Major Heavy Industry: Starting with a Fake Marriage

Chief Engineer Liu tapped the table: "Okay, it's settled then. I'll talk to the people from the rubber factory tomorrow. Xiao Jiang, you'll be in charge of the technical coordination."

After the meeting, Chief Engineer Liu kept Jiang Cheng behind and whispered, "Jiang, there's something I need to tell you."

"What?"

"Someone called the factory yesterday to inquire about you. They asked very detailed questions, from your background to your work experience, they asked about everything."

Jiang Cheng's heart sank: "Who hit him?"

"The other party said they were from the Provincial Machinery Department and wanted to verify your technical qualifications." Chief Engineer Liu looked at him. "But I checked, and that call didn't come from Liaoning, it came from Beijing."

Jiang Cheng's mind raced. The place of origin was Beijing? It couldn't be Zhou Chuanming; he was in Liaoning. That meant the person behind Zhou Chuanming was in Beijing.

"Chief Engineer Liu, thank you for telling me."

Chief Engineer Liu patted him on the shoulder: "Xiao Jiang, you're a man of action. No matter who tries to frame you, I'll protect you in Shanghai."

Jiang Cheng felt a surge of warmth in his heart and gripped Chief Engineer Liu's hand tightly.

For the next two weeks, Jiang Cheng's life became a routine of going between three points: the workshop, the rubber factory, and the guesthouse.

He would get up before dawn every day, first going to the workshop to check the progress of machine dismantling, then riding his bicycle to the rubber factory to oversee mold processing. In the evening, he would come back to organize data and revise drawings. Chen Siyuan followed him around, running back and forth, and became so tired that he lost weight, but he never complained.

"Comrade Jiang, did you do this in the factory before?" One evening, Chen Siyuan asked weakly, slumped over his desk.

Jiang Cheng was revising the blueprints and didn't even look up: "Almost there."

Aren't you tired?

"I'm tired," Jiang Cheng said, "but after I'm exhausted, seeing the machines running again makes me feel less tired."

Chen Siyuan looked at him and suddenly said, "Comrade Jiang, do you know that everyone in our research institute calls you 'Iron Man' behind your back?"

Jiang Cheng laughed: "Iron Man? I don't have Wang Jinxi's abilities."

"That's not what I meant," Chen Siyuan said. "I meant you have a stubborn streak; once you've made up your mind, nothing can change it."

Jiang Cheng didn't speak and continued revising the blueprints. He knew that he learned this stubbornness from Huang Deqing. His master had relied on this stubbornness to stand in the workshop for more than twenty years.

On the tenth day, the first batch of seals came out of the rubber factory.

Jiang Cheng went to pick up the goods himself. After opening the box, he picked up a sealed package, examined it carefully, then squeezed it with his hand and smelled it.

"How is it?" the rubber factory technician asked nervously.

Jiang Cheng nodded: "Pass."

The technician let out a sigh of relief and wiped the sweat from his brow: "Comrade Jiang, you're really strict. We had to redo this batch of work three times."

Jiang Cheng laughed: "It's better to be strict. With machines, even a millimeter off is unacceptable."

The seals were transported back to the factory, and Jiang Cheng led the workers to begin installation. Installation was more difficult than machining because each part of the hydraulic press weighed several tons, and disassembling and reassembling it was a major undertaking. Jiang Cheng climbed up and down, directing the crane one moment and checking the gaps the next, until his voice became hoarse.

Chen Siyuan handed him tools from below, watching his busy figure and secretly admiring him.

The installation lasted five days. On the last day, it was already dark when the last bolt was tightened. Jiang Cheng climbed off the machine, covered in oil, his hands trembling.

"We'll test drive it tomorrow," he told Chief Engineer Liu.

Chief Engineer Liu, seeing his condition, felt a pang of pity: "Why don't you take a day off?"

Jiang Cheng shook his head: "No need. We'll try it tomorrow; the sooner we try, the more at ease we'll feel."

That night, Jiang Cheng returned to the guesthouse, took a shower, and lay in bed, but couldn't fall asleep. He thought of Huang Deqing and his master's words: "Chengzi, remember this: with machines, if you treat them well, they will treat you well."

Tomorrow will be the day we see the true test.

The next morning, the workshop was packed with people. Chief Engineer Liu, the factory's engineers, experienced workers, technicians, and leaders from the city were all there. Everyone was waiting to see if the old hydraulic press could be brought back to life.

Jiang Cheng stood in front of the control panel, took a deep breath, and then nodded to the operator.

"start up."

The motor roared to life, and the hydraulic system began to pressurize. Everyone held their breath, staring at the pressure gauge.

The pointer slowly rose. 100 kg, 200 kg, 500 kg, 1000 kg... When it reached the rated pressure, the pointer stopped steadily without any fluctuation.

"It's stable!" someone shouted.

Jiang Cheng didn't speak, but signaled the workers to continue increasing the pressure. 1500 kg, 2000 kg, 2500 kg... they kept increasing it until it reached the design limit, but the pressure gauge remained as steady as a rock.

A cheer erupted in the workshop.

Chief Engineer Liu rushed up and hugged Jiang Cheng tightly, shouting, "It's done! It's done!"

Jiang Cheng was so tightly held that he could hardly breathe. He patted Liu's back and said, "Chief Engineer Liu, loosen your grip. You're choking me."

Chief Engineer Liu released him, his eyes red-rimmed: "Xiao Jiang, do you know, if this machine were to break down, our factory would be finished. You saved our entire factory!"

Jiang Cheng shook his head: "It wasn't something I did alone. Everyone did it together."

That afternoon, the hydraulic press officially went into production. The first steel ingot was fed in and slowly deformed under the pressure of tens of thousands of tons, becoming a flat steel plate. The whole process was smooth and efficient, as if a brand new machine had been installed.

The factory held a celebration party for Jiang Cheng. Chief Engineer Liu, holding a glass of wine, said in front of everyone, "Comrade Jiang, from today onwards, you are our factory's technical advisor. If you need anything in the future, just let us know!"

Jiang Cheng took the glass and drank it all in one gulp. He knew he had taken another step forward.

But just when he thought he could finally catch his breath, a phone call shattered the peace.

The call was from Old Zhou. His voice was urgent: "Xiao Jiang, you need to go back to Beijing immediately."

Jiang Cheng's heart sank: "What happened?"

Old Zhou paused for a moment, then said, "Zhou Chuanming has taken action. He reported you to the Ministry in the name of the Provincial Machinery Department for violating regulations and damaging state property. He also said that the plan you developed in Shanghai was modified without expert review, which is a serious dereliction of duty."

Jiang Cheng's mind went blank. He hadn't expected Zhou Chuanming to make his move at this time.

"What's the ministry's attitude?"

"They're discussing it," said Old Zhou. "Director Zhang is speaking up for you, but the other side is prepared. You need to come back and explain the situation in person."

Jiang Cheng was silent for a few seconds, then said, "Old Zhou, I have an idea."

"you say."

"I'm not going back."

Old Zhou was taken aback: "Not going back? Why?"

Jiang Cheng said, "Old Zhou, if I go back, no matter what I say, they'll find a hundred ways to muddy the waters. It's better if I stay in Shanghai and write a complete report on the modification of the hydraulic press, including all the data, drawings, and test results. With everything in black and white, anyone who wants to say anything will have to get past the data first."