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

Zhao Guodong went to the Beijing No. 2 Textile Factory for the second time, five days later.

When he arrived at the purchasing department building, he had just parked his bicycle when a bicycle bell rang behind him.

Zhao Guodong turned around.

He Qiuyan jumped off the back seat, carrying two cardboard boxes in her arms. Lin Xiuhe braced herself against the car and saw him too.

He Qiuyan laughed first.

"Comrade Zhao arrived early enough."

"You're not too late either."

Zhao Guodong glanced into Lin Xiuhe's bicycle basket.

Inside were several documents and two samples wrapped in old newspapers.

"Are you afraid I'll take the business first?"

Lin Xiuhe locked her bicycle.

I was going to say something polite.

"And now?"

"I don't want to think about it now."

Zhao Guodong chuckled at her retort.

"Alright. Let's see who has the best skills today."

"Didn't you say it yourself a few days ago? When it's time to settle accounts, we have to settle accounts."

"You remember it quite well."

"Of course you should write it down if it's useful."

He Qiuyan, carrying her belongings, walked between the two of them.

"You guys take your time with the calculations, I'm going upstairs first."

As soon as the three of them arrived at the entrance of the purchasing department, they found that there were already people inside.

A black leather bag was placed by the door, and two cardboard boxes containing samples were placed against the wall.

He Qiuyan paused in her steps.

"There are two more."

Lin Xiuhe glanced inside.

"Let's go inside and talk."

The purchasing department was busier today than last time.

Section Chief Sun sat at the table by the window; people from the other two units had already arrived. One was in his early forties, wearing a gray shirt; the other was younger, examining an enamel lunchbox.

Several sheets of paper were spread out on the table, and next to them were a lunchbox, a toolbox, and an iron stand.

Once everyone had arrived, Section Chief Sun didn't exchange many pleasantries.

"Have a seat. Let's get this all straight today."

He pushed the top sheet of paper to the middle of the table.

"This time I'm not just buying the same few items I looked at last time."

"The workshop, dormitory, canteen, and the things prepared for the employees at the end of the year have all been put together in one place."

He used a pencil to mark down the list.

"Lunchboxes, clothes racks, toolboxes, washbasin stands, wire baskets..."

Some orders require hundreds of pieces, while others only require a few dozen.

Delivery times also differ.

The earliest batch was released in less than half a month, and the latest batch didn't get much relief either.

After reading it, Zhao Guodong already had a good idea of ​​what was going on.

Ningzhou Equipment Factory can reliably handle both.

I'll have to go back and ask about the third one.

Any more than that would be inappropriate.

The older man next to him spoke first.

"Section Chief Sun, we can make lunchboxes, and toolboxes are no problem either."

"Where's the clothes rack?"

"I won't do that."

"Pourer stand?"

The man shook his head.

Section Chief Sun then turned to ask another company.

They can make clothes racks and wire baskets over there, but as soon as you mention lunchboxes, they immediately wave their hands.

"Enameling is not our factory's style."

When it was Zhao Guodong's turn, he mentioned the two projects that Ningzhou could take on, and then handed over a new quote.

As he listened, Section Chief Sun took notes on a piece of paper.

After asking around, he had already written down the names of several organizations.

Some items are followed by two or three companies.

Some are still empty.

As Section Chief Sun was writing, he suddenly put down his pencil.

"Still the same."

Several people looked over.

He opened the drawer and pulled out a handful of slips of paper.

"I've recorded seven or eight units of information for these things over the past few days."

"This can be used to make lunch boxes, and that can be used to make shelves. But when it comes to toolboxes, we'll have to go to another store."

The older man smiled and said:

"With so many items, it's always better to check with several suppliers."

"You are certainly safe."

Section Chief Sun glanced at him.

"You take on two orders, deliver the finished goods to this company, and the rest is none of your business."

The man's smile faded slightly.

Section Chief Sun threw the stack of notes onto the table.

"What about me?"

"We ask about prices today, and wait for samples tomorrow. Once the samples are ordered, we still have to urge production."

"When it comes to delivery, if one supplier is two days earlier or two days later, or if another supplier is short by a few dozen pieces, everything has to be rechecked."

"If I were just buying two hundred lunchboxes, would I need to call you all here?"

No one inside the room responded.

