That C620 with its "iron box" casing stood like a living signboard in Workshop Two. At first, everyone just looked at it from a distance, pointing and whispering. But it was there every day, running steadily, producing excellent work, making it hard to ignore.
The change happened quietly.
First, Old Li, the operator of the milling machine next to him, strolled over during his break, circled the C620 twice, listened intently for a while, and then found Liu Li. His tone wasn't as aggressive as before, but rather tentative: "Engineer Liu, my milling machine makes quite a lot of noise when it's working. Do you think... you could fix it up for me too?"
Then, the director of Workshop 3 also came to visit. He didn't directly mention installing the equipment, but instead asked indirectly, "Deputy Section Chief Liu, I heard your technology can even save electricity? The factory is really cracking down on energy consumption these days, and those few electricity hogs in our workshop are driving us crazy..."
Even Sister Cui, who served food in the canteen, deliberately scooped an extra half spoonful of food for Liu Li and said in a low voice, "Engineer Liu, my husband works in Workshop Two. He said that the stuff you guys make really works! This month, their group has less scrap, so they'll get a few more yuan in bonuses!"
The old masters who used to make sarcastic remarks with their arms crossed have softened their attitude. Sometimes when Liu Li comes to the workshop, they will take the initiative to come over, point to a part of the equipment that vibrates significantly and ask, "Engineer Liu, look here, if we add your stuff, will it work?" Although their tone still carries a bit of the arrogance of old craftsmen, the doubt in their eyes has turned into a genuine request for advice.
What touched Liu Li the most was Master Zhao.
That afternoon, Liu Li went to the second workshop to check the operating data of the "model machine". She saw Master Zhao carefully wiping the oil stains on the outer shell of the device with a clean cotton cloth. His movements were similar to wiping his own precious wrench.
Seeing Liu Li approach, Master Zhao straightened up somewhat awkwardly, stuffed the cotton yarn into his pocket, coughed, and said out of the blue, "This stuff... is afraid of oil, so you have to wipe it on often." After saying that, he walked away with his hands behind his back.
Looking at his slightly stiff back, Liu Li felt a warmth in her heart. She knew that this stubborn old master had, in his own way, acknowledged the new technology.
The ice in people's hearts melts quickly once a crack appears. Before, Liu Li was chasing after the workshops, begging them to try things out. Now it's the other way around; several workshop directors and technicians are proactively coming to her, lining up to ask when it will be their workshop's turn for renovation. The small office in the technical department has suddenly become bustling with activity.
This transformation wasn't due to Liu Li holding numerous meetings or spouting grand theories, but rather to the actual "demonstration machine" that was running and the tangible benefits it brought—less noise, more comfortable work; higher precision, less waste, more bonuses; slower equipment wear, and less trouble with maintenance.
Tangible benefits are more effective than any advertisement. That's the principle that workers value most.
Looking at the huge and bustling workshop before her, Liu Li couldn't help but feel a surge of pride. She keenly noticed the gazes cast upon her by the workers around her—those expectant and trusting eyes, like a blazing torrent, continuously converged upon her.
At this moment, Liu Li knew she was shouldering a great mission: the promotion of this work had finally overcome the most difficult obstacle! However, this was only the beginning. The next step was to figure out how to turn this spark into a raging fire, allowing it to spread throughout the factory and even further afield.
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