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

Sha Zhu's face showed little surprise, but the envy in his eyes was impossible to hide. "No wonder!" he smacked his lips in admiration. "This is a big compound, kids as young as three can go to the orphanage! Kids that age in our compound are still rolling in the mud, and your two are already on their way to school." There was no sour grapes in his words, only genuine admiration. Liu Guangqi's current life was earned through hard work; no matter how envious others were, they couldn't replicate it. He added sincerely, "It's good to start school early, so you can be as successful as me in the future."

Liu Guangqi simply smiled, said nothing more, and took the two children's hands, walking towards the central courtyard. The Qin Huairu incident was merely a minor episode for him; afterwards, no one in the courtyard mentioned the Red Star Factory again. Liu Guangqi's words were addressed not only to Qin Huairu but also to everyone in the courtyard, effectively preventing much subsequent trouble.

On his day off, with a whole day of leisure, Liu Guangqi, holding one child's hand and Zhao Mengyun beside him, strolled leisurely along the alley towards the Qianmen Grand Theater. He carried in his pocket the theater tickets issued by the ministry, their weight evident in the red paper and black lettering. Today's performance was the Mei Lanfang classic, "Farewell My Concubine." Old Beijingers always cherished the vibrant sounds of gongs and drums; in these days of scarce entertainment, a performance by a renowned actor was more anticipated than any festival.

The old wooden chairs in the theater exuded the smell of years. When the gongs and drums suddenly sounded, the two children's eyes lit up instantly. Ruixue tugged at Zhao Mengyun's sleeve, her low voice filled with excitement: "Mom, look at that auntie's clothes! They're so beautiful!" Zhao Mengyun gently told her, "Those are the phoenix coronet and embroidered robes worn on the stage." Liu Guangqi sat to the side, slowly peeling open a packet of spiced peanuts wrapped in oil paper, blowing off the red skin, and offering the plump kernels to his daughter's mouth. The little girl put them in her mouth, puffed out her cheeks, and mumbled, "Thank you, Daddy." Fengnian, sitting next to them, had no interest in the story of Farewell My Concubine, only staring at the martial arts performers on stage, clenching his fists and gesturing, almost slipping off his chair. Liu Guangqi reached out and pressed his son's shoulder: "Sit properly." Zhao Mengyun leaned on her husband's shoulder, smelling the clean scent of soap from his collar, and looking at the three of them, a relaxed smile spread across her face. She never tired of this kind of time.

The afternoon sun was shining brightly, and the family went to the Summer Palace again. The surface of Kunming Lake shimmered with tiny sparkles, and the newly sprouted green willow branches swayed gently in the breeze. "Ducks!" Ruixue spotted the waterfowl by the lake and ran off, letting go of her father's hand. Liu Guangqi quickly chased after her, lifting his daughter up and placing her on his shoulder. "Slow down! If you fall into the lake and become a little duck, Daddy will have to fish you out and make soup with you!" The little girl laughed, her clear laughter startling several sparrows on the shore.

The little girl's arms wrapped softly around Liu Guangqi's neck, and she kept asking to go feed the ducks in the pond.

"Daddy, I want to be held too! I want to ride on a high place too!"

The son, Fengnian, was so anxious that he stomped his feet and stretched out his arms to grab his father's legs.

But the Liu family's old tradition of favoritism is ingrained in their bones.

Liu Guangqi gently lifted his daughter off his shoulder, pretending not to hear his son's cries.

Xiao Fengnian tried several times but couldn't climb up. His face turned red, and his eyes were about to well up with tears.

Instead, Zhao Mengyun turned around and bought a shiny gourd from a roadside stall, handing it to her son.

The child was immediately drawn to the bright red fruit, holding the candied hawthorn and licking it intently, his earlier displeasure vanishing in an instant.

The family strolled outside until the sun began to set.

After having dinner at a state-run restaurant, I slowly walked back to the ministry compound as dusk fell.

In the evening, Liu Guangqi and Zhao Mengyun each brought a child to the public bathhouse in the compound.

The bathhouse was filled with steam and the moist scent of soap pods.

Little Fengnian splashed around in the small wooden basin by the pond, making the ground wet.

