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

"Chief Engineer, what brings you to the cafeteria today?"

"Hello, Chief Engineer Liu!"

Greetings echoed throughout the plant. Many workers who were engrossed in their meals put down their cornbread and chopsticks, grinned, and waved in greeting. This wasn't deliberate flattery, but rather a heartfelt expression of respect and closeness. After all, Liu Guangqi, as the chief engineer, was the key figure who had truly led the entire plant through technological innovation, increasing output value eightfold. Based on this achievement alone, everyone in the steel rolling mill, from leaders to cleaners, genuinely admired him.

Despite the continuous greetings, Liu Guangqi remained completely unassuming, displaying his usual calm and composed demeanor. He smiled, nodded to everyone, and continued walking straight to the very end of the food queue without stopping.

This action stunned an experienced workshop worker who was ahead of him in line. The worker hurriedly moved aside, making room for him.

"Oh dear, Chief Engineer Liu!" he exclaimed urgently, "You can't do this! How can you stand in line here? You're the one who uses your brain, much more valuable than us laborers! Quick, come to the front!"

The people around them echoed their sentiments.

"Yes, Chief Engineer, please go first!"

"Yes, yes, don't be shy with us!"

Liu Guangqi waved his hand and gently pushed the old master back to his original position, making him stand properly.

"Master Wang, there's no need for that." His voice wasn't loud, but it clearly reached everyone's ears. "Rules are rules. In the cafeteria, I'm just like everyone else, here to eat. You've all been busy all morning and are probably starving, so hurry up and get your food, don't waste any time."

His words warmed everyone's hearts. Look at his magnanimity! Having achieved such great merit and holding such a high position, he doesn't seek special treatment in the slightest. No wonder he's so highly regarded by the ministry at such a young age; such breadth of vision and character are truly beyond the reach of ordinary people.

The line moved forward slowly. When it was Liu Guangqi's turn, the large ladle in the serving window suddenly had a new owner.

Sha Zhu's smiling, round face suddenly popped out from behind, and he shoved the food server aside.

"Go away, go away, stay to the side!" His voice was loud, but his movements were extremely swift.

In fact, he had been craning his neck and peering into the kitchen for quite some time. When he saw Liu Guangqi coming over, he started stirring the large ladle in the glistening bowl of vegetables and shredded meat, picking out the thicker parts of the meat and scooping them up.

The spoon held a heavy ladle of glistening, red roasted pork, layers of fat and lean meat intermingling, trembling slightly at the rim. Next to it was a small pile of golden-fried ribbonfish pieces, crispy skin encasing delicate white fish meat, the aroma almost wafting out. This was a separate portion, not billed through the factory. He might seem unconventional, but he had a clear principle: food brought by himself shouldn't be taken advantage of.

"Guangqi, this is for you!"

Sha Zhu grinned and dumped the mountain of food into Liu Guangqi's lunchbox, the enamel mug thudding under the weight. The portion was dazzlingly large, more than double that of the others. The other workers in line watched, clicking their tongues in disapproval, but no one showed any dissatisfaction; instead, they all wore smiles. Chief Engineer Liu, after all, deserved this treatment.

Liu Guangqi's lips curled slightly as he took the heavy lunchbox. His knuckles felt its solid weight against the sides. He then pulled a small stack of brand-new grain coupons from his pocket, adding a few more to the bill—far exceeding the amount for a single meal. He wasn't one to take advantage of others.

Upon seeing this action, Sha Zhu's smile froze instantly. He nearly dropped the iron spoon in his hand and hurriedly reached out to stop him: "Guang Qi! This won't do—it's already a favor that you come to our third canteen to eat, how can we charge you? And so much! This meal is on me, it's definitely on me!" He had been respectfully calling him "Chief Engineer Liu" before, but now he was so anxious that he was calling him by his name, and his words were all incoherent.

Liu Guangqi simply raised his hand and gently pressed down on the lunchbox that the other person pushed back. The movement was small, yet it carried weight. "Paying for meals is only right and proper," he said calmly, with a gentle smile. "I already receive a subsidy from the factory, so I can't let you pay for the meal yourself."

Sha Zhu waved his hands repeatedly, his dark face flushing red: "Why are we arguing about this?" Liu Guangqi didn't say anything more, but pressed the money notes directly onto the cement counter at the food window, smiled, and said: "If you really want to treat me, don't do it here." He paused, then changed his tone, speaking in a voice that was just loud enough for the coworkers around to hear: "After we get off work and go back to the compound... you show off your skills by cooking a few hearty dishes, and I'll bring a bottle of good stuff. We'll sit down and have a drink."

