Winter gave way to spring, flowers bloomed to welcome the season, and another new year arrived.
Lin Qiaozhi turned sixteen.
She had been born on the second day of the second lunar month, the day the Dragon Raises Its Head, so not long after the New Year, she was another year older.
“You’ve shot up quite a bit this year. Your pant legs are too short now. I’ll let the hem out for you,” Jiang Hongmei said as she sorted out their spring clothes.
Lin Qiaozhi went to look in the mirror.
While checking her reflection, she reminded her, “Don’t put all the winter clothes away yet, or we’ll end up digging through the trunks looking for them again.”
Every year in Jiangcheng, after the weather warmed enough for people to change into light spring clothes, there would always be another sudden cold spell.
When that happened, the streets would be filled with people dressed for every season imaginable: tank tops and shorts, work uniforms, thick cotton-padded jackets… It was as if all four seasons had gathered on the same day.
The mirror hanging on the wall was a little too small to show her whole body, but Lin Qiaozhi could still tell that she had grown taller.
Not only had she grown taller, but she also seemed to have become stronger.
She was another year older.
It felt wonderful.
She liked this feeling!
As the factory resumed operations after the New Year and school started again, news of this year’s Hongqi Agricultural Machinery Factory Workers’ Commendation Ceremony spread throughout the Hongqi Factory residential compound.
When the factory workers saw student Lin Qiaozhi’s name on the list, they were stunned.
Quite a few people blinked hard, unable to help wondering if they had read it wrong.
“Could there be some mistake? Isn’t Lin Qiaozhi still in school? She wasn’t even in our democratic vote at the end of last year.”
“This isn’t about our factory employees. Look at the note below. The Railway Bureau sent over a commendation letter!”
“Why would the Railway Bureau suddenly send her a commendation letter? What for?”
“Ahhh! It’s Sister Qiaozhi! Mother, look! Sister Qiaozhi was telling the truth. There’s nothing us girls can’t do! I want to study technical skills and join Hongqi Factory too! Please let me apply. I know I can do it.”
At that moment, Lin Qiaozhi was backstage in the factory auditorium, familiarizing herself with the proceedings ahead of time.
“First time back here, isn’t it? Nervous?” Director Meng asked as she pinned a large red flower, symbolizing honor, onto her chest. She sighed emotionally. “Sometimes it’s hard to believe. Back then you were just such a tiny little girl, and now you’ve grown into someone so accomplished.”
Lin Qiaozhi smiled shyly. “You’re giving me far too much credit. And if I really have accomplished anything, you deserve part of the credit too.”
Director Meng laughed. “Such a sweet talker. Looks like you’re not nervous anymore.”
Lin Qiaozhi replied openly, “I’m not just saying nice things. I mean every word.” She tilted her head toward the front of the stage, unable to hide a trace of excitement. “Aunt Fang and Engineer Zhao are going on stage today too, right?”
They had deliberately kept up the “act” in the residential compound for so long.
They had also given plenty of people a chance to “enjoy the show.” After so many days of gathering enough spectators, it was naturally time for everyone to realize that some spectacles weren’t so amusing after all.
People were often like this. Missing an opportunity wasn’t the worst part.
What truly gnawed at them was realizing that the opportunity had once been right in front of them, yet they had failed to recognize it and had let it slip away.
Not only had they missed it, they had stood there grinning like fools, happily watching the spectacle unfold!
Missing the chance yourself was painful enough, and you could reluctantly console yourself to let it go. But when someone right beside you seized that opportunity and reaped enormous rewards from it…
How could anyone not be filled with bitter regret?
Director Meng only smiled without saying anything. She straightened Lin Qiaozhi’s collar and adjusted the large red flower on her chest.
“Go on.”
After making sure her clothes were in order and reviewing the procedure once more, Lin Qiaozhi waited backstage with everyone else.
The space wasn’t large, but it was kept very clean. Along one wall stood a row of wooden chairs with backrests.
The familiar factory workers sat there chatting and laughing.
Some were completely at ease, figuring that everyone outside was a neighbor or leader they had known for years. What was there to be nervous about? They chatted away with the people around them as though nothing was happening.
Others were receiving such an honor for the first time and couldn’t help feeling anxious, though they tried hard to appear calm.
As the voices outside the wall grew louder and more crowded, Lin Qiaozhi’s heart began pounding as well.
She pressed a hand to her chest, her heart swelling with excitement.
Was she looking forward to this?
Of course she was. She had worked so hard and poured in so much time and sweat precisely so that one day she could stand proudly before everyone with her back straight.
“Don’t worry.”
Lin Qiaozhi turned her head and saw Aunt Fang smiling brightly.
She said, “I’ll let you in on a little secret. The host, Officer Huang, yes, the female cadre with the revolutionary haircut, the one with the strong, energetic voice, she likes you quite a bit. Even if you make a mistake, she’ll smooth things over for you.”
