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

Zhao Guodong put his toolbox on the table and first picked up Lin Xiuhe's order to take a look.

"Four hundred sets, in eight days?"

"Um."

Who will make the wire parts?

"Director Luo."

"What about assembly?"

"What about Director Ye?"

Zhao Guodong looked up.

Where should we go first today?

"To Director Luo."

"Walk."

Lin Xiuhe looked at him.

"Weren't you going back this afternoon?"

"It's still early."

Zhao Guodong returned the order to her.

"I've come all this way, I can't just sit here drinking water for half a day."

Lin Xiuhe smiled.

"OK."

"Then come with me first."

When the two arrived at Director Luo's place, a truck was parked at the factory gate, and the workshop was much busier than usual.

When Director Luo came out, he saw Lin Xiuhe and first glanced at Zhao Guodong.

"Who is this?"

"My college classmate, Zhao Guodong."

Zhao Guodong reached out his hand.

"Director Luo."

"Oh, hello."

Factory Director Luo shook hands with him, then turned to Lin Xiuhe.

"You've come at the right time; I was just about to look for you."

Lin Xiuhe sensed something was wrong.

"What happened?"

Factory Director Luo pointed into the workshop.

"A rush order just came in, over a thousand sets, cash on delivery, and they already transferred the money this morning."

Lin Xiuhe frowned.

"What about mine?"

"Postpone it by one day."

"Yesterday it was said to be five and a half days."

"I know."

Factory Director Luo was also a bit annoyed.

"But you only agreed on the price and time yesterday; the payment for the materials hasn't come yet. I can't just leave the machine idle while the money has already been received."

Lin Xiuhe looked into the workshop.

"Six and a half days for me?"

"almost."

"Director Ye only has one and a half days left."

"There are a lot of people on her side, let's hurry up."

"Even if we rush, it's impossible to finish installing 400 sets in a day and a half."

Factory Director Luo shrugged.

"There's nothing I can do about that."

As he spoke, his tone became serious.

"Lin Xiuhe, we may have been close before, but now that you're out on your own, I have to settle some business accounts with you."

"You have 400 sets, while they have over 1,000. Your money hasn't even arrived yet, but theirs has already been deposited."

"If you were me, who would you choose to do first?"

Zhao Guodong stood to the side, without saying a word.

Lin Xiuhe didn't argue with him anymore.

She asked:

"What if I pay half the cost of the materials today?"

Factory Director Luo's brow twitched.

"today?"

"afternoon."

"You really have it?"

"have."

Factory Director Luo lowered his head and calculated for a while.

"Then I'll leave you one device; we won't shut down the whole thing."

"Still five and a half days."

Factory Director Luo immediately looked up.

"You really won't give me any leeway?"

"We agreed on this yesterday."

"The situation has changed today."

"So I deposited the money first."

Lin Xiuhe looked at him.

"You leave me the equipment, and I'll pay half the cost of the materials. Let's not bring up our past relationship."

Factory Director Luo stared at her for a long time, and finally laughed in exasperation.

"You've really learned how to do business now."

"I only started yesterday."

"They'll pressure you from the very beginning."

"So, will you agree or not?"

Factory Director Luo waved his hand.

"Five and a half days."

"If I don't have enough money by the afternoon, I'll immediately move to the back of the line."

"OK."

Zhao Guodong only spoke after they left the factory gate.

"Would he have dared to change your date at the last minute before?"

Lin Xiuhe pushed her bicycle.

"I used to work on research institute projects."

"There are four hundred sets right now."

Zhao Guodong chuckled.

"So you figured it out now?"

"I can tell."

"Aren't you angry?"

"gas."

Lin Xiuhe got on her bicycle.

"But he also needs to earn money."

Zhao Guodong followed along pushing the cart.

"So you're really planning to put your money in first?"

"Um."

"You're doing this for the very first order?"

"If the data can't be extracted, everything else will be blocked."

Zhao Guodong frowned.

How much do you have left?

Lin Xiuhe looked at him.

"Why are you interfering with this?"

"I was just asking."

"Trade secrets".

Zhao Guodong was amused.

"OK."

"There really is a secret."

"Come on."

"Where to?"

"bank."

After the money was transferred, Lin Xiuhe stood at the bank entrance and flipped through the small notebook in her hand again.

Zhao Guodong came closer.

"How is it?"

