Chapter 211

In Zhou Juan's courtyard, the black sedan sat quietly, attracting many curious glances. When Liu Guangqi pushed open the door, Zhou Weinan had already turned around like a gust of wind—he took out the enamel mug with the Double Happiness logo from deep inside the cabinet, opened the untouched jasmine tea, poured boiling water over it, and the elegant fragrance filled the room.

He held the cup with both hands and offered it to Liu Guangqi, leaning forward unconsciously. His voice trembled slightly as he said, "Director Liu, please have some tea... please have some tea." His fingertips trembled slightly on the cup, but his eyes shone with a light that was a mixture of unease and pride—he, as the second uncle, felt proud to walk down the street that his niece could marry into such a family.

Zhou Juan's parents stood to the side; they were honest, hardworking people who had never seen anything like it before. The gleaming car outside the yard, the composed Chief Engineer Liu before them, and Zhou Weinan's drastically different attitude all suddenly put their lingering worries to rest. Their daughter's marriage was probably even more respectable than they had originally imagined.

The whispers of the neighbors drifted in through the crack in the door:

"See that? Old Zhou's son-in-law came in a car!"

"That guy who just came in, I heard he's the son-in-law's older brother? He doesn't look like an ordinary person..."

Every word went straight to Liu Haizhong's ears, and the wrinkles on his face smoothed out like blooming flowers, his back ramrod straight. This was the glory he craved—to be able to hold his head high and feel so triumphant while arranging a marriage for his son, what more could he ask for?

Zhou Juan's parents exchanged a glance and secretly breathed a sigh of relief. They had been worried that Zhou Weinan's stubborn temper would ruin things, but unexpectedly, Chief Engineer Liu's arrival not only made him appear approachable but also enhanced the family's reputation among the neighbors. Zhou Weinan was sitting on a stool by the side, holding an empty cup, occasionally leaning forward to say, "Director Liu, would you like some more tea?" His respectful demeanor was tinged with a hint of embarrassment, which made Liu Hai feel particularly pleased.

With Liu Guangqi present, the conversation flowed much more smoothly. When Liu Haizhong mentioned that the bride price was set at sixty-six yuan, the Zhou family was taken aback, then their faces lit up with smiles. In those days, twenty or thirty yuan was considered a generous gift for an ordinary worker's wedding; sixty-six yuan—that was practically a heartfelt expression of sincerity. Zhou Weinan's face flushed; remembering his earlier suspicions, he felt utterly ashamed. How could such a generous family possibly wrong Zhou Juan?

The two families discussed the matter animatedly and decided to set the wedding date for May 1st. Labor Day is both festive and suitable for the two young people who are workers.

When Liu Haizhong left the Zhou family, his steps were light and quick, as if he were walking on the wind. Back in the courtyard, his second aunt held Zhao Mengyun's hand and said, "Guangqi is really capable. Look at how polite the Zhou family is!" Zhao Mengyun was holding her youngest daughter, Ruixue. Hearing this, she smiled slightly and gently stroked the child's soft hair with her fingers: "Mom, we're family now. It's best to get along well."

Liu Guangqi smiled and glanced at Liu Guangtian, who was scratching his head and grinning foolishly. He said gently, "Alright, from now on, Guangtian and Zhou Juan should live a good life together. That's better than anything else." Liu Guangtian chuckled when he heard his older brother's words, his eyes filled with bright anticipation.

For Liu Guangqi, his younger brother's marriage was merely a passing episode in his daily life. On a new week's morning, the soft sunlight streamed into the ministry office, casting a pale golden halo on the smooth floor. He put down the documents in his hand, stretched his shoulders and arms, and gazed out the window at the city gradually awakening.

A soft, rustling sound came from between his knuckles; he had just completed the initial design plan for the CNC workshop.

Before the ink on the paper had even dried, there was a rapid knocking on the office door.

The door had barely opened a crack when Professor Lu from the Institute of Computing Technology strode in, carrying a thick stack of documents. Fine beads of sweat glistened on his forehead, and his breathing was slightly rapid, as if he had rushed over.

