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

In that case, we can sit back and relax.

It's not China that's competing with the US; if the sky falls, there will always be taller people to hold it up.

If the bear doesn't accept it, then let's just give up!

Once the debt is cleared, neither party owes the other anything, so even if things fall apart, it doesn't matter.

If accepted—

The technology for those large-scale projects can then be acquired, boosting China's infrastructure development.

If you do not accept—

Seven-axis machine tools remain firmly in our grasp.

Either way, you're not at a loss.

Subsequent conversations focused on foreign policy.

In the past, China's foreign trade consisted only of agricultural products, grains, and canned goods, so people had to swallow their pride and bear it.

The balance of power has now shifted. China's export-oriented electrical appliances and machine tools are now coveted treasures by various countries. Why should we continue to treat Russia and the West with disdain?

When it's time to reap the rewards, one must be ruthless.

The Foreign Trade Department, to which Director Chen belongs, felt this most deeply.

In the past two years, Western countries, along with Japan, South Korea, and other countries, have actively sought to trade with China.

The reason is simple: in an era of rapid industrial development, who would want to fall behind?

All countries aspire to become industrial powers, and trade is their lifeline.

The world has changed.

In the past, China was at the mercy of others at the negotiating table; today, it has become the one holding the game.

When the conversation ended, Liu Guangqi's expression remained somber.

On the first day back at work after the New Year holiday, I was ruined by that damned leak, and I felt really frustrated.

When the ministry clerk came to the research office to announce a meeting in the auditorium, the gloom between his brows had not yet dissipated.

As is customary in government departments, we simply obey orders.

The auditorium was packed with people.

On the podium, the ministry leader held the year's production plan in his hand, his voice booming and each word resounding.

"...The foreign debt is cleared, but we can't let last year's momentum falter!"

"Keep a close eye on the production lines. In addition to machine tool exports, raise this year's target by another 10%!" "Comrades, the burden is heavy, but hope lies ahead!"

Inside the venue.

The heads of various departments and directly affiliated state-owned factories had different expressions.

Some people buried their heads and wrote furiously, afraid of missing even a single instruction.

Some people were whispering to each other, shoulder to shoulder, while their minds were busy with their own factories.

Only Liu Guangqi—

His gaze was unfocused; he sat at the table, but his soul had already drifted away to who-knows-where.

His mind was still filled with the mystery of the seven-axis data leak and the rumors coming from the computer research institute.

Thinking about computer-related matters.

Liu Guangqi chuckled slightly. Who could have predicted this, a man who specialized in mechanical engineering?

The first published textbook

It wasn't a treatise on mechanical engineering, but rather an introductory lecture on computers.

Moreover, the Institute of Computing Technology repeatedly invited him to participate in discussions on the development of the second-generation computer.

So, if we calculate it this way,

His burden this year is probably not going to be light either.

Afterwards, the entire department held a work conference.

Liu Guangqi didn't pay much attention to those production plans and task breakdowns.

There's no need to listen too closely.

His battleground was not in the roaring workshop, but in the laboratory filled with blueprints and calculations.

The research departments of ministries do not have rigid production targets; they mainly determine the research direction for the new year based on the progress of projects in previous years.

And handling various technical coordination issues.

Tap, tap.

Two soft taps came from the desktop.

Liu Guangqi suddenly snapped out of his daze and looked up with a blank expression.

In view of,

It was Wang Jianguo's face, which was full of helplessness yet tinged with a smile.

"You little rascal..."

"My tendency to daydream during large meetings is truly unwavering!"

Wang Jianguo lowered his voice, his words laced with familiar teasing: "You dare to daydream at such an important annual meeting? Only you would do that."

Liu Guangqi twitched the corner of his mouth and raised his hand to press his temples.

"Is the meeting over?"

"They dispersed long ago, just waiting for Director Liu to return to his original position."

Wang Jianguo laughed as he spoke.

Looking at Liu Guangqi's appearance, a hint of disorientation flashed across his eyes.

