Courtyard House: I'm an engineer, and a fairy godmother transferred me to a different position.

Upon joining the First Ministry of Machine Building, he skipped the probationary period and was directly appointed as a Level 1 clerk (Administrative Level 19). Meanwhile, his fellow newcomers, who reported for duty at the same time, all started from Administrative Level 20**, holding the title of Level 5 clerk.

After the new recruits settled in, Liu Guangqi squeezed time out of his schedule to teach in the research lab for two hours each day. He introduced them to the core systems of CNC machine tools, arranged for them to learn basic operations before assembling the equipment, and then assigned them some practical exercises. The rest of the time, Liu Guangqi devoted himself entirely to the design blueprint of the five-axis CNC machine tool.

Time flies by like flowing water, and more than a month has passed in the blink of an eye. After the start of autumn, a chill seeps into the morning and evening winds, and the air is filled with the desolation of the changing seasons. But a fire burns in Liu Guangqi's heart, untouched by the autumn chill.

As September drew to a close, in the office of the Research Department of the First Ministry of Machine Building, the afternoon sun slanted through the window, casting a pale golden halo over the pile of blueprints on the desk, a far cry from the intense heat of midsummer. Liu Guangqi slowly exhaled, pulled out a blueprint from the bottom, and lightly brushed its surface with his fingertips, as if wiping away non-existent dust, before solemnly placing it on top of the stack of blueprints.

It became.

Before him lay three thick design atlases, each bound in dark brown kraft paper, with the words "Five-Axis Linkage" and the volume number neatly inscribed in ink on the spine. Opening any page revealed a dense array of parameters, intricate structural diagrams, and meticulously crafted assembly processes—every line and every number meticulously considered, a testament to his nearly year-long dedication.

Liu Guangqi stretched his shoulders and back, rubbing his aching brow bone, but a smile involuntarily crept onto his lips. From sketching out drafts in his spare time while on secondment at the steel rolling mill to finalizing the cooperation framework with the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the past six months had finally borne fruit. These drawings were the final product of his repeated refinement of knowledge, transforming it into concrete technical solutions, and undergoing countless parameter calibrations. If a true five-axis linkage heavy-duty machining center could be built based on this, it would not only enable China to achieve independent manufacturing of such equipment, but also clear the way for precision machining in future cutting-edge industries such as aviation and submarines—this was his answer to the past six months.

Lost in thought, the black telephone on the table suddenly rang urgently, breaking the silence of the room. Liu Guangqi grabbed the receiver; his father-in-law's deep voice came through, accompanied by his mother-in-law's hearty laughter in the background. Their joy seemed to overflow through the lines.

"Guangqi! Xiaoyun has given birth..."

On the other end of the phone were his father-in-law, whom he hadn't seen in a long time, and his well-connected mother-in-law. Although they were busy with official duties, they had been concerned about their daughter's impending delivery and had specially coordinated their leave to return from the military. Several days before the due date, his mother-in-law had arranged her hospitalization at Peking Union Medical College Hospital with a single phone call. Liu Guangqi was naturally happy to have everything settled and smoothly took his wife, Zhao Mengyun, to the hospital. He later wanted to ask for leave to be with her during the delivery, but his father-in-law flatly refused.

"How can that be? Your work concerns the overall national interest; how can you just take leave like that?"

After some discussion, the two families made a decision: Liu Guangqi's parents and his parents-in-law would take turns caring for Zhao Mengyun at the hospital and accompanying her during her pregnancy; Liu Guangqi would return to his ministry as usual to continue his research and development work.

"She gave birth?" Liu Guangqi's fingers tightened suddenly around the receiver. The joy of finishing the drawings hadn't even subsided when those two words struck him like a tremor. He cleared his slightly tight throat, his voice taut like a bowstring: "When did this happen? Meng Yun… is she alright?"

On the other end of the phone, upon hearing his first words of concern for his wife, his father-in-law's tone immediately softened, and he replied cheerfully:

"Don't worry, Xiaoyun is fine! She just gave birth half an hour ago and is just tired. She's sleeping right now. You're a decent guy, at least you know to ask your wife first."

The old man began to nag, "Go home quickly and bring two cans of milk powder, in case the baby doesn't have enough..."

