PDLP Chapter 71 Okay, I'll do as you say.
Chapter 71 Okay, I'll do as you say.
He went upstairs and opened the door. Zheng Yanxi was sitting at the table reading a book, while Jiang Yuan was asleep on the small bed next to him, his little mouth slightly open, making even breathing sounds.
"You're back?" She looked up.
"Um."
Have you eaten?
"I ate. The dumplings my master brought."
Zheng Yanxi nodded and didn't ask any more questions. She lowered her head and continued reading. The light from the table lamp illuminated her profile, softening her features. Her hair had grown a bit longer, tied up with a rubber band and hanging over her shoulders.
Jiang Cheng walked over and sat down next to her. He looked at the book in her hand, an internal medicine book, turned to the chapter on the cardiovascular system, the corner of the page was curled up, showing that it had been read many times.
"Yanxi".
"Um?"
"Deputy Director Zhang came today. He talked about the landing gear project officially entering service. The first batch of fifty will take three months."
Zheng Yanxi put down her book and looked at him: "Are you very busy?"
"Busy. But I can manage."
She was silent for a moment, then said, "Don't overwork yourself."
"Not tired." He paused. "Once I'm done with this busy period, I'll take you to Beiling Park to see the ginkgo leaves. I heard the leaves are especially yellow this year."
Zheng Yanxi looked at him, a smile curving her lips: "You said the same thing last time."
"This time it's for real."
She didn't speak, but leaned on his shoulder. The two sat under the lamp, neither saying a word. A gust of wind blew in from outside the window, the poplar leaves rustling like applause.
Jiang Yuan rolled over in his small bed, mumbled something under his breath, and then fell into a deep sleep again. His chubby little hands gripped the corner of the blanket tightly, as if he were holding onto something and wouldn't let go.
Jiang Cheng looked at him and suddenly felt that all the answers were in this room—in the pages of Yan Xi's book, in the corner of the blanket that Jiang Yuan was clutching tightly, and in the clivia on the windowsill. He didn't need to look for them; he only needed to come back to see them.
Outside the window, the moon slowly moved behind the clouds, and darkness fell. In the distance, the whistle of a train echoed, one long note followed by another short, reverberating through the night sky like the roar of the nation's industrial tide.
He closed his eyes and leaned back in his chair. The lamp was still on, casting a warm glow on his face.
The official announcement of the landing gear project's commencement was issued in mid-October.
The official document, bearing the seals of both the Commission of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense and the Ministry of Aviation Industry, was delivered from Beijing to Shenyang by a special envoy. The envoy was a young clerk surnamed Ma, around twenty-five or twenty-six years old, wearing glasses and speaking softly—clearly an office worker. His hands were trembling slightly as he handed the document to Jiang Cheng—probably nervous about his first long-distance business trip.
"Master Jiang, Deputy Director Zhang said he wants you to take a look at the documents first, and to call him directly if you encounter any difficulties." As he spoke, Xiao Ma took out another envelope from his briefcase. "This is a handwritten letter from Deputy Director Zhang to you."
Jiang Cheng took the letter but didn't open it right away. He put the document on the table, turned around and poured a glass of water for Ma: "Comrade Ma, you've worked hard, have some water first."
Xiao Ma took the cup, took a sip, winced at the heat, and smiled sheepishly, "It's okay, it's not hot."
Jiang Cheng looked at him and recalled his own first time in Beijing. He was just as reserved and nervous, afraid of making a mistake.
"Comrade Ma, where do you live in Beijing?"
"The guesthouse. Deputy Director Zhang told me to go back tomorrow, saying he didn't want to cause you any trouble."
"No trouble at all," Jiang Cheng said. "Since we're here, let's take a look around Shenyang. We have the Forbidden City and the Marshal's Mansion here. Although they can't compare to those in Beijing, they're still worth seeing."
Xiao Ma's eyes lit up for a moment, but quickly dimmed again: "No, work is more important."
Jiang Cheng didn't try to persuade him further. He took out a map from the drawer and circled a few places on it: "You can go to these places when you have time. It won't interfere with your work."
Little Ma took the map, looked at it, nodded, and a smile appeared on his face.
After seeing Xiao Ma off, Jiang Cheng returned to his office and opened the letter from Deputy Director Zhang. The letter was only one page long, the handwriting messy, clearly written in a hurry:
"Comrade Jiang Cheng: Did you receive the document? Fifty landing gears, three months, this is a strict order. I know you have difficulties, but the country also has difficulties. The J-8 project cannot wait, the military cannot wait. Go ahead and do it, I will take responsibility if there are any problems. Also: Old Zhou asked me to pass on a message—'Don't just focus on the work, take care of your health.' Zhang."
As expected of someone from the military, he was straightforward and efficient. Jiang Cheng read the letter twice, then folded it and put it in his pocket. He stood up, walked to the window, and looked at the poplar tree in the yard. Most of the leaves had already fallen, and the few remaining ones swayed in the wind, as if reluctant to leave.
In the courtyard, Sun Deming was squatting on the ground repairing a broken bicycle. The chain had come off, and his hands were covered in oil as he muttered something. Wang Xiaojun stood beside him, holding a wrench, wanting to help but unable to get a hand in.
"Deming, that's not how you install that chain," Jiang Cheng shouted as he opened the window.
Sun Deming looked up, a black mark on his face: "Brother Jiang, this damn bike, I've repaired it eight times already, the chain always falls off when I ride it out."
"Your chain is loose; you need to cut two links off."
"Cut it off?" Sun Deming looked at the chain. "Wouldn't that make it shorter?"
"It has to be short to stay taut. Once it's taut, it won't fall off."
Sun Deming was skeptical, but he did as instructed. He cut off two links, put them back on, and the chain was taut. He rode it around once, and sure enough, it didn't fall off.
"Brother Jiang, how come you can do everything?" Sun Deming pushed the cart over and looked up at the window.
Jiang Cheng smiled and said, "You'll understand once you've done enough repairs."
Sun Deming shook his head and pushed the cart away. Wang Xiaojun followed behind him, still holding a wrench in his hand, glancing back at Jiang Cheng with admiration in his eyes.
Jiang Cheng closed the window, returned to his desk, and began writing the project implementation plan. Halfway through, the door was pushed open. Huang Deqing walked in, carrying a tin kettle, and placed it on the table.
"Chengzi, have you finished writing your proposal yet?"
"Almost there. Please have a seat, Master."
Huang Deqing didn't sit down; he stood in front of the table, looking at Jiang Chengxie. After a while, he suddenly said, "You included Wang Xiaojun in your training plan?"
"That counts. He's the best learner in this batch."
Huang Deqing nodded without saying a word. He walked to the window, turned his back to Jiang Cheng, and looked out the window.
"Master, do you have a problem with Wang Xiaojun?"
"No." Huang Deqing turned around. "I just think this kid is too impatient. He wants to learn everything, and he wants to master everything all at once. You can't rush technical skills."
Jiang Cheng put down his pen and looked at his master: "When you were teaching me, I was also anxious."
Huang Deqing paused for a moment, then laughed: "You're different. You're anxious, but you're not chaotic. He's both anxious and chaotic."
"Then teach him slowly. Teach him the same way you taught me back then."
Huang Deqing didn't reply. He walked to the table, picked up the proposal written by Jiang Cheng, read a few pages, and put it down.
"Okay. Do as you say."