"Comrade Guangqi!"

Before Professor Lu had even stood still, his voice had already filled the room. He placed the stack of documents on the table, his tone carrying a surge of excitement.

"You young man... you've been keeping quiet for the past two months."

"This has given us quite a shock."

He walked around the corner of the table, took a few steps to get close to Liu Guangqi, and his eyes were blazing with intense light.

"When word got to our institute about the integrated microcircuit technology you came up with, the key hardware engineers were absolutely amazed."

He laughed as he spoke, then his expression turned serious and his tone became somber.

"This is a draft proposal for enhancing computing power that we came up with while working around the clock over the weekend."

Professor Lu rubbed his palms together, his voice tinged with urgency, his gaze fixed on Liu Guangqi's face as if examining some rare artifact.

"Could you possibly spare a moment to come to the office?"

"Give our computing team some pointers. How exactly do you plan to implement the core elements of your technology? If this skill could be integrated into computers, that would be truly..."

The old professor lowered his voice, subtly implying a request.

"With your system, I dare say the computing performance of the second-generation model will take another leap forward!"

"Then we'll see who dares to say we're destined to follow those eagles and eat their dust."

As he spoke, he pushed the heavy draft closer to Liu Guangqi's hand, his fingertips turning slightly white from the force.

Clearly, since the successful development of the second-generation transistor computer, the Institute of Computing Technology has inevitably set its sights on the benchmark across the ocean.

This was a last resort.

After all, in the field of computers, the other side has already built up technological barriers by virtue of its early start.

For example, the IBM 7090 achieved a computing speed of nearly 230,000 operations per second as early as 1958—and that was far from the limit of its performance.

Therefore, Professor Lu's deepest desire was to make his second-generation machine's computing power catch up with or even surpass that distant benchmark as soon as possible.

Everyone knows what computers mean for research in certain specialized fields.

Liu Guangqi naturally understood as well.

In fact, he had already planned to collaborate with the Institute of Computing Technology.

He did not refuse at this moment, but took the draft with his hand, his eyes quickly swept across the pages, and then stopped next to a circuit mark.

"The signal crosstalk problem here."

He tapped his finger lightly, "It can be solved using integrated microcircuit technology. But I need to check the parameters with your institute's computing power team first."

With just a few words, he not only pointed out the key issue and demonstrated technical mastery, but also left room for maneuver, allowing the other party space to cooperate.

This is the importance of moderation in speech.

Professor Lu was so insightful that he immediately understood the deeper meaning behind the words.

His eyes suddenly lit up, the excitement he had shown earlier subsided, but the corners of his mouth turned up in a smile.

"No problem with the collaboration! I've reserved the best algorithm engineers in the institute for you, ready to come anytime."

Professor Lu is always efficient.

Just two days later, Liu Guangqi received a call from Director Lin.

When he entered the director's office, the other person was gently pushing a document across the desk, and the wrinkles on his face smoothed into a smile.

"Guangqi, good news."

Director Lin's voice was filled with barely suppressed joy, "The institute has approved it."

Liu Guangqi's gaze fell on the document.

A line of bright red characters was prominently displayed at the top of the page: "Resolution on Special Approval for the Construction of an Integrated Circuit Automation Workshop".

Beneath the red seal were the handwritten comments from the college leadership, written with vigorous strokes and deep ink:

"Prioritize the technical collaboration needs of Comrade Liu Guangqi, and all departments will provide full cooperation."

A few words, yet they carry immense weight.

This is not just a piece of paper, but a token that connects all places.

Seeing Liu Guang engrossed in reading, Director Lin couldn't help but tap the table lightly with his knuckles. His voice carried a hint of pride, yet also a subtle sense of urgency.

"Your integrated microcircuit technology has now become a treasure in the eyes of everyone."

As the morning sun climbed over the wall of the Institute of Computing Technology, a black sedan had already come to a stop at the gate. The guards in the guard post stood at attention, their salute more solemn than when greeting any superior. Before the car had even come to a complete stop, a young guard strode forward and opened the back door.

