Courtyard House: I'm an engineer, and a fairy godmother transferred me to a different position.

Liu Guangqi's heart sank slightly—wasn't he going to the director's office?

This is quite a sight...

Wang Jianguo's words, "It should be a good thing," flashed through his mind, and his heart skipped a beat.

Follow the secretary upstairs

The corridor was silent. He occasionally ran into a few familiar colleagues, who all stopped and nodded to him with smiles.

In that gaze—

There was praise, inquiry, and a touch of indescribable envy.

During this time,

The news that Hongxing Chuanghui Machinery Factory had made great strides in the international market and brought back large sums of foreign exchange for the ministry had already spread throughout the entire organization.

The name Liu Guangqi

Today, within the First Ministry of Machine Building, they have almost become synonymous with "technical heroes."

The secretary gently pushed open the dark wooden door to the conference room, and an air filled with a mixture of faint tobacco scent and an invisible pressure. Liu Guangqi looked up and paused slightly.

Four people sat in the room, all with composed demeanor, clearly high-ranking officials in the ministry. At the head of the table was a composed elder, his gaze calm yet seemingly piercing. To his left were his direct superior, Director Lin, and Director Zhang of the Personnel Department, who had recruited him years before. To his right was an unfamiliar face; the rank indicated by his epaulets seemed even more imposing than that of Director Lin and the others.

Director Zhang of the Personnel Department was also present... Liu Guangqi had a vague premonition.

"Comrade Guangqi, please come in and have a seat."

Director Zhang was the first to stand up, his face filled with undisguised approval. He strode over to him and patted him hard on the shoulder.

"Good lad, you've given us another pleasant surprise!" He laughed heartily. "I told you before, my eye for talent is never wrong."

This friendly gesture eased the previously solemn atmosphere in the room.

"Director Zhang, you flatter me. It's all thanks to the excellent guidance of all the leaders." Liu Guangqi bowed slightly and carefully sat down on the chair at the side, only touching half of the chair.

The fact that the head of the Personnel Department is personally present suggests that today's events are anything but ordinary.

Director Lin smiled and shook his head when he saw that the man's back was straight and his expression was reserved.

"Relax, I didn't call you here today to interrogate you." He spoke in a friendly tone, then became serious and gestured towards the head of the table, "This is Vice Minister He from our First Ministry of Machine Building."

Liu Guangqi's mind suddenly went blank.

A vice minister? A leader of that rank, usually only seen in internal announcements and document headings, actually showed up in person today…

Director Lin continued, "This is Director Zhou next to me. He's also here today to meet you—a key figure in the ministry's foreign exchange earnings efforts." He paused briefly, then bowed slightly to Vice Minister He, "Sir, please give me your instructions."

Vice Minister He, dressed in a neat uniform, possessed a sharp yet gentle gaze. He picked up the documents before him and spoke calmly:

"Comrade Liu Guangqi."

"First of all, on behalf of the Ministry of Machine Building, I would like to fully affirm your work at the Hongxing Chuanghui Machinery Factory—especially the rice cooker project you led the research and development of, which not only broke through the foreign technology blockade but also earned considerable foreign exchange earnings for the country."

"The ministry will always remember this contribution."

Liu Guangqi immediately stood up: "Vice Minister He, this is my duty, and it cannot be done without the support of the ministry and the joint efforts of my colleagues in the factory."

"Sit down and talk," Vice Minister He gestured, his tone carrying a hint of appreciation.

"It's good that young people know how to be humble, but their achievements should not be overlooked. In our industrial development, we need comrades like you who combine technical skills, innovative thinking, and a pragmatic spirit."

He paused briefly, leaning slightly forward.

"The ministry has always valued incentivizing meritorious personnel. After discussion and decision by the ministry committee..."

"Given your outstanding performance in technology research and development, production advancement, and international market expansion, your technical level has been specially adjusted—"

"Promoted from Level 9 Engineer to Level 8 Engineer".

Level 8 Engineer.

Despite having a vague premonition, the powerful impact of hearing those words uttered by the deputy minister still sent a jolt through him.

