Love in the Courtyard: Starting with Engineers

Sha Zhu rolled on the ground in agony, sweat and tears mingling, his body convulsing, uttering incoherent howls. His hands were twisted at an unnatural angle, completely useless.

Li Yu looked down at him, her eyes devoid of any pity.

"You asked for this."

After saying that, Li Yu left Sha Zhu's house.

That very night, Sha Zhu rushed to the hospital, where he was diagnosed with comminuted fractures in both hands. Even if he recovered, he would never be able to lift anything again. A few days later, the steel mill learned the news and that Sha Zhu's hands were crippled, and that Li Yu had done so, and fired him without hesitation.

Having lost his job and his hands, he was a complete cripple. Sitting in the empty room, looking at his twisted wrists, Sha Zhu finally tasted the bitterness of despair.

Meanwhile, at Longxing Machinery Factory, the first blade of a marine gas turbine has been successfully manufactured.

The Longxing Machinery Factory's test site. In the center of the open space, a machine entirely silver-gray is firmly fixed to a steel frame. Its streamlined shell gleams with a cold, hard metallic luster, and the air intake grilles are neatly arranged, like a steel behemoth poised to pounce. This is the prototype marine gas turbine that Li Yu and his technicians have worked day and night to build.

The edge of the test site was already packed with people. Lieutenant General Qin Zhengguo from the Naval Equipment Department, along with a group of staff officers, experts from the Ship Research Institute in suits, and Director Chen, were all present. Even Minister Liu Jie from the Ministry of Industry was there in person. Everyone's eyes were fixed on the gas turbine, their gazes filled with anticipation and a hint of trepidation.

After all, in an era when even steam turbines had to be copied, developing gas turbines independently was tantamount to climbing to the sky.

Li Yu, dressed in oil-stained overalls, strode to the control panel. Behind him, the technicians stood up straight, their faces still showing the fatigue from staying up all night, but their eyes couldn't hide their excitement.

Li Yu's voice, amplified through the loudspeaker, clearly resonated throughout the venue: "Attention all departments, gas turbine start-up countdown—ten, nine, eight…"

Qin Zhengguo clenched his fists unconsciously, his palms sweating profusely. Old Chen adjusted his glasses, his eyes behind the lenses unblinking, afraid of missing a single detail.

"Three, two, one! Start!"

At Li Yu's command, the technician pressed the start button.

"Buzz—"

A deep rumble suddenly erupted, initially like muffled thunder rolling across the earth. Then, the roar grew stronger and higher, shaking the ground slightly. A powerful jet of air instantly shot out from the gas turbine's intake, kicking up dust and making the rapidly spinning blades almost invisible in the sunlight.

"Speed! Report the data!" Li Yu shouted.

"Reporting to the factory manager! The current speed is 18000 rpm! It remains stable!" The technician's voice was filled with barely suppressed excitement.

"What?!"

Old Chen's eyes widened suddenly, and the pen in his hand fell to the ground with a "clatter." You see, the most advanced gas turbine in the world, the M country's LM1500, only reaches a maximum speed of 15000 revolutions per minute; this prototype exceeded that by a whopping 20%!

Qin Zhengguo gasped, his lips trembling, unable to utter a word for a long time. The staff officers behind him exchanged bewildered glances, their faces filled with disbelief.

"Power! Power data!" Old Chen snapped out of his daze and shouted at the top of his lungs, his voice cracking.

"Power exceeds 22500 shaft horsepower! Stable output without fluctuations!"

With a loud bang, the crowd at the test site erupted into chaos.

22500 shaft horsepower! What does that mean? You should know that the current global benchmark LM1500 gas turbine only has a maximum power of 15000 shaft horsepower. This prototype directly increases the power by a full 50%!

"Thermal efficiency! Quickly measure the thermal efficiency! And the startup time!" Old Chen didn't even bother to pick up his pen anymore. He rushed to the testing instrument and stared intently at the numbers flashing on the screen.

"Thermal efficiency of 42%! Far exceeding the highest level of 28% for single-cycle gas turbines of the same period! Start-up to full power time is only 2 minutes and 50 seconds!"

The astonishing data struck everyone's hearts like a heavy hammer.

Old Chen's glasses had slipped down to the tip of his nose, but he was completely unaware, muttering to himself, "Impossible! This is impossible! Every single statistic surpasses the LM1500! The power is a full 50% higher, and the thermal efficiency is far superior!"

Qin Zhengguo trembled with excitement. He strode over to Li Yu, grabbed his arm, and exclaimed in a choked voice, "Chief Engineer Li! Great! Great! With this thing, our warships will no longer be held hostage!"

The test site erupted in thunderous applause and cheers, nearly shaking the heavens. The technicians embraced each other, tears of joy streaming down their faces; the fatigue of the past few days vanished in that instant.

Minister Liu Jie stood outside the crowd, watching the scene unfold before him, and smiled with satisfaction. He knew that Li Yu had once again created a miracle.

After the test, Old Chen held Li Yu's hand tightly, refusing to let go, his face beaming like a chrysanthemum: "Chief Engineer Li! You're truly a genius! Our Shipbuilding Research Institute is desperately seeking talent! Come join us! You can choose any position you like! I'd even give you the director's position!"

These words caused an uproar in the room.

The Ship Research Institute is a national-level key scientific research institution, and countless experts are eager to get in. Old Chen actually gave up his position as director, which shows how much he values ​​Li Yu.

Qin Zhengguo chimed in, "Chief Engineer Li, if you go to the research institute, the upgrade of our navy's equipment will be just around the corner!"

Just as Li Yu was about to speak, Minister Liu Jie stepped forward, patted Old Chen on the shoulder, and shook his head with a smile:

"Old Chen, I heard all about your scheme at the Ministry of Industry. Who is Li Yu? He's the backbone of Longxing Machinery Factory, its leader! What will happen to Longxing Factory if he leaves?"

Old Chen was so anxious he was stamping his feet: "Minister Liu! This is a gas turbine that's 50% more advanced than the world's best! Only by bringing Chief Engineer Li to the research institute can we maximize his value!"

Liu Jie waved his hand, his tone firm: "That's not true. Li Yu at the Longxing factory can lead a group of workers to build gas turbines. If he went to the research institute, he'd be a researcher at best. Keeping him on the front lines is the only way to continuously produce more good things!"

The two argued vehemently, each sticking to their own version of events.

Qin Zhengguo, who was watching from the side, suddenly had a flash of inspiration and clapped his hands: "I have an idea! Why not have Director Li serve as a visiting expert at our Shipbuilding Research Institute? That way, he can guide the work of the institute without interfering with the affairs of Longxing Shipyard, which is the best of both worlds!"

Old Chen's eyes lit up, and he nodded quickly, "That's great! That's great! Guest expert! It's settled then! Chief Engineer Li, you absolutely must agree!"

Looking at the eager crowd before him, at the anticipation in their eyes, Li Yu felt a surge of warmth in his heart. He knew that the burden on his shoulders had grown heavier, but it was a burden he would bear well!

He straightened his back and declared loudly, "Alright! I agree! For our navy, for our maritime borders, I, Li Yu, have an unshirkable duty!"

As soon as he finished speaking, applause rang out again.