Live Stream 1980: Netizens Teach Me How to Make a Rocket by Hand

Twenty yuan.

In 1980, this was equivalent to a second-level worker's salary for a month and a half of backbreaking labor.

Take it to a state-run restaurant, and you can order all the signature dishes;

Going to the department store allows you to get a new outfit for the whole family;

Go to the supply and marketing cooperative, and you can buy any white flour and rice you want.

"hiss--"

Sun Erga's eyes widened like copper bells as he stared intently at the two bills, his Adam's apple bobbing violently.

Even Wang Dapao, who was squatting on the ground, paused for a moment.

Liu Guihua stood up abruptly, not even noticing the thimble rolling off her hand.

"This...this is for us?"

Sun Erga's throat was dry.

That arrogant "veteran socialite" attitude from just now has long since vanished.

"Go to the base's guesthouse." Lin Xi's tone was calm.

"Whatever main dishes you have, bring out the most expensive ones! Don't try to skimp on them!"

"The main attraction is braised pork belly, three servings please!"

"I want the kind that's trembling and leaves your mouth greasy after one bite."

"Get two more bottles of Xifeng liquor, and the rest we'll take to the supply and marketing cooperative. Canned fruit, malted milk powder, whatever catches our eye, we'll bring back."

Lin Xi lifted her eyelids and glanced at Sun Erga:

"Is this enough money for one trip?"

"Enough! That's way enough!"

"Don't even mention making a trip, I could crawl there handstand!"

Sun Erga's wrinkled face smiled like an old chrysanthemum in autumn.

He frantically wiped the sweat from his hands on his trouser leg and carefully picked up two large bills.

"Manager Lin, look at my foul mouth!"

"I knew you were a god of wealth sent from heaven, specially come to save us from our suffering!"

"Alright! I'll go right now, I'll go right now!"

"I'll fight anyone who blocks my way!"

The atmosphere inside the room changed as soon as Sun Erga dashed out the door like his pants were on fire.

Liu Guihua quickly moved the stool over, wiped herself vigorously with her sleeve, and smiled enthusiastically:

"Manager Lin, please have a seat!"

"This chair is hard; I'll sew you a thick cotton cushion later!"

"Our service center has finally found a big tree to provide shade."

"There were originally seven or eight people, but they all hid in the family compound and didn't come to work these past two days after hearing that a new leader was coming."

"Hmph, they'll regret this now!"

In the live stream room, a string of "666" filled the screen.

[Is this the legendary power of 1980 yuan? It's an awe-inspiring, nuclear-level shock!]

[Look at Erga's behavior. He was just trying to establish rules, and now he's practically begging for it. So true, so incredibly true.]

Don't be fooled, back then, three servings of braised pork really represented a bond that would make people risk their lives for each other.

Lin Xi gave a bitter laugh in her mind:

"Family members, I also feel bad about wasting those 20 yuan!"

"But there's no other way. The simplest, most direct, and effective way to subdue these troublemakers in the shortest amount of time is to throw money at them!"

Half an hour later.

Smoke rose from the dilapidated bungalow, and the aroma of meat filled the air.

Three bowls of braised pork were placed in the middle, their color a glossy red, and their aroma irresistible.

Once the Xifeng liquor was opened, the intense aroma of the liquor mixed with the smell of meat was simply the ultimate enjoyment in that era of scarcity.

Lin Xi didn't put on airs and personally poured everyone a full glass of wine.

"Everyone in this base thinks we're just expendable pawns."

Lin Xi raised the enamel mug, looking directly at everyone.

"But I don't have that much nonsense here."

"Work with me, and you'll have this kind of meat every day from now on."

"This cup of wine is a toast to having meat at every meal from now on."

Everyone clinked glasses.

The strong liquor went down his throat, and the fiery kick of the liquor brought out the boldness of the Northwestern man.

After a few rounds of drinks, Sun Erga couldn't control his loose tongue again.

