Siheyuan: I eat melons while doing scientific research

Chapter 1278 This... well, I'm pretending for Chief Engineer Gao (4k)

"President Xi, you know what, these past few days during the inspection, I've been worried about affecting your inspection progress, so there are some things I haven't been able to say. Would you like to hear them?" The comrade who came to inspect said with a smile to the comrade who was making the imitation ship diesel fuel.

Upon hearing this, President Xi was overjoyed. It was immediately clear that the other party had identified a problem with the equipment his company had copied. Although it wasn't fatal, he felt it had a significant impact.

This was good news for President Xi. He knew that there were many problems with the imitation ship fuel, and he was more than happy to have someone help them. Even just helping to discover the problems would save him a lot of trouble, let alone solving them.

He quickly took out a cigarette and offered one to the other party: "Mr. Lu, have one, have one, tell me quickly!"

The comrade who came to inspect the engine was Engineer Lu from the Grassland Tractor Factory. It's normal to call him to come for the inspection of a diesel engine, since tank diesel engines are diesel engines after all.

Engineer Lu lit a cigarette, took a satisfying drag, and then said, "During the acceptance test, I heard during the trial run that your crankshaft was probably quite worn out, wasn't it?"

President Xi was both surprised and delighted. He was surprised because the comrades in the military industry were indeed capable. Although they did not deny the matter, they described it in the report as having a shorter lifespan and overhaul time, without explaining the reasons at all. He did not expect that the comrades could understand what was going on just by listening to them.

The reason for my delight is that since they brought it up, and even took the initiative to do so, there's a high probability that they have some solutions.

"Yes, yes, Mr. Lu, you're really amazing. You can figure out what's going on just by listening. There really is such a problem..."

Before President Xi could finish speaking, Engineer Lu added with a smile, "Let me guess, the reason for the severe wear is a problem with the assembly and fit of the crankshaft connecting rod."

Now, Mr. Xi was only filled with astonishment: "Amazing! Absolutely amazing! Mr. Lu, if you hadn't come here for the inspection, I would have thought you were one of our factory's employees! Yes, that's the problem. To be honest, this thing is difficult to process. If we cut it open and grind it finely, not to mention what it would turn out like, just the huge processing surface alone makes it impossible to guarantee the fit after processing; it slips a lot..."

If the machining surface of a tank connecting rod is relatively small, then the cutting surface of a marine diesel engine is much larger. With such a large machining surface, it is very difficult to ensure proper fit under the technological conditions of that time, and the machining cost is also very high.

The cost increase from increasing the area is not linear; it is much more significant, almost exponential. Although the exponent is relatively small, it is still not on the same level as a linear increase.

Engineer Lu didn't respond; he was waiting for President Xi to finish speaking.

Sure enough, Mr. Xi had more than one question: "If we consider positioning during cutting, it becomes even more difficult. In the end, it's still a machining problem. Mr. Lu, you can tell the whole story just by listening to your voice. You're amazing."

He spoke sincerely, genuinely admiring Engineer Lu's skills.

When Lu heard the praise, he became a little embarrassed: "Hey, I'm not that good. I was able to guess because I encountered the same problem as you, hahaha."

When Mr. Xi heard his words, he was both amused and exasperated. It was like decades later, someone posted a photo of their car crashing into a wall online, and another netizen immediately quoted out the damage assessment list and amount for their car. It wasn't because the netizen was an insurance agent, but more likely because the netizen himself had a car that had crashed into the same spot.

But President Xi immediately realized that President Lu's cheerful demeanor meant there must be a reason behind it. If the issue hadn't been resolved to some extent, would he still be able to laugh so happily?

"President Lu, it seems you are pioneers. Come, come, share your experience. You don't know, this problem has been bothering us for a long time. We had difficulty adapting the original Gauls' solution, and their original version also had this slight problem, only it was minor and lasted longer. As for our improved... no, I should say simplified solution, it's the problem you mentioned."

Upon hearing this, Engineer Lu stretched out his hand: "Give me that pack of cigarettes in your pocket, and I'll tell you."

Although Lu Gong was banging his bamboo pole loudly, General Manager Xi was overjoyed. What bamboo pole? This is a revolutionary comrade trying to ease my guilt about not getting something for nothing, giving me a reason to get something for nothing!
Without saying a word, he took out a cigarette from his pocket and slapped it heavily onto Engineer Lu's hand.