“Thank you, Aunt Fang.” Lin Qiaozhi smiled brightly. “Hearing you say that makes me stop worrying instantly.”
Deng Fang patted her on the shoulder.
Just then, the Workers’ Commendation Ceremony officially began.
They could hear Officer Huang’s clear, powerful voice ring out.
“Comrades! Under the fluttering banner of socialism, revolutionary workers stand united as one. Over the past year, our Hongqi Agricultural Machinery Factory has produced 10,000 crawler tractors, 20,000 wheeled tractors, and 8,000 diesel engines. Roaring off the production line, they have gone forth across the vast countryside to support our farmer brothers…”
Officer Huang summarized Hongqi Factory’s many achievements over the past year.
Their Hongqi Factory had exceeded its planned production targets by 27 percent!
In the era of the planned economy, factories didn’t need to find their own markets or worry about profitability. They simply needed to focus wholeheartedly on research, devote themselves to production, and complete the state’s planned quotas.
But Hongqi Factory refused to stand still.
In addition to meeting production targets, the factory continuously developed new tractor models, constantly solved problems found in older models, improved them, and steadily increased tractor productivity.
The factory’s first batch of tractors had been able to plow eighty mu of farmland in a day while towing loads weighing five tons.
Now that figure had more than doubled, allowing them to plow nearly two hundred mu in a single day!
“…Whether it’s fertilizing, spraying, dusting, stacking hay, irrigation and drainage, milling grain, or the many other needs of our farmer brothers, our Hongqi-brand tractors have overcome every challenge one by one. They can now meet virtually all the requirements of agricultural mechanization!”
Warm applause erupted throughout the audience.
Listening to it all, Lin Qiaozhi felt her blood boil with excitement, pride rising naturally within her.
She clapped with all her strength until her palms turned red.
After the rousing opening remarks, Officer Huang said that these achievements and honors were inseparable from the contributions of every factory worker, and the ceremony smoothly moved into the awards presentation.
Each workshop and every major production group had several honorary awards, such as Model Worker and Technical Pioneer.
Round after round of applause filled the hall.
Before long, Deng Fang and Engineer Zhao also left backstage.
After Officer Huang’s enthusiastic introduction, Lin Qiaozhi indeed heard wave after wave of gasps from the audience, mixed unmistakably with the soundless atmosphere of regret and remorse.
She couldn’t stop the corners of her mouth from lifting.
She quickly rubbed her face and hurriedly reminded herself, Don’t smile. Don’t smile. You absolutely can’t stand there grinning like an idiot right now.
Several more rounds passed.
Lin Qiaozhi took two deep breaths.
It was her turn.
Listening to Officer Huang’s introduction, she stepped up the side stairs and onto the stage.
Officer Huang proudly announced, “This year, not only has our Hongqi Factory proven its own excellence, but we have also received thanks and recognition from one of our brother organizations! The factory has received a commendation letter from the railway authorities, commending Comrade Lin Qiaozhi, one of our factory’s own, for her contribution to improving the efficiency of the railway system.”
“Though the suggestions she put forward were small, they improved the efficiency and safety of the entire railway system during startup, emergency braking, and transportation over wet rails.”
Hearing this, the workers in the audience couldn’t help quietly drawing sharp breaths.
It was true?!
This wasn’t merely verbal praise. It was an official commendation letter issued by a government unit, complete with an official seal.
It could even be placed in her personnel file!
It would be of tremendous benefit in the future for promotions, competing for municipal and provincial honors, being selected as a May Day Model Worker, housing allocations, and many other matters.
On the stage.
Officer Huang led the presentation of Lin Qiaozhi’s awards.
There was a fountain pen, an enamel mug, and a towel.
All of them were valuable items.
Lin Qiaozhi smiled so broadly that a glimpse of her white teeth showed, her delight impossible to hide.
After another round of applause, Officer Huang smiled and said, “There is one sentence in the commendation letter that comes directly from the capital. It highly praises the learning attitude and research spirit of young technical students who think diligently, observe carefully, and pursue the truth!”
“This spirit and attitude are worthy of every worker here to learn from. Now let’s invite Comrade Lin Qiaozhi to share a few words about her experience at the time. How about it?”
Everyone in the audience was stirred by those words. Almost instinctively, they shifted in their seats, sat up straighter, and listened attentively.
It was hard not to think, Let’s hear her out. They make it sound so simple. What if we could do it too?
Officer Huang turned to signal Lin Qiaozhi to speak.
Lin Qiaozhi stepped forward and faced the many factory workers below, as well as Engineer Lu seated in the front row. Following the crash course she had just received backstage, she said earnestly, “I’d like to thank Engineer Lu for taking us students out to broaden our horizons. Without that, this opportunity would never have existed.”
