1950s: After transmigrating into a capitalist, I relied on military industry to achieve a comeback.

"Kingshi?"

Lin Jiaoyue was stunned.

Before she could react, Zhao Weiguo next to her was like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, his hair standing on end.

"Yes, Beijing!"

Professor Zhou stepped forward, his tone enthusiastic, "It's such a waste to keep your talent cooped up in a factory! You should receive the most systematic and top-notch education. I'm willing to personally write a letter of recommendation for you to directly enter the Beijing Military Technology Academy for further studies! There are the best laboratories there, and materials from Soviet experts. With your foundation, in less than three years, you'll be a pillar of the nation's materials science!"

Beijing Military Technology Institute!

These eight words were like a bombshell dropped into the crowd. Sun Weiguo gasped, his eyes practically red with envy. That was the "Whampoa Military Academy" of the military industry! A place so many people would kill to get into!

Zhao Weiguo's heart sank into an ice cellar.

Oh no! We've let the wolf into the house! The gold nugget I painstakingly dug out of the waste paper pile, I haven't even had a chance to enjoy it, and now it's going to be taken away by people from the central government?

"No!"

Zhao Weiguo panicked. He didn't care who the other person was anymore; he rushed forward, standing protectively in front of Lin Jiaoyue like a mother hen guarding her chicks, his face all smiles but refusing to budge an inch.

"Professor Zhou, you see... Xiaolin is still young, only sixteen! And Project 501 is at a critical stage, we can't do without her! As for going to Beijing, shouldn't we... perhaps we can talk about it later?"

"Old Zhao! This is narrow-minded factionalism!"

Professor Zhou was so angry that he puffed out his beard and glared at Zhao Weiguo, pointing at his nose with great indignation.

"Is a '501' project more important, or is it more important to cultivate a future scientific giant for the country? Can't you figure this out? Keeping her confined to the Red Star Factory is like picking up a sesame seed and losing a watermelon! It's a crime!"

"I don't care about watermelons or sesame seeds, the Red Star Factory can't do without her now!" Zhao Weiguo said stubbornly, acting like a rogue.

The two argued heatedly, their faces flushed, while Lin Jiaoyue stood behind them, her mind in turmoil.

Going to Beijing?

To be honest, as a highly educated person in her previous life, she was tempted.

Her biggest weakness right now is this knowledge of dubious origin. If she could go to a reputable college to "gild" herself and get an officially recognized diploma, she would have a legitimate reason to use any cutting-edge technology in the future, and she wouldn't have to patch things up for this "deadbeat uncle" anymore.

Moreover, Beijing is the capital city, and its resources, vision, and platforms are far superior to those of Harbin, which is covered in ice and snow.

but……

Lin Jiaoyue subconsciously turned her head and looked out at the gray, snowy wind through the frost-covered glass windows of the workshop.

She remembered her father, Lin Hongsheng, who waited for her to get off work last night at the alley entrance, wearing an old overcoat and shivering in the minus thirty-degree wind.

I thought of my mother, Su Wanqing's, hands that were pricked by knitting needles while knitting gloves for her; I thought of the pot of mutton soup that was always warm at home.

This family had only just settled down in Harbin. The parents' sensitive identities were like a Damocles' sword hanging over their heads.

If she leaves, and years pass, in this turbulent time, in this unfamiliar northern city, who will protect her foolish parents who, despite their "capitalist habits," deeply love her?

Without her in charge of Hongxing Factory, and without Zhao Weiguo as their protective umbrella, what if the winds change one day...

Lin Jiaoyue gently stroked the White Rabbit candy in her pocket with her fingers hanging by her side. Her originally bright eyes gradually became hesitant, and finally turned into a tenderness that was hard to let go of.

Rather than being a shining pillar of the nation, she seems to... prefer to be the daughter of Lin Hongsheng and Su Wanqing.

Seeing the fleeting hesitation on Lin Jiaoyue's face, Professor Zhou Qingyuan's heart tightened.

He assumed the young genius was worried about his lack of experience and inability to convince others, so he stepped forward hastily, his tone revealing the anxiety and sincerity unique to that era.

"Comrade Xiaolin, don't have any worries! Your theoretical foundation is so solid that I think it even surpasses that of many PhDs who have returned from studying abroad. What you lack is simply a systematic review and a broader platform."

Professor Zhou pushed up his thick-rimmed glasses, his gaze intense, as if he wanted to transfer the fire in his chest to the young girl before him:

"I know it's difficult for you to leave your parents and the familiar Hongxing Factory for a completely unfamiliar environment. But, Comrade Jiaoyue, you need to think about the situation this land we're standing on is facing right now."

He turned abruptly, pointing to the gray, heavy sky outside the window, his voice low and forceful, each word seemingly squeezed out from between his teeth:

"The Yalu River is engulfed in war, and imperialist planes and cannons are eyeing us menacingly! Technological blockades surround us like an iron barrel, trying to strangle the new China in its cradle! Every day we in the military industry overcome a major hurdle, the soldiers on the front lines shed one less drop of blood, and the more upright we Chinese can stand!"