"nonsense."

Is that enough?

Lin Xiuhe slammed the notebook shut.

"Enough for this order."

"What about the next order?"

"Let's make this order back first."

Zhao Guodong looked at her for a while, then didn't ask any more questions.

There happened to be someone selling sesame seed cakes nearby.

He bought two and handed one to Lin Xiuhe.

"eat."

"You're treating?"

"Or what?"

Zhao Guodong took a bite.

"You should save the little money you have now to save these four hundred sets."

Lin Xiuhe was amused by his words.

"I'm not that poor."

"Then you'll treat?"

"No, please."

"See?"

Two people were standing by the roadside eating sesame seed cakes.

Zhao Guodong suddenly asked:

Do you remember back in college?

"Which time?"

"Project Enlightenment"

"What's wrong?"

"Back then, if someone changed your date at the last minute, you could chase after them and ask them three times why."

Lin Xiuhe smiled.

"Ask now too."

"Come on."

Zhao Guodong glanced at her.

"You've really got a knack for calculating money now."

"It doesn't count."

Lin Xiuhe took a bite of the sesame seed cake.

"I'm the one who has to pay the compensation."

Zhao Guodong nodded.

"OK."

"This sounds like someone who's actually going out to do business."

It was a little after 3 p.m. when Zhao Guodong was supposed to leave.

Lin Xiuhe saw him off at the station.

He slung the tool bag back over his shoulder.

"I might come to Beijing again next month."

"Another business trip?"

"Um."

"Then I'll treat you to a meal next time."

"Wait until you earn back the money for these four hundred sets first."

Zhao Guodong took two steps out, then turned back.

"Oh, right."

"What's wrong?"

"If this batch of goods really gets stuck on the metal parts, call my factory."

Lin Xiuhe raised an eyebrow.

"Didn't you go back?"

"I never said I'd come back to do your work."

Zhao Guodong smiled.

"I used to know a few metalwork craftsmen. If you have an emergency, I can ask them for you."

"OK."

"Let me make it clear first, I'm only asking for you."

"Know."

"Don't go out and tell people one day that I'm from Xinghe."

Lin Xiuhe smiled.

You wish!

Zhao Guodong waved his hand.

"That's more like it."

"I'm gone."

He entered the station carrying his tool bag.

Lin Xiuhe did not return to Beijing.

She went directly to Director Ye's office.

The street factory is still rushing to finish the orders ahead.

As soon as Director Ye saw her enter, the first thing he asked was:

"What did Director Luo say?"

"Five and a half days."

"Can you really give it to me?"

"I've already paid half the cost of the materials."

Director Ye's eyebrows immediately rose.

"So much inventory on the first order?"

"Or he can move me to the back of the line."

Director Ye clicked his tongue.

"I know him. Whoever gets the money first gets the machine first."

"That's why I came to find you."

"What do you want from me?"

"Can we start production on the same day the first batch of materials arrives?"

Director Ye looked at her.

"Are you planning to keep an eye on both sides?"

"The first order."

Lin Xiuhe smiled.

"I can't sleep at night if I don't keep an eye on it."

Director Ye was amused by her.

"OK."

"If you expect it, then open it."

She had barely finished speaking when someone suddenly ran in through the door.

"Director Ye!"

Xiaomei was holding a newly delivered notice.

"Someone from the department store came and said that the sample of the lunchbox basket needs to be changed."

Lin Xiuhe turned her head.

"Where should we change it?"

"Handle".

Xiaomei handed over the notice.

"The buyer said the original one was too hot to handle, so they wanted to add another heat insulation cover."

Director Ye took it and glanced at it, then frowned.

"That price won't be the same as yesterday."

Lin Xiuhe took the notice and read it from beginning to end.

"Has the delivery date been changed?"

Xiao Mei shook her head.

"He didn't say."

"What about the price?"

"They didn't say either."

Director Ye scoffed.

"They'll add more items, but the timeframe remains unchanged, and the price won't be raised."

Xiao Mei looked at her, then at Lin Xiuhe.

"Then...shall we change it?"

Lin Xiuhe folded the notice neatly.

"Don't change it yet."

Xiao Mei looked up.

"what?"

"Let the department store representatives handle the negotiations."

Lin Xiuhe handed the notice back.

"Adding things is fine."

"The amount of the extra charge needs to be clearly stated as well."