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

Professor Lu Hai read the report word for word, carefully folded the newspaper, and placed it on the table.

He pushed up his glasses.

Looking at Engineer Cheng and Engineer Fu beside him, a smile of satisfaction spread across his eyes.

"I'd say Comrade Guangqi is truly capable."

"With this successful five-axis linkage, our Institute of Computing Technology has also benefited from it."

Engineer Cheng nodded in agreement: "We are completely convinced of Engineer Liu's abilities."

In tone,

It was full of respect for this "unofficial comrade-in-arms".

***

Research Department, Ministry of Machine Building.

The north wind howled outside the window, swirling snowflakes.

Inside, however, it was warm and cozy, quiet as springtime.

The office was completely silent.

Liu Guangqi leaned back slowly, the chair back making a slight sound. He let out a long sigh and gently placed the last neatly stacked documents on the corner of the table.

The research department had completed all its tasks for the year before the holiday, even slightly ahead of schedule. Now, the colleagues were enjoying a rare moment of leisure, gathering in small groups to chat quietly, their conversations inevitably revolving around today's newspaper articles. Their gazes frequently drifted towards the department head's office—a look filled with admiration and a hint of shared pride. This brief respite was the reward for more than half a year of hard work, and no one could find fault with it.

suddenly--

"Ring ring—"

The red telephone on the corner of the table suddenly rang, its ringing particularly clear in the quiet room. Liu Guangqi calmly reached for the receiver.

"This is Liu Guangqi from the Research Department of the First Ministry of Machine Building."

A loud, familiar voice immediately came from the other end of the line, unable to suppress the fervor in its words:

"Kuangqi! It's me!"

The caller was none other than Director Li of the Mechanical Engineering Department at Tsinghua University. A smile appeared on Liu Guangqi's lips, but before he could speak, the other party launched into a rapid-fire speech:

"I read the newspaper first thing this morning! Five-axis linkage, internationally leading level! Good for you, lad, you've really made Tsinghua University and all the old guys in this department proud!"

The old professor's voice, transmitted through the line, still carried that pure joy and pride. Liu Guangqi listened, a faint smile appearing in his eyes.

"Professor Li, I have to thank you and my alma mater for your support back then. If you hadn't contacted the Institute of Computing Technology for me, this machine wouldn't have been developed so quickly."

His words were always tactful and pleasant to hear. And these were truly his heartfelt words—without the theoretical and resource support from his alma mater, this project would never have progressed so smoothly. This is the unique advantage of an academic background.

"You silly child!" Professor Li chuckled on the other end of the phone, his tone full of kindness. "Still being polite to me at a time like this! But it does make me feel good to hear you say that."

He paused briefly, cleared his throat, and got to the point:

"Let me get to the serious stuff. The older professors in our department are getting restless; they're clamoring to go to your First Ministry of Machine Building tomorrow for a technical survey. To put it bluntly, they want to see that five-axis CNC center with their own eyes—to see what it's really like!"

Liu Guangqi replied without hesitation, "Of course you're welcome. You can bring your people anytime, and I'll personally greet you at the department entrance."

"Don't stand on ceremony!" Professor Li laughed even louder. "We know you're busy. We're just going to broaden our horizons. We'll leave right away and won't interfere with your work."

After hanging up the phone, Professor Li stood by the window, still holding the slightly warm receiver, a smile lingering on his lips. His inner turmoil was perhaps even greater than anything outside—the unique joy a teacher feels upon witnessing a student's outstanding achievement. He had initially thought that even with the collaboration of the Institute of Computing Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, the development of a five-axis CNC center would not be a short-term task; yet, in less than a year, Liu Guangqi presented him with the complete result.

This young man truly deserves to be called one of the best from Tsinghua University.

In just one day, Liu Guangqi's name and that still-freshly printed newspaper seemed to have sprouted wings and spread across the desks of various ministries and commissions throughout Beijing. Research, industry, metallurgy, foreign trade… the phones rang incessantly, filled with congratulatory messages.

Even my father-in-law from the General Logistics Department and my mother-in-law, who are known for their extensive connections, called specifically. Their tone was full of pride.

"You really lived up to expectations, you really made us proud this time! Your mother and I are so proud of you."

