I painted an aircraft carrier on the courtyard house for Dongda University.

Xiao Li, standing next to him, gradually changed his expression from shock to disdain. Although he didn't say anything, his eyes said it all.

Zhou Weiguo nodded: "That's right, I am the chief engineer of Hongxing Steel Rolling Mill, and I asked Elder Qin to invite you here."

Chief Engineer Zhu's face instantly flushed red. He suppressed his anger and looked at Zhou Weiguo with a serious expression: "Comrade Weiguo, I would like to ask, have you ever worked in tank research and development before?"

Zhou Weiguo calmly shook his head.

Chief Engineer Zhu's expression darkened further, and he pressed on, "So, has your steel rolling mill developed a new type of tank armor?"

Zhou Weiguo thought for a moment. The materials workshop had developed quite a lot of new steel, but he couldn't be sure whether this steel could be used directly as tank armor.

Helpless, he could only shake his head again.

Just as he was about to explain, Chief Engineer Zhu could no longer contain his emotions. He slammed his fist on his desk, stood up angrily, and shouted, "Nonsense! This is utter nonsense! You've never built a tank before, and you don't have any new materials. What did you call me here for?"

He became increasingly agitated as he spoke: "Do you know that our Type 59 tank is almost finished with its development? This tank isn't just about giving our Xia Kingdom's army its own domestically produced tank; it's also for next year's military parade. It's the first domestically produced tank since the founding of our Xia Kingdom! Because of you, our entire tank development team will be delayed by several days. I ask you, if our tank doesn't make it to next year's parade, can you bear that responsibility? Huh? Answer me!"

At this moment, Xiao Li, standing nearby, also looked extremely grim and chimed in, "Exactly! A young man who knows nothing became the chief engineer? I think it's utter nonsense! I really can't understand what your steel mill's superiors were thinking, appointing someone like you who knows nothing as the chief engineer. Isn't this just hindering the operation of the entire factory? I bet it's most likely a nepotism case. Humph, I never imagined that Beijing has become this corrupt!"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Weiguo was about to explode, but then he thought that he had indeed delayed Natasha for a day, and it was understandable that they were upset.

Even so, he couldn't let a nobody like him bully him like that.

He turned to look at Xiao Li, his voice icy cold: "Who told you that I, the chief engineer, know nothing? Do you even know who I am? Or do you have some great research results? Or some special achievement? At such a young age, you don't even understand the principle that 'no investigation, no right to speak,' yet you inexplicably spout nonsense in my office? Who gave you the guts? Sun Wukong? Tell me, which school and which teacher taught you to treat your comrades and superiors with such sarcasm?"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Li's face darkened.

He then realized that the person in front of him was, after all, the chief engineer of the steel rolling mill, and at least a department-level cadre, while he was just a technical cadre. His words just now were indeed seriously inappropriate.

Thinking of this, he couldn't help but turn pale. Just as he was hesitating whether to apologize, Chief Engineer Zhu spoke first.

"Chief Engineer Zhou, Xiao Li's attitude was indeed inappropriate. I apologize on his behalf."

Chief Engineer Zhu said in a deep voice, "But I still have doubts about your factory appointing someone as young as you as chief engineer. Furthermore, even if you are the chief engineer of Hongxing Steel Rolling Mill, our 618 Factory has no subordinate relationship with you. Even if Xiao Li makes a mistake, it is not your place to lecture him."

Hearing this, Zhou Weiguo was not particularly moved.

After all, he had the utmost respect for these older generation of national treasure-level technical personnel.

But respect does not mean tolerance; he is not someone that can be bullied by just any "small fry".

More importantly, the initiative in cooperation must be in one's own hands. If the other party is arrogant and refuses to cooperate, at worst, they can find another group of college students to form a team.

He simply reached into his pocket, pulled out a certificate, placed it on the table, and pushed it towards Chief Engineer Zhu.

"Chief Engineer Zhu, after you've looked at my credentials, tell me whether I have the right to reprimand your Comrade Li."

Upon hearing this, Chief Engineer Zhu was stunned. He hesitated for a moment before reaching for the certificate on the table. After just one glance, he froze on the spot.

A moment later, his eyes widened, and he uttered incredulously, "By the General Staff Equipment Department? Major General Zhou Weiguo? That's impossible! Absolutely impossible! How old are you? You look to be no more than twenty years old, how could you possibly be a major general?"

Meanwhile, Xiao Li, standing to the side, had practically tucked his head into his chest.

He didn't believe the document was fake; the fully armed guards at the entrance were the strongest proof.

Seeing Chief Engineer Zhu's shocked expression, Zhou Weiguo joked with a smile, "Maybe I'm the son of that 'Heavenly King' up there, so they just promoted me to Major General, dangdang."

"Impossible! Absolutely impossible!"

Chief Engineer Zhu said with certainty, "Although our country has all sorts of problems now, I absolutely do not believe that such a situation of rising to a position through connections will occur at this time."

Zhou Weiguo nodded in agreement: "Alright, Chief Engineer Zhu, I wasn't joking with you anymore. The credentials are genuine, and I definitely didn't get this position as Chief Engineer through connections. I invited you here because there's work that requires your cooperation, not to waste each other's precious time."

But Chief Engineer Zhu didn't react at all upon hearing this. He just raised his head, as if deep in thought, muttering to himself, "No...no...Zhou Weiguo...Zhou Weiguo...I've definitely heard that name before...definitely heard it before...How could an unknown person be a major general in the General Staff Equipment Department? That's impossible..."

Looking at the almost delirious Chief Engineer Zhu, Zhou Weiguo smiled and waved his hand, saying, "Don't think too much about it, old man. Let me tell you a few things, and see if they sound familiar."

"Type 81 rifle? Suppressed submachine gun? SVD sniper rifle? PKM general-purpose machine gun? 6B2 body armor? Portable radio equipment? Mengshi jeep? M63 motorcycle?"

After Zhou Weiguo spoke for a while, seeing that Chief Engineer Zhu still looked blank, just as he was wondering how to introduce himself, Zhu's eyes suddenly lit up, and he continued, "RPG-7 rocket launcher? Anti-materiel sniper rifle?"

Upon hearing those two names, Chief Engineer Zhu shuddered. His eyes fixed on Zhou Weiguo, his finger trembling as he pointed at him, his voice shaking: "You...you...you...it's you! You're the one who built the RPG-7 rocket launcher and the anti-materiel sniper rifle! You've really gotten me into trouble!"

Seeing Chief Engineer Zhu slapping his thigh with a look of grief and indignation, as if he had a deep-seated grudge against him, Zhou Weiguo was completely stunned.

What's going on? When did he offend this old expert?

However, Chief Engineer Zhu's next words made him understand.