Reborn in 1950: Shorting the Federal Reserve at the Start

The afterglow of the setting sun was like a thin layer of gold leaf, pasted on the frozen surface of Beihai Lake.

Lin Qinghan stared at the "circle" lying in Shen Jinghong's palm.

It was indeed a circle, silvery-white, with a cold, metallic sheen. But it was neither gold nor platinum, and it wasn't set with any sparkling diamonds. Its surface was engraved with extremely intricate, fine patterns; the inner circle was smooth as a mirror, while the outer circle had a precise, serrated structure.

To someone unfamiliar with the craft, it would simply appear to be a finely crafted industrial part.

But Lin Qinghan understood.

She stretched out her finger, her fingertip gently touching the cold metal surface, her voice trembling with disbelief:

"This is... a turbine bearing?"

"This is the core bearing of our first domestically produced turbojet engine, the inner ring of the main bearing."

Shen Jinghong looked at her, his smile almost overflowing. "The material is the hardest piece we picked out from our batch of special steel. I spent the whole night in the workshop yesterday, and I scrapped three cutting heads before I finally produced this finished product."

He extended his hand forward, his tone revealing the stubbornness and pride unique to engineering students:

"Diamonds are just carbon; they turn to ash when burned. But this stuff is different."

"It can withstand temperatures of 1,000 degrees Celsius and speeds of up to 20,000 revolutions per minute. As long as the engine doesn't explode, it will never break down."

"Just like us."

Shen Jinghong paused, a rare hint of shyness appearing on her face, yet she added with utmost seriousness:

"Although it's a bit stiff and not very attractive, it's... durable and long-lasting."

Lin Qinghan chuckled.

That smile instantly melted away her previously aloof demeanor, making her as radiant as a winter plum blossom, so beautiful that it was impossible to look away.

She reached out her hand, but instead of extending her ring finger like most couples would, she extended her thumb.

"Give it to me, Director Shen."

Shen Jinghong was taken aback, then realized what was happening and carefully put the "bearing ring" on her thumb.

It's a bit big.

It would definitely fall off if slipped on a slender ring finger, but when slipped on a thumb, it looks like a majestic silver thumb ring, exuding a unique heroic spirit.

Lin Qinghan raised her hand and waved it at the setting sun.

The thumb ring, representing the highest level of industrial technology in China, gleamed with a hard and brilliant light under the sunlight.

"Is this considered a token of love?"

She turned her head, looking at Shen Jinghong with a half-smile, "Using core components of a national key project to curry favor with a female subordinate, Director Shen, wouldn't you call that... abusing your power to have a relationship?"

"How can this be considered an abuse of power?"

Shen Jinghong puffed out his chest confidently and took the hand with the "ring" on it, holding it tightly in his palm:

"This is called state allocation."

"I belong to the country, and so do you. We're together for the better construction of socialism, to cultivate the next generation of successors for the Shenzhou Bureau. This...this is a political mission assigned to me by the organization!"

"loquacious."

Lin Qinghan glared at him reproachfully, but instead of pulling her hand away, she gripped his hand even tighter.

The warmth of palms touching was even hotter than the winter sun.

Just as the pink bubbles on the two of them were about to overflow.

A rustling sound suddenly came from behind the artificial hill not far away, followed by a suppressed chuckle.

"Who?!"

Shen Jinghong's eyes sharpened, and he instinctively shielded Lin Qinghan behind him, his other hand already reaching for his waist.

"No, no, no! Chief! It's me! Don't shoot!"

Chen Weiguo, his head covered in dry straw, awkwardly emerged from behind the artificial hill. Behind him followed two young soldiers with guard rifles slung over their shoulders and beaming smiles.

These people actually kept following us!

"Chen Weiguo!"

Shen Jinghong was so angry her teeth itched. "Are you a rat? You've got an addiction to eavesdropping, haven't you? Believe me or not, I'll dock your pay!"

"I'm innocent, Chief!"

Chen Weiguo looked aggrieved, pulled out a neatly folded red-headed document from his pocket, and handed it over like a treasure:

"I'm acting under orders to protect him! Besides, Marshal Nie even gave his approval!"

