"What's the matter? You got drunk last night and asked Xiaowei to recognize Fang Zhiyi as her sworn brother right on the spot. Have you forgotten?" His wife brought over a bowl of porridge. "But I think it's quite good. That young man looks down-to-earth."

Lin Xiaowei snorted and went out without eating.

Lin Jianguo was stunned for a long time. He had made Fang Zhiyi his daughter's adopted brother? Is that right?

Fang's mother is now looking forward to coming to the county town. Fang Zhiyi will take care of her food, take her shopping, and give her money. This eldest son who was worthless before is now very valuable. She has also asked people and knows that the salary of an electromechanical factory is about 200 yuan. The eldest son takes her out to eat and buy things, and also gives her 150 yuan. Isn't he a filial son?

Fang Zhiyi was also trying hard to instill some ideas in her, such as that women should be independent and have their own world, and then asked someone to bring her some fashionable decorations from other places. Fang's mother had gradually felt that her current family was not worthy of her. Fang Zhiyi even said that when he got a house in the future, he would take her and the third child to live with him and let her live like a city dweller. Fang's mother was very pleased and liked Fang Zhiyi more and more.

As for the third child, it was even simpler. Fang Zhiyi would give him some pocket money from time to time, focusing on cultivating his habit of eating, drinking, and having fun.

The rest of the time, Fang Zhiyi continued to research his own product: a hand-crank generator. The principle was simple: a DC motor, a gear train, a crank handle, a nickel-cadmium battery, and a lightbulb interface. The challenge lay in making it small, effortless to crank, and efficient enough to support low-power applications.

He spent his lunch breaks and after-work hours rummaging through the factory's scrap piles. An electromechanical factory was in no shortage of scrap. He scavenged scrap motor casings, suitable gears, and steel bars. He also saved some money to buy wire from his sales representative and asked them to buy some nickel-cadmium batteries from the battery factory.

The table in the dormitory is his workbench. Fang Zhiyi is very focused on his work. This thing in front of him is a very important first step.

A week later, the first prototype was ready. Crank the handle, and the connected small light came on! While the brightness was limited, it was sufficient for emergency lighting during a power outage. He even built a simple plastic shell to make the device look more complete.

In an inconspicuous corner of the street, Fang Zhiyi sat cross-legged in front of his stall, where there were several hand-cranked generators that he had rubbed with his hands.

"Hey, little comrade, what is this thing of yours?" Someone finally noticed it and walked up to ask.

Fang Zhiyi grinned and said, "It's a practical little tool." He picked one up and showed it to others.

"This is a hand-cranked generator. When the power goes out, crank it and it'll stay lit for over half an hour. Ten minutes is enough for half a night of reading! Buy one, and the elderly and children at home won't have to grope in the dark at night. Ten yuan each, no bargaining!"

Seeing the strange thing, many people gathered around.

The uncle who asked the question earlier frowned: "Ten? Too expensive, right? Your light isn't that bright, not even as bright as a flashlight."

Fang Zhiyi looked at him and said, "Uncle, you're right. Flashlights are convenient, but they use batteries. I don't have a penny, and I only need batteries for short bursts of illumination." He picked up the hand-cranked generator and continued cranking it. "Sometimes we just need a little light, like a toy. And how much is a flashlight? Forty, a less expensive one would be at least thirty, right? Mine is only ten yuan."

Many people were amazed, but no one paid any money. However, Fang Zhiyi was not in a hurry. Now was the early stage of the economy, and there was no shortage of smart people.

Suddenly, a man squeezed in and grinned at him, "Brother, I want them all."

Fang Zhiyi was a little embarrassed: "You want them all?"

The man nodded and glanced at the hand-cranked generators on the stall. I don't know what he was thinking. People are always like this. When no one buys, they always wait and see, and when someone buys, they start to regret it.

"I say, boss, can you sell one to me?" The uncle who asked the question first immediately took out the money.

"I want one, too."

The man who wanted to buy it all got anxious: "What are you doing? It's all mine." He smiled and looked at Fang Zhiyi, "Brother, let's be friends?"