Reborn in 1977, I will no longer be my brother's blood bag.

Chapter 141 School

"Passed!"

Chen San rushed into the workshop, his shoes kicking up a half-circle of dust.

Old Shao was squatting next to the test bench, retrieving the meter cable, without even looking up.

Which one?

"The one that was just returned. The red light didn't come on again, and it passed three times in a row."

"What's wrong?"

"The terminal is loose."

After catching his breath, Chen San added another sentence.

"Zhao Guodong first replaced the test machine, and the machine worked normally. He didn't disassemble it; he traced the wires to the terminal, tightened it, and then tested it again."

Old Shao then raised his head.

Zhao Guodong stood by the door, his cuffs stained with machine oil, and he held the re-examination form in his hand.

He handed over the form.

"I really didn't tear it down randomly this time."

Old Shao took the order and snorted.

"After all those scoldings, it wasn't for nothing."

Zhao Guodong grinned.

"Could you scold me less in the future?"

"Let's see if you're worth scolding in the future."

Chen San laughed so hard he kept slapping his trouser leg.

Lin Xiuhe walked out from behind the testing station and took the re-inspection form.

The cause of the malfunction, the inspection steps, and the results were all clearly written down. At the bottom was an inspection stamp, the red ink still wet.

She tucked the form into the leather bag.

"The last one has passed."

In front of the production sign, Ma Jiancheng took a piece of chalk and added numbers.

Ten units were produced on a trial basis.

Ten units passed inspection.

Zero units returned for repair.

White powder landed on his sleeve. He casually patted it off twice, then turned around and called for people to move a batch of aircraft down.

Sun Dayong came over from the welding station, stared at the three numbers for a long time, then bent down and took down the old operation sign from the wall.

The new sign was hung up.

The inspection sequence, testing procedures, and fault registration were all painstakingly developed over this period of time.

Old Shao pressed down on one corner of the wooden sign with his hand.

"The nail is loose."

Chen San ran to find the hammer.

When the factory manager entered the workshop, there was a clanging sound coming from the wall.

He stood in front of the production board and went through the records of all ten units.

"Are all the materials ready?"

Ma Jiancheng patted the registration book.

"Not a single one is missing."

The factory manager nodded.

"Keep this experimental method. Once it's in full production, no one should complain about the hassle."

After he finished speaking, he took out a fountain pen from his jacket pocket and signed his name on the progress report. The pen was a bit stiff, so he drew two lines on the corner of the paper before the ink flowed smoothly.

"This batch of goods will be shipped out at the end of the month, and the factory will then send the results to the school."

Lin Xiuhe took the materials.

"This is enough for the practice report."

The factory manager fastened the pen cap.

"You've done enough work, but the factory still has to deliver the goods."

Old Shao leaned against the worktable and spoke slowly.

"You passed all ten tests, but I didn't hear you say a single nice thing."

The factory manager took two steps outside, then stopped.

"If you don't return it by the end of the month, I'll buy you a drink."

"Who cares?"

Old Shao complained, but he still followed them out of the workshop.

The welding torch was relit, and the blue flame adhered to the copper pipe.

Two more machines were pushed over to the sink, and the workers returned to their positions. No one flattered Lin Xiuhe; the factory had no shortage of work for the next batch.

She tied up the leather bag and went back to her dormitory to pack her things.

The afternoon shuttle bus won't wait for anyone.

Zhao Guodong stood guard at the factory gate, pushing his bicycle with her cloth bag strapped to the back rack.

I'll take you to the station.

"The road isn't far."

"The factory manager asked me to deliver the materials."

He pointed to the leather bag, speaking with self-righteous indignation.

"You can take it with you."

Lin Xiuhe took the cloth bag off the back rack of the car.

"If the machine malfunctions again, what should we do first?"

Zhao Guodong pushed the cart forward.

"Try a different station first."

"And then?"

"Check the wiring and record the symptoms. Only disassemble if you are absolutely certain there is a problem inside the machine."

"I'll remember this time."

Zhao Guodong took a few steps, then hesitated for a moment.

"If the factory encounters any problems it can't solve in the future, can I write to you?"

"Ask Lao Shao first."

"He started cursing as soon as he opened his mouth."

"After scolding, teach as well."

Zhao Guodong touched his nose.

"What if he can't figure it out either?"

"Write down clearly what problem the machine is having, what methods you've tried, and what the result was each time. Don't just send a message saying 'The machine is broken.'"

Zhao Guodong pulled out half a pencil from his pocket, placed an old train ticket on the seat, and scribbled a few lines.

Lin Xiuhe stood beside him waiting.

"You actually wrote it?"

"So that I won't only remember getting scolded later."

The shuttle bus swayed from the intersection, its body covered in a layer of yellow dust.

