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

Monday morning, just as dawn was breaking.

There weren't many people at the school gate yet.

When Lin Xiuhe came out carrying her cloth bag, the training center's car was already parked on the side of the road.

The driver was dozing off, his head resting on the steering wheel.

Zhou Zhiyuan sat in the passenger seat, with a military water bottle beside him.

Upon seeing her, he opened the car door.

"Come up."

Lin Xiuhe stood under the car.

I said I would take the bus.

The driver was startled awake by the voices and rubbed his face.

"You've finally arrived. Xiao Wu woke me up at around 5 a.m., I thought the factory was on fire."

Zhou Zhiyuan glanced back.

"The boxes need to be unloaded in advance."

"Yes, the boxes are urgent."

The driver pointed to the bag of steamed buns in the back seat.

"The steamed buns were in a hurry too. I bought six, and I protected them more carefully than any spare parts."

Zhou Zhiyuan handed the kettle to Lin Xiuhe.

"You haven't eaten, have you?"

How did you know?

"Just a guess."

Lin Xiuhe got into the car, took out a steamed bun from her bag, and handed one forward.

"Eat up. It'll save you from talking too much while you're hungry."

The driver took it.

"Lin is the most kind-hearted student."

Zhou Zhiyuan turned his face away.

"drive."

The workshop at the North City factory had just opened.

The workshop director was already standing next to machine number three, his cotton hat askew on his head.

"If you don't come soon, I'm going to flag down a car at the entrance."

Old Guo squatted behind the machine to remove the stitches.

"It stopped again last night."

Zhao Wenbo was holding a notebook and asking Sister Sun questions.

"Should the alarm sound first, or the lights turn on, before stopping?"

"It's chaotic at night, who cares about dividing this up?"

There's always a sequence.

Sister Sun thought for a while.

"I'm going to get some water. Xiao Chen will stay here."

Where are they?

"I'm going home after my night shift."

The workshop director waved his hand.

"Let's dismantle it today. We can ask Xiao Chen again tomorrow, but the machine has to be started today."

Zhao Wenbo didn't pursue the matter further, and opened the wooden box to check the parts.

He took out a connector and put it together with the old part on the machine.

"Incorrect model number."

Section Chief Gao hurried over.

"What's wrong with it?"

"One size smaller."

Old Guo took it and compared it.

"Just break it down a bit, won't that solve the problem?"

"It can't be sealed after grinding."

"It was just a little bit short."

Zhao Wenbo took the connector back.

"If the machine gets hot and leaks, you'll have to come back in the middle of the night."

Old Guo smacked his lips.

"How often do I come home in the middle of the night?"

So this time, let's not settle for less.

The workshop director walked around the wooden crate twice.

"The machine stopped working yesterday. If it can't be installed today, how am I supposed to explain it to the workshop tonight?"

Section Chief Gao called over the warehouse manager.

The warehouse manager was carrying a lunchbox, and rice grains stuck to his sleeves as he ran.

"That's what's written on the form."

Zhao Wenbo handed over the material requisition form.

When was the old model replaced?

The warehouse manager looked at it for a long time.

"It was repaired last year. The records might not have been updated."

Old Guo cursed from behind the machine.

"You should have copied that ledger a long time ago."

The warehouse manager was also getting anxious.

"You know why you didn't say it?"

"I'm stuck under the machines all day, and now I have to watch the warehouse?"

The two of them talked louder and louder.

Lin Xiuhe placed the old connector on the table.

"Where can I find the same one now?"

Section Chief Gao shook his head.

"The factory doesn't have any."

Zhao Wenbo applied to two places.

"The parts factory in the western suburbs might have some. The city's central warehouse can also supply some, but we might not be able to get it today."

The workshop director's face darkened.

"Unit 3 has already been dismantled. We can't just leave it lying there all day, can we?"

Zhou Zhiyuan wrapped the old connector in newspaper.

"I'm going to the western suburbs."

Section Chief Gao asked, "Do you know anyone over there?"

"We delivered a batch of equipment before."

"Can you take it out?"

"Go ask first."

Lin Xiuhe glanced at the clock on the wall.

"It's been over an hour's drive. Don't make any more mistakes on the order."

Zhao Wenbo took the paper and wrote down the dimensions and joint details.

"Take this one. If the original manufacturer doesn't have it, the replacement parts also need to be verified for dimensions."

Zhou Zhiyuan took the paper.

"Is there anything else?"

"Don't let them bring out old rubber rings that have been sitting in the inventory for years."

Write it down.

Zhao Wenbo added another line.

The driver urged them on from the doorway.

"If you keep writing, the parts factory workers will have lunch."

Zhou Zhiyuan took the old connector and got on the bus.

As the car drove out of the factory gate, the workshop director was still standing there muttering to himself.

"If it can't be installed today, who will go to the workshop tonight?"

Lao Guo crawled back behind the machine.

"You're the director, if you don't go, who will?"

"If I go, will they stop yelling?"

"I feel better after I've vented."

Lin Xiuhe reassembled the disassembled wiring.

"Do what you can do first."

Zhao Wenbo squatted down next to her.

"If the connector doesn't come in, the rest can't be connected."

"Check the existing lines first. Decide now which section can be retained."

Li Mingyuan came over carrying a notebook.

"The outage from last night has been resolved. Xiao Chen wrote two lines."

Sister Sun leaned closer.

"He still remembers?"

"The yellow light comes on first, and then the alarm sounds after a while."

