Courtyard House: Starting in a Ceramics Factory

"From now on, this project will be classified as a state secret."

That short sentence was like a bombshell, exploding in Li Feng's mind.

His hand holding the bowl of porridge paused slightly in mid-air, and the expression on his face froze.

State secret project!

He knew the weight of those five words better than anyone else.

This is no longer a simple technical research project, but has risen to the level of national strategy, representing the highest level of attention and the strictest confidentiality requirements.

He originally thought that the ministry only regarded this project as a key project, but he never expected that its level of importance would be so high.

And the handover must take place today.

The speed was simply too fast, which made Li Feng somewhat incredulous.

Then Li Feng looked at Deputy Director Zheng with some surprise and said.

"Isn't this... a bit too fast?" Li Feng put down his bowl, his voice carrying a hint of seriousness he himself didn't realize. "I just finished handing over my work to Director Zhu yesterday, and today..."

He felt an unprecedented pressure.

This pressure comes not only from the technical difficulties, but also from the weighty trust placed in them by the nation.

“Fast?” Deputy Director Zheng shook his head, looking at him seriously. “Xiao Li, not fast at all. Time waits for no one! The international situation is changing rapidly. We are still constrained by others in many cutting-edge fields. If we don’t catch up now, we will be left even further behind!”

"Moreover, your project is related to our country's industrial technology."

His voice wasn't loud, but it reached Li Feng's ears clearly in the noisy cafeteria, every word resounding.

"Our top leaders have a long-term vision and have already seen the core position of computer technology in the future development of industry, national defense, and even the entire society. We must not only do this project, but do it quickly and do it well! We must create something of our own!"

Deputy Director Zheng's eyes gleamed with a burning light, a burning desire for a strong and prosperous nation.

Li Feng was deeply moved by this emotion, and a fire ignited in his heart as well.

Yes, he possesses technology far ahead of this era, isn't it all for the sake of enabling this country and this land to stand tall as soon as possible and no longer be subject to others?

"I understand, Director Zheng." Li Feng nodded heavily, the last trace of hesitation in his eyes turning into determination.

"Good to know." Deputy Director Zheng smiled with satisfaction, picked up the last bun, stuffed it into his mouth, and finished it off in a few bites. "Come on, after you finish eating, I'll take you to see someone."

"Meeting whom?"

"Minister Jiang."

Li Feng's heart skipped a beat again.

Minister Jiang, the highest-ranking official in the Ministry of Light Industry!
Although he had seen him in the past two days, Li Feng was still quite excited to see him again.

Deputy Director Zheng led Li Feng through the cafeteria and directly to the top floor of the main building.

When Minister Jiang's secretary saw Deputy Director Zheng leading Li Feng over, he simply nodded, then gently knocked on the door and whispered a report.

"Come in." A deep and steady voice came from inside the door.

Deputy Director Zheng pushed open the door, gesturing for Li Feng to follow.

The office was spacious, but decorated very simply. There was a large desk, several sofas for guests, and a huge bookcase that took up an entire wall.

Minister Jiang was processing documents at that moment.

Seeing that Minister Jiang was processing documents, Deputy Director Zheng did not hesitate. He then walked up to Minister Jiang and respectfully greeted him.

"Minister Jiang, Comrade Li Feng has arrived."

Upon hearing this, Minister Jiang put down his pen and looked up.

His gaze was piercing, and when it fell on Li Feng, it seemed to see right through him.

Li Feng immediately stood up straight, feeling a little nervous, but mostly respectful.

"Minister Jiang, hello."

"Yes, Li Feng, you've reported for duty. That's good!" Minister Jiang's voice was calm, yet it carried an aura of authority without anger.

He stood up and slowly walked out from behind his desk.

Unlike Deputy Director Zheng, he wasn't enthusiastic. He simply walked up to Li Feng, looked him up and down, and his deep eyes held a scrutinizing gaze, but also a hint of barely perceptible approval.

He reached out and gently patted Li Feng's shoulder.

The hand was broad and powerful, and when it patted his shoulder, Li Feng felt a weight as heavy as a mountain.

"Do a good job." Minister Jiang looked into Li Feng's eyes and said, word by word, "The computer automation project is crucial to the future industrial development of our country. You have a heavy responsibility on your shoulders."

He paused, then changed the subject, lowering his voice even further.

"This project is not only highly valued by the ministry, but it has also now attracted the attention of the leaders of the Beijing Ocean University."

boom!
Li Feng's mind went completely blank, as if struck by lightning.

