Chapter Six: The Last Vat
On the day the water and power were cut off, Mr. Chen's people arrived two hours earlier than the notice said.
Two water pumps were set up beside Vat No. 3, their hoses reaching into the vat. Andy stood in front of the vat, and Ajie stood behind him with several workers. Lili sat further inside, her face so pale it was almost transparent.
"Master An, don't make this hard for us," the leading man said.
"I'll pump out the solution in the vat myself," Andy said. "Give me three days."
The other side refused. The pumps started, and the vat solution flowed out through the hoses. Lili's body began to tremble, and a fine layer of silver lines appeared on her wrists, like cracked plating.
Andy rushed over and pulled the power plug. The workshop fell silent, leaving only her rapid breathing.
"Call the police," Andy said to Azhen. "Then call the people at the district office. Tell them there's an old vat still in use here, with thirty years of process records, and no one can just drain it like this."
Azhen froze for a second, then turned and ran out.
That afternoon, many people came to the workshop. There were people from the subdistrict office, from environmental protection, and two young people doing an industrial heritage survey. Andy brought out the process notebooks his father had left and turned the pages for them one by one. They recorded the formula, temperature, and current for each vat, and there was also a sentence his father had written: Vat No. 3, do not touch.
The investigators stood by Vat No. 3 for a long time. Finally, a girl with glasses said, "This vat can apply to be preserved as a sample of old industrial craft. But you'll have to complete the environmental protection procedures."
Mr. Chen's people left. The pumps were loaded onto the truck, and the vat solution was saved.
Lili leaned in Andy's arms, her voice very soft: "Are the three days you just mentioned enough?"
"No," Andy said. "But it's enough for me to carry you home."