Great Power Reclamation

The news of the engine's successful third test run did not cause much of a stir at the Junkencheng Research Institute.

For Helena and Ye Yuping, this was just another signpost on the road to their destination.

But for Ye Hai, this data represents a completely new breakthrough—

Combustion efficiency has increased by two percent.

In the field of aero-engines, a two percent increase means an increase of hundreds of kilometers in range, a considerable reduction in fuel consumption, and the ability to leave competitors far behind in international bidding.

When Ye Hai jumped off the experimental platform, his mind was filled with numbers.

At 3,200 revolutions per minute and 1,720 degrees Celsius, the fuel consumption rate is 0.28%.

The numbers danced in his mind, making him forget to watch where he was going. He bumped into someone.

"I'm sorry." He didn't even look up, and tried to walk around her.

"It's ok."

A woman's voice, with a slight accent, indicated she wasn't a local. Ye Hai paused, then looked up.

A young Uyghur girl stood in front of him, wearing a white lab coat, her hair tied in a long braid with a red hair tie at the end.

She has big eyes, long eyelashes, a high nose bridge, and healthy wheat-colored skin.

She was carrying a stack of petri dishes when Ye Hai bumped into her, causing the dishes to wobble but not fall over.

"Are you new here?" Ye Hai asked.

"Yes. I just reported for duty yesterday. My name is Ayiguli." She smiled, revealing a set of neat white teeth. "You must be Ye Hai?"

Ye Hai was taken aback. "You know me?"

"I don't know you. But I'm guessing you are. In the entire research institute, you're the only one who doesn't look where you're going after getting off the test bench."

Ye Hai's face flushed slightly. He scratched his head, wanting to say something, but the numbers in his mind kept racing, crowding out what he wanted to say.

"You're busy," he said, turning and leaving. Aygul stood there, watching his retreating figure, a slight smile playing on her lips. This man is truly interesting.

Ye Hai returned to his workbench, sat down, and spread out the blueprints. But he found himself unable to concentrate on them.

The numbers were still jumping, but as they jumped, they turned into a pair of big eyes. He shook his head vigorously, trying to banish the images.

No, I can't get distracted. The engine is more important than anything else.

He took a deep breath, picked up his pen, and drew a line on the drawing.

The line was drawn crooked. He stared at the crooked line for several seconds, then erased it and redrawn it.

Helena walked over and stood behind him. "What's wrong? You seem distracted."

"Nothing much."

“You’re lying.” Helena sat down opposite him. “You never draw lines crooked. Today you’ve drawn them crooked three times.”

Ye Hai put down his pen and leaned back in his chair. "Mom, who is that new girl?"

“Aygul? She’s from the materials group. She’s from the provincial capital and studied metallurgical engineering. Her father is a professor at North Xinjiang University, working on new materials. Her mother is a dancer.”

Helena looked at him, a hint of something in her eyes. "Why are you asking her?"

"Nothing done."

Helena laughed. "You're just like your father, you can't lie."

Ye Hai stood up and picked up the blueprints on the table. "I'm going to find Ivan to discuss the turbine blades." With that, he quickly walked away.

Helena watched his retreating figure and shook her head. This child has finally come to his senses.

The research institute's cafeteria wasn't large, with a few long tables and dozens of chairs. Ye Hai, carrying his tray, found a corner to sit down. He had just taken a bite of his steamed bun when someone stood opposite him with their tray.

"Is anyone here?" Aygul asked.

Ye Hai choked on his steamed bun, swallowed hard, and shook his head. "No. Nobody's here."

Aygul sat down, broke open a naan bread, and dipped it in milk tea. She ate gracefully, slowly and deliberately, like she was dancing. Ye Hai lowered his head and shoveled rice into his mouth.

“Eat slowly, don’t choke,” Aygul said.

Ye Hai slowed down, but still didn't dare to look up. He was afraid that if he looked up, he would see those big eyes again.

"What do you usually do after get off work?" Ayiguli asked.

"work overtime."

"and then?"

"Then go back to sleep."

"Not going out to play?"

"Don't go."

Aygul paused for a moment. "Don't you find it boring?"

Ye Hai thought for a moment. "I don't think so."

Aygul looked at him, her eyes filled with something indescribable.

"You're a really interesting person."