What does being a Level 8 engineer mean in the Ministry of Machine Building?

That's a high level of recognition in the technical field, a benchmark that countless peers strive for. From level nine to level eight, the standard process requires at least five years of dedicated work and significant technological achievements. Many predecessors have devoted half their lives to achieving just this threshold before retiring.

He had only been officially working for a year and a half.

This is not simply breaking the rules—it almost completely reshapes the established rules.

"Comrade Guangqi," Director Zhang beside him chuckled as he noticed Guangqi's dazed expression, "come back to your senses."

The moment the brand-new certificate was handed over, the tense atmosphere in the conference room seemed to be gently broken by a mild joke.

"Comrade Lin, isn't this comrade in our department just too happy to be out of control? The leader's hand is going to be raised for a while." The voice was tinged with laughter, but it made everyone present relax.

Director Lin's face flushed, and he reached out to pat Liu Guangqi's shoulder, his tone revealing undisguised satisfaction: "This kid, he just has that focused spirit. Before, some people said he was too young and weak to shoulder heavy responsibilities—but look at him now? Isn't everything he's done a response to those doubts?"

Vice Minister He smiled and handed the deep red certificate to Liu Guangqi: "Keep it safe. This is not just an honor, but also a responsibility."

Liu Guangqi's fingertips trembled slightly. He quickly extended both hands and respectfully accepted the certificate. Holding it in his hands, he felt a weighty presence. On the brand-new red cover, the gold-embossed national emblem gleamed softly under the light. Turning to the inner pages, the photo was still that slightly youthful face, but the words "Level 8 Engineer" printed in the title section seemed to carry warmth, making his heart burn.

"Comrade Liu Guangqi," Vice Minister He's tone turned solemn, "your technological achievements have opened up a new chapter for us, a chapter that can create valuable foreign exchange resources for the country. Currently, we are still constrained by others in many areas. The ministry expects you to maintain this momentum and widen this breakthrough even further—to truly fight for our own industry!"

Liu Guangqi abruptly raised his head, a surge of heat rushing from his chest to the top of his head. He took a deep breath, bowed respectfully to the three leaders, and said, "Please rest assured, leaders! I, Liu Guangqi, will never let down the trust and training of the ministry. I will do my utmost to make further progress in technological breakthroughs and foreign exchange earnings!"

"Okay." Vice Minister He nodded in satisfaction.

Director Lin immediately replied, "Save your determination for when you get back. Now that you've received the certificate, the benefits for an eighth-level engineer will be implemented. Go back and keep working hard!"

Shortly afterward, broadcasts rang out in the corridors and various departments of the Ministry of Machine Building:

"Distinguished leaders and comrades, this is a personnel adjustment notice from within the Ministry: Comrade Liu Guangqi of the Research Division of the General Machinery Department of our Ministry has been promoted to Level 8 Engineer due to his significant contributions to technical work."

After the first broadcast ended and a brief silence followed, the same voice rang out again.

Everyone in the entire Ministry of Machine Building, from the office building to each department, was stunned for a moment upon hearing the broadcast.

Level 8 engineer? Another promotion without prior recognition?

As expected of Liu Guangqi—his skill level has improved again.

However, upon hearing the news, no one in the department was surprised; on the contrary, everyone felt it was only natural. The achievements of Hongxing Chuanghui Machinery Factory in recent days were evident to all. In the past, some might have secretly envied them, imagining when they too could receive a promotion and commendation from the department. But now, Liu Guangqi had leaped to become an eighth-level engineer, a height that was unattainable for most ordinary administrative cadres.

When the broadcast came on for the third time, the news, like a boulder thrown into a still lake, definitively confirmed its truth.

Almost at the same moment, the loudspeaker at Hongxing Chuanghui Machinery Factory also blared. The announcer's tone was filled with barely suppressed excitement and pride:

"Dear leaders and colleagues, this is an internal personnel announcement: Comrade Liu Guangqi, our factory's chief technical engineer, has been promoted to Level 8 engineer due to his significant contributions to technical work!"

The factory's announcements were even more direct, classifying Liu Guangqi as "our factory's chief technical engineer."

