The train driver in the courtyard

Buzz buzz.
There was a roar inside the vacuum tube computer and the lights kept flashing.

The sounds and lights intertwined together, adding a tense atmosphere to the air.

Professor Xia Zhongsu stared at the vacuum tube computer and clenched his fists nervously.

It was a full ten minutes later that he finally breathed a sigh of relief and unclenched his fists.

Vacuum tube computers are unstable.

Especially in the first ten minutes, there are often problems such as calculation interruptions and missing signals.

At this time, no one knew who clapped first, and warm applause broke out at the scene.

From the current perspective, the magnetic core memory has been more than half successful, and all that is left is to wait for the calculation to be completed.

This time the electron tube calculation formula was run for new accessories, so a calculus calculation program compiled by Professor Xia Zhongsu was selected.

If this program is calculated on a later computer, it may not even take a second, but it takes half an hour on a vacuum tube computer.

There were no chairs in the computer room. Everyone was standing except the operator. But no one left. Everyone's eyes were fixed on the computer.

After a full half hour, the roar of the computer stopped abruptly, accompanied by a flash of light on the console.

The atmosphere at the scene became tense again.

Professor Xia Zhongsu couldn't wait to ask the operator: "How is it? Is the calculation finished? Are the calculation results saved successfully?"

The little girl also became busy now, her fingers quickly operating on the keys as her ponytail bounced.

After a moment, she turned her head and nodded heavily.

"According to the display, data is indeed stored in the magnetic core memory. The specific data still needs to be analyzed for reading and writing."

The vacuum tube computers of that time did not have monitors or even printers, so they could not directly output the program's running results.

To view the running results, it is necessary to power on the memory after the vacuum tube computer is finished running and analyze the data in the memory one by one.

Analyzing the data was a tedious task that took nearly two hours.

When Li Aiguo and Markov had a specialist meal and returned to the computer room, the results were finally out.

Professor Xia Zhongsu stood up suddenly, strode over and held Li Aiguo's hand tightly: "Comrade driver, we succeeded, we succeeded!"

There was a gleam of excitement in his eyes, an indescribable joy and relief.

There was thunderous applause at the scene. Those originally dull researchers released their excitement to their heart's content. The most outrageous one was the young operator girl.

She actually ran over in public, looked at Li Aiguo shyly and asked: "Comrade, I am from a poor family for three generations, I have a college degree, and I am now a seventh-level researcher. I live in... I want to be your close comrade-in-arms and walk side by side with you on the road of revolution."

After saying that, her little face turned as red as a monkey's butt.

Professor Xia Zhongsu and several other researchers were stunned.

Chen Jing is usually very conservative, what happened today?
This was the first time that Li Aiguo had met such a bold girl.

Somewhat worried about hurting the girl's face, "Comrade Chen Jing, we are working on the same project together, and we are already comrades-in-arms. We must help each other on the road of revolution in the future."

After hearing this, Chen Jing immediately realized that Li Aiguo was already married.

She suddenly felt lost.

Chen Jing is already 23 years old this year, which is considered an older youth in this era.

Her workplace leaders, relatives and friends often introduced her to potential partners, but she didn't like any of them.

Those researchers are all dull and weak.

Those kids from the big courtyards are all smooth talkers and uneducated.

I finally met someone who is not only capable of research but also strong and muscular, but he is already married.

But Chen Jing still breathed a sigh of relief. This guy was quite nice and actually covered for her.

He smiled and nodded: "Yes, yes, let's help each other and make progress together."

Professor Xia Zhongsu also nodded in appreciation at Li Aiguo.

This young man not only explained the situation clearly, but also saved face for Chen Jing. He really was a thoughtful person.

The on-machine test results are sufficient to show that the magnetic core memory has been successfully developed.

"This is the greatest achievement since the establishment of our Institute of Computing! We will hold a meeting immediately to discuss the next plan."

The director immediately convened a meeting of the Institute of Computing Technology's leaders and proposed at the meeting to suspend the magnetic drum production plan.

This proposal was agreed by Professor Xia Zhongsu and most of the leaders.

After all, the production technology of magnetic drums is in the hands of Russian experts, while the magnetic core memory is developed by us.

"Inform Professor Zhou now and ask him to terminate the project. At the same time, explain the situation clearly to the Russian experts and gain their understanding so as to avoid unnecessary trouble."

