Courtyard House: Starting with a 28-inch motorcycle

They each had a thick stack of documents, all containing the technical points they had been assigned. During meals, no one touched their chopsticks; everyone was engrossed in flipping through pages, highlighting key points, and memorizing parameters and logic chains, all in an effort to etch the core principles into their minds as quickly as possible.

Wang Yutong's fingertips flew across the tablet, performing several calculations. Finally, she nodded and smiled: "The direction is right. Xiao Yao's idea of ​​a power system that can reach 4200 kilometers per hour can really be realized."

Within hours, Hayashi Mitsuki had figured out the optimal structural design for the Qualcomm axial compressor—commonly known as a "fan." It resembles a fan blade in shape and, as its name suggests, is the first force propelling airflow.

When the flight Mach number jumps to above 4, the pressurization function originally provided by the fan becomes almost ineffective; but more problematic is that the high-speed incoming air experiences a surge in temperature due to severe stagnation, directly threatening the survival of the fan itself. Therefore, if this engine is to push towards higher Mach numbers, a "fan retraction" mechanism must be pre-programmed—allowing it to automatically detach from the main airflow channel at critical moments.

It is driven by a turbine propelled by high-temperature, high-pressure gas ejected from a set of independent combustion chambers. This turbine not only outputs sufficient power to drive the fan, but more importantly, its intake state is almost unaffected by the flight attitude, making it remarkably stable.

We call this turbine airflow the "native airflow." The coordinated operation of the fan and turbine forces the front section of the engine to be designed as a tightly symmetrical axisymmetric structure, rather than a planar design—which undoubtedly creates considerable trouble for the integration of the entire aircraft with the spacecraft.

The mixer then comes into play, powerfully agitating the main airflow and the primary airflow, raising the overall airflow temperature and evenly dispersing any unburned fuel into the entire intake air, achieving efficient secondary combustion.

Even better, the original airflow can be deliberately configured to be fuel-rich – burning hot and with a controllable temperature, and then mixed with air to maintain strong thrust while keeping it firmly locked in a safe temperature range.

A month later, only Lin Siyue's side broke through first, finalized the blueprints, and immediately moved on to the actual machine verification stage.

They removed the old engine casing, embedded a new fan and turbine into the original frame, floored the accelerator, and closely monitored the thermal curve throughout the process, all to verify whether the new configuration could meet the safety requirements.

The acceptance criteria are very stringent: the actual temperature rise of the two components on the old platform must not exceed one-third of the original design value—after all, the power output of the old engine is less than one-third of the new target.

The results came in: when the fuel was exhausted, the actual temperature hadn't even reached one-fifth of the estimated value. Lin Siyue clenched her fist and made a crisp "V" sign to the sky.

Her job is done. All that's left is for Xiao Yao's team to finish the puzzle.

Lin Shiyue achieved a resounding success, and the others didn't fall behind for more than a few days. The new engine was quietly entering its final assembly phase, with no secrets being revealed throughout.

Xiao Yao and his team transported the assembled prototype to the laboratory overnight, preparing for the final test.

……

Currently, the actual level of domestic fighter jet power systems is not even as mature as that of heavy truck engines.

Cars have long since shifted to pure electric drive, completely ignoring the development of internal combustion engines; and the energy storage board that Xiao Yao's team developed far outperforms conventional batteries of later generations—its range on a single charge is consistently around 2000 kilometers, enough for several days.

But for aircraft engines, this was the first time they were really going to do something like this.

Foreign turbofan engines have already undergone several iterations, achieving excellent thrust-to-weight ratio, thermal efficiency, and lifespan; while we are still drawing line drawings and figuring out airflow patterns, fighter jet power remains a tough nut to crack.

Some of the current aircraft models still rely on old equipment provided by "Big Brother White Bear" in the early years, and their performance is already a generation behind.

When this project started, everyone was uncertain, as if they were wading through a river blindfolded.

A senior professor decided to invite Xiao Yao's team to lead the research—he'd heard that the young man was quick-witted and might actually be able to break through.

Then a series of problems arose. Xiao Yao repeatedly deduced, disassembled, and reassembled the principles in the space, thoroughly understanding the entire engine logic before daring to lead the team forward.

To outsiders, it was a completely different story: he had only been reviewing the materials for two days when he finalized the research path, key parameters, and verification points; if Ji Fengnan and the others hadn't participated in similar projects, they probably wouldn't even understand the terminology—after all, different professions are like different worlds. Xiao Yao was like a lamplighter, first illuminating a path so everyone could follow the light and move forward. Once they had the data, understanding the principles was naturally much faster.

As for the obstacles such as the fan, compressor, and combustion chamber, Lin Miyue provided textbook-level solutions almost as soon as the question was raised.

This saved a lot of trial and error time and replaced countless scrapped parts.

A month and a half later, the parts of the new engine became increasingly shiny with wear, the framework gradually took shape, and the outline became clear.

Professors from neighboring projects rushed over to see what was going on—who wouldn't want to see their own kid's creation?

In less than two months, they completed the entire process from paper to prototype, a speed that is astonishing.

Upon hearing the news, several highly respected senior experts immediately put down their work and rushed to the testing room to witness this historic moment.

Even several top-level scientists who were on vacation at the Lop Nur base made a special trip to see this rapidly growing group of promising young talents.

