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

Engineer Sun looked up.

"Don't give me a bunch of empty words."

The director pressed the pencil down on the date.

"Go and find out."

"How many other factories in Linzhou have the same problem?"

"Who's really in a hurry? Who's just hearing that people from Beijing are coming and wants to take advantage of the situation?"

"Who's willing to produce the orders, ledgers, and applications?"

"List, orders, accounts—it doesn't count if any one is missing."

Lin Xiuhe asked:

"What if it really exists?"

"Yes, we can discuss the next steps later."

"What if there are only these two?"

"This matter ends here."

The director flipped back to the report on the table.

"As for why you went to the Red Star Factory after receiving the notification—"

Just as Engineer Sun was about to speak.

The director has already taken over.

"Make a note of this."

If we can't produce anything in ten days, we'll deal with it all at once.

Lin Xiuhe nodded.

"Can."

Sun Gongdao:

"What if the local authorities continue to bypass the unified plan and search for her?"

"Then let's clarify our stance."

The director looked at Lin Xiuhe.

"You'll be conducting research for the next ten days."

"We cannot accept money, we cannot agree to projects, and we cannot use the institute's name to vouch for others."

"Can we hold out?"

"We can hold it."

"If you can't hold out, then don't go now."

"We can hold it."

The director handed the application from Hongxing Factory to Director Yan.

"Keep a copy in the technical department."

She took the other materials with her.

After the meeting, Engineer Zheng followed Lin Xiuhe out the door.

When they reached the stairwell, he slipped two meal tickets into her hand.

"Let's go eat first."

"I'll think about how to make the most of these ten days this afternoon."

Lin Xiuhe held the meal ticket in her hand.

The paper was already softened by the sweat in my palms.

"The director told me to find a factory that was willing to pay."

"I heard you."

Engineer Zheng carried the enamel mug towards the office.

"This time, don't just listen to people complaining about how difficult it is."

"Public funds are not something anyone can just take out by simply asking."

"Orders, ledgers, applications—it doesn't count if any one of them is missing."

The operator ran up from downstairs.

"Forest worker!"

She was holding onto the stair railing, with a phone notebook in her hand.

Engineer Zheng stopped in his tracks.

"What's wrong now?"

"There's another phone call from Linzhou."

"It's not the Red Star Factory."

Lin Xiuhe asked:

Which one?

"Linzhou Agricultural Machinery Factory".

The operator opened the logbook.

"They said they heard purchasing agent Liang mention you."

"The factory has a batch of farm tool parts stuck in stock, and the delivery date is next month."

"When can you go to Linzhou again?"

Engineer Zheng turned to look at Lin Xiuhe.

She was still clutching the two meal tickets in her hand.

The lock factory's application was tucked away in my bag.

The congratulatory note from Hongxing Factory was folded and put in my pocket.

Now, the Linzhou Agricultural Machinery Factory has also come knocking on our door.

The person arrived in Beijing less than a day after the phone call.

Around 2 PM, the institute's security guard ran up to the second floor.

"Mr. Lin, someone is looking for you downstairs."

Lin Xiuhe is organizing the materials she will need for her ten-day research trip.

"Where did it come from?"

"Linzhou Agricultural Machinery Factory".

The security guard leaned against the door frame and caught his breath.

"A deputy factory director and a female accountant. They had their letters of introduction and the company seal with them, and they waited in the reception room for almost an hour."

Engineer Zheng looked up from behind the materials.

"I just called yesterday, and they're here today?"

"I heard it was a train that got off before dawn."

The security guard pointed downstairs.

"He also brought a large leather suitcase, saying he insisted on talking to Engineer Lin in person."

Engineer Zheng closed the notebook in his hand.

"Let's go."

"Look how desperate their factory is."

The institute's reception room is not large.

A man and a woman were sitting at the wooden table.

The man was around fifty years old. His dark blue cadre uniform was slightly faded from washing, but the trousers were perfectly pressed. An old leather suitcase sat at his feet, its brass clasps gleaming.

