Chapter 302: with translation of chapter title

In the 1960s, Songhu City was much better than Jingcheng.

Western-style houses and cars could be seen everywhere.

The old Songhu people still have a streak of arrogance, but they keep it well restrained.

Because many people here lived together with the foreigners in the concession for over a hundred years, even a thousand years later Songhu City would still be one of the cities with the most foreigners.

Nowadays, foreign means advanced, and this impression has continued until 2020.

So some people are very arrogant, because they have been Westernized together with foreigners for over a hundred years.

Country bumpkin, the term "little redneck" was invented by these people.

They have a natural class superiority.

Even if they served as servants to foreigners for a hundred years, they were still the foreigners' servants.

So Yang Qing stepped out of the station gate, didn't dare to speak to the locals. He was afraid of running into those few people, being hit with a "little redneck" remark that would make him doubt his life.

He went to look for the hat-wearing uncle on duty.

After the uncle's directions, Yang Qing and Ge Hongtao knew where to meet the pickup.

The two ran over, looking around, searching everywhere for the person to pick them up, from 9 a. m. until 1 p. m., still coming up empty-handed.

Yang Qing's face turned black.

He pulled Ge Hongtao.

"Let's go, we won't wait, let's go straight to the First Machinery Department."

If we don't go now, we'll end up homeless on the streets.

The two bothered the hat-uncle again, and got a hand-drawn route map.

(Don't mention maps, nobody uses those these days; they only came into use after the opening up.)

Two country bumpkins took the tram, transferred here and there, changed vehicles several times, and only arrived at the First Machinery Department at 5 p. m.

Everyone was about to get off work, but fortunately the people working in the government offices have high quality.

They didn't turn them away at the door.

The people from the First Machinery Department quickly helped them get settled in the guesthouse.

They also gave them some grain coupons.

Now grain coupons are scarce nationwide; if they didn't give them, they might really go hungry.

After all, you're just a street-level enterprise; there's no national grain coupon quota for you—you have to get it from the street office.

Yang Qing is a blockhead, never even thought of this; Ge Hongtao is even more of a tech nerd, didn't pay attention to these.

On the train, the two munched on flatbread, didn't buy rice, and didn't remember they needed national grain coupons for the trip.

As a result, the two haven't realized that they now need to use national grain coupons.

They're also a pair of oddballs.

Fortunately, the First Machinery Department has subsidies.

After entering the guesthouse, through the staff's introduction, he learned that everyone else had arrived, each from a big factory.

Only Yang Qing and his group were from a street-level factory.

So everyone exchanged pleasantries and then didn't say much more to him.

Fortunately, the longed-for Xinhui Agricultural Machinery Factory arrived, and he didn't mind being ignored by a bunch of tech nerds.

The Xinhui factory, being a county-level factory, also didn't attract the attention of those bigwigs.

The two, feeling mutual sympathy, became close brothers after just a few words.

As peers, they naturally felt closer.

Yang Qing leaned up to He Xin and began to suck up.

"Comrade He Xin, let me tell you, our factory's tractor is a copy of your factory's hand-guided tractor, manufactured."

He Xin asked doubtfully.

"Copy us? Why?"

Yang Qing.

"You ask why, what else could it be? Yours is more authentic; hand-guided tractors were originally meant to solve small-field farming problems."

"You're closer to the market, so of course you're more authentic."

Who doesn't like being praised?

Everyone likes it, especially since he's from a small factory, not fitting in with those big factories; having a little brother look up to him like that, of course they should get along well.

He Xin said happily.

"Brother, which factory are you from? Let's keep in touch more in the future."

Seeing He Xin give him face, Yang Qing immediately moved in close.

"We are from the Red Star Agricultural Machinery Factory in Jingcheng."

"We have copied your production and made a hand-guided tractor."

"Speaking of which, your factory is still our mentor factory."

Ge Hongtao rolled his eyes on the side, muttering inwardly, 'Our factory clearly copied the tractor from the Jizhou factory; when did it become Xinhui's?'

Yang Qing ignored him, persistently trying to get close to He Xin.

He Xin came to this unfamiliar place, feeling lonely and bored; it was rare to meet someone who shared his aspirations, and the more they talked, the more they hit it off.

As they talked, they ended up talking about tractor exports.

"Exports?"

He Xin expressed that this was impossible.

He himself is just copying others; how could there be exports?

Who wants it?

Looking at this stuff, they don't know what the power of good quality and low price is.

"He Xin, we are preparing to contact the import/export company to export our tractors."

"You guys in New District, want to give it a try?"

He Xin shook his head repeatedly.

"That's impossible; our production can't even meet the demand in Gui East, how could we export? Besides, no one wants it for export."

Production is the problem.

"Unless you can solve the engine supply and material supply problems."

Engine? Solve?

Yang Qing indicated he was powerless.

At most he can draw a rough model.

But an engine has thousands of parts, all needing research and design; one person alone is useless.

Unless he is given several hundred professionals.

How could that be possible? Graduates are scarce nowadays; big factories can only snag a few each year, which is already good.

What's more, they are just a street-run enterprise.

If it weren't for Ye Junjie's family having some ability, Ge Hongtao and them, Yang Qing couldn't even pull them together.

Yang Qing was unwilling.

"You say if we join forces with a few companies, could we jointly research engines?"

He Xin rolled his eyes.

"We're using eight-horsepower engines; nobody else wants to invest in this area."

"What they need now is high-horsepower engines."

"Who would spend money to help us research?"

Yang Qing felt another wave of disappointment and couldn't help asking.

"Then what are you planning to do?"

He Xin said indifferently.

"Just research it slowly yourself."

Afterwards he whispered.

"I heard the First Machinery Department introduced several models of Japanese hand‑tractor technology."

"Inside, there are 10‑horsepower, 12‑horsepower, and 15‑horsepower engines."

"We can wait; maybe in less than two years the engines will appear on their own."

Later they indeed appeared, but by then tractor factories had also boomed, with tractor factories everywhere.

By then, maybe their factory would never have a chance to grow big.

He Xin's idea is very dangerous; Yang Qing is not prepared to sit and wait for doom.

You said the First Machinery Department had it, right? Go check it out before leaving.

Ge Hongtao heard that the First Machinery Department had introduced several tractor models, and his mood instantly became excited.

What's most important for a small four‑wheel vehicle? The engine, of course.

The eight‑horsepower engine currently in use is clearly insufficient.

It would be best to use twelve‑horsepower or fifteen‑horsepower engines.

That way, the small four‑wheel's work capacity would be convincing.

Otherwise, constantly stalling the fire would greatly affect the experience.

"Factory Director, we need this."

Yang Qing gave him a glance and continued to fawn over He Xin.

"Old brother, you're still the most well‑informed."

"Old brother, are the engines we currently use produced by your own factory?"

He Xin nodded.

"Yeah, what else?"

Yang Qing felt a pang in his chest, as if struck.

He said sheepishly.

"We bought them."

He Xin looked at him pitifully and reminded him.

"This time the re‑evaluation will also include engine manufacturing technology."

"Go work at the First Machinery Department, get a set of technology, bring it back, and you can just set up a foundry workshop."

"It's simple; do it a few more times and the success rate is high."

Ge Hongtao was eager to give it a try.

Yang Qing, however, was powerless; a foundry workshop would cost several hundred thousand.

I still owe a ton of debt; let's pay it back first.

But this technology is really good.

In the future, even if you cry for help, no one will pay attention; for now, it's free, just take it.

Yang Qing felt he should seize this opportunity to gain more benefits.