That was a well-considered statement. A murmur of approval immediately arose from the surroundings. "Wow! Chief Engineer Liu and Master He are so familiar with each other?" "Master He certainly has a lot of influence!"

Sha Zhu felt a surge of warmth rise from the soles of his feet, making his whole body feel refreshed and his pores open. Liu Guangqi's words not only publicly honored him but also firmly established their friendship. He unconsciously straightened his back, his mouth stretched into a wide grin, and even the iron spoon in his hand twirled lightly in his wrist—Chief Engineer Liu had personally invited him back to the factory for drinks! From now on, no one in the factory would dare to gossip behind his back, saying that Sha Zhu was just bragging and couldn't climb the social ladder.

He was naturally unaware that Liu Guangqi was also taking this opportunity to leave everyone with a peaceful and approachable impression before leaving the steel rolling mill.

Just then, a familiar voice broke the silence: "Guangqi? What are you doing eating here?" Father Liu Haizhong walked over carrying a lunchbox, followed by Yi Zhonghai, Jia Dongxu, and a few others. Liu Haizhong didn't usually go to the third canteen—the steel mill had several canteens for its tens of thousands of employees. But hearing his son was here, he made a special detour to come and sit with them. Yi Zhonghai and Jia Dongxu shared the same thought.

Liu Guangqi turned around upon hearing the voice, his smile unchanged: "There was little work at the department today, so I came early and ate at the factory." He glossed over the matter casually, without mentioning that Sha Zhu had invited him.

Listening from the side, Sha Zhu felt his heart burning with warmth. Look at how Guang Qi handled things—he gave him ample face and was considerate in return, even covering for him now, afraid his father and the others in the courtyard would think he was just trying to curry favor. This favor was impeccable. Guang Qi was truly a genuine and incredibly kind person!

The news spread like wildfire, reaching every corner of the cafeteria in no time. Soon, the third cafeteria was packed to the brim.

The windows of the third canteen were crowded with workers who had come after hearing the news. Workers from various workshops and other canteens gathered around with their aluminum lunchboxes, eager to catch a glimpse of the recently renowned chief engineer. Liu Guangqi rarely appeared at the factory, and the recent commendations added to his mystique. Everyone wanted to take this opportunity to meet him and express their gratitude.

"Hey! Just sitting here with Chief Engineer Liu makes even the stewed cabbage and glass noodles smell three times better!"

Looking at the sea of ​​heads, He Yuzhu, the cook, grinned from ear to ear. His large ladle danced with incredible speed, surprisingly without a single tremor, as he shoved loads of food into each lunchbox. He boomed, half urging, half showing off, as he called out:

"Hurry up! Don't waste time, I need to get back tonight for a couple of drinks with Chief Engineer Liu!"

These words sound arrogant, but they genuinely aroused the envy of many.

The small gathering at the factory canteen didn't cause much of a stir. After all, Liu Guangqi wasn't a celebrity, and the idol-worshiping mentality wasn't popular these days. The attention he attracted was mostly due to his carefully cultivated image—whether at the Hongxing Factory, the steel rolling mill, or higher-level ministries, most people had a very good impression of him. Furthermore, his recent production line innovations had improved the factory's efficiency, naturally arousing curiosity. There were several canteens anyway, so it didn't matter where they ate. Since Chief Engineer Liu was there, it was only natural to stop by and see what was going on.

And the Chief Engineer Liu before us was indeed as rumored: approachable, amiable, exceptionally capable, and of decent appearance. If one had to nitpick—

It was probably the fact that he was already married that made many female workers in the factory sigh in private.

……

In a corner by the window in the third canteen, Liu Haizhong got his food and led his son, Liu Guangqi, to an empty table. This was the first time the father and son had eaten together properly in the factory canteen; the reason was ordinary and not worth mentioning.

"Try it," Liu Haizhong said with a smile, pushing the lunchbox. "He Yuzhu's cooking skills are unparalleled in the factory, but he has a bad temper, and many people don't like to come to the third canteen to suffer."

"His cooking skills are truly impeccable."

As Liu Guangqi spoke, he subtly transferred most of the meat slices from his lunchbox into his father's bowl.