The woman was in her thirties, with her hair tied up in a bun at the back of her head, and carrying a bulging canvas bag in her arms.

Upon seeing Lin Xiuhe enter, the man immediately stood up.

"Comrade Lin?"

"I am."

"Luo Qingfu, Linzhou Agricultural Machinery Factory".

He grasped Lin Xiuhe's hand and shook it twice.

"I've been waiting for you."

The woman next to her also got up.

"I am Cao Aiying, the factory's accountant."

She nodded to Lin Xiuhe.

"Forest worker."

Engineer Zheng pulled out a chair.

"Sit down and let's talk."

Luo Qingfu didn't sit down immediately.

He first took out a letter of introduction from his suitcase and handed it over with both hands.

The official seal was affixed correctly.

In addition to contacting the research team, the letter of introduction included an extra line:

The meeting discussed the arrangements for Comrade Lin Xiuhe's visit to the factory to provide assistance and her work.

After reading it, Engineer Zheng placed the letter of introduction on the table.

"Deputy Factory Director Luo, you only mentioned on the phone yesterday that you had a batch of orders piling up."

"The orders are piling up."

Luo Qingfu sat down and pushed the suitcase towards his feet.

"But we came here not just to invite Comrade Lin to visit the factory for a couple of days."

"The factory wants to ask him to come back."

Someone happened to be passing by outside the door.

Their pace slowed down.

Engineer Zheng asked:

"How do I ask?"

"Short-term factory stay".

"If they can really mobilize them, that would be even better."

Luo Qingfu took a folded piece of paper out of his pocket and spread it on the table.

"Deputy Chief of the Technical Section"

"One dormitory room for cadres."

"Her salary will be based on her current level, and the factory will also provide a position allowance."

"If your family faces any real difficulties, we can help you find a solution."

Cao Aiying added from the side:

"This was approved in a factory meeting."

"The letter of introduction and personnel opinion have all gone through the formalities."

Mr. Sun was carrying documents as he walked down the corridor when he overheard the last sentence.

He stopped at the door of the reception room.

"Deputy Factory Director Luo."

"Personnel arrangements at research institutes cannot be decided simply by a local factory providing a letter of introduction."

Luo Qingfu turned around.

"I understand."

"That's why we came to the research institute to talk first, instead of going to Comrade Lin's house to drag people away."

A hint of displeasure appeared between Sun's brows.

"Lin Xiuhe has her own job."

"If the agricultural machinery factory needs cooperation, the institute can arrange personnel according to procedures."

Luo Qingfu smiled.

"Following the procedure is certainly the best approach."

"Can the lock factory afford to wait for that batch of goods?"

"Can Hongxing Hardware Factory afford to wait for those thousand sets?"

He turned to Lin Xiuhe.

"We've inquired about the situation at both factories."

"The order was able to stay because Comrade Lin arrived on site and sorted things out."

"Our factory is in dire need of help right now."

"If we're going to hire someone, we should hire someone who can get things done."

Someone outside the door stopped and asked in a low voice:

"Are the agricultural machinery factories here to poach our workers?"

Engineer Zheng turned his head to look outside.

"Does everyone have their own work to do?"

Footsteps began to echo in the corridor again.

Luo Qingfu opened the suitcase.

Inside were two packets of tea and a document bag wrapped in kraft paper.

He pushed the tea leaves aside and handed the documents to Lin Xiuhe.

"Let's put the conditions aside for now."

"Comrade Lin, please take a look at our factory's orders."

"This batch of farm tool parts needs to be delivered next month."

"We're not even halfway there yet."

"If this drags on any longer, forget about bonuses, even salaries will have to be postponed."

Lin Xiuhe did not touch the two packets of tea.

She unwrapped the kraft paper.

The top row shows the orders.

The production records, payroll, and several shift schedules were tucked inside.

There was a list at the very bottom.

She pulled out the list.

Twenty-eight names.

Twenty-three of them were female workers.

The list above reads: Arrangements for personnel temporarily suspended from work.