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

The child's arrival was truly ill-timed. The preference for sons over daughters was still deeply ingrained, and she was born into the Jia family, coinciding with the beginning of a famine. It was easy to imagine that her future would be fraught with hardship. Naturally, the entire Jia family was destined for a difficult period.

The shadow of a food crisis has fallen heavily, no longer a distant rumor, but a real and tangible scarcity in every corner of the city.

For this reason, the planned meeting between Liu Guangqi and Zhao Mengyun's two families had to be postponed again.

"Guangqi".

On their way home from get off work, Zhao Mengyun walked side by side with Liu Guangqi. Her voice was somewhat low and muffled: "My parents said that the situation is special right now, and it seems that my meeting with my uncle and aunt will have to be postponed... The allocation of supplies in various places is tight, and they are busy with logistical support all day long, so they can hardly go home."

As she spoke, she unconsciously kicked away a small pebble on the road, her words tinged with a hint of helplessness.

Liu Guangqi stood still.

He turned to the woman beside him and gently tucked her wind-blown hair behind her ear.

A gentle smile appeared on his lips: "Don't worry, national affairs are more important. Our wedding can be postponed. We can arrange it after this storm has passed. Remember to remind your parents to take good care of themselves."

Despite these comforting words, Liu Guangqi knew better than anyone else that the aftershocks of this calamity would likely not dissipate easily.

However, life must go on, and work cannot be put aside.

The elders on both sides are merely postponing the meeting, which does not affect the friendship between the two.

He naturally wouldn't feel uneasy about it.

Amidst this oppressive atmosphere, a piece of good news first arrived from the North—

The neighboring country to the north has officially agreed to the purchase plan for induction cookers and rice cookers.

The foreign trade department's office was immediately flooded with a snowflake of export orders.

Once again, facts have proven that the induction cookers and rice cookers developed by Liu Guangqi represent a technological leap forward for a large northern country with a weak light industry base.

It goes without saying that the country's light industry at that time was indeed lackluster.

It even reached the point where Liu Guangqi's induction cooker gained an overwhelming advantage as soon as it was launched.

To some extent, as the leader of the camp, the country has consistently poured resources into heavy industry and defense construction for many years in order to maintain its national power that can deter others.

This is why, although their heavy machinery and equipment systems are among the world's best, their light industrial manufacturing is particularly lagging behind.

This also explains why they are unwilling to invest in products like electric kettles and electric blankets—they have long been accustomed to demonstrating their strength with steel production, pouring most of their capital and resources into heavy industry and defense, making it difficult for their light industry to develop properly.

In comparison, the neighboring countries to the east are not as good as the other countries in light industry, while the island nations across the sea have an advantage in certain categories.

Despite its vast territory, the northern region has a harsh climate, and cooking and heating have always been challenging problems, especially in remote mines, farms, and military outposts.

Traditional coal-fired cooking methods are costly and inconvenient, while induction cookers only need to be plugged in to use and can precisely adjust the heat. For the people of northern China who are accustomed to a rough lifestyle, this is like opening a brand new door.

As for rice cookers, due to differences in dietary customs, rice is not a staple food in the country, so the market response has been relatively lukewarm.

Coincidentally, the island nation has long been promoting its domestically produced rice cookers on the international market, and has cultivated a certain consumer habit.

After comparing the products from the two countries, the purchasing staff from the northern country quickly concluded that the rice cookers from the island nation were crudely made and immediately unilaterally cancelled the original order.

Yes, without hesitation, without even offering an explanation.

It's no surprise that in this era of steel and iron, the North certainly has the confidence to speak like this.

This order sent shockwaves back to China, causing a major upheaval within the Ministry of Machine Building and the foreign trade system.

The phone rang incessantly, footsteps thronged the corridor, and doors to various departments were frequently pushed open, revealing faces brimming with excitement and curiosity.

"Have you heard? A big order has come in from the north!"

"It wasn't just orders; they cancelled the contract they signed with the island nation on the spot!"

"This is truly a triumphant moment..."

The news spread like wildfire, and the entire department was enveloped in a state of high spirits.

Although the orders were mainly for induction cookers and the number of rice cookers was limited, that's not the key point—the northern country directly tore up the island nation's foreign exchange contract in order to purchase our rice cookers, and this action in itself was enough to boost morale.

Who could have imagined that the market development painstakingly built by the island nation over many years would ultimately benefit us?

It should be understood that in an era when wars cannot be easily ignited, the competition between nations has long since shifted from bloody battlefields to the economic sphere, where there is no smoke of gunpowder.

The foreign exchange market is a crucial part of this.

The fact that Liu Guangqi's rice cooker was able to snatch orders from island nations in the northern market is no ordinary achievement.

Everyone knows the true extent of its significance.

Unsurprisingly.

The name Liu Guangqi appeared once again in a conversation between leaders of two ministries.

This time, his tone was filled with undisguised praise.

"Comrade Guangqi!"

Director Lin patted him on the shoulder, his face beaming with smiles, "That was a brilliant victory!"

"Once the order is secured, Hongxing Foreign Exchange Machinery Factory will have a firm foothold."

He was pacing back and forth in the room, clutching the newly delivered ** in his hand, his face flushed and a smile playing on his lips.

"What's even more commendable is that you've brought great honor to our country!"

"Leaving aside the orders for induction cookers, just consider the rice cooker orders—"

"How much foreign exchange did they spend over there to promote their rice cookers to the Russians? And what was the result? It all paved the way for us!"

"I can just imagine how ugly their faces must have looked, probably darker than the bottom of a burnt pot."

Faced with such straightforward praise, Liu Guangqi simply smiled slightly:

"It's the result of everyone's joint efforts; I just did my job."