I remember when I was in the research department, this kid would blatantly daydream during large meetings.

Now he's a section chief.

This tendency to drift off during meetings hasn't changed at all.

Wang Jianguo tidied up the notebook on the table and casually asked:

"Look at your furrowed brow, which organization wants to borrow you this time? Or have you run into some technical hurdle?"

"It's a bit more troublesome than those."

Liu Guangqi gave a vague reply.

Wang Jianguo and Liu Guangqi had worked together for a long time, and he could guess most of it from Liu's expression. It was probably related to some rumors circulating recently.

He didn't ask any further questions.

He simply reached out and patted Liu Guangqi firmly on the shoulder twice.

"Things will work themselves out in the end. When have you ever really been stumped? If something is handed to you, it's not a dead end."

He glanced at his watch after saying that.

Then she changed the subject: "No, I have to get back to the factory right away, there's a ton of stuff waiting for me."

According to his usual temperament,

He couldn't help but chat with Liu Guangqi for half a day.

But right now—

With the position of deputy factory director on his shoulders, on the first day of the new year, thousands of people in the factory were waiting for his dispatch and arrangements.

"Go quickly."

Liu Guangqi smiled, the gloom in his heart lightened somewhat by these few casual words.

Watching Wang Jianguo leave with a brisk pace,

Liu Guangqi also packed his things and got up to leave. He was just about to head towards the research office...

But a deep, resonant voice came from behind:

"Comrade Guangqi!"

"Now we should finally have some time to properly discuss joining the second-generation computer research and development team, right?"

The person who came walked with quick yet steady steps.

A gust of wind was stirred up; it was Professor Lu Hai from the Institute of Computing Technology.

This old professor was usually composed in his demeanor.

However, he has a youthful efficiency when it comes to getting things done.

At this moment, he took a few steps forward.

The thick-rimmed glasses on his nose almost slipped off.

He stood directly in front of Liu Guangqi:

"You promised yourself before the New Year that you could have a few days of rest during the holiday!"

Lu Hai spoke quickly and urgently.

As if afraid the person would turn and leave, her eyes were practically overflowing with anticipation: "It's not even the end of the year, I'll come and invite them right away!"

"Professor Lu, you really are..."

Liu Guangqi chuckled and shook his head.

A professor from Tsinghua University and the head of a research group at the Institute of Computing Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, was in such a hurry to "block" him.

This is quite a show of force.

Anyone who didn't know better would think they were hunting down some wanted criminal.

Lu Hai grinned, seemingly oblivious to the fact that he had done something wrong, and instead appeared completely at ease with himself.

"I really have no other choice!"

"You're so popular, I'm afraid you'll be snatched away by other new projects in the department if I'm not careful!"

As he spoke, he waved the document in his hand as if it were a precious treasure.

"This contains the official secondment paperwork from the Institute of Computing Technology. All the procedures are complete, and I've already spoken to the institute. Now we're just waiting for your word..."

"As long as you agree!"

"I guarantee the handover at your Ministry of Machine Building will be completed within three days!"

Liu Guangqi was taken aback.

Wow, Professor Lu is really going all out, even sending a secondment letter right to our doorstep.

He reached out and took the rather heavy document.

As my fingertips touched the hard cover, I immediately understood.

This is no longer a casual invitation.

Instead, they were determined to make him an indispensable core force in the second-generation transistor computer project.

"Look at this!"

Lu Hai urged, his eyes gleaming with anticipation: "Don't think the temporary transfer is troublesome; I've already thought it through for you—"

"Your official position is within the Ministry of Machine Building. If you help out privately, it would at most be considered technical support, and the credit wouldn't be easy to quantify."

"But if you're officially seconded, you'll be a core member of the Institute of Computing Technology's research and development team. Once the project is finished, your name will definitely be on the honor roll!"

"In terms of compensation, it's also higher than what you would earn working independently on machine tool R&D in a ministry."