At this moment, Yi Zhonghai and Jia Dongxu also brought over the food. As soon as they sat down, Yi Zhonghai began to chat with a beaming smile, his joy barely concealed:

"To be honest, things are getting better and better at the factory lately. We have more ways to make unplanned purchases and more variety in our side dishes—of course, we have to pay for them ourselves."

Jia Dongxu put down his lunchbox, nodded, and replied:

"Absolutely! If this continues, I think in another year or two, our food rations will be adjusted back to the previous levels."

……

Of these people, Jia Dongxu was undoubtedly the one most eager for the restoration of his quota. Despite being a fourth-level fitter with a decent salary, he was the only one in his family with an urban household registration. Years ago, his mother, Jia Zhangshi, had been greedy for the village's land and grain distribution and hadn't transferred her registration to the city; his wife, Qin Huairu, had done the same. Therefore, during the street registration in 1955, both mother-in-law and daughter-in-law's registrations remained in the countryside. This wasn't a matter of right or wrong, but rather a clash between the policies of the time and individual perspectives; no one could have predicted what would happen later. Ordinary people living in the present always consider the most tangible immediate benefits—and this remains true even today.

However, even the shrewd Jia Zhangshi and Qin Huairu's calculations backfired, plunging their family into a predicament. Without urban residency, none of the adults received a grain ration. Jia Dongxu, burdened with feeding the entire family, had no choice but to buy expensive grain, leading to a very difficult and frugal existence.

"That's right," Liu Haizhong nodded in agreement, "I think it won't take two years, maybe next year it will be fully recovered."

Liu Guangqi was the only one at the table who remained silent. He knew best how long the so-called "three years of hardship" would last. In fact, due to the outstanding foreign exchange earnings of the Hongxing Factory under his leadership, apart from the unexpected natural disaster in the first year, the subsequent difficulties were much milder than expected. Although the quotas were reduced a few times, the reductions were not significant.

Today, export-oriented products like electric ovens and rice cookers have replaced the large-scale export of agricultural products. Although life is still not easy, it is not as tight as before. Although the workers' meals have not fully recovered to the previous standards, they can eat some oily and meaty food every now and then.

After a few casual words, Yi Zhonghai turned the conversation to business: "Guangqi, your secondment at the steel rolling mill is almost over, isn't it?"

Liu Haizhong, standing beside him, asked with concern, "Yes, after your secondment, are you going back to the First Ministry of Machine Building to continue your research on machine tools?"

Liu Guangqi nodded with a smile: "The technical processes at the steel rolling mill are mostly streamlined, and from now on, it'll mostly be handled by experienced operators. The technicians at the mill can come to me anytime they encounter problems." He picked up a piece of braised pork—the taste was indeed more rustic than the canteen food at the ministry, perhaps due to He Yuzhu's exceptional culinary skills. "After I return to the ministry, I'll continue pushing forward with the original project."

As Liu Haizhong listened, pride almost welled up in his eyes: "Whatever you do, Dad will support you. With your abilities, you'll make a name for yourself anywhere!"

Yi Zhonghai ate his meal in silence, his heart filled with turmoil. Who would have thought that the naive young man from the institute back then would have achieved such success? His eyes held envy as he softly asked, "Guangqi, you'll probably be dealing with high-ranking officials from the Party Committee quite often from now on, won't you?"

"I'm just a tech guy," Liu Guangqi replied calmly. "I don't really need to deal with people. Just doing my job well is enough." With that, he quickly ate the remaining rice from his lunchbox.

Just then, a slight commotion arose at the entrance of the third canteen. Two familiar figures walked straight toward their table.

"Comrade Guangqi!"

The voices were loud and clear; it was Factory Director Yang and Deputy Factory Director Li Huaide.

Before Liu Haizhong and Yi Zhonghai could even think, they involuntarily stood up from the bench, unsure of what to do with their hands and feet. These were the two most influential figures in the steel rolling mill, rarely seen in the workshop, yet they had come to the canteen to look for each other.

Li Huaide noticed their awkwardness at a glance and waved his hand with a smile: "Director Liu, Master Yi, sit down, please sit down and talk." Then his gaze fell on Liu Guangqi's face.

"Comrade Guangqi, we didn't expect you to be having lunch at the factory today. We were originally going to the Ministry of Machine Building to look for you, but just then the Ministry of Metallurgy called... asking us to come over for a meeting immediately."