Chapter 238 Return to Beijing for Report
"He completed all the processes by himself!?"

Hearing this, Zhang Zhen's face was full of disbelief.

I remember when Zhang Zhen participated in the research and development project of aramid paper, there were as many as thirty team members, including twelve core members. Perhaps because they did not find the right method, the project ended in failure with so many members. This has always been a regret for Zhang Zhen.

But even so, it sounds incredible that one person can complete the entire production process of aramid paper. It is completely impossible.

"When Xu Qiang was making aramid fiber in the early stage, he did it all by himself. Later when it came to the process of making aramid paper, their factory director called some workers to help. But I don't think there was any problem. Those workers just operated the machines according to Xu Qiang's instructions." An expert from the 201 Institute said at this time.

"Um, so that's it..." After hearing the expert's explanation, Zhang Zhen nodded.

"The equipment Xu Qiang used to process aramid paper was also made by them. Later we learned that there were seven people in total on this project, five of whom were recent technical school graduates who were mainly responsible for drawing. Xu Qiang and another technician were responsible for chemical synthesis and equipment manufacturing respectively. With an investment of 100,000 yuan, they completed the aramid paper project."

Zhou Guotao's investigation work was quite meticulous and he did not miss any details. It was also because of this that he had worked in the Fifth Ministry of Machine Building for more than ten years and had never made any mistakes in his work.

"It's incredible that this project was completed with only 100,000 yuan. When I was in charge of this project, the state allocated more than 800,000 yuan. But in the end, it was still stretched due to funding issues..." Zhang Zhen couldn't help but shook his head, and then said, "By the way, which school did Xu Qiang graduate from? Who is his master?"

As the saying goes, a good teacher produces good students. In the current academic world, the master-disciple relationship is also emphasized. It goes without saying when you are in college, but after you graduate and enter the workplace, you will definitely be guided by a master. Generally speaking, a good master can often bring out outstanding students. Since Xu Qiang's research and development capabilities are so strong, his master is definitely not an ordinary person.

"According to my investigation, Xu Qiang is very young, only 20 years old this year. He only had a junior high school education before joining the factory, and it seems that he has no master... He was just admitted to Jiangxi TV University some time ago. I guess he has reported to the university in the provincial capital in the past two days." Zhou Guotao said.

"..."

As soon as Zhou Guotao finished speaking, not only Zhang Zhen, but also the leaders of several other offices present were stunned and speechless after hearing his words.

"Old Zhou, are you sure you're not mistaken? This Xu Qiang only has a junior high school education?"

After a moment, the first person to speak was Zhao Xianchen, director of the Planning Department, who asked with a puzzled look on his face.

The heads of several departments working in the Ministry of Industry basically all have engineering backgrounds and are familiar with various technologies. So when he learned that the person who developed the aramid paper was actually a young man in his early twenties with only a junior high school education, he couldn't help but ask.

The directors of several other departments also looked puzzled.

"That's correct. Before I left, I checked Xu Qiang's file. He was the successor to the factory. His father died in the line of duty. The highest level of education listed in his file is junior high school. The school he attended was the local town middle school."

"I didn't expect this. In the end, all of our outstanding experts are not as good as a junior high school student..." At this time, Zhang Zhen said with some self-mockery.

"Science and technology are advancing very fast now. Both raw materials and instruments are much more advanced than they were ten years ago." At this time, Guo Ruixiang, director of the Science and Technology Department, also interjected, and then he continued, "So the conditions in our time are incomparable to the conditions that Xu Qiang and other technicians have now. Their success is also built on the shoulders of the older generation of scientific and technological workers."

"Even so, it's quite remarkable that Xu Qiang was able to complete such an important project!" Zhang Zhen raised his eyebrows and asked, "By the way, Lao Zhou, have you mentioned to him about coming to BJ to work?"

"I did, but the kid said he wanted to go to college first. He wouldn't dare come to work in BJ without a degree," Zhou Guotao said.

"Hahaha!" Hearing this, everyone burst into laughter.

"He's right. People should constantly improve themselves at all times. Besides, a junior high school diploma is really too low." Zhang Zhen smiled and continued, "Originally, I was planning to go to their factory to take a look, but now I'm too busy with work..."

"Why not just ask Xu Qiang to come to BJ, and then you can talk to him directly." Zhou Guotao suggested.

"Alright, I plan to restart the aramid paper project. Our country must master the production technology of aramid paper as soon as possible, otherwise it will cost hundreds of millions of dollars more in foreign exchange every year. He will be the person in charge of this project." Zhang Zhen thought for a moment and said, "But the matter of him going to college..."