Gyeonggi Sea!
Those three words represent the core of the highest power in this country!

He never dreamed that a project he proposed would attract the attention of people at that level!
At that moment, he truly understood what Deputy Director Zheng meant by "tight schedule and heavy workload".

This is no longer just a departmental project, but a strategic mission that carries the will of the nation and the expectations of the highest levels of government!
After the initial shock, an unparalleled sense of mission and responsibility surged into my heart like a tide.

Li Feng's breathing became somewhat rapid. He straightened his chest, met Minister Jiang's gaze intently, and solemnly said with all his might, "Please rest assured, Minister Jiang, and please rest assured, leaders!"

"I, Li Feng, will do my utmost and give my all to ensure the mission is completed!"

His voice was strong and clear, echoing in the quiet office.

This is not just a slogan, but a young technical cadre's most solemn commitment to the country.

Minister Jiang looked at the burning flame in the young man's eyes and nodded in satisfaction.

He didn't say anything more. Sometimes, a look or a gesture is enough to convey a thousand words.

He trusted his own judgment and Zheng Guowei's recommendation.

This young man named Li Feng possesses a composure and sharpness beyond his years, which are precisely the qualities most needed for this pioneering project.

“Okay, I trust you.” Minister Jiang withdrew his hand and turned to Deputy Director Zheng, saying, “Guowei, take him to the project site and make sure he hands over all the work as soon as possible. If he needs any support, report directly to me.”

"Yes, Minister!" Deputy Director Zheng answered, standing at attention.

As Li Feng left Minister Jiang's office, his steps felt unsteady, and the words "Gyeonggi Sea" were still echoing in his mind.

It wasn't until he got into the black sedan that Deputy Director Zheng had summoned that he slowly calmed down.

The car drove out of the Ministry of Light Industry building and, instead of heading towards the city center, turned towards the western suburbs.

The buildings along the way became fewer and fewer, and the poplar trees on both sides of the road stretched endlessly.

"Director Zheng, where are we going?" Li Feng couldn't help but ask.

“Project site.” Deputy Director Zheng looked out the window and explained, “For the sake of secrecy, the project team’s offices and R&D facilities are located in a separate compound in the western suburbs, with a sign that reads ‘Third Guesthouse of the Ministry of Light Industry’.”

Li Feng nodded, understanding dawning on his mind.

This is standard practice for maintaining secrecy in this era. The car drove for another half hour before stopping in front of a seemingly unremarkable gate.

There were no sentries at the gate, only a security guard in a blue uniform who immediately opened the iron gate upon seeing the license plate.

As the car entered the courtyard, Li Feng saw a gray two-story villa. The style was very ordinary, and the walls were even a bit mottled. Several tall sycamore trees were planted around it. When the autumn wind blew, the fallen leaves covered the ground, making it look particularly tranquil.

From the outside, it really does look like a guesthouse that hasn't received any guests in a long time, as ordinary as can be.

But when Deputy Director Zheng led him to push open the heavy wooden door of the small villa, the scene before him made Li Feng's pupils shrink sharply.

In stark contrast to its old-fashioned exterior, the world inside the building seems to have stepped into another era.

The spacious hall was completely opened up and transformed into a huge work area.

The floor was covered with anti-static rubber flooring, and rows of brand-new fluorescent tubes on the ceiling illuminated the entire space as bright as day.

Dozens of researchers, dressed in white overalls and wearing glasses, were busily working.

Some were debugging rows of tall server racks, their indicator lights flashing and emitting a soft "humming" sound; others were gathered around a huge blueprint, discussing something intensely; still others were carefully laying rolls of cables along the cable trays in the corner of the wall.

The air was filled with the distinctive smell of new equipment, slightly hot from electronic components.

"How is it?" Deputy Director Zheng looked at the surprised expression on Li Feng's face and smiled smugly. "This is the 'heart' of our project."

He pointed to the huge server racks that were being installed and said, "These are the Ural series computer parts that we imported from Big Brother through various channels. The hardware team is currently assembling and debugging them, but progress... is not going very smoothly."

Li Feng's gaze swept over the server racks, and his brows furrowed slightly.

With his professional eye, he immediately saw the problem.

The layout and wiring connections of these server racks are unreasonable in many ways, which not only affect heat dissipation but also cause serious signal interference.

