the Spring Festival, and there are many activities near the square; he and his wife are very comfortable at home, and can do whatever they want.

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"Section Chief Lü, if there are no problems with your salary, please sign it."

As it was nearing the end of the workday, most people had collected their lunch and gone home, leaving not many people in the finance department, mostly cadres and staff on duty.

When Lü Yi signed the document, Zhou Zhiqiang inadvertently saw the pay slip.

The standard salary for level 16 is 110.5 yuan, plus 5 yuan in benefits, which makes it 115.5 yuan.

After receiving his salary, Lü Yi patted Zhou Zhiqiang on the shoulder and said, "Zhiqiang, I'm going back now."

"Okay, section chief, take care."

After Zhou Zhiqiang finished saying hello, it was his turn to collect his salary.

Following the reminder from the finance department clerk, Zhou Zhiqiang signed his name and received his first month's salary as a cadre, 87.5 yuan, plus a 5 yuan subsidy for the project's completion, for a total of 92.5 yuan.

Earning such a high salary just one year after graduation is truly a sign of a promising future.

After receiving his wages, Zhou Zhiqiang went to collect the factory's welfare benefits.

Five pounds of pork, five pounds of rice, and ten pounds of flour—that's enough for the couple to eat until they start work after the New Year, and they'll be eating refined grains every day.

With these refined grains, the couple could save up a lot of food coupons; they could use the coupons for this month to buy more at the end of the month, and then eat the coupons for this month next month, and so on. When things got tough, they would have enough food to get by.

Although there are not many kinds of vegetables to store for winter, Zhou Zhiqiang made two jars of pickles before, which is enough for them.

After collecting the New Year's goods, Zhou Zhiqiang rode his bicycle home. He figured it was alright if there were no fresh vegetables for the New Year; their situation was already more common than 90% of other families.

After returning home, Zhou Zhiqiang moved the rice, flour, and meat to the kitchen.

Just as he finished putting away the New Year's goods, he heard his wife pushing the cart back and calling him to come and help from the hanging flower gate.

(End of this chapter)