However, he didn't do anything stupid like asking the other comrades to take out their cigarettes and give them to General Manager Lu. Did you think General Manager Lu really needed those two packs of cigarettes?

Lu Gong held the cigarette to his nose, took a satisfying sniff, put it in his pocket, took out paper and pen, and began to draw, explaining as he drew.

When Engineer Lu explained the technology of the "fracture-resistant connecting rod" to General Manager Xi, General Manager Xi was overjoyed, though surprise still lingered.

"You really have to admit that the veteran in the military industry has a brilliant technological approach! Absolutely brilliant! They've turned the impossible into reality, solving the linkage's positioning problem in an unexpected way, and it's simple, convenient, and low-cost. Mr. Lu, you don't know how significant this is to us!"

He felt that no amount of praise for General Manager Lu was too much; the combined effect of this technology was truly amazing.

Engineer Lu hadn't thought of any other significance: "Huh? Isn't that an exaggeration?"

Mr. Xi shook his head: "It's not an exaggeration at all. The connecting rods made with this technology can still work for a period of time even if they are slightly loose. This is extremely important for marine engines that are often at sea and are difficult to disassemble and repair!"

Unlike cutting connecting rods, which slip severely if they become even slightly loose, the special meshing method of the fracture-type connecting rod ensures that it can continue to work even with slight looseness, which is a huge advantage for marine engines.

Seeing Lu's surprised expression, President Xi grasped his hand: "Thank you so much, thank you so much, genius! Genius! President Lu, you are too generous, I'm embarrassed."

Having the skills is one thing, but being willing to tell you is another.

His words made President Xi a little embarrassed. He couldn't take credit for it, so he quickly explained, "No, no, no, I'm not that good. We learned this technique from others. They are the real experts."

Chief Engineer Gao is selfless and never hides anything. As for us who have learned the technology, as long as we don't violate the rules, how can we have the nerve to be so secretive?
"Huh? Who is it? I know most of the people in the diesel engine industry in China. I've consulted with many people before but haven't found a solution." President Xi was a little surprised. Because he knew most of the top diesel engine professionals and had consulted with many people without success, he assumed that the technology was developed by Engineer Lu. Otherwise, he would have obtained it from him long ago.

Engineer Lu chuckled, "I can't say that, you know what I mean." Hearing Engineer Lu's words, President Xi slapped his forehead, "Hey, look at my pig brain. I'm really sorry."

Where did Mr. Lu come from? He's an expert specially transferred by the National Defense Commission to participate in the acceptance inspection. It's already lucky that he told me about this technology. I guess it just so happens that this technology is not in the sensitive area, and Mr. Lu is willing to tell me because he's scratching his head. How could I ask where this technology came from? What kind of pig brain is that?

Unlike the grassland tractor factory, this diesel engine factory focuses on civilian products. While warships use a lot of diesel engines, civilian diesel engines are even more common. Therefore, it is not under the jurisdiction of the National Defense Industry Commission. If this diesel engine hadn't been used on a warship, the National Defense Industry Commission probably wouldn't have sent their internal experts to inspect it.

He realized he had inquired about something he shouldn't have, so his first reaction was to make fun of himself and then apologize.

Engineer Lu laughed and said, "It's alright, it's alright. I'll tell you what I can, and I won't make mistakes about things I can't tell you, so don't worry. Also, I can reveal that we've already verified this technology, and it's reliable. For you, the main thing to consider is the large workpiece combined with the marine environment, which may require slightly special materials. If you have any difficulties with materials, you can contact me. Although some materials are unique to us, we don't have complete control over their availability."

Even if we don't have it, I have a way to find it for you as much as possible. We have a special advantage in this area, an advantage that is arguably the strongest in the country, if not the only one.

At this point, he couldn't help but admire Chief Engineer Gao. Although he rarely left the factory, his influence and help to his comrades spread far and wide through his group of people.

I've done a great job for Chief Engineer Gao!

"Understood! Don't worry, if there are any difficulties, I will definitely bring them up! Come on, Engineer Lu, it's lunchtime, let's go to the cafeteria and have a good chat."