Anyone with a discerning eye can see that the number of rice cookers in this order from Russia is probably not that many.

But we can't just look at the numbers.

The fact that the Russians ordered fewer rice cookers only shows that they are more used to their own thick, homemade bread, not that Liu Guangqi's rice cooker is bad.

On the contrary, the Russian bear would rather break its existing foreign exchange contract with the other side than give up Chinese products. This in itself is an attitude and a recognition.

As for the small quantity, there's no need to worry at all.

Because the rice cooker, a powerful tool for generating foreign exchange, was not originally intended for the Russian market.

Before long, an even larger stage proved the appeal of these products—

The Canton Fair.

Founded in the spring of 1998, the event is held twice a year in Guangzhou, in spring and autumn.

As an important window for the country's foreign trade, the Ministry of First Machine Building and the Ministry of Foreign Trade set up prominent booths for this event.

A gleaming induction cooker and five exquisitely designed rice cookers are neatly arranged.

There were also staff members demonstrating the operation on site.

However, the scene was somewhat deserted at the beginning of the exhibition.

Many foreign businesspeople only glanced at it briefly before leaving.

In their old impression, Chinese products were nothing more than cheap textiles and handicrafts, and had little to do with high technology.

Especially the booth not far away, which was now packed with people.

They also brought their new rice cooker this time, and thanks to the reputation they've built up over the past few years, they attracted many customers to stop and inquire about prices, creating a lively atmosphere.

"Can China make rice cookers too?"

Someone chuckled softly, "I've heard that many of their appliance factories secretly bought our previous generation of products, took them apart, and copied them."

"Someone who can only imitate, do they think they can compete with us with that meager skill?"

"The Russian bear really misjudged this time!"

Not long after he finished speaking, the wind suddenly shifted in front of the Chinese booth across the way.

At first, there were only a few figures, as if they were being led away by something invisible.

"Hey? Look, what's that? It cooks rice without fire?"

"I heard that the Russian bear ordered this before! He even tore up the order form over there because of it."

"Even the bears are scrambling to get it? We'll have to take a good look."

One pass ten, ten pass a hundred.

The words "Bear Certification" seem to possess a magical power.

Crowds began to surge toward the Chinese booth, quickly becoming completely packed.

Then, exclamations of praise rose and fell.

Merchants crowded forward to inquire about prices, production volume, and delivery time, quickly filling their letters of intent to the brim.

What alarmed them most was the contrasting feedback from the customers:

"This is amazing...it's a modern-day miracle."

"I know those rice cookers over there; they're bulky and clunky. They're nowhere near as stylish and refined as these Chinese ones."

"Even if you don't use it, it looks nice to have at home."

As the discussion spread, some Southeast Asian businessmen who were about to sign orders tore up their letters of intent on the spot after watching the demonstration.

Why buy that rice cooker from there?

How could something approved by the Russian bear be bad? Buy it, we must buy it from China!

The exhibition halls of the Canton Fair were bustling with activity.

The Japanese representative's face turned from pale to ashen, looking extremely unpleasant.

They stared at the sparse crowd in front of their own booth, then at the bustling crowd in the Chinese exhibition area not far away, and were momentarily stunned. The sounds of representatives from various countries praising the Chinese rice cookers filled the air, interspersed with sharp comparisons and disparagements of Japanese products; every word felt like a red-hot needle, pricking their cheeks until they burned.

"Impossible... This is absolutely impossible."

The Japanese representative muttered to himself, his eyes filled with shock and fear. They couldn't accept that their prized pot-cooking technique had been completely surpassed by Chinese products in such a short time. Judging from the reactions of representatives from various countries present, the other side's technological level had already left them far behind.

The sense of technological superiority that had been deeply ingrained in their bones shattered at this moment, leaving not a trace.

What followed was an even more bone-chilling cold.

They understood better than anyone what technological backwardness meant—it meant the gradual erosion, or even replacement, of their international market share. If such rice cookers were allowed to flood their domestic market…

Just imagining that scenario made the Japanese representatives feel breathless. Their rice cooker export industry, built with huge investments, would likely collapse in an instant.

He took a deep breath, the last glimmer of hope in his eyes completely extinguished, replaced by a cold, resolute determination:

"Report this to your superiors immediately!"

"Applying to set up trade barriers under the pretext of dumping."

"We must spare no effort to ensure that Chinese rice cookers do not set foot in our market!"

At the same time, the grand scene at the Canton Fair had already been transmitted back to the Ministry of Foreign Trade via a dense network of radio waves.

The number of foreign exchange orders is climbing daily, and behind all this, the sudden shift in orders from the "big brother" from the north undoubtedly played a key role in this surge.

The phone in the foreign trade department rang from morning till night, almost without stopping. Every call meant a sum of foreign exchange was coming in, leaving the entire department head both dizzy and excited.

The good news from the Canton Fair at the front is igniting the atmosphere at the rear with unprecedented intensity.

The meeting room was filled with wisps of smoke and the aroma of tea, but even stronger was the exhilarating feeling that seemed to burst through the roof.

"Old Chen, you didn't see that Japanese guy's face—it was as black as charcoal! Haha!"

A foreign trade official slammed his hand on the table, causing the cups and saucers to rattle. Everyone present burst into laughter, filling the meeting room with a lighthearted atmosphere.

"After all these years of frustration, having to cater to their every whim at the Canton Fair is infuriating!"

"This time it's finally our turn to be in charge!"

Everyone chimed in, each feeling a sense of triumph and pride.

At this moment, Director Chen, who was jointly leading the effort with the Ministry of Machine Building, picked up his teacup and spoke in a loud voice:

"Everyone, it's only natural to be happy."

He surveyed the room, his tone calm and firm: "But then again, where have we even begun?"