The Fitter Master in the Courtyard: Surrounded by Dead Men

"Truly inspiring."

Chen Xueru leaned against the door, watching him, her eyes reflecting his figure, and couldn't help but softly praise him.

He also examined himself in the mirror for a moment.

As the saying goes, clothes make the man, and now I truly understand why – the same body can exude completely different charm when dressed in different clothes.

Walking down the street like that, you'd probably attract the attention of many girls passing by.

"You little rascal,"

Chen Xueru approached, smoothing his already neat collar with her fingertips. Her voice was low, tinged with a hint of playful reproach, "Don't provoke too many younger sisters in the future. I'm afraid I won't be able to handle them all by myself."

He naturally understood the meaning behind her words.

Yang Ping merely raised the corners of her lips slightly and replied with an ambiguous statement: "Don't worry, I'll always know my limits."

That's his attitude.

We will not promise never, nor will we allow promises to be excessive.

"Bad thing."

Chen Xueru spat lightly, her tone more amused than annoyed.

"If she weren't bad, why would anyone care about her?"

He accepted it calmly, his smile revealing understanding.

He felt relaxed around a woman like Chen Xueru – he could speak frankly without hiding anything or making sweet but fragile vows.

If it were Gao Yue standing in front of him right now, he would have to put on a different face, swear oaths, and demonstrate what it means to be as loyal and unwavering as a rock.

"Does this outfit need any further alterations?"

He changed the subject, opened his arms, and let her scrutinize him.

He wasn't good at trivial matters like whether the clothes fit perfectly; he left that to her eye.

"Let me see."

Chen Xueru then put aside her lingering thoughts and focused on observing.

I was so focused on looking at him that I forgot about the important matter.

She walked slowly around him, her fingers gently pinching here and measuring there.

"The waistline needs to be tucked in by half a point, and as for the hem..."

She crouched down, her fingertips brushing against the hem of her trousers. "They're a little long. Shortening them by half a centimeter will make them just right."

"Okay, as you wish."

Yang Ping nodded.

He took off his coat and handed it to Chen Xueru.

Chen Xueru took it, turned around and went out, heading straight for the tailor shop on the street corner.

She returned shortly afterward, saying that she had entrusted the matter to the master craftsman and that it would be finished and delivered before evening.

Yang Ping nodded.

His gaze swept over the slightly tired figure behind the counter, and he asked, "Haven't you had lunch yet? What would you like to eat?"

People who run shops are always like this; when they get busy, they don't care about the time, and it's common for them to combine three meals into one.

Chen Xueru smiled and said, "Just take care of the arrangements."

Yang Ping went out and headed towards Fengzeyuan.

When I returned, the food box I was carrying was still steaming, with several nourishing dishes laid out on a small table in the back room of the silk shop.

"Don't go there next time."

Chen Xueru looked at the exquisite bowls and plates with delight in her eyes, but her tone was serious, "It's too extravagant."

Yang Ping just smiled and said, "It's alright."

Seeing that she was about to speak, he waved his hand to stop her.

Chen Xueru said no more, but secretly she began to plan in her heart—she had to work harder in the future, so that if anyone ever ran into financial difficulties, she could always help them out.

"Eat it while it's hot."

He urged gently.

Chen Xueru sat down as instructed.

As she tasted the dish, she couldn't help but sigh softly, "No wonder even important figures choose Fengzeyuan for their banquets... This taste is truly rare."

Who in the capital hasn't heard of this place? Being able to have a meal there is something many people would talk about for most of their lives.

Yang Ping glanced at the remaining pastries on the table, her tone casual. "I'll go and let you know later, and I'll bring them to you every day from now on."

"Don't spend any money."

Chen Xueru shook her head, "It's good to try something new every now and then; eating the same thing all the time can get tiresome."

I can take care of the food myself.

She knew in her heart that if she did this every day, it would be a considerable expense.

"That's fine. If you want some, just have someone fetch it, and put the bill in my name."

