Courtyard House: A Major Power's Heavy Industry, Hand-Crafted Nuclear Fusion

The morning sun had just pierced through the thin mist and shone on the greasy door of the steel mill canteen.

At this time of year, the cafeteria kitchen is usually the busiest and noisiest place.

The sounds of chopping vegetables, scrubbing pots, and Sha Zhu's signature scolding of his apprentice would intertwine to create a lively morning melody.

But today, the atmosphere at the cafeteria entrance seemed particularly eerie.

A machine with a menacing appearance, yet exuding a cold, hard industrial aesthetic, crouched in the center of the hall like a steel monster.

Its spliced ​​aluminum alloy shell reflected a cold light in the sunlight, and the huge feed hopper looked like an open mouth, waiting to devour everything.

"What is this thing?"

"I heard that Chef Su made it overnight last night. He said it can chop vegetables and automatically serve rice?"

"Chopping vegetables? Give me a break! Can a machine really make vegetables taste as good as hand-chopped ones? I think it's just a waste of time!"

The workers watching pointed and whispered. Although Su Zheng's confrontation with Sha Zhu in the canteen yesterday made them feel good, most people were still skeptical about the idea of ​​"machine cooking".

After all, in this day and age, craftsmanship is everything, while machines are just cold, impersonal machines.

"Make way! What are you all doing standing around like that? Don't you have any work to do?"

An impatient shout came from behind.

Sha Zhu walked over with his hands behind his back, a pigeon-toed gait, and a toothpick dangling from his mouth.

Behind him followed Liu Yang and several kitchen helpers, each carrying a cleaver and spatula. They looked more like they were there to fight than to cook.

Sha Zhu walked up to the "Honest One" machine and kicked its base with contempt.

"Is this the junk that Su Zheng tinkered with?"

Sha Zhu scoffed, then turned to the crowd and shouted, "Look at this, everyone! Huh? A few broken chains, a lousy motor, and some scrap steamer racks—this is supposed to replace us chefs? This is supposed to cook for you all?"

"I think he wants everyone to eat iron filings! Don't let eating food made with that stuff rip your intestines out!"

A burst of laughter erupted from the crowd.

Although Sha Zhu's words were harsh, they did hit a nerve with many people.

"He Yuzhu, watch your mouth."

Su Zheng led Zhao Ming, Liu Guangtian, and others out of the side door of the cafeteria.

After a night of hard work, they had dark circles under their eyes, but their spirits were exceptionally high.

Su Zheng walked to the machine and gently patted the aluminum alloy hopper.

"This is food-grade aluminum that has undergone pickling and passivation treatment, making it a hundred times cleaner than your wooden cutting board that you never wash."

Su Zheng's voice was calm yet firm, "As for whether we'll find iron filings in our food, we'll find out later, won't we?"

"Try it? Sure, go for it!"

Sha Zhu spat out the toothpick from his mouth, his eyes turning fierce. "Su Zheng, we had a deal. If this junk doesn't work, you'll not only have to eat this pile of scrap metal, but you'll also have to call me 'Master' from now on!"

"What if you lose?" Su Zheng asked back.

"I lost?"

Sha Zhu burst into laughter, as if he had heard the funniest joke in the world. He grabbed two large potatoes from the basket next to him and weighed them in his hand.

"I'm a descendant of the Tan family cuisine! When I was wielding a knife, you were still wearing open-crotch pants! You think I'd lose to this pile of junk?"

Sha Zhu slammed the cleaver down on the cutting board with a loud "thud," sending sparks flying.

"If I lose, you're in charge of this cafeteria from now on! I, He Yuzhu, will avoid you like the plague!"

"it is good."

Su Zheng nodded, then turned to look at Lao Liu, the canteen director who was standing to the side, already sweating profusely. "Director Liu, would you please be the referee? Let's have a potato-cutting competition."

Old Liu wiped his sweat, glanced at Sha Zhu with a fierce look on his face, and then at Su Zheng who remained calm and composed. He had no choice but to bite the bullet and step forward.

"Well... since everyone wants to see, let's have a competition. The rules are simple: two baskets of potatoes, fifty pounds each. Let's see who can cut them the fastest, the most evenly, and the best!"

"start!"

At Lao Liu's command, Sha Zhu moved instantly.

A true expert's skill is immediately apparent.

Although Sha Zhu is a scoundrel, his skills are truly impressive.

He held the potato with his left hand and the knife in his right, his wrist moving with lightning speed.

Dede dede dede!

The dense sound of chopping vegetables, like rapid drumbeats, formed a continuous line.

Thin, evenly sliced ​​potatoes flew out, were then stacked up, followed by an even more rapid slicing sound.

In the blink of an eye, a small mountain of shredded potatoes had been piled up on the cutting board.

"good!"

"Shazhu's knife skills are truly exceptional!"

"That speed is incredible!"

The workers watching couldn't help but cheer.

It is indeed a visual treat; the rhythmic sense of man and knife working in perfect harmony is something that machines cannot match.

Hearing the cheers around him, Sha Zhu smiled smugly.

He gave Su Zheng a provocative look, and his men moved even faster.

