Chapter 403: Tea Gathering

Cai Shengjing then called out to Lu Cheng and his party.

"So your name is Lu Cheng, huh? I've always heard old Yang mention you. Come in, come in, everyone, let's go to the backyard; Professor Yang and a few of his friends are waiting there."

Lu Cheng led a few people behind, while the others curiously surveyed the courtyard.

Lu Cheng was also curious, but not about these Western‑style houses; although they look nice and are envied, he still prefers the down‑to‑earth Siheyuan.

Compared with these small villas, if judged by later standards, the value of his Siheyuan could buy several of them.

What intrigued Lu Cheng even more was that Yang Yin was studying English.

"Aunt, our school now offers an elective foreign‑language course. Why is classmate Yang Yin still studying English at home during the holidays?"

Cai Shengjing replied as she walked, "Her foundation is weak, so we're using the break to let her consolidate. In a few years her father wants her to go abroad for further study."

So that's why; the term "go abroad for further study" still sounded unfamiliar in the 1970s.

But it didn't take long—after Reform and Opening Up, going abroad for study became what many most longed for, even an obsession.

By the 1990s, the fever for going abroad had peaked.

Some went with a genuine learning attitude, but others, simply because their families were rich, went abroad for a gilded stint, feeling their status changed instantly.

Later generations even coined a buzzword: "hai gui."

Being able to study abroad in that era shows that Professor Yang has the necessary resources.

And Professor Yang could simply call out and summon several senior academicians from the Engineering Institute, making Zheng Guoping and the others realize the gap between Professor Yang and other teachers.

Someone like Professor Yang, whose network and resources run deep, needs to maintain good relations; today, when they came straight to his home, Zheng Guoping and the others were grateful to stay, gaining a chance for close contact.

In the backyard, under Yang Kaiming's introduction, Lu Cheng led his classmates to shake hands with each senior academic one by one.

One of the academicians, surnamed Wang, took the initiative: "So you're Lu Cheng. Professor Yang just talked about you; you look very young, handling such a big project at a tender age. What's that called? It's called a newborn calf not fearing the tiger."

His words were quite down‑to‑earth, at least not the pretentious air everyone had expected before arriving.

Today was a home‑style reception, a tea gathering for conversation; the atmosphere was very harmonious, and Lu Cheng laughed.

"Academician Wang has praised me; why should I be afraid? After all, this is a brand‑new field, and we still can't even grasp the entry direction."

"Professor Yang gave us this chance today to meet all of you senior academicians. We can't express how honored we are, and we hope Academician Wang will later spare no guidance and help us clear our doubts…"

When Lu Cheng spoke, Academician Wang burst out laughing; he felt that at Lu Cheng's age, one shouldn't speak so calmly with such seasoned words.

The other classmates, however, were all shy, just like students should be.

The backyard faced a second‑floor bedroom where Yang Yin was perched over her desk, writing vocabulary while perking up her ears to listen to the people in the backyard.

Seeing Lu Cheng's seasoned, smooth demeanor, she couldn't help muttering, "All hype…"

Cai Shengjing added at that moment, "You all keep chatting; Old Yang, you stay here to greet them. I'll go brew a pot of tea and slice some fruit platter."

The household never lacks fruit, but Cai Shengjing could tell that these pale, skinny students probably hadn't had fruit in a long time.

"Aunt, let me help you."

"No need, Lu Cheng, just stay here and talk."

The backyard had two round white lacquered wooden tables set up, and Yang Kaiming invited everyone to sit.

"How's it going, Lu Cheng? I heard you've been self‑studying internal‑combustion engine knowledge these days?"

Lu Cheng nodded, "Yes, Professor Yang. I haven't graduated yet, and I have other courses, so I use extracurricular time to find some material on this subject—just a preliminary exposure."

After graduation, when I formally transfer to the Research Institute, I won't be clueless; right now I mainly want everyone to build an initial framework in their minds.

After hearing Lu Cheng, the academicians nodded approvingly. Though they were still just students and the internal‑combustion engine is a huge project with no concrete progress yet, under Lu Cheng's leadership their direction was correct.

Academician Wang praised, "Not bad, Lu Cheng. For large‑scale project R&D, the biggest taboo is picking the wrong direction; a misstep wastes massive manpower and funds."

Another academician continued, "Manpower and funds can be recovered, but the biggest loss is time. Many countries eye us hungrily and impose various tech blockades; we must cherish time and spend it on the right direction."

Yang Kaiming nodded in agreement, "Thus, a good leader can achieve twice the result with half the effort; once the direction is right, the rest is to concentrate firepower and plunge ahead without hesitation."

"Lu Cheng, and all of you, don't hold back. Any questions you encounter, bring them up today; let's discuss together. Who wants to start?"

Compared with the other classmates, Lu Cheng doesn't feel constrained, and there's another person who feels the same—that's Wei Shu.

In Wei Shu's eyes, there is only a thirst for knowledge; those academicians appear to him as massive libraries.

When Lu Cheng saw Wei Shu's gaze fixed on the academicians, it was like a hungry wolf staring at meat, full of yearning for knowledge.

He then said, "Ahem, let's have our classmate Wei Shu speak first…"

The academicians' eyes turned to the standing Wei Shu; in fact, Academician Wang had noticed him from the start.

Although all the classmates carried a scholarly air, Wei Shu's was especially intense; he could instantly tell that only a hunger for knowledge to the point of neglecting sleep and food creates that aura.

Sure enough, when Wei Shu opened his mouth about internal‑combustion engine issues, he sounded very professional, spouting academic terms, clearly having done his homework.

As the discussion opened, everyone gradually joined in; what began as a casual tea chat turned into a professional seminar.

Facing such a professional discussion, Lu Cheng simply listened quietly while sipping tea; he never imagined he would have to research any machinery.

Someone like him, whose ambition is to become a big shot, only needs to handle coordination, leaving the technical work to the specialists.

Perhaps from drinking too much tea, he suddenly felt an urgent need to pee; looking at the backyard, there was no restroom, so he asked Cai Shengjing where a public toilet was.

He learned that the small villa does have a bathroom, and since it's indoors, it must be a flush toilet.