"He is attending a correspondence course at a TV university. We can also receive TV signals here in BJ. If that doesn't work, let him come to BJ to study. We can just provide him with accommodation and study conditions. The industrial students can take care of it."

"That's settled then. You go back and send a telegram to Shengli Machinery Factory, asking Xu Qiang to come to the Fifth Ministry of Machine Building when it's convenient. I will arrange a time to meet him." Zhang Zhen said.

"Okay." Zhou Guotao said.

"You guys have worked hard this time, go back and rest first." As soon as Zhang Zhen finished speaking, Zhou Guotao and two other experts from the 201 Institute stood up and left the office...

……

After reporting from Jiangxi University, Xu Qiang and his two companions left Nanchang with their newly received student ID cards and textbooks for this semester, and boarded a train to Shanghai.

Next, they will reunite with their classmates from the factory’s correspondence school in Shanghai and officially start their university study life.

Sitting on the train, Liu Siying looked at the scenery outside the window, seemingly lost in memories of the past.

In this era, even if Shanghai people have worked in other places for several years or even more than ten years, they still have an inseparable longing for their hometown.

The Shanghai of the early 1980s seemed much older and more backward than the "Magic City" of later generations, but there is no doubt that in today's China, Shanghai is still one of the most dynamic and economically developed cities.

As soon as he walked out of the train station, the first thing that caught his eye was the crowded crowd. On the road in the distance, there were bicycles everywhere. The buildings on both sides of the street were quite old, which made Xu Qiang think of the glamorous "Shanghai Beach" in film and television dramas.

Liu Lianhua treated Xu Qiang and Liu Siying to lunch at a state-owned restaurant near the train station, where a bowl of plain noodles cost eight cents, and fried dumplings cost five cents each. Then the three of them got on a bus and headed directly to Shanghai YP District.

More than ten minutes later, when the few people got off the car and walked a few hundred meters, they arrived at the TV study class set up by Shengli Machinery Factory in Shanghai.

"welcome!"

Seeing Xu Qiang and his two companions arrive, several trainees from the machinery factory who had received the news early in the morning and were waiting there immediately came over to greet them.

The leader was a middle-aged man named Du Xingguo. He belonged to the third batch and was the first student from Shengli Machinery Factory to be admitted to the TV University.

The other three are Yang Xiuli, Zhang Caiyun and Luo Hao, who were admitted last year and the year before.

Xu Qiang shook hands with them one by one, and then everyone helped carry the luggage and went upstairs together.

This TV study class of Shengli Machinery Factory was provided with the help of Shangwusan Factory. It was originally the staff dormitory of Shangwusan Factory. Later, after the factory built a new dormitory at the new site, the house here was handed over to the Housing Authority for management, and only a few rooms were left for the employees of Shangwusan Factory to continue using. Later, it became the location of the TV study class of the machinery factory.

These houses are very small. Except for the TV classroom which is 20 square meters, they usually share a room with two people, which is only about 7 or 8 square meters.

Now three people came to the factory at a time, and the originally small space became even more stretched. So after receiving the notice, steel-frame bunk beds were installed in the two rooms, which could barely solve the accommodation problem for several people.

Xu Qiang lived in the same room with two other male students, Du Xingguo and Luo Hao.

From childhood to adulthood, this may be the smallest and most shabby room Xu Qiang has ever lived in.

The entire room only had two steel-frame bunk beds, a simple desk with a desk lamp and a small electric fan on it, and no other furniture. The luggage was placed under the bed and on the empty second bunk, and clothes could only be hung in the aisle between the bed frames. It looked very narrow and cramped.

"Student Xu Qiang, we have all heard about your story. You are really amazing. You have become a model worker just over two months after joining the factory. It's amazing." Du Xingguo praised Xu Qiang.

"Yeah, when I heard about your story during the Chinese New Year holiday, I couldn't believe it." Another boy, Luo Hao, also came over and said to Xu Qiang, "If you need help with anything in the future, just tell us. It's not easy for us to be away from home, so we must stick together."

Du Xingguo and Luo Hao are still quite friendly to Xu Qiang, but this is also very normal. After all, studying and living in Shanghai is not an easy thing. If there is no unity, life will be difficult.

"I see. Thank you." Xu Qiang said with a smile.

After the three of them exchanged a few words, Xu Qiang took a towel and a washbasin and prepared to go to the bathroom downstairs to wash his face.

As the cool water rushed over his face, Xu Qiang suddenly felt more energetic. Looking at the blue sky and white clouds outside the window, Xu Qiang suddenly felt somewhat heroic. He seemed to see the glorious life that was about to come for him...

(End of this chapter)