’This one’s promising material for the propaganda department,’ Xie Changning thought. ’I can start by nurturing him a little.’

"Not bad, not bad. When I start working in a bit, remember to photograph every step I take..." Xie Changning explained her reason for bringing the camera to the young man. He nodded, promising to complete the mission.

Once she confirmed the young man could handle the camera on his own, Xie Changning led him to Workshop No. 5.

When the R&D team saw Xie Changning arrive, they knew she was there to demonstrate how to manufacture the electronic components.

Xie Changning put on her work clothes, donned her safety glasses, and threw herself into the work.

The R&D team put down their own work, gathered around, and watched Xie Changning’s technique.

The young man stood to the side, snapping away—CLICK! CLICK! CLICK!—determined to capture every single one of Xie Changning’s movements clearly.

The electronic components were difficult to make, so Xie Changning had the R&D team handle the easier parts while she directed from the side.

Everyone handled their tasks with extreme care. 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

The days in R&D were tedious, but also exciting. Every breakthrough brought joy to the workers.

Xie Changning had already given Wang Guofu full authority to manage the partnership with the bicycle factory, leaving him to handle the negotiations. Her own daily work was focused on research and development, striving to get the printer built before the Autumn Trade Fair.

The manufacturing process for the electronic components had also been photographed and posted inside the workshop for the workers to see.

While focused on R&D, Xie Changning didn’t neglect the children’s basic training.

"Factory Director, I can break the steel rod in just 13 strikes now!"

"Factory Director!"

"Factory Director!"

The children crowded around Xie Changning, boasting about their accomplishments.

Xie Changning nodded in satisfaction. "Not bad. You’ve all made great progress this month!" She didn’t hold back her praise.

Time passed bit by bit, and soon, it was time for the children’s school entrance exams.

It was the same truck as before. This time, Xie Changning and Wang Guofu went along with them.

Xie Changning’s pregnancy was starting to make her less agile, and everyone at the factory worried it would be dangerous for her to lead the group alone. So, against her wishes, they insisted that Wang Guofu go with her.

(Wang Guofu: I’m definitely not just trying to get a tour of First Automobile Works’ technical school, really!)

After they got out of the truck, they saw Fang Heng already waiting at the gate. When he saw Xie Changning get out, and especially when she nimbly hopped down from the running board, his eyelid twitched. It was truly the first time he had ever seen such an agile young pregnant woman.

Wang Guofu and the children got out of the truck one after another.

Xie Changning then spoke up to make the introductions, "Uncle Wang, this is Secretary Fang Heng, secretary to the head of the Revolutionary Committee. And this is our factory’s Vice Factory Director of Production, Vice Factory Director Wang Guofu."

Fang Heng and Wang Guofu shook hands, then Fang Heng turned to Xie Changning.

"Let’s go. The children are all lined up and waiting. The assessment starts at nine, so I’ll take you to the examination hall."

The examination hall was inside the technical school.

This wasn’t the children’s first time here. Compared to their fresh excitement from the last visit, they were much calmer and quieter this time, not as rowdy as before.

They walked in an orderly formation behind Wang Guofu and Xie Changning.

When they arrived at the examination area, Fang Heng assigned them to different rooms based on their respective trades. Xie Changning was a little worried the children might get stage fright, but—

"Factory Director, don’t worry! We’re your soldiers; we won’t let you down!"

"We won’t get stage fright!"

"Factory Director, you just wait here for our good news!"

The children all told Xie Changning to wait for them right there. They didn’t need her to accompany them; she just needed to take care of herself.

They even turned the tables on Wang Guofu, telling him, "Just take good care of our Factory Director! We’ll take care of ourselves. You just wait for the good news of our acceptance!"

First Automobile Works had given them thirty guest student slots, but they wanted to prove themselves with their own abilities!

What they lacked was the platform!

They would be the ones studying alongside the other students in the future; they had to earn their ticket to success with their own two hands!

Originally, when the matter of the guest students came up, the workers at First Automobile Works had grown worried. They were afraid their own children wouldn’t be able to get into the technical school. Even though the new slots were an addition to the total number of acceptances, the FAW workers were still anxious.

As people passed by Xie Changning and Wang Guofu, many looked at them with displeasure.

It couldn’t be helped. Who asked the Anong County Machinery Factory to touch their cake, after all?

Compared to Wang Guofu, who was red-faced with embarrassment, Xie Changning was perfectly calm. They hadn’t taken anyone’s spot, so there was no need to feel inferior.

If she had to be indebted to anyone, it was only to the First Automobile Works’ Revolutionary Committee and Director Zhao!

The exams proceeded slowly. Midway through, Fang Heng took Wang Guofu to get a meal.

The cafeteria inside the First Automobile Works factory had great food. Wang Guofu was so moved by the meal that he said, "Factory Director, when our factory grows bigger, we have to build a cafeteria like this!" Clean and bright!

And delicious!

Xie Changning couldn’t help but smile, her eyes curving. "Are you that confident our factory can grow and prosper?"

"Of course. Ever since you joined the factory, the orders haven’t stopped. Every month, Director Zhao allocates us some high-carbon steel so we don’t have to halt production. It’s enough to survive."

This was something they wouldn’t have dared to dream of before!

All they had been waiting for were two words: "going bankrupt"!

Now, not only do we have orders, but we also have support from Chuncheng. The R&D team has research funding from Chuncheng, so it doesn’t take away from the factory’s own budget.

What a great turn of events this is!

"I heard the first printer is already taking shape. I believe it won’t be long before the R&D is successful!"

In reality, the difficulties with the printer were greater than Wang Guofu imagined.

However, the R&D team members were all working hard, breaking through any difficulty they encountered. Plus, with Xie Changning being a person from the future who held an information advantage, the printer’s difficulties were greatly reduced.

Even when problems did arise, Xie Changning would go to the R&D team and solve them directly.

Slowly but surely, progress was being made.

"The keycaps haven’t been custom-ordered yet. I need to find a plastics factory to produce them." Speaking of which, Xie Changning remembered she hadn’t drawn up the blueprints for the keycaps yet.

Anong County only had two small parts factories, one glass factory, and their own machinery factory.

To get the keycaps made, Xie Changning would have to go to Chuncheng to place a custom order.

Alternatively, she could buy a set directly from the plastics factory that partnered with the photocopier factory.

But if she did that, they would have to redesign the printer’s outer shell. It was better to just get them custom-made.

"Secretary Fang, could I trouble you to get me a couple of sheets of paper and a pencil?" After finishing her meal, Xie Changning didn’t rush off to wait for the children. She told Wang Guofu to go on ahead; she was going to draw her blueprints in the cafeteria.

Fang Heng had heard that Xie Changning’s factory was developing a printer.

As someone who had studied abroad, he was well aware of how difficult it was to break through the foreign patent monopolies on printers.

"Alright, I’ll go get them right away." ’But no matter how difficult it is,’ he thought, ’we have to break through! We can’t let those foreign devils stifle our development!’