Ye Hai didn't know how to respond, so he just continued eating. Ayiguli also fell silent, and the two ate their meal quietly.

The sunlight streamed in through the window, falling on the dining table and on the two people.

Ye Hai's heart was pounding, but he didn't know why. He had never felt this way before, as if a deer was pounding in his chest.

Beijing, an office building. At the same time.

Wang Jianguo sat in a cramped conference room, opposite two middle-aged men in suits.

A document lay open on the table, its cover marked with the word "Confidential." Wang Jianguo flipped through the document, his brow furrowed deeply.

When did this happen?

“Last week,” one of the middle-aged men replied, “the third test drive was successful. The data was even better than the second. At this rate, we can install and test it next year.”

Wang Jianguo closed the file and pushed it back. "What do you want from me?"

"Mr. Wang, haven't you always wanted to get back what you lost back then? Now there's an opportunity."

"Ye Yuping is working with Helena and Ye Hai in the military reclamation city to develop engines. Once they succeed, the Chinese will tear open a huge hole in the Western aerospace parts market."

"Your Wang Group's European business will be the first to be affected. We don't want to see that day come."

Wang Jianguo stared at the man, remaining silent for a long time. "Whose people are you?"

"you do not need to know."

"Then I won't do it."

The man took a photograph out of his pocket and placed it on the table. The photograph showed Wang Jianguo's nephew, Wang Jiaming, sitting on a hospital bed, pale-faced, with an IV drip in his arm. Wang Jianguo's expression changed.

What do you mean?

“It doesn’t mean anything. I just want you to know that you’re not fighting alone. We saved your nephew’s life. We helped him get treatment for his illness. You have to repay that favor.”

Wang Jianguo clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white. "Who exactly are you?"

The man stood up and straightened his tie. "Mr. Wang, you don't need to know who we are. You just need to know that we have a common enemy. The enemy of my enemy is my friend."

He left. The other person left too. Only Wang Jianguo was left in the conference room, along with the photograph on the table.

He picked up the photo and looked at Wang Jiaming's pale face. This was his elder brother's son, the future head of the Wang Group.

He couldn't let anything happen to him. He picked up his phone and dialed a number.

"Hello. It's me. Can you do me a favor?"

Military reclamation city, research institute. Ye Hai worked overtime until late at night. When he walked out of the research institute, it started to rain.

The spring rain was fine and dense, like cow's hair or flower needles. He didn't have an umbrella, stood at the door, hesitated for a moment, and then prepared to rush out.

"wait."

He turned his head. Aygul stood behind him, holding an umbrella in her hand.

Where are you going? I'll give you a ride.

"No need. I'll just run back."

"Run back? How will you go to work tomorrow if you get soaked? And do you still have to draw the turbine blades?"

Ye Hai paused for a moment, then smiled. Ayiguli opened her umbrella and walked to his side. The two huddled under one umbrella and stepped into the rain. The rain wasn't heavy, but the wind was cold. Ye Hai hunched his shoulders, and Ayiguli tilted the umbrella slightly towards him.

"Move over there a bit, don't get wet," Ye Hai said.

"You're a boy, are you sure you'll be okay getting soaked?"

"I'm a boy, I can withstand the cold."

Aygul laughed. "You really don't know how to talk."

Ye Hai didn't know what to say, so he kept quiet. The two walked on the path outside the research institute. The orange light from the streetlights shone on the wet ground, reflecting a soft glow.

Aygul's braids swayed gently in the wind, and the red hair tie stood out brightly under the light.

"Ye Hai," Aygul suddenly asked, "Do you have a girlfriend?"

Ye Hai's heart skipped a beat. "No."

"why?"

"No time."

Aygul looked at him, a slight smile playing on her lips. "Is it that you don't have time, or that you don't know how to pursue me?"

Ye Hai scratched his head. "Probably not."

Aygul laughed out loud. Her laughter carried far in the rainy night, like a string of silver bells.

Ye Hai watched her smile, and his heart fluttered again. He didn't know why he felt this way. He only knew that he wanted to hear her laugh more.

When she reached the dormitory building, Ayiguli closed her umbrella.

"We've arrived. You can go up now."

Here, take the umbrella.

"No need. I'll run back."

"You'll get wet if you run back."

"I'm a girl, I'll catch a cold if I get wet. You're a boy, you're resistant to the cold."

