Reborn in 1977, I will no longer be my brother's blood bag.

Three days later, Lao Yan came to the research institute again.

I didn't ride a bicycle this time.

The Dongcheng factory sent a small truck with two baskets of freshly pressed parts in the truck bed.

Old Yan jumped out of the passenger seat, clutching his notebook. Before he could even steady himself, he shouted to the gatekeeper, "Is Lin Xiuhe here?"

The gatekeeper frowned, taken aback by his words.

"A research institute is not a vegetable market."

"I brought the results."

"Register before submitting results."

Old Yan pointed to the truck bed and explained matter-of-factly, "The good and the bad are all in the basket. How can you tell the difference if they're not put together?"

The security guard peeked out and counted.

"Do you really need two baskets to see the difference?"

"That's all that's been pressed out; we can't just turn it back out."

As the two were arguing, Lin Xiuhe came out of the building.

Old Yan's eyebrows shot up, and he quickly went to greet him, clutching his notebook.

"I drove for four hours yesterday and it didn't break down."

"What about the voltage?"

"It's still low in the afternoon. It can hold up after we shift away from the large punch press."

He spoke with great enthusiasm, flipping through his notebook and pointing to each page.

"Electrician Ma stayed there for three days, even bringing his meals to the distribution cabinet. Factory Director Qian moved a chair next to him, and Ma had to ask permission before he could go to the toilet."

The gatekeeper chuckled.

Did your factory's electrician make a mistake?

Old Yan curled his lip.

"Whether he made a mistake or not is another matter, but he's been quite well-behaved for the past three days."

The records are much neater than last time.

The time for powering on, which devices to use at different times, and the voltage were all marked out with a ruler.

Two lines of crooked text were added to the last page.

The press has resumed low-load production.

The list of candidates for winter coal replenishment has been approved.

Lin Xiuhe turned over there and looked up.

"Was the coal taken back?"

"I'll be at the factory tomorrow."

Old Yan squatted down beside the truck bed, picked up a freshly pressed metal part, and couldn't hide his smugness.

"This batch can be delivered at the end of the month. Factory Manager Qian asked me to inquire when the technical cooperation will proceed."

Engineer Zheng happened to be coming out of the building.

"The documents were just sent, and you're already urging me to submit them?"

Old Yan immediately straightened up a bit, and half of his previous arrogance disappeared.

"Dozens of people in the factory are watching me. If I go back empty-handed, they can block my office door."

Engineer Zheng took the record, flipped to the last page, and a slight smile appeared on his lips.

"This time it's finally written decently."

Old Yan took a half step closer.

"Is that person still going?"

Engineer Zheng tucked the notebook under his arm.

"Let's go upstairs first."

Zhao Wenbo and Li Mingyuan were sitting in the deputy director's office.

Two sets of feedback were placed on the table.

The deputy director was drinking tea when he saw them come in, and he pushed the enamel mug aside.

"The Dongcheng factory is open?"

"It took four hours yesterday."

"Where's the goods?"

"We'll restore part of it first, and it should be ready to be submitted by the end of the month."

The deputy director tapped his knuckles on the notebook, then turned to Zhao Wenbo and asked, "Is the equipment application team still short-staffed?"

Zhao Wenbo sat by the window and reached out to take the record.

He flipped through the pages quickly, and when he saw the page about afternoon voltage, he raised an eyebrow slightly.

"lack."

"Last time you said, 'Don't send students to the site yet.'"

Zhao Wenbo closed the notebook and leaned back in his chair.

"Stuffing things in haphazardly is definitely not acceptable."

The deputy director looked at him.

"And now?"

"Having someone like that on-site is better than just holding blueprints."

The deputy director couldn't help but laugh.

"You have to insult everyone before you can praise them."

Zhao Wenbo remained expressionless.

I'm stating the facts.

Li Mingyuan, sitting across the table, looked up, a slight smile playing on his lips.

The deputy director pushed the two opinions onto the table.

Li Mingyuan's paper stated the research and design direction.

Lin Xiuhe's paper was about equipment application.

A new line was added at the end:

Graduates will be accepted in principle, and will first participate in technical collaborations at the North City Plant and East City Plant with the project team.

The deputy director pointed to that line of text.

"The job application process is still pending. For now, we'll prepare in this direction."

Lin Xiuhe nodded.

"it is good."

"Also, when the factory asks about funding, production stoppages, and the scope of renovations, come back and report. Don't agree to anything outside."

"Know."

The deputy director then took out a accommodation preference form from the drawer.

"Fill it out first. Bed availability is not guaranteed; we'll schedule you based on your actual placement."

Lin Xiuhe took it.

"Any bed will do."

Zhao Wenbo's brow twitched.

"She works at the factory for half the month, so she doesn't need a bed."

The deputy director grabbed a ball of scrap paper from the table and threw it at him.

"Stop making arrangements for the personnel department."

The paper ball missed and landed at the doorway.

