Twenty years of cold chain

Chapter 17 The Mysterious Cold Storage

Outside the factory, in a noodle shop, Hu Shutong and Yu Dajun sat facing each other, both carrying heavy bags that were piled up around the table.

We didn't order noodles, just beer and a few cold dishes.

"Shutong, this will all pass. You've caught the wave of these two urgent matters. But you're not going to waste your talent. In all the places I've been lately, I can't find anyone who can keep up with you even a fraction of what you're capable of. Let me put it this way, someone like you could easily make tens of thousands a year working anywhere. What's there to worry about?" Hu Shutong could tell that Yu Dajun was putting on a brave face. Tianheng had collapsed, and he was heartbroken.

For Hu Shutong, the tragedy of Tianheng touched him more than losing his qualification as a food science laboratory, especially after witnessing the scene firsthand, which left him deeply disturbed.

Hu Shutong will not be discouraged. His graduation thesis is due no later than June, and he plans to use this time to prepare it meticulously, systematically organizing what he has learned, seen, known, and felt. This graduation thesis will also be a personal summary of his experiences since he first encountered this major.

Aside from a backpack full of books, Hu Shutong left all his other belongings with Yu Dajun. At this juncture, he didn't want to show his face at school and would wait until things calmed down.

Yu Dajun emphasized the address "Chenxing Cold Storage, No. 99 Guangjiao Road" several times and urged Hu Shutong to write to him often and remember to meet up at the graduation ceremony.

Since starting her internship, Hu Shutong has had few expenses and has saved over two thousand yuan in wages, enough to support herself for several months.

With nowhere else to go, Hu Shutong found a hostel and settled down to begin outlining his thesis. He already had a clear understanding of many things, and after more than three days, the overall logical structure had emerged; the next step was to delve deeper into the subject matter.

The rise of the Internet has led to a surge of all kinds of information and knowledge, making Hu Shutong realize that it is an indispensable space for communication during the thesis writing process. The University of Minnesota started its computer courses relatively early, and after the millennium, our country also began to vigorously promote and popularize information education.

Hu Shutong first browsed portal websites and found that there was almost no content related to his major. Then, with the idea of ​​giving it a try, he registered an account on Tianya Community, which was founded two years ago, and gave it an ID called "Cold Chain on the Road".

When users search for professional terms such as "cold chain," "cold transport," and "cold storage," they find nothing. However, when they search for "refrigeration," the page that appears suddenly becomes much clearer.

An ID called "The Mysterious Refrigerator" had posted over a hundred posts, generating some discussion. Hu Shutong browsed through them one by one, gradually revealing his agreement.

It's clear that this person is quite interested in seafood, and the title they chose is quite catchy.

There are plenty of fish, but why can't you afford them? Because there are even more rotting at the docks!

Don't just focus on the waste along the way; many fish don't even get a chance to move!

After seeing it, Hu Shutong felt the same way. Aquatic products are mostly grown along the coast, and the natural environment determines that it is difficult for them to have the geographical advantage of a network or radiation of vegetables and fruits.

Regarding industry standards, the mysterious refrigeration expert also has something to say, and the whole piece seems even more helpless.

For example, the standard storage temperature in Panju City is 18℃, while in Mingyuan City and Longyi City it is 17℃. This difference is not just 1℃; it represents a discrepancy in leading industry standards. Imagine how many more detailed standards below could possibly be without deviations.

Hu Shutong sent private messages to this "cold storage" user, mostly expressing praise or agreement, but then he realized that such comments were unlikely to elicit a reply. So he posted some personal opinions under many other posts before finally sending the private message.

After browsing for an afternoon, Hu Shutong was a little hungry and was about to leave when he suddenly saw a private message from Lengcangjia. Upon opening it, he immediately realized that the sender was a young man who was about the same age as himself.

"Where are you from, bro? You've told me so many times! You've made it seem like we've known each other for ages!"

Hu Shutong couldn't help but laugh. "I'm majoring in cold chain logistics at the University of Minnesota. I'm graduating soon and I'm currently working on my graduation thesis."

"From the University of Minnesota, no wonder. I read all your replies; you seem to have a lot of substance. It's rare to find a graduation thesis that's so practical. And by practical, I don't mean the kind of simple, hard stuff like using a pickaxe to fight rocks, you know what I mean?"

"I understand, I understand. Seeing the current state of aquatic products you posted is truly heartbreaking."

"Sigh! There's nothing I can do. I've been paying attention to the technology of live fish without water. At first, I thought it was a solution, but later I found that even if the technology matures, it's hard to put into practice. The problem in many places right now isn't how far to transport them, but that tons and tons of them can't be transported out! Brother, your insights are quite profound. Papers should be profound too. I know the influence of Mingda University, and you're the first one, so there's a good chance your paper will be a big hit. I suggest you go to Panzhu City to take a look."

"Thank you for your guidance. I will consider it. Let me introduce myself. My name is Hu Shutong."

Unfortunately, after waiting for more than half an hour, Hu Shutong still didn't receive another private message. Well, after all, it was preceded by the word "mysterious".

April turned to May, and Hu Shutong's paper, the first part of which raised the question, namely "current situation analysis", and the second part of which was to solve the problem, namely "standard exploration". However, after reading it over and over again, Hu Shutong was still not satisfied. Since losing his qualification as the food science laboratory, he attached great importance to this paper. If he missed an opportunity, he could only create one himself.

Just as the saying goes, this was a resounding success, a chance to make a name for oneself. The saying "good wine needs no bush" doesn't quite apply to Hu Shutong; waiting to be discovered requires a lot of luck. The vanguard is fierce, and the leader must be strong. Years later, looking back, they will be the ones paving the way for those who come after; one must feel a sense of urgency.

Lately, the user has stopped posting and hasn't replied to any of my private messages.

Hu Shutong decided to temporarily put aside his thesis progress. The story of Panzhu City that Leng Zangjia had mentioned kept echoing in his mind, and he decided to go and take a look.

……