A nation's industrial development begins with junior engineers.

The steel rolling mill, canteen number one.

Several large wine vats were placed on the ground. A hastily made banner hung high in the air.

"Warmly celebrate the Hongxing Steel Rolling Mill's development of China's first hand-held tractor!"

The prototype, covered in mud, was parked at the entrance of the canteen.

Dinner at the cafeteria is free today. Each person can get half a liang (25ml) of Erguotou (a type of Chinese liquor) and one liang (50ml) of meat. Quantities are limited, first come, first served.

Although meals could be picked up at all three canteens, most people chose to touch the prototype machine at the entrance of the first canteen after getting their food, and then line up to enter the canteen to offer a toast to the chefs who were having a meal together there.

In an instant, people darted about, and the noise seemed to be trying to punch a hole in the roof.

At the far end of the canteen, slightly against the wall, Yang Youning was having a light drink with several factory directors.

"Old Yang, I never thought someone with thick eyebrows and big eyes like you would also learn this trick of feigning one move while secretly advancing another!"

A middle-aged man raised his wine glass and clinked it against Yang Youning's.

"However, your steel rolling mill making tractors isn't quite right for you. How about we cooperate? You can provide the engines, and we'll take care of the rest!"

No sooner had the man finished speaking than Yang Youning tried to change his expression. Immediately, someone nearby retorted, "The steel rolling mill isn't the right fit, but your auto repair shop is?"

"You want me to take all of this and put it in your hands? Are you trying to take car parts apart and put them in a tractor?"

Yang Youning looked at the person who had spoken up; it was Liu Weihong from the bicycle factory. He was just about to express his gratitude...

Then Liu Weihong leaned over and said:

“We’re different! Old Yang, look, the handlebars on the tractor look just like the handlebars on a bicycle!”

"Our two companies working together would be a powerful alliance!"

Yang Youning silently drank a cup of wine. "What the hell? I make self-propelled machinery, how did I end up teaming up with a bicycle company like you?"

If it weren't for the occasional bicycle tickets that Yang Youning could get from Liu Weihong, he would have already killed him with a mouthful of Erguotou (a type of Chinese liquor).

Once the topic was brought up, the other factory managers couldn't sit still any longer.

"What are you, a bicycle factory, getting involved in? When the whole country is using bicycles, then you can talk about cooperation!"

After reprimanding Yang Youning, another burly, red-faced man said:

"Old Yang, you need bearings to build cars, right? Go through mine, and I guarantee it'll run perfectly smoothly!"

The others chimed in, "Old Yang, need some tires? Forget about dismantling old cars, my factory just improved our process, we can make small tires for you!"

"Old Yang, take the latch from me! I guarantee the quality!"

"Director Yang! Bolts, I have bolts here!"

In an instant, Yang Youning was surrounded by all kinds of voices, which made the already taciturn Yang Youning quite distressed.

Lately, everyone's been having a tough time. Goods from the outside can't get in, and things from the inside can't get out. Before, we could rely on our connections in the north to export some miscellaneous industrial goods to the allied countries in exchange for a pittance.

Now we can only focus on the domestic market, but the factories here are highly specialized and have limited demand.

The Ministry of Machinery kept urging everyone to be self-reliant. Seeing that the steel rolling mill had found a new way and created something with a high degree of integration, why didn't they come and ask for help?

"Where did that bastard Li Huaide run off to? Come help me fend off the drinks!"

Where is Li Huaide?

Naturally, the guests were entertained at the guesthouse for the accompanying personnel who came with the high-ranking leader.

Unlike the noisy cafeteria, the gathering here was much more refined.

A section chief surnamed Shu raised a glass of Fenjiu liquor: "Huai De! It's all thanks to you, your judgment is spot on. You've made such a good impression on the front lines so quickly! I think that position is definitely yours!"

"Don't forget to look after the old brothers in the future!"

Li Huaide also raised his glass: "If we become rich and powerful, let us not forget each other! Let's all drink to our hearts' content!"

"Haha, Director Li is so straightforward! By the way, when will this tractor go into production? When it does, please reserve two internal quotas for me!"

"Yes, yes, Brother Huai De, the leader gave us a heads-up when we came, so let's have some fun together!"

Li Huaide looked at the people who addressed him as brothers and smiled warmly.

"Of course! Of course! We're all brothers, so please put in a good word for us when you get back. We're deeply grateful!"

After another round of toasts, someone said, "By the way, Brother Huai De, where did you arrange for the minister and the others? Let's take this opportunity to offer them a toast!"

"Not far! It's in the small hall on the third floor!"

Fueled by alcohol, the group rushed up to the third floor.

Although I've met quite a few important people at work, this seems to be my first time drinking alcohol. Several of the younger ones were trembling as they held their glasses.

No one answered the door when I knocked.

Li Huaide mustered his courage and pushed open the crack in the door, only to find it completely dark.

"lead?"

"Minister, are you there? The comrade downstairs would like to come and offer a toast?"

"Department~~~~"

The room was empty.

Xiawa Village, on a small hill beside a dried-up reed bed.

Covered in mud, Jiang Xia directed everyone to drive down the last section of the iron pipe.

The well was drilled very deep; the iron pipe was driven in almost to the surface.

"Tsk, village chief, this well is a bit dangerous. Go back and tell the children in the village to be careful. If someone falls in, it'll be hard to save them!"

Jiang Xia recalled a short video she had seen in her previous life, showing many children falling into these machine-drilled wells.

Even with the rescue capabilities of my previous life, it would take excavators digging three feet into the ground to rescue the person.

Now, if they really fall in, it might be difficult to get out!

Especially now, most families have a lot of children. The adults go to the fields to earn work points, and the children are raised in a free-range manner.

When they're having a blast, they're capable of anything!

Climbing trees to steal birds' nests and wading into rivers to catch fish were considered well-behaved activities. Even the chimney pipes of the commune's blast furnace had their share of mischievous kids crawling through them.

The village chief nodded in deep agreement, "After installing the hand pump well, I'll go to the commune to find some cement to seal the well opening!"

"Well, but let's not seal it off for the next few days. Let's find a militiaman to keep an eye on things first."

"Come on, everyone, don't just sit there, help me build a water storage tank first."

The village chief looked at Jiang Xia with some hesitation: "Why bother with that? Carrying water isn't as fast as using a hand pump."

Jiang Xia waved his hand: "Your Xiawa Village has planted rice, right? After irrigating it one last time, you should prepare to harvest it."

The village chief puffed out his chest, intending to reply: "Our village's rice was a tribute item in the previous dynasty!"

"Ten miles of rice paddies ripen early in autumn, clearly a miniature Jiangnan in a painting." That's exactly what we're talking about!

But the thought of the devastating state of the rice paddies made me feel incredibly depressed.

First, the rice was damaged by wild boars, and then there was a lack of water, causing most of the rice ears to be shriveled.

This is no longer the famous Jingxi rice of Beijing; it can't even compare to the foxtail grass by the roadside.

The village chief complained as he continued digging the hole.

Although there was no hand pump to provide external force in the well next to it, the drilled rock strata still forced out groundwater.

Before long, the clear spring water flowed down the ditch into the newly dug pit.