Chapter 1002 Labor Model
It was mid-February of the ninth year of Chongzhen's reign.
At the Chang'an Automobile Factory's main plaza, tens of thousands of workers stood in neat formations, gathered for an awards ceremony.
Gao Yiyi, one of the original forty-two inhabitants of Gao Family Village and now the director of the Chang'an Automobile Factory, presented a silk banner to Bin Sheng.
Behind Bin Sheng stood a throng of team leaders, quality inspectors, and worker representatives from the steam engine assembly workshop, each proudly wearing a small red flower pinned to their chests.
From both sides of the viewing stands, cannons boomed, scattering colorful confetti across the sky, which showered down upon Bin Sheng and his colleagues, covering their heads and faces.
Gao Yiyi declared with an excited voice, "Through diligent effort, tireless struggle, and meticulous research, the steam engine assembly workshop has elevated the precision of our steam engine production to a new level! After rigorous organizational testing, the malfunction rate of our new steam engines has dropped by fifty percent! A full fifty percent!"
A chorus of cheers erupted from below the stage. "The steam engine workshop is outstanding!"
Gao Yiyi continued, "I announce that the steam engine assembly workshop has been awarded the title of 'Advanced Workshop'! Furthermore, all employees in the workshop will receive a ten percent increase in wages."
The worker representatives on the viewing stands beamed with pride, while the workshop employees below erupted in cheers, tossing their safety helmets high into the air.
Gao Yiyi boomed, "That was a collective honor. Next, Vice Director Qi Cheng will present Bin Sheng, the workshop director, with his individual award."
Vice Director Qi Cheng ascended the stage, waving, and handed a certificate of commendation to Bin Sheng. "Congratulations," he said, "on being awarded the title of 'Labor Model'."
Bin Sheng, looking utterly bewildered, accepted the certificate and couldn't help but ask, "What exactly does a Labor Model do?"
Everyone laughed. Qi Cheng explained, "As a Labor Model, you'll receive a special monthly labor allowance and higher medical subsidies. Oh, and the factory is currently building new housing next to the plant. When it's time to allocate homes, Labor Models will be given priority in selection..."
Upon hearing "housing," Bin Sheng's thoughts raced. *Housing? Are they serious? What use is a home to a spy like me? A dorm room is perfectly fine. Housing is meaningless. I can't take it with me when I return to the Jin Kingdom.*
With that in mind, Bin Sheng spoke up, "There's no need for me to have housing. Please allocate it to a fellow worker who needs it more. Living in the dormitory keeps me closer to the workshop, making it more convenient for work."
His words, to everyone present, were nothing short of astonishing.
The entire factory workforce fell silent, a pin-drop hush descending upon them. Expressions of profound admiration appeared on every face.
Such utter selflessness!
To give up the right to allocated housing—it sounded so casual, yet it carried a resounding weight. What an incredible act of generosity! Those below the stage inwardly asked themselves if they could ever do the same, and the answer was a resounding no.
The peculiar silence lasted for a good ten seconds, then, with an explosive roar, an even louder cheer erupted from the crowd: "Bin Sheng! Bin Sheng! Bin Sheng!"
"Bin Sheng! Aren't you going to prepare a bridal home for Yanzi?"
"Good heavens! Yanzi will be furious!"
Amidst the crowd's laughter, Yanzi suddenly dashed onto the stage, snatched the metal megaphone from Qi Cheng's hand, and shouted down at the audience, "Quiet! What ridiculous things are you all saying? I'm not angry at all... I have my own allocated housing! Our bridal home can be my place. I support Brother Bin Sheng!"
Everyone burst into laughter: "Hahahaha!"
Bin Sheng gasped, "Huh?"
He was dumbfounded for a brief moment, then overcome with sudden ecstasy. "Yanzi, will you marry me?"
Yanzi retorted angrily, "Idiot!"
With that, she leaped off the stage and disappeared into the sea of people.
The cheers continued unabated. Bin Sheng gazed in the direction Yanzi had vanished, a sudden stiffness seizing him. *Damn it, I'm a spy! When I've stolen all the technology and it's time to take these blueprints back to the Jin Kingdom, will Yanzi be willing to come with me?*
*She definitely won't, will she?*
*What then?*
Bin Sheng was utterly stumped. He became disoriented, the surrounding cheers fading into an unheard din as he sank into deep turmoil.
He staggered off the awards stage, weaving through the crowd. People around him offered blessings and kind words, but he heard none of it. Like a zombie, he drifted through the throng, returned to his small dormitory room, and flopped onto his bed with a thud.
His head swam... the vision of his future had grown blurry.
Just then, a soft knock sounded at his dormitory door.
He pulled open the door and saw one of his support team members standing outside.
He quickly let the person inside, then poked his head out, glancing left and right to ensure no one had seen the man enter his room, before firmly closing the door.
"What do you need?" Bin Sheng's voice was low and hushed. "We could have met during lunch at the cafeteria. Coming to my dorm alone like this is too conspicuous. It puts both of us at risk."
The team member whispered, "Boss, I... I'm here to report."
He reached out and produced a blueprint: a highly detailed diagram of the connecting shaft between the steam engine and the wheels.
Bin Sheng's eyes widened with delight at a single glance. "You copied this down? How did you manage it?"
The team member explained softly, "I also received an internal commendation from the workshop and was promoted to quality inspector for the bearing workshop. When inspecting bearings, I needed the blueprints for reference, which gave me the opportunity to access them. I copied a little each day, and finally, I finished it."
Bin Sheng was overjoyed. "Excellent work! You've done splendidly, a tremendous service! When we return to the Jin Kingdom, I'll report your accomplishments to our superiors."
The team member bit his lower lip and asked quietly, "Boss, what do you think... when we've achieved this, how much of a reward will we get back home?"
Bin Sheng was taken aback by the question, pausing for several seconds before murmuring, "Well... at least a hundred taels of silver, I suppose."
"A hundred taels?" A strange, indecipherable expression flickered across the team member's face.
He turned and left the room.
But then it was Bin Sheng's turn to ponder: *When I return, how much will I be rewarded? Will my superiors commend me in front of tens of thousands of people? Will they give me a small red flower? A Labor Model certificate? Will they give me special allowances, medical subsidies, and allocated housing? Will there be a girl named Yanzi...*
"Ah, stop! What on earth am I thinking?"
Just then, another knock sounded from outside.
Bin Sheng pulled open the door, but saw no one outside. Only a peculiar mark drawn on the door.
At the sight of the mark, Bin Sheng's heart seized with panic: *This is it! The contact from the Jin Kingdom has arrived.*
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