Chapter 76: Great Leader: Lin Gong Is a Talent, Must Be Well Protected

One week later.

The Step Bottom Furnace has been assembled.

Upon hearing the news, the Great Leader of the higher‑level department attached great importance to it.

Not only did he personally bring people to visit, but he also arranged in advance for the relevant heads of each unit and various news media to come to observe and interview.

That day, Hongxing Rolling Steel Factory rang with firecrackers, drums and gongs blared, colorful flags fluttered, and crowds filled the scene.

Except for the essential workshop workers and a few key positions that stayed on duty, the remaining workers were given a half‑day off.

However, they had to go to the plant to take part in the celebration.

That day, all staff of the Ya gang chang learned Lin Shengli's name.

Inside the factory.

Lin Shengli is introducing the Step Bottom Furnace to leaders of various levels and journalists from the media.

He just demonstrated it once for everyone.

It gave everyone a preliminary understanding of this new product.

From everyone's reactions, he knows the product's future prospects are broad.

Of course.

He came from the future and had long foreseen it.

"As everyone knows, we currently mainly use push‑steel continuous heating furnaces."

"It relies solely on a push‑steel machine to move the billets inside the furnace."

"The step heating furnace, however, uses the rising, advancing, descending, and retreating motions of the furnace bottom or water‑cooled metal beams to transport the billets step by step in a continuous heating process."

"Compared with push‑steel heating furnaces, it has drawbacks, but far more advantages."

"The main drawbacks are the massive machinery at the furnace bottom, which makes maintenance and repairs cumbersome, and the cost is also relatively high."

"However, if such a heating furnace is used in key factories, it is still well worth it."

"As for the advantages, there are many."

"For example, large slab billets or oddly shaped billets that a push‑steel machine cannot advance pose no problem for the step heating furnace."

"Moreover, the step heating furnace transports material flexibly, can heat steel billets of various sizes and shapes, has high production capacity, and the furnace‑bottom strength can reach 800–1000 kgf/(m²·h)."

"If necessary, all furnace material can be discharged outside; the billets are spaced on the furnace bottom or beams, allowing faster uniform heating; it completely eliminates the arching and sticking problems of push‑steel furnaces."

"I just demonstrated it as well, so I'm sure everyone now has some understanding of it."

"According to my design, the step heating furnace can be divided into three types."

"The Step Bottom Furnace we have currently assembled can be said to be the lowest‑level among the three types."

"I also considered the domestic environment; with our current technology and conditions, the Step Bottom Furnace is the most suitable heating furnace for us right now."

"Additionally, we can try exporting it to generate foreign exchange for the country."

"Next, we plan to assemble the other two step heating furnaces."

"I think these two are currently more suitable for export."

"I am now drafting the proposal and application documents."

"Once completed, I will submit them to the leadership for approval."

"If the leadership approves, we will commence construction."

"That concludes the introduction for now."

"Now is the Q&A session; feel free to raise any questions you have."

"Once again, we warmly welcome and sincerely thank the leaders of all levels for their presence and guidance."

As the words fell, thunderous applause echoed through the factory.

When the applause subsided and Lin Shengli announced the start of questions, almost everyone opposite him raised their hands.

He scanned the crowd, and finally his gaze settled on a familiar face, saying:

"Factory Director Liu, please ask your question."

Previously, he had helped repair a machine in the Northeast, and Factory Director Liu was the person he coordinated with.

This time, not only Factory Director Liu came, but also his teacher and several classmates.

These classmates are now scattered across various factories, most of them being technicians at their plants.

Factory Director Liu nodded and said:

"Lin Gong, first of all, thank you for fixing the machine that had been idle for years."

"That was a huge help to us."

"I heard you invented a new machine this time, and I'm not surprised at all."

"Because I know you have that ability."

"Unfortunately, a talent like you is not destined to be with our plant."

Lin Shengli: "Factory Director Liu's praise is misplaced."

Factory Director Liu: "May I ask Lin Gong, how much more does the Step Bottom Furnace cost compared to a push‑steel furnace?"

Lin Shengli: "The cost of the Step Bottom Furnace is the cheapest among the three step heating furnaces I envisioned."

"It is roughly about 10% more expensive than a push‑steel furnace."

"The other two types are about 15%–20% higher."

"Factory Director Liu, do you have any other questions?"

Factory Director Liu: "Lin Gong, we're practically acquaintances now."

"Later, when you're not busy, can we catch up?"

Hearing this, Yang Changzhang, who was standing with the Great Leader, felt a sudden tightening in his heart.

Factory Director Liu isn't here to poach our workers, is he?

No, I need to assign someone to watch him.

Lin Shengli looked at Factory Director Liu, gave a polite smile, and said, "No problem."

"Next question."

As soon as he finished speaking, almost everyone raised their hand again.

Lin Shengli pointed at a square‑faced man and said, "You, sir, please ask your question."

The square‑faced man said, "Lin Engineer, may I ask if your Hongxing Rolling Steel Factory can use the Step Bottom Furnace?"

Lin Shengli: "Yes, but not many."

"Because our factory isn't a key plant, we mainly use the push‑steel heating furnace, with the step bottom furnace only as a supplement."

"We assemble it mainly for key factories and also for export."

"Of course, as our technical capabilities improve, we'll use even more of them in the future."

"Next, I plan to invite some officials from Western factories to come and visit."

"I'm sure they'll be very interested, especially the two other step‑type heating furnaces we're about to assemble."

"But there's a precondition: we must firmly master these technologies."

"In the past, they monopolized most of the technology."

"Starting today, we must also begin to monopolize some new technologies."

His words made everyone present's blood boil.

Instantly, applause burst forth like thunder—​"clap, clap, clap"—​and continued without cease.

We have all suffered from others' monopoly of technology.

If we can monopolize some new technologies from now on, we'll finally be able to hold our heads high.

Upstairs.

The Great Leader clapped and shouted "Good!" three times.

Then.

He turned to Factory Director Yang, who stood beside him, and said:

"Little Yang, Lin Engineer is a talent—you must protect him well."

Factory Director Yang nodded: "Yes, please rest assured, Leader."

The Great Leader asked, "By the way, where does Lin Engineer live now?"

Factory Director Yang gave an embarrassed laugh and said, "A siheyuan."

The Great Leader asked, "Does he live alone in the siheyuan?"

Factory Director Yang said, "Great Leader, our factory's housing is rather tight..."

The Great Leader frowned and interrupted, "Housing is tight?"

"So you're saying he doesn't live alone in the siheyuan?"

"Or is he living together with your factory's leaders?"