Courtyard House: Starting with a 28-inch motorcycle

Seeing his confidence, the professors didn't bother arguing. Either way, they were all working to cultivate talent for the country; it didn't matter who mentored them. Good prospects were sought after by everyone.

As soon as the afternoon class ended, Professor Chen kept the four of them behind.

He had prepared several sets of basic experiments that were only introduced to senior students, and planned to strike while the iron was hot and let them touch the instruments and get their hands on the real equipment in advance.

The four felt a warm glow in their hearts, a mixture of gratitude and eagerness to try.

"Teacher, I've thought through these experimental procedures several times, so I should be able to get the hang of it. Or... should I go to the lab and show you the whole thing first?" Qian Wentao blurted out, his eyes shining.

Xiao Yao, who had never done this kind of hands-on practice before, immediately perked up and turned to follow. The other two classmates also lifted their feet almost simultaneously—who wouldn't want to personally adjust the oscilloscope, connect the circuit, and observe the interference fringes as soon as possible?

Four young people aspiring to dedicate themselves to science yearn for the lab bench as fish long for fresh water.

Professor Chen hesitated for a moment: "I haven't even formally explained these points yet, and you dare to make a move?"

Fearing he might act rashly, I added, "The worst thing in scientific research is to be boastful; you have to take it one step at a time to stand firm. I know you've done some small experiments at home, but the waters in a university lab are much deeper than the beakers on your balcony."

Qian Wentao grinned, full of confidence: "Don't worry, teacher. I know the steps better than I do multiplication tables; besides, I've disassembled and reassembled no less than twenty optical platforms, so I have a feel for it."

Professor Chen looked at his enthusiasm, but shook his head slightly in his heart—young man, no matter how good you are at theoretical discussions, you will never understand what "error", "noise" and "repeatability" are until you stumble a few times.

He nodded readily: "Okay, let's go to the lab now. You demonstrate, and I'll watch."

Although there weren't many experiments in the first year, the difficulty level suddenly increased, moving directly from the verification-based operations of high school to the inquiry-based threshold.

Professor Chen has always believed that physics is not something you memorize, but something you hone little by little by tightening screws, connecting wires, monitoring data, and adjusting parameters. Books are just maps; hands-on experience is the way to get there.

He originally did not intend for Qian Wentao to do all of them at once, but only picked two topics that had just been explained in theory and had not yet been put into practice—such as nonlinear resistance current-voltage characteristic mapping and coarse adjustment and fringe interpretation of the Maxson interferometer.

As soon as the task was assigned, Qian Wentao rolled up his sleeves and began preparing the instruments with practiced ease, tightening screws, adjusting the optical path, and connecting the meter—all in one smooth motion.

Xiao Yao and the other two held their breath, their eyes fixed on his every move.

After recording the data and drawing the curves, Qian Wentao even wrote a neat and proper experimental summary.

"These techniques...were they taught to you by your parents?" Professor Chen asked casually.

Qian Wentao was writing a reflection with his head down. Upon hearing this, he simply nodded slightly, his pen still moving.

……

Professor Chen turned around and glanced at the other three: "Don't just watch the show, why don't you try it yourselves? If you get stuck, I'll be there to help you out."

Without further hesitation, the three took turns practicing under Professor Chen's watchful eye. Although not as skilled as Qian Wentao, their thinking was clear, their operations were standardized, and their records were detailed, with each step hitting the mark perfectly.

Professor Chen nodded as he read, the wrinkles around his eyes smoothing out.

He smiled and advised, "Study hard, and feel free to ask questions. Don't be afraid to ask silly questions; there are no silly questions in physics, only questions that haven't been asked."

Xiao Yao thought for a moment and replied seriously, "I basically finished studying the textbooks from last semester on my own. When you explain it in class, I treat it as a review; in my spare time, I often go to the library to look up cutting-edge popular science and classic introductory texts, and to digest the concepts in depth."

Professor Chen was taken aback, then his eyes lit up—this child had quietly devoured the entire book of "University Physics (Volume 1)"!

The other three were in similar situations: some carefully read excerpts from Feynman's lectures, some redid the general physics problem set, and some even began to consult the original English laboratory manuals.

Professor Chen felt a surge of warmth in his heart: these kids weren't forced to learn, they threw themselves into it; they weren't avoiding difficult problems, they chased after them.

He immediately dissected the minor errors Qian Wentao had made in his operation, and then led Xiao Yao and the other two to redo the remaining experiments one by one. He thought to himself: the more steps I take with them, the sooner they become skilled, the sooner they can support the country.

This time, the three of them operated with precision and accuracy, their steps were flawless, and even the most meticulous details stood up to scrutiny.

Professor Chen stood to the side, suddenly feeling a burning sensation in his chest—

These are not four students, but four hearts that are naturally in harmony with the laws of physics, people who were born to stand in front of the experimental table, guard piles of data, and run after light and force.

Finally, he patted the lab table and said in a clear voice, "Qian Wentao, you four, from now on, when you have fewer classes on weekends, just come here to report. I'll give you a preview of the lab classes next semester; you're also welcome to observe and lend a hand with some of the projects I'm currently working on."

Upon hearing that they could enter the laboratory, the four of them immediately brightened up and their breathing became slightly lighter.

The long-awaited laboratory bench is finally no longer separated by a glass window.

"Thank you, teacher!" the four said in unison, their voices clear and loud.

