Chapter 106: Eight Months Remaining

Ten thousand characters every day, five chapters presented; it is very tiring, everyone please give some encouragement.

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Two security guards walked out one after the other to report the situation to him.

"Chief Engineer Li, after you left this morning, more than a dozen groups of people came one after another to bring gifts, all saying they came to pay New Year's greetings," the tall security guard explained.

"According to regulations, we recorded everyone's name and unit, and the gifts are temporarily stored here, waiting for you to return and handle them."

The short security guard added: "There were also several high-ranking officials who said they would come again in the afternoon and specifically asked us to pass the message to you."

Li Mingyuan nodded, already having a plan in mind.

"As for these gifts, except for a few daily necessities I personally need, donate the rest to the needy workers and martyrs' families at the Rolling Mill," Li Mingyuan said to the two security guards. "As for the guests coming in the afternoon, just say I have temporary work and ask for their understanding."

The two security guards looked at each other, a flash of admiration in their eyes.

They had seen many Advanced cadres, but there were truly few like Li Mingyuan who were so indifferent to fame and wealth.

"Understood, Chief Engineer Li, we will arrange it right away."

Taking advantage of the gap while the security guards went to organize the gifts, Li Mingyuan slipped into his room, finally able to enjoy a moment of peace.

Outside the house, the crowd of onlookers had not dispersed; instead, they were gathering in even greater numbers.

Everyone was discussing the grand occasion of the day, guessing Li Mingyuan's true identity and status.

"I heard the rocket launcher he designed performed a great service, sending the enemy running in panic!"

"That's not all! I heard he also invented a magical engine that is even more powerful than foreign ones!"

"No wonder so many big shots came to pay him New Year's greetings; this is a national treasure-level figure!"

The rumors became more and more mysterious; in the mouths of the crowd, Li Mingyuan was almost deified into an omnipotent genius inventor, capable of anything and invincible.

At this moment, Jia Zhangshi was hiding in her own room, secretly observing everything outside through a crack in the window.

Her expression was uncertain, shifting between jealousy, resentment, and a trace of regret.

Just last night she was mocking Li Mingyuan behind his back, and today she saw so many high-ranking officials and dignitaries visiting; this contrast left her feeling a mix of emotions.

"Hmph, isn't it just having a few official friends? What's so great about that!" Jia Zhangshi muttered, but her tone no longer had its usual confidence.

Jia Dongxu and Qin Huairu sat to one side, silently tidying up the room, turning a deaf ear to Jia Zhangshi's muttering.

Jia Dongxu actually knew very well that for a talent like Li Mingyuan, being valued by the state was a matter of course, and his mother's jealousy was purely unreasonable.

"Mother, stop looking and tidy up the room," Jia Dongxu tried to persuade her. "Chief Engineer Li is a pillar of the nation; we ordinary people should just live our lives peacefully."

"Pillar of the nation?" Jia Zhangshi snorted coldly. "It's just good luck! If I had that kind of opportunity..."

"Mother!" Jia Dongxu raised his voice, which was rare. "You mustn't talk nonsense! Chief Engineer Li has real ability; that is true talent and learning!"

Jia Zhangshi was stunned by her son's shout and walked away muttering, but her eyes still glanced toward the window from time to time, the fire of jealousy in them not diminishing in the slightest.

Meanwhile, the bustle in the courtyard continued.

He Yuzhu was busy running back and forth, serving tea and water to everyone, his face beaming with a smile he couldn't hide.

As Li Mingyuan's "staunch supporter," this scene today made him feel a sense of reflected glory.

"Didn't I say long ago that Uncle Li is no simple person?" He Yuzhu said triumphantly to the neighboring onlookers. "Look, with this lineup today, how many people in all of Jingcheng can compare?"

No one refuted him, because the facts were right before their eyes.

