“What kind of technical school student is worth Tubby spending so much money to treat him to dinner?” Yvonne Harris’s curiosity was piqued by Donald Shaw. Hearing that her husband had saved money but didn’t use it to buy alcohol, her resentment toward him lessened a bit.

“I can’t figure out where he’s from, but that young guy really has some skills. No, I need to go to Old Lane’s place and talk to him about the rotary tiller blades…” As Donald Shaw spoke, he was about to get up and head out.

Yvonne Harris stopped him at once: “You reek of alcohol. What are you doing running to someone’s house in the middle of the night?”

“You’re right.” Donald Shaw plopped back down, turned his head toward the inner room, and called out, “Little James!”

His son, James Shaw, responded and came out. Donald Shaw instructed, “Go to Uncle Lane and Uncle King’s houses and ask them to come over. Tell them I have something to discuss with them.”

“What’s so urgent? Can’t you just talk about it at work tomorrow?” Yvonne Harris asked.

Donald Shaw said, “It’s a matter of great urgency. Once we’re at work, there’s no way to discuss it. Little James, hurry up and go.”

James Shaw glanced at his mother. Seeing she didn’t object, he dashed out to find them.

After quite a while, the technical director Eugene Lane and production director George King arrived at Donald Shaw’s house one after the other. As soon as they saw Donald Shaw’s expression, they both started joking and scolding: “You, Old Shaw, don’t tell me you’re drunk again and want to drag us into a chat? If you’re drunk, just go to bed. Are you afraid Little Harris will scold you, so you want us to plead for you?”

Donald Shaw, Eugene Lane, and George King were all about the same age. Back in the day, they were the three top lieutenants under the old factory director Jane Newman, working closely together and also having a good personal relationship. Both Eugene Lane and George King knew about Donald Shaw’s fondness for alcohol and that he’d get scolded by his wife when he drank, so they joked about it.

Yvonne Harris was used to this kind of banter. She poured water for Eugene Lane and George King, invited them to sit, and then said, “Old Shaw drank today at a dinner hosted by Director Newman’s Tubby. I heard there was also some technical school student. You can ask him about it.”

“Little Mark treated you to a drink?” George King was a bit surprised. “What’s going on?”

Donald Shaw recounted the events at the dinner to Eugene Lane and George King, especially emphasizing how extraordinary Henry Carter was. Eugene Lane and George King looked at each other, both finding it hard to believe.

“No way, a technical school student… Since when did Old Long’s students become so capable?” George King muttered under his breath. He himself had graduated from the agricultural machinery technical school, though that was back in the 1960s. The current principal, Charles Long, had been his classmate, so George King knew very well what kind of skills the school’s graduates typically had.

“Old Shaw, that Henry Carter said he could raise our rotary tiller blade quality above the industry average. Did he say what process he’d use?” Eugene Lane was concerned about the technical details.

Donald Shaw shook his head and said, “I’m not a technical guy. How could I understand what process he was talking about? So I didn’t ask. My view is similar to Old King’s—I think a technical school student probably isn’t that capable.”

“But you clearly said his quenching process could treat 65 manganese steel farm tools so they could chop bricks without dulling the edge. Even I can’t do that,” Eugene Lane said.

Donald Shaw replied, “That’s what Leonard Miller said. I haven’t seen it with my own eyes.”

George King said, “I know Leonard Miller—he’s not the type to lie. Besides, Little Mark and the others spent so much money treating Henry Carter to dinner, it must be because Henry Carter helped them solve a problem. That shows it’s probably true.”

“You said he’s already reported in. Where is he staying? I’ll go find him right now.” Eugene Lane was itching to get into the technical details and wanted to talk to Henry Carter immediately to see if he had any tricks to improve the blade quality.

Donald Shaw shook his head and said, “I think it’s better to observe first. If we take his words too seriously right away, we might end up making fools of ourselves. My idea is, why don’t you two find a chance to test him tomorrow and see if he’s really got the skills or just bragging? If he’s really capable, then we can listen to his ideas on improving blade quality. Wouldn’t that be better?”

George King pointed at Donald Shaw’s nose and laughed, “Old Shaw, you’ve been in supply and marketing so long you’re getting paranoid—even something this small you want to test first. But you’re right. He’s just a new technical school graduate. If we act too eager, it might backfire. Looks like you’re not drunk after all—your thinking is pretty clear.”

Donald Shaw laughed, “I, Old Shaw, have always had a clear mind even when drunk. Otherwise, I’d get ripped off in business.”

Henry Carter and Mark Newman and the others drank at the For the People Restaurant until nine o’clock at night, licking every plate clean before patting their full bellies and contentedly heading back to the agricultural machinery factory. When they reached the residential area, Mark Newman and the others went home, while Henry Carter, relying on his memory from earlier in the day, found his way back to the bachelor dormitory.

“You guys just finished eating?”