Courtyard House: Primordial Chaos Pearl

In October, autumn was deepening in the suburbs of Beijing. Inside the R&D center of the Hongxing Agricultural Machinery Manufacturing Plant, several bundles of snow-white cotton lay on a workbench. Station Chief Ma from the Xinjiang Agricultural Machinery Station was gesturing with the cotton bolls: "Director Lin, the long-staple cotton fibers in our area are fine, making manual harvesting inefficient, and machine harvesting easily breaks the fibers. If you could manufacture a specialized harvesting machine, the cotton farmers in Xinjiang would all be grateful to you!"

Lin Donggang had just finished showing He Yushui the heating system renovation project in the staff dormitory, and his hands still carried the warmth of the radiators. He picked up a cotton boll and gently pulled it apart, the fibers separating smoothly from the boll: "Ordinary harvesting machines rely on serrated teeth to hook the cotton, which definitely damages the fibers. We need to create a structure of 'airflow adsorption + brush peeling,' like a human hand 'lifting' the cotton down."

He Yushui immediately sketched a diagram on the blueprints: "The suction power of the airflow is key. If it's too weak, it won't pick up the cotton; if it's too strong, it will suck in the cotton stalks. The hardness of the brush is also important; if it's too soft, it won't peel off the cotton bolls; if it's too hard, it will break the fibers." She had just calculated a set of airflow parameters when Lao Zhang from the purchasing department rushed in: "Factory manager, something bad has happened! The price of chrome steel has increased by 30%, and the supplier says they will limit supply. The production of the combine harvester's gearbox is going to be affected!"

The surge in raw material prices came as a bucket of cold water. He Yuzhu happened to be delivering reports and immediately panicked upon hearing the news: "This must be the work of Beijing No. 1 Agricultural Machinery Factory! They lost the last demonstration, so they colluded with suppliers to hold us hostage!" Lin Dong, however, remained calm: "Don't worry, we have chromite refined from Chaos Pearls, and the raw materials we stockpiled before are enough to last another month. Let's find new mining areas to cooperate with first."

That afternoon, Lin Dong took the samples to an iron ore mine in Hebei. Mine manager Wang, holding the chromium steel samples, tested them with a hardness tester and his eyes lit up: "The purity of your steel is two grades higher than ours! If we can cooperate, we'll give you the best price and guarantee priority supply." It turned out the mine had just discovered a chromium iron ore vein but lacked advanced purification technology. Lin Dong's Chaos Pearl purification technology perfectly solved their problem, and the two parties signed a long-term supply agreement on the spot.

Just as the raw material problem was resolved, the development of the cotton harvester encountered a new hurdle. Holding a worn-out brush sample, Mr. He sighed, "We tried five different brush materials. Nylon was too stiff, and pig bristles were too soft; neither met the requirements. If we can't find a suitable material soon, we'll miss the harvest season in Xinjiang."

Lin Dong recalled the silkworm silk in the chaotic space—the improved silkworm breed he had cultivated produced silk three times thicker and ten times stronger than ordinary silk. He entered the space overnight, weaving the silk into a brush base, then mixing in a small amount of rubber particles to increase friction. The next morning, he handed the newly made brush sample to the research and development team: "Try this; the adhesion and flexibility are both sufficient."

He Yushui immediately installed and tested the machine. As the harvester's brush gently swept across the cotton bolls, the snow-white cotton was completely peeled off and fell into the airflow conveyor pipes, without a single fiber breaking. "Success! 99% fiber integrity rate, harvesting efficiency is twenty times that of manual harvesting!" The R&D team technicians cheered, and Station Chief Ma excitedly shook Lin Dong's hand: "Director Lin, this machine is a savior for Xinjiang cotton farmers! I'll submit a report right now and order two hundred units!"

The order for the harvesters had just been finalized when the groundbreaking ceremony for the agricultural machinery industrial park was scheduled. Director Li of the Beijing Machinery Industry Bureau personally presided over the ceremony, with Director Zhang and Section Chief Wang also present to offer their congratulations. At the ceremony, Lin Dong, as the company representative, spoke: "Hongxing Factory's success today is due to the support of national policies and, more importantly, the trust of our farmers. Once the industrial park is completed, we aim to build the most advanced agricultural machinery R&D base in the country!"

After the ceremony, Jia Dongxu grabbed Lin Dong's arm, his face full of anticipation: "Director Lin, could you reserve a spot for my supporting factory in the industrial park? I want to expand and specialize in core agricultural machinery components." Lin Dong patted him on the shoulder: "Not only will I reserve a spot for you, but I've also helped you apply for a special loan. Let's work together to build up the agricultural machinery industry chain."

