The controversy surrounding her refusal of the departmental transfer hadn't completely subsided, and Liu Li thought she could finally focus on her technical work. Unexpectedly, Team Leader Chen called her into his office again that day.

This time, Chen Siyuan didn't beat around the bush and directly handed her a freshly printed official document: "Take a look at this."

Liu Li took the document, her eyes scanning the title—"Notification Regarding Comrade Liu Li's Appointment"—and her heart skipped a beat. Reading further, she saw in black and white: "After careful consideration, it has been decided to appoint Comrade Liu Li as the Deputy Leader of the 'Precision Machining' Group (during the project period), assisting the Group Leader in carrying out the work, with a focus on the in-depth research and promotion of new processes."

Liu Li froze, opening her mouth but the words stuck in her throat. Deputy team leader? Her? Her first thought was that Zhou Wei and Sun Mei were more senior…

Holding the document, she didn't react for a moment. Deputy team leader? Her?

Seeing her dazed expression, Team Leader Chen adjusted his glasses, his tone still calm, but his words carried weight: "Don't overthink it. Everyone has seen your abilities these past few months. You not only excel at technical skills, but you also put those skills into practice. This position requires someone who understands both practical application and how to utilize the results. You're suitable."

As Liu Li stepped out of the office, her steps were a little unsteady. The official document in her hand was heavy, as if it contained the weight of her hard work and choices over the past few months.

Back in the group, the news had already spread. Zhou Wei was the first to come over, smiling and whispering, "Great job, Liu Li! Now you're really our leader!"

Sun Mei also showed a rare genuine smile: "From now on, I'll have to call you Deputy Team Leader Liu."

The other team members came over to congratulate her, their tone quite sincere. Liu Li blushed with embarrassment and waved her hands repeatedly, saying, "No, no, no, it's more comfortable to call you by your name. We still need to work together."

While I was happy, the pressure was also very real. Before, I only cared about my own little plot of land, but now I have to take on the management and coordination of the entire group, and I also have to figure out how to truly promote the "prestressed compensation" method to more factories.

In the afternoon, Team Leader Chen called her to a small meeting and assigned her several specific tasks: to review and improve the existing process specifications, to prepare materials for the first phase of internal technical training, and to proactively contact several key cooperative factories to understand their possibilities and difficulties in applying the new process.

Looking at the list of tasks, Liu Li took a deep breath. She knew this wasn't just an empty title, but a real responsibility. Turning down the offer of a transfer from her department seemed to have been met with a different kind of response here—she remained on the battlefield that suited her best, and was given even greater trust and expectations.

She picked up her pen, opened her new notebook, and neatly wrote down the key points of her recent work on the first page. The pen tip scratched across the paper, making a soft, rustling sound, as if writing a footnote for a new journey.

This new appointment was like a key, opening a wider door for her. Behind that door lay deeper technological exploration, more complex promotion and application, and heavier responsibilities. Yet, she felt inexplicably at ease, even somewhat eager to try.

After all, this is the field she truly knows and loves, the place where she's put down roots. Here, she can use her expertise to tackle tougher challenges and solve more practical problems. It feels good.