78: Bringing his wife and children to Harbin Institute of Technology

Chapter 145 Enduring

Production has begun on the second batch of orders.

The factory is busy again.

To ensure the smooth completion of the second batch of orders, everyone made preparations well in advance. They polished the steel molds, prepared plenty of beeswax, and replaced all the heating rods with new ones.

Liu Xiaojun disassembled the two mixers and performed a complete maintenance to ensure everything was in order.

Production then began, and fifty pieces were produced in the first ten days, all of which passed inspection.

Chen An looked at the fifty pieces that had already been produced. He was very dedicated and put the pass rate as a graph on the wall.

The line representing the pass rate on the graph is straight, indicating that all generated products are qualified.

Ye Bingwen couldn't feel happy at all looking at that graph.

Ye Bingwen did some mental calculations.

The first batch of 100 items cost over 8,000 yuan in total, including material costs, processing fees, labor costs, and electricity. Their contract stipulated payment would be made 45 days after acceptance, but only half a month has passed.

For this second batch of 150 items, we brought in a batch of materials, which cost nearly 10,000 yuan. The money was borrowed from Mr. Li, who took out all his savings for retirement, which amounted to 30,000 yuan.

When Ye Bingwen received the money, he knew it was Master Li's retirement money and didn't want it at all. But Master Li slammed the money on the table and said noncommittally, "Little Ye, take it. This money is just sitting idle in the bank. You can pay interest if you use it."

Ye Bingwen finally gave in to Master Li and accepted the money.

Ye Bingwen wrote an IOU with a monthly interest rate of one percent, which was higher than that of the bank. Ye Bingwen was determined not to let Master Li suffer a loss.

After taking the 30,000 yuan, Ye Bingwen thought to himself that the 30,000 yuan wouldn't last long, so he had to leave for now.

By the twentieth day of the second batch, the account was completely empty.

Chen An handed the account book to Ye Bingwen.

It reads: Cash balance: 342.7 yuan.

"Director Ye, the electricity bill is due, it's 1200."

"We still owe the supplier 5,000 yuan for materials."

"This month's salaries haven't been paid yet. There are more than 20 people, and even with bonuses, we'll only get a little over 2,000 yuan."

Chen An calculated everything meticulously, and then read it aloud to Ye Bingwen.

After Chen An finished reading out the expenses, he looked at Ye Bingwen, who listened without saying a word.

The office was quiet, eerily quiet.

Just then, Liu Xiaojun poked his head in from the doorway, breaking the eerie atmosphere.

"Uncle Ye, the bearings of the mixer need to be replaced; they cost sixty yuan a pair."

"Change."

"I'm out of money."

I said change.

Upon hearing this, Liu Xiaojun didn't dare to speak and shrank back to his work.

Chen An closed the ledger: "Director Ye, how about I go ask the bank? We have contracts and orders; they should be able to lend us some money, right?"

"Go and ask."

Chen An went to the bank to inquire that afternoon.

Chen An visited three banks, and it was already dark when he returned to the factory.

Chen An walked into the office, sat down, and didn't say a word.

Upon seeing this, Ye Bingwen spoke first.

"How is it?"

"The Industrial and Commercial Bank of China said that we are a school-run factory and do not have independent legal person status, so they can't lend us money."

"The Agricultural Bank said we had no collateral, the factory belonged to a school, and the equipment was worthless, so they wouldn't lend us the money."

"China Construction Bank went even further, saying that our industry is not viable, that carbon fiber is a new material with high risks, and therefore they wouldn't approve it."

After finishing his speech in one breath, Chen An slumped down and didn't say another word.

After listening, Ye Bingwen leaned back and stared at the ceiling.

Are there any other banks?

"We've run all over the place; those who can run have run, and those who can't run have run too."

"What about the credit union?"

"When we went there, they said we weren't farmers and weren't under their jurisdiction."

Ye Bingwen didn't say anything more, he just sat there scratching his head. Suddenly he remembered the school and decided to try his luck at the school's finance office the next day.

The next day, Ye Bingwen got up early and went to the school's finance office.

The head of the school's finance department, surnamed Meng, was in his forties, wore gold-rimmed glasses, and spoke slowly and deliberately.

"Xiao Ye, I know about your factory's situation, but the school can't lend money to school-run factories; there are regulations against it."

"Director Meng, we have a contract with the Commission of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense. Payment is a sure thing; we just need to get some funds ready."

"Then go to the bank and get a loan."

"I can't get a loan; I don't have any collateral."

Director Meng had no choice but to shrug helplessly.

"Well, there's nothing I can do about it; the school rules can't be broken."

Ye Bingwen left without saying another word once he realized there was no chance.

Ye Bingwen didn't leave after leaving the finance department; he stood in the corridor, lost in thought.