Before he could finish speaking, a rustling sound came from the receiver, followed by his mother-in-law Wu Shuang's booming voice:

"Alright, old man, you've rambled on for so long without getting to the point. Give me the phone!"

A hearty laugh came from the other end of the phone, so loud it almost pierced the receiver: "Guangqi! It's me!"

"Mom..." Liu Guangqi had just started to speak when she was interrupted by the other party's excited voice.

"Ignore your dad's nagging, Mom has some incredibly exciting news to tell you!"

"Xiaoyun gave birth! It's twins, a boy and a girl! Both mother and babies are safe and sound. The older sister arrived first, followed by the younger brother. Both little ones are very healthy!"

Liu Guangqi, holding the microphone, was momentarily stunned.

Twins (a boy and a girl)?

He actually... suddenly had both a son and a daughter?

My gaze unconsciously fell on the stack of five-axis linkage design drawings spread out on the table. The thick kraft paper cover still retained the warmth of my fingertips. The pinnacle of my career and the fulfillment of my family life had unexpectedly overlapped on this day, at this moment.

He forgot to answer.

A surge of immense joy welled up in his chest and choked him; he simply listened blankly to the voice coming through the receiver.

"Guangqi? Why are you so quiet? Are you out of your mind with joy?" His mother-in-law, Wu Shuang, called out with a smile, pulling him back to reality.

He took a deep breath, his voice trembling with excitement: "Mom! I heard you! I... I'm coming right now!"

He hung up the phone, grabbed his coat from the back of the chair, and rushed out, not thinking about anything else.

My mind is a mess, a mix of panic and joy—

He was panicked because he wasn't by his wife's side when she gave birth, and he didn't know how much hardship she had endured alone; he was overjoyed because in the blink of an eye, two new people had entered his life, and from that moment on, his life trajectory had been completely changed.

He became a father.

And he is the father of two children.

"Director Lin—!"

The office door was flung open, and Liu Guangqi rushed in, panting. His hair was slightly disheveled, and his usual composure was nowhere to be seen. His chest heaved, clearly indicating that he had run all the way upstairs.

Immediately afterwards, he slammed a thick stack of blueprints onto Director Lin's desk, causing the pen holder to bounce slightly.

"I have completed all the technical drawings for the five-axis linkage system!"

"Please take a look first!"

After saying that, he seemed to catch his breath, and hurriedly added another sentence, his voice still trembling:

"Also... my wife just gave birth today, and I'd like to take the day off to go to the hospital."

Director Lin, who was reviewing documents with his head down, suddenly brightened up when he heard "all the five-axis linkage technologies." After hearing the second half of the sentence, he slammed his pen down on the table with a "clang."

He looked up, a hint of surprise flashing across his face before being replaced by a bright smile.

"Good lad!" Director Lin laughed as he stood up, walked around the desk, and patted Liu Guangqi's shoulder heavily with his thick hand. "This is double happiness for you! A truly wonderful thing!"

"The five-axis blueprints are just finished, and the baby has arrived—it's a really good omen!" He nodded repeatedly, his eyes shining. "I've truly never seen anything like this before!"

He snatched the leave slip from the table, signed it without even looking at it, and said, "Alright! Go to the hospital now."

"I'll take care of things at the ministry. You just stay home and spend time with your family these next few days! This is an order!"

After speaking, Director Lin couldn't help but scrutinize the young man before him, his eyes filled with emotion. He still remembered when Liu Guangqi first came to the Ministry of Machine Building, he was just a student fresh out of school. Now, in the blink of an eye, he had not only become a backbone of the ministry but had also completed the most important role transition in his life.

Time really flies.

"Thank you, Director!" Liu Guangqi hurriedly thanked him, and before he could say anything more, he grabbed the leave slip and ran out.

As soon as he rushed out of the office building, his bodyguard was already standing at the bottom of the steps, standing straight and saluting.

"Chief, the car is ready."

"Walk!"

The black Volga sedan roared and sped out of the compound like an arrow, heading towards Peking Union Medical College Hospital.

Inside the car, Liu Guangqi's heart pounded faster than the engine's rhythm. He clutched two cans of milk powder tightly in his hands, his mind a jumble of images: intricate mechanical lines and the small, unseen face of a child.

Upon arriving at Peking Union Medical College Hospital, he practically ran upstairs. The location of the ward he had memorized when he admitted Zhao Mengyun was now clearly guiding him in his mind.