Old Yan, who was outside the door, just happened to peek half his head in.

"Deputy Director, about our factory's collaborative project—"

The crumpled paper rolled to his feet.

Old Yan immediately pulled his head back.

"I'll wait a little longer."

As soon as the door closed, everyone inside laughed.

At noon, Li Mingyuan accompanied Lin Xiuhe to express her intention to stay at a hotel.

When I returned, the canteen only had steamed buns and cabbage soup left.

He bought two steamed buns and handed one to her.

Lin Xiuhe took it.

"Didn't you have something to say?"

Li Mingyuan held the meal ticket, looking somewhat awkward.

"Do you remember?"

"You've mentioned it several times."

He brought over a bowl of cabbage soup and found a table against the wall.

After sitting down, he first pushed the soup towards Lin Xiuhe.

"Engineer Zheng gave me a document on joint training."

"You want to report it?"

"think."

Li Mingyuan broke open the steamed bun and flattened the edge with his fingertip.

"The equipment application team will be going to the factory more often in the future. The research team is more stable in Beijing, and the conditions are better."

Lin Xiuhe took a bite of the steamed bun.

"Are you trying to persuade me to change direction?"

"I can't persuade them."

He gave a self-deprecating smile.

Once you've made up your mind, nothing can change it.

"Then why did you say it?"

Li Mingyuan raised his head.

He was smiling just now, but now his eyes have turned serious.

I want you to be closer to me.

Suddenly, the sound of rice scoops hitting bowls came from the cafeteria window.

The cook yelled at the top of his lungs, "Whose bowl hasn't been cleared away? Return it to your table when you're done eating!"

Li Mingyuan was interrupted by this shout, and a look of helplessness appeared on his face.

He waited until things calmed down before speaking again.

"Lin Xiuhe, I like you."

He spoke slowly, his gaze fixed on her face.

Just as Lin Xiuhe was about to speak, he raised his hand first.

Don't answer today.

Why?

Li Mingyuan glanced at the steamed buns and cabbage soup on the table and gave a wry smile.

"This meal was too meager. I don't want to remember it as just a bowl of almost cold cabbage soup."

Lin Xiuhe looked at him.

He pushed the soup bowl towards her again, his tone returning to its usual gentleness.

"Eat first. After all, I bought the steamed buns."

In the afternoon, Lin Xiuhe went to the training center.

A truck was parked in the yard, ready to depart.

Zhou Zhiyuan stood beside the truck bed, checking the equipment list.

He would read out a number, and the person next to him would mark it on their notebook.

As he finished reading, a crease appeared between his brows.

"One wooden crate is missing."

My colleague had a long face.

"Do we have to search the warehouse again?"

"It's in the account book, but not in the car. It'll be even more troublesome once we're out the door."

He handed over the list.

"Find it before you go."

After making the arrangements, he came over to Lin Xiuhe.

The cuffs of his old cotton-padded jacket were stained with machine oil, and his eyes had bluish tinges from staying up all night.

"How's the Dongcheng factory?"

"The machine was started up first. The research institute told me to go to the equipment application group after graduation."

A smile slowly spread across Zhou Zhiyuan's face.

"That's good. Staying in the factory is more comfortable than sitting in an office."

"Where are your materials?"

"The director signed it."

"Did your former employer release you?"

Zhou Zhiyuan pulled a folded train ticket out of his pocket.

"Let me go back first. I need to hand over my position and equipment records before we discuss the transfer."

"When are you leaving?"

"Tomorrow morning."

"How long will it take?"

"It's hard to say."

He spoke casually, but the crease between his brows remained.

The wind in the yard blew up a few pieces of waste packaging paper.

Zhou Zhiyuan bent down, picked it up, and stuffed it into the cardboard box in the corner.

When he walked back, he took out the dormitory key from his other pocket and placed it in Lin Xiuhe's palm.

"Keep this for me."

"Bring it yourself."

"If I take it back, people will think I'm not coming back."

Lin Xiuhe held the key that still carried his body heat.

"You've submitted all the materials, so of course you have to come back."

As Zhou Zhiyuan looked at her, the weariness between his brows gradually faded, and the corners of his mouth slowly curved upwards.

"Did Li Mingyuan come to see you today?"

"I've looked for it."

"What did he say?"

"You want to know?"

"think."

He answered quickly, without beating around the bush at all.

Lin Xiuhe put the key into her cloth bag and turned to walk out.

Zhou Zhiyuan followed for two steps.

"When will you tell me?"

"We'll talk when you get back."

"Who should we go back to?"

Lin Xiuhe turned her head and slightly raised her eyebrows.

"Otherwise what?"

Zhou Zhiyuan stood there, unable to suppress his smile any longer.

"OK."

Someone on the other side of the truck shouted at the top of their lungs:

"Zhou Zhiyuan, the box has been found!"

He turned and ran a few steps, then turned back.

Don't lose your keys.

Lin Xiuhe patted the cloth bag.

"Come back and get it soon."