In an instant, all the workshops fell silent. The machines that had been roaring just moments before seemed to have been brought to a complete halt, and the workers stood frozen in place, still clutching wrenches or spare parts, their eyes all turning toward the small office of the technical department.

His eyes held surprise and astonishment—which ultimately transformed into burning reverence.

Chief Engineer Liu... is actually an eighth-level engineer!

Whether they were seasoned veterans who had worked in the factory for many years or young apprentices who had just joined, they all suddenly realized that Chief Engineer Liu, who was usually so gentle and approachable, actually carried such weight.

Level 8 engineer – that's a peak that many people look up to.

Wang Jianguo, who was on patrol there, saw this and laughed, raising his voice:

"Everyone, let's calm down first! We can congratulate Engineer Liu after get off work. Right now, we're busy with tasks, so we can't slack off."

His words brought the workshop back to life with bustling activity. Once production was back on track, Wang Jianguo walked over to Liu Guangqi, his voice tinged with emotion:

"Now that you've been promoted to level eight, once your secondment ends and you return to the ministry, the deputy director position is practically guaranteed."

He knew perfectly well that, let alone himself, even the factory director would have to show deference to an eighth-level engineer. Moreover, even without this status, Liu Guangqi was no ordinary person.

Although he held the title of deputy factory director, his salary was still calculated based on the administrative level 15; while Liu Guangqi's salary alone was close to his income, not to mention the hidden benefits.

Especially during these difficult times, eating and drinking are the most important things.

Wang Jianguo had privately calculated that his food allowance as deputy factory director was less than the one or two ounces of meat and eggs that Liu Guangqi rationed daily—enough to make two and a half plates of meat dishes.

Liu Guangqi had no interest in such comparisons. He glanced down at his watch; the hands were just landing at the end of the workday.

"I don't have much to do today, I'll head out first." He smiled at Wang Jianguo, who was still sighing.

"So rushed?" Wang Jianguo immediately understood, a teasing look appearing in his eyes. "Are you going to pick someone up?"

I've arranged to meet Xiaoyun to buy some things.

"Great! You're busy with national affairs during the day, and then you take care of your family after get off work. You manage to do both perfectly. Go on, go on!"

The guards at the entrance of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs building were already familiar with Liu Guangqi's appearance. Seeing him leaning against his bicycle waiting, they simply nodded and smiled, without approaching to ask any questions.

People come and go on the street, and occasionally a young female office worker will still glance at him—his face is so striking that even if she knows he is already in a relationship, it is hard not to take a second look.

Not long after, Zhao Mengyun finally appeared from inside the building.

Her gaze swept through the crowd and landed on him, and the weariness of the day seemed to vanish instantly. No further words were needed between them.

"Let's go." She nimbly sat in the back seat, her hand naturally resting on his waist.

The wheels rolled forward along Chang'an Avenue, and the evening breeze brushed past my side, bringing a refreshing coolness.

"Xiaoyun, I have something to tell you."

"Um?"

"I got promoted again today."

Zhao Mengyun paused slightly, then smiled: "Level 8 Engineer?"

"The rice cooker and induction cooker projects, coupled with the factory's impressive foreign exchange earnings, led to a comprehensive review meeting at the ministry, which then directly promoted them."

Zhao Mengyun's smile deepened. To be honest, she wasn't surprised by the news. These days, the name of Hongxing Chuanghui Machinery Factory was frequently mentioned even within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; everyone understood that Liu Guangqi's promotion was only a matter of time.

She just hadn't expected this recognition to come so quickly and so steadily.

"With your promotion rate, how can anyone else compete?" Her voice held an undisguised pride. "In two years, will I have to call you Director Liu when I see you?"

"That's not right." Liu Guangqi chuckled as she looked ahead. "You should call him husband."

Zhao Mengyun felt a heat rise to her ears and gently punched his back, but she didn't use much force.

The afterglow of the setting sun spilled over the eaves of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' gray brick corridor, gilding the tall figure with a pale gold. Zhao Mengyun gazed at the handsome profile of the young man beside her, a smile unconsciously curving her lips.