Zhao Wenbo took the notebook.

"That's right."

Old Guo snorted behind the machine.

"People in your research institute only believe things when they're in writing."

Sister Sun laughed at him.

"You don't trust paper, but you can write it quickly by reporting overtime at the end of the month."

The workshop is bustling with activity.

At noon, the canteen delivered vegetable soup and cornbread.

The workshop director, carrying a bowl, would go to the door every now and then to check on things.

"Still no news?"

Section Chief Gao said, "We got through to the parts factory by phone. The parts have been found."

"When are you coming back?"

"The car broke down on the way, and the driver stayed to fix it. Xiao Zhou took a delivery truck from that side back."

Only then did the workshop director sit down.

"As long as they're found. It doesn't matter how they get back."

Lin Xiuhe held a cornbread bun and ate it by the door.

Section Chief Gao walked over carrying a bowl.

"This Xiao Zhou from your training center was supposed to leave this afternoon?"

Lin Xiuhe looked up.

"Where to?"

"Go back to his original workplace. They're urging him to confirm his next position."

Section Chief Gao took a sip of soup.

"I just called, and he's still at the parts factory warehouse. He definitely won't make the afternoon train."

He didn't say.

"Who can he talk to about something like this?"

Section Chief Gao glanced into the workshop.

"He left with an unfinished business at the North City Factory, so he couldn't leave with peace of mind."

After he finished speaking, he went to find the director of the second workshop.

Around 1 p.m., a truck from the parts factory drove into the factory gate.

Zhou Zhiyuan got out of the truck bed, his cotton-padded coat cuffs covered in a layer of dust.

He carried the wooden box into the workshop.

"First, check the results."

Zhao Wenbo opened the box, took out the connector, and measured it.

"Oh, right."

The workshop director immediately called for people to move things.

"Quick, don't make their car wait here."

Zhou Zhiyuan put the old connector back on the table and turned to wash his hands at the sink.

Lin Xiuhe followed.

"Is your former employer urging you to return?"

Water washed over the back of his hand.

"Let me confirm the positions available later."

"Will it be a problem if we don't go today?"

"I made a call, a few days later."

"Didn't you always want to go back?"

Zhou Zhiyuan turned off the tap.

"I used to think that once I finished what I needed to do here, I should leave."

"And now?"

He picked up the towel.

"I want to ask first if the training center can still keep me."

Lin Xiuhe stood by the pool.

"You want to stay in Beijing?"

"I want to give it a try."

"They agreed?"

"not yet."

"What about your former workplace?"

"I need to go back and confirm the job details."

"So you're dragging your feet on both?"

Zhou Zhiyuan draped the towel back over the wire.

"We need to ask clearly first."

Old Guo's shouts came from inside the workshop.

"Xiao Zhou! Give me a hand!"

Zhou Zhiyuan responded with a shout inside.

Lin Xiuhe asked, "Why did you suddenly decide to stay?"

He took two steps toward the workshop door, then stopped.

"It wasn't sudden."

"When was that?"

"A while ago."

"What period of time was 'the period of time'?"

The workshop director peeked out from inside.

"There's gold by the pool? No one would want to come back."

Lin Xiuhe picked up the gloves.

"They're here."

She took two steps, then turned back.

"Don't drag this out too long. If your original employer really gives the position to someone else, you won't even have anyone to blame but yourself."

Zhou Zhiyuan followed.

Are you afraid I'll regret it?

"I'm afraid you'll try to blame others later."

"Whose fault is it?"

"Who told you to stay? Who are you blaming?"

Zhou Zhiyuan looked at her.

"That would require someone to actually ask me to stay."

Lin Xiuhe patted the gloves into his arms.

"Get to work first."

After the new connector was installed, Zhao Wenbo rechecked the wiring.

Old Guo, crouching behind the machine, shouted, "It's done here!"

Sister Sun stood in front of the control panel, wiping her palms on the seams of her pants twice.

"Really open?"

The workshop foreman said, "Not opening it? Are we saving it for the New Year?"

Zhao Wenbo gestured for her to wait.

"Let it idle for now."

The people in the workshop gathered around.

Lin Xiuhe stood beside the control panel, staring at the indicator lights.

Zhao Wenbo closed the toolbox.

"Let's open it."

Sister Sun pressed the switch.

A muffled thud came from Unit 3.

The machine shook a few times, then slowly started to turn.

The yellow light is on.

They didn't jump at the red light again.

The workshop director grinned.

"Is this considered a success?"

"Let's run it for half an hour first," Zhao Wenbo said, staring at the watch face. "We'll be carrying a load afterwards."

The factory manager arrived at some point and stood at the back of the crowd.

"It's good that it can be transferred. We'll see how it goes from here."

Everyone remained around the machine; no one left.

Zhou Zhiyuan bent down to pick up the tools on the ground.

A folded train ticket slipped out of his pocket.

Lin Xiuhe picked it up for him.

The date is this afternoon.

She handed over the ticket.

"Still haven't you refunded?"

"I missed it."

"So what do you plan to do?"

Zhou Zhiyuan folded the ticket again and stuffed it into his pocket.

"I'll ask the training center tomorrow."

"What if I can't ask?"

He glanced at Unit 3, which was still spinning.

"Go back again."

Lin Xiuhe stared at him.

"Will you give it back?"

Someone next to the machine called out to Zhao Wenbo to look at the watch face.

Zhou Zhiyuan stood amidst a deafening roar.

"Find a way to come back."