Courtyard House: My Wife is Xu Huizhen

Page 325

The nationwide unified communization began in 58, but before that, production was not carried out independently by individual households.

After liberation, the government encouraged local farmers to establish cooperative organizations.

Villagers spontaneously or semi-spontaneously formed mutual aid groups to help each other and work together. These groups are not much different from the village groups that will be formed in the future.

This has resulted in an unusually large supply of fruit on the market this year, which cannot be absorbed by the market, so much of it is being delivered directly to the market.

"So you're saying we have plenty of fruit, but we can't produce that much canned fruit."

"Yes, we only have four canning machines. Even if we produce day and night, we still can't meet the market demand."

Tian Zao nodded, then asked, "Zhu Zi, is it possible to get another production line?"

He Yuzhu shook his head: "We can't get any train cars!"

Just kidding. Last time I robbed a taxi, but I let the driver go because I was soft-hearted. Now I'm too scared to go to Moscow.

I should have kept his life.

"This is troublesome. Without enough canned goods, there's no point in harvesting too much fruit."

Factory Director Shen suggested, "Why don't we build a greenhouse like the one in the north of the city to store some good fruit and sell it in the winter?"

As mentioned before, there are fruits available in winter, but they are quite expensive.

They would heat a kang (a heated brick bed) in a sealed room, wrap the fruit in straw, and cover it with a cotton quilt to ensure sufficient warmth.

Fruits are less likely to be damaged by freezing, but this method can actually cause them to rot if the temperature is too high, but there are no other good methods.

"That's possible, but it's only treating the symptoms, not the root cause!"

He Yuzhu said, "Why don't we find a factory to try producing the machine?"

After these words were spoken, both Tian Zao and Factory Director Shen were stunned, and then turned to look at He Yuzhu.

He Yuzhu shouted, "Why are you all staring at me like that?"

"Do you think we can produce this equipment ourselves?" Tian Zao asked.

He Yuzhu asked, "Aren't there canning jar production lines in other parts of China?"

"I don't think so! I've never heard of it."

He Yuzhu said, "I don't think those devices are complicated at all."

He Yuzhu often observes the canning jar production line when he has nothing to do, and upon closer inspection, he finds that the production line is not too complicated.

The production of glass bottles is actually quite simple. It involves mixing more than 10 different raw materials together and firing them in a furnace.

The required temperature reaches 1500 degrees Celsius, at which point all the raw materials will melt into a state similar to lava or honey.

It is said that the liquid still has enough viscosity, and then some of it is poured out through a small opening. Depending on the length of time, enough raw materials can be reserved to make a bottle.

First, the raw material is pressed with a mold to make a bottle in general shape. Then, air is blown into the bottle mouth to make the bottle inflate. After adjusting the bottle mouth, various kinds of bottles are produced.

The entire production process is not complicated; a production line can be operated by just a few people.

Tian Zao said, "I think that's quite complicated!"

"It's complicated for us, but it's not too difficult for machine production. We can produce such complex equipment, so this production line is nothing special. It's just a series of machine tools."

"I don't even know what to say about your idea." Tian Zao was at a loss for words.

He Yuzhu said, "Why don't we go to a steel rolling mill or a machinery factory and find an engineer to come and see if we can replicate a production line?"

"Can it be done?"

"It's just a trial. If they say it's possible, then we'll have them produce one."

"Tuck it in, you're coming with me to find the street."

The two left the cannery and then went to the street office where Director Li Hongying was located.

After listening to their story, Li Hongying couldn't help but say happily, "You still don't have any ideas. I think this is something worth trying."

After speaking, he got up and left the office to arrange for someone to look up information.

A moment later, Li Hongying returned and handed He Yuzhu a letter of introduction, saying, "Go to the heavy machinery factory outside the city and ask them if they can produce this equipment."

"Heavy Machinery Plant?" He Yuzhu was somewhat surprised, feeling that the name was familiar.

Li Hongying said, "The heavy machinery factory mainly produces various mechanical equipment, such as excavators for mining. Go and see if they can produce them."

"Alright, let's make that trip then."

The cannery provides more than ten times the profit of the braised meat factory in a year, and He Yuzhu also hopes to build more production lines.

If it can be produced, the production equipment can be sold to other places.

The country's industrial production base is currently very weak, but as long as we can produce it, we won't have to worry about sales in the future.

Since the director had spoken, He Yuzhu and Tian Zao rode their bicycles out of the city together.

