Courtyard House: Starting with a 28-inch motorcycle

At this moment, Xiao Yao was studying new materials and electromagnetic coupling theory with several professors and was completely unaware of the excitement happening outside.

He had already thoroughly disassembled, verified, and delivered the entire photovoltaic power generation technology, feeling that his mission was accomplished. As for awards, bonuses, titles... he didn't even think about them.

It's not that I don't love money, it's just that I really don't need it.

His daily life was meticulously arranged by the school, with everything from food and clothing to accommodation and transportation. He rarely had to pay for even a bottle of water himself. Over time, the allure of money faded like the waves left on the beach after the tide receded. Instead, he felt the racing heartbeat when he saw a formula successfully derived, the tightness in his throat when the first light on the circuit board lit up, and the tangible sense of accomplishment from turning abstract theories into reality.

This time, in particular, he independently mastered the underlying logic of AC-side photovoltaic power generation, from modeling and simulation to actual testing, all in one go. When the sunlight shone into the laboratory and the current steadily flowed through the load, he stood by the window for a long time without moving—that heavy sense of pride was hotter than any award certificate.

He was fascinated by the feeling of using his brain, his hands, and his whole being to genuinely help people, support things, and protect the country.

This satisfaction is priceless.

The solar energy system had barely been installed when he quietly began flipping through the lecture notes for the next course.

Only by keeping running forward can you encounter such light time and time again.

Xiao Yao was very calm, so when Professor Chen walked into the laboratory holding his bright red master's degree certificate, he stared at the certificate for a full five seconds.

Professor Chen smiled warmly: "Xiao Yao, you really didn't disappoint me—you're even more dazzling than I expected. The top leader personally wrote the inscription 'A young talent, a pillar of the nation.' In my thirty years of teaching, this is the first time I've felt so proud."

"The big leader you mentioned..." Xiao Yao's throat was a little dry.

"Who else could it be?" Professor Chen smiled and winked.

Xiao Yao froze, her Adam's apple bobbing up and down, her fingertips unconsciously tightening around the lab notebook.

Following this, construction began on the nation's first large-scale solar power plant; Professor Li led a delegation to Europe for academic dialogue. When Chinese scientists first stood on the international stage as the leading force, those faces that had previously been accustomed to looking down on others began to frequently take notes, raise their hands to ask questions, and actively exchange contact information.

Professor Li chatted and laughed, but in his heart he silently nodded in Xiao Yao's direction—this comeback was the seed he had planted.

Throughout the exchange, all core technical parameters were avoided, and no one mentioned Xiao Yao's name. But it was precisely this silence that made the event all the more significant: an original technology led by a young man in his early twenties had made the world take notice of the brilliance of Chinese scientific research for the first time.

Professor Li argued fiercely with Professor Chen over this. He strongly advocated for Xiao Yao to delve deeper into the energy field: "His intuition and execution in photovoltaics are rare, perhaps only seen once in a decade."

Professor Chen stood firm: "Wireless energy reception, supercapacity energy storage panels—aren't these all generational breakthroughs? To confine them to energy alone is the biggest waste."

"But at present, the achievements in photovoltaics are indeed the most solid," Professor Li countered.

"Because he's only twenty-two years old." Professor Chen's voice wasn't loud, but every word was firm. "Give him ten years, and how many new tracks can he carve out? I'm not trying to poach talent, but I have to protect the environment in which he grows."

Professor Li paused, then suddenly smiled: "Alright, let's stop arguing—we'll give him the choice. It's his own path, and he has to walk it himself."

Professor Chen nodded slightly, his gaze gentle yet firm—a student's aspirations should ultimately come from the heart, and interest is the true starting point.

Xiao Yao was still basking in the afterglow of being publicly praised by high-level leaders; her ears were slightly flushed and her heart was pounding.

A burning passion surged within him, and he longed to transform this fervor into tangible results: to conduct solid scientific research and to genuinely serve his country. Life was no longer as carefree and empty as before.

As soon as Professor Chen asked about his long-term plans, Xiao Yao blurted out in a clear voice, "I want to learn more deeply, go further, and create something truly worthwhile."

Professor Li paused, raising an eyebrow slightly: "Besides solar energy, do you have other directions?"

Xiao Yao smiled and nodded, his eyes calm yet shining: "Yes, Professor."

……

The vast ocean of knowledge dormant within the system is far from bottomless, and the technological reserves in solar energy are sufficient to support current breakthroughs; however, to delve deeper, we need a new generation of high-performance materials—which foreign countries hold tightly and will never relinquish to sell to us. Xiao Yao knew in his heart that he still carried a stack of unopened missions on his shoulders.

The road to scientific and technological advancement is long and arduous. He is unwilling to stay in one place and wants to leave his mark on multiple fronts.

Upon hearing this, Professor Li's heart sank slightly at first, but was quickly enveloped in warmth: This child is truly going to forge a new path.

Professor Chen smiled broadly, his eyes brimming with undisguised pride.

"Alright," Professor Li said gently but firmly, "would you like to continue working with me and learn on the job in the energy field? I won't take up your time; you can free up your energy to participate in training for other research groups simultaneously."

