Reborn in 1985, starting from a machine factory

As Chen Mo rode his bicycle, the morning wind whistled across his face, making his cheeks ache.

What a terrible idea Secretary Liu came up with!

Three shifts!

It's a shame he's the head of a large state-owned factory; he has absolutely no compassion for the workers.

They're even more ruthless than Zhou Bapi and Huang Shiren.

Chen Mo tossed his hair, and as he passed the bookstore, he slammed on the brakes.

Today is Thursday, during working hours. Neither students nor workers have time, so the bookstore isn't crowded.

Chen Mo walked in and casually picked up two self-study guides for night school: "Boss, how much are these two?"

The shopkeeper raised an eyelid slightly: "Five yuan a book, ten yuan for two, the latest edition!"

Chen Mo shrugged. These review materials are all pretty much the same, but when the exam is approaching, they won't lower your score by a single point.

He had just pulled ten yuan from his pocket when a voice suddenly rang out behind him: "Boss Chen, have you finished writing your martial arts novel yet?"

The voice sounded familiar, and Chen Mo turned around.

Liu Yue stood behind him, holding a book and smiling broadly.

"Hey, Liu Yue, what brings you here?" Chen Mo said.

"Buy books! Someone writes letters slowly, and they're even slower at making up stories!"

"I'll buy something else first, just to make do!" Liu Yue's gaze lingered on Chen Mo.

Chen Mo scratched his head and pointed to Liu Yue and the books he was holding: "I've been too busy lately! Boss, pay for these books all at once!"

The boss, unusually, opened his squinting eyes: "Twenty!"

"Here you go!" Chen Mo handed over two ten-yuan bills.

Liu Yue held the book, neither speaking nor refusing, and just looked at Chen Mo.

"How about we buy a few more?" After handing over the money, Chen Mo suddenly came to his senses and turned to look at Liu Yue.

Liu Yue's eyes crinkled into a smile as she shrugged. "Since Master Chen is treating today, I'll just take a little less!"

"To avoid Master Chen spending too much money and getting a beating from his aunt when he gets back."

"Thank you, Ms. Liu, for your noble character and kindness, which spared me from physical pain."

Are you free at noon?

"Are you going to treat me to dinner?" Liu Yue turned her head to the side, her eyes full of smiles.

"right!"

"What a coincidence!" Chen Mo said.

"Hey, tell me earlier next time. You know you have to wait in line when you ask a girl out for dinner!" Liu Yue held up a finger and pointed it at Chen Mo's chest.

"You're busy?"

"I was originally on the day shift, but my uncle said someone wanted to contract the factory and asked me to have lunch with him and help out in the afternoon."

"Landlady!" Chen Mo pretended to clap his hands. "She even owns a factory!"

"The old man contracted this factory last year; it's a local government-run factory. He figured he could make screws and such, and they'd sell well no matter what!"

"We only realized after it was built that big companies didn't need this thing, and small companies didn't even consider it!"

Liu Yue looked up at the boss halfway through her sentence.

There weren't many people, but the boss had already pricked up his ears to eavesdrop.

Liu Yue stuck out her tongue, tugged at Chen Mo's sleeve, and pulled him to the bookshelf.

"You have no idea how exhausting it is to run a factory! My aunt was so stressed she had to be hospitalized twice!"

"I was the one who gave him the injection!" Liu Yue said proudly.

"Really?"

"It must be true!"

"I don't know much about acupuncture, but intravenous injections are absolutely no problem!"

"If you don't believe me, I'll try it on you next time!" Liu Yue said with a hint of smugness.

"Don't!"

"Remember that old lady He from the hospital a few days ago? She's gone!"

Chen Mo whispered, "They were buried yesterday."

"What do you mean?" Liu Yue squinted at Chen Mo.

Life and death are unpredictable!

"I'd like to ask for your help to see if we can get an appointment with a good doctor. My mom's liver is still not doing well!" Chen Mo said.