Yang Ping readily agreed, also finding that the same routine every day would indeed be boring.

Hearing him say that, Chen Xueru felt relieved.

As dusk settled outside the window, he suddenly asked, "Are you going home tonight?"

"I was going to go back."

She responded softly.

"Then don't leave. I'm too lazy to move anyway."

He spoke with a smile.

Chen Xueru's ears felt slightly warm, and she lowered her eyes, softly saying, "Mmm."

He made a sound.

Yang Ping's smile deepened.

When you're with a woman like her, it's better to be straightforward and direct, without being roundabout or using unnecessary words.

The sun was setting in the west, and the clock swung past six o'clock.

Chen Xueru began tidying up the shop.

At this time, the capital city was quiet after nightfall, with few night markets, and all the shops rushed to close before dark.

She tidied the counter, her fingertips trembling slightly, her cheeks still burning.

This was the first time in over twenty years that I had experienced such a situation. I was filled with trepidation and panic, and my heart felt like a jumbled mess of emotions, unable to quite grasp the feeling.

A strong hand suddenly covered the back of her hand.

"Don't panic."

Yang Ping's voice rang out beside him.

She responded softly, but her heart was pounding so fast and heavily that she couldn't calm it down.

The shop door closed, the sound of the lock clicking crisply.

The two turned around and walked into the backyard, one after the other, as dusk deepened.

After carefully washing and grooming herself, Chen Xueru specially chose a dark red cheongsam to wear, and also picked out a few suitable pieces of jewelry to put on.

She applied her makeup in front of the mirror, each stroke meticulous and precise.

Once everything was in order, the person in the mirror looked radiant, and their demeanor was completely different from usual.

"Sister Xue Ru, you look especially beautiful today."

Yang Ping looked at her, his eyes filled with undisguised admiration.

Upon hearing this, Chen Xueru smiled sweetly and walked towards him with sparkling eyes.

Yang Ping stepped forward and embraced her.

……

Yang Ping was already awake when the morning light streamed in through the gaps in the curtains.

After a passionate night, he felt refreshed and clear-headed.

Turning to look at her side, Chen Xueru was still fast asleep, her breathing shallow.

Remembering how she looked last night, he unconsciously moved even more gently—let her sleep a little longer.

He quietly got up, washed up, and went out to buy two breakfasts.

He left one portion inside to keep it warm, and quickly ate the other before heading to the factory.

Upon arriving at the steel rolling mill's R&D workshop, Yang Ping changed into her work clothes and began disassembling the damaged parts of the battery manufacturing equipment, replacing them one by one with new parts.

Before long, Cao Dayu and Song Zixu also arrived.

To expedite the development of lithium batteries, the two of them got up very early today.

"Master Yang, we're here!"

As soon as they entered the workshop, the two greeted each other loudly.

"Clean these parts as I instructed, being careful not to break them."

Yang Ping assigned them tasks.

"Okay!"

The two readily agreed.

Yang Ping turned around to disassemble the casing of another machine, and then came back to assemble it after they finished cleaning the parts.

The three of them got busy with their own tasks, and the workshop gradually filled with the orderly sounds of machinery and occasional conversations.

Before we knew it, more than three hours had passed.

"It's finally done."

Looking at the newly assembled device with its neat wiring, Yang Ping breathed a long sigh of relief.

Yang Ping nodded, indicating that the power-on test could begin.

If all goes well, the next step is to start manufacturing the batteries.

"Turn on the power."

He gave a brief instruction.

"clear!"

Upon hearing the call, Cao Dayu, who had been waiting by the power source, deftly connected the power.

A low humming sound rang out, the machine first vibrated slightly, and then all the parts started to operate smoothly and without any lag.

Seeing this, Yang Ping smiled with satisfaction.

"The machine is running normally."

Next, we'll test-produce batteries to see how effective they are.

Let's start with lead-acid batteries.

He plans to start from there, verify the results, and then consider lithium battery production.

