r18novel Chapter 45 The factory building is completed
Chapter 45 The factory building is completed
In 1967, Lin Zhou knew that Hong Kong was destined to be a chaotic one, but at that time, a piece of wasteland in Yuen Long was bustling with activity.
Standing in front of the newly completed factory building, Lin Zhou looked at the structure covering several hundred square meters, his eyes filled with undisguised satisfaction. Just six months ago, this place was a desolate wasteland overgrown with weeds and ignored by everyone. Now, a modern steel-structured factory building stands here—the main factory building is spacious and bright, the steel structure appears exceptionally solid, and two rows of huge glass windows are neatly arranged, allowing sunlight to stream in and illuminate the empty yet potentially powerful interior space.
The office building next door is undergoing final renovations, with workers busy painting the walls and installing doors and windows. The air is filled with the mixed smell of paint and wood. The dormitory building on the outermost side is only missing waterproofing of the roof and simple interior decoration. The scaffolding has not been completely removed, but the main structure is already clearly visible. The contractor said that it will be completely completed in five days at most, and then the workers and technicians can move in directly.
"Mr. Lin, rest assured, the factory building is of absolutely top quality. All materials were purchased according to the standards specified by Manager Zhou, and the load-bearing capacity and ventilation have been professionally calculated, fully meeting the requirements for electronic equipment production." The foreman, holding the acceptance checklist, greeted him with a broad smile. "The office building will be fully furnished tomorrow. If you need it urgently, you can move in and set up office furniture the day after tomorrow. As for the dormitory building, I've already urged the workers to work overtime to catch up, so as to ensure that the workers can move in without delay."
Lin Zhou nodded, walked around the perimeter of the factory, his fingertips tracing the cool walls, his heart filled with emotion. From the decision to build the factory to its completion, it had only been a little over a month, during which he had gone through a series of tedious procedures including land purchase, approvals, design, and construction. Fortunately, the funding from publishing his novel had made the process so smooth. He pushed open the factory door; the spacious factory floor had been leveled, and the pre-installed electrical circuits and pipe connections were clearly visible, ready for installation and testing once the equipment arrived.
"Thank you for your hard work, Zhang. I'll need your continued attention to the finishing touches. Please feel free to contact me if you encounter any problems," Lin Zhou said to the foreman, handing him a thick red envelope. "This is a small token of my appreciation. I'm buying some cigarettes for the workers. They've all worked really hard these past few days."
The foreman quickly accepted the red envelope, his smile widening even further: "Thank you, Mr. Lin! Don't worry, I'll definitely do the rest of the work beautifully and won't let you down!"
Leaving the factory in Yuen Long, Lin Zhou drove back to the city. Just as he arrived at the newspaper office, the phone on his desk rang urgently. Picking up the receiver, he heard the excited voice of Chen Kai, the publishing editor, on the other end: "Mr. Lin! Great news! 'A Step into the Past' has already reached a reprint of 600,000 copies this month! Bookstores are urging us to order, and even distributors in Southeast Asia are coming to discuss copyright cooperation. You've simply created a miracle in the Hong Kong publishing industry!"
Six hundred thousand copies!
Lin Zhou was overjoyed. Although he had expected it, he still couldn't help but feel excited when he heard the number. Since its publication, "A Step into the Past" has been widely popular with readers for its unique time-travel theme and dramatic plot. Its sales have soared, from the initial print run of 100,000 copies to 200,000, 400,000, and now 600,000 copies. In just a few months, the sales have increased sixfold. Such an achievement is indeed unprecedented in the Hong Kong publishing industry.
"Editor Chen, thank you for your hard work," Lin Zhou said calmly, but the smile on his lips was undeniable. "Please keep an eye on the copyright cooperation. You can draft a first draft of the terms for me to review. Oh, and about royalties..."
Before he could finish speaking, Chen Kai immediately interjected, "Mr. Lin, don't worry, we've taken care of the royalties! Knowing that you need funds to build your factory recently, we specifically applied to the finance department for an early settlement, and we've just transferred the full amount of royalties for 600,000 copies to your account. Please check it."
"So fast?" Lin Zhou was a little surprised. He originally thought he would have to wait a few more days.
