The little star from the Gobi Desert, handed over to the state, is hailed as a national treasure.

Although Feng Dapao patted his chest and promised that he would "find Xiaoyu as soon as possible and take good care of her life," this was ultimately just an adult's guarantee.

For Tian Tian, ​​witnessing Liu Mazi's violence and the tragic experiences of A Zhen and her daughter was like a heavy stone weighing on her young heart.

Especially after missing the chance to meet her "good friend," Tian Tian inevitably felt a sense of indescribable loss.

The little girl seemed rather listless throughout the afternoon while accompanying her father and Grandpa Xu in their search for minerals.

She rummaged through the stones in her hands, but her eyes kept glancing down the mountain. Her big, dark eyes had lost their usual sparkle and were now veiled with a faint sense of dejection.

Liang Zhe saw this and felt a pang of heartache. He pulled his daughter close and patiently comforted her, "Sweetie, Daddy knows you miss Sister Xiaoyu. Don't be sad. As long as we finish work today, Daddy will definitely take you to see her tonight, okay?"

Sweetie rested her little head on her father's shoulder, and listening to his firm promise, her low spirits finally lifted somewhat.

However, things didn't go as planned. When the two returned from work in the evening, they ran into Qin Yan, who was on her way to the canteen to get food.

Qin Yan told them that Ah Zhen was too badly injured and was sent to town for treatment by the Women's Federation. Xiao Yu also went to town after finding her and was afraid that she would be delayed for two or three days before returning.

Upon hearing this, Tian Tian's face fell even more. She had finally made a "good friend," and before they even had a chance to play together, the other person had suddenly left, and she didn't know how long it would be before they could see each other again.

"When is Sister Xiaoyu coming back?" Tian Tian asked softly, her voice filled with obvious grievance.

"Don't worry, they'll be back once her mother's injuries have healed," Liang Zhe said, patting his daughter's head to try and comfort her.

Sweetie pouted her little mouth, and her big eyes were misty. Looking at the little girl's pitiful appearance, Liang Zhe and Qin Yan were both helpless.

After a while, Tian Tian seemed to remember something, tugged at Qin Yan's sleeve, and asked earnestly, "Grandma Qin, did Sister Xiao Yu get to eat the chicken leg that Tian Tian saved for her?"

This question startled Qin Yan. She had no idea where the chicken leg was; perhaps she had forgotten it in the house, or perhaps Ah Zhen simply hadn't bothered to take it out.

But looking into Tian Tian's expectant eyes, Qin Yan couldn't bear to expose her, so she smiled and made up a white lie: "Good girl, of course you got to eat it. Sister Xiao Yu is so happy, she said she's never eaten such delicious chicken legs in her life, and she insisted on thanking our little Tian Tian."

"Really?" Hearing this, Tian Tian finally perked up a bit, and a bright smile bloomed on her face. "That's great! I'm so glad Sister Xiao Yu likes it! When she comes back, Tian Tian will give her lots of delicious food!"

Seeing their daughter finally stop crying and start smiling, Liang Zhe and Qin Yan exchanged a glance and shook their heads with wry smiles.

The next morning.

Before the morning mist had dissipated, a figure appeared in front of Xu Qiang's courtyard.

He stood with his hands behind his back, gazing at the distant green mountains, his brows slightly furrowed, as if preoccupied with something.

It was Fu Dashi.

One day of the three-day agreement has passed. According to Fu Dashi's request, if Liang Zhe really cannot find any rich ore deposits, he must request to mine the North Slope mining area according to the report he submitted.

According to mining regulations, the determination of any mining site must go through a strict exploration and approval process. After a geologist discovers signs of mineralization, he or she must submit a detailed inspection report to confirm the vein's direction, grade, and reserves before finally submitting it for approval to begin mining.

When it comes to uranium, a special mineral, the opinions of nuclear physics experts are more important than anyone else's.

Whether the ore contains uranium, whether the grade is high enough for mining, and whether the radiation intensity is within safe limits—only Xu Qiang can decide these things.

This is why Fu Dashi kept coming to him again and again.

At this moment, he held a telegram from his superiors, which clearly required them to confirm the mining time, location, grade, and quantity. This gave him the most powerful authority to propose his own plan.

When Xu Qiang pushed open the door, he immediately saw Fu Dashi standing in the thin mist, and naturally also noticed the conspicuous telegram in his hand.

"Dean Xu, I've said it before, the research institute is pressing us hard. If we don't start construction soon and delay the experiment, I can't bear the responsibility. Neither you nor Secretary Feng can necessarily bear it."

Fu Dashi's words were barbed, and the implication was clear: if the construction was delayed, Feng Dapao and Xu Qiang, as the main persons in charge of the mine, would be responsible for slowing down the progress and delaying important matters.

Xu Qiang was silent for a moment before speaking, "Today I will go with you to the north slope to conduct another on-site inspection."

"You're welcome anytime." Fu Dashi's lips curled into a smug smile, then he changed the subject and made his request, "However, I also have a request. Time waits for no one, so why not bring the technology and drilling equipment along? If it really meets the procedures, let's not waste time and start construction as soon as possible. But I've already said beforehand that time waits for no one, and every moment of delay is a loss. Let's bring the technical personnel and drilling equipment along. If the site conditions really meet the mining standards, let's not waste any more time and start construction as soon as possible."

"Everything depends on the actual situation on site; we can't make a decision rashly." Xu Qiang's tone was calm; he neither immediately agreed nor directly refused.

At 8:30 a.m., after a simple breakfast, Xu Qiang, Zhou Xiaobing, along with several technical team members and experienced miners, all carrying a full set of tools such as geological hammers, compasses, and sampling bags, set off in formation toward the north slope.

To Fu Dashi's utter surprise, a little girl who was only four years old had joined the team.

Sweetie was dressed in a neat military green jacket, carrying a canvas bag and wearing rubber shoes. She stood proudly in the line like a little adult.

"Dean Xu," Fu Dashi frowned, disapprovingly saying, "If it were just about causing trouble on the mountain, that would be one thing, but we're going to conduct a site inspection today. Isn't it inappropriate for you to bring a child along?"

He pointed to a distant hillside with his finger. "There are lots of loose rocks there. What if she slips and falls, or bumps into something? Who will take care of her? Who will be responsible if something goes wrong?"

Before Xu Qiang could speak, Liang Zhe preemptively said, "Engineer Fu, you can rest assured. I will take full responsibility for Tian Tian's safety. I will stay by her side every step of the way and will not cause any trouble for anyone."

"Expert Liang, that's not how it works." Fu Dashi's face darkened, and his tone became increasingly impolite. "The child is too young. If he comes up the mountain to explore, he will inevitably be distracted and slow down the team's efficiency, affecting the overall progress. If you are really worried about the child, you might as well stay and take care of him instead of coming up the mountain."

These words were clearly hostile and aimed at putting Liang Zhe down. After spending time together, Liang Zhe knew all too well that Fu Dashi had long regarded him as a thorn in his side and a potential enemy. In order to prevent him from finding the rich mine first, Fu Dashi was targeting him and trying every means to suppress him.

However, Fu Dashi underestimated Liang Zhe's composure and temperament. Liang Zhe was always swift and ruthless in dealing with unreasonable thugs like Liu Mazi, but he was unwilling to easily break off relations with Fu Dashi, a colleague with whom he was still working, and he would not lose his composure.

"Engineer Fu, you're the one who found this ore seed and discovered the vein. I came along mainly to learn. Don't worry about me and my child. You all go ahead and I'll follow behind with my daughter. I promise we won't get in anyone's way."