Chapter 44: Making a Wind Turbine

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio  Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Chen Jin explained the situation. “It’s like this. I’ve started a jewelry shop, and it’s currently undergoing renovation. It isn’t too far from here, just on Jin Ling West Road. I need to recruit quite a few people for the opening, which is predicted to happen next month.”

Besides the discussions on the purchase channels, Chiu Wan-Tin was also recruiting staff. After all, it was a large-scale shop measuring 300 square meters. She needed to recruit more than 10 staff and around another two more as security guards. If business increased dramatically during peak season and the staff needed to work two shifts, he would also recruit more staff at that time.

To date, Chiu Wan-Ting had hired two staff as her personal assistants. They were also part of the staff at the previous shop where she worked as a store manager. Hearing what had happened to her recently, they clamored to join her in this new store. These old veteran buddies would continue to work hard together. Chiu Wan-Ting did not dare to take matters into her own hands and had called Chen Jin to ask about it. He said ok; employees who were older and more experienced were an asset too. They could even bring over their old clients, which would help the jewelry store on its path to success.

“A jewelry shop?” Guo Yan was not the only one who was shocked. The flatmates in the other rooms, Liu Xiao Xia, Xu Jiao Jiao, and Zhao Ya Jing were extremely shocked too.

Song Xue Jia, who was standing near the doorway, perked her ears up and muttered, “The landlord is so rich that he can open a jewelry shop?”

Guo Yan asked with a tiny voice, “Then… What’s the amount of my salary if I work in your shop?” She was very grateful for the landlord’s concern, but some practical questions still had to be asked. After all, she shouldered a heavy burden.

“Um…” Chen Jin considered it for a moment, then said, “$5,000 during the trial period. It will be a six-day work week with one day off. If your performance is good, you can become an official staff sooner. Your salary will be increased too.”

“$5,000….” Guo Yan silently weighed this offer. Frankly speaking, a starting salary of this amount was not low. It was at least a level higher than those fresh graduates working their first job. Most of them only had a starting salary of $3,500 (of course, the statistics from the news showed an average starting salary as high as $5,380). In addition, she had a rather inferior educational history. $5,000 was really very good!

But in this expensive city of Shang Hai, rent would cost $1,000 and meals $1,500. Transport, mobile, clothing and other miscellaneous costs would bring the expenses up to $3,000! From a salary of $5,000, she could save at most $2,000. This little bit of income was far from sufficient for Guo Yan. She could find a position doing sales and easily earn $6,000 to $7,000 a month with her diligence. However, that was extremely tiring! So…

Seeing her hesitation, Chen Jin added, “Lunch will be provided at work. I’ll also give $100 for transportation expenses and $300 as a rental subsidy, which will be subtracted from your rent.”

At this point, all her roommates began to persuade her. “Guo Yan, this salary is really good. Quickly agree!”

Xu Jiao Jiao wanted to cry, “I work as an office clerk for $4,500. Landlord, do you still need people at the jewelry shop? I want to go too.” However, it was just empty words. Her job as a clerk was extremely easy.

Zhao Ya Jing gave her a detailed analysis. “Guo Yan, Jin Ling West Road is not too far from here; it’s only a distance of seven or eight kilometers. You can ride a shared bicycle to work, and you don’t have to suffer the crowded train daily. With the added perks from the landlord, your total salary would be over $6,000. Even I want to work there!”

Finally, Guo Yan was moved. She nodded her head. “Ok! Brother Chen, I’ll go to work at your shop. I used to do sales in a jewelry shop so I have some definite experience, and I’ll learn very quickly!” Brother Chen already took such great care of her, if she still did not agree, she would be very ungrateful. The salary was good too. If she lived frugally, she should be able to save $4,000 next month. It would be enough to pay off her credit card debt and provide an allowance for her younger brother. “Brother Chen, thank you so much for helping me!” She gave a deep bow to Chen Jin with an extremely thankful expression.

“It’s ok, everyone has bad times.” Chen Jin picked up his phone and called Chiu Wan-Ting. She agreed and would proceed with the arrangement.

Guo Yan asked for the jewelry store’s address, saying that she wanted to officially start work tomorrow.

As he was about to leave, Song Xue Jia pulled him aside. Batting her lashes, she said in a very pitiful manner, “Brother Landlord, I’ve used my salary to pay off my credit card this month, and I have no money for rent. Can I pay the rent for the past two months, as well as this month, all together in the next month? I beg you, please be understanding!” Song Xue Jia had not paid rent for the past two months and planned to drag it until the next month before paying it all.

Chen Jin had no more words for this woman. “All right, next month.”

“Thank you, Brother Landlord!”Song Xue Jia abruptly hugged his neck. Leaning pink tender lips over, she almost kissed him on his face. With a full smile, she said, “Brother Landlord, can I work at your jewelry store? If it’s okay, how about I go to work at your shop?”

Chen Jin struggled to free himself from her clinging arms. “No need, thanks for your good intentions. I’ve something I need to take care of; I need to leave.” He quickly left Room 902 with Song Xue Jia’s laughter trailing behind him.

Song Xue Jia was anticipating the silent criticisms from others, “You’re a fake whore! How shameless!”

…

At night, in the camping ground in the huge crater, the AI named Alice reported good news. “Master, I’ve completed the simulation for the industrial manufacturing process of the wind turbine that you’ve tasked me with.”

“You did a good job, Alice.”

She showed a sweet smile. “Thank you, Master, for your praise.”

Chen Jin let her open a design blueprint of a particular industrial manufacturing process. It played a video as it made an introductory explanation for him.

“Master, according to your requirements, the power output of the wind turbine should be around 30 kilowatts. So, the length of the blades should be roughly 12 meters, and each turbine should be installed with three blades. Strong plastic material can be used to make the blade. It can be printed in the capsule factory, and the modules can be assembled together. The shell of the main body, axel bearings, and the parts of the support body can also be printed in the capsule factory. As for the induction coils in the generator unit, there are ready-made nanocrystalline copper wires that we can use. However, due to the destructive war on this world, the magnetic property of most magnets are either greatly weakened or damaged. We need to use a permanent magnet in order to make a wind turbine that can generate a high amount of power. The permanent magnet’s use is in energy conversion. Currently, we lack this type of magnet.”

The highly powerful magnetic field created at the moment a nuclear bomb exploded was very destructive to magnets. It directly damaged the magnetic performance of the magnets. Haierfa was just a wasteland. Undoubtedly, it was extremely difficult to find a permanent magnet in good physical and functional condition. He could only import it from Earth.

Chen Jin did some research on the internet. He found that the high-performance neodymium magnet, with its tetragonal cell structure, had strong magnetism and a special advantage of high heat resistance. One set of such magnets was made up of 16 individual pieces and each wind turbine required about 10 sets inside its body. As for the price, it was $25 per piece. The price of the magnets that he had to purchase for one wind turbine was around $4,000.

Of course, this money was peanuts. By chance, there was a manufacturer in the city that produced neodymium for use in wind turbines. Chen Jin directly called the manufacturer and made an order for 100 sets of neodymium magnets. He spent a total of $40,000. The manufacturer even offered free shipping to his doorstep.

“A complete ready-made 30 kilowatts wind turbine plus its purchase fee, shipping fee, and installation fee… The whole thing would cost me at least $200,000. And 10 sets would equate to $2,000,000! I’ve only spent $40,000. I just need to some buy engine oil, lubricant, and what not… The total expenses would at most be $100,000! It’s really true that’s it better to make one than to buy one.”

Chen Jin sighed with feeling. It was two days ago that hundreds of robots transported a general production capsule factory back to the campground. With Rover No. 1 pulling at the front, and the robots collective efforts, they managed to transport the factory. And after a round of cleaning and servicing, it could be used normally. A big batch of various raw materials to be printed was brought back as well. When the neodymium magnets arrived tomorrow, he could begin the production of the wind turbines!