As the "father of missiles" and the pioneers of the two bombs slowly walked into the laboratory, Xiao Yao's heart trembled and he almost slipped—it was not an illusion, but a profound sense of awe.

Compared to the years they endured, the pressure they faced, and the monuments they built, my achievements are truly insignificant.

"Start the test."

Lin Siyue's voice was clear and bright, and the entire room fell silent instantly.

All eyes were fixed on the engine. A deafening roar exploded, and everyone's shoulders relaxed—being able to ignite the engine was the first step in a long journey.

"Keep pushing!"

Before she could finish speaking, the engine roared even louder, the sound pounding against her eardrums.

The applause erupted immediately, so enthusiastic it almost lifted the roof off.

Everyone stared intently at the monitoring screen—all readings glowed a stable green light, everything was normal.

These instruments were all personally debugged, calibrated, and packaged by them, specifically designed for scientific research safety.

After hearing the introduction, the senior engineers immediately decided: We'll use this system for future experiments! The interface is intuitive, the logic is clear, and everyone can understand it.

An hour and a half later, the fuel ran out, and the roar came to an abrupt end.

The applause was louder, longer, and more enthusiastic than before.

Looking at this group of bright-eyed, straight-backed young people, the old professors smiled warmly.

As they grow older, they sometimes sigh that they are "not up to the task," but the group in front of us is young, sharp, and full of energy—the responsibility for the country's aerospace and defense will be firmly taken over in the coming decades.

Hope, right before our eyes, was now a tangible reality.

Old Qian walked slowly to Xiao Yao and the others.

"You are welcome to visit our institute anytime. We have a lot of cutting-edge technologies waiting for you to unlock."

Old Qian patted Xiao Yao and the others on the shoulder one by one, his hands firm and powerful, as if knocking on doors leading to the future.

"I also welcome you to visit my laboratory at any time to work together to deduce, brainstorm, and refine."

Professor Deng smiled, his eyes crinkling, his tone warm yet weighty.

Xiao Yao and the others felt a surge of warmth in their hearts, their fingertips trembling slightly—although they could be considered rising stars in the industry, these people in front of them were truly exemplary figures who wrote their dissertations on the blue sky of their motherland.

"I will definitely pay a visit to learn from you; I will never come empty-handed!"

Xiao Yao's voice shone brightly, his words brimming with barely suppressed excitement.

The most pressing task for the fighter jet design engineering team right now is to adapt the entire aircraft to this brand-new engine. With the physical prototype in hand and all test data archived, the real test has only just begun.

They have to keep a close eye on every set of operating parameters and repeatedly verify the stability and durability under extreme conditions.

After another fifteen days and nights, all the engine's performance indicators finally met the standards, and the experimental loop was completed.

The turbo-ramjet combined power system has shown astonishing performance in real-world tests: fighter jets equipped with this engine have a maximum level flight speed that is nearly four times faster than current main fighter jets—this is not a numbers game, but a generational leap.

After multiple rounds of rigorous verification, the project was officially declared a successful completion. All technical documentation was immediately transferred to the arsenal for preparation for mass production.

On the day the research and development project concluded, Xiao Yao and his team were invited to a celebration banquet at the military region. The air was filled with a long-lost sense of relaxation and burning joy.

Several elderly leaders with silver hair circled the engine again and again, their eyes burning with intense intensity.

The air force commander leaned down for a closer look, then suddenly turned to Xiao Yao, his voice low but extremely deep: "This palm-sized 'iron lump,' how many times have we suffered in silence in the air over the past few years? Xiao Yao, is yours really tougher than the one currently in service with the US military?"

Xiao Yao straightened his back and answered decisively: "I dare not claim it to be perfect, but in terms of overall performance, it currently has no rivals in the world."

The veteran leaders reached out and gently stroked the cold outer shell, their fingertips trembling slightly, their lips moving as if whispering. Xiao Yao, standing a little further away, could only hear a few scattered words: "...strong staying power...deep foundation..."

"If the external intelligence is true, this engine is not just running alongside, it's leaving the entire engine in the dust."

Qian Wentao took over the conversation, his tone resolute. He was intimately familiar with the aircraft system and was even more convinced that Xiao Yao's team was taking solid steps, climbing one by one towards the top of the world—and the civilian sector had already quietly proven it: from high-speed rail bearings to medical imaging equipment, China's intelligent manufacturing was tearing off the "follower" label.

"As long as the heart is strong enough, the plane won't be bad!" The air force commander laughed, slamming his hands heavily on Qian Wentao's shoulders twice. "This time, you've really removed the nail that was holding us back!"

Caught off guard, Qian Wentao shrank his shoulders, grimaced, and rubbed them, causing everyone to burst into laughter.

"Take it easy! This is a designer's brain, not a raw recruit on a training exercise!" The old marshal saw it at a glance and joked loudly.

The Air Force Commander immediately stopped, repeatedly saying, "I'm ashamed, I'm ashamed." Qian Wentao waved his hand and said, "It's alright, I'm tough, I can handle it."

The old marshal became serious: "You still need to train your bodies. Scientific research is mental work, but it's even more physically demanding. You young people should run and do pull-ups with your comrades in the army more often, and don't let the keyboard wear down your spirit."