Back to the 80s Machinery Factory

Chapter 536 I Want to See Shaolin Temple with My Partner

Bai Xiaofan said softly, "To be honest, I draw part diagrams and calculate structural mechanics every day. The most common thing I do is help the teacher revise the plan."

As she said this, she deliberately took a sip of her wine, but her eyes inadvertently glanced at Chen Luyang, her smile a mixture of reproach and coquettishness:

"Unlike you guys, you can produce results all the time. I'm embarrassed to even mention my little work."

Song Liaosha slammed her hand on the table, laughing so hard she almost shook herself: "Oh my, you call that 'not enough'? That's aerospace engineering! If someone in our class could actually design parts for a satellite, wouldn't that elevate the reputation of our No. 1 Middle School in the Machinery Factory to the heavens?"

Bai Xiaofan smiled gently, her eyes glistening: "I wouldn't dare say it's going to be lifted into the sky, but we are indeed making auxiliary supports for rocket engines, which have much higher requirements than ordinary mechanical parts. The teacher said that if even one data point is slightly off, the entire structure could be scrapped."

Her voice wasn't loud, but she deliberately spoke softly, drawing the attention of everyone at the table.

Zhu Xinghuo whistled: "My goodness, this is much more stressful than preparing ingredients at our restaurant! If you make a mistake, it's not just a dish that will be lost, it's an entire satellite!"

The crowd roared with laughter.

Chen Luyang also gave a thumbs up: "Amazing! This is a top-notch undertaking in our country. All of ours are just small-scale operations, but your profession can truly change the face of the country."

Bai Xiaofan smiled and gently touched the rim of his wine glass.

Since graduating from high school, she and Chen Luyang have exchanged no more than five sentences in total.

At last year's youth poetry recital, she cried backstage because Chen Luyang didn't hand her a bottle of soda, which made her classmates comfort her for a long time.

Unexpectedly, today, because of her major, she and Chen Luyang actually had a serious conversation at the dinner table.

Bai Xiaofan said softly, "How can you say such a big thing? We're just doing our job."

After saying that, she looked up at Chen Luyang, her eyes seemingly seeking approval, or perhaps testing something.

Chen Luyang happened to be looking at her as well, his expression calm and a polite smile on his lips:
"Being able to enter aerospace laboratories is quite remarkable in itself."

His tone was flat, neither distant nor overtly ambiguous, as natural as when he spoke to other classmates.

Bai Xiaofan was slightly taken aback. She thought she could see some lingering feelings in his eyes, but she only saw sincere and pure encouragement.

At that moment, she didn't know what to say, so she lowered her head, swirled her wine glass halfway around, and softly replied, "Mm."

Niu Jiangang, who was standing next to him, couldn't help but interject: "Alright, alright, you two, stop being so serious!"

"Come on, let's have another drink. Let's each achieve something in our own fields in the future!"

He immediately enlivened the atmosphere, and everyone laughed and raised their glasses, making a clinking sound.

After clinking glasses, Zhou Ying joked:
"Xinghuo, you're the most mysterious one among our classmates! You're always dressed in a suit and tie at restaurants, we almost didn't recognize you."

Zhu Xinghuo laughed heartily: "What's so mysterious about it!"

“Now I practice foreign languages ​​and memorize hospitality phrases during the day; at night I follow my mentor to the front desk to learn the etiquette of reception. Sometimes I also have to entertain foreign guests, and I have to bite the bullet and learn how to use knives and forks.”

"Before the Lunar New Year, the hotel arranged a training course for me, which specifically taught me etiquette and service procedures. I was so happy that my face was stiff from smiling."

Song Liaosha herself works in supply and marketing, so she is very sensitive to matters of hospitality.

Upon hearing that Zhu Xinghuo had attended some kind of key personnel training program, they immediately asked curiously, "What kind of training did he receive? Tell us about it!"

Zhu Xinghuo waved his hand: "What else can we train? Half of it is etiquette, and the other half is foreign languages."

“Every day, the teacher would use a small blackboard to teach us how to stand, how to smile, and how to walk.”

"For example, when standing, you should relax your shoulders, place your hands naturally in front of your lower abdomen, and keep your heels together; when walking, your heels should land first, without making a thumping sound."

"Another thing is the order of serving the dishes: cold dishes first, soup, hot dishes, staple food, and finally fruit and dessert."

"And how to arrange the cutlery: fork on the left, knife on the right, use the outer pieces first, and the inner pieces last..."

"There's so much content, more than what you need to read for college entrance exams."

Niu Jiangang chimed in, "Hey, if I were to eat at your place, I'd make sure I grab a spoon and eat my fill first!"

Zhu Xinghuo chuckled, "Then you're disrupting international exchanges!"

As everyone laughed, the way they looked at Zhu Xinghuo gradually changed.

Foreigners are still a rarity for most people.

