The train driver in the courtyard

The entrance to the alley.

Li Aiguo got out of the car, walked up to Yu Shu, and pointed at his jeep: "Friend, my car needs a spark plug, a half shaft, and a crankshaft connecting rod mechanism."

"Wait, man, what do you think I am? I just sell small accessories like spark plugs and steering gears." Yu Shu was stunned.

".You can't get anything?"

"."Yu Shu looked at Li Aiguo with a strange look.

Li Aiguo was very familiar with this look; it was the same look he gave those Diets.

"My friend, there may be a misunderstanding."

Li Aiguo handed Yu Shu a cigarette, and after some casual chat they finally figured out that the matter was actually a misunderstanding by Yan Bugui.

Yu Shu is actually a worker in the Beijing Automotive Factory.

The parts he has are not made from the factory, but are scrapped parts collected from the scrap yard, which he then repairs and manufactures.

In the words of later generations, it means renovation.

Seeing that Yu Shu was acting mysterious all day long, Yan Bugui imagined him as a well-connected auto parts dealer.

"I have made it clear to those people that these are scrap parts, and I can only earn 30 or 50 cents from each of them. It can't be considered speculation."

Yu Shu was already scared now. If these accessories were really taken out, he would have to stay in there for at least a dozen years.

This also explains the doubts in Li Aiguo's mind.

These days, spare parts are controlled materials. Even buying spark plugs requires a letter of introduction. Who has the ability to smuggle auto parts out of the factory?

"Then let's have a spark match first." Li Aiguo took out ninety cents from his pocket and handed it over.

Yu Shu looked around, then pulled his collar closer and walked into the alley mysteriously. A moment later, these words came out with sparks.

Li Aiguo could tell at a glance that the spark plug was indeed scrap.

However, Yu Shu's craftsmanship is very good, and it can be used for at least two years after renovation.

"My friend, there's no need to play tricks on me with this."

“I’ve seen movies where people act this way.” Yu Shu chuckled.

Li Aiguo put the spark plug back and handed Yu Shu a cigarette.

"Is it really impossible to get the crankshaft connecting rod mechanism?"

"That's not the case. If you can find a 500-ton hydraulic press, even if it's scrapped, I can fix it for you." Yu Shu was very confident.

"You are so skilled?"

"You can go to the third workshop of Beijing Auto Parts and ask around. I, Yu Zi, am a technical secondary school student, and my skills are comparable to those of a ninth-level master craftsman."

"A technical secondary school student? Then why are you still a worker?"

"." Yu Shu almost broke down, and said with an awkward smile: "This has historical reasons."

"alright."

Seeing that Yu Shu was unwilling to talk, Li Aiguo did not ask any more questions. He bought a few small accessories and then drove the jeep back to the courtyard.

All the spare parts I got from Yu Shu came in handy. After they were installed, the jeep could drive properly.

In the following days, Li Aiguo bought parts from Yu Shu and modified the jeep.

The best way to build relationships with people is to pay them.

The way to build intimacy with people is to pay them more money.

There was naked money transaction between the two people, and they soon became familiar with each other.

"Man, if you ask me, you should make this radiator a bigger and install two big fans." Yu Shu himself loves cars, and now seeing Li Aiguo repairing a car there, his hands itched and came over.

"You're not going to sell me the old fan, are you?"

"That's impossible. I just want to see if the common problem of boiling water in this GAZ Jeep can be solved after changing the fan."

Yu Shu was worried that Li Aiguo was afraid to spend money, so he turned around and ran into the alley, and actually came out with two modified fans.

This fan is originally a household fan, but Yu Shu cut the blades into smaller sizes and the workmanship is also very exquisite.

"Your skills are quite impressive," Li Aiguo praised.

Being able to take all available means to solve problems under limited conditions is also a special ability.

Take Brother San from later generations for example.

The reason why he can serve as CEO of Xiaomei’s technology giant company is because of this ability.

Of course, this ability also has its drawbacks. The problem is not actually solved, but it will lay mines instead.

This is also the reason why those large companies headed by Indian CEOs may have good initial performance, but will run into trouble soon.

