Chapter 10#
Qiming Manufacturing Factory#
Zhong Ming’s figure appeared at the corner of the stairs between the first and second floors. Seeing the person he was looking for standing up there in a daze, he shouted, “Xiang Ning.”
Chen Ziqing was startled and shivered, his face turning pale as he roared, “What are you doing!”
Zhong Ming’s eyes widened. Coupled with his tall and sturdy physique, he looked like a snorting bull. He took a few large strides up, slapped the paper in his hand onto Chen Ziqing’s chest, and turned to leave.
The paper slid down and hit Chen Ziqing’s scalded finger. He hissed in pain, gasping as he cradled his hand and bent over.
Zhong Ming was stunned. He picked up the sports meeting intention form scattered on the ground, rolled the paper into a tube and then unrolled it, asking hesitantly, “What’s wrong with you?”
Chen Ziqing tremblingly held up that finger.
Zhong Ming looked at it and complained in his heart about his affectation: “This has nothing to do with me, right? I gave you paper, not a razor blade.”
Chen Ziqing’s fingertip tilted, pointing to the electric wire nearby: “It did this.”
Zhong Ming glanced at the outer skin of the electric wire, shocked by his ability to talk nonsense: “Can you be any more ridiculous? You don’t even bother to put effort into teasing people.”
Chen Ziqing was listless: “Who’s teasing you?”
“I’m not talking to you anymore.” He was going to the dormitory next door to borrow water to rinse his hand, complaining miserably, “Ouch, it hurts me to death.”
Zhong Ming shouted in a low voice: “Intention form!”
Chen Ziqing turned his head to look at the electric wire that hurt him while walking. Who would believe it if he said it? They would only think he was joking. He said listlessly: “Leave it with you first. I’ll ask you for it tomorrow.”
“Fussy like an old woman.” Zhong Ming grabbed Chen Ziqing’s shoulder, “My master asked me to give it to you. Fill it out and hand it in tomorrow morning.”
He used too much force and pulled him directly into his arms.
Chen Ziqing’s back hit the hard pectoral muscles, giving him the illusion that his bones were about to fall apart. He tilted his head back, his breath landing on Zhong Ming’s chin, and squeezed out two words through gritted teeth: “Reckless man.”
Zhong Ming was stunned, released his grip on him, and let him walk away rubbing his back.
.
Chen Ziqing’s finger developed a large blister.
Many people in the workshop told him to pop the blister quickly, saying that it looked uncomfortable and they couldn’t help but look at his blister. To let them work with peace of mind, he had to do so.
Zhong Gu found matches and a needle from somewhere. She pulled Chen Ziqing to the office: “Why weren’t you more careful when pouring water? Scalded like this.”
Chen Ziqing looked at Zong Huaitang, who was typing at the typewriter, and said to Zhong Gu, “It wasn’t scalded by water.”
“Not water?” Zhong Gu took out a match, “Then how did it happen? Scalded by a flame?”
Chen Ziqing was stunned. Zhong Gu suddenly brought her plain face close, her eyebrows knotted seriously: “Did you secretly smoke?”
She sniffed his shoulder: “No smell of smoke, didn’t smoke.”
She sat back, winking and making faces, saying with righteousness putting family second: “If I find out you smoked, I’ll report it and let the factory deduct your wages.”
Chen Ziqing was at a loss for words. He had a smoking addiction, but he hadn’t smoked a single puff since coming here. The anxiety about the mission had diverted his dependence on nicotine.
If this continued, he could even quit smoking.
“Don’t move, it’ll be done soon.” Zhong Gu struck a match, held the needle over the fire to disinfect it, pressed the needle tip against the large blister on Chen Ziqing’s fingertip, and pushed forward.
The skin of the blister broke, and a small puddle of water flowed out, running along the gaps between Chen Ziqing’s fingers to his palm, and was about to run onto his forearm. He wiped the water with the toilet paper Zhong Gu had prepared beforehand: “I’ll apply the ointment myself.”
“Alright, you apply it.” Zhong Gu put away the needle and crushed the still-smoking match on the ground with her shoe, “I’m going back to my post.”
“Go ahead, I’ll go back in a while too.” Chen Ziqing was thinking about something unknown, his eyes gazing at the few electric wires in the corner that could serve as clotheslines.
The clattering sound of typing letter keys in the office continued for a while, then stopped.
Chen Ziqing got up and went over: “Technician Zong.”
Zong Huaitang had a pen clipped to his ear and was checking the things just printed out. He was busy and annoyed, with no time to pay attention to him.
Chen Ziqing took out the apology letter he had carried in his pocket all night and placed it next to the typewriter.
Zong Huaitang glanced at that ball of paper: “Picked it up from the trash can, right?”
“It’s just a bit wrinkled.” Chen Ziqing picked it up and smoothed it out, “Look at what I wrote, is it sincere enough?”