Professor Xia Zhongsu personally talked to Professor Zhou.

When Professor Zhou learned that a lower-cost memory had been successfully developed and tested on a computer, although he was reluctant to give up his research results, he still expressed his support for the organization's decision.

But those Russian experts refused to do it on the spot.

"Dear Comrade Xia, we provided you with the complete set of blueprints for your 103 electron tube computer. What you are doing now is, in your old saying, destroying the bridge after crossing the river."

Professor Lebedev, the head of the special plane team from the Moscow Computer Analysis Agency (SAM), slammed the table on the spot.

Professor Xia Zhongsu said slowly: "Mr. Professor, we understand your anger, but the agreement we signed was a technology transfer agreement.

We did use some of your M-3 computer technology and blueprints, but we paid for it.”

In order to introduce the M-3 computer, the Institute of Computing Technology spent more than rubles to purchase the blueprints with the help of the competent authority.

Russian experts have always been respected in China, especially in the Institute of Computing Technology, where they have received special treatment in both life and work.

Professor Lebedev did not expect that Professor Xia Zhongsu's attitude would be so tough.

He was about to lose his temper when he was stopped by the deputy team leader next to him.

The deputy team leader looked at Professor Xia Zhongsu and said, "Professor Xia, we deeply admire your persistence in independently developing memory devices.

But as far as I know, the performance of the magnetic core memory you developed is similar to that of the magnetic drum memory.

In addition, IBM in the United States has applied for a patent for magnetic core memory.

If you continue to develop on the path of magnetic core memory, you will likely encounter patent attacks from IBM.

But the magnetic drum storage is different. We in Moscow own all the patents. We are the patent holders and can license them to you."

Doesn't authorization still cost money? Professor Xia Zhongsu sighed in his heart. Li Aiguo had actually anticipated this situation a long time ago.

Before this trip, Professor Xia Zhongsu originally thought that as long as he explained the situation clearly, the Russian experts would understand and support their decision.

Li Aiguo said that it is easy to invite gods but difficult to send them away.

The reason why the Russians support our computer development, in addition to helping their little brothers, is most importantly to make us follow closely behind them.

If the little brother is obedient, he will get candy.

If you don't obey, you will definitely be beaten.

If we want to break the impasse, we can only work hard to pick up a bigger stick ourselves.

Professor Xia Zhongsu picked up the stick that Li Aiguo handed to him and said with a smile: "Professor Lebedev, Comrade Deputy Group Leader, you have misunderstood.

The magnetic core memory we developed is different from Wang An’s magnetic core memory in terms of structure and principle.”

"You have developed a new type of magnetic core memory!"

Professor Lebedev was shocked when he heard this. The Chinese side was very tight-lipped and they didn't even know the situation.

But he was not in a hurry and continued to ask: "What about performance? If there is no breakthrough in performance, it would not be wise to hastily replace the magnetic core memory."

Professor Lebedev's statement was suspected of interfering with the autonomy of the Institute of Computing Technology. Professor Xia Zhongsu did not get angry but patiently explained.

“The magnetic core memory currently produced does have a storage capacity similar to that of the magnetic drum.

But we are already improving it, and it won’t be long before the storage capacity of magnetic core memory can be increased by dozens of times.”

"Dozens of times?"

Professor Lebedev widened his eyes and looked at Professor Xia Zhongsu in disbelief.

"Technological progress is not achieved overnight, but develops gradually. To use your old saying, you can't eat a fat man in one bite."

"Professor Xia, I personally respect you. Compared to those idiots in the Institute of Computing Technology, you are a sober person.

But how can you say such a ridiculous thing now? "

I didn't say this, Li Aiguo said it, Professor Xia Zhongsu also felt a little guilty.

At this time, he could only straighten his chest and say, "Our team leader Li has already started to improve the magnetic core memory, and it won't be long before we can put it on the computer for experiment."

Professor Lebedev said: "In this case, once your magnetic core memory is improved, we will take the initiative to leave the Institute of Computing Technology.

If you misrepresent performance, I will report this to Moscow."

After saying this, Professor Lebedev and his deputy team leader left the office angrily.

Return to Friendship Hotel.

Professor Lebedev immediately took the deputy team leader and knocked on the door of a guest room.

It was Markov who opened the door.