The door to Zhao Mengyun's hospital room was ajar.

Faintly, one could hear the soft teasing sounds of his father-in-law and mother-in-law coming from inside, interspersed with Zhao Mengsheng's curious questions.

"Knock knock".

Suppressing his turbulent emotions, he knocked twice gently and pushed the door open to enter.

In an instant, all the sounds in the room fell silent, and several pairs of eyes turned to him.

The lighting in the ward was soft.

Zhao Mengyun lay on the snow-white sheets, wearing a light blue maternity gown. Her complexion was somewhat pale, and the strands of hair on her forehead were damp with sweat, clinging to her skin. But her eyes were bright, curving into crescent shapes.

Her parents stood beside the bed. Her father held a pink swaddled baby in his arms, while her mother carefully cradled a blue one. Their eyes were soft, and smiles played on their lips. Even her usually restless younger brother, Zhao Mengsheng, was quietly nestled beside his parents, craning his neck and extending his index finger, wanting to touch the small, tightly wrapped body but not daring to.

"Guangqi is here."

The mother, Wu Shuang, raised her head first, a smile spreading across her eyes, and then handed the child in her arms over.

"Dad, Mom."

Liu Guangqi responded, but his gaze swept over everyone and he walked straight to the bedside.

He didn't look at the two newborn babies, but sat down on the edge of the bed, took Zhao Mengyun's outstretched hand in one hand, and brushed her sweaty hair away with the other, his voice low and gentle:

"Are you tired?"

"Is there anything that hurts?"

Zhao Mengyun shook her head, her eyes slightly red, but she still smiled and said softly:

"I'm not tired, just a little hungry."

"Go and see the children... they're all waiting for their father."

This scene was clearly witnessed by the two elders.

They looked at each other for a moment, and their eyes were filled with even deeper comfort and approval.

This son-in-law has a warm heart.

Which man, upon becoming a father for the first time, wouldn't rush straight to his child? But Liu Guangqi's first thought was of his wife. This deep affection for her, placing her at the very top of his heart, was more important than anything else.

Wu Shuang felt a surge of warmth in her heart, her smile softened, and she proactively handed over the blue swaddled baby.

"Come here, hug your son."

Liu Guangqi then carefully accepted it.

It felt soft and light in his hands, yet heavy. This level-seven engineer, who usually tinkers with precision machine tools, was now holding his child, his arms stiff and tense. The baby's face was scrunched up in the swaddling clothes, eyes tightly closed, brows furrowed, like a little old man.

Liu Guangqi couldn't help but laugh.

"It is a bit wrinkled, but it will grow out and be fine."

Everyone in the room burst into laughter.

He then turned to his father-in-law: "Dad, can I see the other one too?"

Liu Guangqi had already noticed that his father-in-law was holding the tiny swaddled baby in his arms the whole time, unwilling to let go. He was also curious about what kind of daughter she was that made his father-in-law so fond of her.

Seeing his son-in-law reach out, Zhao's father reluctantly handed the child over.

really--

The older sister's body is more open and relaxed than the younger brother's.

His face was clean and clear, without the wrinkles that are common in newborns, and the outline of his features vaguely resembled Liu Guangqi's.

It's often said that daughters resemble their fathers, and that's certainly true.

Just then, the ward door was gently pushed open a crack, and Liu Haizhong's urgent voice came in:

"Guangqi!"

"Are Xiaoyun and the baby both alright?"

Before he finished speaking, he and his second aunt had already squeezed through the door one after the other. Despite his plump figure, he moved with surprising agility. As soon as they entered the house, the elderly couple's eyes were fixed on the two swaddled babies in Liu Guangqi and his mother-in-law's arms.

"Two, two?"

Liu Haizhong's eyes widened suddenly, his loud voice abruptly cut off, and he froze on the spot. He unconsciously rubbed his hands together—his son and in-laws each held one of his children, while he, the grandfather, stood aside, unsure of where to go.

"Let me hug you too!"

Liu Haizhong finally reached out to his son.

As that soft little body settled into his arms, he looked down at that delicate little face, and his heart instantly melted. The more he looked, the happier he became.

"Oh, right, Guangqi!"

"Xiaoyun...she gave birth to twins in one pregnancy..."

Seeing his father's helpless expression, Liu Guangqi smiled and softly replied: