Chapter 303: The Television

That day, Zhou Yimin arrived at the steel factory as usual and was soon summoned by Factory Director Hu.

“Yimin! This is a reward for you from the Ministry of Commerce,” said Director Hu.

Zhou Yimin looked over and saw a large box. From his standing angle, he couldn’t tell what it was, but judging from Director Hu’s expression—tinged with a bit of envy—it clearly wasn’t something ordinary.

“What is it?”

Zhou Yimin figured it must be the result of the safety belt project.

He was right. Thanks to Li Guang’s efforts, a major foreign car manufacturer had purchased the patent for the safety belt outright, bringing in five million US dollars.

For China at that time, this was no small amount of income!

After all, the country’s foreign exchange reserves for the year were only tens of millions of dollars.

More importantly, this foreign exchange income came at almost no cost—just a simple little invention. It also made the higher-ups in the country realize the importance of patents.

So, in their delight, the leadership decided to reward the inventor Zhou Yimin with a television set.

“A television—Minister Gao personally arranged for it to be rushed over from the television factory in Jinmen,” Director Hu said.

Who wouldn’t be envious?

Even he didn’t own a TV yet, and Zhou Yimin hadn’t even been at the factory that long, but without spending a dime, he was getting a television.

“A television?” Zhou Yimin was surprised. He quickly walked over, bent down to look, and sure enough—it was a television.

Having been in this era for a while now, he was finally seeing a television of the time. Needless to say, it was definitely a black-and-white TV.

Two years ago, in 1958, the state-owned Tian*jin Radio Factory had manufactured China’s first black-and-white television under the brand name “BJ.”

Other brands from the 1960s included “Shang*hai,” and most of these TVs were black-and-white tube televisions.

What was hard to imagine was that during the 1960s, life next door in Japan was developing rapidly. Color TVs and washing machines were already widespread, and in another three or four years, they would even have high-speed trains.

Of course, that wasn’t to say China didn’t have color TV at all.

In May of 1960, the Capital Television Station had successfully conducted a trial broadcast of color TV, making China the sixth country in the world to begin testing color television.

However, due to economic difficulties, the trial was suspended.

“All right, take it home first! I’ll give you a half-day off,” Director Hu said.

“Thank you, Director.” Zhou Yimin was delighted.

Since this was a reward from the higher-ups, he had nothing to fear showing it off.

Once electricity reached Zhoujiazhuang, he could bring it back and let Grandpa and Grandma enjoy some entertainment.

Director Hu waved him off. He had also heard that the safety belt had earned the country several million dollars in foreign exchange. No wonder the higher-ups were so generous, giving Zhou Yimin a TV just like that.

Zhou Yimin was considered a lucky star at the steel factory, so Director Hu was especially lenient with him. Forget a half-day—he could disappear for days, and it would still be fine.

Lately, the factory was working hard on developing airbags, and they needed Zhou Yimin, so they couldn’t let him stay away for too long.

Zhou Yimin carried the TV back to the procurement department. Even Section Chief Wang was there—let alone the others. It was a television! Most people had only heard of them, never seen one.

“Team Lead Zhou, open it up, let’s see what it looks like!” someone said.

Wang Weimin, the section chief, shot that person a glare. “What if you break it? Yimin, better wait till you’re home to open it.”

That was what he said, but truth be told, he wanted to see it himself.

Zhou Yimin could see right through everyone. He smiled and opened the box right there, letting everyone have a look.

He didn’t mind at all. He had seen all kinds of advanced TVs in his past life—some LCDs so thin they were hard to believe. A black-and-white TV didn’t impress him in the slightest.

After unboxing it, Zhou Yimin lifted out a big, bulky device.

It was a 14-inch black-and-white TV, and to him, it looked extremely crude—like a piece of aluminum pressed into the shape of a washbasin, a picture tube set inside, and a wooden case slapped on the front.

So small.

That was Zhou Yimin’s first impression.

But to Section Chief Wang and the others, it was like seeing the most beautiful woman in the world. Their eyes sparkled with amazement.

“Plug it in! Let’s see it work,” someone said, still not satisfied.

Since it was already unboxed, Zhou Yimin carried the TV to a socket, plugged it in, and turned it on. The screen filled with snow, and a soft static sound came from the speakers.

“Is it broken?”

Wang Weimin smacked the guy who said that. “You’re the broken one! Jinx!”

Zhou Yimin began tuning the channels, and soon, the Capital Channel came through, broadcasting a program.

“I see someone!” a bystander cried out excitedly.

“The volume’s too low!”

Zhou Yimin turned the other dial, and the sound gradually got louder.

The screen suddenly switched, and a familiar face appeared—our beloved Premier Zhou, delivering an important speech at the Great Hall of the People.

Before anyone knew it, half an hour had passed. In the end, it was Section Chief Wang who played the bad guy and told everyone to get back to work.

Zhou Yimin reboxed the television and left the factory, heading for the courtyard.

As soon as he entered, the aunts and grannies in the courtyard saw him and were immediately curious about what he was carrying.

“A television. A reward from the leadership,” Zhou Yimin said openly. After all, it had come through proper channels—nothing to hide. Better to let everyone know exactly where it came from.

The moment those words were out, the whole courtyard went quiet. Everyone stared at the big box in Zhou Yimin’s arms in stunned silence.

“That’s a television? My gosh! Yimin’s really going places,” one of the grannies gasped.

“First TV on our whole street, right?”

“Definitely. I haven’t heard of anyone else having one.”

Indeed, no one on their street had ever heard of someone owning a TV.

To ordinary folks, it was something out of legend. Yet here, in their very own courtyard, someone owned one—and it was a reward from the government, at no cost.

Yimin really was the most promising young man in the courtyard!

Everyone crowded around to get a look.

Just like in the factory, Zhou Yimin unpacked it, set the TV on a table, plugged it in, and turned it on so everyone could watch and see something new.

“Granny, take a seat! Make yourselves comfortable. There are sunflower seeds, candy, and peanuts—help yourselves,” Zhou Yimin said warmly.

Everyone was used to the layout of Zhou Yimin’s home, so no one made a fuss. They sat if they found a stool, stood if they didn’t. Soon, the whole room was packed.

When the kids got too noisy, their parents hushed them immediately. Everyone wanted to watch TV—no time for fooling around.

As for the snacks, people were very reserved—just took a little, for courtesy’s sake.

“There are really people in there,” someone gasped when they saw the screen.

To them, the television was absolutely high-tech—like magic!

(End of Chapter)