Liu Guangqi had no choice but to follow behind, supporting his son's chubby body with one hand, afraid that he might slip and fall into the pool.

"Are you a fish, kid?"

"If you keep making a scene, you'll ruin all the water in the bathhouse."

After finally getting the energetic little guy cleaned and dried, we carried him out of the changing room and ran into the families of several other department cadres.

When everyone saw Liu Guangqi with the child, they all laughed and teased him.

"Director Liu is so meticulous in taking care of the child!"

Liu Guangqi simply nodded with a smile.

A thin layer of melancholy swept through my heart—I fear these peaceful days won't last much longer.

Once this weekend is over, the transfer order for overseas assignment should be on my desk.

When putting her child to sleep at night, Liu Guangqi told her a few more stories.

The two children's breathing rose and fell softly in the quiet room, like small animals dozing by a fireplace.

Liu Guangqi carefully tucked the blankets around them, her fingers brushing across the children's soft cheeks, her eyes filled with a warm, comforting smile.

But before the smile could fade from his lips, his wife's gentle voice came from behind him:

"Guangqi, you're going out again, aren't you?"

Liu Guangqi's hand paused in mid-air.

He turned around, meeting Zhao Mengqing's clear eyes, and scratched the back of his head with a hint of helplessness:

"So easy to spot? I thought you were hiding it pretty well."

Zhao Mengyun, however, did not smile.

She simply gazed at him quietly, her eyes revealing a knowing understanding, yet also a hint of bitterness.

"You forgot? You were like this before you left last time, wanting to empty the box of stories."

A single sentence easily exposed all his pretense.

Liu Guangqi smiled, no longer hiding anything, reached out and grasped her fingertips, and whispered, "The official document hasn't been released yet, but it's settled."

"Where are we going this time?"

"I can't say."

"...So, what are you going to do? Can't you at least tell me something?"

Zhao Mengyun's eyes lit up for a moment, then dimmed again, as if she were afraid of touching something.

Liu Guangqi was silent for a moment, then shook his head: "I can't say that either."

Zhao Mengyun lowered her eyes and asked softly, "Give me your email address so I can write to you."

"That won't work either." Liu Guangqi gripped her hand, his voice gentle yet firm. "I'll come back as soon as possible."

Zhao Mengyun's eyes reddened slightly, but she didn't shed tears. She just bit her lower lip and asked the most important question:

"How long will it take?"

Liu Guangqi pondered for a moment before giving a vague answer:

"If all goes well, it will take two or three months."

"If...we encounter technical difficulties, then it's hard to say."

The words "it's hard to say" were like a pebble thrown into a deep pool, creating ripples of melancholy in Zhao Mengyun's heart.

She suddenly let go, leaned into Liu Guangqi's arms, wrapped her arms tightly around his waist, and pressed her cheek against his chest.

There were no further questions, and no crying.

She just held him like that, with all her might.

She knew that her husband was doing something important, something that would make millions of people hold their heads high.

She couldn't change his departure, nor could she help him much. All she could do was silently embrace him, burying all her worries and longing in his warm bosom.

Zhao Mengyun buried her face in his chest, and her muffled voice came through the fabric: "I'll take care of everything at home. I'll look after Mom, Dad, and the kids. You go out... take care of yourself." She paused for a moment, then lowered her voice even further: "Don't get hurt, don't get sick. We and the kids are at home, waiting for you to come back and finish telling those unfinished stories."

The next morning, the people sent by the General Affairs Bureau of the Academy arrived on time.

A childcare worker surnamed Zhou, around thirty years old, wore a faded but crisp blue cloth uniform. Accompanying her was a slightly older life assistant; the badges of their respective childcare posts gleamed faintly in the morning light. Without exchanging pleasantries, they put down their canvas bags and inquired about details from Zhao Mengyun—the bags contained a childcare manual, a life skills manual, and a stack of brand-new flashcards. They carefully noted down Ruixue and Fengnian's eating habits and daily routines, their voices gentle and focused.

Liu Guangqi stood by the door, watching this scene, and the last bit of concern he had for his child quietly settled in his heart. He turned and left without disturbing anyone.