The sounds of machines from the workshop outside the window came in bursts.

He Qiuyan looked down at the list and gently nudged Lin Xiuhe with her elbow.

"The factories we've worked with before can put together six items."

Lin Xiuhe hummed in agreement.

She didn't rush to speak.

The list contained more than a dozen items, which were already densely written down by Section Chief Sun.

Two items are still empty.

Another item reads—

The scheduling is too late.

Section Chief Sun picked up the pencil again.

"Never mind, let's do it one at a time."

Which companies offer lunchboxes?

Two companies have submitted their applications.

"A clothes rack?"

They tried two more places.

"Toolbox?"

Zhao Guodong applied to Ningzhou.

As he continued asking questions, Section Chief Sun accumulated more and more papers in his hand.

When asked the final question, he sighed first.

"have a look."

"The goods haven't been ordered yet, but the paper is already spread all over the table."

The older man said:

"Just pick the one that suits you best in the end."

"What happens after you've made your selection?"

Section Chief Sun countered with a question.

"The goods don't arrange a date; they just come to the Second Textile Factory from seven or eight different shops all at once."

This time, no one spoke.

Lin Xiuhe raised her head.

"Section Chief Sun."

"Um?"

Of these dozen or so items, which one are you most anxious about?

"As for delivery time, there are two urgent matters."

Section Chief Sun thought for a moment, then shook his head.

"But that's not what's really giving me a headache."

"What is it?"

"There are too many people."

He pointed to the papers on the table.

"I need to keep track of seven or eight suppliers when I buy a batch of goods."

"Hiring fewer people is better than anything else."

Lin Xiuhe asked:

"What if we only want to find one?"

Section Chief Sun looked up.

"one?"

"Um."

"You only need to tell one person the quantity, samples, and when you need them."

The young man next to him smiled.

"Comrade Lin, which company can complete this entire page?"

"no."

Lin Xiuhe answered quickly.

The young man was taken aback for a moment.

Section Chief Sun was also looking at her.

"If there aren't any, then we still have to look at several companies, right?"

"There are several manufacturers."

Lin Xiuhe turned the list to herself.

"But you don't need to urge them one by one."

She picked up a pencil and marked a few of them.

"Let whoever is best suited to do that do it."

"If any store is late or has the wrong product, contact Xinghe."

"You just need to take delivery at the end."

Section Chief Sun remained silent.

Zhao Guodong sat beside him and listened for a while.

He glanced at the list on the table, then looked at Lin Xiuhe.

"So, the Ningzhou equipment factory will also be under your jurisdiction?"

"We need to ask about the price first."

"Is the price reasonable?"

Use it if it's suitable.

"What if I don't agree?"

"Let's find another one."

He Qiuyan lowered her head, unable to suppress the smile on her lips.

Zhao Guodong looked at her, then at Lin Xiuhe.

"OK."

"Never mind, I didn't ask."

Section Chief Sun, however, was still staring at the list.

"If even one of these dozen or so items is late in getting to you, it will still cause delays."

"That's why I won't agree today."

"Then why were you talking for so long?"

"Let me ask first."

Lin Xiuhe pulled the list a little closer to herself.

"Two days."

"I can do it by clearly writing down the factory, price, and delivery time."

"Make sure to write down what you can't do."

"Please read it before you decide."

Section Chief Sun leaned back in his chair and thought for a while.

Suddenly, he put away the stack of phone numbers he had just collected.

"OK."

He pulled a list out of the drawer.

"You ask for me first."

He Qiuyan immediately took it.

Section Chief Sun then pointed to the other people on the table.

"But let me say this first."

"This order belongs to Xinghe, not Xinghe."

"They'll still report it as usual."

"Of course."

"The day after tomorrow afternoon."

"become."

Section Chief Sun picked up the stack of notes he had just put away and looked at them again.

"If the list you give me the day after tomorrow is actually usable, I won't have to call each company one by one."

Lin Xiuhe smiled.

"Then I'll try my best to make you play fewer games."

After the matter was explained, the families packed up their belongings.

Zhao Guodong put the quote back into his canvas bag and followed Lin Xiuhe and the others out of the purchasing department.

He called to her as they reached the top of the stairs.

"Boss Lin."

"What is it?"

Zhao Guodong pointed to the list in He Qiuyan's hand.