But Zhu Xinghuo is already able to meet foreign guests in the hotel every day, an experience that everyone finds novel.

"Old Zhu, are your foreign languages ​​really getting better now?" Song Liaosha asked with a smile.

"Forget it!" Zhu Xinghuo waved his hand.

"With Brother Chen around, who dares to say they're fluent in foreign languages! I just memorize a few phrases so I can greet foreign guests and chat about everyday things, and that's already enough for me."

“Don’t be modest!” Niu Jiangang interjected.

“Last time I saw you chatting with those German experts from our school, and you were really going back and forth.”

Zhu Xinghuo was both amused and exasperated: "What kind of chatting was that? I was just giving them directions and said a few words casually, and they were actually quite polite to me."

Zhou Ying immediately said, "Being able to give directions is impressive enough! Let alone giving directions, we can't even say 'turn left' or 'turn right'."

"You, working in a foreign guest hotel, have a much broader perspective than we did at school."

Zhu Xinghuo: "Our country is so big, no one dares to say they have a lot of experience. After the New Year, I plan to ask for leave from the hotel and visit a few larger hotels in Pian'er City and Huahai to see how they receive foreign guests and learn something from them."

Chen Luyang encouraged him, "Old Zhu, your idea is right."

"The country is now vigorously developing the tourism industry, and hotels catering to foreign guests are the window projects that local governments value most. Whoever can entertain foreign guests well can gain an advantage in foreign trade."

He raised his glass, smiling encouragingly: "If you can really learn the tricks of those big hotels, Songting Hotel will definitely give you an important position. Maybe in a few years, you'll be one of the first local hotels to manage foreign guests."

These words struck a chord with Zhu Xinghuo.

"Alright! Then I'll take your good wishes with a grain of salt!"

Immediately afterwards, Zhou Ying clapped her hands and said, "Yes! Let's have a drink and wish Xinghuo a speedy rise to become a senior manager!"

Song Liaosha laughed loudly and egged them on.

"When Xinghuo really becomes the manager, don't pretend you don't know us! We'll all go to Songting for a free meal and order the most expensive dishes!"

Zhu Xinghuo didn't hesitate, patting his chest and promising, "Absolutely! When you come, I'll turn the menu upside down, and you can order whatever you want!"

Zhou Ying deliberately put on airs: "Oh, you've remembered that! We'll really have to test you one of these days."

Bai Xiaofan smiled gently: "Then when Xinghuo becomes a manager, our class reunion won't need to go to small restaurants anymore, we can just move to Songting and book a private room."

Niu Jiangang laughed and said, "Come on! Let's have a drink."

The clinking of glasses echoed through the small private room, and the warmth, laughter, and the aroma of alcohol seemed to reach the ceiling.

This remark made everyone at the table laugh again.

While everyone was making a lot of noise, Xiao Siyan didn't say a word from beginning to end.

Until Chen Luyang stuffed a chicken leg into his bowl and laughed:
"What are you physics department busy with? You're buried in formulas all day long. It's time to open our eyes."

The man with glasses looked up, and his eyes behind his lenses gleamed.

"I'm now doing laser experiments with my teacher."

"If it works, it can be installed on airplanes in the future to measure distances, and it will be more accurate than radar; it can also be used for high-speed communication, transmitting faster than radio waves and is not afraid of interference."

At this point, he seemed to realize he had said too much, so he quickly swallowed his words back, leaving only a few short sentences.

Everyone was taken aback, and the laughter on the table was completely silenced.

Zhu Xinghuo grinned: "You're spouting national defense secrets right off the bat!" Zhou Ying's eyes widened: "Really?!"

The man with glasses lowered his head, buried his face in his rice bowl, and stopped talking.

Chen Luyang was slightly taken aback.

Others might not understand, but while he was tinkering with parts at the repair shop, he had read some foreign magazines and knew how important the word "laser" was.

Being more accurate than radar and resistant to interference is no ordinary experimental project; it is a cutting-edge technology that only a few major powers in the world are working on.

It signifies a completely new method of ranging and could potentially be a breakthrough for future communications.

If it were to succeed, it would not only change the landscape of scientific research, but might even reshape the face of the battlefield.

What I was thinking about in the workshop was simply to make the cars break down less and run a few more kilometers.

But what Xiao Siyan and his team are making is something that can truly change the future landscape of national defense and technology.

Thinking about the difference between them, Chen Luyang couldn't help but sigh:

"We're all one family. Look how capable you are, doing great things for the country."

"And look at your third grandson, all he does is eat and sleep all day, he's good for nothing...!"

Outside, the cold wind howled, but inside, the air was thick with warmth.

The students' laughter, the clinking of glasses, and the clatter of food mingled together, like a noisy symphony.

By the time the party ended, everyone's cheeks were flushed red from the alcohol and the firelight.

As they stepped out of the restaurant, a cold wind blew, and they all laughed heartily, their steps unsteady as they walked in their respective directions.

