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

However, it is also an obvious fact that the family has a weak financial foundation and limited resources.

That is why,

The First Ministry of Machine Building and the Second Ministry of Machine Building sound prestigious, but in reality, they have never been assertive enough.

Especially after the Canton Fair was established,

The light industry sector has performed even better, and its status has risen significantly in the past two years.

In contrast, the First Ministry of Machine Building

Because of the weak machine tool industry, too much equipment had to be imported, and the country was always at the mercy of others.

The Second Ministry of Machine Building focused on the defense industry, so its situation was slightly better.

After all, no one dares to underestimate that area.

As the leading department in the machinery and heavy industry sectors, the First Ministry of Machine Building naturally bore the greatest pressure.

But things are different now.

The high-end CNC machine tools independently developed are like a giant pillar that calms the sea, firmly held in the hands of the First Ministry of Machine Building.

This doesn't just solve the problem of "whether it exists" or not.

This also means that for a long time to come, we will have the dominant power in technology output.

foreseeable,

It is almost a foregone conclusion that the First Ministry of Machine Building will become the leader of the entire industrial system.

immediately,

Liu Guangqi continued speaking, his voice steady and firm:

"When the leaders came to conduct research..."

"I will focus on explaining the application prospects of CNC machine tools, and strive to enable more industrial sectors to use our own machine tools as soon as possible."

He paused briefly at this point.

Then, they dropped a bombshell that made Director Lin even happier:

"In addition, I have already drafted a preliminary plan for the mass production of CNC machine tools."

"I plan to wait until the ground thaws in the spring and then allocate another piece of land next to the Hongxing factory to build a dedicated CNC machine tool production workshop."

"As long as the personnel and materials are in place, mass production can begin immediately!"

really,

Upon hearing this, Director Lin immediately turned around and looked at Liu Guangqi.

good boy!

Mass production can be achieved so quickly?

After the initial surprise, the blush of excitement on Director Lin's face gradually faded, and his expression became serious:

"If the new workshop is built,"

"If the department needs ten CNC machine tools immediately after the New Year, how long would it take you to deliver them?"

……

It's no wonder that Director Lin asked that question.

The truth is, his office phone has been ringing off the hook with calls from colleagues these past few days.

Departments of various industrial systems

Even neighboring units within the Ministry of Machine Building came one after another, like cats that had caught a whiff of something.

Some people offer congratulations first, then subtly probe the question.

Some simply come directly to your door, half-jokingly saying: "If you don't give it to me, I'll take action"—the meaning couldn't be clearer.

Liu Guangqi tapped his fingertips on the table, finally drawing a neat horizontal line on the paper.

Okay—

If you don't do the math, you'll be fine, but once you do, you'll be shocked.

To repay this vast and complex network of favors, one would need to prepare the necessary resources, starting with ten CNC machine tools.

Ten units!

When that number popped into his mind, the veins on his forehead throbbed faintly.

After more than four months of intensive work, the research department finally managed to deliver the first prototype.

Ten units? When will we be able to repay them?

A knowing smile appeared on Liu Guangqi's lips.

They were all sensible people, and he understood the deeper meaning behind Director Lin's words.

He did not respond immediately, but remained silent for a moment, rapidly calculating in his mind the matching of the entire production chain with existing resources.

Then he held up three fingers.

Director Lin was taken aback, thinking he was going to say three years, and was about to ask if that period was too long—

Liu Guangqi's next words made him swallow his words:

"If the ministry can provide full support, the new machine tool workshop can be expanded to its full potential."

"I guarantee that all ten units will be in operation within three months."

"Three months?"

Director Lin stood there, stunned.

He witnessed firsthand how the research department had endured those four months: how many people had worked day and night for this one machine tool.

Now they're saying that ten units would actually shorten the construction period?

If he didn't know that Liu Guangqi always kept his word, he would have almost taken it as a joke.

Director Lin's expression suddenly turned solemn.

"Comrade Guangqi!"

"These words are a military order; you need to understand their weight."

