Seeing the honeycomb core structure, Xie Changning’s first reaction wasn’t joy, but rather—

’How am I going to explain to the workers how the components became brand new?’

’How many days would she have to scrub with sandpaper to get them to look like this!’

’But none of that matters anymore!’

Xie Changning set the honeycomb core structure aside, found another component, and placed it on the workbench.

Next came the solid steel plate and the air-floating vibration isolation legs. The latter took over half an hour, as repairing its internal parts was more time-consuming.

Xie Changning spent two hours successfully repairing all the components for the precision optical platform. She then placed the repaired parts in the workshop before leaving her ’space’.

The next day, Xie Changning returned to the Anong County Machinery Factory with several brand-new components. Under the curious gazes of the workers, she laid them out neatly and began to assemble them, piece by piece.

It became a brand-new precision optical platform.

None of them had ever seen such a device, and they all found it incredibly advanced. Everyone was captivated by the equipment in Xie Changning’s hands.

"Perfect. Let’s move this machine to the fifth workshop." Xie Changning turned and saw the doorway crowded with curious onlookers. She had the workers come in and move it to the workshop where the R&D team was based.

Everyone was eager to help.

After Xie Changning picked a few to move the machine, the others walked away reluctantly, glancing back every few steps.

They had to get back to work and couldn’t watch any longer!

They wondered what the machine would even feel like to the touch.

Once the machine was in the fifth workshop, the R&D team was stunned by its advanced design, and also by its—

"Isn’t this machine a little... too new?"

"Who cares if it’s new? As long as we can use it, right?"

"Exactly! Think about it, we paid scrap prices for a brand-new machine. No matter how you look at it, we came out ahead!"

The R&D team huddled together, whispering amongst themselves.

Xie Changning set up the machine, then found the worker in charge of calibration and showed him how to use it.

While Xie Changning was explaining, the others couldn’t help their curiosity and crowded around to watch.

The R&D team spent the entire day learning to use the new machine. Finally, they couldn’t help but cheer, "This calibration is so much easier than our old method! It’s going to save so much time!"

While the workers learned the new machine, Xie Changning was busy planning for the Autumn Trade Fair.

The Autumn Trade Fair was about a month away, and she needed to strategize carefully.

One day, while Xie Changning was planning for the Autumn Trade Fair, she received an unexpected call. "Hello, Xie Changning from the Anong County Machinery Factory."

"Hello, this is Wang Qiu, secretary to the Minister of the Department of Commerce." 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

A call from the Department of Commerce. Xie Changning, who had been lounging in her chair, shot upright. She gripped the receiver, finding it hard to believe.

’A call from the Department of Commerce!’

Xie Changning remembered meeting Yu Chunhe, the Minister of the Department of Commerce, shortly after she first arrived in Chuncheng.

"Hello, Mr. Wang."

"Director Xie, our Minister has heard about your factory’s successful development of an independent printer. She is planning to visit your factory along with the Director of the Bureau of Foreign Trade."

"Wonderful, wonderful! When will the two directors be coming?"

"Right now."

Xie Changning: "..."

She knew the province was paying close attention to her printer, but she hadn’t expected this level of attention.

She was surprised, and even more so that the Director of the Bureau of Foreign Trade would be coming with Yu Chunhe.

"Uncle Wang, get everything ready! We’re preparing to receive the Minister of the Department of Commerce and the Director of the Bureau of Foreign Trade!" Xie Changning shouted out, her pregnant belly prominent.

Hearing that the Minister of the Department of Commerce and the Director of the Bureau of Foreign Trade were coming, Wang Guofu immediately ran out of his office. "Director, you just rest easy in your office. Leave it to me!"

He didn’t need to guess why the two leaders were coming.

They were all coming to see their printer.

Once they confirmed the printer could operate independently, they would ask about production and get ready to promote it!

Just thinking about it filled Wang Guofu with energy!

When Yu Chunhe and the Director of the Bureau of Foreign Trade, Xie Changyi, arrived, a crowd was already standing at the factory gate, presumably to welcome them.

Xie Changyi smiled at Yu Chunhe. "Do you think this Director Xie could be from my family?"

"Well, why else would she be named Xie Changning, and you Xie Changyi?" Yu Chunhe teased with a laugh.

They both thought it was just a coincidence.

Xie Changning only came out after the car had pulled up.

Seeing her come out to greet them with such a large belly, Yu Chunhe frowned. "We’re not strangers. There’s no need for all these formalities. Go on, get some rest."

"It’s no trouble. Besides, no one else can explain things to you two leaders as clearly as I can," Xie Changning said with a smile.

Since she insisted, Yu Chunhe didn’t press the matter, but instead told her to be careful. "If you feel unwell at all, you must go and rest immediately."

She didn’t want Xie Changning to feel unwell just from hosting them.

"Don’t worry. If I start feeling unwell, I promise I won’t push myself."

Hearing this, Yu Chunhe relented and made the introductions. "Changning, this is the Director of the Bureau of Foreign Trade, Xie Changyi. And this is the Director of the Anong County Machinery Factory, Xie Changning."

Hearing her name, Xie Changning looked at the other woman in surprise.

Xie Changyi looked to be around forty, very capable, and possessed the unique air of authority common to leaders when she looked at people.

"Director Xie, it’s a pleasure to meet you."

"Hello. Your Minister Yu was just joking with me that we might be from the same family, haha."

Xie Changning tilted her head to look at Xie Changyi and laughed along. "If you’re from Shanghai, maybe we really are from the same family, haha."

Xie Changyi was rather surprised by Xie Changning’s words.

She was indeed from Shanghai, though she hadn’t been back in many years.

She sized up Xie Changning, and just as she was thinking that the younger woman looked somewhat familiar, Yu Chunhe noted curiously, "You two actually look quite alike."

At this, both Xie Changning and Xie Changyi turned to look at her.

Xie Changning was surprised to hear that she resembled Xie Changyi. She subtly sized up the director once more, then said with a laugh, "Minister Yu, if you say that, I might just have to start claiming kinship with Director Xie!"

Xie Changning had no memory of anyone named Xie Changyi, so she wasn’t sure if this woman had any connection to the Xie Family.

But—

Given that the Xie Family in Shanghai had been purged, if Xie Changyi were truly a Xie Family member, she wouldn’t be sitting so securely in the director’s seat at the Bureau of Foreign Trade.

Chatting and laughing, the group walked into the machinery factory.

Xie Changning didn’t bother showing the two leaders any other workshops, taking them directly to the fifth workshop.

In a corner of the fifth workshop sat a printer, wiped down and kept spotlessly clean every day.

"Alright, everyone, stop what you’re doing and come greet the two leaders."

Yu Chunhe turned, about to stop Xie Changning.

But Xie Changning anticipated this and quickly explained, "Don’t misunderstand, Minister. I’m having them stop because we need them to demonstrate the printing speed for you. Each of these workers has a specific role; if even one person is missing, the R&D can’t proceed."

So, stopping was the only option.