Major Heavy Industry: Starting with a Fake Marriage

"We have a master craftsman at our center, surnamed Huang, a level six fitter. He teaches students how to repair machines and never yells at them. If a student makes a mistake, he says, 'Try it again.' One student made the mistake seven times, and he said 'Try it again' seven times. On the eighth try, the student got it right. Master Huang said, 'You see, it's not that you can't learn, it's that you haven't practiced enough.'"

Some people in the audience laughed, while others applauded.

"This student later returned to the factory and became an equipment operator. He wrote to me saying that he remembered one sentence—'Try it again.' If the equipment broke down and couldn't be fixed, he would try it again. If it still couldn't be fixed, he would try it again. Until it was fixed."

Jiang Cheng paused, looking down at the audience.

"I think this is what our outreach center should be doing. It's not just about fixing a few machines for them, but also about teaching them a spirit—a spirit of never giving up. Machines can be fixed if they break down, and skills can be learned if they're not good enough. I believe that as long as you don't give up and have the perseverance, there's no machine that can't be fixed and no skill that can't be learned."

The audience fell silent. Then, applause erupted. Not the polite kind of applause, but genuine, heartfelt applause.

Jiang Cheng stood on the stage, looking at the applauding crowd below, and a strange feeling suddenly welled up inside him. He thought of his days in the laboratory before he transmigrated, of the data and formulas, and of those lonely nights.

After the applause subsided, a gray-haired leader on the stage picked up the microphone: "Comrade Jiang Cheng, I have a question for you."

"Please speak."

"You said you want to teach workers the 'do it again' spirit. But some equipment is just too old; repairing it doesn't help. So, when do you think it should be repaired, and when should it be replaced?"

This is a tricky question. Jiang Cheng thought for a moment and said, "Boss, I think whether to repair or replace is not a technical issue, but an economic one. If a piece of equipment can be repaired and used for a year, it costs a thousand yuan. Buying a new one costs ten thousand yuan and can be used for ten years. So repairing is more cost-effective than replacing. But if repairing only lasts for a month, then it should be replaced."

He paused, then continued, "The problem is that many factories don't know whether their equipment needs repair or replacement because they lack the data. So our center is doing one thing—helping each factory establish equipment files, recording the maintenance history, operating status, and failure frequency of each piece of equipment. With this data, we know which equipment needs repair and which needs replacement."

The leader nodded and didn't ask any more questions.

After the meeting, several people surrounded Jiang Cheng, asking for his contact information. Some were from Shanghai, some from Harbin, and some from Lanzhou. They all said the same thing: "Master Jiang, could you share your center's experience with us?"

Jiang Cheng agreed to all of them, but he knew in his heart that he couldn't persuade everyone by himself. He needed more people and more seeds.

That evening, Professor Zhou treated Jiang Cheng to dinner at a small restaurant near the Chinese Academy of Sciences. The meal consisted of four dishes and a soup, plus a bottle of Erguotou (a type of Chinese liquor). Chen Siyuan was also there, sitting beside them pouring the liquor.

"Xiao Jiang, you spoke well today." Old Zhou raised his glass. "'One more time'—those four words are more effective than any grand principles."

Jiang Cheng raised his glass: "Old Zhou, I was just talking nonsense."

"Nonsense?" Old Zhou laughed. "If you're talking nonsense, then all those people on stage have been talking for nothing."

He put down his wine glass, looked at Jiang Cheng, and his gaze became serious: "Xiao Jiang, I have something to tell you."

"Please speak."

"The ministry is planning to promote your center's experience nationwide. A branch center will be established in each province, and you will be responsible for technical guidance. What do you think?"

Jiang Cheng was taken aback. Nationwide rollout? A branch center in every province? This is going to be a huge undertaking.

"Old Zhou, I'm afraid I won't be able to handle it."

"Even if we can't handle it all, we have to do it," Old Zhou said. "Your 'do it again' spirit can't just stay in Shenyang. There are so many old pieces of equipment all over the country waiting for you to repair. If you don't go, who will?"

Jiang Cheng fell silent. He knew Old Zhou was right. But he also knew how heavy this burden was.

"Old Zhou, I..." As soon as Jiang Cheng opened his mouth, Old Zhou knew that this kid was going to make another request.

"explain."

"The key technical personnel from each branch center must come to Shenyang for training. Only after passing the training can they return to their posts and begin work. We cannot allow unqualified personnel to fill the positions."

Old Zhou nodded: "Of course. Anything else?"

"Furthermore, it is essential to establish connections between the various branch centers and exchange experiences regularly. They cannot operate independently."

Old Zhou smiled and said, "Alright, whatever you say."

He raised his glass: "Come on, let's have a drink. Wishing you a successful nationwide rollout."

Jiang Cheng raised his glass and clinked it against his. The liquor was spicy, and it felt like his throat was on fire after drinking it. But he found it exhilarating.

It was already late at night when Jiang Cheng came out of the restaurant. He stood by the roadside, looking at the night view of Beijing. The streetlights on Chang'an Avenue were lit up, like a glowing river. Tiananmen Square in the distance looked particularly solemn under the lights, like a painting.

"Brother Jiang," Chen Siyuan walked over, "Old Zhou asked me to take you back to the guesthouse."

"No need, I can walk by myself."

"Then I'll walk with you."

The two walked west along Chang'an Avenue. The night breeze was cool and felt pleasant on their faces. There were few pedestrians on the street, and occasionally a bicycle would pass by, its chain rattling.

The two men stopped at the entrance of the guesthouse. Chen Siyuan took an envelope out of his pocket and handed it to Jiang Cheng: "This is from Old Zhou. He said you should open it after you get back."

Jiang Cheng took the envelope; it was thin, and it seemed to contain only a single sheet of paper.

"What content?"

"I don't know. Old Zhou didn't say."

Jiang Cheng put the envelope in his pocket and patted it: "Okay. I'll read it when I get back."

Chen Siyuan left. Jiang Cheng stood at the entrance of the guesthouse, watching his figure disappear into the night. Under the streetlights, his shadow grew longer and fainter until it finally melted into the darkness.

Jiang Cheng returned to his room, turned on the light, and sat on the bed. He took out the envelope, opened it, and found a letter inside. There was only one line of writing on it, in Old Zhou's handwriting, the ink penetrating the paper:

"Xiao Jiang, remember this: behind you stands the industry of this nation. Anyone who tries to harm you will have to ask those repaired machines if they'd agree."

Jiang Cheng stared at the line of words for a long time. The letter trembled slightly in his hand; he couldn't tell if it was his hand or the paper that was shaking.

He folded the letter and put it in his pocket. He walked to the window and opened it. The night breeze from Beijing rushed in, carrying a chill. In the distance, the streetlights on Chang'an Avenue were still on, like a luminous river.

He stood by the window, looking at the river, for a long time.

Jiang Cheng closed the window and lay back down on the bed. He closed his eyes, his mind filled with images of tomorrow. He seemed to see a map of the entire country, dotted with tiny, glowing points, each a sub-center. These points slowly brightened, multiplying and denser, until finally merging into a luminous net.