Rebirth 08: Equipment God

Chapter 449 New Heroes, New Battles

The small fruit stand thus took root opposite the gate of the instrument factory.

Although the first day was unpleasant, the free watermelon on the second day was enough to win back all goodwill. The stalls also changed their offerings to things that keep well, like apples and oranges, which wouldn't spoil quickly in the summer.

Wang Xue also had a small spray bottle, which she would spray water to cool down from time to time. Whether she figured it out herself or Meng Tao taught her, she had developed a certain method for it.

The most popular drinks were still iced beverages, which sold much faster than fruit. Even though they had mostly returned to room temperature by the afternoon, the students still bought a bottle without hesitation.

Whether it was others who also found good spots, or simply the students' parents, more stalls were soon added.

During the hot daytime, Wang Xue is still the only one there, but in the evening, more food stalls appear.

The vendors selling fried skewers, fried tofu, and rolled pancakes—look at those professional "cart-stall integrated" tricycles; it's probably not a spur-of-the-moment decision, but rather a shift of operations from the city center.

On the contrary, "Wang Xue Fruit Stall," which only sells fruits and drinks, doesn't have many customers, because the snack stall also sells drinks on the side.

Meng Tao came every day, and he wasn't dissatisfied with the increased number of people. He just kept optimizing "Wang Xue's Fruit Stall" little by little, from the types of fruit sold to the handwritten signs. He even took a microphone to record some of the vendor's calls for the mute girl.

At night, the smell of cooking oil and the aroma of food are particularly noticeable, creating a lively atmosphere reminiscent of a rural town.

Every morning, however, the floor is covered in grease, scraps of paper, and bamboo skewers.

Especially some oily and dirty water, if poured directly on the roadside, will ferment overnight in the summer, and the next day the doorway will smell like swill.

In the end, Zhai Da did not interfere in such a trivial matter. Instead, he asked Qu Zhen, the "principal" of the training school, to negotiate with the vendors.

They need to ensure both environmental and food hygiene. While they can handle issues on the street, it's easy to call the urban management officers with a phone call.

In the short term, the advice is effective.

In early July, a group of young people traveled thousands of miles to this small town in the north.

On the county road, a dilapidated taxi drove along, and the shock absorption system made a creaking sound every time it went over a pothole.

A tall, beautiful young woman sat in the back seat, seemingly out of place with the road, the beat-up car, and the county town.

"Young lady, are you here to work? The Mechanical Core Research Institute?"

The tall girl nodded: "Yes, uncle."

The 21-year-old man's face fell: "I'm only in my early twenties! It's just that I haven't taken good care of myself."

Yang Tiantian chuckled dryly, "The soil and water of Dongyang are quite nourishing."

"Where did it come from?"

"Shanghai."

"Wow! The research institute is so famous! It's attracted university students from Shanghai!"

Yang Tiantian looked at the building that was beginning to take shape in the distance: "The research institute wasn't here before, how is it after it moved here?"

"Then you've come to the right person. I'm President Zhai's direct junior from school. Recently, Dongyang is about to soar to new heights!"

They chatted casually, and this sophisticated girl from Shanghai was surprisingly talkative and interested in everything, though the conversation mainly revolved around the research institute.

After all, as a genius newly selected for the "π" program, she will likely be staying here for the next few years.
After getting off the bus at the Precision Instrument Factory, Yang Tiantian looked around, intending to familiarize himself with the terrain.

There was nothing there except a fruit stand. It wasn't even worth getting familiar with the area, so I just strode in with my long legs.

Such a beautiful girl naturally had someone enthusiastically lead the way, and she was taken to an office in the main building, where she knocked on the door.

"Please come in."

Inside was a simple office, without any complicated or elegant decorations or ornaments. It was just tidy and clean, and the terrazzo material on the floor, which was popular decades ago, gave it a retro look.

Zhai Da, who was busy behind the table, looked up and smiled, "Yang Tiantian, right? Please sit down. I'm sorry we don't have anyone to greet you."

The lie was actually intentional, a small test.

Pi has a lofty organizational vision, but its style of doing things is very down-to-earth. If you think it's like the legendary Freemasons, you'll probably be very disappointed.

Yang Tiantian quickly replied, "It's alright, it's alright, Mr. Zhai, you're busy."

This was a genius discovered in Shanghai during the World Expo. He was a senior in college and his field of study was a perfect match: chemistry. Zhai Da naturally wouldn't let him go and sent him an invitation.

With the current reputation of the Mechanical Core Research Institute, they directly reversed the other party's original plan. After becoming a member of "π", they went a step further and chose to join the "Research Institute".

"Among the members of 'π,' I'm used to everyone calling me 'President,' but occasionally you can just call me by my code name in private. I remember your code name is..."

"Hyacinth." "Yes, very unique."

Zhai Da talked with Yang Tiantian for a long time in his dual capacity as both the chairman and the boss.