Liu Yue sighed, "You're such a talented writer, how come you talk like that..."

"What if they're not next to each other?"

"Didn't I just run into you?" Chen Mo asked innocently.

"It's strange that nothing good has ever come my way since I met you."

"Huh?" Liu Yue turned her head.

"So, I couldn't help but think of this!" Chen Mo said slowly.

"what!"

Chen Mo uttered half a sentence, then swallowed the rest back down his throat.

Liu Yue stomped on his foot hard with her small leather shoes.

"If you can't speak properly, you can choose not to speak!"

"I'm going home, don't bother seeing me out!"

"Wait, I just remembered something!" Chen Mo pulled Liu Yue aside.

"What's up?"

"Don't worry about your mother, I work the day shift on Sundays, so you can come over then!"

"No, that's not it!" Chen Mo shook his head slightly. "I remember now, I'm going to contract a factory this afternoon!"

"It's not far from the farmers' market, and it mainly makes screws."

"They say the current contractor is also surnamed Liu!"

"Huh?" Liu Yue looked at Chen Mo: "It's actually you!"

"What a coincidence! How about I go over for lunch and you help me out?"

"No problem!" Liu Yue turned the book around and hugged it from a different angle.

"Which one is fine?" Chen Mo asked.

"Getting a free meal is no problem, building a bridge is no problem either."

"Well, how should I introduce you?" Liu Yue asked Chen Mo.

"Chen Mo, major shareholder of Hongxian Antenna Factory, engineer at Beiyang Heavy Industry!" Chen Mo said.

"Engineer, aren't you from the propaganda department?"

"Is the Red Star Antenna Factory yours?"

"Several of my colleagues said that your antenna is unavailable!" Liu Yue said, her face full of shock.

"None of that matters!" Chen Mo said with a smile. "How's that explanation?"

"Hehe!" Liu Yue laughed out loud, "You should ask your aunt what she thinks of this explanation when you have time!"

"I'm going home, see you this afternoon!" Liu Yue covered her mouth, ran out of the bookstore, and waved to Chen Mo at the door.

Chen Mo waved back.

He then dusted off his shoes and prepared to go out.

"Here you go, young comrade!"

The shop owner suddenly poked his head out from beside the bookshelf and handed Chen Mo a book.

Chen Mo took it instinctively.

This book is different from the ones I've seen before; it has a light blue cover and a very simple design.

"What is this?" Chen Mo asked.

"The Second Handshake is about intellectuals finding partners!" the shopkeeper said.

"What would I need this for? How much does it cost?"

"Take it home and read it. If you understand it, give me ten dollars!"

"If you don't understand it, you don't want a penny. Take it!" The shopkeeper wiped the bookshelf without turning his head.

Chen Mo's eyes were full of doubt: "So I really took it?"

Go!

Chen Mo walked out of the bookstore.

...

Lunch has always been simple.

Chen Fen and Chen Rui had just returned when Li Guihua had already prepared the meal.

Li Guihua was all dressed neatly today because she was going to take over another factory this afternoon.

Chen Rui had no appetite and poked a few holes in the bowl with her chopsticks.

"Auntie, what's wrong?" Chen Mo asked, noticing Chen Rui's unusual behavior.

"Director Zhou called me today, saying he wanted to talk to me about something. I think the time is almost up!" Chen Rui looked up.

Chen Mo lowered his head: "Capable people are often eccentric, Aunt, you'll have to keep him here for a while!"

"Heh!" Chen Rui rolled her eyes. "I'll try my best!"

"How did the factory visit go this afternoon?"

"There are too many people in the factory right now; at least a third of them aren't doing a good job!"

"Speaking of which!" Chen Mo looked up. "Mom, do you know whose factory we're going to visit this afternoon?"

"Whose?" Li Guihua looked up.

"Damn Liu Yue."

"Um?"

"There's something else, Auntie. Do you remember the heavy snow?"