"Chief Engineer Liu! You've finally arrived!"

His voice was filled with barely suppressed joy.

"Professor Lu has been waiting in the lab since early morning. He specifically instructed us to invite your car in as soon as we see it."

As Liu Guangqi stepped out of the car, all eyes quietly converged on him. Those gazes held not only respect but also a simple, heartfelt gratitude. Someone couldn't help but speak:

"We all remember your kindness in last year's participation award..."

Though the words were simple, they were far from mere formalities. When the institute's list of award recipients came out last year, Liu Guangqi, as the core of the project, insisted on spreading the honors and awards to every corner—from the laboratory to the canteen, from researchers to guards, everyone received an extra certificate and a stipend. The money wasn't much, but the recognition that "you also contributed" made everyone in the Institute of Computing Technology silently remember this sentiment in their hearts.

That's why, even though Liu Guangqi doesn't often appear here, his name seems to have taken root in everyone's heart.

He looked at the sincere faces before him and smiled:

"Everyone deserves it. Research and development can't function without any one link—without a stable environment, how can anyone concentrate on research?"

A simple sentence warmed the air around them. These soldiers, who had spent their days guarding the gate, who had previously felt distant from the intricate circuits and codes, now truly felt that they were an indispensable piece in this grand puzzle. The feeling of being remembered and treated with respect is sometimes more precious than any reward.

"Chief Engineer Liu..."

The soldier who spoke just now had a slightly strained voice.

"What you said makes us understand very well."

In the courtyard, the morning light was filtering through the branches of the old locust tree, casting dappled patterns of light on the concrete ground. In the distance, the glass windows of the laboratory building reflected the pale golden sunrise. Everything was quietly preparing, as if waiting for a long-awaited reunion.

The older guard grinned, revealing his pearly white teeth: "From now on, if you need anything, just give the word, and I'll make sure it's done perfectly!"

"Okay, I'll take that seriously."

Liu Guangqi smiled and agreed; his words were simple yet heartwarming.

Step into the compound of the Institute of Computing Technology.

He looked up at the research building not far away.

On the gray steps, a familiar figure was pacing back and forth with his hands behind his back, occasionally looking up towards the gate—it was Professor Lu Hai.

Liu Guangqi appeared.

Professor Lu suddenly stopped, his tightly furrowed brows instantly relaxed, and he almost jogged to meet her.

His steps were so light that they didn't seem like those of a scholar over fifty.

"Guangqi! You've finally arrived!"

Professor Lu's tone was full of joy at being relieved of a heavy burden. He walked quickly closer, carefully examining Liu Guangqi, his eyes swirling with emotion.

"I thought those people in the department were going to keep you here permanently and never let you come back!"

Professor Lu's concerns are not without reason.

It's simply because Liu Guangqi's abilities are so outstanding that he can achieve breakthroughs wherever he goes.

He was seconded to the steel rolling mill, where he completed a complete set of technological upgrades that same year, resulting in a doubling of output and transforming a second-rate steel mill into a benchmark in the metallurgical system.

His secondment to the Institute of Computing Technology directly halved the development cycle of the second-generation transistor computer, allowing it to be released ahead of schedule.

His two trips to provide support in the Northwest were even more remarkable.

The Northwest Institute of Nuclear Theory forced him to successfully complete the design of a major theoretical model ahead of schedule.

It doesn't stop there.

In ordinary times, whenever industrial sectors encounter technical bottlenecks, as long as they find Liu Guangqi, there is no problem that cannot be solved.

Over time.

A joke then began to circulate among the ministries—

Encountering technical difficulties? Quickly go and ask Chief Engineer Liu for help!

now.

Liu Guangqi's schedule was more demanding than anything else. Several heads of industrial departments were keeping a close eye on his movements, hoping to invite this technical authority to come and oversee things.

It has truly become a "multi-purpose brick" that can be moved wherever it is needed.

In this regard.

Liu Guangqi himself felt quite helpless.

Back at the Institute of Computing Technology, he walked beside Professor Lu, listening to the old professor recount the institute's recent developments, as they continued walking inside.