Chapter 64: The Erroneous Thinking of the Uninitiated

The inspection and plastic spraying of the C100 frame continued until after eight o'clock in the evening. Seeing the frame, flawless and gleaming after the spraying, Zhao Guoyang felt as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders.

Over by the workshop, Director Zhang Fusheng was organizing a meal, but Zhao Guoyang politely excused himself and declined. He had arranged to meet Monkey tonight to discuss the small workshop business; he couldn't afford any more delays.

When he returned to the dormitory, Zhao Guoyang found Monkey slumped over the table, dozing in boredom. It was hardly surprising—Xu Dongfeng was still passed out from drinking, so Monkey had no one to talk to.

The sight amused Zhao Guoyang. At the sound of the door, Monkey jerked awake, saw Zhao Guoyang enter, and quickly stood up to greet him. "Guoyang, you’re finally back. If you’d been any later, I’d have just gone to bed like that guy."

Zhao Guoyang laughed. "Don’t talk nonsense. Your bed at home is far warmer than this spring mattress of mine."

After a few jokes, they got down to business.

Zhao Guoyang explained how he’d managed to get hold of a die-casting machine, then said, "Monkey, the die-casting machine from Xiangyang Machinery Factory isn’t too large. Your yard should be big enough for it. Tomorrow, get a tractor, go to Xiangyang Machinery Factory, and pick it up. Find Ning Xiaohong, the head of their technical department, and just mention my name."

"All right, no problem!" Monkey was excited at the news that the machine was settled.

"As for the blueprints, I can handle those myself, but the molds—we’ll need to commission a mold factory to make them." Zhao Guoyang paused, then continued, "Monkey, over the next few days, go around the counties near Ninghai City and Jianghai County. Look for those small, inconspicuous mold factories, ask about their prices, and get a sense of the market."

Monkey was a little puzzled. "Guoyang, does a tiny hair clip really need a mold? I heard making molds is expensive..."

Before Monkey finished speaking, Zhao Guoyang understood what he meant. Monkey was always frugal, never willing to waste a single penny if he could avoid it.

But molds were essential for production efficiency, and Zhao Guoyang had to correct Monkey’s outsider’s misconception.

"Monkey, don’t just think about saving money. Without molds, if you make them one by one, you won’t manage fifty a day."

"But with molds and a die-casting machine, we can make at least a hundred an hour. Compare the two, and you’ll see for yourself!"

Monkey was smart; hearing this, he immediately understood. He nodded repeatedly. "That’s true—the difference in efficiency is huge! By your calculation, even if the mold costs a few hundred, it’s worth it."

"Heh, it won’t cost that much. For a small mold like a hair clip, I reckon it’ll only be about a hundred or so at most."

"Besides, we’re not just making one set—we’ll need at least four or five designs. Mention all that, and those small mold factories will surely give us a better deal."

"All right, leave it to me!" Monkey agreed enthusiastically.

Zhao Guoyang thought for a moment, then looked at Monkey. "By the way, there’s something else I need you to take care of in the next couple of days."

Monkey straightened up, curious, waiting for Zhao Guoyang’s instructions.

"It’s like this: once our little workshop is up and running, we’ll need to keep in regular contact. I’ve been thinking that we both need to get a pager. If I’m away on business, you’ll be able to reach me if something urgent comes up."

"Ah!" Monkey was embarrassed. He rubbed his hands and said awkwardly, "Guoyang, you get a pager, that’s enough. I’ll skip it..."

Zhao Guoyang understood his concern and gave Monkey a light punch, scolding him with a laugh, "There you go again! This is not the time to be stingy."

"In business, you can’t just focus on cutting costs—expanding your reach is more important! It’s settled then: tomorrow, check the price of pagers, and we’ll talk again when you get back."

"Okay, I’ll go ask," Monkey replied, obedient as ever. He said nothing more.

They chatted a bit longer, and when they saw Xu Dongfeng beginning to wake up, Monkey hurried off.

...

The next morning, as soon as Zhao Guoyang entered the factory, he saw workers from several workshops hanging lanterns and banners.

When he walked over, a few workers greeted him cheerfully. Zhao Guoyang asked what was going on and learned that New Year’s Day was just two days away. Hanging lanterns was a festive tradition. The banners, though, were for welcoming the leaders—the municipal Mechanical Workers’ Committee would be coming to inspect and offer holiday greetings to the staff, so the factory was getting ready in advance.

Hearing the workers explain, Zhao Guoyang realized that the first New Year since his rebirth was almost upon him.

"Hey, Guoyang, what are you thinking about?" A voice behind him snapped Zhao Guoyang out of his reverie.

He turned to see Deputy Director Ma Jian.

"Good morning, Director Ma!" Zhao Guoyang pointed behind him. "I wasn’t thinking about much—just saw the lanterns and remembered the New Year is almost here."

"Haha, you’ve been so busy you’ve forgotten the date," Ma Jian said, laughing as he patted Zhao Guoyang’s shoulder.

"By the way, I’ve arranged for the C100 frame for Sanyang Group to be shipped out the day after tomorrow. Since you’re the mastermind behind this new product, you’ll need to go in person."

"This time, you won’t need to take the train—you’ll leave with the delivery truck. How’s that, any issues?"

Traveling by truck would save time compared to the train, so Zhao Guoyang had no objections.

Ma Jian seemed pleased. "I thought you’d mind—train travel allowances are quite a bit higher than those for cars!"

Zhao Guoyang laughed; he hadn’t thought to fuss over such trivial calculations.

Ma Jian, satisfied with Zhao Guoyang’s attitude, said, "This trip is important. Don’t scrimp on meals—eat well with the driver, keep the receipts, and I’ll reimburse you when you get back."

Before Zhao Guoyang could reply, Ma Jian remembered something else. "Oh, you’ll be leaving on New Year’s Day, but at night."

"You know the city committee leaders will be here during the day for their inspection. You’re one of the factory’s brightest talents—you can’t miss it."

Hearing Ma Jian’s teasing remark, Zhao Guoyang was momentarily speechless. In his previous life, he’d never cared much for dealing with leadership, but since Ma Jian said so, it must have been decided by all three directors. Zhao Guoyang could only nod and agree.