Major Heavy Industry: Starting with a Fake Marriage

Chapter 130 You've Lost Weight

"You've done everything you could. You've adjusted the parameters hundreds of times, made hundreds of test pieces, and modified the equipment again and again. You've done everything you could; all that's left is to wait." He handed the cup to Jiang Cheng. "Don't stand while you wait; sit down. Standing is tiring."

Jiang Cheng took the cup and took a sip. The water was warm, with the distinctive taste of Beijing tap water, unlike that of Shenyang. Shenyang water had a rusty taste, while Beijing water tasted like disinfectant, and there was a slightly astringent feeling on the back of the tongue after swallowing.

The next two weeks were a long wait.

Every morning, Jiang Cheng goes to the research institute to check for results. If there aren't any, he goes to the lab to organize the data and write reports. He eats lunch in the cafeteria and continues organizing data and writing reports in the afternoon. In the evening, he returns to the guesthouse and calls Zheng Yanxi to ask what Jiang Yuan did that day.

One day, Jiang Yuan learned to say "thank you." Zheng Yanxi said that he put the cookie his grandmother gave him on the table, bowed to her, and said "thank you," which made his grandmother so happy that her eyes welled up with tears. The cookie was round and had sesame seeds on it; he even licked it before putting it on the table.

One day, Jiang Yuan learned to say "no." Zheng Yanxi said that when she fed him medicine, he squirmed and cried out "no, no" several times, each "no" clearly uttered. The medicine was bitter, and after tasting it, he pushed the spoon away.

One day, Jiang Yuan learned to "hug". Zheng Yanxi said that he stood in front of her, raised both hands, and said "hug". She picked him up, and he didn't say anything. He leaned on her shoulder and wrapped his arms around her neck. His chin rested on her shoulder, and his eyes were looking towards the door.

As Jiang Cheng listened to these words, a smile appeared on his face, but a sense of guilt welled up in his heart.

On the eleventh day, Jiang Cheng was writing a report in the lab when Chief Engineer Chen walked in. Her face was expressionless, as usual, and she carried a folder in her hand. But Jiang Cheng noticed that she walked faster and took larger strides than usual today.

"The results are in."

Jiang Cheng put down his pen and stood up. The pen slipped from his fingers, rolled twice on the table, and came to rest on the edge of the notebook.

"All five blades have completed one thousand thermal cycles. The coating showed no peeling, no cracks, and no abnormalities. Combined with strength tests, all values ​​are above the standard. The data is in the folder; you can check it yourself."

She placed the folder on the table, turned, and walked away. She stopped at the door, but didn't look back.

"Comrade Jiang Cheng, this project is a success! You did a great job!"

The door closed.

Jiang Cheng stood in front of the table, without opening the folder. He stood there for a long time. Sun Deming peeked out from behind the control cabinet and asked, "Brother Jiang, what's wrong?" Jiang Cheng didn't answer. Xiao Ma stood up from his chair, walked over, looked at the folder, then at Jiang Cheng, and said nothing.

Huang Deqing stood up from the corner and walked to Jiang Cheng's side. He picked up the folder on the table, opened it, glanced at it, and closed it. Then he reached out and patted Jiang Cheng's shoulder. The pat wasn't heavy, but it felt solid, like a stone being placed on his shoulder.

"It's done," he said.

Jiang Cheng nodded. He looked down at his hands. His fingers were trembling slightly, not from nervousness, but from the involuntary trembling that comes from sudden relaxation after being extremely tired. The veins on the back of his hands were bulging, and there was still grime that couldn't be washed off under his fingernails.

He walked to the window and opened it. In Beijing's autumn, the sky was high and blue, and the wind was cool. Most of the locust tree leaves in the yard had turned yellow, and they fell with a rustling sound, like rain. A thick layer of fallen leaves had accumulated on the ground, soft and yielding underfoot. He took a deep breath; the air carried the bitter smell of fallen leaves, mixed with the earthy odor of the soil.

He remembered his first day in Beijing, when the locust trees were still in bloom. White petals carpeted the ground, rustling underfoot and exuding a sweet fragrance. Now, the locust blossoms had long since faded, and the leaves were almost all gone. He had stayed there for nearly three months.

In three months, he lost eight pounds, his hair grew long and he didn't cut it, and a few gray hairs appeared at his temples. He touched those few gray hairs, rubbed them between his fingers, but didn't pluck them.

He turned around, walked to the table, picked up the folder, and opened it. The data was densely packed; he read it line by line, very slowly. He checked each number twice. After finishing, he closed the folder and placed it on the table.

"Deming, call Old Zhou. Tell him the thermal cycling test has passed."

Sun Deming paused for a moment, then ran to the telephone and dialed. His hands were shaking, so he dialed the wrong number once, then dialed again. The second time he dialed correctly, and the phone was answered after two rings.

"Mr. Zhou, this is Sun Deming. Brother Jiang asked me to tell you that the thermal cycling test has passed." He listened for a while, then handed the microphone to Jiang Cheng. "Mr. Zhou wants to speak with you."

Jiang Cheng took the microphone. It was heavy, and there was a crack in the plastic casing that ran from where his thumb was pressing down to the edge of the receiver. This crack had been there for a long time and had never been replaced.

"Xiao Jiang, you've worked hard." Old Zhou's voice was a little hoarse, as if he had a cold or had just cried. There was a nasal tone in his voice.

"Mr. Zhou, it's not hard work."

"Go back to Shenyang and rest for a few days. Come to Beijing next month for a summary meeting. People from the Commission of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense will be coming, as will people from the Ministry. You need to prepare a report. Don't make it too long, forty minutes. Just clearly explain the technical route and verification results."

"it is good."

After hanging up the phone, Jiang Cheng stood by the window, looking at the sky outside. The clouds had dispersed, the sun had come out, and the sunlight shone brightly on the wet ground. The locust tree in the yard swayed in the wind, and fallen leaves were blown up and then fell again, like a flock of butterflies with nowhere to go.

The day Jiang Cheng returned to Shenyang was the last day of November.

It was snowing in Shenyang. Not a heavy snowfall, but fine snowflakes that felt cool and painless on the face. A snowflake landed on the lips; licking it revealed a faint, metallic taste. He walked out of the station and saw Zheng Yanxi standing at the exit, wearing a gray cotton overcoat and a red scarf. The scarf was new, knitted from wool, with uneven stitches, some loose and some tight—clearly a beginner's work. One end of the scarf was longer than the other, hanging down in front of her chest, with a few snowflakes clinging to it.

Where is Jiang Yuan?

"He's at his grandma's house. It's cold outside, so I didn't bring him."

Jiang Cheng walked over and stood in front of her. Three months had passed; she had gained a little weight, her face was fuller, and she looked radiant. Her lips weren't chapped, and the fine lines around her eyes had faded. Her hair had grown longer, peeking out from under her scarf and falling over her shoulders, the ends slightly split.

"You've gained weight," he said.

"You've lost weight," she said.

The two looked at each other without saying a word.