Chapter 301: Ge Hongtao Wants to Develop the Small Four-Wheeler

When Ge Hongtao presented this idea to Yang Qing, Yang Qing was a little surprised.

Because the rise of the small four-wheeler is inseparable from the household production contract.

It is precisely because of the household production contract that land plots became smaller, leaving no room for large agricultural machines (like Dongfanghong), and thus the small four-wheeler took the stage.

Now Ge Hongtao intends to base his research on the hand‑pull tractor to study the small four-wheeler; this notion, I must say, is very advanced.

The small four-wheeler has obvious advantages over the hand‑pull tractor.

It is easy to drive, versatile, and agile.

For example, with plowing, the hand‑pull tractor can only use a single plow, whereas the small four-wheeler can use a double‑iron plow; the machine is unchanged, but efficiency doubles.

Because the four‑wheeler has strong ground‑gripping ability.

This product can be considered a supplement to Agricultural Machinery Factory offerings; it is slightly more expensive than the hand‑pull tractor but much cheaper than other tractors.

Historically, the Xingtai Tractor Factory rapidly developed by relying on this product.

Ge Hongtao saw Yang Qing, who remained silent for a long while, and felt very uneasy, wondering whether Director Yang might think I spent too much.

If that were the case, Director Yang's decisiveness would still be inferior to Director Ye's.

Yang Qing wasn't thinking about any of that; he was recalling his previous life.

Back then his family owned such a tractor; his father earned money with it, making the family's life fairly comfortable.

Otherwise there wouldn't have been the money to send him to school; even though he only got into a third‑tier university, his father gritted his teeth and still sent him.

He was very familiar with that small four-wheeler because he often drove it to help others plow, sow, irrigate, and haul things.

(It was normal for a rural kid to help the family; let alone a driver's license—who cared about licenses in the countryside back then?)

The small four-wheeler has no major flaws, but a bunch of minor ones.

Every small four-wheeler owner is a little mechanic.

He doesn't know the exact dimensions, but he remembers the general structure.

He also roughly recalls the gears of the transmission box.

Because he never missed cleaning it.

Ge Hongtao wants to study this; should he join?

If so, he would need to become a mechanical genius like Yang Qing.

While the two were each lost in thought,

Assistant Xiao Lin ran in.

"Director, the First Machinery Department wants us to take the blueprints to Songhu City for a re‑inspection, to standardize the hand‑pull tractor specifications."

Standardization?

Isn't that the same standardization nonsense we made up back then?

That's simply……

Great.

Standardization brings huge benefits to a nation's industrial development.

Xiao Lin saw his expression keep shifting, felt uncertain, and asked again.

"Director, are we going or not?"

Yang Qing snapped back to reality.

"We go; we must go."

It's hard to get a chance to travel far; how could we refuse?

Besides, he urgently needs to build a nationwide network.

The Xinhui Agricultural Machinery Factory is in East Guangxi.

Having connections can save him many hassles.

After all, the hand‑pull tractor's better market is the South, even South Asia; frequent trips south are only natural, aren't they?

Hahaha……

Yang Qing felt a great surge of joy.

This is simply wonderful; the heavens are on my side.

"Chief Engineer Ge, go back and tidy up our blueprints; we're heading to Shanghai."

"We'll discuss the small four-wheeler matter when we get back."

Ge Hongtao felt Yang Qing was brushing him off.

But after all, he's the director.

He could only obey and do it.

Back at Sihe Courtyard, Yang Qing told Chen Hong about the trip to Songhu City.

Chen Hong felt a bit yearning.

"Songhu City?"

"Is it the Songhu of Shanghai's watch district?"

"Yes, I haven't been there either; it'll be my first time."

"When I go, I'll get familiar with it and, if possible, take you back."

Chen Hong leapt with excitement.

"Really? You can take me?"

"What's the issue? Now we have status; we can pay for a ticket ourselves and go see it—what's the problem?"

When the time comes, we can use our connections in Songhu to just say hello.

"Of course we can."

"Going to visit relatives and friends, and they still won't let you go have a look."

"But you have to wait until I'm familiar."

"I'm not familiar, and I wouldn't dare run around with you."

This time was another test of his, to see whether he is now completely free.

Very well, Chen Hong was pleased with Yang Qing's answer, hugged him and gave him a hard kiss, then said.

"Then you go ahead."

With his wife's approval, Yang Qing quickly completed the paperwork.

The people from the First Machinery Department only needed to have a technician take the blueprints over.

Who would have thought Yang Qing was so shameless, assuming the identity of a technician and going himself.

Ge Hongtao, under the resentful gazes of his own team members, left together with Yang Qing.

Along the way, Ge Hongtao carried a large box, panting heavily from fatigue.

Yang Qing had no intention of helping at all, and kept making sarcastic remarks beside him.

"I tell you, Lao Ge, your body can't handle this."

"You haven't even taken two steps, and you're already exhausted."

Ge Hongtao replied irritably.

"Then why aren't you helping?"

Yang Qing shook his head repeatedly.

"That won't do; this rare chance to train the body, how could I take yours?"

"Work hard, Lao Ge, all the way to Shanghai, and you'll definitely feel your body tighten up."

Lao Ge didn't want to talk to him, lifted the box and kept walking.

Yang Qing kept his word; aside from the steps that Lao Ge couldn't lift, which Yang Qing helped carry up, Lao Ge kept dragging himself, panting all the way.

After boarding the train and reaching his own berth, Ge Hongtao instantly went limp.

Both arms felt as if they weren't his own.

Yang Qing reached out and lifted the box.

This thing is now considered confidential, so it can't be handled carelessly.

Put the luggage away properly, Yang Qing reminded.

"Lao Ge, you'd better rub your arms and legs, or else tomorrow you'll have a hard time."

Yang Qing may be a bit harsh, but his words made sense; Ge Hongtao eventually listened, sat up, and began massaging himself.

Yang Qing chuckled, sat beside him, and started helping him loosen his muscles and joints.

Lao Ge cried out in pain.

These days, trains are relatively safe; there aren't any lowly riffraff.

So the two of them slept comfortably.

The next day, Ge Hongtao didn't feel too uncomfortable, proving that yesterday's massage had taken effect.

His grudges against Yang Qing lessened.

Along the way, the two gnawed on baked pancakes and drank water poured by the train attendant.

They swayed along the road and arrived at Songhu City.

His clothes were already hot, so Yang Qing changed into the summer attire he had brought.

Ge Hongtao, drenched in sweat, could only take off his coat and open his collar to cool down.

"Factory Director, why didn't you warn me it would be this hot?"

"It's humid and hot, and stuffy."

Yang Qing wore an innocent expression.

"I think you knew that."

"We've traveled from about 40° north latitude to around 30° north latitude, a difference of about nine degrees."

"Can the weather be the same?"

Ge Hongtao, angry, tossed the box aside and ignored it.

Yang Qing picked it up, followed him, and smiled brightly.

"Lao Ge, why are you still angry about that?"

"If you don't want to carry luggage, just say you don't, why turn it around on me?"

"You're being unfair."

Yang Qing was in such a good mood that he couldn't help teasing the silly youngster.