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

"Xiao Chen, please thank Professor Cai for me."

"Professor Cai also said that he wants to come to the factory in person next week to take a look and hang up the plaque for the industry-university-research base."

"Okay. Next week, when the ground is dry and the equipment is installed, we'll invite Professor Cai to cut the ribbon."

Chen An nodded happily and rode his bicycle back to report the news.

In the afternoon, Ye Bingwen went to class.

Professor Zhao talked about the important points for the final exam and highlighted the key points again.

The bell rang, and Professor Zhao called him over.

"Ye Bingwen, I heard about what happened this morning."

Ye Bingwen walked to the edge of the podium.

"Professor Zhao, how did you know?"

"Director Liu told me that."

"If someone reports you, it means you did the right thing. If you did something wrong, no one would report you."

Ye Bingwen was taken aback.

"Professor Zhao, are you praising me?"

"I'm not praising you. I'm just reminding you—the more things are like this, the more you can't afford to make a mistake."

"If you fail the final exam, no industry-academia-research base can save you."

"I know."

"Good to know. Go ahead."

After leaving the teaching building, Ye Bingwen rode his bicycle to the factory.

On the ground of the new factory building, there is only one day left in the curing period.

Director Sun squatted down on the ground and tapped it with his hand.

"Xiao Ye, the equipment can be installed tomorrow."

Ye Bingwen also squatted down and knocked.

"Director Sun, thank you for your hard work these past few days."

"What's so hard about it? It's only right to get paid for working."

Director Sun stood up.

"But Xiao Ye, let me tell you the truth. The person you've offended has considerable influence. This matter of the whistleblower letter won't end here."

"I know."

"Just knowing is enough."

Director Sun dusted off his hands.

"I'll arrange for someone to help you move the equipment first thing tomorrow morning."

Ye Bingwen returned to the old factory and called over Master Li and Liu Xiaojun.

"Move the equipment in first thing tomorrow morning. Move the press first, and then move the milling machine after it's assembled."

"Xiao Chen will be here tomorrow; he'll be in charge of assembling the press. Mr. Li, you'll be in charge of moving the milling machine."

"OK."

"Xiao Jun, you follow Xiao Chen and memorize all the installation steps for the press. This thing will be our livelihood from now on," he said. "You need to learn how to repair and adjust it."

"Understood, Uncle Ye."

After giving these instructions, Ye Bingwen returned to his office.

On the last day of review before the weekend exam, he wanted to make the most of every minute.

An'an pushed the door open and came in.

Zheng Shuyun followed behind, carrying a thermos in her hand.

"Dad! Mom made pork ribs!"

Ye Bingwen picked up An'an and placed her on his lap.

"An'an, what did you learn at kindergarten today?"

"I've learned pinyin! I can write a, o, and e!"

An'an picked up the pen on the table and wrote three letters crookedly in her notebook.

Ye Bingwen looked down at it. Although it wasn't written quite correctly, the strokes were right.

"An'an is great."

Zheng Shuyun opened the thermos, and the aroma of pork ribs wafted out.

"Eat first, then review."

Ye Bingwen picked up a piece of pork rib and put it in his mouth.

An'an watched longingly from the side, and he smiled as he picked up another piece and fed it to his daughter.

A family of three sat around an old office desk eating ribs.

An'an chattered on and on about kindergarten.

Early Thursday morning, just as dawn was breaking, Mr. Li and his workers stood at the entrance of the old factory building.

Liu Xiaojun squatted down beside him and counted the screw boxes he had sorted out yesterday again.

Chen An's bicycle hadn't arrived yet, but his tool bag had.

"Xiaojun, what are you so nervous about?"

Master Li came over and offered him a cigarette.

"I wasn't nervous."

Liu Xiaojun tucked the cigarette behind his ear.

"I'm just worried that something might be missing when we're packing it."

"If you're missing something, ask your brother Chen for it."

"Brother Chen said that we can't just take the parts from his lab; we have to go through the accounting process."

Master Li smiled.

Chen An arrived by bicycle just before seven o'clock.

"Xiao Chen, you look smart today."

Master Li joked.

"Professor Cai said that equipment installation is a major event and cannot be taken lightly."

Chen An propped up his bicycle and looked at the equipment lined up at the entrance.

"Where is the base of the press?"

"Over there."

Liu Xiaojun pointed.

Chen An squatted down and looked at the four anchor bolt holes on the base.

Are the positions of the pre-embedded bolts on the ground accurate?

"Director Sun laid the line himself, saying the error would not exceed two millimeters."

Liu Xiaojun said.

"Two millimeters is enough. Let's go take a look."

Several people walked into the new factory building.

The ground is completely dry.

Rows of embedded bolts are exposed.

Chen An used a measuring tape to measure each hole one by one.

Liu Xiaojun followed behind, taking notes of the data in his notebook.

Chen An measured and called out the numbers as he went, and finished measuring the last set.

"It's all within the acceptable range. Director Sun's work is indeed meticulous."

"Then can we install it?"

"Can."

Master Li led the workers to carry the press base in.

The base is made of cast iron and weighs at least four or five hundred pounds.

Four people carried it, moving it forward step by step.

Chen An stood by and directed the operation.

"A little to the left, even more to the left, okay, okay, put it down!"

The base landed on the pre-embedded bolts with a dull thud.

Liu Xiaojun quickly inserted the shim to adjust the level.

Chen An took out a level and placed it on the base.

"The north side is too high. Reduce the number of shims by one."

Liu Xiaojun removed a piece of the shim from the north side and re-tightened it.

Chen An watched it again.

"Alright. Tighten the nuts."

Liu Xiaojun picked up a wrench and tightened the anchor bolts one by one.

Chen An checked the level again, and the bubble stopped steadily in the center.

"The base is ready. Now install the pillars."

The column is the heaviest part of the press, weighing at least seven or eight hundred pounds.

Master Li called four people, and together with himself, five people lifted it together.

Chen An shouted commands from the side.

"One, two, three, go!"

"Okay! We're in!"

Liu Xiaojun quickly put the connecting bolt in and tightened it.

"Alright. Move the crossbeam."

The crossbeams are lighter than the columns, but they are still not less strenuous.

With all three parts assembled, the press finally took on a complete shape.

Chen An inspected every connection point to make sure no screws were missing.

"Mr. Li, the hydraulic lines can be connected now."

Master Li picked up the oil hoses and connected them one by one.

Chen An watched from the side, occasionally offering a reminder.

"Tighten this connector, and replace that sealing ring."

Liu Xiaojun wrote down every step in his notebook.

"Power on and test the machine."

Chen An said.

Liu Xiaojun walked to the front of the distribution box and turned on the power switch.

The pointer stopped at the 18 MPa position.

"Maintain pressure".

Chen An stared at the pressure gauge.

One minute, two minutes, three minutes.

The pointer remained completely still.

"It's done!"

Liu Xiaojun jumped up from the ground with joy.

Chen An smiled too.

He took out the small sample of the composite material and placed it on the press's worktable.

Hold the pressure for ten seconds, then the upper crossbeam will rise.

The sample was intact.

"The pressure is even, and there is no uneven load."

Chen An touched the surface of the sample.

"Director Ye, this press is installed even more accurately than the one in Professor Cai's lab."

Ye Bingwen patted Chen An on the shoulder.

"Xiao Chen, thank you for your hard work. Master Li, Xiao Jun, thank you for your hard work too."