Despite the overwhelming attention, Liu Guangqi remained clear-headed. He understood that the success of the five-axis linkage was just the beginning. Numerous tough battles awaited him ahead in the subsequent mass production, technology transfer, and even the more complex development of seven-axis five-linkage linkage.

As the sun began to set, the number of people in the ministry building gradually dwindled. The six-month-long technical breakthrough had finally come to an end, and Liu Guangqi finally found a rare moment of peace.

After leaving the office, Liu Guangqi, accompanied by his bodyguard, drove straight to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It was nearing the Spring Festival, and the north wind in Beijing was biting, carrying fine snow that swept through the streets. As the car came to a stop, he rolled down the window and immediately spotted the figure standing in the wind.

Zhao Mengyun was wrapped in a thick camel-colored coat, her fair cheeks flushed slightly by the cold wind. She was gently stamping her feet to warm them, clutching a brown paper bag tightly to her chest as if protecting some precious treasure.

"Get in the car quickly, it's too cold outside." Liu Guangqi pushed open the door and got out of the car, a gust of cold wind hitting his face. He quickly stepped forward and took the paper bag from her hand—inside was the newspaper she had been treasuring.

Zhao Mengyun climbed into the warm car, rubbed her hands, which were red from the cold, and breathed out a puff of white mist. A smile played in her eyes as she turned to Liu Guangqi: "The office was quite lively today. Guess why?"

Liu Guangqi smiled slightly, amused by her lively expression: "Is it because of the newspaper?"

"That's right!" Zhao Mengyun spread the newspaper on her lap, her fingertips lightly tracing the striking bold words "World Leading" on the page. "We work in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, how could we not keep up with current events? You're a celebrity now." She raised her eyes, her teasing tone unable to hide her pride.

Liu Guangqi shook his head and chuckled. In this era without television or the internet, newspapers were indeed the most important window for people to understand the outside world.

After laughing, he suddenly remembered something: "Oh right, haven't you had mutton in a while? You said you wanted to eat hot pot last time, how about we go to Donglaishun today?"

With his two children being cared for by their mother, he didn't need to worry about anything.

"Donglaishun?" Zhao Mengyun's eyes lit up, then she frowned slightly. "Today? But do you have a ration coupon?" The food in the ministry's canteen was good, but in this harsh winter, who wouldn't crave a bite of tender mutton? However, with the current shortage of supplies, even if someone had money and ration coupons, Donglaishun only served customers with special coupons. After the public-private partnership, this time-honored brand could only rely on rationed coupons to maintain its business—a helpless choice in an era of scarcity.

"Take a guess." Liu Guangqi's smile deepened, and the meaning behind his words was quite clear.

Zhao Mengyun immediately understood and gently patted his arm: "Is it a reward from the department?" Looking into her husband's smiling eyes, she felt a warmth in her heart—he had kept her casual remark in mind all along, and even the reward he had just received was the first thing he thought of to fulfill her wish.

"Let's splurge today," she said with a smile.

Just as Zhao Mengyun had predicted, the logistics department delivered a batch of vouchers to the research department as a reward before and after get off work. The research department had performed meritorious service this time, and all its staff had been promoted, with corresponding material rewards following. Given the current situation, the logistics department couldn't offer many actual supplies; the best they could give were various vouchers.

These tickets were handed to Liu Guangqi, who, as the department head, was responsible for their distribution. The research department was instantly filled with joy; colleagues peered out from the doorway, creating an atmosphere as lively as if it were an early New Year celebration.

Among the tickets were several sets of "three turns and one ring" (a set of bicycles, a sewing machine, a watch, and a radio), as well as some special tickets that Liu Guangqi had never seen before, such as special meal tickets for public-private joint venture restaurants. Liu Guangqi already had plenty of "three turns and one ring," so he decided to let the young people in his department who were newly married or about to get married use them as needed. He quickly distributed the tickets, which were extremely valuable in the eyes of others, to several young colleagues, and then let them choose the tickets they needed.

Sure enough, most people chose everyday coupons such as grain coupons and meat coupons. As for restaurant meal coupons, no one paid any attention to them.

Not everyone can be like Liu Guangqi, a young man who has already become a senior engineer and settled down in a ministry-affiliated apartment building at a young age.