His tone became more serious, not in a questioning tone, but in a warning.

……

"Director, please rest assured."

Liu Guangqi's expression remained unwavering, his gaze as calm as a rock.

"When building the first one, we started from scratch. We had to explore every step of the way. Four months is not a long time."

"But things are different now."

He paused briefly, a sharp glint of a craftsman flashing in his eyes:

"We've overcome the toughest initial stage, and now we have a ready-made industrial machine in hand."

"Using it to process parts for subsequent machine tools improves efficiency and precision by more than ten times compared to purely manual work."

Liu Guangqi continued his explanation in a calm tone, using the most straightforward method:

"Imagine, nowadays, the production cycle for a new machine tool can be reduced to half a month. After that, two machine tools can be running simultaneously—"

"If you build two more machines, you'll get four."

"In another month, all four machine tools will be running simultaneously..."

"Then there are eight more."

"Director, do your calculations? How long would it take to produce ten more units, given this snowballing increase in production?"

……

Director Lin took a deep breath.

Although he wasn't in charge of production, his "chicken and egg" logic was immediately clear.

Manufacturing is never a simple addition, but rather a process of doubling layer by layer, an exponential spread.

In the blink of an eye, he had a clear idea of ​​what was going on, and the ten machine tools seemed to be lined up and taking shape before his eyes.

"good!"

Director Lin nodded emphatically, the doubt between his brows vanishing, and a bright light shone in his eyes:

"Then it's settled! I'll personally oversee the workshop expansion."

"Regarding production, personnel, equipment, and policies—I will approach the minister to advocate for them and fully cooperate with you."

……

As Liu Guangqi stepped out of the director's office, he suddenly felt a sense of lightness throughout his body.

The setting sun streamed through the long windows of the ministry building, spreading a warm golden light across the floor. Soon after, the closing bell rang out.

He glanced at his watch; the hands were stopped at exactly 5:30.

In the past, this time of day would have been merely the prelude to him having a strong cup of tea and diving into the second half of his work.

But today, with the CNC machine tool project coming to an end, the tension that had been building for months has suddenly eased.

A strange emptiness washed over me.

He stood in the corridor, watching his colleagues hurriedly packing up their pens and papers and exchanging opinions, and suddenly felt like an outsider.

"Really..."

Liu Guangqi shook his head and chuckled.

It seems I was born with a restless body; when I'm idle, I feel uncomfortable all over.

Liu Guangqi just smiled and shook his head. He wasn't tired at all; he was clearly there to pick up his wife and take her home.

The crowd in front of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs building is gradually dispersing.

The atmosphere here is completely different from that of the Ministry of Machine Building—there are no dusty work clothes, and most of the people coming and going are dressed in crisp Zhongshan suits or simple Lenin suits, walking with ease and exuding a calm and composed temperament.

Before long, a familiar figure appeared on the steps.

Zhao Mengyun, carrying a briefcase, was walking side by side with a female colleague, talking quietly. Her gaze inadvertently swept across the doorway, and she suddenly stopped in her tracks.

Her colleague followed her gaze and couldn't help but laugh: "Meng Yun, is that your husband?"

Zhao Mengyun nodded, her eyes instantly lighting up, and the corners of her mouth unconsciously curving into a smile. She hurriedly said goodbye to her colleagues and walked briskly in that direction, almost running.

"Why are you up so early today?" Her voice was filled with undisguised joy.

"The project is finally over," Liu Guangqi said, stepping forward and naturally taking the briefcase from her hand. His fingertips touched her slightly cool hand, and he gently held it. "I can finally catch my breath. I thought you were busy too, so I came to pick you up on my way."

He paused, a smile in his eyes: "And while I'm at it, I'll give the leadership a update on the current situation."

The word "leader" warmed Zhao Mengyun's heart. As his closest relative, she knew better than anyone how busy her husband had been lately. Often, she would rush to the Ministry of Machine Building after get off work, bring him food from the canteen, and sit with him quietly at the table piled high with blueprints. Sometimes, watching his profile as he bent over his drawing, the focus on his pen moving across the paper, she felt that this companionship was a kind of peaceful sweetness.

