Courtyard House: I'm an engineer, and a fairy godmother transferred me to a different position.

"And mine still smells of sweat!"

A young worker excitedly took off his coat, swung his arm, and the coat flew straight towards Wang Jianguo's face—

It nearly hit his nose.

Wang Jianguo shouted several times before finally calming down the excited commotion.

After finally getting things in order, he casually picked up five or six dirty clothes and stuffed them into the roller, then poured in a little soap solution and turned on the switch with a "click".

Water gurgled in from the inlet, and soon a low, steady hum of operation came from inside the machine. Through the observation window on the top cover, you could clearly see the upright drum slowly rotating from side to side, with clothes rising and falling and churning in the water.

"Oh, so that's how you wash it!"

"How long will it take to wash? Won't it damage the fabric?"

"The noise was quite quiet..."

Amidst the surrounding chatter, Wang Jianguo answered questions, speaking eloquently as if reporting to a leader, his brows furrowed with pride.

The ministry leaders watched intently, but Liu Guangqi, standing to the side, found it utterly boring.

He devised this machine himself—washing for 15 minutes, rinsing twice, and spinning for 3 minutes; all the parameters were already etched into his mind.

He glanced at his watch, gave Wang Jianguo a look, whispered a few words of advice, and then turned and went back to his office.

For Liu Guangqi, the matter was settled the moment the machine started smoothly. All that remained was a ceremony witnessed by everyone.

Sure enough, about half an hour later, faint cheers could be heard outside the office.

When Liu Guangqi pushed open the door, he saw an official lifting a work uniform out of the washing machine—the previous dark grease had vanished without a trace, leaving only the faint fragrance of soap suds.

Within half a day, news of the successful development of the washing machine swept through the entire industrial system like the wind.

Finally, someone sighed softly, "I wish I could have one of these in my house when I get married..."

"This thing is truly amazing!"

"Haha, what's wrong? The 'three turns and one sound' for a wedding wasn't enough, now you want another 'turn'?"

"Could it be 'four turns and one sound'?"

Thus, because this machine also has a "rotating" state, it was added to the old custom of "three turns and one sound" by people, half-jokingly and half-seriously.

From then on, the saying "four turns and one sound" quietly took root.

Bicycles, watches, sewing machines, and radios, once the envy of many, seem to have become relics of the past overnight.

"Have you heard? From now on, the focus will be on 'four turns and one sound' (referring to a radio, a watch, a dial indicator, and a microphone)!"

"What's that extra turn?"

"What else could it be? A washing machine made by the Red Star Factory!"

This new term seemed to have grown wings, and within a few days, it spread from the ministry compound where it first appeared to various government offices and state-owned factories throughout Beijing.

Interestingly, the ripples it creates vary greatly from place to place.

In the workshops of those large state-owned factories, the workers were merely intrigued by the news:

"washing machine?"

"Wow, even laundry can be done by machines now?"

"It sounds like it would save effort, but in that big courtyard we lived in, there was only one water tap for the whole place, and the water and electricity meters were shared by more than a dozen households..."

"Even running a simple cable causes a huge fuss; who am I going to show off to?"

In the freezing cold, fingers would freeze stiff, but life had to go on—that's what people in the village would often say when they gathered under the wall to bask in the sun. When the topic turned to the new machines in the city, they'd all shake their heads: "Those things are expensive, worth half a year's wages!" "With that spare money, it's better to buy some cloth and sew new clothes for your wife and kids." The words were rough, but the logic was sound. Those distant days were just something to hear for amusement; nobody really took them to heart.

But in the dormitory-style apartment buildings of a ministry compound, the scene was entirely different. In the corridor of the communal kitchen, several families of cadres huddled together, their conversation always revolving around that latest news. "Have you heard? The washing machines at the Red Star Factory, they say, are treasures that can earn foreign exchange, and now they're included in the 'Four Turns and One Sound'!" "Once they're mass-produced, can our supply and marketing cooperative get a few too?" "That's right! My husband talks about it every day, if we could get one, washing clothes in winter would be so much more comfortable." In the past two years, rice cookers and induction cookers, these rare items, have been selling like hotcakes, making everyone eager to own them. Although the prices weren't low, and ration coupons were required, at least there was something to look forward to—like canned fruit, produced specifically for export, rare but something you could enjoy once or twice at the end of the year. Unlike the televisions that came out in 1958, of which only about a hundred were produced each year, so precious that they were only occasionally seen deep within the compound, a dream for ordinary people.

Rice cookers and similar appliances aren't technically too difficult to manufacture; once production increases, they'll eventually have their turn. But the sudden emergence of washing machines has perfectly addressed the long-standing desires of these officials' families. In the current climate, receiving a monthly salary is useless without the necessary paperwork. Owning a washing machine wouldn't just be adding an appliance—it signifies a more dignified and easier life.

And so, the news of the "four turns and one sound" spread further and further, and the name of the Red Star Factory once again resounded throughout the streets and alleys. Behind this news, the Chief Engineer Liu, whose name was known but whose face was never seen, was rumored to be almost mythical.

In the office of a large industrial factory, several leaders huddled around a thin document, marveling at its quality. "Just this one page?" one of the leaders, wearing glasses, tapped the paper lightly with his finger, his voice trembling with astonishment. "Just one thin page… Chief Engineer Liu didn't even visit the Hongxing factory, yet he pointed out a new field that could generate foreign exchange!" A colleague nearby, sipping tea from an enamel mug, nearly choked upon hearing this. "Boss, I initially thought it was just a rumor…" "Old Wang confirmed it himself, how could it be false?" The leader slammed the document down on the table. "This Chief Engineer Liu is truly remarkable!" "I really hope he can write one page like this for our factory too," another laughed, "and point out a few more new avenues." A burst of laughter filled the office, laughter tinged with awe and admiration. A project that didn't require on-site visits, yet opened up a new field with just one page of guidance—this meant that Chief Engineer Liu's knowledge far exceeded everyone's imagination. In no time, legends about him fermented within the industrial system, with increasingly outlandish versions. All who heard them were left with only one word: utterly convinced. Utterly convinced.