Ye Hai was stunned, unsure what to say. Ayiguli shoved the umbrella into his hand, then turned and ran into the rain.

Her braids swung in the wind, the red hair tie like a flame, particularly dazzling in the gray, rainy night.

Ye Hai stood downstairs, watching her figure disappear around the corner. He looked down at the umbrella in his hand—

A light blue umbrella with small white flowers printed on its surface. He folded the umbrella, tucked it under his arm, and went upstairs.

Back in his dorm, he sat on the edge of his bed and hung the umbrella on the coat hanger. He lay down, staring at the ceiling, his mind filled with those big eyes.

He tossed and turned, unable to sleep. He picked up his phone, wanting to message Aygul, but realized he didn't have her number.

He put down his phone and closed his eyes. The engine numbers popped up again, but this time, there was an extra line of text below them—

"You're a really interesting person."

He looked at the words and smiled. Smiling, he fell asleep.

The next morning, when Ye Hai arrived at the research institute, Ayiguli was already in the materials laboratory.

She stood in front of an electron microscope, observing the microstructure of an alloy.

She changed into a white lab coat, and her hair was still tied in a braid with that same red hair tie.

Ye Hai stood at the door, hesitated for a moment, and then pushed the door open and went in.

"Here's your umbrella from yesterday."

Aygul turned her head, looked at the umbrella in his hand, and smiled. "Put it on the table."

Ye Hai placed the umbrella on the table and stood to the side, unsure whether to leave or stay.

"Is there anything else?" Aygul asked.

No. That's all.

"Then what are you standing there for? Why don't you go draw your turbine blades?"

Ye Hai turned and left. Stepping out of the materials laboratory, he stood in the corridor and took a deep breath.

My heart is still beating fast, but it's much better than yesterday.

He returned to his workbench, sat down, and picked up his pen. This time, he drew a very straight line.

That night, Ye Hai worked late. When he left the research institute, the rain had stopped.

There were stars in the sky, densely packed, like someone had spilled a bag of loose silver. He stood at the door, looking at the stars, and remembered Ayiguli's laughter.

"Ye Hai".

He turned his head. Aygul stood behind him, holding two ice creams.

"Want to eat?"

"Where did it come from?"

"I bought it from the convenience store at the entrance. The owner said today is the last day of business, and they will close tomorrow. I bought one, and then I thought about it and bought another one."

She handed one to Ye Hai. Ye Hai took it and took a bite. It was strawberry flavored and sweet.

"Do you like strawberry flavor?" he asked.

"I don't like it. But only strawberry flavor is left."

Ye Hai was taken aback. "Then why did you buy two?"

"Because I wanted to treat you to a meal."

Ye Hai held his ice cream, unsure what to say. Ayiguli took a bite of her ice cream and frowned. "Too sweet."

"Then why are you still eating?"

"We've already bought it, it would be a waste not to eat it."

Two people stood at the entrance of the research institute, eating ice cream. The wind blew, and it was cold, but standing together, they felt less cold.

Ye Hai stole a glance at Ayiguli. The moonlight shone on her face, revealing her long eyelashes, high nose bridge, and a speck of pink ice cream on her lips.

He reached into his pocket, took out a tissue, and handed it to her.

"Wipe it off."

Aygul took the tissue and wiped her mouth. "Thank you."

"You're welcome."

After the two finished eating the ice cream, Aygul threw the wrapper into the trash can.

"Ye Hai, are you working overtime again tomorrow?"

"add."

"Then I'll add it too."

Ye Hai looked at her, and the little deer in his heart started pounding again. This time, he didn't let it run away. He took a deep breath and mustered his courage.

"Aygul, can I treat you to a meal? Not the cafeteria, but a restaurant outside."

Aygul looked at him and smiled.

"You've finally learned it."

Ye Hai was taken aback. "Learn what?"

"Learn to invite girls to dinner."

Ye Hai blushed, but he didn't lower his head. He looked into Ayiguli's eyes, those large eyes reflecting the moonlight, shining like two stars.

"So, will you agree or not?"

"promise."

Ye Hai smiled. His smile resembled that of a student who had finally solved a difficult problem, relieved yet with a hint of pride. Ayiguli watched him smile and smiled too.

The two stood at the entrance of the research institute, the moonlight shining on them, casting long, long shadows.

(To be continued) (End of this chapter)