Zong Huaitang took the pen off his ear and wrote and drew on the paper: “I don’t have time right now. Leave it there. We’ll talk when I have time.”
“Then keep it safe. I wrote my name at the beginning and end. It’s not convenient for others to see.” Chen Ziqing was about to leave, but suddenly turned back, “Technician Zong, do you think it’s possible for electric wires to make people feel a burning sensation?”
Zong Huaitang took the paper to the desk: “Is it possible? Isn’t this very normal? Electricity leakage can cause electric shock, numbness, stiff limbs unable to move, leading to varying degrees of burns, and can also produce electric burns and electric scalds.”
Chen Ziqing followed closely, like a student asking a teacher for problem-solving ideas: “Can you get an electric shock if the wire insulation isn’t broken?”
“Surrounding humidity, insulation performance, and electromagnetic fields are all influencing factors,” Zong Huaitang looked at his watch, “Electrician Wang is on duty at this time, go ask yourself.”
“It’s the same if I ask you. You’ve already solved my confusion.” Chen Ziqing sighed from the bottom of his heart, “Knowledge brings a sense of security. Technician Zong has great learning.”
Zong Huaitang: “…” Is he really not mocking him?
“Master Xiang is too modest.” Zong Huaitang praised with a fake smile, “Who in the factory doesn’t know that you know astronomy above and geography below, and are well-versed in both ancient and modern times.”
Chen Ziqing waved his hand in embarrassment: “In our entire manufacturing factory, only the factory director alone can achieve that. How could I have such good fortune.”
Zong Huaitang kicked the chair away and sat down, too lazy to pay any more attention to this “factory director flatterer”.
Chen Ziqing said sincerely: “Technician Zong, I sincerely look forward to becoming friends with you.”
Zong Huaitang didn’t even lift his eyelids: “Go be friends with your factory director.”
Chen Ziqing mimicked the man’s speech, retorting silently: Go be friends with your factory director.
He went to apply medicine to his finger and came back with nail clippers: “Technician Zong, do me a favor. Help me cut the skin on my hand. It’s hard to cut with my left hand.”
Zong Huaitang propped up his head and drew blueprints: “Comrade Zhong was here just now. You let her pop the blister for you. Isn’t cutting the skin just a matter of convenience?”
Chen Ziqing scratched his face: “I didn’t want to cut it at the time.”
Zong Huaitang said slowly: “Open the door, the workshop is full of people. Can’t you find them?”
Chen Ziqing told the truth: “It’s the same whoever cuts it. You are in front of my eyes, so I thought of you first.”
Zong Huaitang slammed the pen on the table with a “pa”, turned around and looked up, his pitch-black eyes slightly narrowed: “So?”
Chen Ziqing had a sudden flash of insight: “So I still hope Technician Zong can help me.”
“Tch, I’ve never seen anyone who can talk more nonsense than you. I really don’t know how you can be so entangled. You must have worked in a textile factory in your previous life.” Zong Huaitang opened the nail clippers, “I won’t touch you. Pull up the skin yourself.”
“Master Zhong also said I’m fussy.” Chen Ziqing used his left hand to pull the drooping skin of the scald on his right fingertip.
The factory director was left-handed, and so was Zong Huaitang.
Although his face was full of impatience and his brows were furrowed enough to kill a fly, his movements were not rough or brute force. Deep down, he was a gentle and delicate person.
Chen Ziqing felt almost no pain.
Zong Huaitang threw the scissors away and wiped his hands with disgust, even though he hadn’t touched him at all: “No need to eat lunch, I’m full.”
“It is indeed a bit disgusting. Sorry to trouble you, Technician Zong.” Chen Ziqing endured the pain and covered the exposed flesh with ointment. His face was pale and his whole body trembled as if it were New Year’s. He thought inappropriately, probably it’s like this for a man’s first time.
When the mission is done and he returns to the real world, after nursing his body back to health, he will find someone who is pleasing to the eye from the inside out to test it.
.
The next morning run, a row of eight people, mixed men and women, a very long team, looking like a sea of heads at a glance.
Roll call and counting off.
“All present!” Section Chief Li blew the whistle, “Run!”
The workers jogged around the living area in an orderly manner. Zong Huaitang was at the very end. His left leg was inconvenient, so he ran slowly.
Next to Zong Huaitang was that female employee who had been walking with him often recently, the factory flower voted out by everyone vote by vote.
Chen Ziqing was separated from them by a few rows, looking back while running.
Unknown what Zong Huaitang whispered in the factory flower’s ear, she lowered her head shyly, her face blushing like a flower.
Very affectionate and sweet. It looked like the relationship was about to be settled. Chen Ziqing withdrew his gaze and moved forward step by step. In his mind was the progress and direction of the mission information. Now those branch lines in the corridor were not being tampered with. Only the two main line interfaces in the east and west suffered.
Stopping here and then stopping there, like a prank.