He seemed to have just woken up, with a hint of confusion and laziness in his eyes.

"It's Professor Lebedev. Aren't you leading that group of people to make a magnetic drum?"

Professor Lebedev pushed Markov into the room and locked the deputy team leader out. He also reminded him, "I want to have a good talk with Comrade Markov. Don't disturb us."

Only after the door closed did Markov notice that Professor Lebedev came in anger.

"Lebedev, what are you doing?"

"I want to ask you, why didn't you report to me about the development of magnetic core memory by the Institute of Computing Technology?"

Professor Lebedev grabbed Markov by the collar, his eyes gleaming with anger.

The reason why he arranged Markov, a computer genius, to work in the computer room to do unskilled work was to allow Markov to report to him the latest progress of the Institute of Computing Technology in a timely manner.

At the same time, Markov can also collect China's research results.

It is a routine operation for the expert group to assist their younger brothers and also to acquire some technical skills at the same time.

As a result, this guy only knows how to swing a hammer.

Markov frowned. "Report? We are here to help the Institute of Computing Technology develop electronic tube computers. We only need to pass on our technology to the Institute of Computing Technology. Why should we pay attention to the Institute of Computing Technology's own research?"

"So you don't understand the technical details of the magnetic core memory?" Professor Lebedev was shocked when he heard this.

"Mr. Team Leader, you have also received confidentiality training and you know very well that plagiarizing other people's technology is a very unethical thing.

Besides, we are the big brothers, and we are here to help the little brothers. How can we steal things from the little brothers' homes?"

"Ты, белыйдурак!" Professor Lebedev wished he could eat alive this guy who had ruined his plan.

"You scold me?!"

Fitness expert Comrade Markov couldn't bear it any longer at this point.

Markov has been using the hammer for several months and is now as strong as a black bear. An old professor like Professor Bedev is no match for him.

He grabbed Professor Lebedev's hand, pried it apart easily, and then pushed Professor Lebedev to the ground.

"You, what are you going to do? I'm warning you, I'm the team leader!"

Professor Lebedev was lying on the ground. When he saw Markov walking towards a sledgehammer, he was startled and his voice became trembling.

Markov picked up the sledgehammer and looked at Professor Lebedev with contempt in his eyes. "We are here to help our brothers, not to be thieves, Lebedev, I am ashamed of you."

He raised the sledgehammer.

Outside the door, the deputy team leader heard screams coming from inside the house and wanted to rush in.

But thinking of Professor Lebedev's instructions just now, he put his hand back.

Professor Lebedev is a petty person. If you disobey his orders, you will probably be punished in the future.

After a full ten minutes, the door opened.

Markov personally escorted Professor Lebedev out.

"Team Leader, I think we have reached an agreement."

"Yes, yes, Comrade Markov, you have done a very good job. After returning to Moscow, I will apply to my superiors for a commendation for you."

Professor Lebedev shook hands with Markov with a friendly smile on his face. The smile did not disappear until the door was closed.

"Team leader, what are you doing?" The deputy team leader was confused. Didn't the team leader want to teach Markov a lesson just now? Why are the two of them so close now?

"Oh, hurry up, go ask the hotel doctor to bandage my finger." Professor Lebedev suddenly raised his finger.

There was a shocking black bruise on the finger, and the injured finger was slightly swollen, like a small inflated balloon.

The deputy team leader understood that no matter how high the position is, one is afraid of a hammer, especially since Markov seemed to have a poor brain.

If he really angered him, Professor Lebedev might not even be able to return to Moscow.

Professor Lebedev looked at the deputy team leader running away and said through gritted teeth: "What on earth did that team leader Li use to fool Markov into a fool?

Helping the younger brother, haha, if it were a few years ago, there would indeed be such a saying.

Now, it’s time to get something back from my little brother!”

Inside the room, Markov placed the hammer at the door and muttered quietly, "Didn't we agree that our two families are brothers and work together to fight against the US and achieve world peace?
Let all the shovelless class in the world stand up? How did it become like this now? Where are our former ideals? ! "

He pondered for a long time but still didn't get an answer, and a hint of bitterness appeared at the corner of his mouth.

******
Inside Factory 738.

Professor Xia Zhongsu repeated Professor Lebedev’s requirements.

Several researchers, including Zhang Qingshan, felt that the Russian experts were too bullying and became very angry.

