Republic of China: Ace Pilot

Chapter 384 382 New Year's Gift Pack, Mount Tai New Year's Gathering
The talent training arrangement has been finalized, and the Taishan Research Institute is still researching mass production technology for polysilicon and batch manufacturing technology for transistor components.

As the time draws near, there are only ten days left until the 38th Spring Festival.

The festive atmosphere of the Lunar New Year is growing stronger.

Locals in Wuhan, as well as a large number of civilians who fled from the north and the coast, are preparing for the Spring Festival.

The Spring Festival—the most important festival for family reunion for Chinese people—presents an unprecedentedly complex picture amidst the smoke of war and suffering. It reflects both the tenacious adherence to tradition and the deep sorrow for the fate of the nation, as well as the undying hope for the survival of the nation.

There are also various practical factors such as being away from home and lacking resources.

The Shenbao newspaper, which moved from Shanghai to Hankou, gave a special report on this New Year during the war.

"At the Chaotianmen Wharf in Chongqing, in the shacks where refugees lived, families sat around a pot of thin porridge, with a few pieces of pickled vegetables mixed in, making do with their New Year's Eve dinner. Even in such poverty, they still left a pair of empty chopsticks on the table to express their deep longing for their loved ones in their occupied homeland. As for the refugee camps in Luoyang, Henan, there were loving mothers who skillfully cut out the character '福' (fortune) from red paper and pasted it on straw mats, whispering to their children auspicious words for ancestral worship in their hometown, remembering the past and not forgetting their roots."

The content described in the newspaper was not only seen in Chongqing and Luoyang, but Fang Wen also saw it in Wuhan.

No matter how much hardship people experience, their deep-seated hopes and expectations will never disappear. Regardless of social class or circumstances, everyone will eat that Spring Festival meal.

For Fang Wen, what he needed to look after were the tens of thousands of employees of Taishan Airlines, the army in Fuping, and the civilians from Wuhan who were stranded in the Taishan shelter, all within his power.

In these ten days, nothing is more important than letting them have a good New Year.

Therefore, Fang Wen convened a meeting at the headquarters of Taishan Airlines with the heads of various departments, which is his inner circle, to discuss the matter.

"There are still ten days until the Chinese New Year. How are the preparations going?" he asked.

Manager Liu from the Finance Department said first: "As per your request, a special expense for the Spring Festival has been set up, and it has been reimbursed based on the procurement situation of each department."

Sun Debiao picked up a stack of papers: "The logistics department purchased 1000 jin of live pigs, 1000 jin of cured meat and sausages, and about 700 jin of other local specialties from Sichuan. They have already been transported to Fuping by seaplane transport team."

Then Fang Shouxin from the Administration Department said: "The company gives every employee a Spring Festival gift package, which includes couplets, candy, a bottle of oil, and a bag of rice."

Fang Wen asked, "Where are the oil and rice from?"

"The oil is camellia oil, transported from Guizhou. The logistics department handled the procurement, and we had the tinware factory near Xiangxi Airport reopen to produce a batch of oil jugs. The rice is Jingshan rice, produced locally in Hubei. We had someone print the packaging bags," Fang Shouxin replied.

As he spoke, he got up and took a gift bag.

Fang Wen took the red cloth bag and opened it to look inside.

There was a card inside that read: "Taishan Group includes you, me, and everyone else. New Year, new look, let's create a better future together."

There is also a couplet: "Drive out the Japanese pirates and restore our land; celebrate the New Year and hope for peace."

A bag of candy, with the words "Strive for self-improvement and persevere to the end" printed on the wrapper.

And a 1-jin tea oil tin pot and a 2-jin rice container.

Although the items were few, they contained affection and hopes for the future.

Fang Wen was satisfied with this, and the meeting continued.

The new head of the shipping department, Shao Sishen, reported: "The domestic airports that are still in operation have all arranged shifts for the Spring Festival, and we have already distributed these gift packages to airports in various regions in advance. In addition, the Spring Festival holidays for Asia-Europe flights and South Asia seaplane flights have also been adjusted appropriately, and the Spring Festival benefits have been shipped abroad to employees overseas."

"What about the logistics staff in Yunnan, Guizhou, and Sichuan? They are all far from home, so we need to take good care of them. And what about those Nanjing students stranded in Wuhan? How are they planning to spend the Spring Festival?" Fang Wen asked.

Sun Debiao replied, "We have already sent the gift packages from the administration department to the logistics headquarters in the capital cities of the three provinces. They will definitely be distributed to every grassroots employee before the holiday. In addition, they will also receive a New Year's bonus so they can have a good New Year at the logistics station."

Chuncao then reported: "I am in charge of the Spring Festival arrangements for those students from Nanjing. They will spend the New Year together in the dormitory area of ​​the headquarters. All preparations have been made."

It seems that everything is almost done.

Fang Wen then moved on to the next topic.

"The Spring Festival is approaching, and everyone will be going back to reunite with their families. But before that, I would like to do a few things with you. We will deliver New Year's supplies to the civilians in the Taishan shelter so that they can also have a good New Year. In addition, we also need to remember the hard work of the Xiangxi Airport and Yangon. As senior managers of our company, we cannot forget their hard work throughout the year."

