Courtyard House: Initial Donation of 50 Million

In the golden autumn of October, the sky over Beijing was high and the clouds were light, and the city was filled with a festive atmosphere. With the fifth anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China approaching, two impressive gifts from Hongxing Steel Rolling Mill—the first domestically produced three-axis CNC machine tool and the first mass-produced "Hongxing" brand sedan—had already arrived and made a grand appearance at the "National Industrial Construction Achievements Exhibition" held at the Working People's Cultural Palace, causing an unprecedented sensation!

At the exhibition, a CNC machine tool with a metallic sheen and precise structure was on display, demonstrating its accurate and automated production of complex gears and molds. This left the visiting central leaders, Soviet experts, foreign ambassadors, and representatives from various sectors in awe! The two sleek, stylish dark green C501 and sky blue C502 sedans were the focus of the entire event! People surrounded the cars, touching and examining them, sitting inside to experience them, and exclaiming, "Are these cars made by ourselves? They're so beautiful! They're just as good as foreign cars!"

The news spread like wildfire throughout Beijing and across the country. Major newspapers featured it on their front pages: "Extraordinary good news from our industrial front! Hongxing Steel Rolling Mill has successfully developed CNC machine tools and domestically produced cars with internationally advanced levels!" "A triumphant song of self-reliance! A milestone in the industrial development of New China!" The radio also repeatedly broadcast this inspiring news. Overnight, the names of Hongxing Steel Rolling Mill and Wang Huanbo became household names.

That day, the steel rolling mill received an urgent notice from Haizili: a grand commendation ceremony would be held the next day, and the highest-ranking official would personally meet with the meritorious personnel! The entire mill was in an uproar! What an honor this was!

Factory Director Yang and Secretary Wang were so excited they didn't sleep a wink, working through the night to organize preparations. Wang Huanbo, as the top contributor, was asked to prepare a speech. He was also somewhat excited, but mostly calm. He knew this honor didn't belong to him personally, but to this era of hard work and struggle, and to all those who had toiled for it.

The following day, the commendation ceremony was held in a solemn and dignified meeting hall of the Great Hall of the People. The venue was decorated simply yet solemnly. When Wang Huanbo, Factory Director Yang, Secretary Wang, and several worker representatives, wearing large red flowers on their chests, walked onto the stage, they were met with prolonged and enthusiastic applause from the audience.

A sprightly, wise-looking elder stepped onto the stage—it was the beloved gentleman! He warmly shook hands with each of the meritorious individuals. When he reached Wang Huanbo, the gentleman stopped, gripped his hand firmly, looked him up and down, his eyes filled with admiration and joy, and laughed loudly in his thick Hunan accent: "Excellent! What a fine young man! Comrade Wang Huanbo, I've heard of you! You're remarkable! You've built our own 'machine tool' and 'car' for our new China. This has boosted the morale of the Chinese people and extinguished the arrogance of imperialism! You are a pillar of our nation!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the staff unfolded a roll of Xuan paper, and the gentleman happily picked up his brush and wrote four powerful characters with vigorous strokes: "Pillars of the Nation"! He then signed and affixed his seal.

"This calligraphy is for you! I hope you will continue your efforts and make even greater contributions to the industrial modernization of our country!" The gentleman solemnly handed the scroll to Wang Huanbo.

Overwhelmed with emotion, Wang Huanbo accepted the weighty honor with both hands, straightened his back, and answered loudly, "Please rest assured! Huanbo will definitely keep this mission in mind, study diligently, and dedicate my life to building a strong motherland!"

At the same time, Wang Huanbo suppressed his excitement and suggested to his husband that they take a group photo as a memento.

Mr. Wang agreed to Wang Huanbo's request with a smile. A photo was taken with his entourage, showing Wang Huanbo holding a piece of calligraphy written by Mr. Wang himself and Mr. Wang smiling.

With this calligraphy by the gentleman and the photograph of them together, these two items will be Wang Huanbo's protective charms in the future!

Next, the leaders of the Ministry of Industry read out the commendation decision: Hongxing Steel Rolling Mill was awarded the title of "National Industrial Front Red Flag Unit"! Comrade Wang Huanbo was awarded the honorary titles of "National Advanced Industrial Worker" and "National First Prize for Scientific and Technological Innovation"! He was also awarded a bonus of RMB 5,000! At the same time, other meritorious members of the project team were also given substantial rewards.

Five thousand yuan! That was an enormous sum at the time! Equivalent to more than ten years' wages for an average worker! Thunderous applause erupted again from the audience. Wang Huanbo remained remarkably calm. He immediately announced that he would donate the entire prize money to establish a "Technological Innovation Award Fund" in the factory, to reward workers and technicians who make outstanding contributions to technological breakthroughs in the future. This gesture won even more applause, and the gentleman nodded approvingly.

News of the commendation ceremony and photos of Mr. Wang's inscription quickly appeared in newspapers. Wang Huanbo's image as a "pillar of the nation" spread throughout the country in an instant. He became a role model for young people across the country and an exemplar for scientific and technological workers.

The courtyard at No. 95 Nanluoguxiang was also in complete uproar.

"Oh my! A pillar of the nation! The gentleman himself wrote the inscription! A prize of five thousand yuan! Huanbo has truly leaped over the dragon gate and soared to the sky!" Yan Bugui held the newspaper, waving his arms and legs, even happier than if he had won the prize himself. He had already begun to plan how to get his son to get closer to Wang Huanbo.

"Tsk tsk, amazing! Truly amazing!" Liu Haizhong, holding his teacup, looked at the photo of Wang Huanbo and his teacher in the newspaper, feeling a mix of envy and admiration. He turned and kicked Liu Guangtian again, "Look at Uncle Wang! And look at you two good-for-nothings!"

Yi Zhonghai locked himself in his room and didn't come out all day, his heart filled with mixed emotions. Jealousy, regret, disappointment... all sorts of feelings intertwined. His painstakingly planned "retirement" scheme seemed so ridiculous and insignificant in the face of absolute power and glory.

Xu Damao, carrying two bottles of fine wine and a fat duck, immediately blocked the entrance to the west courtyard, his face beaming with joy: "Engineer Wang! No, General Manager Wang! Congratulations on your promotion! You are the one in our institute... no, the one in the entire city of Beijing!" He gave a thumbs up, extremely obsequious.

Even the simple-minded Zhu specially cooked two extra dishes and brought them to Wang Huanbo, saying with a憨厚 smile, "Huanbo, well done! You've brought honor to our compound! From now on, let's see who dares to look down on our No. 95 compound when they go out!"

A deathly silence fell over the Jia family home. Madam Jia Zhang muttered sarcastically, "What's there to show off?" Qin Huairu looked at the dashing Wang Huanbo in the newspaper, then at her dejected husband on the kang (heated brick bed), her heart filled with mixed emotions. Banggeng, bewildered, asked, "Mom, did Uncle Wang become a high-ranking official?"

Faced with the compliments and complex gazes from the institute, Wang Huanbo remained humble and low-key, going to work and conducting research as if all the honors were irrelevant to him. But he knew that from this moment on, the burden on his shoulders was heavier. The four words "pillar of the nation" were not only the highest honor but also a weighty responsibility.