Major Heavy Industry: Starting with a Fake Marriage

He patted Jiang Cheng on the shoulder: "Go ahead. Hand the things over. Let what's meant to come come."

As Jiang Cheng was leaving, Director Zhou seemed to remember something and said, "Chengzi, although I had my reasons for what happened before, I still feel bad for you. You... don't take it to heart."

Jiang Cheng waved his hand, "It's all in the past, my good factory manager."

Jiang Cheng organized the materials and reports and put them into a kraft paper envelope. The envelope was addressed to: Provincial Department of Machinery Industry, Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection, Provincial Department of Industry (To).

He walked out of the factory manager's office with the envelope in his hand, stood at the factory gate, and looked at the distant sky. The sky was blue, and the sun was shining brightly. He took a deep breath and dropped the envelope into the mailbox.

The days that followed were a long wait.

A week passed, no news. Two weeks passed, still no news. People in the factory were talking about it. Some said Jiang Cheng had really messed up this time, some said Zhou Chuanming was preparing a big move, and some said just wait and see.

Jiang Cheng went to work as usual and continued his technical innovations. After the old milling machine was successfully modified, several other workshops came to them for equipment upgrades. The technical innovation team was extremely busy, but everyone was full of energy.

Huang Deqing remained the same, spending his days squatting in the workshop, pondering over a pile of parts. Jiang Cheng sometimes felt that his master was like those old machines—they looked worn, but when you took them apart, they were full of good stuff.

"Master, why haven't we heard anything from up there yet?" One noon, Jiang Cheng squatted down next to Huang Deqing and handed him a cigarette.

Huang Deqing took the cigarette, lit it, and took a puff: "What's the rush? Good things come to those who wait."

"But just waiting like this makes me uneasy."

Huang Deqing glanced at him: "Chengzi, do you know why you've gotten to where you are today?"

Jiang Cheng shook his head.

"Because you never wait," Huang Deqing said. "While others wait, you're doing it. While others hesitate, you're also doing it. You take one step further than everyone else, so you get ahead of others."

He took a drag of his cigarette and said slowly, "It's the same now. Whether you wait or not, the result is the same. But whether you do it or not, the result is different."

Jiang Cheng paused for a moment, then smiled. His master was right. Waiting was just waiting anyway, so he might as well just wait.

From that day on, he stopped thinking about reporting. He worked tirelessly from dawn till dusk, leading his technical innovation team to modify each piece of equipment. Huang Deqing oversaw the process, occasionally offering a scolding or a nod. As the days passed, more and more machines were modified, and the factory's production efficiency increased steadily.

Zheng Yanxi delivered lunch to Jiang Cheng every day at noon. Standing at the workshop entrance, she would watch him, his phone greasy and his brow beaded with sweat. Sometimes she would shake her head, sometimes she would smile. She didn't say anything, but she came every day, rain or shine.

One day at noon, Jiang Cheng was eating when Zheng Yanxi suddenly said, "Jiang Cheng, there's something I want to tell you."

"What is it?"

"I—" she lowered her head, blushing, "I think I'm pregnant."

Jiang Cheng didn't react immediately: "What's wrong?"

Zheng Yanxi looked up and glared at him: "What did you say?"

Jiang Cheng dropped his chopsticks on the ground. He froze for several seconds, then suddenly stood up, almost knocking over his lunchbox.

"You mean—you're pregnant?"

Zheng Yanxi nodded, her face turning even redder.

Jiang Cheng stood there, his mind blank. Then he suddenly laughed, a laugh like a fool. He reached out to hug her, then pulled back—his hands were covered in engine oil.

"When—when did you find out?"

"Last month," Zheng Yanxi said, "I didn't dare tell you, afraid it would distract you."

Jiang Cheng stood there, unsure what to say. He just smiled, and as he smiled, tears streamed down his face.

"Why are you crying?" Zheng Yanxi also started crying.

"I don't know," Jiang Cheng said, wiping away his tears. "I'm just happy."

I never imagined that what I didn't finish in my previous life would lead me to become a father in just two years?

Huang Deqing squatted in the corner, watching this scene. The corners of his mouth curved up, then he lowered his head and continued to repair his machine.

The news quickly spread throughout the factory. Director Ma was the first to rush over to congratulate him, carrying two bottles of wine and insisting on having a drink with Jiang Cheng. Factory Director Zhou also arrived, patting Jiang Cheng on the shoulder and saying, "Great news! Double happiness!"

Zheng Huaiyuan and his mother also arrived. Zheng's mother held her daughter's hand, looking her up and down, her eyes reddening: "Why didn't you say so sooner, my child?" Zheng Huaiyuan stood to the side, his face expressionless, but his eyes were full of smiles.

