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

The following morning, the sunlight was weak and the cold wind persisted.

Wang Dapao, riding an old tricycle, braked suddenly and stopped at the bottom of the steps of Dongfeng Department Store.

The truck bed was covered with an old canvas, and underneath it was bulging with the ten "Red Star Warm Sun" trucks that they had rushed to make.

Lin Xi tightened her collar, took a long stride, and walked straight towards the door.

Liu Guihua followed closely behind, carrying a black leather bag made of artificial leather, looking somewhat flustered.

The department store in front of me is a three-story red brick structure, with huge glass windows displaying Forever brand bicycles and Butterfly brand sewing machines.

This is a consumer paradise in the base, a Louvre of the planned economy era.

"Manager Lin..." Wang Dapao wiped his sweat, looking at the golden signboard, his heart pounding.

"You're inside already?"

"Would a store as big as theirs even consider something cobbled together from scrap metal?"

"Big Cannon, let me correct you." Lin Xi patted the canvas. "This is called an industrial art piece."

Lin Xi smiled and took the lead in lifting the curtain and going inside.

A wave of heat, mixed with the smell of face cream and rubber shoe soles, hit me.

The first floor is a department store selling daily necessities. Behind the counter, several sales clerks wearing white coats and white hats are gathered together knitting sweaters and chatting.

He didn't even lift his eyelids when he saw someone come in.

This was the norm for state-run stores in the 80s—"the emperor's daughter doesn't have to worry about getting married."

In the live stream chat, the comments section was filled with sighs and lamentations.

[Absolutely terrible! This level of service would bankrupt them in 2025 due to numerous complaints!]

[The person upstairs doesn't understand, does they? This is called the dignity of a seller's market! Back then, the sales clerk was the coolest guy in the whole village.]

See that sign hanging up there? "No assaulting customers without cause"—that's outrageous!

I just want to know, does having a "reason" mean I can take action?

"Don't look at these things, just go upstairs." Lin Xi walked straight up the stairs without glancing at anything else.

Liu Guihua took two quick steps, leaned close to Lin Xi's ear, and whispered:

"Manager Lin, I'm not really that familiar with Manager Sun. I've just done some mending work for them a few times before..."

"They're official cadres, so they might not give you face."

"If the product is good enough, you don't need a face." Lin Xi kept walking.

"Respect is earned, not begged for."

At the far end of the second floor, a red-lacquered wooden door was ajar, with a sign that read "Manager's Office".

Lin Xi knocked twice, and without waiting for a response, pushed the door open and entered.

The heating in the room was quite strong, but only enough to make it warm enough that you didn't need to wear a coat.

Behind the desk, there was a middle-aged man whose Zhongshan suit buttons were about to pop off due to his belly.

He was holding a purple clay teapot as if it were an imperial seal, squinting as he examined the newspaper in his hands.

Sun Dafu, the local tyrant of Dongfeng Department Store.

"Who is it? Don't they know the rules?"

Sun Dafu frowned, put down his newspaper, and scanned the three people before finally fixing his gaze on Liu Guihua.

"Oh, isn't this Sister Liu?"

"What, not mending clothes today, but going visiting instead?"

His tone was casual, revealing a condescending sense of superiority.

Liu Guihua said with a forced smile, "Manager Sun, we're not here to mend clothes today."

"This is Manager Lin, our new manager. He'd like to discuss a business deal with you."

"Manager Lin?" Sun Dafu sized up Lin Xi.

Too young, too inexperienced.

Is this the legendary kid who got into trouble in the maintenance team and was relegated to a lower position?

"Hello, Manager Sun." Lin Xi ignored the other man's gaze and gestured for Wang Dapao to bring the prototype up.

"Our Red Star Service Center has developed a new type of heating device and we'd like to put it on the market in your area."

"To keep warm?"

Sun Dafu chuckled and picked up the purple clay teapot again.

"Who in our base doesn't use a coal stove? These days, who would waste money buying that thing?"

"Clang!"

Wang Dapao placed the futuristic-looking "Red Star Warm Sun" on his desk.

The silver parabolic reflector gleamed under the lights, and the red logo was extremely eye-catching.

It's a kind of rugged yet precise industrial aesthetic.

Sun Dafu was stunned for a moment.

Those useless guys at the service center can actually make something that's... kind of nice?

"Plug it in," Lin Xi said succinctly.

The cannon plugged the plug into the wall socket.

"Buzz—"

There was no long warm-up, no waiting.

three seconds.

Just three seconds!

The nickel-chromium wire instantly glowed red, like a fire dragon awakening. The precisely calculated parabolic reflector focused the heat into a beam, like an invisible physical shockwave, which directly slammed into Sun Dafu's greasy, fat face.

"Holy crap!"

Sun Dafu felt a jolt, as if a small sun had exploded directly on the table.

heat!

A wave of heat hits you right in the face!

"This...so fast?" Sun Dafu, being a discerning customer, immediately brightened up.

"And it's not glaring, the light is quite soft."

"The same aerodynamic shape design as the Red Star 2, with an aviation-grade aluminum reflector."

Lin Xi timely revealed her selling point, her voice full of seductive charm.

"No need to light a fire, no need to empty ashes, just plug it in and it heats up. Most importantly—the electricity bill for our base is a government-funded package."

A decisive goal.

This sentence precisely hits the soft spot of everyone in this era who loves to take advantage of others.

Sun Dafu stood up, circled the machine twice, and even reached out to touch the heavy cast iron base.

"Interesting." Sun Dafu stroked his chin, nodded, and asked, "How much are you planning to sell this for?"

"Supply price: 30; suggested retail price: 38," Lin Xi announced the bottom price.

This price is not low; it's equivalent to a second-level worker's monthly salary.

However, considering the implicit benefits of not having to buy coal or pay electricity bills, it is definitely within the base's affordability range.

"30?"

Sun Dafu's brows furrowed instantly. "Too expensive! You dare to ask for that?"

He then plopped back into his chair, crossed his legs, and that bureaucratic air of self-importance returned. His fingers tapped on the table, making an annoying "tap-tap" sound.

"Young man, the stuff is pretty good."

"But getting these items onto our Dongfeng Department Store shelves isn't as simple as just throwing them here!"

coming.

Lin Xi sneered inwardly.

The viewers in the live stream instantly went wild:

[A classic segment! Late but welcome!]

[At this moment, background music should play: The Light of Righteousness!]

This fatso is trying to extort money and kick back.

"Do you have a production license?" Sun Dafu asked, glancing sideways.

Lin Xi shook her head: "It's an internal trial production at the service center; we don't have it yet."

"Where is the price approval document from the price bureau?"

"no."

Sun Dafu slammed his hand on the table, his fat face trembling three times. The slight admiration he had just felt instantly turned into disdain and impatience.

"You have nothing? Then what's the point of talking to me!"

"Products without proper labeling or production date! Don't you understand what speculation and profiteering is? This is disrupting market order!"

Sun Dafu pointed to the door, spittle flying everywhere:

"Is your Red Star Service Center desperate for money?"

"You think you can just cobble together a bunch of junk parts and get it into a legitimate state-owned department store? Dream on!"

"Take this pile of scrap metal and get out! Don't get in the way!"

"Scrap metal?"

Wang Dapao, who had been silent all along, suddenly took a step forward.

The man, as tall as a black iron tower, had reddened his eyes.

This is their hard work, yet this fat man belittles it as worthless "scrap metal"?

"Say it again?"