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

When Lin Xiuhe returned to the research institute, there were already three brown paper bags on her desk.

Engineer Sun was examining the materials while holding a teacup.

Upon seeing her come in, he immediately pushed the top portion over to her.

"Let's take a look first."

Lin Xiuhe didn't even put her bag down.

"What are they?"

"Three factories."

"We only have enough manpower to go to one place first."

Mr. Sun took a sip of tea.

"We'll meet this afternoon, you should join us too."

Lin Xiuhe looked up.

"I?"

"What, you've made so many trips to the factory, and you still just want to wait for others to assign you work?"

Mr. Sun tapped the bottom of his teacup at the three portions of materials.

"have a look."

Which restaurant will you go to first?

The first one came from a large machinery factory in the province.

The materials were piled up thickly.

Equipment details, factory layout, and production data are all included.

The project is also large.

The entire production line needs to be modified.

The second company is an old factory that the research institute has collaborated with several times.

The problem is simple.

I'm familiar with the factory.

You're unlikely to run into any problems if you go.

The third paper bag is the thinnest.

After Lin Xiuhe opened it, the first thing she saw was a hand-drawn sketch of the production line.

There were a few words written next to it.

Household hand-cranked pasta press.

Sample photos are attached below.

Iron frame, crank handle, pressing roller.

Things are not complicated.

The factory isn't very big.

Lin Xiuhe flipped over.

Seven purchase orders.

Three counties.

The earliest one is from twenty days ago.

She pulled it down again.

There was even a refund order lying underneath.

It was written in red pen:

Delivery date uncertain, cancelled.

Mr. Sun was sitting opposite him.

"You saw it?"

"You've already cancelled with one company?"

"I just retired yesterday."

Lin Xiuhe continued reading.

The factory's application was written in a very messy manner.

Some parts were even added with a fountain pen.

The last page contains only a few sentences.

The factory has already purchased most of the raw materials in order to make this batch of noodle presses.

The prototype samples were also in demand.

But we can't make many units a day now.

The remaining ordering companies are all urging us to place the order.

Two of them have already given a deadline.

Three days.

Lin Xiuhe's finger stopped on that date.

Engineer Sun asked:

"What's wrong?"

"Are the other two companies also withdrawing?"

"have no idea."

"They called again this morning."

"Ask the research institute whether or not anyone is going there."

Lin Xiuhe placed the three documents side by side on the table.

The largest one is the most orderly.

The smallest one already had its corners frayed.

The afternoon meeting had just begun when the large machinery factory's project gained the upper hand.

Old Xu pushed the materials forward.

"Is this even up for discussion?"

"The projects selected by the province are located here, and the factory is also of this scale."

"If we succeed in making it, other machinery factories can use it too."

A researcher next to him nodded.

"I'll choose this one too."

"It's a bit difficult, but the finished product is substantial."

Someone flipped to the second copy.

"This can be put off until later."

"It's my old workplace, waiting a few days won't hurt."

It's the third serving's turn.

Old Xu frowned as soon as he saw the words "hand-cranked noodle press".

"The research institute sent people there just for this?"

Someone nearby chuckled.

"Can't their factory make this themselves?"

"We've tested everything, what's missing?"

Another person flipped through the pictures.

"The materials are also incomplete."

"Even the official blueprints are lacking."

"If we go there, we'll have to start all over again."

Old Xu closed the paper bag.

There are only a few people.

"Why not do the big projects and instead go and make noodle-making machines for a small daily necessities factory?"

Mr. Sun did not express his opinion.

He looked at Lin Xiuhe.

"you say."

Lin Xiuhe didn't touch the sketch.

She pulled out the seven orders and put the refunded order on top.

"I cancelled a contract with one company yesterday."

Old Xu said, "You can't just follow orders when doing projects."

"I know."

"and you--"

"There are two more, just three days away."

Lin Xiuhe forwarded the date to him.

"Count today as one day."

"If we don't go tomorrow, there will only be two days left."

The young researcher took it and glanced at it.

"But the machine factory is also waiting."

"It won't be on the new line until the end of the year."

Lin Xiuhe said.

Old Xu raised his head.

"What do you mean?"

"I want to go to the noodle press factory first."

"Should we finalize the project today?"

"no."

Lin Xiuhe shook her head.

"Let's go see."

"Will you be back in half a day?"

"That day."

"Do you think it's necessary?"

"have."

This time she answered very quickly.

Old Xu seemed to want to say something more.

The director reached out and took the refund order.

"How much raw material did they purchase?"

The office director is flipping through documents.

"It's written as 60%."

"The money has already been invested?"

"It should be."

"What about the orders?"

"Seven cards, now there are six left."

Old Xu frowned.

"That's a problem with the factory's operations."

The director put the canceled order back on the table.

"Of course."

"But since they've come to us, we have to figure out first whether this matter is worth getting involved in."

After he finished speaking, he looked at Lin Xiuhe.

"Let's go tomorrow."

"I'll be back that day."

"We'll decide on one of the three options when we get back."

The meeting adjourned.

When Old Xu was collecting the materials, he also read aloud:

"Now we even have to worry about whether we can sell them or not."

Mr. Sun walked by.

"You used to worry a lot about the factory not being able to produce the products."

Old Xu looked up.

"How can they be the same?"

That's why we let young people watch it.

After finishing his sentence, Mr. Sun left.

Lin Xiuhe put the third paper bag into her bag.

I had just returned to the office when the phone rang.

The office director shouted from outside:

"Linzhou!"

"That noodle press factory!"

Lin Xiuhe answered the call.

"Feed?"

It was very noisy on the other end of the phone.

There were also sounds of metal clashing.

"Is that Forestry Engineer?"

"I am."

The man seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.

"I've finally found you."

"I'll go to the factory tomorrow."

"real?"

The other person's voice suddenly rose in volume.

Someone nearby seemed to be asking something.

The man covered the microphone, said a couple of words, and then came back.

"Mr. Lin, what time will you arrive?"

"morning."

"Okay, I'll wait for you."

Lin Xiuhe asked:

Are those two ordering companies still around?

The other side stopped for a moment.

"It's still there."

"What do you mean?"

The man gave a bitter laugh.

"Another telegram arrived this afternoon."

Which company is it?

Anxian Department Store.

Lin Xiuhe remembers.

Of the seven orders, their quantity was the second highest.

"What did they say?"

"They didn't say anything about a refund."

The man paused.

Just one sentence.

"If you can't give me a delivery date by 5 PM the day after tomorrow—"

Suddenly someone shouted on the other end of the phone:

"Section Chief Chen! What should we do with that batch of iron in the warehouse?"

The man didn't answer the other end of the line, continuing into the receiver:

"Forest worker."

"We've already invested over six thousand yuan in that batch of materials."

If the order is cancelled again...

He took a breath.

"The dough press machine hasn't been sold yet."

"The factory is currently holding up this batch of materials."

Lin Xiuhe held the receiver.

I'll go tomorrow.

"Don't feed any more materials yet."

"it is good."

The other party answered very quickly.

"I'm waiting for you."

The phone hangs up.

Lin Xiuhe pulled out the refund order again.

There was originally seven, but one is now missing.

There will likely be one less available at 5 PM the day after tomorrow.

She folded the paper back into the materials.

This time, what awaited her was not a broken machine.

It was an opportunity that was about to be missed.