Mr. Xi felt he had no way to repay Mr. Lu's generosity and kindness. "How can I repay such kindness? Only with wine."
-
Gao Zhendong, who had been helped by Comrade Lao Lu to show off in another place, was unaware of all this. He was currently teasing Sha Zhu's son.

"Come here, Fang Yuan, grab your uncle's hand."

Sha Zhu had already agreed that Gao Zhendong would name his son. After thinking it over, Gao Zhendong took three characters directly from "Li Sao": "He Fang Huan".

These three characters come from the poem "Li Sao" (离骚), specifically the line "How can square and round fit together? How can people with different paths live in harmony?"

The official explanation for Gao Zhendong's choice of this name is that he hopes the boy will be outwardly flexible but inwardly principled, able to handle matters gently yet maintain his own principles.

However, there is another layer of meaning that is actually related to the original meaning of the poem. It means that this kid was born from two people who were originally difficult to be together, like a square and a circle. After all, he knew how long the two people were entangled in the original TV series but never got together, let alone having this kid.

That's the only layer of meaning that can't be explained. Even Lou Xiao'e, who was very familiar with him, felt a little strange but didn't feel too out of place. After all, the original meaning of the Li Sao didn't sound very good. But she didn't think too much about it. The old bachelor and the pretty widow, it makes sense when you put it into the original sentence. It can be considered a blessing for them to overcome all obstacles and come together.

As for whether the generation name of this kid in Shazhu's family is "Fang", not only Gao Zhendong, but even Shazhu himself doesn't know, and it's also uncertain whether his missing father knows.

Xiao Fangyuan grabbed Gao Zhendong's hand, and Gao Zhendong suddenly lifted him up. The child lurched upwards with his hand, then lost his grip and fell back down.

"Hmm, the grasping reflex has basically disappeared, that's normal." Lou Xiao'e stood to the side like a baby quality inspector. Under normal circumstances, a baby's grasping reflex will disappear 2 to 3 months after birth. If it doesn't disappear for too long, it's not a good thing.

"Don't call him Fang Yuan, call him Yi Ju!" Hearing their words, Sha Zhu was unhappy. He felt that formal names were for serious occasions, while nicknames were more intimate. He had been envious for a long time of Gao Zhendong calling his two siblings "Yan Zhi Bu Yu" (meaning "I won't warn you"), and felt that such nicknames were more interesting. He pestered Gao Zhendong to give him another nickname.

They wouldn't even accept silly characters like Dog Egg; they wanted something that sounded completely nonsensical.

Gao Zhendong had no choice but to follow the ancient conventions of naming characters, drawing from the concept of "square and round" to "without rules, there can be no square and round," and extracting the character "依矩" (yī jǔ). In ancient times, naming characters were derived from the given name. For example, Zhuge Liang's courtesy name was Kongming, and "Kongming" is an extension of "Liang."

In ancient times, the coming-of-age ceremony was a formality for adults, but Gao Zhendong didn't follow such rules. It was just a nickname, and this unusual nickname was actually quite popular with Sha Zhu.

Gao Zhendong laughed and, without warning, called out "Yiju" quite cheerfully.

"I got this nickname by paying for a meal, so I have to make sure you guys call me that a lot to get my money's worth, hehehe." Sha Zhu said with a smile, because Gao Zhendong had ripped him off for another meal because of this "nickname".

As for Qin Huairu, it doesn't matter. As long as Chief Engineer Gao helped come up with the name, it doesn't matter what it's called.

"Zhendong, you know we're getting more and more powerful now. What if one day we take that back? Otherwise, we'll just stay like this, like a toad on your foot—it's not scary, it's disgusting."

He knew about the attempted bombing at the factory. Although it wasn't made public, he could guess where it came from. Just like he said, it didn't seem like a big deal, it was just disgusting.

Toad? This proverb is interesting. I've learned it. Our ancestors have left us with so much knowledge. Gao Zhendong was overjoyed: "I don't know. We just follow the instructions from above. How would ordinary people like us know?"

"Hey, just an ordinary person..." Sha Zhu chuckled, shook his head, and continued working on the dishes in his hands.

I don't know where you get the courage to say you're just an ordinary person? At least compared to yourself, you're definitely not ordinary.

In fact, even Sha Zhu himself is not an ordinary person. He has a certificate of merit from the Defense Committee and such, which is something that ordinary people cannot obtain. With his skills, he is not an ordinary person either.

(End of this chapter)