That night, Jiang Cheng's house was packed with people. Director Ma brought wine, Factory Director Zhou brought food, and Huang Deqing brought a bag of brown sugar—saying it was for the pregnant woman to nourish her body. Jiang Cheng wasn't good at pleasantries; he just kept pouring wine for everyone.

After a few rounds of drinks, Director Ma suddenly said, "Jiang Cheng, what do you think you'll do in the future?"

Jiang Cheng thought for a moment: "Anything is fine. As long as he likes it."

Director Ma shook his head: "No. The son should follow in his father's footsteps and become a fitter."

Huang Deqing chimed in from the side, "Why be a fitter? Be an engineer."

Factory Director Zhou said, "I want to be the factory director."

The group argued back and forth, none of them willing to concede. Jiang Cheng listened from the side, simply smiling.

Zheng Yanxi sat in the corner, holding a cup of brown sugar water in her hands, watching these people argue back and forth, and the corners of her mouth curved up.

It was almost ten o'clock when the party ended. After seeing the guests off, Jiang Cheng returned and saw Zheng Yanxi standing by the window, looking at the night outside.

"Why aren't you resting?"

Zheng Yanxi didn't turn around: "I can't sleep."

Jiang Cheng walked over and stood beside her. Outside the window, the moon was full, shining on the factory area and coating the old factory buildings with a silvery light.

"Yanxi, who do you think our child will look like?"

Zheng Yanxi thought for a moment: "Like you. Stubborn."

Jiang Cheng smiled: "You look good."

Zheng Yanxi didn't say anything, but her ears turned red.

After a long while, she suddenly said, "Jiang Cheng, what do you think will happen between us in the future?"

Jiang Cheng thought for a moment and said, "It will be great. A hundred times better than it is now."

"real?"

"Really," Jiang Cheng said. "When the child grows up, I'll take him to see Tiananmen Square, the Great Wall, and those big factories. I'll tell him that all of these were accomplished by his father and grandfather's generation."

Zheng Yanxi turned her head and looked at him. In the moonlight, his face was serious and his eyes were bright.

"You," she said, "always think so far ahead."

Jiang Cheng laughed: "If you don't want to go far, how can you move forward?"

Zheng Yanxi didn't speak, but simply leaned on his shoulder. The two stood by the window, looking at the factory area under the moonlight. In the distance, the faint roar of machines could be heard, like the heartbeat of this era.

A few days later, news finally arrived from the province.

It wasn't a notification or a notice; it was a letter. The letter was handwritten by Vice Minister Li and consisted of only a few lines:

"Comrade Jiang Cheng: The Provincial Party Committee has sent personnel to investigate and verify the situation you reported. The investigation has found that the content of the Provincial Machinery Department's report is inconsistent with the facts and has been revoked. The relevant responsible persons will be dealt with separately. The Provincial Party Committee is aware of and supports your work at the Hongxing Factory. Please continue your efforts."

Jiang Cheng read the letter three times, then went to find Huang Deqing.

After reading the letter, Huang Deqing remained silent for a long time before saying, "Chengzi, do you know what this means?"

Jiang Cheng nodded.

"It means Zhou Chuanming lost," Huang Deqing said. "But this time, it wasn't just him who lost. It was the group of people behind him."

He returned the letter to Jiang Cheng, his eyes holding an indescribable look: "Chengzi, your path from now on will be even harder. You've won this time, but there will be even more people who want to get rid of you in the future."

Jiang Cheng looked at the letter, remained silent for a while, and then said, "Master, I'm not afraid. As long as I do my job well, I'm not afraid of anyone."

Huang Deqing looked at him and suddenly laughed: "Good, you've got potential."

That night, Jiang Cheng showed Zheng Yanxi the letter. After reading it, Zheng Yanxi didn't say anything, but simply folded the letter and put it in the drawer.

"Yanxi, are you unhappy?"

Zheng Yanxi shook her head: "I'm happy. But I know you'll be even busier in the future."

Jiang Cheng paused for a moment, then smiled. Yes, she always saw further than he did.

He reached out and took her hand. Her hand was warm and soft, like the only source of warmth in this winter.

Outside the window, the moon is full. In the distance, the machines in the factory are still roaring.

It was springtime in 1980. The snow had melted, the grass had turned green, and the willows had sprouted new buds.

Jiang Cheng stood by the window, looking at the world he was becoming more and more familiar with, and suddenly felt very calm.

He knew the road ahead was long. There were many more people to meet, many more things to do, and many more battles to fight. But he wasn't afraid. Because he wasn't alone.

He has a mentor, Yanxi, and a child about to be born. He has people who support him and people who believe in him.

This is enough.