Didn’t you see the plane falling down during the broadcast?
"There's something wrong with your transformer component. If it's installed on a jeep, it could easily catch fire and burn," Li Aiguo gestured, pointing to the fuel tank next to him.

Yu Shu was feeling excited about his work, but when he heard this, he thought about it carefully and his expression suddenly changed.

"Then, what should we do?"

"To solve the problem from the root, first replace the transformer component, then replace the motor. Wait a minute."

There is nothing wrong with Yu Shu’s idea.

The biggest common problem of the GAZ jeep is the poor engine heat dissipation capacity, so Li Aiguo naturally wants to solve this problem.

He pushed Yu Shu's bicycle back to the maintenance workshop and brought back the motor and transformer components.

Seeing these two devices, Yu Shu's eyes widened: "You really got it, are you the leader?"

"Car enthusiast." Li Aiguo answered as he installed two fans on the water tank.

Start the jeep and the fan starts whirring, with excellent heat dissipation capabilities.

"I see you're also an expert." Yu Shu stared at the fan for a long time and gave his evaluation.

Li Aiguo handed him a cigarette and asked, "If I asked you to help design a new car, would you be willing?"

"Design? That's the job of the chief engineers. How can I do that?" Yu Shu shook his head.

At this moment, a voice suddenly came from the wall next door.

"Yu Zi, hurry up, Deputy Section Chief Niu is here!"

"Wait a minute."

Yu Shu waved at the head on the wall, turned around and solemnly extended his hand to Li Aiguo: "My name is Yu Shu, and I dream of becoming a car designer. Nice to meet you."

"I am very happy too. I would be even happier if your price could be cheaper."

"."

After shaking hands, Yu Shu ran towards the wall quickly, climbed up the wall in a few seconds, and jumped down.

A co-worker named Xiao Zhao asked in confusion, "It usually takes you three to five minutes to sell parts. Why did it take so long today?"

"I met an interesting person." Yu Shu smiled.

"Don't blame me for not reminding you. Deputy Section Chief Niu is still keeping an eye on you." Xiao Zhao said this with some worry.

"I know, I know. I was assigned to the workshop from a technician. What else can he do? Can he fire me? At worst, he can just deduct my salary."

Yu Shu was thinking about the improvements Li Aiguo had made to the GAZ jeep, and he felt that they were very ingenious. He was not paying attention to his friend's concern at this moment.

"Why do you always go against your leader? Can it ever be good?" Xiao Zhao shook his head helplessly.

As a technical secondary school student, Yu Shu was assigned to the BAIC Technical Department as a technician after graduation.

He had a promising future, but a while ago he made a serious mistake while improving his truck.

It is said that if Yu Shu were willing to apologize to Deputy Section Chief Niu, the matter could be put to rest, but he was stubborn and kept saying that the mistake was not his.

It's not your fault?
Could it be the leader’s fault?
Deputy Section Chief Niu reported the matter to the factory. Because Yu Shu disobeyed organizational management, he was demoted from a technician to an ordinary worker.

It is really regrettable.

****
With the help of Yu Shu, the transformation of the jeep was almost completed.

Li Aiguo took the battery to the maintenance workshop and added sulfuric acid, and the task of charging the battery was left to the third uncle.

"Hey, don't worry, Aiguo, I will definitely give you a full rush."

The third uncle took the battery, connected it to the bicycle, and pointed at Yan Jiedi: "Jiedi, generate electricity."

Yan Jiedi climbed onto the bicycle happily, and her short legs pedaled the bike, making a whirring sound.

Li Aiguo was curious why Yan Jiedi was so active.

"This is a management method, do you understand?" The third uncle narrowed his eyes and said, "Whoever of my children rides a bicycle can get the right to use the bicycle for one-tenth of the time."

Li Aiguo gave a thumbs up to the third uncle. If this guy was alive before liberation, he would definitely be a black-hearted profiteer.

After being tidied up, the jeep looks more like a jeep than before.

After it started, although it still emitted black smoke, the sound was much more pleasant. "Brother Aiguo, have you fixed the car?" Xu Damao came over as soon as he got off work.

"almost."

"How about taking my buddy for a ride?" Xu Damao looked a little envious.