On the way back, Zhao Mengyun turned her head, her eyes sparkling with curiosity: "Now let's report, Comrade Liu Guangqi—what were the project results?"

"It's done," he said in a casual tone, as if he were talking about an everyday matter. "The department has promoted him; he's now a level seven engineer."

Zhao Mengyun was taken aback. Although she didn't know the exact significance of an engineer's rank, she knew that such a level was close to professorship in universities. And he had only been with the First Ministry of Machine Building for less than two years…

"You're too..." She didn't know what to say for a moment, and couldn't help but take his arm.

It was rush hour, and there were still people lingering on the roadside. Several familiar colleagues noticed this and burst into laughter.

"Meng Yun, what's making you so happy?"

"This young couple has such a great relationship; it's truly enviable!"

The words carried a good-natured teasing tone. Zhao Mengyun's ears burned slightly—she hadn't understood these jokes before, but gradually she understood them from her female colleagues' casual conversations, and had even been teased by them several times. At this moment, she didn't let go, but simply leaned her face against Liu Guangqi's shoulder, smiled with pursed lips, and a faint blush rose on her cheeks.

That was a feeling of pride and joy welling up from the bottom of my heart.

Liu Guangqi found it somewhat amusing and touching, so he patted her shoulder lightly twice.

After a moment, Zhao Mengyun raised her face, but her hand was still on his arm.

The two walked side by side along the road.

Zhao Mengyun then inquired about CNC machine tools.

Liu Guangqi then explained things to her in a way that she could understand.

Let's start with the significance of the mother of industry.

Speaking of the level of precision this machine can achieve.

Furthermore, regarding how many difficulties we can overcome for the country's aerospace and shipbuilding industries in the future.

Zhao Mengyun listened intently, her eyes shining:

"You technologists are the backbone of the nation. With you supporting us, those of us in diplomacy can speak with more confidence."

Before long, the two had returned home.

Liu Guangqi rarely went into the kitchen, so she cooked two of her favorite dishes.

At dinner, Zhao Mengyun looked at him and couldn't help but smile:

"I always thought you only cared about work, but I didn't know you could cook too."

Liu Guangqi put down his chopsticks and smiled slightly:

"These days, it's rare to find someone who can't cook, right? What's so strange about me knowing how to cook a few dishes?"

Children from poor families mature early.

Although his family wasn't poor, they weren't so poor that they didn't even have to do any cooking.

Moreover, having lived through two generations, his craftsmanship is actually quite impressive.

After washing up, the two snuggled on the sofa, talking about their plans for the end of the year and the Spring Festival.

I'd like to go back to the courtyard house when I have some free time this weekend...

As they talked, the conversation turned to having children, and the atmosphere gradually softened.

Liu Guangqi said no more, picked up Zhao Mengyun and carried her straight to the bedroom.

Soft whispers soon filled the room.

That duet that belonged exclusively to them—

It didn't stop until late at night, which explains why her female colleagues were so envious.

The next morning, just as I was about to go to work.

Several Volga cars had already parked outside the research office building of the First Ministry of Machine Building.

Without exception, they all came for that high-precision CNC machine tool.

Leaders and experts from the Ministry of Light Industry, the Ministry of Metallurgy, the Ministry of Aerospace, the State Shipbuilding Corporation, and other units entered the room almost simultaneously.

In the corridor, the crisp sound of leather shoes tapping on the terrazzo floor mingled with hushed conversations, creating a lively atmosphere tinged with a tense anticipation.

Everyone's eyes were shining—a thirst and anticipation for new technologies.

They had only one purpose for this trip:

See this world-class CNC machine tool for yourself.

Director Lin personally greeted them at the entrance.

"Old Lin, that's not very nice of you. I thought it was just our Ministry of Light Industry coming to observe today. Are you deliberately making a scene to embarrass me?"

A loud voice rang out.