During this time, Yi Zhonghai's health improved significantly. With the care of his caregiver and Mother He, he was able to walk slowly with crutches and even help organize the blueprints at the research and development center. One day, he took an old blueprint to Lin Dong: "This is a sketch of a seeder I drew when I was young at an agricultural machinery factory. See if you can use it." Although the blueprint was yellowed, the seeding spacing adjustment structure on it was very creative, and Lin Dong used it on the newly developed precision seeder.

Yan Jiecheng also began to distinguish himself in Jia Dongxu's factory. He learned from the technicians for three months, and not only could he operate CNC lathes independently, but he also proposed an optimization plan for parts processing, which increased production efficiency by 15%. "Brother Lin Dong, thank you for giving me this opportunity. I will definitely work hard in the future!" Yan Jiecheng said with pride, holding the qualified parts he had processed.

In early November, orders for combine harvesters from Southeast Asia began to be delivered. Section Chief Wang from the Foreign Trade Bureau accompanied the Southeast Asian customers to inspect the goods. Upon seeing the neatly arranged harvesters, the customers gave a thumbs up: "Hongxing Agricultural Machinery's quality is even better than that of European ones, but the price is 30% lower. We will be long-term partners from now on!" Just as this batch of goods was loaded onto the ship, another order for fifty units from South Asia was received, and Hongxing Agricultural Machinery's reputation was thoroughly established.

Just as the factory was thriving, Lin Dong received a call from the neighborhood committee of the courtyard house: "Factory Manager Lin, Liu Haizhong has suffered a stroke, and there's no one at home to take care of him. Do you think you could..." Lin Dong hesitated, remembering how Liu Haizhong had always schemed against him in the past, but they were still neighbors after all. He arranged for a caregiver to go to the courtyard house to pick him up and even paid for his medical expenses in advance. "No matter what happened before, saving lives is the priority."

After being taken to the factory's infirmary, Liu Haizhong looked at Lin Dong and tears streamed down his face. "I was so foolish before. I was always jealous of you and schemed against you. I never thought you would be the one to help me in the end." Lin Dong poured the old man a glass of warm water. "Let's not talk about the past. Take good care of yourself. If you want to do something in the future, I'll let you help out at the staff canteen."

In December, the first snow fell on the outskirts of Beijing, and the first batch of cotton harvester samples were sent to Xinjiang. Station Chief Ma sent a telegram: "The machine trial was successful, and the cotton farmers all said it was good. We'll order another 300 units!" At the same time, construction began on the factory buildings in the agricultural machinery industrial park, and the new production line of the Hongxing Factory entered the planning stage.

On New Year's Eve, the factory's staff canteen was brightly decorated. Lin Dong and He Yushui shared the New Year's Eve dinner with the workers. Yi Zhonghai, Liu Haizhong, and the Yan Bugui family all came, and Jia Dongxu and his wife brought their children to wish everyone a Happy New Year. It was as lively as one big family. He's mother served steaming dumplings: "We're celebrating the New Year at the factory this year. Next year, when the industrial park is completed, it will be even more lively!"

Lin Dong stood up, raised his glass, and said, "Brothers, this year we overcame the difficulties of rising raw material prices, developed a cotton harvester, and even secured overseas orders. In the new year, we will build the most advanced production line, develop more agricultural machinery that farmers need, and make the name Red Star Agricultural Machinery resound throughout the world!"

The clinking of glasses filled the air, and fireworks illuminated the night sky outside the window. He Yushui leaned against Lin Dong and whispered, "Brother Lin Dong, I have good news for you. I'm pregnant." Lin Dong turned around abruptly, his eyes filled with joy. He gripped He Yushui's hand tightly, his voice trembling slightly, "Really? That's wonderful! Our child will witness the glory of the Red Star Factory on this land."

Night had fallen. Lin Dong stood atop the office building, gazing at the snow-covered factory and the distant industrial park construction site. The Chaos Pearl warmed slightly in his palm, as if sharing his joy. He recalled the confusion he felt when he first transmigrated, the conflicts in the courtyard, the days and nights spent developing the technology, and then looked at his family, partners, and thriving career. A warm smile crept onto his lips.

A new year, a new life, a new journey. He knows there will be more challenges ahead, but also more hope. With the help of the Chaos Pearl, the companionship of his family, and the support of his partners, his agricultural machinery business will surely write an even more glorious chapter in this magnificent era. And his child with He Yushui will thrive on this land full of hope.