……

Oriental Street
At night, rows of ice lanterns on both sides of the street light up, their colorful lights making the snow shimmer.

Chen Jinyue and Shen Xia walked hand in hand, each holding a string of candied hawthorns, looking around as they went.

This year's ice lanterns are more elaborate and have more novel designs than in previous years, including pavilions, towers, and small animals.

The two girls had arranged to come see it that evening.

Shen Xia stared wide-eyed, repeatedly tugging at Chen Jinyue: "Hey, Jinyue, look at that! Doesn't it look like a giant dragon palace? It's so beautiful!"

Chen Jinyue happily replied, "Yes, yes! It's really beautiful."

As they walked, Shen Xia, still not satisfied, began to have another idea:
"Xiao Yue, we have a day off tomorrow, shall we go to Zhaolin Park? I heard they just built an ice slide there, you can slide all the way down the big slope, it's going to be so much fun!"

Chen Jinyue said embarrassedly, "I can't, I have plans to see 'Shaolin Temple' with my girlfriend tomorrow."

Shen Xia's eyes widened: "Your boyfriend is back?"

Chen Jinyue said happily, "Yeah, they're back for winter break!"

Thinking of Chen Luyang, Chen Jinyue's eyes couldn't help but curve into a smile.

This time, Chen Luyang used the same code word again and mailed one directly to his workplace.

Seemingly worried that she might not be at ease, Chen Luyang even attached a letter to the movie tickets, explaining that the tickets were odd-numbered and that the two of them would definitely be able to sit next to each other.

The letter also said that he would come to her house to pick her up in person on the weekend.

Seeing Chen Jinyue's sweet expression, Shen Xia felt envious.

"Oh my, your life is so sweet it's practically bubbling with happiness."

Chen Jinyue chuckled and deliberately bumped into her: "You still have Gorky, don't you?"

Upon hearing "Gorky," Shen Xia immediately deflated and sighed, "Don't even mention it."

“He’s always on his way to the south or to other places, like a spinning top, you can’t see him anywhere.”

Speaking of Song Liaosha, Shen Xia felt very frustrated.

Last year, when Shen Xia went to Shuanglong Mountain, this socialist-minded young man was truly captivated by the "beautiful, strong, and tragic" Song Liaosha.

I left my contact information afterwards, hoping we could get in touch again.

But unexpectedly, Song Liaosha became just like Gorky day by day.
One day he's engrossed in writing a long novel, the next he's off on a long journey.

The figures were elusive, sometimes cold, sometimes hot, like clouds that could be seen but not touched.

It's so difficult to even meet them.

Looking at Shen Xia's appearance, Chen Jinyue was a little troubled.

Both of her good friends, Xiaoman and Xiaowu, are getting married soon.

As a result, Shen Xia and Song Liaosha even had difficulty meeting each other.

"Well... how about I ask around for you tomorrow and see what's going on with Gorky lately?" Chen Jinyue suggested in a low voice.

"Uh huh huh!!!"

Shen Xia's eyes lit up instantly, and she nodded like a chick pecking at rice.

The next morning, Chen Jinyue got up and tidied herself up, looking at herself in the mirror several times.

Her lake-blue wool coat, black scarf, and white sweater were all new; they were all hot items that she had asked someone to buy for her from the department store a few days ago.

Her hair had just been permed a few days ago; the smooth waves clung to her ears and were secured with small clips, making her look neat and pretty.

"Mom, can you spray some perfume on me?"

Chen Jinyue looked in the mirror, gently pushed her hair up with her little hands, and then gave her mother a sweet, coquettish look.

With perfect cooperation, Mrs. Chen held the perfume and skillfully lifted a small corner of the collar of her wool coat, spraying the perfume onto the scarf.

After spraying, cover the collar of the clothes!
Immediately, the scent of the perfume faded considerably.

But as Chen Jinyue moved, a faint fragrance began to waft out, not strong, but just right.

Perfect乛乛

After spraying the perfume, Chen's mother looked around and then sprayed the perfume onto the comb before carefully combing Chen Jinyue's hair.

"Mom, do I look okay like this?" Chen Jinyue turned around in front of the mirror and looked at her back.

"Okay! My daughter~ Her shoulders and back are exactly like mine, she looks good in clothes."

Mrs. Chen's tone carried a hint of pride; the more she looked at her daughter, the more she liked her.

The mother and daughter were happily looking in the mirror when they heard a knocking sound at the door.

Chen Jinyue's eyes lit up and he immediately ran to open the door.

really!

Pushing open the door, a blast of cold air hit me.

Chen Luyang's nose was red from the cold, she was wrapped in a thick cotton coat, and she was carrying a bag of steaming chestnuts.

Upon suddenly seeing Chen Jinyue, Chen Luyang was caught off guard and paused for a moment, almost instinctively blurting out:

"Sis, you look so beautiful today."

(End of this chapter)