Cao Dayu and Song Zixu were already prepared.

The two immediately set off to purchase lead and other necessary battery materials.

Yang Ping then began to operate the system.

He had a thorough understanding of the manufacturing process of lead-acid batteries.

He skillfully removed impurities, placed the lead metal into the battery manufacturing machine, and then added other materials in sequence.

He then watched the machine operate quietly, waiting for the battery to take shape.

Cao Dayu and Song Zixu stood to the side, their expressions tense, not daring to breathe.

Whether or not one can achieve great things depends on this one move.

They were terrified that anything might go wrong at this critical juncture.

Before long, a lead-acid battery was completed.

Yang Ping held the battery in his hand and examined it carefully for a moment. Finding no obvious problems, he handed it to Cao Dayu.

"Let's test the power supply."

"good!"

Cao Dayu took the battery, returned to the power source, connected the circuit, and began testing the voltage and other parameters.

A moment later, he reported back:

"Mr. Yang, the test is complete, everything is normal, you can turn on the light bulb."

"very good."

Yang Ping nodded in acknowledgment.

The machinery is operating normally and the test results are normal, which means that the entire set of equipment has entered a stable working state.

Next, it was time for the trial production of lithium metal batteries.

He instructed Cao Dayu to bring the lithium metal that had been prepared in advance and to begin purifying the material according to the fire refining steps recorded in the literature.

This method has a relatively mature process and is relatively safe to operate; as for new methods such as electrolytic refining, we can leave them for future exploration.

The flames continued to burn the silvery-white lithium block, gradually driving away the impurities with the high temperature.

After the metal cooled, he placed it into the battery assembly machine, and then added the other auxiliary materials in sequence.

Then came the waiting.

Yang Ping stood quietly to one side, his gaze fixed on the smoothly running machinery.

Cao Dayu and Song Zixu held their breath simultaneously—success or failure hinged on this moment, and they hoped everything would go smoothly.

Soon, a square, silver-gray battery slid out of the outlet.

From the outside, it looks no different from an ordinary lead-acid battery.

"Heavy rain, take it for testing."

Yang Ping reminded him, "Remember to wear protective gloves and a face mask."

Lithium metal is highly reactive, so safety measures must not be taken lightly.

"clear!"

Cao Dayu readily agreed, took the battery, and quickly walked towards the testing station.

He performed tests on voltage, internal resistance, and other parameters step by step, his palms slightly sweaty.

Only after finally connecting the battery to the circuit and seeing the light bulb suddenly light up with a stable and full beam did he breathe a long sigh of relief.

"Master Yang, everything is normal!"

His booming voice couldn't contain his excitement.

Cao Dayu felt that he had finally participated in something remarkable in his life.

"Very good!"

Song Zixu couldn't help but jump up.

This was a collaborative achievement between him, Yang Ping, and Cao Dayu. From then on, he was no longer the idle, carefree "young master" in the eyes of others.

The.

From that moment on, a clear mark was added to his life—he personally brought lithium-ion batteries into the world.

Upon hearing those words, Yang Ping merely raised the corners of his mouth slightly.

It's finally done.

"I'll test it again."

He still harbored a sense of caution and felt compelled to examine the battery's performance under various conditions once more.

If stability falters even slightly, the road ahead becomes much more risky.

Here you go, Master Yang.

Cao Dayu reached out and handed it over.

The battery felt slightly heavy when he picked it up. Yang Ping didn't say anything more, connected the multimeter, and started testing each item one by one.

The voltage reading was slightly off, and the light from the bulb wasn't quite solid enough.

It still needs to be adjusted, adjusted until it is as stable as a rock, so that it can stand firm in the test of time.

He had seen what happened later—those reports of smoke and fire couldn't have been foreshadowed at the outset.

Only when people feel at ease using the technology can it have the confidence to move forward.

He then returned to his desk, carefully adjusting the parameters and reconfiguring the materials.