Those high-ranking officials and dignitaries whom they couldn't even see on ordinary days had actually come one after another to this ordinary Siheyuan today to pay New Year's greetings to a young engineer; this scene was truly shocking.

The gifts also became the focus of everyone's discussion. The two security guards were counting and organizing these gifts, and every time they took one out, it drew a gasp of admiration.

"Moutai liquor! Two whole cases!"

"White Rabbit creamy candy! This is a rare imported good!"

"Good heavens, is this a watch? How much must it be worth!"

"And this fabric, it's so fine; you can tell just by touching it that it's an Advanced product!"

In that era of material scarcity, these were all extremely precious luxury items that ordinary people wouldn't even dare to imagine.

Seeing these priceless gifts, the envy of the crowd was plain to see.

Yan Bugui was so greedy he was almost drooling, especially when he saw those bottles of Moutai liquor; his eyes were practically glued to them.

"This liquor, this liquor... it really is a good thing!" he couldn't help but exclaim, his voice full of longing.

The tall security guard heard this and gave him a cold glance; Yan Bugui immediately shrank his neck, smiled awkwardly, and stepped back a few paces.

After the gifts were counted, the two security guards followed Li Mingyuan's instructions, packed most of the items into boxes, and prepared to send them to the Rolling Mill to be distributed to needy workers and martyrs' families.

This action once again shocked everyone.

"What a good person!" Liu Dama exclaimed. "Such valuable things, and he donated them just like that, without feeling a bit of heartache."

"This is the manifestation of having high awareness," He Yuzhu said solemnly. "Uncle Li has the nation's major affairs in his heart; how could he care about these worldly possessions?"

Hearing this, Yan Bugui secretly calculated: since Chief Engineer Li is so generous, perhaps he could get a share of the spoils?

Thinking of this, the smile on his face became even brighter, as he plotted how to curry favor with this neighbor who had suddenly become so important.

Inside the house, Li Mingyuan was completely unaware of the thoughts of the crowd outside.

He sat at his desk, opened a thick notebook, and began to carefully calculate the time and plan his upcoming work.

His notebook was densely packed with various project progress, technical parameters, and time nodes; this was his comprehensive plan for future development.

"The rocket launcher and Anti-aircraft Weapon System have already been equipped to the troops on a large scale, and the 'Longxin-1' Engine has also begun small-batch production... the first part of the Third-Line Military Industrial Production Plan is basically completed..." Li Mingyuan muttered to himself, his fingers sliding lightly over the notebook.

"Eight months left..." He frowned, wrote this number in the notebook, and then used the tip of his pen to draw several heavy lines underneath.

The current early equipping of the rocket launchers and Anti-aircraft weapons will greatly enhance the military's firepower and air defense capabilities, and is expected to reduce casualties and losses in war.

But this is not enough, far from enough.

"Time is too tight..." Li Mingyuan let out a long sigh, his brows locked in a frown. "Within eight months, there is still too much work to do."

He turned to the next page of the notebook, which listed a series of technologies that needed to be conquered: Electronic Communication Equipment, Night Vision Equipment, Improved Tank Engine, Lightweight Bulletproof Vest, High-Precision Radar...

These were all cutting-edge technologies at the time, and some even belonged to the forefront of the field internationally.

"I must speed up," he muttered to himself, a determined light flashing in his eyes, "after the New Year, I must go all out and strive to complete at least half of the technical breakthroughs before the war breaks out."

He closed his notebook, stood up, and walked to the window.

He pushed the window open, and the noise from outside immediately flooded into his ears. The courtyard was still crowded with people, all discussing the grand occasion of the day.

"I must succeed," he said softly, clenching his fists, "not only for the future of the country, but also for the peaceful lives of these ordinary people."

Outside the window, the sunlight was bright, and the rising Taiyang cast a golden radiance, bringing hope and warmth to the new year.

Li Mingyuan took a deep breath, feeling the unique atmosphere of this era.

"Let the new year begin with the Numerical Control Machine Tool."

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