He picked his teeth, pointed at Wang Yu huddled in the corner, staring blankly at the circuit board, and sneered:

"Manager Lin, please ignore this blockhead."

"He's half-crazy, spending all his time clinging to piles of electronic waste."

"Treat them like they're serving their own father. What kind of trouble can a stutterer cause?"

Wang Yu shuddered and lowered his head even further.

He tried to hide the messy, soldered board behind his back.

Lin Xi reached out and placed her hand firmly on Wang Yu's shoulder.

With his other hand, he picked up a piece of braised pork, about half the size of a fist, and put it into Wang Yu's bowl.

"Erga, if you have no sense of propriety, then shut up." Lin Xi pointed to the circuit board that others considered scrap.

"If this thing is broken, all the guys at the base's radar station can switch careers and become bicycle repairmen."

Wang Yu suddenly looked up.

Behind the thick lenses of his glasses, his eyes revealed astonishment for the first time.

"Are you working on signal compensation?" Lin Xi asked casually.

"You're trying to use the receiving logic of the Soviet-made P-12 radar to reduce interference in the civilian band? That's a good idea."

"But you're not even right."

"The gate bias of the second-stage amplification is too tight, so the interference is not removed, but the signal is cut off first."

Lin Xi grabbed a piece of scrap paper and quickly drew a simple diagram:

"Add a high-pass filter to the input, with a 0.01 microfarad capacitor and a 470-ohm resistor."

"Try it again."

"Clatter".

Wang Yu slammed his chopsticks down on the table.

His lips trembled, his mouth was half open, and he stared intently at the sketch, as if he had seen a peerless secret manual.

"A kindred spirit...a kindred spirit!"

For the past six months, he has been called a fool and a madman.

Nobody knew what he was doing, and nobody believed he could succeed.

The sheer terror of having his core bottleneck exposed by the "Mastermind" made him want to kowtow to Lin Xi on the spot.

Lin Xi then looked at Wang Dapao, who had remained silent.

The burly man was silently chewing on a steamed bun, the calluses on his knuckles were frighteningly deep.

"Big Cannon Bro." Lin Xi poured a jar of wine and handed it over.

Others think you're strong because you can carry bricks.

"In my eyes, you are the most precise machining center in the entire base."

"You squeezed that aluminum sheet three times just now." Lin Xi held up three fingers.

"The first touch checks the temperature, the second determines the center of gravity, and the third forms the final shape."

"The error in each stroke will not exceed the thickness of a hair."

"With that kind of skill, throwing you into coal hauling would be a waste of your talent."

Even a tough guy like Wang Dapao blushed instantly, his face turning red all the way to the roots of his neck.

He lived his entire life with his head down because of his background.

Even when others praise him, they're just treating him like an animal.

No one ever described his feel as that of a "precision machining center".

"Manager Lin..." Wang Dapao's voice boomed, and a glimmer of light appeared in his eyes.

He suddenly picked up the jar and gulped it down in one go.

I slammed the bowl down on the table with a "thud." It didn't break, but the bones on the table bounced three times.

"Just for those eyes of yours!"

"From now on, wherever you point, the cannon will fire!"

Sun Erga was completely dumbfounded.

The money was given, and the people's hearts were won over.

I thought he was a friend of someone, but he turned out to be a top-tier tech expert. How am I supposed to compete with him?

"Manager Lin, I, Erga, only admire those with real ability in my life." Sun Erga filled his glass with wine, raised both hands above his head,

"From now on, you're our leader. Anyone who dares to mess with you, I'll be the first to slap them!"

Lin Xi smiled. This kind of江湖 (jianghu, a term referring to the world of martial arts and chivalry) spirit is sometimes more effective than rules and regulations.

He took out the drawings he had finished the night before from his pocket and gently placed them on the table.

All eyes were instantly focused on it.

"Now that we've had our drinks, eaten our food, and talked things out..."

Lin Xi pointed to the object on the blueprint that looked a lot like a fan, a sly glint in her eyes:

"Let's start with this thing then, to give the base a little 'service shock'!"