"In addition to hardware, we have also drawn a group of top talents in mathematics and physics from major universities and research institutes to form a software and theoretical team. Professor Fei Wei is leading the team, but he is still in the computer research institute for handover and will not be able to arrive until tomorrow." Deputy Director Zheng introduced as he walked with Li Feng.

They walked through the bustling lobby to the other side of the first floor, where it was divided into several separate offices and laboratories.

"This is the power supply room. To ensure the stable operation of the computer, we specially imported two high-power voltage regulators from the West. Of course, since this is a temporary project, these were borrowed from the Ministry of Industry."

"That's the archives room, which contains all the literature and materials on computer technology that we can find, mostly in Russian and English."

"The second floor has the researchers' offices and lounges. The conditions are a bit basic, but they have everything you need."

Deputy Director Zheng described every plant, tree, brick, and tile here with great familiarity.

Li Feng could sense how much effort this old leader had put into this project.

This place is like his child; he knows every detail inside and out.

After the tour, Deputy Director Zheng led Li Feng back to the center of the hall.

He clapped his hands, and the crisp applause drew everyone's attention.

"Comrades, everyone stop what you're doing and come over here for a moment!"

The busy researchers stopped what they were doing and curiously gathered around. Their eyes were all focused on the unusually young figure next to Deputy Director Zheng.

Among the crowd were elderly professors with white hair, as well as young talents of similar age to Li Feng. They were all elites drawn from all over the country, each carrying a touch of the pride that comes with being a technical professional.

They looked Li Feng up and down, their eyes filled with doubt and confusion.

"Who is this? So young!"

"I don't know, he looks like a recent college graduate."

"Director Zheng brought them personally; they're probably new interns, right?"

Quiet whispers arose from the crowd.

Deputy Director Zheng cleared his throat, and after everyone quieted down, he solemnly announced in a loud voice, "Comrades, let me introduce myself to you."

He turned to the side and reached out his hand to Li Feng.

"This is Comrade Li Feng."

"Starting today, he will officially succeed me as the head of our computer automation project!"

As soon as this statement came out, the whole place was in an uproar.

Everyone was stunned, as if they had heard something unbelievable.

"What? The person in charge?"

"Are you kidding me? How old is he?"

“Director Zheng, this…isn’t this ridiculous? Our project is so important, how can we let a young upstart lead it?” An elderly professor, who looked to be in his fifties and wore thick glasses, couldn’t help but raise his concerns on the spot.

His words immediately drew a chorus of agreement.

"Yes, Professor Wang is right! It's not that we're disobeying the organization's arrangements, but there has to be an explanation, right?"

"Does he understand computers? Does he know what logic circuits are or what binary algorithms are?"

Immediately, doubts and discussions arose one after another.

The entire hall was like a kettle being boiled over, instantly becoming a boiling cauldron.

Despite the agitated crowd, Li Feng remained calm and composed, showing no sign of panic.

He had expected this situation.

It would be abnormal for a 21-year-old to lead a group of experts and scholars with an average age of over 40, all of whom are industry leaders, not to be questioned.

Deputy Director Zheng's face darkened, and he was about to reprimand him, but Li Feng stopped him with a look.

He knew that at this point, any explanation would be futile.

Authority is not bestowed by others, but earned through one's own efforts.

Looking at Li Feng's calm eyes, Deputy Director Zheng felt a slight unease, but ultimately swallowed his words.

He took a deep breath, raised his voice again, and said in an unquestionable tone, "This is the decision of the Party Committee of the Ministry, and also Minister Jiang's personal appointment!"

"From this moment forward, Comrade Li Feng will be fully responsible for all matters related to the project, including the formulation of technical routes, the allocation of personnel, and the use of funds. His orders are my orders, and everyone must obey them unconditionally!"

After saying that, he turned to Li Feng and solemnly said to him, "Little Li, from now on, this place is officially in your hands."

He handed Li Feng a set of keys and a thick work log.

That key was the key to all the rooms in this courtyard.

They are heavy, representing a transfer of power and, more importantly, the inheritance of responsibility.

Li Feng took the keys and logbook, and nodded heavily to Deputy Director Zheng and everyone present.

He didn't make any grand pronouncements, nor did he rush to defend himself.

He simply swept his deep, confident eyes across everyone present.

He knew that from this moment on, the real test had just begun.

He might have some reputation in the mechanical field, but he had no name recognition in the computer industry, so Li Feng's first task was to integrate the team. (End of Chapter)