“A good thought, but you’re a clever child,” Engineer Lu said with a wave of his hand. “Talk about yourself.”
Being praised so publicly by Engineer Lu made Lin Qiaozhi’s cheeks flush slightly.
She pressed her lips together before continuing, “A steam locomotive is powered by its steam engine. The continuous burning of large amounts of coal provides the locomotive with the force to move forward. That day, after Engineer Lu completed his inspection and found no major problems with the entire power system, I considered that the issue most likely lay in how the power was being utilized.”
“As rails are used year after year, their surfaces gradually become polished smooth. That’s naturally a good thing when the train is running across flat terrain, because less friction means less wear. But when climbing a grade or braking, insufficient friction can be fatal. In our terms, we’d say the wheels ‘can’t get enough grip.'”
“So what do you do? Increase the friction. Spreading some sand to roughen the contact surface is an excellent solution.”
The factory workers: “…”
They understood what she was saying. It was a good analogy, and it really did sound simple enough. But somehow, the more they listened, the dizzier they felt… and oddly sleepy.
Of course, some people still didn’t understand and couldn’t help asking, “If you spread sand in front of the wheels, won’t that cause problems for the train?”
Honestly, it sounded more like sabotage.
The train was rolling along just fine, and then you went and threw something in front of its wheels.
When Lin Qiaozhi had first seen it in her dream, a metal pipe aimed at the gap between the wheel and the rail, continuously spraying sand as the train thundered forward, her first reaction had been exactly the same.
It was precisely because she had been surprised at first, then figured out how it worked, that the small detail had stayed in her mind and followed her from the dream into reality.
She said, “That’s why you can’t just scatter it randomly. You need a sanding device. The driver uses a hand- or foot-operated valve to control the airflow, allowing fine sand of the proper grain size to be sprayed out evenly.”
Lin Qiaozhi answered several questions in succession, remaining calm and unhurried throughout, as though everything were well within her grasp.
Everything she said sounded as though it were perfectly straightforward.
For some reason, though, not a single person thought she’d simply gotten lucky.
Teacher Qin, who taught the theory classes, laughed heartily, applauded her, then turned to quite a few of the fitters nearby and said, “Hear that? I’ve been telling you all to read more books, but every last one of you is too lazy to take it seriously.”
The audience burst into laughter, followed by another round of applause.
Smiling, Lin Qiaozhi carried her prize and happily stepped off the stage from the other side.
The commendation ceremony at Hongqi Factory continued on. It did not pause for anyone’s applause.
…
For several days in a row, the factory broadcast continued announcing the names of those commended at the ceremony.
Lin Qiaozhi heard her own name several times as well.
She was happy for two days.
Then she quickly settled down again.
It wasn’t that she wasn’t happy. Rather, she clearly understood that her current level was nowhere near something to be proud or complacent about.
She had been fortunate. Because of the dream, she had gotten an early taste of something so alluring and wonderful.
But if she lost herself because of it and became carried away with pride, that would make her a fool.
What made her happiest…
Was actually the changing atmosphere in the residential compound.
More and more dual-income households had emerged, openly striving to become “model examples” of ideological progress right before everyone’s eyes.
Some had started washing bed sheets and quilt covers, joking, “These are too heavy. I’ve got the strength, so let me help.”
Others came out carrying brooms and dustpans to take out the trash.
Naturally, there were plenty who were only putting on a show, but many women still seized the opportunity and quietly began standing up for themselves.
For recognition, for honor, for benefits, for housing allocations…
Which of those wasn’t far more important than saving face?
And besides, who said it was embarrassing? Director Meng had already said it was ideological progress!
Over the course of the past half year or more, the seeds sown little by little through quiet, gradual influence had silently taken root and quietly begun to sprout.
At last, with the arrival of a spring breeze and the nourishment of a silent spring rain, they drew strength and stretched out new branches at a pace visible to the naked eye. Their limbs reached in every direction, each tip bursting forth with clusters of fresh buds.
Once enough people started doing it, some things no longer seemed unusual.
Little by little, the atmosphere throughout the residential compound began to change as well.
Doing housework was no longer something that invited jokes about “letting your wife wear the pants.”
Nor was it unusual enough to attract a crowd teasing and watching.
Nowadays, in the residential compound, it had instead become a chorus of, “That’s ideological progress,” “He cares about his wife,” and “What do you know?”
When falsehood and truth become intertwined, once something is said often enough and done often enough, certain old ways of thinking inevitably begin to crumble in silence.
Lin Qiaozhi keenly noticed these changes.
She was more than happy to see this fresh breeze gradually blowing in.
This spring was simply too wonderful.
So wonderful that even with Death’s scythe still hanging high above her head, Lin Qiaozhi remained full of hope for the future.
She selected a piece of iron stock and began making the mold for the side cover plate of the Tieniu 55 engine.