"We originally wanted to explore independently and develop our own electronic tube computer, but the Russians said we were brothers and were willing to help us."

“Who knew that after the expert team arrived, they would demand that everything be done according to their plan.”

"We are not developing computers, we are helping others produce computers."

"The Big Brother of today is not the Big Brother of the past."

Young people are full of vigor and vitality.

This kind of thing can only be kept in mind and not spoken out. The director and Professor Xia Zhongsu's faces have changed.

Li Aiguo stopped them.

"Stop chatting! The Russians are waiting to see us make a fool of ourselves. Do you agree?"

"I disagree!" Zhang Qingshan and others came to their senses and raised their fists.

"Well, let's show those Russian experts that we can also develop a world-leading memory device."

After the mobilization meeting, Li Aiguo turned to look at the director of the Institute of Computing Technology.

"Comrade Director, please help me contact a cotton spinning factory."

"A textile factory?"

"Yes, our next work on improving the magnetic core memory needs to be completed by the textile workers."

After hearing this, the director looked at Li Aiguo with some doubt and asked, "Comrade Aiguo, we are improving magnetic core memory, not producing clothes."

Li Aiguo picked up the blueprint, sealed it in a sealed bag, and said slowly: "This is related to the production secrets of magnetic core memory. We should still follow the regulations."

The director and Professor Xia Zhongsu understood immediately.

The Russians are watching us now.

If the news leaks out, the technology may be leaked.

"Patriotic comrade, don't worry, I will contact the ministry right now and ask them to coordinate."

The director was not clear about how Li Aiguo would improve the magnetic core memory.

However, the fact that Li Aiguo was able to independently develop a magnetic core memory with several intern researchers already demonstrates his strength.

Trust is inertial.

There is no leader named Liu in the Computing Institute at that time.

After realizing that only by developing core equipment themselves could they be independent from others, the director and other senior leaders decided to fully support the improvement of magnetic core memory.

The director went to the Fifth Ministry of Machine Building in person.

The leaders in the department felt very strange when they learned that someone working on computers wanted to use the people and equipment from the textile factory.

However, at the insistence of the director, the leaders of the ministry still contacted the Ministry of Textile Industry of the State Council (the predecessor of the Ministry of Light Industry).

When the leaders of the Ministry of Textile Industry of the State Council heard the request of the Fifth Ministry of Machine Building, they felt it was too strange.

I'm a computer programmer and need help making clothes?
However, in the past, those people in the Fifth Ministry of Machine Building who were engaged in high-tech looked down on them who were making clothes.

Now that I have the opportunity, I naturally have to show off my face.

The top leader of the Ministry of Textile Industry spoke directly.

"Give this task to Beijing Cotton Mill No. 1, and tell Lao Chen to complete the task successfully. If anything goes wrong, I'll spank him."

Director Chen, who was confused, was called to the Ministry of Textile Industry of the State Council. After receiving instructions from the top leader, he went back in confusion again.

After returning to the factory, Director Chen convened a meeting of all factory leaders and conveyed the tasks of the department.

The leaders of Beijing Cotton No. 1 Factory were also confused.

No one knows what's going on.

People who work in computers need help from those who make clothes?!

Moreover, Team Leader Li in the Computing Institute also required that textile workers must have first-class skills, clean backgrounds, high ideological awareness, and reliable discipline.

In addition, the textile factory's security and confidentiality departments must shoulder the responsibility of maintaining confidentiality and prevent the leakage of production improvement processes.

Making clothes, developing vacuum tube computers, and keeping secrets, these three things don't seem to go together.

Now it's all together.

What on earth does Team Leader Li from the Computing Institute want to do? !

The factory leaders racked their brains but couldn't figure it out.

The head of the security department, Chief Ma, was a veteran with a straightforward personality. He slammed the table and said, "Director, since this is a task assigned to us by our superiors, we just need to execute it. Why think so much?"

The factory leaders also expressed their opinions.

"Since the Ministry has asked us to accompany those scholars who are calculating, then we should just listen to them."

"Yes, those scholars have no other talents, but their writing skills are first-rate, and they are also particularly good at filing complaints."

"The key is that our superiors trust them very much and think that the things they make are more useful than our textile machines."

Director Chen thought about it carefully and realized that it was indeed the case.

