Chapter 11

Yang Secretary smiled and said, "Can this car be driven now?"

Qin Qidong turned to Zheng Yongmin and asked, "Can this car be driven? Give the leader a demonstration."

Zheng Yongmin nodded and said, "It can be driven, just start the engine!"

He quickly called for some people to push the car out of the factory.

In the factory yard, Chang Yuanting personally got into the driver's seat, took a deep breath, and nervously turned the key to start the engine...

"Kikikihong......." A few light sounds, and the engine started.

Chang Yuanting let out a sigh of relief, wiping the cold sweat from his forehead. Under the watchful eyes of the deputy provincial leader and the leaders of the Industry Bureau, he gently pressed the gas pedal, and the black car started moving.

This brand new black car slowly circled the factory yard a few times.

Chang Yuanting, a former military driver, had excellent driving skills. He noticed that everyone was watching him, especially the top leader in the crowd, which put immense pressure on him.

He prayed that nothing would go wrong, took a few deep breaths, and pressed the gas pedal harder, gradually increasing the car's speed.

"Very good!" Seeing the car speed up and circle the factory without any issues, Yang Secretary couldn't help but praise it.

"Alright, let this comrade get out of the car." Yang Secretary nodded and smiled.

Zheng Yongmin quickly waved to Chang Yuanting in the car. Seeing his old partner's gesture, Chang Yuanting parked the car to the side.

As Chang Yuanting got out of the car and walked over, Zheng Yongmin introduced him to Yang Secretary: "This is our factory manager, Comrade Chang Yuanting!"

Yang Secretary clapped his hands and said with a smile, "I was so focused on the car, I apologize, I apologize!"

Chang Yuanting hurriedly said, "No, no, I was also thinking about the test drive and forgot to come over to you!"

Yang Secretary laughed heartily and said, "Good, good! We are all dedicated to the public good! Excellent!"

Yang Secretary turned to Qin Qidong and said, "I think the car made by the auto repair factory is very good! It fully meets the requirements! Before I came, I just hoped it could match the old Shanghai brand and not fall too far behind. But I didn't expect the comrades at the auto repair factory to give me such a big surprise!"

Qin Qidong nodded and smiled, "It is very good. When I saw this car today, I was also very impressed! If we had made this car a year or two earlier, we wouldn't have had to spend a lot of money importing the Soviet Lada!"

Yang Secretary nodded and said, "Yes! Fortunately, it's not too late. We've only imported a hundred or so. This car we've made can save the country some foreign exchange and develop our own industry, which is very good!"

Qin Qidong nodded and said, "I will definitely remember the leader's words!"

Zheng Yongmin and Chang Yuanting exchanged a smile. With such satisfaction from the leaders, their work had not been in vain, and their achievements were significant.

Lin Qiangsheng, standing to the side, was also filled with excitement, his fists clenched.

Lin Xiangrong, in the crowd, looked at his son with pride, his eyes moistening. At this moment, he felt an unprecedented sense of pride!

Yang Secretary looked at the gathered crowd and said loudly with a smile, "The provincial government will invest resources and manpower into the Jiang'an Auto Repair Factory to ensure the production of this car! We will promote it and add another highlight to our province's industry!"

"Ah!... Oh!..." The workers and young people of the auto repair factory suddenly cheered, so excited and happy!

Everyone jumped and patted each other on the back, laughing heartily, feeling a great sense of pride and accomplishment.

Zheng Yongmin and Chang Yuanting shook hands happily. Together, they saw the leaders off, and the visit was a great success.

As they were leaving, Qin Qidong told the two that they would have a meeting at the Industry Bureau the next day.

Zhao Hongbo had been hiding at the back of the crowd.

After the leaders left, he came out and said enviously, "Congratulations! Your auto repair factory has really upgraded! Your achievement is a true embodiment of the Daqing spirit! From now on, you will be the first car manufacturing factory in the province, even more prestigious than our camera factory?!"

Chang Yuanting smiled and said, "Not really, we also need the help of our brother enterprises!"

Zhao Hongbo smiled and said, "We are different. Our camera factory still has a strong competitor, the instrument factory. You are unique, like a scorpion's sting!"