Shortly after, Liu Guangqi emerged from the Institute of Computing, a thin sheet of paper between his fingers. He folded the transfer order in half and then carefully tucked it into the pocket of his undergarment; the sharp edges of the paper could still be felt through the fabric. It was more than just a document; it was a guarantee of access to the Northwest National Defense Project, a weighty entrustment. This weight was greater than all the awards and honors he had received in the past.

In the afternoon, a military green Jiefang brand truck was parked downstairs in the research office building, its engine humming, attracting many passing researchers to stop and look.

"Director Liu!"

Transport team leader Gao Jianjun strode over, a simple smile spreading across his bronze face as he extended his calloused hands. It was the same familiar convoy, and the same team leader—due to confidentiality requirements, the transport personnel traveling to and from the Northwest remained the same. Gao Jianjun had led the escort team on the last Northwest expedition, braving wind and sand together along the way; the two were already old acquaintances.

"Captain Gao, thank you for troubling me again." Liu Guangqi grasped his hand.

"You said last time that Fu brick tea quenches thirst," Gao Jianjun handed over a thermos, "I specially had someone brew a pot for you to drink on the road." The thermos was scalding hot, and the warmth spread along his arm.

"You're so thoughtful."

"Of course!" Gao Jianjun grinned. "We can't compare to you; we're just running errands and putting in some effort."

"Then let's set off." Liu Guangqi said no more, deftly opened the passenger door, and jumped into the seat. Two accompanying guards carried wooden crates and quickly walked towards another truck behind.

The car doors closed, shutting out all outside noise. Gao Jianjun got into the driver's seat and waved to the rear.

"Let's go!"

The truck growled as it slowly drove away from the research facility. This journey led to the Gobi Desert, to a desolate, nameless distance. But for a roar that would one day shake the heavens and earth, it was all worthwhile.

A thunderous roar echoed across the Gobi Desert. The convoy, like stubborn iron beasts, lurched violently deeper into the northwest heartland. Gale-force winds whipped up clouds of dust, obscuring visibility in an instant, and the wipers futilely scraped muddy streaks across the windshield. The weather was even more violent than before.

Gao Jianjun's eyes were bloodshot, his hands gripped the steering wheel firmly, and he would occasionally lean close to the window, relying on his years of experience traversing the desert to search for tracks that only he recognized in the almost indistinguishable landscape. Outside the window, the sand dunes were constantly deforming in the fierce wind, as if they were about to swallow up the tiny vehicles at any moment.

Inside the carriage, Liu Guangqi's gaze remained calm, not looking out at the apocalyptic scene outside the window.

This land was no stranger to him, and the fierce sandstorms were expected.

He unscrewed the kettle, and the warm Fu brick tea slid down his throat. The astringent aroma mixed with the scent of earth spread in his mouth, slightly relieving the dryness in his throat and the roughness of the sand.

The last time I set foot here was to escort a five-axis CNC center.

The sandstorm was just as fierce that day.

But my state of mind is completely different now.

That earth-shaking roar, which I remember so vividly, should have resounded throughout the world in 19**.

now--

It has been almost six years since then.

Time seems to be just around the corner.

The vehicle shuddered as it bumped along, and he could imagine the second-generation computers and seven-axis machine tools tightly wrapped up on the truck behind him—symbols of the pinnacle of industry in this era.

With them,

That day might actually be able to be moved forward.

Even if it's just one day earlier, it carries the weight of a mountain for this nascent nation.

"Captain Gao!"

"Just keep a steady speed. As long as the wheels can still turn, it's not too late."

Liu Guangqi's voice wasn't loud, but it clearly pierced through the roar of the engine and the sandstorm.

Upon hearing this, Gao Jianjun's chapped lips curled into a smile as a response.

He eased off the accelerator slightly, keeping the convoy at a more stable speed.

"Chief Engineer Liu, please sit tight!"

"This awful weather is so bad, even the Emperor would get lost on his inspection tour!"

Liu Guangqi chuckled: "Then I believe in Captain Gao's abilities. Even the **'s Soul-Locking Chains can't catch up with our tracks."

In fact, every driver in the convoy was a top-notch soldier, selected from among hundreds.

Soldiers have no complaints in their bones. Everyone is on high alert, gripping the lead vehicle like iron nails, forming a moving green barrier in the dim yellow sand.