Yan Jiecheng and Liu Guangqi also came over.

"Take some of us with you, too."

The residents in the compound all ran over to watch the fun.

I have nothing to do now, so I might as well test the Jeep.

"Get in the car. Let's go for a stroll in the suburbs today."

Several people hurriedly opened the car door and got in. Li Aiguo stepped on the accelerator and the jeep roared out of the courtyard.

Jia Dongxu looked at the scene with envy: "It would be great if I could ride in a jeep, too."

Yi Zhonghai coughed twice and said with a smile: "Apprentice, when the master becomes a leader, the factory will definitely provide the master with a special car. You can drive it at will then."

"Master." Jia Dongxu was so moved that he burst into tears.

******
After a simple test of more than 30 kilometers, it was found that although the GAZ jeep still had many problems, it would not leave Li Aiguo behind halfway and had the qualities of a commuter vehicle.

Chen Xueru was still a little reserved at first, but she couldn't help herself in the end. She let Li Aiguo drive her around the tailor shop and felt very proud.

Chen Fangxuan was happy but also a little worried: "Aiguo, this is a public car, we can't use it privately."

Before Li Aiguo could answer, Chen Xueru stopped him: "Dad, this car is a special car. Besides, the gasoline and other things were all bought by Brother Aiguo. No one can say anything."

Chen Fangxuan knew that Li Aiguo was a cautious person, so he didn't say much, but just reminded him to be careful when driving.

However, the eldest brother Chen Xingjia seemed very interested in the car. He opened the car door and touched and looked around. The eldest sister-in-law suggested that he learn to drive, but was rejected.

"I'll just take a look."

It was already evening when Chen Xueru handed the leathers brought back by Li Aiguo to Chen Fangxuan, and the two drove back home.

The next morning, Li Aiguo drove a jeep and took Yan Jiecheng to the maintenance workshop of Qianmen Locomotive Depot.

Director Zhang heard the noise and came out of the workshop. He could tell the difference of the jeep at a glance.

"Oh my goodness, have you cleaned it up from beginning to end?"

"That's not the case. The engine, crankshaft, connecting rod and chassis have not been moved. They are missing spare parts and cannot be moved."

Li Aiguo handed Director Zhang a cigarette and asked with a smile, "Old Zhang, last time you mentioned that we have casting equipment in our maintenance workshop. Can you borrow it for use?"

"That 100-ton hydraulic press? It's OK if you want to cast a single cylinder, but it's far from enough if you want to tinker with a car engine."

Director Zhang knows Li Aiguo's character. This guy is bold and has many ideas. It is impossible that he did this just to repair the car.

"If you want to manufacture cylinders and forge chassis, you need at least a thousand-ton forging press."

"Where can I get it?"

“No place.”

"."

Director Zhang spread his hands and said, "Originally, our section was planning to import a 500-ton hydraulic press from the Russians. The section chief even prepared the money, but they refused to sell it."

"How about we build it ourselves?" Li Aiguo took a look at the more than 3,000 points in the system.

"Make it yourself." Director Zhang was stunned at first, then his eyes lit up.

If someone else had proposed this plan, he would have thought that person was dreaming.

However, Li Aiguo has tinkered with so many incredible things and won the trust of Director Zhang.

Trust has inertia.

"I totally agree. To be honest, this hydraulic press is like a pair of iron pliers around our throats."

Director Zhang took a puff of smoke and said, "The hydraulic press is very important to our maintenance workshop.

In order to buy the 500-ton hydraulic press from the Russians, the higher-ups went to the Russians several times to do the work, and finally reached an agreement. We prepared the money to replace the hydraulic press, as well as eggs and wheat.

"Isn't it infuriating that they won't sell it to you in one sentence?"

Li Aiguo nodded: "If you don't have the ability to make it yourself, you will be controlled by others. If you don't want to be strangled by others, you have to make it yourself."

Director Zhang threw away his cigarette butt and stomped it out with his work shoes. The technician said angrily, "Fuck it!"

In fact, the reason why Li Aiguo went to so much trouble to make a hydraulic press was not entirely for the purpose of building an engine.

The hydraulic press is the most basic material processing equipment.

The basics are the most difficult.