Not only them, but other students in the class were also "selected" by different professors one after another - after all, students who were specially admitted were labeled as "outstanding in a certain aspect" when they entered the school.

Extra tutoring, targeted guidance, and access to the laboratory... all these preferential treatments are aimed at helping them grow and mature into pillars of society more quickly.

Even Su Man became a hot commodity in the eyes of the foreign language department teachers. Every few days, they would invite her over to exchange ideas. She tried to avoid it twice, but in the end, she was cornered at the stairwell and forcibly dragged away.

She turned around and yelled at Xiao Yao, "I'm a Chinese literature major, and I'm being dragged to the foreign language department every day to revise translations and proofread annotations. What kind of job is this?"

Wang Yutong sighed, rested her chin on her hand, and said, "Teachers in China really teach with their hearts and souls. But abroad? Professors can't even be bothered to ask if you've handed in your assignments. Asians living abroad often face 'polite neglect'—they're polite on the surface, but nobody really treats you like a colleague. I don't know what they're so desperate to do to go abroad. Anyway, from the day I came back, I was determined to settle down here."

He lived abroad with his family during his childhood, and those experiences of joy and sorrow were etched into his very bones.

Ji Fengnan leaned against the window, raising an eyebrow at Qian Wentao: "I don't know what others think, but I'm determined not to leave. But the exchange student quota has been released, and our class has a high chance of getting one. Aren't you going to think about it?"

"Not considering it." Qian Wentao waved his hand decisively, his brows furrowed slightly, and even the corners of his mouth were taut.

Ji Fengnan then turned to Xiao Yao and said, "Xiao Yao, if you sign up, you're sure to succeed. You have a strong foundation in foreign languages ​​and a quick mind."

Xiao Yao shook his head, his tone calm yet resolute: "I've never even considered it. I want to dedicate the rest of my life to this land and do something meaningful."

Su Man smiled and replied, "Your class needs every single one of you! Every single one of you is a top student, and upon graduation, you will be the backbone of the nation."

The results for the gifted class have just been posted—they're last, yet still score more than twenty points higher than the top student in another class. This exchange student program is clearly aimed at them.

Wang Yutong shrugged: "I'm definitely not leaving. My parents made it clear: our ancestors are buried here, our bloodline is here, why should we seek recognition on someone else's territory?"

Ji Fengnan suddenly sat up straight, his eyes shining brightly: "To be honest, I really want to see what foreign space launch sites are like—not to look up in awe, but to memorize how every screw is tightened and every pipe is laid. I'll learn it thoroughly, bring it back, and build a spacecraft that's more stable, faster, and farther-reaching than theirs!" He paused, scratched his head, and added, "...Of course, there's a high chance I won't be able to go. So, we have to put in all our effort and forge our own path."

The other four stared at him intently, as if they were looking at a sparrow that had suddenly started talking about physics.

"Ahem, let me reiterate—" Ji Fengnan said seriously, "I'm not going anywhere. I'll just stay here and keep drawing our own rocket base blueprints, inch by inch."

"Where's Su Man?" Wang Yutong asked, turning her head.

"I'm the same as Xiao Yao, I don't have that kind of thought." Su Man turned her head to the side, her gaze falling on Xiao Yao's face, her smile gentle.

—Everyone silently finished their bite of dog food, quickly lowered their heads to eat, and pretended they hadn't heard anything.

Time flew by, and the day for the list to be announced arrived in the blink of an eye. The gifted class received zero applications, while the Foreign Languages ​​Department submitted a thick stack of materials, ultimately securing only two spots.

Xiao Yao and his friends didn't even glance at the notice. They were riding their bikes to Jingdefu Roast Duck Restaurant—they'd eaten too quickly last time and hadn't even had a chance to savor the duck skin. This time, Xiao Yao had once again topped the class's food rankings, and the other three immediately started teasing him, forcing him to treat them.

The five of them ordered four plump ducks as soon as they entered the store: Xiao Yao and Su Man shared one, while the other three each carried one. Oil glistened on their fingertips, sauce clung to their lips, and their laughter clattered against the porcelain plates.

"All-you-can-eat roast duck, and we'll book the whole movie!" Wang Yutong waved five tickets in her hand, the corners of which were still warm from her body.

Four old bicycles carried the teenagers as they leisurely rode towards the movie theater in the molten gold of the sunset.

On July 1st, the train station platform was shrouded in sweltering heat. Xiao Yao and Su Man stood by the tracks, waving goodbye to Wang Yutong, Ji Fengnan, and Qian Wentao. Summer vacation had arrived, and the students, eager to return home, clutched their tickets and rushed towards the door at the station entrance that led home.

"When I return to school, I'll bring you frozen pears and pine nut candy from Northeast China!" Wang Yutong hugged Xiao Yao tightly, and before she finished speaking, she turned around and quickly entered the waiting hall.

The other two patted Xiao Yao heavily on the shoulder and then turned to merge into the crowd.

In the sweltering heat of the capital at the end of June, Xiao Yao's newly tailored Dacron shirt was crisp and refreshing—sent from Northeast China by Lin Wan, with fine stitches, all sewn by her own hands.

Su Man, wearing a light blue long dress with the hem slightly lifted by the wind, took Xiao Yao's arm as they boarded the bus. The two planned to sit in the park first, enjoy the evening breeze, and then stroll home slowly.

"I heard the college entrance exam is on July 20th, and the number of applicants is even higher than our year." Su Man looked up at the clouds outside the window.