Liu Guangqi opened the file.

There were no unnecessary formalities; the first page was a secondment letter stamped with a bright red official seal.

As for the second page

This is a division of labor in the research and development of the second-generation transistor computer.

His gaze swept quickly across the area.

He was unfamiliar with most of the names listed above.

However, in the most crucial section of the table, "Core Algorithm Optimization," two striking bold characters clearly come into view.

Liu Guangqi!

The name was followed by a parenthesis that read "on secondment".

This is not finished.

In the final remarks section, there was a line of smaller print:

"A dedicated office will be reserved, along with two assistant researchers."

These meticulous arrangements,

It was definitely not a spur-of-the-moment decision or something we just pulled in to make up the numbers.

A dedicated office, plus the assistance of two researchers...

This is no longer just a matter of sincerity.

This directly regards him as a respectable computer expert in the research and development project team.

It was very thoughtful.

Professor Lu Hai observed the subtle changes in Liu Guangqi's expression.

Then I knew I had used the right "strong medicine".

He immediately added with a smile, "I know you still have CNC machine tool development on your mind!"

"But if you think about it from a longer perspective, which of the more sophisticated machine tools we'll be developing in the future won't require ultra-high precision computing and control?"

"You came to help us, ostensibly to help the Institute of Computing Technology, but what are you really doing?"

"It's also paving the way for your future projects!"

"This is a win-win situation for both sides!"

Liu Guangqi held the secondment letter in his hand, his fingertips lightly brushing over the words "core member," and the hesitation in his heart gradually dissipated.

The reason he declined last year

This is because the mass production of five-axis linkage and the research and development of seven-axis linkage have not yet been fully sorted out.

The development of the seven-axis system is now on track.

The computer textbook has also been completed and delivered, which has definitely eased up my workload.

more importantly,

The computing power support that Professor Lu Hai mentioned hit the nail on the head regarding the key issue he had been pondering.

"Professor Lu."

Liu Guangqi finally raised his head and looked directly at the other person.

The previous politeness and evasiveness had vanished without a trace, replaced by the focus and scrutiny characteristic of a technician.

"Where exactly is your second-generation computer project at now?"

As soon as those words were spoken,

Professor Lu Hai's eyes suddenly lit up!

He knew—it was a done deal!

Lu Hai immediately took over the conversation, speaking even faster:

"The transistor device has been successfully prototyped, but we are currently stuck on the multi-task scheduling algorithm."

"We've tried the time-sharing assignment system idea you mentioned in your textbook several times without success, and we're just waiting for you to take the lead in pushing it forward!"

He also specifically emphasized:

"As Mr. Hua said, as long as you are willing to join."

"You'll decide the entire technical direction of the second-generation computer research and development team! This old man is at your beck and call!"

"You young people are quick-witted and know a lot about new things."

"With you on board, I dare say the project's progress will be at least six months ahead!"

This is by no means flattery.

These are the heartfelt words of a group of top experts from the Institute of Computing Technology after experiencing numerous setbacks.

Liu Guangqi remained silent for a moment.

The expectations of the institute leaders are like distant mountains in sight, and the CNC machine tool research and development that I am currently facing urgently needs the support of computer simulation—without sufficient computing power, all ideas will remain just fleeting thoughts.

After a moment of silence, he finally nodded solemnly.

"Professor Lu, I have no objection."

"The formal secondment process will require your assistance in communicating with our department. I will be handing over my current duties in the next few days."

"Once the formalities are completed, I can start work at any time."

"Great! Excellent!"

Lu Hai almost jumped out of his chair. His fingers gripped the transfer letter tightly, his knuckles turned white, and his wrists trembled slightly.

He had been waiting for this sentence for far too long.

I couldn't relax at all during the entire Spring Festival, fearing that the other party would find another excuse to refuse me, and I tossed and turned every night, unable to sleep.

At this moment, a heavy weight was finally lifted from my heart.

"I'll go see your minister right now! I'll talk to him in person!"