Card maker? No, I'm a mechanic!

Seeing this, Professor Lin's brows furrowed even more deeply.

Did this girl take the wrong medicine?

Although the reasons given were presented in a grand and respectable manner.

But no matter how you look at it, it seems like... someone's eager to offer themselves up?

Professor Lin's gaze swept between Su Man and Jiang Zhe several times.

Ultimately, the answer landed on Su Man's pretty face, which was filled with a thirst for knowledge.

Doesn't this girl usually have several young men following her around, but she doesn't really pay attention to any of them?

Why is it like this today?

Could it be... that he's taken a liking to Jiang Zhe?

wrong.

Professor Lin shook his head, rejecting the conjecture.

Based on his understanding of Su Man, this girl is actually quite similar to him in some ways.

The desire to explore knowledge takes precedence, while other miscellaneous things are not given much attention.

If that's the case, then the only explanation is... Jiang Zhe's technique.

"Alright, alright."

Professor Lin waved his hand, with a helpless expression that suggested his daughter was no longer meant to stay at home.

"Since you're so eager to go, then go ahead. But let me make this clear beforehand: the work with Jiang Zhe won't be easy."

"Don't come back crying then."

"And another thing, even though you're helping out, keep your eyes open. You can't just do the work without learning anything, understand?"

"Thank you, Professor!"

Su Man was overjoyed upon hearing this and quickly nodded her thanks.

The tall, thin boy next to him was so excited he almost cried.

"Thank you so much, senior! You're such a kind person!"

He looked at Su Man gratefully, his heart filled with relief at having escaped a disaster.

Not only do I not have to do manual labor, but I can also continue to stay in the lab and get guidance from professors. It's like having two great things at once!

The senior students around them looked at each other, feeling puzzled.

But since the professor had spoken, they naturally didn't dare to say anything more.

"Since that's the case..."

Looking at Su Man's eager expression, Jiang Zhe remembered her previous desire to learn.

Although it's impossible to teach someone completely, having a skilled worker willing to come is definitely much better than teaching a complete novice.

"Let me make this clear in advance: I don't pay you a salary, I can only provide you with a meal at most."

Jiang Zhe shrugged, displaying the ugly face of a ruthless swindler.

"It's okay! As long as I can... can help!"

Su Man nodded quickly, afraid that Jiang Zhe would change his mind.

As for salary?

Does she care about that little bit of money? What she wants is knowledge, a completely new field that overturns her understanding.

……

After finalizing the labor force, the two bid farewell to the professor and went straight back to Jiang Zhe's laboratory on the third floor.

Although the shop has been acquired, it is still under renovation.

Moreover, such a noisy environment is obviously not suitable for carrying out precise card-making operations.

Just treat it as a place to sell things.

"Click".

The heavy metal door closed, shutting out all the noise from the outside world.

Jiang Zhe walked to the center of the laboratory and pointed to the pile of materials that had already been partially processed, which was placed in the corner.

"The order requires a total of eighty prints. I've already finished more than twenty prints in the last two days, but there's still a lot of work to be done."

He picked up a small piece of deep-sea mithril and skillfully wrapped it with his mental energy.

"Your task is simple. The first step is to melt these ores into this specific shape."

As Jiang Zhe spoke, he then demonstrated it once.

The black metal transformed into a ball of light, which he kneaded in his hands like dough.

In just a few breaths, the ball of light transformed into an exquisite circuit structure.

"Like this."

Su Man watched carefully from the side. This kind of simple material shaping was not difficult for her; she could learn it almost at a glance.

"That's easy, I understand." She nodded.

"Don't rush, there's also this."

Jiang Zhe put down the loop, picked up another earthen wall card, and then the carving knife precisely cut into the card surface.

"Now for the important part, you need to pay close attention."

With a flash of cold light from the carving knife in his hand, Jiang Zhe didn't need to guide the energy; he simply used the tip of the knife to sever a few key energy nodes.

Then, following one side of the pattern, an extremely tricky arc was drawn.

"Zila."

A faint tearing sound rang out.

He peeled off a complete energy node as easily as cutting tofu.

"You don't need to understand why here. Just remember to cut at this angle from this position."

"Then carefully peel it off completely."

Jiang Zhe placed the node on the table and pointed to the extremely subtle fault at the cut.

"Don't bite off more than you can chew. Today, you'll be responsible for these two steps."

"Come on, cut it and let me see."

Jiang Zhe handed the carving knife and a new earthen wall card to Su Man, indicating that she should start.

Taking the carving knife, Su Man took a deep breath and, mimicking Jiang Zhe's earlier actions, aimed at the desired point.

"Zila."

The carving knife sliced ​​through the joint, and the node was peeled off.

However, Jiang Zhe shook his head upon seeing this.

"No, it's cut crooked."

He pointed to the edge of the cut node, where there was a gap.

"It's been cut badly here, and the energy seal has been compromised, so it won't work even if you put it back in."

Jiang Zhe moved a little closer and pointed to the patterns on the card to correct him.

"Look here, cut along the inside of this line, and keep your wrist slightly curved."

Su Man nodded, her attention completely focused on that spot.

"The inner side...has a slight curve..."

She murmured to herself, then picked up the carving knife again and aimed it at another piece of earthen wall.

This time, her gaze became exceptionally focused, and with a slight flick of her wrist, the carving knife slashed across the surface like a swimming dragon.

"Zila."

The node detached, and the cut was smooth as a mirror.

"This time it's right."

Jiang Zhe glanced at it, a hint of admiration flashing in his eyes.

"No wonder the professor praised him as a gifted student; his hands are so steady."

"As long as you find the right location, then it won't be difficult for you."

He casually tossed the discarded card into the trash can, feeling somewhat sentimental.

"Luckily, these were all sponsored by Xiaoya, otherwise, you could have charged me a thousand or two, and I wouldn't have been able to bear it."

Upon hearing this, Su Man's lips curled into a confident smile.

"Don't worry, there won't be any more waste."

"Alright, let's begin."

To make her work easier, Su Man took off her tight white lab coat and wore only a fitted, loose-fitting knit sweater underneath.

She walked to the other side of the desk and sat down.

As she leaned forward, her soft curves pressed against the edge of the table, creating an even more striking effect.

Time passed by, second by second.

Although Su Man had a solid foundation, this completely new operating method still required her to concentrate fully.

He used every ounce of his mental energy to stabilize his wrist, daring not to slacken in the slightest.

This kind of high-intensity mental micro-management consumes far more physical strength than one can imagine.

"call……"

After processing a piece of mithril and carefully cutting off a node, Suman couldn't help but let out a soft breath.

She subconsciously tugged at her slightly sticky collar.

I felt like I had just finished a long run; my whole body was hot and tired, and my cheeks were flushed.

During this brief break, she looked up and her gaze involuntarily drifted toward Jiang Zhe across from her.

He was now completely focused on the final assembly.

The soldering iron in his hand rose and fell continuously, each contact producing a puff of blue smoke.

The movements were fluid and graceful, as if they were creating some kind of art.

"What exactly is the principle behind this...?"

Su Man was somewhat lost in thought.

She tried to analyze the circuits and understand the function of those seemingly chaotic solder joints.

But his brain felt like a jumbled mess, completely unable to keep up with Jiang Zhe's train of thought.

To get a better look at that crucial connection point, she unconsciously moved her chair closer.

It allows for convenient delivery of materials while also enabling more detailed observation.

The distance between the two was brought to a delicate level, and a hint of romance filled the air.

Su Man leaned forward slightly and handed over the materials she had just processed.

"Here are the materials for you."

Her voice was a little hoarse, with a hint of languor from overusing her mental energy.