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

At nine o'clock in the morning, Lin Xiuhe led Du Statistics into the No. 2 Hardware Factory.

Factory Director Liang, workshop director, and purchasing manager were all in the conference room.

As soon as Du entered the room, the workshop director reached out his hand.

Give me the notebook.

Du, the statistician, is holding the production records.

"Let me finish speaking."

The workshop director's hand froze in mid-air.

"What do you have to say?"

"I said—let me finish speaking."

Du's throat tightened, but his feet didn't retreat.

The workshop director's face darkened.

"You think you can just keep the things from the factory?"

Lin Xiuhe placed the file bag on the table and stood next to Du Statistics.

"Let him speak."

The workshop director turned to her.

"Mr. Lin, this is a matter for our factory."

"This order is also a matter for your factory."

Lin Xiuhe pulled out a chair.

"If you can't deliver a thousand units within seven days, we'll refund your money and compensate you."

"If we don't clarify things now, who will we turn to if something goes wrong?"

Factory Director Liang raised his hand to stop the workshop director.

"Xiao Du."

"Didn't you say last night that you'd tell me when you got back?"

"Go ahead and speak."

Du, the statistician, opened the production records.

"The factory usually makes about sixty a day."

The workshop director immediately took over the conversation.

"That's the number you kept."

"I'll record whatever the workshop reports."

Du turned to May 12th.

"Eighty-seven were made that day."

"I worked overtime that day."

There weren't many people.

He raised his head.

"There aren't many machines."

"Because Chiang Kai-shek rearranged the personnel."

"The next day, you had the workshop change it back."

The workshop director placed the teacup on the table.

"How people are arranged in the workshop is none of your business."

"But according to your arrangement, there are only sixty a day."

Du took out the production estimate from the insert.

"I quoted sixty before the factory manager signed the contract."

"Later, based on the number of machines running at full capacity and all staff on duty, the figure was calculated to be seventy-five."

He turned the paper over.

"This hundred is the extra amount you added."

The workshop director grabbed a piece of paper.

"You say I wrote it, so it's because I wrote it?"

Du pointed to the words that had been blacked out below.

"The existing personnel and equipment are insufficient to complete this task."

"You're the one who asked me to draw this line."

"fart!"

The workshop director slammed the paper back onto the table.

"The plan was handed to me by you."

"You also wrote the production records."

"Now that you can't deliver the goods, are you trying to shift the blame onto me?"

Du's face turned pale.

But he didn't loosen his grip on the notebook.

I didn't sign the contract.

"I didn't change the numbers either."

The workshop director took a step forward.

"Who can prove it?"

Master Fang pushed open the conference room door.

"Wouldn't it be clear if we just sent someone to ask?"

He was followed by a female factory worker in her forties.

The female worker's cuffs were covered in iron filings, and her shoes were covered in black ash.

Master Fang pointed at her.

"She was at the sharpening station on May 12th."

The workshop director frowned.

"Zhou Guifen, is there no work to be done in the workshop?"

"Chiang Kai-shek sent me."

Zhou Guifen walked to the table.

"The arrangement was indeed changed on May 12th."

"Old Chiang unified the feeding."

"Old Han led the men to drill holes."

"Xu and I will just focus on sharpening our blades."

"I did eighty-seven that day."

The workshop director stared at her.

"What do you, a mere worker, know about production planning?"

"I don't understand your table."

Zhou Guifen wiped the iron filings on her hands onto her apron.

"All I know is that I didn't wait for the ingredients that day."

"I haven't stopped working."

Du looked at her, and her shoulders slowly straightened.

Factory Director Liang picked up the production estimate.

"Alright, we'll check who filled in the numbers later."

"Secure the orders first."

Lin Xiuhe asked:

"How can we protect it?"

"The factory is thinking about it."

"I've been thinking about it for four days."

She pushed the contract in front of Director Liang.

"Only seven days left."

The workshop foreman said:

"If the materials aren't all ready, there's no point in arranging them as quickly as possible."

"The steel materials will be checked this afternoon."

Lin Xiuhe opened the record for May 12th.

"Let's find out how much can be done in a day first."

"How do I check?"

"Try it for an hour."

"According to the arrangement method of May 12th."

"If you do less than before, switch back immediately."

"Even if it's much worse, replace it."

"If it's fast and steady, then keep going."

The workshop director twitched the corner of his mouth.

"The workshop isn't for you to play around in."

Lin Xiuhe looked at him.

"Then tell me a solution."

"Make a thousand in seven days."

"How do I do it?"

The workshop director's lips moved slightly, then he turned his face away.

Factory Director Liang looked at the contract on the table.

"One hour."

"Record the spoiled material in the trial production record."

"If there's a problem, stop immediately."

The workshop director also wanted to argue.

Factory Director Liang has already stood up.

Let's look at the numbers first.

The group went to the workshop together.

"Who's arranging the people?"

"I'll do it."

A master craftsman in his fifties walked out of the crowd.

It was Chiang Kai-shek.

He swept across the workshop.

"Zhou Guifen, Xiao Xu, sharpen the blade."

"Old Han brought two people to punch holes."

"The two young men helped me with the ingredients."

"The rest of the people are to be assembled."

The workshop director frowned.

"If all three groups are shuffled, how will the results be calculated at the end of the month?"

Zhou Guifen tightened her cuffs.

"What kind of achievement is it if we can't even deliver the goods?"

A laugh broke out among the workers, but it was quickly suppressed.

Factory Director Liang waved his hand.

"start."

The two punch presses started up.

Old Jiang led his men to prepare the materials ahead of time.

After punching the holes, the blades are sent directly to the sharpening table.

Zhou Guifen took it and started working on it.

No need to wait.

There's no need to go back and forth to find materials.

Du, the statistician, stood beside the worktable.

He would draw a line on his notebook every five draws.

ten minutes.

Two sets.

twenty minutes.

Five.

half an hour.

Six.

A piece of junk.

The workshop director crossed his arms.

"It's fast at the beginning, but not necessarily later."

Du continued recording the statistics.

Forty minutes.

Nine.

Fifty minutes.

Eleven.

It will take an hour.

Old Jiang turned off the machine.

Du's statistics show the finished products.

"Thirteenth mate."

He then went to look at the waste bins.

"A piece of junk."

Old Jiang took the record.

"In the past, it would be good if we could produce seven sets at this time."

Zhou Guifen shook her aching wrist.

"Less waiting time means faster delivery."

Master Fang turned to the workshop director.

"Seven sets became thirteen sets."

"Should we change it back?"

The workshop director gritted his teeth.

"Only an hour."

"Then let's keep trying."

Du turned to the next page.

"I keep track of every hour."

Write down how much faster, how much slower, and how much damage.

Factory Director Liang stared at the thirteen finished products on the table.

"Continue with this schedule this afternoon."

The workshop director was about to speak.

Factory Director Liang raised his hand to interrupt.

"Make three hundred of them first."

The workers returned to their respective positions.

Old Jiang went to check on the materials.

Zhou Guifen picked up the next batch of scissor blades.

Du wrote in the production record:

From 10:20 a.m. to 11:20 a.m.

New arrangement method.

Thirteen sets were completed.

A piece of junk.

After finishing writing, he took the notebook and walked up to the workshop director.

"You were present the whole time."

The workshop director stared at that line of text.

Du handed over the pen.

"This number."

"Please sign."