Chapter 5: The 1970s Lucky Koi—Illustration 5

A few days later, Father Chen obtained a letter of introduction from the village brigade leader. He walked several miles with his daughter to the county seat, took a bus to the city, and arrived at the machinery plant.

Father Chen’s former apprentice brother, with whom he had studied carpentry, now worked at the machinery plant as the deputy director—a position of considerable authority. Chen Ying brought along the blueprints she had drawn over the past few days. They were filled with various technical data; while she wasn't entirely certain of the practical outcome, the information felt vivid in her mind.

"Junior brother, what brings you here?" Deputy Director Zhu Aiguo asked, looking surprised when he saw Father Chen at the plant gate after receiving word of his arrival.

"Senior brother, I have something to discuss with you. Come, this is my eldest daughter, Chen Ying." Father Chen glanced around cautiously before speaking.

"Hello, Uncle Zhu," Chen Ying greeted him.

"So this is your eldest niece? She’s a bright-looking girl. Come, let’s go to my office." Sensing that Father Chen had something sensitive to discuss, Zhu Aiguo greeted Chen Ying and led them to his office.

Chen Ying was left outside the door to keep watch, ensuring no one approached. Under Father Chen’s subtle suggestion, Zhu Aiguo even dismissed his assistant. Left alone, Chen Ying stared at the stained wall, listening intently to the conversation inside.

"Speak, why be so secretive? Are you looking for a job for your niece? I’d like to help, but these days, even temporary jobs are practically hereditary; there’s not much I can do." Zhu Aiguo spoke with a tone suggesting a close friendship, even daring to crack a joke about the "hereditary" nature of jobs—a risky topic in these times.

"It’s not that. Do you think my daughter needs connections to find work? I came to see you for this." Father Chen rolled his eyes at his senior brother and pulled the blueprints from his bag. "Take a look."

"What is this, being so mysterious?" Zhu Aiguo chuckled, but as he took the papers and scanned them, his expression shifted. He looked at Father Chen, stunned: "Where did this come from?" As a director of the machinery plant, he was well-versed in engine designs and recognized exactly what these were at a glance.

He flipped through the pages rapidly, realizing this was a detailed design for a specific type of engine. It was so thorough that it included cross-sections, plan views, 3D diagrams, and a wealth of data—more professional and precise than anything they currently had.

"My daughter drew this. How is it?" Father Chen looked at Zhu Aiguo with unconcealed pride.

"Your eldest niece?" Zhu Aiguo’s eyes widened in disbelief. "She’s only fifteen, right? How could she know this? Who did she learn from? Don’t lie to me."

"I wouldn't lie to you of all people. And surely you don't think I stole this from someone else to give to my daughter? Do you take me for that kind of man? Besides, who would have such talent and still be under my control?" Father Chen retorted, clearly offended.

"Ahem, alright, I apologize. It’s just that… I still find it hard to believe your niece could produce this." Zhu Aiguo coughed, still skeptical despite his embarrassment.

"To be honest, I don't fully understand it myself. My daughter had an accident recently and nearly died. After she recovered, whenever she wanted to accomplish something, relevant information would simply appear in her mind. For instance, she wanted to make money with machinery. While the wooden models she made were useless, she designed an electric motor that could be built with metal. This engine is one I requested, and she just drew it out."

Father Chen explained the situation. He didn't find it strange; as the ancients said, some are born with knowledge, and others who survive great disasters are surely blessed with good fortune. His daughter was clearly the latter—a compensation from the heavens for her suffering.

"Oh, is that so?" Zhu Aiguo was surprised, but he was beginning to believe. He had Father Chen call Chen Ying inside. After a thorough questioning, he discovered that Chen Ying understood the principles behind every part of the engine and could explain them with clear, logical reasoning.

"Excellent, excellent! Is this all there is?" Zhu Aiguo asked, his face glowing with excitement. He hadn't forgotten Father Chen’s claim that there was nothing his daughter couldn't figure out if she put her mind to it.

"Focus on getting this one built first. I’m still waiting for my daughter’s job to be settled," Father Chen said bluntly.

"Fine, I’ll speak to the plant director. She has connections with the research institutes," Zhu Aiguo promised after a moment's thought.

"Then we’ll head back now." Satisfied, Father Chen stood up to leave, as it was already getting late.

"Why not stay the night? Your sister-in-law and nephew miss you," Zhu Aiguo urged.

"No, I didn't tell her mother. Next time. Give my regards to your wife," Father Chen said, waving him off.

"Goodbye, Uncle Zhu." Chen Ying also bade him farewell. While she wanted to earn money, she had no intention of getting too deeply involved; providing the blueprints and occasionally offering guidance on-site was enough for her.

After seeing them off, Zhu Aiguo immediately sought out the plant director, Liu Hongmei. Although she was a woman, she was a retired colonel who had rendered distinguished service during the war.

She was an "Iron Lady"—forty-eight, unmarried, and dedicated her entire life to the nation. After retiring due to injuries, she had refused to live in retirement in the capital, returning instead to her hometown of Fengcheng to run the machinery plant. Her greatest dream was to produce machinery and weapons superior to those of foreign nations.

Zhu Aiguo was confident he could persuade her. They spent the entire afternoon in her office, and when they emerged, Zhu Aiguo looked pleased. The very next day, a workshop began production on the engine.

A few days later, Zhu Aiguo visited the village to find Chen Ying. "Niece, I have a few things I need to ask you."

"What is it?" Chen Ying asked, puzzled. Were her blueprints not detailed enough?

"Well, we’ve built one engine, but for some reason, even though we followed your design perfectly, the efficiency is only sixty percent of what you projected." Zhu Aiguo explained, not for a moment doubting the quality of her data, as even at sixty percent, it outperformed the expensive models they had imported from abroad.

"Did you bring it? Let me see," Chen Ying replied without missing a beat.

"Yes, it’s here. Come with me," Zhu Aiguo said, nodding quickly as he led her toward his vehicle.