Just as precision bearings require perfect circles, industrial breakthroughs must return to basics.

Only by consolidating these "invisible foundations" can we truly achieve the leap from a manufacturing power to a manufacturing powerhouse.

No matter how many designs you come up with, if you can't process it, you'll be in vain.

A big part of the reason why the domestic industrial level has been unable to catch up with that of foreign countries is that the material processing level is not up to standard.

Take a certain aircraft engine factory in the previous life as an example.

We spent a huge amount of money to introduce a five-axis machine tool from Sandezi, but due to the lack of supporting hydraulic forming technology, the qualification rate of titanium alloy blades was only 30%.

There was also a railway equipment manufacturing plant where a large number of gearboxes showed cracks.

After tracing the source, it was found that the pressure fluctuation of the hydraulic press during the pre-forging stage reached 15%, which caused the metal flow line to be disordered. In the end, it was necessary to seek help from the Komatsu hydraulic press.

You can import foreign products in the civilian field, but what about the military field? Will they sell them to you?
Now foreign hydraulic presses are in a stage of great development. If we can keep up with them in time, we may be able to find our own way.

"What, you want to make a hydraulic press?" When Director Xing heard the news, he was shocked, but after figuring out Li Aiguo's purpose, he immediately made the decision.

"Go ahead and do it. Our section will fully support you. If the section can't do it, I will risk my reputation and go to the ministry."

Director Xing Duan had just been offended by that group of foreign-worshipping guys a while ago, and his eyes were still red.

"It should be OK if someone from our department comes forward, but my laboratory needs to be upgraded now."

Hydraulic presses are heavy equipment and are very large in size. Now that small yard has a greenhouse, fitness equipment, and a house full of tools, there is no room left at all.

"I will immediately notify the Infrastructure Department and ask them to build a few more houses."

Seeing that Li Aiguo was about to leave, Director Xing called him back again.

"I'm in a meeting at the bureau today. I heard that all the road bureaus across the country have come to Beijing for a meeting. It seems that they are reporting on the results of speeding up. Maybe you can win another award."

Hearing this, Li Aiguo remembered the first time a train was speeded up.

After the railway network was completed, a special office was set up within the ministry to take over the task of speeding up trains. Counting the days, it’s almost time for results to emerge.

I just don't know how much of an achievement this first-in-history train speed increase will have with the help of the road network.

Li Aiguo chatted with Duan Chang for a few words and then strolled back to the laboratory.

At this time, the comrades of the engineering team had received the notice, the wall of the courtyard was torn open, and several large trucks loaded with construction materials arrived.

Li Aiguo discussed the planning of the laboratory with his colleagues from the engineering team on site. It was actually very simple, just building a few large warehouses.

When the two apprentices Huang Jing and Chen Boya arrived at the laboratory, they took over the job of supervisor.

Li Aiguo entered the greenhouse.

Now, under Huang Jing's care, all kinds of fruits and vegetables are growing well in the greenhouse.

Li Aiguo picked a few large watermelons and focused on checking the mixed corn.
The growth of corn is quite average, apparently because the temperature in the greenhouse is not suitable.

Li Aiguo doesn't need to worry.

Li Aiguo has sent the corn seeds that he saved last time to Wei Zhuang Commune and planted them on about ten acres of land.

By autumn, we will be able to determine whether the corn seeds developed by Li Aiguo can achieve the effect of increasing production and income.

"Chief Wang, Captain Liu, come on, eat some melons!"

Li Aiguo carried the watermelon out of the greenhouse, drew out the dagger from his waist, and cut the watermelon open, revealing the bright red flesh.

Before liberation, most of the watermelons sold in the domestic market were Pinghu watermelons, which were shaped like an American football and had yellow flesh, except for a few cemetery watermelons that had been passed down from childhood.

After liberation, melon farmers in Pinghu area introduced watermelon varieties from other places and cultivated a new variety with a round shape through scientific research methods, commonly known as "Liberation melon".

The flesh of Jiefang melon is bright red and tastes sweet and delicate.

It is used to cool down in the summer and tastes great.

When you take a bite, it feels like eating an ice cream.

Delicious.

(End of this chapter)