Chapter 204

When he stepped out of the minister's office, the corridor was already mostly empty. The afternoon sun streamed through the high windows, casting long, dappled patterns on the floor. In the distance, the low rumble of the workshop machines could be faintly heard—the most enduring heartbeat of this land. He didn't stop, continuing towards the research department. The image in his mind of steel and electricity, gears and signals, was gradually fading from its hazy state, becoming clear and solid.

He knew that from this moment on, new waves were surging beneath the calm surface of the lake. And what he had to do was become the embankment that precisely guided the direction of those waves.

The air in the office seemed to freeze for a moment.

The minister's fingers, which had been casually resting on the armrest, tightened. He slowly sat up straight, a sharp glint flashing in his usually calm eyes. Without replying, he simply opened a drawer, took out a dark blue notebook, and picked up a fountain pen from the table, its nib hovering above the pages.

"Be more specific." His voice was a few decibels lower than before. "Can your current resources support this whole game? I want concrete results, not long-term visions."

Liu Guangqi met the scrutinizing gaze, but his expression relaxed. He had expected this question.

"Minister, the five-axis linkage center we completed earlier already has room for upgrades in its mechanical structure. What we need to do now is to hand over the ability to 'judge' and 'decide' to the machine—by embedding algorithms, we can enable it to read the drawing data, select the cutting path and force, and even automatically switch tools between different processes."

He paused briefly, letting the weight of his words sink in.

"In the future, operators will only need to input the digital model of the final product, and the machine tools will handle the rest. That will be true production that is no longer 'human-made' and truly belongs to 'industry'."

The minister's pen finally came to a stop, swiftly tracing lines of concise phrases across the page: autonomous recognition, path planning, tool scheduling. Behind each phrase lay the promise of completely freeing up manpower in a particular环节 (link/stage) of the production line. He wrote with considerable force, the ink almost seeping through the paper.

Suddenly, he looked up, and a question pierced through him like a nail: "Are you confident about the Institute of Computing? What if everything is ready on the mechanical side, but their algorithm is still delayed? We've encountered this before."

Liu Guangqi smiled, a smile that conveyed a sense of composure and confidence.

"Minister, when I was helping them tackle the second-generation computer algorithm last year, I 'casually' discussed the framework of the CNC system with their technical team. Several key models were simulated together at that time. So this wasn't a spur-of-the-moment decision; it was something that had been planned beforehand. We were familiar with each other, and the thinking was also familiar, which saved a lot of trouble in terms of coordination."

His tone grew increasingly certain, as if he were stating an imminent fact.

"More importantly, the expertise we've built in mechanical precision over the past two years has placed us at the forefront of the world. What we lack now is a 'brain' to match this level of skill—a CNC system that we've completely developed ourselves."

He leaned forward slightly, his voice low but clear:

"I suggest that we establish a joint research group with the Institute of Computing Technology to focus on tackling this challenge. As early as next year, or at the latest the year after, we need to firmly grasp this advantage in our own hands. Only then will we have a complete set of industrial strength that no one can take away from us."

The minister listened, his gaze lingering on Liu Guangqi's face. After a long while, he closed his notebook, a barely perceptible smile finally appearing at the corner of his mouth.

The minister's affirmation is never late.

"You young man, you always handle things meticulously." The voice behind the desk was chuckled. "I was worried you'd get distracted by those trendy computer gadgets, but it turns out you've already got the industrial layout all figured out in your head."

"Let's do it this way."

Liu Guangqi never questioned this support.

Over the years, he has steadily established himself within the ministries, with projects progressing smoothly and support coming from all sides. Behind this success are undoubtedly the foreign exchange he has earned himself and his achievements in leading the domestic machine tool industry to the forefront of the world. But more importantly, it is the hands that have propelled him forward—from his earliest team leader, Lao Wang, to Director Lin, who directly supervised him, and now to the highest leader of the First Ministry of Machine Building. They have never given him just opportunities, but rather unwavering trust.

For him, CNC automation was not particularly difficult.

After all, he was a mechanical engineer who had walked another long road of technology.

The minister rose from his chair and slowly walked to the window. With his hands behind his back, he gazed down at the entire ministry compound bathed in sunlight. A solemn silence permeated the air.

"Comrade Guangqi," he suddenly spoke, his deep voice echoing in the room, "if your CNC automation solution can really be implemented, it will not only be an achievement for the Ministry of Machine Building—it will be a major event that will give wings to the nation's industry."

"When reporting to your superiors, make sure you explain the reasons clearly. You need to break down and explain the prospects and advantages we've discussed today in detail so that they can understand them."

He turned around, walked up to Liu Guangqi, and placed his broad, calloused hand heavily on the young man's shoulder.

Liu Guangqi understood the weight in those eyes.

In the minister's mind, the person in front of him was no longer an ordinary cadre, but someone who could truly carry the flag for the country's industry.

The warmth on his shoulder warmed Liu Guangqi's heart, and he nodded solemnly: "Minister, I understand."

It was nearly noon when the conversation ended. Liu Guangqi left the office, carrying a heavy, military-green tin box. The box was printed with simple red characters—"Premium Tea." Even without opening the lid, those words spoke volumes. This was not something that could be traded on the market; even gold bars couldn't buy it.

He had just closed the door when he looked up and saw the person standing at the other end of the corridor.

Director Lin leaned leisurely against the wall, clearly having waited for a while, his eyes filled with a knowing smile.

Liu Guangqi's heart tightened slightly. He subtly turned his wrist backward, hiding the iron box behind his back. A smile immediately appeared on his face as he quickly stepped forward.

"Director, I've finished reporting to the Minister. He'd like you to come in..."

Director Lin glanced behind him, the teasing smile on his lips impossible to hide.