Everyone nodded in agreement; that was indeed the right thing to do.

The meeting then discussed and made arrangements for this matter.

1 month 27 day.

Hankou Taishan Resettlement Center.

Several trucks delivered a large amount of supplies.

The civilians in the resettlement area came out to watch.

Shao Sishen, Sun Debiao, Manager Liu, Fang Shouxin and others got off the vehicle and directed the Taishan Airlines staff to unload the supplies and then distribute them to the civilians.

These supplies included pork, flour, oil, and vegetables.

Although it wasn't a lavish meal, it was enough for them to spend a Spring Festival away from home.

People who received the supplies happily busied themselves at the communal kitchen.

Customs from the North and the South blend together here.

Dumplings from the North and rice cakes from the South were served on the same table at the same time, as people from both the North and South, displaced by war, jointly wished for a better future.

After the supplies were distributed, Fang Wen and his group went to the airport.

They boarded the Taishan No. 1, which was loaded with supplies, and took off. Their first destination was Xiangxi Airport.

Two hours later, the plane landed at Xiangxi Airport.

Fang Wen led senior executives from Taishan Airlines headquarters off the plane.

Afterwards, staff from various departments within the airport gathered for a large meeting.

Fang Wen stepped onto the stage with a big smile, picked up the megaphone, and read out the speech he had prepared specifically for this occasion.

"On the occasion of the Spring Festival, we have prepared New Year's gifts for all our colleagues at Xiangxi Airport to express our deepest respect for your hard work and dedication. Looking back on the past year, you have worked tirelessly and diligently, devoting yourselves wholeheartedly to airport affairs and achieving remarkable results, which is truly a blessing for Taishan Airlines. This gift is not only a celebration of the festival but also an affirmation and praise for your achievements. We wish you all a happy Spring Festival, a happy family, and even greater success in the coming year, working together to create a brilliant future for Taishan Airlines."

The speech, though brief, was met with enthusiastic applause from the staff of Xiangxi Airport.

After the applause subsided, Fang Wen handed the microphone to Manager Liu and began distributing New Year gift packages.

Fang Shouxin then happily came over to share the good news with Fang Wen.

"Young Master, my Shunzi is pregnant."

"Shunzi is pregnant?" Fang Wen asked in surprise.

"Oh, I'm so happy, Shunzi's wife is pregnant."

Fang Shouxin's joy was evident on his face, and Fang Wen was happy for him too.

"Congratulations! Where's Shunzi?"

"Shunzi is organizing the distribution of Spring Festival gift packages. Young master, I have something I'd like to ask you on Shunzi's behalf."

"what's up?"

"Help me name my grandson." "We don't even know if it's a boy or a girl yet, isn't it too early?"

"It's not early. You can get one for the boy and one for the girl; you'll both need them later," Fang Shouxin replied happily.

It was a happy thing, so Fang Wen certainly wouldn't refuse.

He thought about it for a moment.

Nowadays, people often use terms related to the War of Resistance against Japan, such as "recovery" and "restoration of China," when naming their newborns.

But there are too many names like that, and they are easy to repeat.

Fang Wen recalled a couplet he had seen at the Taishan Convalescent Center in Hankou: "Temporarily take this foreign land as your hometown, and try the new tea with the new fire."

The meaning behind this is also good.

From this, he came up with two names.

"How about the man's name is Huang Huai'an and the woman's name is Huang Wanggui?"

Huang was Fang Shouxin's original surname. Fang Shouxin, who was originally named Huang Zhanwu, changed his name after fleeing from Cangzhou to Jiaxing. Although he always insisted on using the surname Fang, Fang Wen did not forget it, so he took the initiative to use his original surname when naming himself.

Fang Shouxin was deeply moved by this, but shook his head and said, "My grandson's surname is Fang, and Shunzi has the same idea. But young master, you have to tell me the origin of these two names."

Fang Wen explained with a smile: "The character '怀' means to cherish one's homeland, hoping that by the time he is born, we will have driven away the invaders. The character '安' means peace, hoping that he will grow up safely. If it is a girl, the character '望' also means to look towards one's homeland, and the character '归' has a line in the Book of Changes, '归妹愆期，迟归有所', which means to finally achieve fulfillment."

Fang Shouxin's hometown is Cangzhou, Hebei, which is now occupied by the Japanese.

These two names suited him perfectly.

He then called Shunzi over and told his son about the naming process.

Shunzi scratched the back of his head and laughed, "Dad, the young master's names are really nice. I like them too. Let's use these two. The boy will be called Huai'an, and the girl will be called Wanggui. They both sound pleasant."

Fang Wen laughed and said, "You little rascal, you became a father before me, so of course I'll give you the best name first."

The New Year gift packages were distributed within a morning, and the New Year's gathering at Xiangxi Airport came to an end.

Taishan No. 1 has also been filled with fuel.

Fang Wen and the senior executives of Taishan Airlines boarded the plane again and flew south.

