Hidden worries behind joy
This farce eventually made Zhang Biao the laughing stock of the project, but it did not cause much trouble.
After months of intense construction, the sturdy bridge piers finally rose from the ground, standing like loyal guards on both sides of the riverbank. An atmosphere of anticipation and tension permeated the project team—the crucial step, erecting the first beam, was about to begin!
It was a fine morning, and Chief Engineer Zhang Xiao had specially organized all the young technicians in the project department to observe and learn on-site. For bridge engineering, beam erection is a landmark milestone of great significance.
Lan Tongtong's heart surged as she followed the team to the construction site. Across the vast construction site, a massive bridge-building machine was already in place, like a steel behemoth, poised for action. Workers were conducting final checks. The clatter of commands from the on-site commander, the chatter of intercoms, and the roar of machinery intertwined, creating a powerful atmosphere.
She was looking up at the huge machine in a trance when a steady voice sounded beside her: "Nervous?"
Lan Tongtong turned around and saw Mo Zhichi standing beside her. He wasn't wearing his usual jacket today, but a neatly tailored supervisor's uniform. Beneath his helmet, his eyes were sharp and focused as he stared ahead.
"Brother Mo." Lan Tongtong greeted him quickly, feeling a little excited. "A little nervous, but more excited."
"Well, it's the same feeling the first time I see a bridge being erected." Mo Zhichi's gaze remained fixed on the bridge-erecting machine. His tone was calm, like that of a patient teacher. "Look, it's about to begin."
At this moment, the commander gave an order, the huge winch began to turn slowly, the wire rope was tightened, and a prefabricated box beam that was 30 meters long and weighed nearly 100 tons was hoisted by the bridge-building machine and smoothly and slowly separated from the beam transport vehicle and rose into the air.
Everyone at the scene held their breath.
"Pay attention to the position of the lifting point and the balance of the beam." Mo Zhichi's voice rang out beside Lan Tongtong's ears, not loud but remarkably clear. "The lifting process must be absolutely smooth and uniform, and the speed must be uniform to avoid twisting or collision of the beam."
Lan Tongtong stared nervously at the huge beam slowly rising into the air, feeling that her heart was hanging in the air with it.
After the beam rises to a certain height, it begins to move horizontally, slowly moving towards the bridge pier.
"Now it's alignment," Mo Zhichi continued, explaining, "This is the most critical step. The beam must land precisely on the pier supports, with an error measured in millimeters. Look at the operators, they're relying entirely on experience and feel, coordinating with the ground surveyors."
Lan Tongtong followed his instructions and saw the surveyor, staring intently at the instrument, constantly using hand gestures to transmit fine-tuning instructions to the operator. The massive boom of the bridge-building machine made extremely delicate movements, and the heavy beam adjusted its position slightly in the air, slowly approaching the bridge pier.
The air was filled with extreme concentration and tension.
"It's almost there..." Mo Zhichi whispered.
Finally, under everyone's gaze, the steel support plate at the bottom of the beam perfectly fitted into the stone padding at the top of the pier. With barely a sound, the massive beam "seated" firmly on the pier.
"The beam has been successfully dropped!" The commander's excited voice came from the walkie-talkie.
The scene erupted in cheers and applause! Success! The first beam had been safely and precisely erected!
Lan Tongtong also clapped excitedly. Her heart finally settled down and her face was flushed with excitement.
"How do you feel?" Mo Zhichi turned his head and looked at her with a barely perceptible smile on his lips.
"It's so shocking!" Lan Tongtong exclaimed sincerely, "It feels...it feels like we are really building a bridge!" All the previous hardships and setbacks seemed to have found meaning at this moment.
Mo Zhichi nodded, his eyes far-sighted. "Yes, every brick and tile, every nail and rivet, it's all made this way. Engineering is like this: boring, tedious, and even full of frustration, but there are always moments that make you feel it's all worth it."
The joy of the successful erection of the first beam lingered for a long time on site. Workers high-fived each other in celebration, technicians gathered around the beam, excitedly measuring and recording, and the project team leaders beamed with satisfaction. Standing among the crowd, Lan Tongtong felt the excitement of this collective effort, and her heart pounded for a long time.
However, when the initial excitement gradually subsided, a thought involuntarily came to my mind, like a thin cloud, quietly covering the sunshine in my heart.
"The beam laying has begun... This means that the construction of this bridge has entered the final sprint stage."
Lan Tongtong's gaze involuntarily drifted back to Mo Zhichi beside her. He was standing with Chief Engineer Zhang Xiao, gesturing at the erected beams and whispering to each other, his face a look of concentration and professionalism. The sunlight outlined his steady figure, and the composure and strength he exuded from weathering storms gave her a sense of peace of mind.
But this peace of mind is accompanied by an indescribable bitterness.
"When all the beams are erected, the bridge deck is paved, and the guardrails are installed... then this project will be truly over."
The end of the project means everyone goes their separate ways.
Mo Zhichi is the chief supervisor engineer. The nature of his job means he can't stay on a completed project for long. Once the final acceptance is complete, he'll likely be off to the next construction site, perhaps thousands of miles away. And what about her? As a young technician, her future is even more uncertain. She might be assigned to another project at the company, or perhaps face a period of layoffs after a project concludes... The future is filled with uncertainty.
"By that time... I'm afraid Brother Mo and I will have to go to different places."
This realization made Lan Tongtong's heart clench. A strong sense of loss and reluctance suddenly surged over her, almost diluting the joy of successfully erecting the beam.
She had grown accustomed to Mo Zhichi's presence in the project department. She was used to being able to ask him for advice when she encountered a problem, to receiving his steady guidance when she felt lost, to the brief but warm conversations she'd occasionally have when she'd drop off documents at the director's office, and even to silently watching him focus on his work in the crowd... Mo Zhichi's presence was like a beacon, providing direction and comfort during her turbulent journey into the workplace.
She couldn't imagine what it would be like when this lighthouse disappeared and she had to face new environments and new challenges alone. Where would she place the dependence and affection that had quietly grown deep in her heart?
"Tongtong, what are you thinking about? You are so absent-minded?" The voice of Chief Engineer Zhang Xiao interrupted her thoughts.
Lan Tongtong snapped back to her senses and quickly forced a smile: "Nothing, Mr. Zhang, I just feel... that building the bridge is so difficult, I'm a little excited."
She concealed it well, and no one noticed her inner turmoil. But when she once again cast her eyes upon the huge beam firmly resting on the pier, her emotions became much more complicated.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
