King of Technology: A Fresh Start in 1983

Li Mingyuan coughed lightly and continued, "He reiterated once again that science and technology are the primary productive forces."

"If we want the economy to develop faster, we must rely on science and technology and education. Isn't that saying right here for us?"

Zhou Yuguang trembled all over, tears welled in his eyes, and his voice choked with emotion: "The spring of technological innovation has truly arrived!"

The young people, including Lin Wei, Zhang Wei, and Zhao Lin, all had beaming faces of excitement!

It was almost midnight when the meeting ended.

Zhou Yuguang and Li Mingyuan did not rush home; instead, they went to the office.

Zhou Yuguang circled the table back and forth...

Then he walked around the room with his hands behind his back.

Li Mingyuan laughed and said, "Old Zhou, are your hemorrhoids acting up again or what? Can't you sit quietly for a while?"

Zhou Yuguang walked up to Li Mingyuan, stared intently at him, and asked excitedly, "Old Li, how many years have we known each other?"

"Not counting the time you spent at Tiangong, it's been about six or seven years! That was when you had just returned from the United States..."

"That's right, including the time I spent at Tiangong, it's been at least ten years! Lao Li, let's both apply for resignation from our jobs."

"Huh! Resign?" Li Mingyuan was stunned. "Are you crazy?"

Zhou Yuguang's words caught him completely off guard.

"Yes, I've gone mad! I want to learn from Chen Jianghe and dedicate myself to being a full-time worker, instead of secretly doing 'side jobs'."

"Can't I just take a leave of absence without pay? Why do I have to resign?" Li Mingyuan's face was full of hesitation and confusion.

"Only by leaving the job can one be free from worries and fight with one's back against the wall."

"Old Li, what's wrong with you? This isn't like you at all!"

"You've always been more radical than me, so why are you so reserved today?"

"No, Lao Zhou, you really need to think this through! We're both almost fifty, with elderly parents to care for and young children to raise..."

"Leaving the job means taking a desperate gamble; your secure job is completely gone!"

"Old Li, to be honest, ever since Chen Chunsheng from the Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, left the institute to start his own business in 1980, ever since those people from Sitong and Kehai left the Chinese Academy of Sciences to start their own companies..."

"I've thought about it... but I just can't make up my mind."

"Today, the old man's words finally put my mind at ease! Our best years are just beginning!"

"We must be like Chen Jianghe. This is not only about being responsible to Tiangong, but also about giving our families a better life!"

Encouraged by Zhou Yuguang's words, Li Mingyuan said, "You're something else, Lao Zhou! I'll follow you and resign!"

"From this day forward, I, Li Mingyuan, am a servant of Heavenly Workshop in life and in death!"

"That's great, Lao Li! We're both not even fifty yet, there's still time in our lives!"

...

Meanwhile, Zhang Wei and Zhao Lin walked side by side on their way home, their emotions still running high.

"Whoosh... Bang!"

"Splash!"

Just then, the sound of firecrackers came from the campuses of Tsinghua and Peking Universities behind us!

Then, more and more fireworks burst into bloom in the night sky!

"They're our juniors!"

Zhao Lin exclaimed in delight, "They must have heard the news too! They're celebrating!"

The two stood gazing up for a moment, then Zhang Wei spoke:

"Zhao Lin, it's been almost seven years since she came to Tiangong for her internship with Teacher Li, to when she graduated from university and joined Tiangong..."

Do you think Tiangong can pull it off?

"Zhang Wei, the key lies in your self-positioning. For me, I hope to work in the technical field for the rest of my life..."

"Following General Manager Chen and Engineer Su, Engineer Zhou and Teacher Li, and Dr. Lin, you can learn a lot..."

Zhang Wei continued, "I'm different from you; I'm still paying off debts my family incurred while I was in school..."

"I want to earn money as soon as possible to ease the burden on my family."

A complex look flashed in Zhang Wei's eyes: "President Chen and Engineer Su's idea is good... but it's too difficult to implement. The current domestic technology and design tools..."

Zhao Lin paused for a moment: "Back when they graduated from university, was this also why He Fan and Zhan Yiling didn't stay at Tiangong?"

Zhang Wei nodded: "He Fan said that if Chen Jianghe continues to use the research institute's mindset to develop technology, Tiangong's path will become increasingly difficult..."

Zhao Lin looked at Zhang Wei: "So what are you thinking?"

Zhang Wei lowered his voice: "I sent the application materials to the school in the UK three months ago..."

Zhao Lin paused, looking at him in surprise: "You still want to go out?"

Zhang Wei nodded.

"If you leave, I'll be the only one left from the group of students from Tsinghua who came to Tiangong for internships."

"But then again..."

Zhao Lin glanced at him, paused for a moment, and said, "You and Qin Shunan have been together since your sophomore year... and He Fan and Zhan Yiling too..."

"Back then, your group of four was quite famous in Tsinghua University's Computer Science Department..."

"That's great, though. It's worth the effort to be with the person you love. I wish you receive your acceptance letter soon!"

"But what about General Manager Chen, Engineer Su, Engineer Zhou, and most importantly, Teacher Li? Will they agree?"

"I will talk to Ms. Li after I receive the school's notification."

Zhao Lin changed the subject: "How is Qin Shunan?"

Zhang Wei nodded: "I'm currently a graduate student."

Zhao Lin continued, "How are He Fan and Zhan Yiling doing?"

"Zhan Yiling went to IBM and is busy traveling for work all the time."

"He Fan, ever since the school refused to issue him a report card, he's been staying at home. But he hasn't been idle..."

"Not long ago, I helped a small appliance company develop a marketing plan, which actually won first prize and a 5000 yuan bonus..."

"More than I earned in two years of hard work..."

...

At this time, the headquarters of Tiangong Pengcheng.

Chen Jianghe stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window in his office, gazing at the dazzling lights outside, a strange wave of emotion surging in his chest!

In his previous life, in 1992, he had just turned two years old…

The next ten years, starting now, until the era before he traveled through time…

This was a glorious era of rapid development for China…

It was precisely this generation, belonging to his past life, that missed the golden age…

An unprecedented sense of mission filled my entire being!

...

A private room in a high-end teahouse in Shenzhen.

Zhao Xiaobo was having tea with the owners of two computer companies.

"Mr. Zhao, have you heard the rumors? Deng Xiaoping's Southern Tour speech has been released!"

The portly boss lowered his voice, his face beaming with excitement, "'Be bold! Move fast!' 'Development is the only way forward!' The signal is too clear! The era of making money has arrived!"

"Yeah, Brother Zhao!" the skinny boss chimed in, "What's the point of your factory? Lots of R&D investment, slow returns!"

"Look at us, as agents for AST, we make at least this much a year!" He held up three fingers.

Zhao Xiaobo held his teacup and fell into deep thought.

His Southern Tour speech acted like a shot in the arm, unleashing the long-suppressed restlessness within him.

He recalled Chen Jianghe's emphasis on technological investment during the day, and the long development cycle of [Pangu II]...

...

On this spring night in 1992, a new era of liberated thinking and bursting vitality was ushered in!