The 2000-kilometer flight took more than 6 hours, and we arrived in Yangon at 5 p.m.

At this time, in Yangon, located in the subtropical region, the sun had just set.

Bathed in the afterglow of the sunset, Taishan No. 1 landed at Yangon Airport, where it was warmly welcomed by the staff.

Afterwards, the supplies on the plane were unloaded and transported to the industrial park. Fang Wen once again stood on the test tarmac of the aircraft manufacturing plant to deliver a New Year's speech at the group greeting meeting.

Compared to Xiangxi Airport, there are many college and high school students here, so Fang Wen's speech was also different.

"As the seasons change and the year begins, the Lunar New Year of Dingchou is just around the corner. On behalf of Taishan Airlines, I extend my sincere greetings and best wishes to you all for the New Year."

Looking back on the past year, the situation has been turbulent and the nation's fate has been difficult. Yet, our colleagues in Yangon have remained steadfast in their posts, unwavering in their commitment, and willing to use the wings of aviation to carry the hopes of the nation and soar through the skies.

As the Spring Festival approaches, I have prepared a small gift to express my gratitude for your hard work and silent dedication. I hope this gift will warm your hearts and inspire us to continue moving forward, to face national difficulties together, to use the power of aviation to protect our land, and to demonstrate the responsibility and integrity of us, the sons and daughters of China.

At this point, Fang Wen paused and added a sentence.

"Some of our employees in Yangon have hometowns that have fallen, and it may be difficult for them to reunite with their families and enjoy the Spring Festival. I would like to make it clear that after the Spring Festival, we will do our best to help find your lost or stranded family members and provide them with proper resettlement."

Upon hearing this, enthusiastic applause erupted from below, and many people wept with joy.

They were simply unable to find their families during the war, and it was already a stroke of luck that they were able to stay in Yangon and escape the ravages of war.

Now that Fang Wen has said "do your best," how can I not be excited?

The applause was thunderous and continuous.

Fang Wen raised his hand, signaling to stop.

Then, in closing remarks, he said, "Alright, now we'll be distributing the New Year gift packs. I wish everyone a happy New Year in Yangon."

Subsequently, with the assistance of local management in Yangon, senior executives of Taishan Airlines distributed Chinese New Year gifts.

Fang Wen, however, stepped down from the stage and spoke with Huo Duanyang.

“Dragon Boat Festival, the pharmaceutical factory in Jinghong is very important. Everyone is looking for the source of penicillin production. It’s inconvenient for me to go there to wish them a Happy New Year. Please make the trip and take a seaplane to deliver the New Year’s gift package to them.”

"No problem, I'll come over after you leave," Huo Duanyang replied.

After discussing business, we talked about personal matters.

"Jinan and Nanjing have fallen, and Fuyang is no longer safe. Arrange for your family to evacuate as soon as possible."

"I will." Huo Duanyang sighed. "It's a pity we didn't make a more powerful bomb. If a single bomb could kill millions of Japanese soldiers, we wouldn't be in this situation now."

Fang Wen patted Huo Duanyang on the shoulder: "After the Spring Festival, I will increase investment in the military industry, and more powerful weapons will emerge. Your chemical team also needs to step up their efforts."

"Okay. I happen to have a new chemical method; I'll report back to you as soon as I have the results."

After their conversation, Fang Wen went to find Bai Zeshan.

"Zeshan, are your family members settling in well after moving to Yangon?"

"They're alright. They talk about you all the time. If it weren't for your arrangements, they'd still be in Nanjing."

"This is what should be done anyway. How could I let your family stay in such a dangerous place? By the way, the research institute in Wuhan has made a breakthrough in transistor technology and has manufactured a new type of radio based on transistor technology. Take a look."

Fang Wen took out a small transistor semiconductor radio and handed it to Bai Zeshan.

As an expert in vacuum tube technology, Bai Zeshan knew that Fang Wen wanted to study transistor technology. Fang Wen had even discussed this technology with him in Yangon.

At the time, Bai Zeshan believed that even if this technology were studied, it would take a lot of time to yield results.

Unexpectedly, the product was released so quickly.

He excitedly fiddled with the small transistor radio, and with Fang Wen's guidance, he quickly figured out how to operate it, and then tuned it to a local Yangon radio station.

The radio station was set up by the families of British soldiers, and the broadcasts were all in English with very clear sound quality.

Fang Wen then disassembled the radio and showed Bai Zeshan its internal structure.

Looking at the various semiconductor components integrated on the substrate, Bai Zeshan exclaimed, "President Fang, you have changed the world. New technologies have emerged so quickly that vacuum tubes will be rendered obsolete by your technology."

Fang Wen shook his head: "A complete replacement is not possible. For now, civilian use will only involve making small radios. More advanced technologies will be used for military applications. You also need to update your relevant knowledge as soon as possible. The transistor technology factory is being established and needs your management."

This was Bai Zeshan's area of ​​expertise, and he happily accepted it.

As for the management of the aircraft manufacturing plant, Fang Wen planned to select one of the plant's engineers with management talent and have Bai Zeshan train him.

(End of this chapter)