He wouldn’t grow fond of foreign countries just because he’d studied abroad. He was, and always would be, a man of China!

With Wang Guofu away, Fang Heng took on the responsibility of looking after Xie Changning.

While she was drawing the blueprints, he was nearby, letting some hot water cool for her. Then he sat quietly to one side, watching Xie Changning draw.

It had to be said, Xie Changning’s blueprints were beautifully drawn.

Moreover, she could sketch the outline as soon as her pen touched the paper, as if she had done this countless times before.

As for the keys, Xie Changning designed them based on the keyboards of later generations, adding some function keys and a power button.

When Xie Changning drew, she drew all six faces of the keycap, annotating the dimensions for each part, color codes, and so on.

Not only was Xie Changning focused on her drawing, but Fang Heng was also watching intently.

"Director Xie, did you study abroad?" Fang Heng couldn’t help but ask her.

Xie Changning turned her head, looked at Fang Heng, then tilted her head in thought. "I was an exchange student in Germany for a while." ’The original owner of this body had indeed been an exchange student in Germany.’

’But I was different. I had been a full-time student there, the kind who skipped grades to graduate early.’

Hearing this, Fang Heng’s eyes lit up. "So that means you speak German?"

Xie Changning nodded. "Yes. If you need a translator, you can hire me. I charge by the hour." After saying that, she added, "I speak eight languages."

Fang Heng was stunned. ’I only know English!’

’I can’t believe this young director speaks eight languages.’

"Were you an exchange student in eight different countries?"

"...Self-taught."

’Even I feel a bit guilty saying that,’ Xie Changning thought. ’It sounds like I’m bragging...’

’Who would believe you could become fluent in eight languages just through self-study?’

"Please wait here. I’ll go get our archivist right now!" A few days ago, First Automobile Works had received a document. They could tell from the script it was German, but there were almost no German speakers in the entire country!

They had searched for a long time without finding anyone. Who would have thought the director of the Anong County Machinery Factory could do it!

’I have to seize this opportunity.’

Hearing that Xie Changning knew German, the archivist came along as well.

The archivist from First Automobile Works was a very capable-looking woman. She had short hair and was dressed in green military-style trousers and a white shirt, carrying two documents and a notebook in her hand.

"Director Xie, this is our archivist, Comrade Yu Xiaomei. Sister Xiao Mei, this is the director of the Anong County Machinery Factory, Xie Changning."

Fang Heng made the introductions.

Xie Changning looked up and saw a slender, slightly tanned hand extended toward her. "Hello, Director Xie."

"Hello, Archivist Yu."

After the two shook hands, Yu Xiaomei sat down opposite Xie Changning and pushed the two documents toward her. "Please take a look. These two documents... can you translate them?"

These two documents had been very difficult to obtain.

Xie Changning looked at the papers before her. They were all on fax paper. ’Hmm, they certainly don’t look like they were produced domestically.’

’They must have been sent back by a "friend" (an inside source) abroad.’

’Otherwise, they wouldn’t be treasured so dearly.’

Xie Changning temporarily set aside her blueprints. She pulled the documents closer and carefully examined the German text on them, then nodded. "I can do it. However, the translation will take a few days. I won’t have time to come here, so you’ll have to pick it up yourselves."

Yu Xiaomei’s gaze fell on Xie Changning. She nodded. "That’s fine. I will go and pick it up."

"However, Director Xie, I’ll need a sample translation from you to show our revolutionary committee director."

Xie Changning had no objection to this.

In her notebook, she translated a couple of paragraphs from the document. After translating them, Xie Changning froze.

She looked at the material on the page, and her expression grew serious.

"I think I need to stay and translate this for you tonight." The document revealed that foreign countries were not only halting machinery exports to them but were also planning to monopolize all patents and implement a technological blockade.

To completely suppress China.

’If possible, I hope First Automobile Works can make more breakthroughs at this Autumn Trade Fair, shatter their technological monopoly ahead of schedule, and break out of this encirclement!’

Seeing the look on Xie Changning’s face, Yu Xiaomei and Fang Heng exchanged a glance, both seeing the gravity in the other’s eyes.

"Is it something in this document—"

Xie Changning shook her head slightly, signaling for the two of them not to ask too many questions.

Yu Xiaomei understood and instantly got the message. They both fell silent. "Alright, I’ll have the logistics department arrange for Director Xie to stay at the factory tonight."

When Wang Guofu and the others returned, Xie Changning was talking with Yu Xiaomei and Fang Heng.

Xie Changning had spent the afternoon finishing all the required blueprints for the keys and had set them aside.

"All done with your tests?"

"Yes. The instructor said they’ll announce the scores and rankings in three days. We just need to enroll directly then."

The student at the head of the group nodded. He’d had a major breakthrough with his technique today—the steel rod broke after only nine strikes!

Xie Changning nodded in satisfaction. "You all head back first for today. I still have some business here. I also need to find a plastics factory tomorrow, so I won’t be going back with you."

"Huh?" Hearing that Xie Changning wasn’t going back, everyone was a little disappointed.

However, since Xie Changning had business to attend to, they didn’t insist, instead asking Fang Heng and Yu Xiaomei to take care of her.

"Don’t worry. Director Xie is our distinguished guest. We will take good care of her."

After seeing off the students and Wang Guofu, Xie Changning took her things and returned to their conference room with the other two. She didn’t go to see their revolutionary committee director, but simply sat quietly in the conference room to translate.

’Once the content is translated, they’ll understand it for themselves.’

While Xie Changning was doing the sample translation that afternoon, Yu Xiaomei had found someone to verify her skill level. Only after confirming that her proficiency was very high and free of errors did she feel confident enough to hire Xie Changning for the job.

The pay was five yuan per hour.

This was, it must be said, a very handsome rate.

After all, a senior translator at the time only made a little over one hundred yuan a month.

Xie Changning’s translation was both fast and accurate. She finished translating all the documents in just one night, and even managed to sleep for two hours in between.

Seeing Xie Changning looking so energetic, Yu Xiaomei couldn’t help but be amazed.

Xie Changning’s handwriting wasn’t the delicate, elegant type, but rather a bold and sharp style, which made Yu Xiaomei take a second look.

Her writing resembled calligraphy. It was so neat that anyone would be compelled to look at it twice.

"Director Xie, let me show you to a place where you can rest for a while."

"No need. Could you please take me to Director Zhao’s office? I’d like to pay him a visit."

Xie Changning was preparing to talk to Director Zhao about the plastics factory matter.

She had been busy with matters at her own factory recently and didn’t know much about the others. She wanted to ask about the characteristics of the various plastics factories and their main areas of expertise.

"Alright!"

Xie Changning left with Fang Heng, while Yu Xiaomei went to see their chairman. "Chairman, the foreign countries are banding together to establish a technological monopoly!"