Geniuses are often problem children, but this one is more normal than expected. He is poised, articulate, and speaks fluently. I learned that his father is a civil servant and his mother works at a television station, indicating that he has received excellent upbringing.

Two more "π members" were added this time.

One is Xie Yang, a genius in the field of electronics and electrical engineering, from Xi'an Jiaotong University, whose nickname is "Test Pen".

Another is Tang Xiaofeng, a genius in the field of materials science, from Beijing University of Science and Technology, whose code name is "Lattice".

You can tell the difference in style between men and women just from the code names they chose for themselves.

Men tend to prefer "handsome" and "directed" designs, while women may prefer to use things they like that are unrelated, such as Sun Ting's "strawberry candy".
Perhaps in the future, organizations will use abstract code names like "Pikachu."

Of course, whether or not it can be successfully implemented also depends on personal willingness and current status. It is not something that Zhai Da can just summon at will. For example, some people who are still far from graduating obviously cannot drop out of school and come to work.

For example, a physics genius graduate student from Tsinghua University ultimately chose to pursue further studies abroad.

This is normal. "π" is not a strict organization, but a club that gathers geniuses. People gather because of common characteristics, a sense of ritual, and a sense of belonging. But only when they are activated and come together to do specific things can they be called close-knit.

Even the combined prestige of the research institute and the special nature of "π" can sometimes be insufficient.

Zhai Da offered his best wishes to the physics genius and said that if he encountered any trouble abroad, "π" would not be without connections and that they could communicate at any time.

Even if they can never work together, once these people reveal their true colors, they might find other "cooperation" opportunities.

In short, all three of them arrived in the past few days, with Yang Tiantian being the last. They joined the research institute rather than the silicon carbide plant, but they will be busy with their work here in the short term.

We chatted for about an hour, which helped to break down the initial awkwardness between us.

"Your dorm room is a single room, which is a little perk for 'π' members. By the way, there's a 'Mist Tavern' downstairs in the dorm building. You should be familiar with it."

Yang Tiantian exclaimed in surprise, "Really!? I love that one in Shanghai! I didn't expect there to be one in Dongyang too!"

Zhai Da smiled and said, "Yueda Catering is expanding its reach across the country. It's no problem to secure at least one restaurant in a major city. This is also an important means for 'π' to remotely shape style and create a sense of belonging."

Dongyang will naturally not be absent. Yueda's craft beer business has already entered the market. Although the location is small and the scale is not large, it is, after all, the future stronghold, and Wuyue will not give up.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

On July 8, the research institute conducted a thorough inspection of the No. 7 factory building in the "Phase I" of the factory area, which is the building that we had previously taken everyone to visit.

The ultra-clean air system, all functional areas, and water and electricity layout have all met the design requirements and have completed several rounds of "deep cleaning".

Zhai Da began to focus on the training work itself, coordinating the entry of materials and equipment from all parties.

The required items were ordered six months ago and are currently in the warehouses of various suppliers.

The next step is to install and debug the equipment at the factory. The research institute in Harbin will also start the first round of large-scale relocation of personnel and materials to relieve the pressure on the increasingly crowded old red brick factory buildings.

That area has truly reached its design limits.

However, the most important "big furniture," the cute and adorable girl in the eyes of the employees, and the most powerful equipment with high risk and high reward in Zhai Da's eyes: [Execution of Old Yu], is not yet ready to be used.

It will wait until the circular headquarters is initially completed, or at least the central circular green space is finished, before making any further moves.

The relocation of the research institute will take nearly six months, until Lao Yu and the "Hongtu OS" project team arrive at the circular headquarters building. However, the building will not be abandoned, as the research institute and Harbin Institute of Technology have signed a long-term cooperation agreement.

That former site, resembling a Greek town, will become a joint training base, facilitating collaborations in software, semiconductors, and many other fields. It will also serve as the research institute's main support base, essentially serving as a branch in Harbin.

On July 10, the members of "π" also completed their exams and returned with dozens of graduating students from Harbin Institute of Technology.

The research institute in Dongyang has reached its current peak in terms of personnel, resources, and manpower, with a total of over 400 people.

Nearly a hundred technical personnel from various suppliers and external equipment procurement companies have also arrived.

In fact, to ensure the smooth entry and production of the silicon carbide plant, the county government, together with the transportation and municipal departments, established a special task force. After each truckload of expensive equipment exited the highway, traffic police familiar with the local roads would escort it.

They even removed five height restriction barriers to ensure that these vehicles experience as little bump as possible, even if it's just saving one kilometer.

Since the "Training Project".

A new round of "entering the factory and starting production" has officially begun.

　(Based on everyone's suggestions, the name of Mechanical Engineering College Road 1 will be changed to "Mechanical Core Road 1". Other similar naming methods will follow the same pattern in the future.)

　　
　
(End of this chapter)