"How about that? Scared yet?"

As Sha Zhu chopped, he shouted, "It's not too late to admit defeat!"

Su Zheng ignored him.

He simply stood quietly beside the machine and nodded to Zhao Ming.

"power ups."

Zhao Ming took a deep breath and closed the switch.

Om-!

The low rumble of the motor instantly drowned out Sha Zhu's chopping sounds.

The enormous blade disc began to spin, and under the influence of centrifugal force, it transformed into a silver phantom.

"Guangtian, bring the ingredients!"

Liu Guangtian had been holding back his energy for a long time.

He picked up a whole basket of washed potatoes and, without thinking, dumped them all into the huge feed hopper.

"Holy crap! It's tilting like that? Aren't you afraid it'll get stuck?"

Someone exclaimed in surprise.

However, the next second, everyone's jaws dropped to the ground.

Swish swish swish swish swish!

That wasn't the sound of chopping vegetables at all; it was the sound of torrential rain hitting banana leaves!

At the discharge port, shredded potatoes gushed out like a white waterfall!

The speed was so fast that the naked eye couldn't even see the blade moving; all you could see was the potato going in and the potato shreds coming out.

There was no pause or hesitation in the middle.

Fifty catties of potatoes.

It will probably take about twenty minutes to cut at Sha Zhu's place.

And in front of this machine...

Only a minute and a half had passed.

As the last potato disappeared into the funnel, the discharge port spewed out a final white spray, and then stopped abruptly.

Zhao Ming quickly pulled the power switch.

The machine stopped roaring, leaving only a slight hum from inertia.

Below the discharge port, the huge stainless steel basin was piled high with potato shreds, like a snow-capped mountain.

The entire room fell silent.

Only the sound of Sha Zhu chopping vegetables continued, but at this moment, the sound seemed so thin and weak, like a clown performing alone at the feet of a giant.

Sha Zhu stopped wielding his knife.

He stared blankly at the "mountain of shredded potatoes," the cleaver still raised in mid-air, forgotten to put it down.

"This...this is fucking..."

Sha Zhu's lips trembled, and he couldn't utter a complete sentence for a long time.

Fifty pounds!

One and a half minutes?

Even if you were just tossing it around for fun, it wouldn't be this fast!

"Master He, don't stop!"

Su Zheng crossed his arms, speaking in a casual tone as if discussing the weather, "We're finished here, but you've only just begun."

Sha Zhu looked at the potato on his cutting board, which he had only cut less than a tenth of, and his face instantly turned a deep liver color.

"What's the use of being fast!"

Sha Zhu, enraged and embarrassed, tried to salvage the situation, "Chopping vegetables is all about 'perfectly slicing'! What your machine cuts out is all broken and shredded! That's pig feed!"

He rushed over defiantly and grabbed a handful of potato shreds cut by the machine.

However, the moment he opened his palm, his pupils suddenly contracted.

They are of the same length.

The thickness is uniform.

Each shredded potato looked as if it had been measured with a ruler, a perfect 2 millimeters square.

The cut surface is smooth and flat, with no juice seepage caused by squeezing.

Even more frightening is that, because the cutting speed is extremely fast, the starch on the surface of the potato shreds doesn't even have time to oxidize and change color, presenting a crystal clear jade white color.

"This...this is impossible..." Sha Zhu's hands trembled.

Even when he's at his best, he couldn't possibly cut such perfect shreds!

And every single one is so perfect!

"Machines have no emotions, they don't tremble, and they don't get tired."

Su Zheng walked over and took the shredded potatoes from Sha Zhu's hand. "It relies on a precise mechanical structure and constant centrifugal force. As long as the blade doesn't break, even if you cut 10,000 jin, the first and last shreds will be exactly the same."

"That's what you call industry standards."

At this moment, Sha Zhu's pride in "Tan Family Kitchen Knife Skills" is rendered utterly worthless in the face of the words "industrial standards".

The surrounding workers only then came to their senses and burst into thunderous applause.

"Awesome! Master Su is awesome!"

"This is so fast! From now on, even if there are long lines for meals when we have thousands of people, we won't be afraid anymore!"

"The key is evenness! Look at how evenly these shreds are cut; they look so appetizing!"

Amid the cheers, Sha Zhu's face turned deathly pale, and he slumped against the stove as if his spine had been removed.

He knew it was over.

He has been running rampant in the cafeteria for so many years because of this "irreplaceable" skill.

Now, this technology has been replaced by a broken machine, and so completely, so ruthlessly.

However, Su Zheng had no intention of letting him off the hook.

"Chopping vegetables is just the first step."

Su Zheng looked at Director Liu, who was in shock, and said, "Director Liu, please have someone stir-fry these shredded potatoes. Let's move on to the second test—quantitative portioning."

"Huh? Oh! Okay! Stir-fry right away!" Old Liu now obeyed Su Zheng's every word and quickly directed the kitchen helpers to start cooking.

Twenty minutes later.

A big pot of steaming hot stir-fried shredded potatoes is ready.

Su Zheng instructed Zhao Ming to pour the pot of food into another funnel in the machine—the "volume metering valve" he had designed the day before.