"Huh? Professor, you mean..." Xiao Yao was stunned for a moment and blinked.

We were just talking about our aspirations, how come we suddenly changed the subject and started arranging class schedules?

Professor Chen laughed heartily: "Professor Li wants to take you into the field of energy for in-depth study, and I've always felt that you have a great talent for interdisciplinary studies. That's why I asked you what you thought just now—I didn't expect that we were thinking the same thing! However, your talent in this area is indeed outstanding, so I suggest that you take advantage of your youth to develop multiple roots: be both specialized and broad, so that you can get several hard-core degrees in the future and have more weight in your words."

Xiao Yao thought to himself: A master's degree certificate in my pocket is actually enough.

But the trust in the two professors' eyes was so heavy it made his fingertips tingle.

He originally wanted to study more challenging books and acquire more real skills, but when he actually had to work on projects with several mentors at the same time, the pressure came crashing down on him like a tidal wave.

After all, he hadn't even finished half of those undergraduate courses. What if he embarrassed himself in front of Professor Zhang or stumbled in front of Professor Wang someday? Where would he put his face then?

No, I have to hurry! I need to solidify my undergraduate foundation first, and then thoroughly learn all those courses in the space.

With the solar energy project having just yielded impressive results and the team wrapping things up, Xiao Yao found himself with some free time.

Coincidentally, he was taking extra lessons in his online space.

After the intellectual leap, textbooks became like peeled orange segments, clear and concise. In just half a month, I passed all the courses in my junior and senior years.

He had planned it out: he wouldn't rush the schedule or force himself to keep up; he would learn while taking breaks and control the pace himself.

Unfortunately, the word "leisurely" never applied to him.

The professors were already being exceptionally lenient by allowing him to rest for three days.

Fearing that the underage boy's mind was too overheated, they pressed the pause button, waiting for him to calm down and regain his composure before pushing him forward again.

Before Professor Chen took him into the group this time, he handed him an envelope—a project bonus of two thousand yuan.

Xiao Yao received the most, while the others received slightly less.

But no one questioned it; everyone knew perfectly well that he was the one who derived the core data and optimized the key algorithms. His name was shining brightly on the list of achievements.

More than money, people value the weighty honor and the exhilarating feeling of "It's a success!" when the results are realized.

Even if we don't get a single penny, as long as the product is made and we've done right by the country, it's worth it.

Xiao Yao's salary also increased accordingly: a monthly subsidy of 120 yuan, and he was officially given the title of "research assistant".

With his graduate student status confirmed, he was no longer an auditor but a genuine researcher on the front lines.

Clutching the few thin bills, he was a little confused: Where should he spend them?

He had already accumulated a lot of savings in his personal account, and he rarely went out, went shopping, or dined out. He even rarely had the chance to buy a bottle of soda.

I might as well stuff them all back into the space, just for peace of mind.

This time, following Professor Chen was nominally "participating in research," but in reality, it was a hands-on mentorship: supervising operations and memorizing procedures in the lab; and receiving individual tutoring in his spare time, building the knowledge framework layer by layer from materials physics to system modeling.

Xiao Yao saw this and felt warm inside—this old gentleman truly regarded him as a promising talent and was doing his best to support him.

After more than a month of intensive teaching, Professor Chen granted him a half-month vacation without saying a word, ordering him to rest.

Xiao Yao has long since graduated and no longer needs to return to school. But on this day, he still stood at the university gate.

The security guard spotted him from afar and quickly approached: "Young man, you've been wandering around the entrance for ages. Did you forget your access pass? Here, sign this, and I'll let you in."

He recognized Xiao Yao and was also familiar with Su Man, who often rode her bicycle in and out of the area, so he dared not easily let a stranger pass.

"No need, I'm not taking classes here anymore, I'm waiting for someone today," Xiao Yao explained with a smile.

The security guard nodded, immediately realizing what he meant: "Oh, an exchange student? Okay, you can wait here; it'll be cool under the shade of the tree."

In his eyes, these students are the backbone of the future, and his respect for them is ingrained in his bones.

"Thank you, sir!" Xiao Yao said. The security guard turned and returned to his post, standing as straight as a pine tree.

Half an hour later, Su Man came out pushing her bicycle. When she saw him in the distance, she paused, her eyes suddenly lit up, and she ran up to him, a smile playing on her lips: "Finally, you're on vacation!"

"If I don't come to you right away, who else can I come to?" Xiao Yao replied with a smile.

Su Man's ears turned red, and she lowered her head to fiddle with the handlebars: "You're thoughtful—you didn't make me worry about you every day."

"I can stay with you for half a month this time, and we won't go anywhere," Xiao Yao said.

"So... you're going back to the research institute?" she asked, looking up at him.

"Yes, I've already received my master's degree and am now a full-time researcher at the institute." He paused, his voice softening, "I'll be spending most of my time there from now on."

As for what exactly she'll do? I can't say. It's not that I don't trust her, it's the written confidentiality agreement that weighs on my shoulders and protects my bottom line.

"You're infuriating!" Su Man feigned annoyance, her eyes crinkling into crescents with laughter. "While everyone else is still working on their theses, you've already warmed your degree certificate—how are we mere mortals supposed to live?"