"Uh, yes!" Chang Yuanting laughed heartily.

They chatted for a few more minutes, and Zhao Hongbo left.

Lin Qiangsheng walked to the jeep in the yard, watching Chen Bing hum a red song excitedly.

He smiled and asked, "Why are you so happy, Brother Chen?"

Chen Bing smiled and said, "Of course! We are about to become real workers! You know, making cars pays better than repairing them! And we'll be looked up to more outside!"

Lin Qiangsheng smiled and nodded.

Chen Bing sighed, patted the jeep's steel plate, and said, "What a pity! The Wrangler didn't get a new paint job in time, so it didn't attract any attention!"

The Wrangler-style jeep in front of them seemed like a silent guardian standing in the corner.

Lin Qiangsheng laughed heartily and said, "Alright, Brother Chen. Our factory can make a car, what more do you want?"

Chen Bing chuckled and said, "Yes, it's all thanks to you. If we had used your father's Volga blueprints, we might not have succeeded!"

Lin Qiangsheng smiled.

"Um, cough."

At that moment, Lin Xiangrong came out of the workshop.

Seeing someone come, Chen Bing was startled and said, "Master Lin, I didn't say anything about you!" He turned and ran away.

Lin Xiangrong walked up to his son and smiled, "You did well! You caught the attention of the provincial leaders, better than your old man!"

Lin Qiangsheng smiled and said, "It's all thanks to the books you collected before."

Lin Xiangrong waved his hand and said, "Alright, don't try to fool me. Talent is talent, and it makes a difference!"

Lin Qiangsheng smiled but couldn't say anything. He couldn't admit to copying, and besides, the Germans might not even have started the project yet. It didn't matter if he was a bit shameless.

The next day, the two leaders of the factory went to the Industry Bureau for a meeting, and they were out for several days.

Lin Qiangsheng's mother, Xu Hongmei, also became busy. She was assigned a formal position, responsible for the health construction in the rural areas of the city.

Xu Hongmei's authority could be significant or insignificant. Now, it only applied to their bureau. In other large enterprises, they had their own systems and wouldn't listen to her.

Despite being very busy, running around the countryside, Lin Qiangsheng couldn't see any benefits from it.

"This isn't scientific! What about fines? What about shutdown notices for failing inspections?!" Lin Qiangsheng thought.

One day, he took the opportunity when his mother, Xu Hongmei, came back for dinner and asked her, "Mom, when you go to the countryside, don't the rural enterprises give you some local specialties?"

Xu Hongmei asked in confusion, "What rural enterprises?"

"Uh, no private restaurants or anything?" Lin Qiangsheng continued.

Xu Hongmei shook her head and said, "I didn't notice, there probably aren't any. Now everything is state-owned, who would open a restaurant?"

Lin Qiangsheng thought for a moment and slowly said to his mother, "Maybe some private individuals do open restaurants. In those remote areas, one might pop up. They don't hang any signs, just have a stove, a few bowls and plates, and buy meat and vegetables from the countryside. They could start operating! We shouldn't let such people go unchecked. These places are extremely unsafe, and who knows what they sell, maybe dead pigs, dead cows, or dead dogs!"

Xu Hongmei looked at her son in surprise and said, "Do we have to manage that? It's not easy for ordinary people to make money. Even if it's dead pigs or cows, it's not a big deal, right? People usually buy such meat to save money."

"Is that so? Have I eaten it?" Lin Qiangsheng asked his mother.

Xu Hongmei nodded and smiled, "We've bought dead pork and beef before."

"Uh!" Lin Qiangsheng scratched his head.

Xu Hongmei smiled and said, "People have been living like this for centuries. If someone wants to eat cheap meat or beef, it's usually from dead animals. I've never heard of any problems."

Lin Qiangsheng nodded and reluctantly gave up.

Xu Hongmei smiled and asked, "Son, do you want to eat something from the countryside?"

Lin Qiangsheng smiled and said, "A little bit."

Xu Hongmei said, "When I come across something, I'll bring it back for you. Don't worry about it."

Lin Qiangsheng nodded and went back to his room, thinking of other ideas.