"The knowledge in your mind doesn't just belong to you personally; it's the most valuable asset of this era! Using this asset where it's most needed is not only a national necessity but also the highest honor for a technical worker!"

These words struck Lin Jiaoyue like a heavy hammer, making her eardrums ring.

The surrounding workers were filled with excitement, their rough hands clenched tightly, knuckles turning white from the effort. Their gazes toward Lin Jiaoyue were filled with anticipation and an almost sacred encouragement.

"Lin, go! We working class never back down!"

"Yes, Deputy Section Chief Lin, you're a man destined for great things. Keeping you cooped up in this little factory is like keeping a golden phoenix in a chicken coop! As long as we can produce good guns and cannons, it's worth it even if we work ourselves to death!"

Lin Jiaoyue's breathing became slightly rapid, and her heart pounded violently in her chest.

In her past life, she was just a cog in a large factory, easily replaceable, sacrificing her life for KPIs, year-end bonuses, and so-called "good fortune."

She never imagined that one day her code, her algorithms, her mind would be so closely connected with the fate of the nation and the lives of millions of people.

This heavy sense of mission made her tremble, but it also made her...blood boil.

She did consider settling down, guarding the supplies in her spatial storage, and living a peaceful life as a wealthy family with her parents in this era. But when the nest is overturned, how can any egg remain intact?

Without a strong national defense, her little bit of "happiness" is nothing but a fragile bubble in the face of the tide of the times, easily burst.

Go! We absolutely have to go!

but……

Her gaze pierced through the crowd, and through the frost-covered glass windows of the workshop, as if she could see the warm, dim light of her home.

She remembered her father, Lin Hongsheng, who waited for her to get off work last night at the alley entrance, wearing an old overcoat and shivering in the minus thirty-degree wind.

I remembered my mother Su Wanqing's fingers, pricked by knitting needles while knitting gloves for her; I remembered the pot of mutton soup that was always warm...

Her parents in this life are the softest spot in her heart as an orphan, and also her deepest concern.

Zhao Weiguo, who had been silent all along, keenly noticed the struggle in Lin Jiaoyue's eyes.

This man, who shed blood but not tears on the battlefield, looked at the sixteen-year-old girl before him and suddenly sighed deeply. He strode up to Lin Jiaoyue, like an iron tower shielding her from all the wind and snow, and from all her worries.

"Xiao Lin, Professor Zhou is right. I shouldn't have been so selfish."

Zhao Weiguo looked at Lin Jiaoyue, his voice hoarse but unusually firm, carrying an undeniable military spirit:

"Go ahead. Go without worry. Uncle... I'm telling you this right now, as long as I, Zhao Weiguo, am at the Hongxing Factory, as long as I'm alive, no one will dare lay a finger on your parents!"

He seemed to feel that the promise wasn't enough weight, so he suddenly thumped his chest, making a dull thud that sent a shiver down the spines of those around him.

"Your dad is a union official now, a legitimate working-class cadre. Who dares to investigate his background? As for your mom, I've already had your aunt become her sworn sister! From now on, your parents are my, Zhao Weiguo's, own brothers and sisters-in-law! The factory will provide for everything they need—food, clothes, and other necessities! If they're short even a pound of flour or a piece of coal, you can come back and shoot me!"

"My word is my bond! If you don't trust me, I'll give you a written agreement right now! And I'll put your fingerprint on it!"

These words, though rough and earthy, were sincere and resolute.

The surrounding crowd fell silent for a moment, then erupted in thunderous cheers. For a factory manager to go to such lengths for a subordinate, he had truly given his all.

Lin Jiaoyue's eyes suddenly reddened.

She could feel the heavy weight of this promise. In this special era, Zhao Weiguo was risking his political life to vouch for her family. He was using his military achievements to provide a protective umbrella for the Lin family.

"Director Zhao..." Her nose tingled, and her voice choked with emotion.

"Don't call me Factory Manager! Call me Uncle Zhao!"

Zhao Weiguo grinned, revealing a smile more like a grimace. His weathered face was etched with reluctance and pride. His rough hand reached out to pat her head, but then, afraid of soiling her hair with its grease, he held it in mid-air and withdrew it.

"You little rascal, I watched you grow from a sickly little girl into the pillar of our factory. Uncle... Uncle is so proud of you! When you get to Beijing, don't embarrass our Red Star Factory! Let those intellectuals see just how amazing the golden phoenixes that fly out of our Northeast black soil are!"

"Uncle Zhao." Lin Jiaoyue nodded heavily, and finally couldn't hold back her tears.

With this promise, her last worry was gone.

And that was the end of it. Zhao Weiguo managed to negotiate with Professor Zhou for a month—to allow Lin Jiaoyue to stay home until after the New Year before leaving.

……