78: Bringing his wife and children to Harbin Institute of Technology

"What are you afraid of?" Ye Bingwen grasped her hand. "You got in based on your own merit."

The two knocked and entered. Inside the office sat a retired cadre in his fifties, with gray hair and reading glasses, reading a newspaper.

"I'm Zheng Shuyun, the new guy reporting for duty."

The veteran cadre raised his head, his gaze swept over her, then looked at Ye Bingwen beside him, his brows furrowing slightly.

What is your educational background?

"High school graduation."

"High school graduate?" The veteran cadre frowned even more. "The work in the propaganda department requires a certain level of education. Can you, a high school graduate, handle it?"

Ye Bingwen's heart sank. Just as he was about to speak, Zheng Shuyun spoke first: "Director, I've loved writing since I was a child, and I've even written propaganda articles for the commune in the village. I will definitely study hard and do my job well."

The veteran cadre looked at her for a few seconds. "Alright, three months on probation first. My name is Sun Desheng, and I'm the head of the publicity department. Your workstation is over there; go and get ready."

Zheng Shuyun breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you, Section Chief Sun."

Sun Desheng glanced at Ye Bingwen. "Are you her lover?"

"Yes, Ye Bingwen, a freshman in the Department of Mechanical Engineering."

Sun Desheng said "Oh" and turned back to his office.

Ye Bingwen helped Zheng Shuyun tidy up her workstation, knowing full well that Section Chief Sun had a prejudice against Zheng Shuyun, and things probably wouldn't go too smoothly for her in the future.

"Shuyun, you can do it," he said softly. "Show them what you're made of and make them look at you with new eyes."

Zheng Shuyun nodded vigorously.

On Zheng Shuyun's first day in the propaganda department, Sun Desheng gave her a hard time.

"Arrange this pile of old newspapers by date and write a table of contents. Give it to me before you leave work."

The pile of newspapers was almost half a person's height. Zheng Shuyun didn't complain; she squatted down and began to sort them.

When Ye Bingwen came to pick her up, she was still working hard, her forehead covered in sweat, but her eyes were bright.

"Almost done." She sped up.

Sun Desheng took the table of contents she had written, glanced at it, and said, "The handwriting is alright. But the propaganda department isn't just about handwriting. Finish reading these newspapers and write me a reflection on your learning tomorrow."

Zheng Shuyun only showed signs of exhaustion after leaving the publicity department.

"He thinks I got in through connections and looks down on me," she said with a wry smile.

"Then prove him wrong with your skills."

Zheng Shuyun smiled, "That's what I think too."

That night, after An'an fell asleep, the couple each went about their own business under the lamp. Ye Bingwen drew blueprints for a brushless motor, while Zheng Shuyun wrote her learning reflections.

"Bingwen, what do you think I should write?"

"Write about what you're best at. You've personally witnessed the benefits of the household responsibility system in the countryside, an experience that others haven't had."

Zheng Shuyun's eyes lit up, and she picked up her pen to write.

The next day, she gave her findings to Sun Desheng. Sun Desheng put on his reading glasses and looked at them, his expression changing from nonchalant to surprised.

"Did you write this reflection yourself?"

"I wrote it."

Sun Desheng was silent for a moment. "Your writing style doesn't seem like that of someone who just graduated from high school. But it's not enough to just write well; you still have a lot to learn."

Although the attitude was still lukewarm, it was noticeably more accommodating than yesterday.

For Ye Bingwen, his double degree studies officially began.

The two majors combined require 42 class hours per week. Cai Xun felt a pang of heartache looking at the schedule, "If you find it too tiring, you can choose fewer courses."

"It's alright," Ye Bingwen said.

He knew in his heart that the real challenge was not the academic pressure, but how to present the knowledge from his previous life in a reasonable way without making a fuss.

In his "Principles of Machinery" class, Zhang Guangyuan discussed gear transmission efficiency. Ye Bingwen knew a more precise calculation method, but it was a theory proposed in the 80s. He could only pretend to arrive at a conclusion through thought, cautiously offering hints.

Zhang Guangyuan was a very perceptive person. After class, he called Ye Bingwen to his office.

"Tell me the truth, where did you learn your mechanical knowledge from?"

Ye Bingwen was prepared. "I've liked taking things apart since I was a child. Later, I found some old books in the village, including a Soviet 'Mechanical Design Handbook' and an English book on mechanical vibration. I learned from them myself."

"Old books?" Zhang Guangyuan didn't believe it, but he had no evidence to refute it. "If you could really learn to this level on your own, you'd be a genius. But even geniuses need a solid foundation."

"I understand, Professor Zhang."

Days passed. Ye Bingwen taught classes during the day, worked on brushless motors at night, and spent weekends with his wife and children. Zheng Shuyun was also becoming more and more competent in the publicity department, and Section Chief Sun's attitude changed from disdain to recognition, even starting to involve her in important articles.

An'an is growing up day by day. She has gone from only being able to crawl to being able to walk while holding onto the wall, and she can say more and more words.

Everything is moving in a positive direction.

But Ye Bingwen knew that the real challenge was yet to come.

Brushless motors require funds and equipment; where would a poor student like him get them? An'an's milk powder only lasts for another half month, and they haven't even gotten the milk powder coupons yet.

Just when he was worrying, an opportunity arose.

That afternoon, Ye Bingwen was tinkering with old parts in the laboratory when Ma Kui suddenly rushed over.

"Bingwen, something's happened."

Ye Bingwen's heart tightened. "What's wrong?"

"It's not a bad thing," Ma Kui said, panting. "The school is going to hold a school-wide assessment exam in math, physics, and chemistry, and all freshmen have to participate. Principal Liu said that the first place winner will receive a hundred yuan reward, plus an 'Outstanding Freshman' certificate."

One hundred yuan! Back then, a worker's monthly salary was only thirty or forty yuan. This amount of money was enough for An'an to eat milk powder for half a year.

When is the exam?

"Next Monday."

Ye Bingwen clenched his fist. "I'm determined to take first place."

Ma Kui's expression was somewhat strange, as if he wanted to say something but hesitated.

"Teacher Ma, is there anything else?"

Ma Kui lowered his voice, "I have some news to tell you. This exam isn't just for freshmen; several upperclassmen and graduate students have also signed up. It was a last-minute decision by Principal Liu, who said it was to 'test the teaching results of each grade.'"

Ye Bingwen frowned.

"And..." Ma Kui hesitated for a moment, "Someone in the academic affairs office said that your score of 493 was just luck, that you came across an easy question. This diagnostic test will expose your true colors."

"Who said that?"

"I don't know yet. But one thing is for sure, someone doesn't like you." Ma Kui patted him on the shoulder. "Bingwen, the taller the tree, the more the wind will blow. Be careful in this exam."

Ye Bingwen squinted.

Is someone trying to expose his true colors?

Let's give it a try.

Just as he was about to speak, he suddenly caught sight of a drawer in the corner of the lab bench.

There were his drawings of brushless motors.

The drawer lock had been pried open.

He abruptly pulled open the drawer, flipped through a few pages, and his face instantly darkened.

"What's wrong?" Ma Kui leaned closer.

Ye Bingwen didn't speak, his finger slowly tracing lines on the drawing.

Two pages are missing.

The schematic diagram of the most critical control circuit is missing.