Zhao Guodong handed her the leather bag.

"Keep it safe. It contains proof that I didn't tamper with anything this time."

Lin Xiuhe got into the car with the bag in her arms.

A section of the car window was broken and nailed shut with canvas. The wind seeped in through the crack, making it hard to open one's eyes.

She stopped midway and bought two cold steamed buns. She ate one and stuffed the other into her schoolbag.

It was already late when I arrived at school.

Her trouser legs were covered in yellow mud. She tried to wipe them off a few times at the bottom of the automation building, but it didn't get clean, so she had to carry her backpack into the classroom.

Professor Chen is drawing a circuit diagram on the blackboard.

The door hinge clicked.

He turned around.

"You're back?"

"Um."

"And the result?"

"All ten passed."

Professor Chen nodded and completed the last section of the line.

"Sit down first. We'll talk after class."

A few students in the front row turned around and smiled at her.

Gu Xiaolan moved the books next to her to make room for her.

"Did you really pass everything?"

"All passed."

"Old Shao didn't swear?"

"They were all scolded. Zhao Guodong got the most."

Gu Xiaolan almost burst out laughing, and quickly buried her face in her notebook.

The sound of chalk lightly tapping came from the blackboard.

Professor Chen stood in front of the podium.

"The two in the back are having a lively conversation. Why don't you come up and speak for me?"

Gu Xiaolan immediately sat up straight.

After class, Lin Xiuhe followed Professor Chen to his office.

An enamel mug sat beside a stack of materials, the tea leaves inside already turned white from steeping. She placed the leather bag on the table, and Professor Chen first pushed over an aluminum lunchbox.

Have you eaten?

"I ate a steamed bun on the way."

"Just one?"

"There's one more."

"Take it out."

Lin Xiuhe pulled out the remaining steamed bun from under her schoolbag. One corner was flattened by the books, and the outer skin was hard as a rock.

Professor Chen opened his lunchbox.

Inside was cabbage, which had already gone cold.

"Eat it with your hands."

"Teacher, I'll just eat steamed buns."

Professor Chen opened the leather bag, speaking casually.

"Are cabbage and steamed buns incompatible?"

Lin Xiuhe sat down and picked up a piece of cabbage with her chopsticks.

After reviewing the phase notes, Professor Chen then looked at the test records of the ten units. When he encountered key data, he stopped to check the preceding and following pages before continuing.

The only sound in the office was the rustling of paper turning.

After looking at the last sheet, he repacked the materials.

"This production practice at the Beicheng factory has come to an end."

Lin Xiuhe took a bite of the steamed bun.

"Do we not need to go any further?"

"You still want to live in the factory?"

No, not at all.

"If you haven't, come back to class. Make up for what you missed earlier."

Professor Chen opened the drawer and took out a piece of white paper.

"The department has an engineering design assessment next week."

"The student group needs five people, and you'll lead the team."

He pushed the paper toward Lin Xiuhe.

"You can choose the person."

Lin Xiuhe took the list.

Are there any conditions?

Professor Chen picked up his enamel mug and took a sip of the cold tea.

"Capable of doing the work."

Give it to me before dinner tomorrow.

Lin Xiuhe tucked the list into her textbook, finished her steamed bun, and returned to dormitory 403.

Liu Xue was copying notes at the table, while Su Qing was sitting on the edge of the bed mending socks. Her stitches were fine and dense, and when a ball of thread rolled to the foot of the bed, she caught it back with the tip of her shoe.

Gu Xiaolan entered the room a while later, carrying the table lamp that had been broken for two days.

She placed the table lamp on the table and turned on the switch.

The light bulb turned on.

"Is it fixed?"

"It was repaired by He Qiuyan next door."

Gu Xiaolan flipped the base over.

The black tape wasn't wrapped neatly, but the screws were tightened securely.

"She said the wire inside was about to break, so we'll just plug it in and it'll last another month. We should replace it with a new one later."

Su Qing bit off the end of the thread.

"How can she fix everything?"

"She'd take apart any old buttons or broken instruments in the lab. She couldn't bear to throw away her own stuff anyway, so she'd fix it if it broke."

Gu Xiaolan pulled out a chair.

"At first I was worried that if the lamp ended up in her hands, there wouldn't even be a shell left. But she fixed it in half an hour."

Lin Xiuhe picked up the lamp and touched the reconnected wire.

The joint is securely sealed, with no exposed copper wires on the outside.

Liu Xue looked up from her notebook.

Why are you asking such detailed questions?

Lin Xiuhe pulled the list out of her textbook.

Five positions, all blank.

She unscrewed the pen and wrote three words at the top.

He Qiuyan.

Gu Xiaolan leaned closer, her face full of surprise.

"Are you really choosing her?"