Chapter 23 The Old Fox's Sense of Smell and the Electric Grid Crisis

Dongfeng Department Store, second-floor Manager's Office.

Sun Dafu was holding a purple clay teapot in his hands.

His body was sunk into a rattan chair, his eyelids half-drooped.

Opposite him, Zhao the Scabby was spraying saliva, his upper body almost leaning over the desk.

"Manager Sun, you didn't see how arrogant that kid surnamed Lin is!"

Zhao the Scabby had a face full of cynicism:

"Taking a bunch of scrap that the workshops didn't want and making some 'little sun'."

"No coupons required, not going through public accounts."

"This is blatantly undermining the foundations of the state!"

He lowered his voice, a thievish light flashing in his eyes:

"I've looked into it thoroughly."

"Their raw materials are all scavenged from junk; the cost is terrifyingly low."

"This is a scam!"

"With your status, just say the word to the Security Department and have them investigate him thoroughly..."

"Investigate what?"

Sun Dafu blew on the tea leaves, not even lifting his eyelids. "Is the Security Department run by my family?"

Zhao the Scabby choked, his expression stiffening:

"Then... then we can't just let him mess around!"

"The hot water bottles in our department store haven't been selling well these past two days!"

Sun Dafu put down the teapot, an unfathomable smile appearing on his fat face.

He was an old hand at this.

Although Lin Xi hadn't lost his temper in the office that day,

that look—calm, sharp.

Plus, he later heard that a jeep from the General Command Headquarters had gone to pick him up at the station.

This background was definitely not simple.

A fool like Zhao the Scabby couldn't see it, but he, Sun Dafu, could smell it clearly.

"Old Zhao," Sun Dafu spoke slowly,

"You need to have a higher level of awareness. That man is doing technical innovation."

"But..."

"No buts." Sun Dafu tapped the table,

"You say he's engaging in speculation and profiteering."

"Where's the evidence? Where are the ledgers?"

"Reporting him with nothing but words is a false accusation."

Zhao the Scabby's face suddenly turned the color of pig liver.

Sun Dafu sneered inwardly, then changed the subject:

"However, the market is right there."

"If Lin Xi can do it, why can't others?"

"Does our base lack a few resistance wires?"

Zhao the Scabby was stunned for a moment, then his eyes suddenly lit up.

"Manager Sun, you mean..."

"I didn't say anything."

Sun Dafu picked up the teapot again,

"Go on, don't waste your time here with me."

"Instead of this, you'd better use your brain more."

Zhao the Scabby understood perfectly and backed out with bows and scrapes.

The moment the door closed, the smile on Sun Dafu's face vanished, replaced by a look of disdain.

"Idiot."

He snorted, "Trying to use me as a pawn?"

"You go ahead and walk through the minefield."

"If you get blown up, I'll collect your body; if you don't..."

"I can also get a piece of the pie."

...

The Fifth Workshop was in full swing.

If the production of the past two days was a "hand-made workshop," now it had a bit of an "industrialized" flavor.

"Zzzzz—"

Wang Dapao stood in front of the spinning machine, holding a lengthened lever arm.

This was something he had welded himself using the principle of leverage, following a suggestion from Lin Xi.

Before, pressing a reflector required holding his breath and using all his strength.

Now, with just a light press, the aluminum sheet obediently took shape, and efficiency increased dramatically.

In the corner, Wang Yu was staring blankly at a strange-looking machine.

That was an "Automatic winding machine" he had modified from a scrap fan motor.

Previously, winding resistance wires relied entirely on hands, which led to uneven tension and easy breakage.

Now this machine was "humming" as it turned, and nickel-chromium wires were being evenly wrapped around ceramic tubes,

The resulting products were as standard as those in a textbook.

[Big Cannon is getting more and more handsome! More and more manly!]

[Is no one a fan of Wang Yu? He's so dorky and cute!]

"45 units produced today."

When Liu Guihua reported today's numbers, her voice was trembling:

"Manager Lin, at this rate, we can finish those 1,200 units in less than a month!"

Lin Xi was holding a receipt, carefully checking it.

Hearing this, he didn't smile; instead, his brow furrowed slightly.

"As production capacity goes up, raw material consumption will also accelerate."

Lin Xi looked up and handed the receipt to Sun Erga, his tone serious:

"Erga, go to the Materials Department again."

"Remember what I said."

"Even if it's just a single screw, make sure they issue a 'Waste Material Transfer Slip'."

"It must have the official seal!"

"The red one!"

Sun Erga scratched his head, looking puzzled:

"Brother Lin, didn't we already pay?"

"Those scraps, they can't wait for us to take them away to clear some space. Why go through all that trouble?"

"Just go when I tell you to," Lin Xi said.

"Remember, these few pieces of paper are more important than the thousands of yuan we've earned."

...

Evening, Power Supply Station.

Station Master Zhao Gang was fretting over a pile of repair orders on his desk, so worried he was almost going bald.

"These wasteful bastards!" Zhao Gang fiercely stubbed out his cigarette.

"Every day at 6:30 PM, the transformers in the family quarters start humming, and the fuses blow three times a day!"

"If this continues, the transformers are going to burn out!"

"Station Master, you can't blame everyone," the technician beside him whispered.

"That 'Red Star little sun' is too popular; every family has one."

"With a load of several hundred kilowatts pressing down, our old lines can't handle it."

"This kid Lin Xi is looking for trouble for me!" Zhao Gang gritted his teeth.

Just then, there was a knock on the door.

Lin Xi pushed the door open and entered, with Wang Dapao carrying a heavy box behind him.

"Oh, Station Master Zhao, losing your temper?" Lin Xi smiled harmlessly.

"Just in time, I've come to put out the fire for you."

Zhao Gang rolled his eyes irritably:

"Put out the fire? You're the source of the fire!"

"Lin Xi, I was just about to look for you!"

"You must stop production of those heaters! The power grid is about to explode!"

"Don't be in such a hurry."

Lin Xi waved his hand, and Wang Dapao placed the box on the table.

When opened, it revealed five neat stacks of Great Unity bills, with several rolls of brand-new fuses next to them.

Zhao Gang was stunned: "What are you doing? Bribing me?"

"This is a 'Power Grid Maintenance Fee'." Lin Xi pulled out a chair and sat down, hisCalm expression.

"For every machine I sell, I'm voluntarily donating one yuan to the station."

"To be used for maintaining lines and replacing fuses."

"Here is five hundred yuan, as a down payment."

Zhao Gang's Adam's apple bobbed.

The Power Supply Station was a poor department with chronically tight funds; these five hundred yuan were like charcoal in the snow.

But he still kept a stern face:

"Money won't do!"

"The transformer capacity is what it is; that's a hard limitation!"

"That's why I brought you a proposal," Lin Xi said.

"No. 1 Launch Site just replaced its equipment a couple of days ago, and two Soviet-made transformers were removed."

"Their capacity is five times that of the family quarters, and they're just sitting in the warehouse gathering dust right now."

"You can write a report and apply for a transfer to carry out an expansion and renovation for the family quarters."

Zhao Gang's eyes instantly went wide.

Expanding the capacity for the family quarters was something he had wanted to do for three years but never accomplished.

He was stuck because of a lack of equipment and funds.

Now there was a source for the equipment, and the funds were sponsored by Lin Xi...

How was this trouble? This was clearly an achievement delivered right to his door!

"Lin Xi, you kid..."

Zhao Gang looked at the young man before him, a chill rising in his heart.

How did this brain of his work?

Not only did he not beg for help, but he also turned the Power Supply Station into his community of interests.

"But I have one condition." Lin Xi tapped the table, his voice low.