Chapter 103 Nobody believed she knew anything about mechanics
"Director Zhang! Director Zhang! We've finally found you."
A worker rushed over, panting and covered in sweat. "The new batch of lathes that arrived at the factory has broken down again. Several lines have stopped. The factory manager is frantic and wants you to come back immediately."
"What did you say?"
Director Zhang's smile froze instantly, his eyes turning sharp and anxious. "Those new lathes again? They've only been running for a short time, how come they're broken again? Let's go."
He practically shouted it out as he turned and strode towards the factory area, urgently calling out to Xu Zhili and Li Mingyang, "Comrade Xu, Li, you two come with me, quick!"
Xu Zhili's watch repair skills, which she had just demonstrated, had indeed left a deep impression on Director Zhang.
This girl has a natural sensitivity to machinery; perhaps... she really can be of help?
Li Mingyang, the new technician at the factory, although there was a minor disagreement earlier, is a young man who is willing to learn. Let's take him along and see how he does it.
In the field of mechanics, young people are quick-witted and their thinking is not overly constrained by established patterns.
Faced with various mechanical challenges, they always manage to come up with novel and ingenious solutions with their unique thinking, demonstrating unlimited potential in this complex field by considering and breaking through from different angles.
Xu Zhili's heart tightened, and she immediately grabbed her younger brother Xu Zhian's hand, nodded quickly to Li Mingyang, and the three of them followed Director Zhang's footsteps and ran towards the workshop.
At this moment, Li Mingyang couldn't care less about the previous embarrassment. His mind was filled with confusion about the new machine's malfunction and a sense of responsibility as a technician.
The workshop was shrouded in gloom and despair.
Several brand-new lathes sat listlessly, surrounded by workers whose faces were filled with anxiety and helplessness, and the air was filled with noisy discussions.
Factory director Zhou Minsheng paced back and forth in front of the machine with his hands behind his back, his brows furrowed and veins throbbing slightly at his temples.
"Old Zhang! You've finally arrived!"
As soon as Director Zhou saw Director Zhang, he rushed over as if grasping at a straw, his voice filled with suppressed anger.
"Look! This is the third time this month. This batch of new machines is practically sabotaging us. We have orders coming in hot. If we can't fix them, our whole factory will starve."
Director Zhang, without bothering with pleasantries, strode over to the nearest malfunctioning lathe, bent down to examine it carefully, and moved his fingers quickly across the cold metal casing, tapping and listening intently.
Li Mingyang immediately stepped forward, took out his notebook and tools, and began to examine the items with a focused expression.
Xu Zhili pulled Xu Zhian along and stood quietly in a safe area a little further away.
Her gaze swept across the entire workshop and the few malfunctioning machines, her ears keenly picking up all sorts of sounds in the environment: the workers' chatter, the hum of the machines, the other working machines, and the subtle anomalies emanating from the deathly silence of those broken-down lathes.
She knew she was a sent-down youth who had been summoned by Director Zhang at the last minute, and her identity was sensitive; no one believed that a sixteen-year-old girl would understand machinery.
The most important thing at this moment is to observe and learn, and not to interfere rashly. What are the differences in the machinery of this era? She gently patted her younger brother, signaling him to stay quietly by her side.
"So, Lao Zhang, Xiao Li, have you figured anything out?"
Factory Director Zhou pressed on anxiously, his voice rising several decibels.
Time ticked by, and the pressure weighed on his heart like a boulder.
Director Zhang straightened up, his brows furrowing even more deeply, and shook his head wearily: "There's no obvious problem on the surface. Judging from the sound before it stopped operating, it sounds like the transmission system is stuck, but we'll have to take it apart to find out exactly where."
He looked at Li Mingyang.
Li Mingyang straightened up, his face pale and filled with frustration: "Director Zhang, I... I couldn't find an obvious fault either. The structure is too new; it's quite different from our old machines..."
He felt a sense of powerlessness; the complexity of the new machine exceeded his expectations.
"What should we do?"
Someone in the crowd shouted anxiously, "We need to get foreign experts quickly, or it will be too late!"
"Hiring experts? How much would that cost? Would they have enough time? They're very arrogant."
"Where's the instruction manual? Wasn't there a thick instruction manual?"
"It's all in foreign languages, like a foreign language, who can understand it?"
"Sigh, I think they deliberately give us defective products, block our technology, and strangle us. Isn't this kind of thing common?" Resentment spread.
Just then, Director Zhang's gaze swept across the crowd and landed on Xu Zhili, who was quietly observing.
A thought flashed through my mind.
He took a deep breath, turned to Director Zhou, and said in an unusually solemn tone: "Director Zhou, Old Zhou."
Zhou Minsheng, already annoyed, replied curtly, "Speak!"
"Let that young comrade give it a try."
Director Zhang pointed to Xu Zhili, "Her name is Xu Zhili, an educated youth from Xiangyang Brigade. Don't let her young age fool you, she's really skilled. Just now, she fixed my watch that had been stuck for half a year in no time. She has an extremely keen sense for mechanics."
"What!"
Factory Director Zhou followed the finger and saw Xu Zhili's delicate and tender face and the child beside her. His eyes almost popped out of their sockets, and his voice was filled with disbelief and strong distrust.
"Old Zhang! Are you out of your mind? Letting a teenage girl, or even a former educated youth, operate this new equipment worth hundreds of thousands?"
"Are you kidding me? Who's going to take responsibility for this? What if things get worse? Who's going to be responsible for the losses? No way, absolutely not." He waved his hand to reject the idea.
The surrounding workers whispered among themselves, their gazes toward Xu Zhili filled with suspicion and astonishment.
Director Zhang stepped forward, looked directly into Factory Director Zhou's eyes, and spoke in a low but weighty voice.
“Zhou Minsheng! I, Zhang Fugui, have worked in the machinery factory for most of my life. I swear on my old face, this girl is different. She has talent. What time is it now? We have to try, even if it's a last resort. Do you believe me?”
Factory Director Zhou looked at his old partner's unprecedented seriousness and urgency, glanced at the stagnant machines and anxious workers, and then thought of the overwhelming orders. His facial muscles twitched violently a few times.
Finally, he let out a heavy, extremely reluctant breath, almost gritting his teeth as he said, "...Fine! Old Zhang, I trust you this time, but let me make this clear beforehand, if..."
He didn't finish speaking, but his eyes were full of warning.
"Alright, alright, Lao Zhou, you're so old, why are you scaring that young girl?"
"Old Zhang, with your temper, you're only fit to be a director."
"These are two different things, stop rambling on and on. Just let Comrade Xu try it out without any further discussion."
"Old Zhang, your temper hasn't changed at all. Comrade Xu, right? Then I'll trouble you to give it a try."
"Yes, Director Zhou."
Xu Zhili looked at the scene before her and was speechless, feeling quite puzzled.
These two are almost a hundred years old combined, but they bicker like children, which is quite amusing.
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