Chapter 581: A Row with the Women's Bathhouse

Regarding the insulating material Lu Cheng suggested, it is definitely the biggest technical pain point and safety minefield of this era.

Wei Shu listed insulating materials such as natural rubber, styrene‑butadiene rubber, polyvinyl chloride, and even asphalt.

Wei Shu said, "If we consider cost, I checked the data: cotton cloth soaked in asphalt and dried to serve as an insulating layer is the most cost‑effective."

Lu Cheng hesitated; although nowadays we have to consider the wages of the people, everyone will definitely prefer cheaper products, which means production costs must be reduced.

But asphalt is itself flammable; when the electric heating wire gets hot, its temperature can reach over sixty degrees, even higher, and it easily softens the asphalt.

Once it softens, even liquefies and flows out, it can cause a short circuit, leading to fire, turning the insulator into a combustible and sparking a blaze.

Moreover, asphalt is carcinogenic.

If a person sleeps on it for a long time, the odor released at high temperature, inhaled into the mouth, is extremely harmful to the body.

In short, Lu Cheng quickly abandoned this material; even if the cost is low, one cannot make such unscrupulous money.

Polyvinyl chloride was also ruled out; it's just plastic, and although its cost is relatively low, it melts easily at high temperature.

In the end, rubber was chosen; of course it has drawbacks—it ages, hardens, and eventually cracks under high heat.

But compared with the other materials, safety is greatly improved.

Choosing rubber as the insulating layer is also a reluctant move; there's no other way, since current material technology is too backward.

Yet any technology starts from a first step and then gradually develops.

"Lao Si, you've now grasped the basic principle; next, we need to make a technological breakthrough."

"Technological breakthrough?"

Lu Cheng tested this Electric Heating Blanket early last night; both in temperature control and safety, it differs greatly from the Electric Heating Blanket of his previous life.

Of course, this is limited by today's material technology.

Even a genius like Wei Shu still needs someone to guide him.

"I'll give you two directions: the first concerns the electric heating wire, breaking through toward a more stable alloy; the second concerns insulating material, find a new substitute, even if it costs more."

As Wei Shu nodded, Lu Cheng recalled something and said, "A breakthrough in alloy material isn't something that can be done in a short time; you don't need to rush the research. For now we still focus on the Internal Combustion Engine Project."

"I understand."

Lu Cheng patted Wei Shu's shoulder, then shouted toward the basketball court, "Stop playing, let's go bathe and eat."

Zheng Guoping didn't want to end it: "Play a bit longer, our team is down three points, we need to give someone a back‑rub."

Lu Cheng scratched his head: "Can you behave? You were leading just a moment ago."

"Don't blame me; you ran out, leaving our team one short."

"We give up, we give up, hurry and take a shower, we still have to eat, don't miss the meal time or they'll close."

Not mentioning food was fine, but once food came up, everyone's stomachs truly growled, so they stopped playing, ran to the dormitory and grabbed toiletries and a change of clothes.

Since there were over ten people, they went to the Railway Family Courtyard Bathhouse.

The ten‑plus people stripped completely naked, shouting loudly as they rushed into the big pool.

Next door was the women's Bathhouse; the partition wall in the middle had a half‑meter ventilation opening.

Therefore the voices from the women's side were heard especially clearly.

Only heard a shout from that side: "What are you shouting about, can you be quiet!"

The scolding voice belonged to a fairly young girl.

After that scolding, the men's Bathhouse side fell silent immediately.

Zheng Guoping, sitting in the pool, said, "Hey, are you talking about us?"

Lu Cheng splashed water on himself: "What else? Looking at each of you, you're like rabbits that have been let loose, probably offending them."

Lu Cheng said, lit a cigarette, half his body sitting in the hot water, quietly leaning against the tiled edge of the pool.

Whenever it's time to soak, he especially enjoys it.

Zheng Guoping, displeased, said, "Why? We're bathing here, what does it bother them?"

Lu Cheng exhaled a puff of smoke: "Then you shout at them, shout at me? No way."

Stirred by that, Zheng Guoping sprang up from the water with a splash, completely naked, standing right in front of Lu Cheng's face.

Lu Cheng shook his head: "Move over a couple of steps…"

Zheng Guoping glanced, reluctantly shifted two steps aside, then truly shouted toward the neighboring women's Bathhouse.

"Who was speaking just now! I just want to ask, this is a public Bathhouse, not your home; we're bathing here, what's it to you!"

Lu Cheng was speechless; Zheng Guoping's temper flared, and he actually shouted at the women's Bathhouse.

The women's Bathhouse side fell quiet, with no response.

Zheng Guoping got even more fired up: "What's the deal? You were pretty bold just now, now you have the guts to shout but no guts to admit it."

This time the women's side was silent for only two seconds before the same female voice came again.

"I shouted, what do you want to do! You also said this is a public Bathhouse; can you keep quiet and be civilized?"

"Hey, not bad!" Zheng Guoping looked at Lu Cheng: "Hey Third, the voice sounds pretty sweet, must be good‑looking."

Just from the voice, he concluded a girl looked good, but Lu Cheng didn't dare to agree.

Their train line's Broadcaster Xiao Zhou is the type with an especially sweet voice, though his looks are average.

At this moment Lu Cheng also deliberately strained his throat and shouted toward that side.

"What do you want? If you're not convinced, let's fight. Dare to come over? We're not wearing any clothes; if you have the guts, come over and hit me, otherwise I look down on you."

At this point, the women's Bathhouse erupted: "Are you being a bully, changing your voice! You think we're scared of you? If you have the guts, tell us your name, do you dare?"

"Then remember, I'm called Zheng Guoping." Lu Cheng strained his throat and shouted another line.

Zheng Guoping immediately objected: "Hey, are you human? Why are you saying it's me?"

Before Lu Cheng could speak, the women's side shouted again: "Zheng Guoping, right? I've got you, I'll go find your leader later."

Zheng Guoping snapped, looking at Lu Cheng and complained: "Look at you, now it's fine, you want to report to my leader?"

Lu Cheng was unfazed: "What are you scared of? I'm your leader. If she really comes looking, I'll shove her right back…"

Zheng Guoping thought the same and at once was no longer afraid.

After finishing his bath, he took the bus to eat lamb hot pot.

Now the principle of the Electric Heating Blanket has been nailed down, Wei Shu has also supplied a detailed production plan, and Lu Cheng is preparing to take it to his older sister, seizing the market while there's still time, and will immediately enter production.

When he returned to the Research Institute to fetch something, a girl was standing there waiting.

The Comrade on duty at the Security Department said the girl wanted to see Zheng Guoping's leader.