After the crowd dispersed, Liu Guangqi leisurely began tidying up his own. He carefully tucked the milk powder and malted milk coupons for his child into his inner pocket, while the remaining special coupons marked "public-private partnership" lingered on his fingers with considerable interest. Quanjude, Fengzeyuan, Donglaishun… these names flashed through his mind before being neatly slipped into his pocket. He neither smoked nor drank; his vices from his previous life were nothing more than the enjoyment of fine food and leisure. Now that the latter was no longer convenient to indulge in, the desire for food had become his only remaining solace. Since it was a public benefit, there was no reason not to use it.

As the car drove towards the restaurant, Zhao Mengyun couldn't contain her curiosity and turned to ask, "Besides the Donglaishun tickets, what else did the department reward us with?" Just as she finished speaking, the car came to a stop. The three characters "Donglaishun" shone brightly in the twilight, and waiters in white coats called out to customers at the entrance. Liu Guangqi took her hand and led her inside, dodging the crowd as he lowered his voice, saying, "You've been promoted to level fourteen in administration, which is equivalent to a full-fledged department head. Also, the level six engineer title was approved ahead of schedule." These words were spoken softly, but to Zhao Mengyun, they were like a pebble thrown into a still pond, rippling outwards. She suddenly stopped, looked up at him, her eyes shining: "Level six? So many people work their whole lives and never even reach that level!" She knew the weight of this level—before, being promoted to level seven was already difficult enough; now, reaching level six directly—this recognition was far more significant than any material reward. Liu Guangqi simply smiled faintly and led her further inside: "It's just that the project caught the right opportunity; it's all thanks to the higher-ups' approval. Come on in; we can't let these special tickets go to waste." The waiter noticed the tickets in their hands and quickly bowed, ushering them inside: "Please come in, gentlemen! The mutton just arrived today; it's incredibly fresh!"

The hall was sparsely populated, with a copper pot bubbling and steaming over the charcoal fire. Soon, the pot on their table was boiling, the clear broth bubbling gently with the flickering embers. The mutton slices were incredibly thin, almost translucent on the blue-and-white porcelain plate, and curled into delicate white clouds after a quick dip in the broth. Liu Guangqi picked up a slice and placed it in Zhao Mengyun's bowl: "Try it, this was earned with honor." Zhao Mengyun smiled, lowered her head to eat, and her eyes curved into crescent moons. "The department head said he's bringing several professors from Tsinghua University for a research visit tomorrow," Liu Guangqi said while cooking meat for her. "I have to accompany them throughout the visit, so I'm afraid I won't be back until later. I expect there will be quite a few visitors these next few days." Zhao Mengyun nodded, picking a few pieces of cooked mutton from the thermos she had brought. "Don't worry, Mom will take care of things at home. Ruixue and Fengnian are well-behaved and don't cause much trouble." In the rising steam, she looked at her husband's profile illuminated by the charcoal fire and suddenly spoke softly, "Guangqi... you're now the head of the department and a Level 6 engineer. Won't it be even harder for you to rest in the future?" There was a hint of melancholy in her voice. Liu Guangqi stopped eating and turned to look at her seriously. "No matter how busy I am, I have to come back," he said, reaching out to take her hand resting on the table. His palm was warm. "Making machine tools is for the country, but staying with you and the children is my own little home." There were no passionate vows, but they instantly put Zhao Mengyun's wavering thoughts to rest. The copper pot was still bubbling, the aroma of mutton mingling with the couple's low laughter, slowly lingering in the warm air.

The following morning, an old bus pulled up in front of the Department of Mechanical Engineering on time. Professor Li, the department head, led seven or eight elderly gentlemen with white hair off the bus. Liu Guangqi was already waiting at the door and quickly greeted them. "Director, teachers, you must be tired from your journey," he said, extending his hand to shake hands with each of them. The department head patted him heavily on the shoulder, his smile deepening the wrinkles around his eyes: "What's the trouble! We're here to see the face of Tsinghua University!"

The department head had a loud and powerful voice, and his back was as straight as a pine tree.

"Guangqi!" he exclaimed loudly, "You've really made us old folks proud this time!"

The elderly professor, wearing reading glasses, gently adjusted his glasses, his gaze lingering on Liu Guangqi for a moment before he slowly nodded.

"He has become more composed and mature than when he was in school."