Spring Breeze Twenty Years

Chapter 238 You Say You Want to Try It? (Please Subscribe to the Official Version)

Xiao Wei calculated the dates and said that the Lunar New Year was on February 15th, "How about March 10th? We have to celebrate the 15th at least."

Xia Maosheng said, "Actually, there's no need to rush. I think the end of March is fine. We'll finish for a month before the New Year and then finish for another month after the New Year."

Xiao Wei said, "That's fine, but we really can't rush it. So, Third Brother, let's set the start of school at the end of March, with registration on March 28th and classes officially starting on April 1st."

Han San nodded and said, "Okay, we'll listen to you. It will take time for people from eastern Guangdong to come over. There might not be many students at the beginning of the semester, so you have to be prepared for that. It will probably be the second term before things get normal."

Xia Maosheng said, "That's alright, we're not in a hurry."

Xiao Wei smiled and said, "It'll take about ten years. We'll take it slow. As long as we teach well and the students can make money, the number of students will definitely increase."

Han San nodded and said, "Yes, it's good that you think that way. I'm just worried that you'll get anxious later."

A young man ran over: "Boss, this is done, want to try it out?"

Han San kicked him in the butt: "So, do you want to try it or not?"

The young man chuckled a few times, snatched the half-smoked cigarette from Han San's hand, put it in his mouth, and ran back.

The four of them also walked over.

The young man deftly manipulated the machine, adjusting each setting one by one, muttering to himself, "No problem with the top setting, no problem with the bottom setting, this one's fine, how could such a nice machine have a problem? First gear is fine, second gear... damn it, boss, the wiring might be wrong, the speed is the same in both gears." His hands didn't stop as he talked, opening and closing the electrical box to check.

Han San smiled and said to Xiao Wei, "This is my buddy's kid. He's good at working, but he's a real chatterbox."

The young man, while pulling and tugging at the wires with a screwdriver, said, "Boss, please keep your voice down, I can hear you."

Xiao Wei and the others laughed. Han San pointed to the innermost corner of the factory and said, "See that? I left a large area unused there. Have the electrician connect a few sets of wires there, and have the welder weld a few iron channels, one meter long, the width doesn't matter. Cover that corner against the wall. Then weld an iron frame like this baking tray rack, the same width and length as the channels on the ground. Have the carpenter nail a sturdy wooden frame outside, two meters wide, and wrap it with thick plastic sheeting. Leave a small door in the corner, about 700 centimeters wide, and make sure the door can be sealed tightly."

Xia Maosheng asked, "What's it for?"

Han San pointed to the proofing box the young man was fiddling with and said, "Use it as a proofing box. The effect is the same, and it's much more cost-effective than buying this. If you make the whole thing, including labor and materials, you probably won't even cost half the price."

Chen Hui asked, "Why not just make it? Why buy all these machines?"

Han San said, "It's different. Some breads require high fermentation standards and must be proofed in a proofing box. The humidity and temperature are automatically regulated in that box. The proofing room we make ourselves won't work. We have to keep an eye on it all the time, and there have to be a thermometer and a hygrometer hanging inside."

Xiao Wei understood, nodded, and said, "Is it about adding water to the iron trough below, and then inserting it to heat up quickly?"

Han San nodded and said, "Yes, the bigger ones heat up faster. The best ones are those big, submersible ones used for raising fish. You just throw them in and don't have to worry about them. You might not be able to get the hang of them at first, but you'll get used to them after using them for a while."

Master Chang, with a cigarette dangling from his lips, said, "It would be best to use stainless steel plates, otherwise they'll rust in a few days, and the steam will give off a metallic rusty smell. How can you eat bread like that?"

Han San said, "Steel plates are the best, but iron plates can also be used. They don't have a rusty smell, but they will definitely rust. Thin iron plates need to be replaced every six months to a year."

Xia Maosheng said, "Then let's make it out of steel, it's too much trouble."

Master Chang turned his head and looked at it, saying, "How about a bigger one? That should be enough. I brought about ten boards."

Han San said, "Okay, that's even better."

Master Chang said to Xiao Wei, "Then the frame will have to be made of iron. I'll weld it and paint it for you. If I paint it all the way up, it should be fine."

Han San pointed to the baking tray rack and said, "Master, look at this. It's all aluminum inside. It's been rubbed back and forth a lot. I'm afraid it won't last more than a few days after I brush it with oil." Master Chang walked over, shook his head, looked it over from all angles, thought for a moment, and said, "How about I weld a frame with iron, brush it with oil, and then wrap this surface with a steel plate? Just build one layer like this." He gestured to the surface where the baking tray would be placed.

Han San said, "Okay, then there's no problem."

Master Chang beckoned his apprentice over, and the two whispered and pointed at each other for a while. The apprentice nodded, took the measuring tape, and went to measure the corner of the wall.

Xiao Wei laughed and said, "Being a mentor is great. All you have to do is use your brain and your mouth, and someone else will do everything for you."

Master Chang chuckled and said, "I can't train anymore. I'm retiring soon. This is the last batch. I'll retire after this batch graduates."

Chen Hui asked, "Uncle Chang, how long does it take to train a group of apprentices?"

Master Chang said, "Initially it was three years, but now it's usually two years before they go solo. They don't really have master-apprentice relationships anymore. They just come to the factory, work there for a few days, and that's it. Ugh, the work they do is just awful. But there's nothing we can do about it. It's a new era now, and the factory calls the shots."

Han San said from the side, "It's all bullshit now. Nobody is thinking about doing their job well or improving their skills. Everyone's just thinking about climbing the ladder. Who cares if the factory is doing well or not?"

Master Chang smiled and said, "You young people dare to say that, but we wouldn't dare. Just take care of your own business. We can't control anything else, and it doesn't really matter whether we do or not."

The electrician carrying his tool bag came over: "Hey boss, I've looked at it. That whole building is one project. If we want to incorporate half of it, we'll have to demolish it floor by floor. The building is too old; we can't find the branch wires anymore. After all that demolition, there will be exposed wires in the stairwells. Is that feasible?"

Master Chang said, "There are only a few lights over there, how much electricity can they use? Just put a meter on this side, and you don't need to worry about the other side. We can deal with it later if it doesn't work. There's no point in wasting your time."

Xia Maosheng said, "Why don't we just hang it on a separate piece? It's too much trouble to do it this way, and it's not safe either."

Xiao Wei bit his lip, nodded, and said, "Alright, that's the only way. Now, can you create a table showing this half-layer's partitions? Will that work?"

The electrician said, "Okay, this end is easy. It's all newly laid, I can just pull a string."

Xiao Wei said, "Let's get started then, we'll ignore the other end for now."

The electrician asked, "So, should we extend this row of houses over?"

Xiao Wei shook his head and said, "No need, these rooms will be listed on the big chart, we'll pay for them ourselves."

The electrician swaggered out with his tool bag on his back and went to work at the top of the building.

Han San, the young man, tested all the machines and fixed the faulty egg beater. He clapped his hands and walked over, saying, "Alright, boss, it's done. The wire inside was connected backwards, I fixed it."

(End of this chapter)