The other party didn’t operate secretly late at night and then secretly restore the interface so that no trace could be found like before the mission officially started. Now it was just broken like that, and connected back amidst the workers’ curses.
And the time of action was earlier, getting earlier and earlier.
The workers on the second floor were all looking for the troublemaker. Chen Ziqing thought it through and decided not to be tense anymore.
There is strength in numbers, let them look for it.
Maybe he could pick up a bargain.
.
Apart from the occasional power outage in the corridor on the second floor of Building 9 where the culprit couldn’t be caught, there were no other situations in the factory. Workers commuted as usual.
The days in April were beautiful days.
In the second-floor toilet, a young lad found an old blue thermos bottle by the sink. Due to years of use, the plastic shell on the surface had faded and cracked.
“Someone must have forgotten to take it back after pouring water.” The young lad stood in the corridor and shouted, “Hey! Who forgot to take their water bottle?”
No one answered for a long time. The young lad shouted again.
Click.
The door of a dormitory opened. It was an uncle. He poked his head out in confusion and asked the young lad in the corridor: “What thermos bottle?”
“The blue one, right by the sink. Don’t know who forgot it there.” The young lad explained.
“By the sink?” The uncle walked over in confusion, “I just came back from washing clothes at the sink and didn’t see any water bottle?”
“Huh?” The young lad was stunned, then turned around and pointed to the row of sinks behind him, “Look, it’s sitting right there, there is one!”
“There is what?” The uncle stared into his eyes.
“There is…”
The words on the tip of the young lad’s tongue came to an abrupt halt because in the direction his finger was pointing, by the sink.
It was empty, nothing was there…
That old blue thermos bottle was gone. In the short time he was talking to the uncle, the water bottle behind him had actually disappeared.
No third person had come by either. Everything was quiet. The thermos bottle seemed to have become invisible.
Fortunately, it was just a thermos bottle, not something extraordinary.
The young lad shook his head, forcing himself to forget what had just happened. He returned to the dormitory and pushed the door open. The room light was on, and his roommate had already returned.
At this time, the roommate was sitting at the table, using his most cherished Hero brand fountain pen, writing a diary seriously.
Seeing the young lad return, the roommate closed the notebook with a smile: “Why did you come back so late today?”
“Oh, I went to the toilet.” The young lad replied.
“No wonder. I thought you were called for a talk again.”
“How could I be so unlucky every day!” The young lad smiled helplessly and sat down on the edge of the bed, “By the way, are you signing up for the sports meeting?”
“Haven’t decided yet.”
“I don’t plan to sign up.” The young lad said, “If you sign up, I’ll go cheer for you then.”
“We are not in the same workshop. What kind of cheering is that? Don’t get caught by your director.” The roommate laughed.
“Not in the same workshop, but there’s still roommate friendship.” The young lad patted the bed sheet, “This time, I guess it’s still Master Xiang from the first workshop winning glory and emitting heat.”
“Hmm, how should I put it!” The roommate pondered, “Master Xiang is injured and can’t do intense exercise much. Maybe he won’t even participate.”
“That’s true too. I met him a few times at work and found he was like nothing happened. I forgot about him hitting his head. The gauze hasn’t been removed yet. Then the several first places he holds every year will be distributed to others.”
The young lad said casually. The roommate wanted to chat with him about Master Xiang and the sports meeting, but was interrupted before he could speak.
“Wulu…”
A sound of boiling water came. The water on the stove was boiling.
Although Section Chief Li checked the rooms irregularly, everyone had hidden daily necessities, especially stoves, which had many uses.
“The water is ready. Let me make you a cup of tea.” The roommate got up with a smile, “This is new tea sent from my hometown. Taste how it is!”
Saying that, the roommate took out two cups, then carefully opened a tea bag and grabbed a little tea leaves to put into the cup.
Then, he lifted the kettle on the stove and poured water into the thermos bottle.
The young lad watched from the side. When he saw the roommate filling the water, he stood up abruptly, shocked to the point that his lips trembled.
His widened pupils stared dead at the thermos bottle the roommate was holding, that old blue thermos bottle.
He was too familiar with this thermos bottle. It was the water bottle that had suddenly and inexplicably disappeared by the sink in the toilet just now.
“You… you tell me! Where did this… this thermos bottle come from?” The young lad pointed at the thermos bottle, his tone tense to the point of trembling slightly.
The roommate was startled by the young lad’s frightened look. He didn’t understand why the other party had such a big reaction to just a water bottle.
“Sorry.” The roommate explained to him sincerely, “Didn’t my thermos bottle accidentally break two days ago? So…”
“So what!” The young lad stared at him anxiously.
“So when I came back, I borrowed the water bottle on your table…”
The roommate looked at the young lad somewhat ashamedly. After all, using someone else’s things casually was indeed not very civilized.
“…Mine?” The young lad asked in a daze.
“What? I took it from your table.” The roommate looked at him in puzzlement.
“Isn’t it yours?”