Chapter 551: Borrowing a Computer

Yang Kaiming noticed the cup of hot water steeped with many tea leaves and sensed something was off.

"Yin Yin, no causing trouble."

Yang Yin smiled and nodded: "Mm‑mm, I know, Dad. You talk, I'll honestly listen to the headquarters, okay?"

After finally waiting for Lu Cheng to return, Yang Yin could not bear to be apart from him for even a moment.

Lu Cheng interjected: "By the way, Professor Yang, you just mentioned a good method…"

"Oh, there is a method—more precisely, a line of thought. The specifics still need you to carry out yourself…"

Hearing this, Lu Cheng thought that the method seemed somewhat difficult, but if it truly could shorten the time, he would try it even if it were hard.

At this moment, Yang Kaiming said to his daughter: "Yin Yin, go fetch the few newspapers beside my bedside."

"Are those the ones Brother sent?" Yang Yin stood up.

"Yes, exactly those foreign‑language ones."

Foreign newspapers? Lu Cheng didn't understand how they related to the method Yang Kaiming mentioned.

Fortunately, Yang Yin quickly retrieved the newspapers and, at Yang Kaiming's signal, handed them directly to Lu Cheng.

"Well, see if you can understand them?"

"Looking down on senior, huh…"

"Hehe, then you take a look."

Lu Cheng took the newspaper and realized that Yang Yin wasn't mocking him.

After all, he had studied English at university for a few years, so he recognized most individual words, but when they were combined he couldn't grasp the meaning.

Yang Yin took the newspaper back and handed it to his father, Yang Kaiming.

"It's not your fault you can't understand; this is a very specialized journal, full of technical terms."

Realizing this, Lu Cheng proactively asked: "Professor Yang, the method you mentioned isn't on these newspapers, is it?"

"More precisely, it should be on this one," Yang Kaiming said, taking the bottommost newspaper and continuing.

"This newspaper reports that America has just produced a new computer…"

"Computer?"

Hearing those three words, Lu Cheng instantly understood; of course, he hadn't thought of using a computer.

Having lived a previous life, he naturally knew a computer's power: the computing ability of a thousand people can't match a computer's calculations in a single second.

The reason he hadn't thought of it was that in this era, even televisions were rare, let alone computers.

Some people probably have never even heard of them.

So when Lu Cheng muttered those three words, Yang Kaiming thought the same and assumed Lu Cheng had never heard of computers.

"It's normal you haven't heard of it, and this computer is part of a series developed and manufactured by IBM, representing the West's highest technological level."

Lu Cheng took the cue and said: "Professor Yang, you don't intend to have our Railway Engineering Institute obtain this computer, do you?"

Yang Kaiming smiled: "If we could actually buy it, that would be great, but this computer costs over two million dollars, and you should know our country's foreign‑exchange reserves are only a little over 800 million dollars."

So purchasing a complete set would cost as much as building a large factory; buying a dozen or so would drain the nation's foreign‑exchange coffers.

Lu Cheng understood that, at bottom, the country was simply too poor; two million‑plus dollars is an astronomical sum for this era.

"I'm telling you about this computer just to say that a computer's capability far exceeds the human brain; we must face the power of technology and learn to use machines."

Lu Cheng nodded; every conversation with Professor Yang yields new insight.

"Professor Yang, you're right; in the field of computers we are indeed far behind."

"However, I believe that with the reinstatement of the college entrance exam and reforms in national policy, we'll have increasingly many talents in this area in the future."

Yang Kaiming nodded: "Hmm, not bad. Young people should have this confidence. Yin Yin, you must learn this well from classmate Lu Cheng."

Yang Yin narrowed his eyes into crescents, looked at Lu Cheng and said with a smile: "Yes, learn from Senior Lu… But Dad, you've been talking this whole time and still haven't said how exactly you'll help Lu Cheng."

Yang Kaiming was startled; his daughter seemed more anxious than he was.

In fact, Lu Cheng was also quite anxious; he already understood Yang Kaiming's point—shortening computation time cannot rely on manpower alone; ideally they'd acquire a computer, and it must be an existing one.

"Professor Yang, our country doesn't have many computers for this kind of engineering calculation, does it?" Lu Cheng steered the conversation.

Yang Kaiming replied: "Indeed they're few, and such precious items are treated as treasures in every unit; even if you try to borrow one, you can't."

Lu Cheng felt a bit disappointed; after a long discussion, he was only told there was a method, but if it can't be used, it's useless.

Moreover, he had no connections in this field, so even if he wanted to borrow one, there was no way to start.

It's like being thirsty, seeing a peach tree on the mountain but being unable to climb up—just watching helplessly—it's truly torturous.

Lu Cheng even unconsciously took another sip of water; the bitter‑salty taste couldn't outweigh the feeling of anxiety inside.

Seeing Lu Cheng reach for water again, Yang Yin quickly snatched it away.

"Dad, since you've suggested this method, you have to think of a way, right?"

Yang Kaiming was momentarily helpless: "I'm only offering a line of thought, but this computer is indeed hard to obtain; I have no way either."

Yang Yin walked over, wrapped his arm around his father's shoulder and swayed: "Oh Dad, I know you'll definitely find a way. Even if you can't, you could ask the uncles and elders at the Engineering Institute to figure out a way to borrow one."

Yang Yin's obvious act of coquettishness actually moved Lu Cheng.

He had said he wouldn't help before they entered, but in the end he just couldn't bear to make things hard for him.

"Dad, please, you see Lu Cheng isn't doing this for himself; he's doing it for the entire Railway Industry. If our nation's Railway Industry develops, it will greatly boost industrial transport, so helping him is helping the whole country—how great that is…"

Listening to his daughter's coaxing, Yang Kaiming felt extremely helpless, yet her words made sense.

"Fine, fine, then I'll set aside this old face and ask the comrades at the Engineering Institute for help, see if we can borrow a large computer."

Yang Yin perched on his father's shoulder and gave Lu Cheng a secret look.

Lu Cheng quickly stood: "Professor Yang, on behalf of our Railway Bureau I thank you."

Yang Kaiming waved his hand: "Don't say that. Among the students I've taught, you may not be the top scholar, but you're definitely the one I have the most confidence in."

"Of course, regarding borrowing the computer, whether it succeeds is another matter; I can only say I'll do my best, and whatever the outcome, I'll let you know."

Sitting on the sofa we chatted a while longer, then left Professor Yang's house; Yang Yin, with both hands behind their back, swayed their body and said.

"How do you plan to thank me?"