Just then, a teacher passing by recognized him: "Are you from that Hongqi factory? I heard your report at the meeting; it was very good."

Ye Bingwen forced a smile, nodded, and then left.

Back at the factory, Ye Bingwen watched as the workers were all working hard.

Ye Bingwen noticed that the old milling machine that Master Li was in charge of was making a louder noise than before, and that the bearings needed to be replaced.

Ye Bingwen looked in Liu Xiaojun's direction and saw Liu Xiaojun squatting next to the mixer, listening intently.

Ye Bingwen then looked at Chen An measuring the finished product at the testing station, and then writing and drawing in his notebook after he finished measuring.

Ye Bingwen looked at all of this, and it all seemed like the factory was thriving, but Ye Bingwen knew that this situation wouldn't last long.

When Ye Bingwen returned home in the evening, Zheng Shuyun was cooking in the kitchen.

An'an lay on the table drawing.

Ye Bingwen didn't change his shoes or say anything; he simply sat down in the chair.

When Zheng Shuyun brought out the dishes, she noticed that Ye Bingwen was acting strangely.

"What's wrong?"

"It's nothing, I'm fine."

"Out of money?"

Ye Bingwen's silence was taken as tacit agreement.

Seeing this, Zheng Shuyun sat down next to Ye Bingwen and asked, "How much more is needed?"

"Salaries will be paid at the end of the month, over two thousand, electricity bill is one thousand two hundred, material costs are five thousand, bearing blades need to be replaced, one pair costs sixty, several pieces of equipment need to be replaced."

"It adds up to almost ten thousand."

"Um."

Zheng Shuyun stood up without saying a word, walked to the cabinet, and took out a passbook from it.

"This is what I saved up, over three thousand yuan, you can use it first."

Ye Bingwen did not accept the money, knowing that it was Zheng Shuyun's hard-earned savings.

"Take it."

"I don't want your money."

"What do you mean 'your' and 'mine'? This is our family's money."

Ye Bingwen took the passbook, flipped it open, and glanced at it. It read: There are royalties, wages, and bonuses.

After reading it, Ye Bingwen closed the passbook and placed it on the table.

"Shuyun, do you think I can't hold on any longer?"

I don't know if you can hold on, but I know you haven't reached the point where you can't hold on any longer.

"You're someone who, while it's hard to say about other things, is more resilient than anyone else when it comes to trouble."

Ye Bingwen didn't say anything and put the passbook into his pocket.

The next morning, Ye Bingwen didn't go to the factory but rode his bicycle to the administration building of Harbin Institute of Technology to find someone.

This man is Zhao Zhiyuan, the vice president of Harbin Institute of Technology, in charge of scientific research and university-run enterprises. I met him once at the last meeting. When Vice President Zhao listened to the report from Hongqi Factory, he said, "This factory is quite interesting."

Ye Bingwen composed himself upon arriving at Zhao Zhiyuan's office and nervously knocked on the door.

"Teng, Teng, Teng"

"Come in."

Upon hearing this, Ye Bingwen took a deep breath before pushing the door open and going inside.

As soon as Ye Bingwen entered the room, he saw Zhao Zhiyuan sitting behind his desk reading documents.

Zhao Zhiyuan looked to be in his early fifties, with gray hair and reading glasses. He didn't look like a vice principal, but rather like an old professor.

"Principal Zhao, I am Ye Bingwen from Hongqi Machinery Factory."

Zhao Zhiyuan took off his glasses and glanced at Ye Bingwen.

"I know, the one that talked about the mixer at the last meeting."

"Yes, it's me."

"Sit down. What's up?"

After sitting down, Ye Bingwen skipped the pleasantries and went straight to the point.

"Principal Zhao, the factory is out of money."

Zhao Zhiyuan leaned back in his chair, looking at Ye Bingwen with some confusion, but he didn't say anything.

"The orders from the Commission of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense have delayed our payments, we can't pay for materials, and we're about to be unable to pay wages. The banks refuse to lend us money, saying that we are a school-run factory, we don't have independent legal person status, and we don't have any collateral."

"So you came to find me?"

"I would like to ask the school for a favor and to act as a guarantor so that we can get a loan from the bank."

Zhao Zhiyuan didn't answer immediately; instead, he slowly picked up his water glass and took a sip.

"Xiao Ye, you know the school's policy: the school-run factory is responsible for its own profits and losses; the school does not provide guarantees or cover losses."

"I know, but the problem isn't poor management, it's the payment cycle. We have orders, technology, and capability; we're just missing this crucial step."

"Who did you sign that contract with?"

"The Commission of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense commissioned the trial production task."

"Is there an official document with an official header?"

"have."

"Let me see it."

Ye Bingwen quickly handed the official document to Zhao Zhiyuan.

Zhao Zhiyuan picked it up and read it over and over again from beginning to end.