"Regarding the toolbox item, did you already include Ningzhou in your calculations?"

"never mind."

"Did you ask me?"

"Ask now."

Zhao Guodong stood there and looked at her for two seconds.

He Qiuyan laughed out loud from the side.

"You're still laughing?"

"I couldn't resist."

Zhao Guodong was too lazy to talk to her, and looked at Lin Xiuhe again.

"I'll go back and recheck the price."

"When?"

"today."

"Preferably in the morning."

"Why won't you let me ride back to Ningzhou now?"

"Too late."

"You know it's too late?"

That's why I let you have it in the morning.

Zhao Guodong laughed in anger.

"Lin Xiuhe, you really know how to boss people around now."

"This is business."

"Does business give you the right to order people around?"

Lin Xiuhe looked at him.

"Help when you need to."

Zhao Guodong knew immediately that what followed was not a pleasant thing.

really.

"When it's time to calculate the money, we have to."

She returned exactly what he had said a few days ago.

Zhao Guodong couldn't help but laugh and curse.

"OK."

"I said it myself, and I admit it."

He walked down a few steps and then turned back.

"I'll give it to you before noon."

"Wait for you."

The three people separated downstairs.

Zhao Guodong rode his bicycle back to the Beijing Liaison Office.

Lin Xiuhe and He Qiuyan, however, did not rush to leave.

He Qiuyan spread the list on the bicycle seat and looked at it again.

I was listening inside the house just now, and it seems like there's a way to make this happen.

Now that she actually has it in her hands, she realizes how daunting it is.

"Twelve or thirteen items."

"We are only confident about six things."

"I've never even asked the factory about these two items before."

Lin Xiuhe glanced at it.

"Then let's start by asking about these two things."

"Where to go first?"

"Chengnan Hardware Factory".

He Qiuyan folded the list.

"Can they do it?"

"have no idea."

"You didn't know and you still went?"

"You won't know unless you go."

"Too."

He Qiuyan stuffed the paper into her bag and was about to get into the car when someone suddenly shouted at the entrance of the office building.

"Comrade Lin!"

The two of them turned around together.

Section Chief Sun chased after him out of the building, holding a piece of paper in his hand.

"I almost missed it."

"Two more things were reported from the dormitory yesterday."

He walked over and handed the paper to Lin Xiuhe.

"I wasn't originally planning to put it together with the ones in front."

"After hearing what you said earlier, I might as well show it to you."

He Qiuyan came closer.

There are only two items on the paper.

The quantity was small, but a date was written on the back.

She watched it twice.

"Twelve days?"

Section Chief Sun nodded.

"Are you in a hurry?"

"This is not urgent."

He Qiuyan raised her head.

"Can it be made in twelve days?"

"That's why I didn't put it in just now."

Section Chief Sun shook his head.

"I've already asked several companies in Beijing that can do this."

"At the fastest, it will take 27 or 28 days."

"One family has to wait more than a month."

"If you can't do it, don't force yourself to."

"I'll think of another way."

After he finished speaking, he returned to the office building.

He Qiuyan was still staring at the paper.

"The fastest they can do is 28 days."

"We only have twelve days."

She did the math, then shook her head.

"Let's not keep this one."

Lin Xiuhe looked at the specifications on the paper and then read the product names again.

After a while, she suddenly asked:

"In the past, was this product manufactured entirely by one factory?"

He Qiuyan thought for a moment.

"It should be."

Why?

"Why? Why?"

Lin Xiuhe looked up.

"Why must one factory handle everything from start to finish?"

He Qiuyan didn't understand.

"What do you mean?"

Lin Xiuhe folded the paper and put it in the bicycle basket.

"We don't know yet if it will work."

"Let's go find a factory first."

She pushed her bicycle outside.

He Qiuyan quickly followed.

"Have you thought of a solution?"

"It's just an idea."

"What are your thoughts?"

"Let's talk after we've inspected the factory."

"Lin Xiuhe".

"Um?"

"Why are you getting better and better at piquing people's interest with your words these days?"

Lin Xiuhe chuckled.

"Then hurry up and ride."

Two bicycles exited the No. 2 Textile Factory gate one after the other.

The wind blew in my face from the street corner.

A corner of the list in the bicycle basket was blown up.

The date at the very bottom is now visible.

Twelve days.