"Well done, you've really improved these days." He strolled over slowly. "Coming to the minister's office to discuss work, and you even manage to bring back some nice things? This tea, I've never even tasted it before."

As he spoke, he reached out and patted Liu Guangqi on the shoulder twice, the force neither too light nor too heavy:

"Comrade Guangqi, I congratulate you in my personal capacity—you've made a small fortune."

Liu Guangqi didn't respond immediately.

Director Lin looked at him, raising an eyebrow with a half-smile: "What? You've become so rich you've forgotten how to speak? Or are you afraid your old boss will take a share of the profits?"

Liu Guangqi said earnestly, "I am indeed afraid."

"Good lad!" Director Lin coughed, amused by the bluntness. "Ahem... everyone gets a share. My portion will be sent to my office later."

He waved his hand, pushed open the door to the minister's office without turning his head, leaving no room for refusal.

Liu Guangqi stood there, only able to laugh helplessly.

How novel. I wonder where this director picked up this attitude—isn't this blatantly begging?

If people find out that ministry leaders are openly accepting gifts from their subordinates, is there no rule anymore?

The black Volga sedan came to a stop in front of Building No. 5. As Liu Guangqi got out of the car, his eyes caught sight of the several figures waiting quietly.

Three people in white coats stood in front of the building, their expressions solemn and businesslike. The middle-aged doctor at the head of the group held a brown paper bag—it was the same doctor from the health center who had previously performed the special examination on him. Seeing him get out of the car, the group immediately stepped forward to greet him.

"Hello, Committee Member Liu." The doctor greeted him with a smile, the cover of the folder in his hand clearly printed with the words "Liu Guangqi's Special Health Record". "We are here today to conduct a routine health check-up for you and your family for the first half of this year, as arranged by our superiors."

This kind of door-to-door testing service is usually only available to core researchers and high-ranking officials. Liu Guangqi was slightly taken aback, not expecting the health care cycle to be so tight. He then relaxed his brow and reached out to shake hands with the other person.

"Thank you all for making this special trip and waiting for us." He stepped aside and led the group into the building.

The lead doctor waved his hand, indicating that there was no need to be so polite: "Your health is a priority for the health center; waiting any longer is within our duty." This was no mere formality. Although they were part of the medical team, they also kept abreast of current events and naturally understood that every project this person was leading was closely linked to the nation's industrial lifeline. For someone of this caliber, the higher-ups had already incorporated their health management into the highest-level support system.

When the group entered the house, Zhao Mengyun had already prepared tea and was about to greet them. The healthcare doctor gently placed the brown paper bag on the coffee table and said calmly, "Committee Member Liu, let's do some preparation first." He gestured for the accompanying members to set up their equipment.

Just then, the door was gently pushed open, and light footsteps sounded. The childcare worker walked in, leading a child by the hand—it was Ruixue and Fengnian.

"Dad! Mom!" The two children stopped abruptly as they called out, their round eyes wide with curiosity as they looked at the strangers who had appeared in the living room. Their snow-white coats stood out starkly against the backdrop of the room.

Ruixue was always a bit bolder. She blinked her bright, dark eyes, looking at the people in white with great curiosity, then turned to the caregiver and whispered, "Auntie, what are these uncles and aunties doing here?"

Unlike her older sister's composure, young Fengnian had a completely different expression.

Upon seeing the figure in the white coat appear at the door, the boy, like a startled sparrow, quickly shrank behind the nursery worker's skirt, revealing only half of his face and a pair of round eyes, warily sizing up the strangers carrying suitcases.

It was as if they might pull out some shiny, terrifying thing from their pockets at any moment.

His fearful yet stubborn expression made Zhao Mengyun, who was standing to the side, smile and say, "Fengnian, come to Mom."

The childcare worker quickly patted the child's back and gently reassured him, "Don't be afraid, don't be afraid. The uncles aren't here to give you a shot; they're here to check on your father."

The boy hesitated for a while before slowly moving to his mother's side, his little hands still tightly clutching her clothes, unwilling to let go completely. Liu Guangqi smiled helplessly at her son's timid demeanor.

It seems that no matter when, children's fear of white coats is probably ingrained in their bones.

Ruixue, on the other hand, stood quietly to the side, her eyes showing no fear but rather a hint of curiosity—which surprised him somewhat.

The inspection was conducted in an orderly manner.

The three doctors worked together seamlessly, listening to the patient's heart and lungs, taking blood pressure, and inquiring about their daily lives with swift and professional movements. Liu Guangqi sat calmly on the sofa, cooperating with them with a composed expression.

Before long, the investigation yielded a conclusion.

"Committee Member Liu," the head physician put away his stethoscope, his face showing approval, "your physical condition is excellent, your cardiopulmonary function is strong, and all indicators are within the excellent range."

Liu Guangqi smiled and nodded.

He had expected this outcome.

Next up was Zhao Mengyun. As the spouse of a high-ranking official, she also enjoyed comprehensive health care.

The process was similar, and everything seemed normal at first.

However, when the doctor gently placed the stethoscope on her abdomen, the movement paused slightly.

The man frowned, listened intently for a moment, then looked up and exchanged a glance with his colleague beside him.

This slight pause made Zhao Mengyun's heart jump slightly.

"Is...is something wrong?" she asked softly, her fingertips unconsciously clenching the hem of her dress.

The doctor did not answer immediately, but slowly removed the stethoscope. The serious expression on his face melted away like ice in spring, gradually turning into a gentle smile.

"Ms. Zhao, please don't worry," he said, his tone filled with a serious joy. "You are in good health, and—there's more good news."

good news?

Liu Guangqi felt a slight stirring in his heart, vaguely sensing something in the air.