Although Zhu Zi didn't know the way, Tian Zao had been there before and led the way.

He Yuzhu asked, "Sister, when did you go to the heavy machinery factory?"

Tian Zao immediately felt embarrassed and said, "That was before Liberation. Back then, it wasn't called a heavy machinery factory; it was just an ordinary hardware factory."

Upon hearing this, He Yuzhu remembered that before liberation, Tian Zao would lead a few of his younger brothers to dig coal nuggets.

They were all unemployed and relied on selling unburned coal nuggets to small vendors to earn a meager living.

The two talked about the hardships of their previous lives until they arrived outside the heavy machinery factory.

I stopped my bicycle, then registered at the gate with my letter of introduction. Following their directions, I arrived at the office building and found the general office.

After explaining the situation to them, the director who received the two said, "The neighborhood committee has provided a lot of help to our heavy machinery plant's production and daily life before, and I would like to thank you here."

Tian Zao smiled and said, "You're too kind, Director."

Although each factory is an independent unit, even at a higher level than a street.

However, they still need the support and cooperation of the local government to solve the employees' livelihood and other problems.

The director first expressed his gratitude to show his attitude, and then said, "As to whether this equipment can be produced, we need an engineer to come and inspect it to confirm what components the whole set of equipment has and whether it exceeds our production capacity."

"Then I'll have to trouble you, Director."

"It's no trouble, it's all as it should be."

After the director explained, he instructed the clerk next to him, "Go and find technician Tong Zhi."

He Yuzhu paused for a moment after hearing the name and asked, "This comrade's name is Tong Zhi?"

"Yes, many people are surprised when they hear this name. This comrade's surname is Tong and his given name is Zhi, so it is easy for others to misunderstand."

"It is indeed quite misleading."

After sitting and drinking tea for a while, the clerk came over with a male colleague.

The other person spoke with a strong Sichuan accent: "Director, you wanted to see me?"

He Yuzhu was secretly pleased. Now it was confirmed that he had arrived at the heavy machinery factory in the world of "Golden Wedding".

Tong Zhi is from Sichuan. He later married Wen Li and they supported each other through thick and thin. Of course, there were many ups and downs, but the two of them eventually grew old together and had many children and grandchildren.

He Yuzhu's heart stirred. It had only been five or six years, and it wasn't time for Comrade and Wenli to go on a blind date yet.

You know, Wenli looks almost exactly like Xu Huizhen, so there's something wrong with letting her marry Tong Zhi.

But now is not the time to think about it too much.

The director said warmly, "Tong Zhi, let me introduce you. This is Director Tian Zao from Sanhai Neighborhood Committee, and this is Section Chief He Yuzhu from Limin Canned Food Factory. They are here today on behalf of the subdistrict."

Tong Zhi was a little surprised that the person who came from the street was supposed to be the office receptionist. Why did they call him, a technician, over? But he didn't ask any more questions and they greeted each other.

After they sat down, the director explained the purpose of their visit and said, "Accompany them to the cannery to check if we have the capability to produce canning equipment."

Tong Zhi was somewhat surprised, as he had never encountered this situation before. However, being a tech person, he felt it was only right for him to investigate.

"Okay, Director."

Tong Zhi lived in the factory every day and didn't have a bicycle. It was the director who temporarily lent him one, and the three of them came out of the heavy machinery factory.

They arrived together at the canning jar production base outside the city, where Master Pan led them on a tour of the production line.

He Yuzhu asked, "Tong Zhi, do you think the machinery factory can produce it?"

After reviewing it, Tong Zhi said, "We need to inspect and measure each component to confirm whether it can be produced."

Tian Zao said, "Then I'll have to trouble you. We'll do our best to cooperate with you in any way you need."

"You're too kind."

Tong Zhi asked, "If we can produce them, how many sets would you like?"

"We need at least ten sets. If possible, we will build a large glassware manufacturing plant."

The cannery's production benefits both the neighborhood and the community committee, provided there are enough canning jars. Once the cannery's needs are met, glass bottle production can continue, and the workshop can also produce wine bottles, brine bottles, glasses, transparent glass, or glass mirrors, etc.

Even with ten production lines operating day and night, the number of glass bottles produced still cannot meet societal demand.

Tong Zhi nodded and said, "I will try my best to help you."

"Thank you then."

Tian Zao left first, and He Yuzhu gave him a brand new diary and pen, asking Tong Zhi to sort out the production line.