"Now, let's simulate getting food."

Su Zheng pointed to the discharge port and said, "Ten workers, bring your lunch boxes and line up."

The workers, who had been eager to try, immediately rushed forward.

"start!"

As Zhao Ming rhythmically pulled the control lever.

Click.

The first dish landed, completely covering the bottom of the lunchbox.

Click.

The second portion arrived, and it was the same amount.

Click, click, click...

After serving all ten dishes, the ten lunchboxes were lined up on the table.

You don't even need to weigh them; just by looking at them, you can tell that the portions of these ten dishes are practically identical!

There is neither more nor less.

There was no favoritism or discrimination; no one was given food based on personal preference.

Whether you are a factory manager or an apprentice, whether you are a beautiful woman or a rough man, everyone is equal in front of machines.

"This...this is true fairness!"

An old worker looked at his lunchbox, and his eyes welled up with tears.

He was usually honest and simple, and had suffered a lot from Sha Zhu's temper, always getting less food than others.

Today, he finally saw the "fairness" that belonged to him.

"I won't have to put up with Shaju's attitude anymore!"

"This machine is amazing! It's a cure for shaky hands!"

"Long live Master Su!"

The crowd erupted in cheers.

This desire for "fairness" is far stronger than the desire for "deliciousness".

Sha Zhu stood in the corner, looking at the machine that was working relentlessly with its "click-clack" sound, and felt a chill run down his spine.

That wasn't a machine; it was clearly a meat grinder, grinding his status, privileges, and dignity in the factory into pieces, bit by bit.

Just then, a majestic voice rang out from behind the crowd.

"What's going on? What are you all doing in the cafeteria during work hours?"

The crowd fell silent instantly and automatically parted to make way for them.

Factory Director Yang walked in with his hands behind his back and a furrowed brow.

He was followed by Deputy Factory Director Li and several factory leaders.

They originally went to inspect the workshop, but found that many people were missing. When they asked, they learned that they had all gone to the canteen to watch the commotion.

"Factory Manager!"

Old Liu quickly went to greet him, "You've come at the perfect time! Comrade Su Zheng has made a great invention!"

"Su Zheng?"

Factory Director Yang was taken aback, his gaze falling on the machine and Su Zheng. "Why aren't you repairing the machine in the workshop? What are you doing in the canteen?"

Su Zheng saluted respectfully and calmly: "Reporting to the factory director, I am conducting a pilot project for 'automated logistics support'. In order to solve the problems that workers have strongly complained about, such as 'difficulty in getting meals' and 'unfair distribution of meals', I have developed this 'Honest Man No. 1' fully automatic vegetable cutting and portioning machine."

"Oh?"

Factory Director Yang became interested.

He has a technical background and is most sensitive to this kind of innovation.

He walked up to the machine, examined it carefully, looked at the ten identical lunch boxes, and finally picked up a handful of raw potato shreds to look at them.

The more he looked, the brighter the light in his eyes became.

"Excellent! What a fine 'honest person'!"

Factory Director Yang patted the machine's casing heavily. "Ingenious structure, clear design! Especially this quantitative portioning design, it perfectly addresses the pain points of canteen management!"

He turned his head, his gaze sweeping over Sha Zhu with lightning speed.

Sha Zhu trembled in fright and quickly lowered his head, not daring to meet Director Yang's gaze.

"Comrade He Yuzhu."

Factory Director Yang spoke, his tone calm yet carrying an imposing pressure: "Before, people said your hands trembled, and you said it was because you were tired, because there were no standards. Now, Comrade Su Zheng has built the standards for you, and also built the machines that will bear the burden for you."

"If I ever hear any more workers complaining about not having enough to eat or being treated unfairly..."

Factory Director Yang's voice suddenly turned cold.

"Keep this machine. As for you, go to the foundry workshop and carry heavy loads! They're short of strong men there!"

Sha Zhu's legs went weak, and he almost knelt down.

The foundry workshop? That's the toughest and most tiring place in the whole factory!

Once you get there, what need is there for a master chef? What need is there for a master wok tosser?

That's just a laborer!

"Factory manager! I...I dare not do it again! I will definitely change! I will definitely change!" Sha Zhu cried out.

This was the first time he had felt a deep-seated fear in the face of real power.

He used to think he was irreplaceable, so he could act recklessly.

But now, Su is telling him with a machine: You can be replaced at any time.

Factory Director Yang ignored him and turned to look at Su Zheng with an appreciative smile.

"Comrade Su Zheng, this invention is very significant. It not only solves the efficiency problem, but also the management problem."

Director Yang waved his hand, setting the tone.

"This machine should be immediately rolled out in all the factory canteens! Furthermore, Comrade Su Zheng deserves a huge commendation! This is the kind of technology our working class needs—it benefits both production and daily life!"

The moment the word "promotion" was uttered, the entire audience cheered.

Amid the cheers, Su Zheng looked at the trembling, foolish Zhu with a calm and composed expression.

He knew this was just the beginning.

The vegetable cutter is just the first step.

Next, he will use even tougher methods to thoroughly clean up all the parasites clinging to the old order in this courtyard.