Xie Changning didn’t have them make parts for the printer. Instead, she gave them a different assignment.

But her proposal was immediately rejected.

"We want to make the printer parts!"

"Right!"

"It’s the only way to show how seriously we’re taking this and to see the real difference in our skills!"

Xie Changning was speechless. Since more than half of them voted for it, the assignment was changed to making printer parts.

I had to admit, their enthusiasm was incredible. While they were still waiting for news from the steel mill, the competition within Xie Changning’s research group had already concluded.

Three people were selected for each of the various roles: lathe operator, miller, planer, grinder, fitter, and others.

The more critical roles of process planner and technician were personally selected by Xie Changning, who appointed several workshop directors.

Even after the competition ended, everyone’s enthusiasm didn’t wane. Now that their own contest was over, they were eager to watch the one for their children.

Compared to the assessment for the workers, the children’s test was much simpler, covering only the fundamentals.

First up were the fitters and welders.

Impressively, even for kids from a small factory, quite a few showed considerable natural talent. Xie Changning selected those with the best fundamentals and had them ask their parents to come in.

"I plan to send them away to school for further training. Do you have any objections?"

At first, the parents had no objections.

The ones who objected were the families of a few of the girls. They frowned, feeling that manual labor was too arduous and they didn’t want their daughters to do such strenuous work.

They just wanted them to get jobs at places like the department store or the hospital.

Failing that, learning a less demanding trade would also be acceptable. They just didn’t want them to go down the path of a fitter or a welder.

"Director, I can’t bear to let my daughter become a welder. It’s too hard a job..." The girl’s father was a welder himself, and he understood the hardships involved. As he spoke, his eyes filled with heartache for his daughter.

Hearing her father’s objection, the girl immediately raised her head high.

"Dad! I love welding! You should support me!" she declared, her voice ringing out, prompting several other girls to nod in agreement.

"Right!"

They came here not because of their family situation, but out of genuine passion! 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

"We want to be as capable as the Director! We all know that senior technicians get opportunities for promotion! We’re going to become Level 6 workers, Level 8 Workers, and chief engineers on major projects!"

The children of the factory all had lofty ambitions.

These children, who had once just goofed around while tagging along with their parents, had finally found their future goals because of Xie Changning!

The adoration for Xie Changning was written on all their faces.

They had all heard how incredible their director was. Not only had she secured a quota for high-carbon steel, but she had also managed to increase the steel mill’s production output!

The more they thought about it, the more the children admired Xie Changning.

"As your parents have said, being a technician is hard. Once you commit, you have to see it through." Xie Changning laid out the harsh reality first. "I can open the door for you, but you have to study hard. If you drop out, I will be charging your parents for tuition."

"Of course, if you graduate successfully, you must come work at my factory. The tuition will be waived; consider it a company benefit for training our own technicians."

Coming out of vocational school, they would be Level 2 Technicians at minimum.

They’d be starting at the same level as their parents.

Could the parents possibly not want them to go?

"Can you stick with it?"

Xie Changning’s voice rose, filled with an inspiring power. Her words boosted the children’s morale, and they shouted back, "We can!"

They were determined to become senior technicians!

With the children’s competition concluded, Xie Changning selected the best candidates and waited for news from Director Zhao.

On the eighth day after the tryouts, there was a commotion at the front gate.

"Director! Someone’s here to unload cargo!"

Xie Changning, who was called down just as she was starting her workday, rushed downstairs. The moment she stepped outside, she saw several trucks parked at the gate.

"Quick, let them in! Clear out the warehouse and prepare for unloading!"

Xie Changning didn’t need to guess. She knew it was the high-carbon steel!

Instantly, Xie Changning felt her dizziness vanish and her vision clear. She wanted to get the workers back on the production line right away!

As the high-carbon steel entered the factory, the workers mobilized to move it into the warehouse. After seeing the trucks off, Xie Changning contacted the steel mill to thank them for their help.

"That amount is just three days’ worth of our workload! Mr. Xie, we’re the ones who should be thanking you!"

Now, they could produce in three days what used to take ten. Since their production capacity had increased so drastically, helping her out was no big deal.

Besides, with such a capable director at the helm, why would they worry about her factory’s future?

After exchanging pleasantries with the steel mill director, Xie Changning received a call bearing good news from Director Zhao. "Congratulations, your wish has been granted. Chuncheng First Automobile Factory agreed to expand its enrollment to include some visiting students, and I managed to secure thirty spots for you."

It was a double blessing!

Based on her assessments, Xie Changning had only selected 21 of the employees’ children with the strongest fundamentals.

She hadn’t expected this delightful surprise!

Once the workers had finished storing the high-carbon steel, Xie Changning announced the news about the visiting student program. "That means we can add nine more names to the list. Any objections?"

"None!"

How could they possibly object?

That was First Automobile Works! To say your kid was studying at First Automobile Works—now that was something to brag about!

After sharing the good news, Xie Changning went to the workshop to explain the manufacturing process for the brake cable wire, as well as the machinery required.

With everything prepared and everyone having learned the process well enough to produce the brake cable wire independently, Xie Changning delivered a sample to the Feige Bicycle Factory for their director to inspect.

"Sign it!"

The fact that Xie Changning could secure a high-carbon steel allocation for a small factory of only 200 people spoke volumes about her capabilities!

And so, Xie Changning successfully secured her first order.

Back at the factory, Wang Guofu eagerly shared the news. "Comrades, one month after halting production, we have once again secured a manufacturing contract with Feige Bicycle Factory!"

"An order for ten thousand bicycle brake cables! Ten thousand!"

It might not sound like a lot, but their factory didn’t specialize in this. Many steps had to be done by hand, and the workers weren’t familiar with this particular production line. They also had classes in the mornings, which took up a lot of time. For over a hundred workers, processing it all manually would likely take five to seven days.

The ex-factory price for one cable was 0.35 yuan, making ten thousand worth 3,500 yuan!

If this first batch met their standards, the bicycle factory would increase the volume of their contract orders!

At that rate, even if it took them seven days to make ten thousand cables, they could still bring in around 10,000 yuan a month! They’d no longer have to worry about being unable to pay wages!

The workers were thinking the exact same thing.

Everyone threw themselves into the new production order. Their goal was to make this batch of cables quickly and flawlessly, ensuring the bicycle factory would come back to them for future contracts.

Xie Changning was pleased to see the workers’ dedication.

On the afternoon of the third day of stable production, she led the thirty children of her factory employees out of Anong County and into the Chuncheng First Automobile Factory.