"An instruction?"

Shen Jinghong took the paper with a puzzled look.

Lin Qinghan also curiously came over.

On the ordinary letter paper, a line of large, vigorous characters was written in fountain pen, the force penetrating the paper; it was clearly Marshal Nie's own handwriting:

**[Instructions Regarding the Personal Issues of Comrades Shen Jinghong and Lin Qinghan:]**

**[Dating approved! Get married soon! Aim for two children within three years, and give the country a little scientist! This is hereby approved!]**

At the end of the document, there was a bright red personal seal.

"..."

Shen Jinghong and Lin Qinghan exchanged a glance, and their faces instantly turned as red as monkey bottoms.

This is way too...too straightforward, isn't it?

"See, I wasn't lying, was I?"

Chen Weiguo chuckled and waved to the soldiers behind him, "What are you all standing there for? Salute your wife!"

"Hello, sister-in-law!"

The two young soldiers snapped to attention and roared so loudly that they startled passing tourists.

Lin Qinghan finally lost her temper and wished she could disappear into the ground. She pinched Shen Jinghong hard, then lowered her head and walked towards the park entrance.

"Hey! Wait for me!"

Shen Jinghong glared at Chen Weiguo, "I'll deal with you when we get back!" Then she scurried after him.

Although he felt a bit lost, his heart was as sweet as if it were filled with honey.

This is a nationally certified, official announcement!

From now on, who will dare to call him a single dog? He's an "organized top-tier potential partner"!

The atmosphere on the return trip was exceptionally warm.

Lin Qinghan kept rubbing the bearing ring on her thumb, and the smile on her lips never faded.

"A stunning sight."

She suddenly spoke, her voice soft, "After this battle is over, shall we go and get our marriage certificate? We must carry out Marshal Nie's orders."

Shen Jinghong's grip on the steering wheel tightened suddenly.

He turned his head and looked at the woman beside him whose eyes were full of longing. His heart warmed, and he was about to agree.

But next second.

The battle map hanging on the office wall flashed into his mind, along with the dense array of red and blue arrows.

The battle reports from the front lines are not optimistic.

Although the Chinese People's Volunteer Army achieved great victories in the first two campaigns, driving the Americans back to the 38th parallel, those were, after all, surprise attacks.

Americans have now realized this.

Although the once-arrogant MacArthur was stunned, once the Pentagon's massive war machine was running at full speed, its counterattack would be devastating.

"Sparse and cold".

Shen Jinghong suppressed her smile and gradually reduced the car's speed.

His gaze became deep and solemn, like a bottomless lake:

"Getting the marriage certificate is a certainty; you can't escape it for the rest of your life."

"But...our honeymoon might have to be postponed."

"Why?" Lin Qinghan keenly noticed the change in his emotions, and her smile gradually faded.

"Because the US won't let this go."

Shen Jinghong stared at the dark road ahead, his voice low and menacing:

"They suffered such a huge loss and lost so many lives on the front lines. Knowing the nature of those Anssa bandits, they're bound to launch a fierce counterattack."

"As far as I know, they are mobilizing strategic air power in preparation for indiscriminate carpet bombing of our supply lines."

"and……"

Shen Jinghong paused, a cold glint flashing in his eyes:

"They're bringing over the B-29 Superfortress. Those are huge machines that can drop atomic bombs."

"This battle is not over yet."

Lin Qinghan remained silent.

She gripped the bearing ring tightly in her hand; the cold metal ring, however, gave her immense strength at that moment.

"I'm not afraid."

She looked up, her eyes resolute. "What do you need me to do?"

Shen Jinghong parked the car on the side of the road, turned around, and looked at her.

"We need a new weapon."

"A weapon of mass destruction that can terrify Americans at the mere sound of it and completely crush their counterattack on the battlefield."

"Artillery barrage alone is not enough; we need even more intense and brutal firepower."

He stretched out his hand and made an explosion gesture in the air:

"I want to turn the entire battlefield into a sea of ​​fire. Let them know that angering the Chinese nation has... very serious consequences."