If you understand the tasks assigned by your superiors, you need to execute them. If you don't understand them, you must execute them without compromise.

"Well, since this mission involves confidential information, we'll give it to Section Chief Ma."

"Deputy Director Liu, the B team of our spinning workshop is the best team in the factory, and the workshop equipment is the most complete. Please notify Hua, the team leader of B team of the spinning workshop, and ask her to cooperate with Chief Ma."

"At the same time, we must pay attention to confidentiality and strictly prevent the mission from being leaked."

Director Chen is an old director with first-class abilities. He quickly assigned the work.

Section Chief Ma raised a question at this time: "Director, it seems that there are many prostitutes from the Women's Production and Education Institute in Class B of the Spinning Workshop. Should we transfer them away first?"

Director Chen was a little hesitant.

Chairwoman Zhang of the Women's Federation stood up and said, "Section Chief Ma, those comrades who came out of the Women's Production and Education Institute were also sisters who were persecuted before liberation. They are no longer prostitutes, but glorious workers.

Many of them have been named model workers or advanced workers. What you just said is already suspected of bullying female comrades.”

After the capital was liberated, this thousand-year-old capital was shaken by the rumbling of cars and the sound of music that pierced the clear sky.

From this day on, the capital city took on a new look.

The above proposal is to set up prostitute training centers to house prostitutes, educate them, and teach them labor skills, so as to transform and train them into people who survive by labor.

The prostitutes in the Eight Great Hutongs also had to live a self-reliant life. After being educated in the Women's Production and Education Institute, they entered the city's clothing factories or carpet factories to work in handicrafts.

Beijing Cotton No. 1 Factory also accepted a number of women who came out of the production and education camp.

Section Chief Ma was just worried about the secret leaking, but now that he saw that Chairman Zhang of the Women's Federation had begun to make a big deal out of it, he did not insist on his opinion.

Director Chen nodded and said, "It's decided! Let's take action now."

Beijing Cotton Mill No. 1, the largest cotton spinning mill in the capital, took action quietly.

It's business time now.

The workers of Class B in the spinning workshop were busy in the workshop. Team Leader Hua and Section Chief Ma walked in, clapped their hands, and stopped the production work in the workshop.

"We have an important meeting now!"

The female workers felt that something big had happened, so they dropped their work and gathered around.

"You're not going to change your job position, are you? I've only been a cart pusher for half a month, I don't want to change!"

One of the female workers, named Zhang Caixia, reluctantly let go of the cart and walked over.

She was probably about 27 or 28 years old, with a slim figure and good looks. She liked to shake her butt when she walked, giving people a frivolous feeling.

Compared with ordinary female workers, Zhang Caixia's skin color is obviously lighter. She wears a work hat on her head, but you can still vaguely see traces of perming and dyeing on her hair.

A few years ago, when the country was just liberated, many wealthy ladies in Beijing liked to perm and dye their hair, but this has rarely been seen in recent years.

In textile factories, dyeing or perming hair is strictly prohibited. Once discovered, the person will be called to the education room for education at the very least, and will be criticized and expelled in more serious cases.

"Caixia, hurry over there. If Team Leader Hua finds out you're dawdling, she'll get angry again." Xiao Wang, the car stopper, pulled Zhang Caixia's arm and walked towards the door.

Zhang Caixia quietly pulled her hat down to cover her hair and pouted: "My cousin is a leader in the factory. How can I be afraid of a small team leader?"

Although she was tough in her words, Zhang Caixia still walked obediently into the crowd.

When Team Leader Hua saw that everyone was present, he explained the factory's decision.

"Tomorrow, a leader from another unit will come to our textile factory and need our team to cooperate in producing something. What it is will remain confidential for now.

But I ask you to be extremely enthusiastic, actively complete the task, and carry forward the spirit of our spinning workshop B class that is not afraid of hardship or difficulty. "

After Hua finished speaking, he looked at Section Chief Ma and said, "Old Ma, please tell us about the confidentiality."

Section Chief Ma swept his eyes across the faces of the female workers and said sternly, "This production mission is a confidential one, so you must remember the organizational discipline and confidentiality regulations and are strictly prohibited from telling others about anything that happens in the workshop. This includes your relatives and friends."

All the female workers opened their eyes wide in shock.

It was the first time for them to know that the workers who made their own clothes could be involved in confidential matters.

(End of this chapter)