While the outside world's attention remained focused on washing machines, the "four turns and one sound" (referring to the four major industrial components), and the mysterious Chief Engineer Liu, within the Ministry of Machine Building, with Liu Guangqi officially submitting the production drawings, his export plan was entering a substantial phase at an unprecedented speed. The next day, in the Ministry of Machine Building's conference room, Director Chen of the Foreign Trade Department rushed in, his face unable to hide his excitement. Director Lin personally received him and specially invited Liu Guangqi—the plan, from concept to drawings, was all his work, and now, in this final step of coordinating with the foreign trade department, he was naturally indispensable. "Comrade Guangqi!" Director Chen quickly stepped forward and shook his hand firmly.

"You look even more energetic than before we last met!"

When Director Chen saw Liu Guangqi, he still acted as if he wanted to poach him, and gave him a tight hug, which made Liu Guangqi pause for a moment.

He then pointed to the table:

"Old Lin, don't be stingy with that jar of good Longjing tea you've been hiding. You have to brew a cup for our future academic committee members."

Director Lin chuckled and shook his head: "You're the best at picking things."

As he poured water into his glass, he joked, "What, has the foreign trade department taken a liking to our people again?"

Director Chen took the teacup, took a sip, and then turned his gaze to Liu Guangqi.

His eyes revealed undisguised admiration:

"I've heard all about it. The crucial step in the 'four turns and one sound' process of the washing machine project at the Red Star Factory was pointed out by Comrade Guangqi on just one page!"

After saying that, he deliberately let out a long sigh: "I still regret not bringing him to our foreign trade department back then!"

Liu Guangqi stood quietly to one side.

With a calm, slight smile on her face, she showed no sign of being affected by such excessive praise.

"Director Chen, you flatter me."

His voice was not loud, but every word was clear.

"The Ministry of Machine Building and the Ministry of Foreign Trade are comrades on the same front, with the common goal of generating foreign exchange for the country. No matter what position I hold, I am serving the people; there is no difference."

These words were spoken with perfect tact.

This both gave Director Chen a way out and clarified the collaborative relationship between the two departments. Director Lin and Director Chen both nodded in agreement.

Talking to this young man always makes me feel comfortable and at ease.

After a few words of conversation, the atmosphere among the three became relaxed and familiar, and the meeting room became warmer.

After the lighthearted banter, Director Chen's expression turned serious.

He solemnly took out a thick stack of documents from his briefcase.

With a soft "thud," the document landed on the table.

He pushed it in front of Director Lin, and the bold black text on the cover, "Summary of Intentions to Export CNC Machine Tools," was particularly eye-catching.

"Alright, Lao Lin, Comrade Guangqi, let's get down to business."

Director Chen pointed to the document, his tone revealing an undisguised excitement:

"This is the preliminary list of export orders and intended orders finalized by our foreign trade department."

"To be honest, I really have to thank that older brother up north this time."

"After using our CNC machine tools this time, they've been more enthusiastic about promoting them than anyone else, practically praising our equipment to the skies."

"Now many Western countries are taking the initiative to reach out to us, so we have no choice but to add them to our list of potential partners as well."

Upon hearing this, Director Lin couldn't help but chuckle.

This older brother still has that familiar temperament.

This isn't publicity; it's clearly someone who suffered a loss and wants to drag others down with them.

They are particularly enthusiastic when it comes to giving Western countries a "push".

of course.

Director Lin knew this perfectly well.

There's a crucial layer to this: we still owe Big Brother a debt.

As creditors, can't they just leave without helping to find a solution?

Seeing that our machine tool industry has already taken shape, the old approach of blocking and strangling us is no longer viable.

Since we can't stop them, we might as well go with the flow and shout a few times so we can make money sooner and pay off our debts.

If we're going to make money, let's all do it together!

As for some unpleasant losses... naturally, you have to drag others down with you.

Director Lin took the document.

Page after page, the speed at which my fingertips brushed across the paper gradually slowed down.

The air in the office seemed to freeze little by little.

When he turned to the last page and his gaze settled on the bolded summary figure, his finger suddenly stopped.

"Old Chen!"

"We clearly agreed in the previous meeting that exports would be capped at 30%. And here you are, adding nearly a hundred more CNC machine tools all at once!"

As he spoke, he handed the document to Liu Guangqi.

His tone was tinged with doubt: "This is almost half of this year's planned production. What happened to the agreed-upon 30% cap?"

Liu Guangqi took the document and quickly scanned it.

Ultimately, it all comes down to that total number.

His brows furrowed immediately: "Director Chen, this number is indeed far too much."

"The higher-level institute clearly instructed that the export ratio should not exceed 30%. Our industrial system is still waiting for this batch of machine tools for emergency use—"

"If this amount is set, the progress plan for 45% of the industrial sector will definitely be affected."

Director Lin then asked, "Old Chen, did you communicate with your superiors before coming here?"

"Logically speaking, our ministry does not have the authority to make independent decisions regarding export matters."

"But what about you..."

Director Chen showed no embarrassment whatsoever; instead, he gave a wry smile and waved his hands repeatedly.

There was a moment of silence in the office, then Director Lin tapped his knuckles lightly twice on the desk.

"It's all been discussed, and the leaders above are aware of the situation."

He paused briefly, his tone becoming more somber:

"If you knew the price they offered, you'd understand why we accepted that number." He looked up. "Hans has loosened a few key technical restrictions."