"Of course! You're our publishing house's cash cow right now!" Chen Kai said with a smile. "And the response to your other novel, *The Legend of the Twin Dragons of the Tang Dynasty*, which is being serialized in the newspaper, is getting better and better. We're receiving a mountain of letters from readers, and many are urging us to publish a standalone book. How could we dare offend such a great author as you? We're counting on your continued support for future collaborations!"
After hanging up the phone, Lin Zhou couldn't help but do some mental calculations. The money transferred this time, combined with his previous savings, was enough to cover the remaining equipment costs. A huge weight was lifted off his shoulders. The most crucial element in building a factory was the equipment, and now that the funds were in place, the equipment could be installed smoothly, and the factory could start production as soon as possible.
The next morning, Lin Zhou arrived at HSBC Bank with the transfer receipt. Li Huiting from the Asset Management Department was already waiting in the office. Seeing Lin Zhou enter, she quickly stood up to greet him: "Mr. Lin, congratulations! I heard your novel is selling very well, and your factory is almost finished. It's truly a double celebration!"
"I must thank Manager Li for his help before." Lin Zhou smiled as he sat down and handed over the transfer voucher. "I've brought the final payment for the equipment. Could you please help me with the settlement procedures?"
Li Huiting took the voucher, glanced at it, and quickly arranged for her subordinates to complete the formalities. She said, "Mr. Lin, you're too kind. This is what I should do. Your vision and courage are truly admirable. You dared to build a factory on that land in Yuen Long and decisively acquired the production line. I believe it won't be long before Mr. Lin's factory becomes a new benchmark in Hong Kong's home appliance industry."
The procedures went smoothly and were completed in less than an hour. Looking at the settlement certificate in his hand, Lin Zhou felt completely relieved and said to Li Huiting, "Manager Li, to thank you for your help during this time, I'd like to treat you to lunch. Would you do me the honor?"
Li Huiting readily agreed: "I certainly can't refuse Mr. Lin's kind invitation."
At noon, Lin Zhou chose an elegant Cantonese restaurant. During the meal, the two chatted about the chaotic situation in Hong Kong. Lin Zhou believed it was only temporary and would soon pass. They also discussed the development prospects of the home appliance industry. Lin Zhou was quite impressed by Li Huiting's unique insights into the industry, while Li Huiting praised Lin Zhou's factory planning and layout. The meal was enjoyable for both host and guest, and it brought the two closer together.
In the afternoon, Lin Zhou immediately contacted a transport trucking company he had previously arranged to transport the equipment and production line the next day. The company replied, "We are fully prepared and will organize a trucking team tomorrow to load all of Mr. Lin's equipment and production line onto the trucks."
The next day, after a morning of dismantling and moving, the transport convoy drove in a grand procession toward the factory in Yuen Long. More than a dozen large trucks lined up in a row, creating a rather spectacular scene. Upon arrival at the factory, the technicians and engineers who had been waiting there immediately stepped forward and, together with the transport team's workers, began to unload the equipment in an orderly manner.
The technicians and two engineers each had their own tasks: some directed the unloading, some checked the equipment for any damage, and some began planning the installation location.
"Boss, this assembly line is quite long and needs to occupy the middle of the factory so that there is enough operating space on both sides," an engineer from the original manufacturer in charge of equipment maintenance said to Lin Zhou, pointing to the blueprints.
Lin Zhou nodded: "Okay, we'll do it your way. Make sure the production line runs smoothly. Also, the testing equipment should be placed at the end of the production line so that finished products can be tested in a timely manner, preventing substandard products from entering the market."
"Understood!" The engineer immediately noted down Lin Zhou's request and turned to arrange for the workers to adjust the equipment position.
After several hours of hard work, most of the equipment had been unloaded and neatly placed in its designated location within the factory. The technicians and engineers were exhausted and covered in sweat.
Lin Zhou looked at everything before him. The factory was completed, the equipment was in place, and the next step was the installation and debugging of the equipment and the training of the workers. After all, the production process of air fryers and radios was different.
The dormitory renovation is still ongoing. Lin Zhou has entrusted Su Wanqing with the task of purchasing the dormitory beds and office furniture for the office building.