The excitement of the presentation hadn't completely subsided, and a relaxed yet slightly proud atmosphere still lingered in the group. Liu Li was engrossed in organizing the subsequent experimental data, thinking about how to put the "generalization" issue raised by Director Han into practice, when there was a gentle knock on the office door.
A young man dressed in a neat Zhongshan suit and wearing glasses poked his head in, glanced around the office, and finally fixed his gaze on Liu Li. He politely asked, "Excuse me, which one of you is Comrade Liu Li from Hongxing Machinery Factory?"
Liu Li paused for a moment, then stood up: "Yes, that's me. What can I do for you?"
A man walked in with a professional smile and handed over a business card: "Hello, Comrade Liu Li. I am Director Han's secretary, my surname is He."
Director Han's secretary? Liu Li's heart skipped a beat, and her colleagues around her also stopped what they were doing and looked over curiously.
Secretary He's voice was not loud, but clear enough: "Director Han highly appreciates the 'prestress compensation' technical approach you mentioned at the briefing, and believes that this innovative method, which comes from practice, has great potential for promotion."
He paused briefly, observing Liu Li's reaction, before continuing, "The director asked me to ask you privately if you'd be interested in transferring to the Ministry's Technical Information Research Institute after this project concludes. That institute is primarily responsible for tracking the latest technological developments both domestically and internationally, and evaluating and promoting advanced processes suitable for my country's national conditions. We believe your experience and abilities are very suitable for this position."
Transferred to Beijing? To a ministry-affiliated research institute?
These words exploded in Liu Li's ears like a thunderclap, leaving her momentarily stunned. The air in the office seemed to freeze; everyone held their breath, looking at her with complex expressions. Zhou Wei adjusted his glasses, and Sun Mei slightly opened her mouth.
This is like a windfall! Being transferred directly from a local factory to a research institute under a ministry is an opportunity that countless people dream of! The platform is higher, the vision is broader, and you'll be exposed to the most cutting-edge information, with unlimited potential for future development.
Seeing her somewhat bewildered expression, Secretary He smiled understandingly: "No need for an immediate reply. Please consider it carefully and give me an answer before the project ends. Here is my contact information." He then handed her a slip of paper with his phone number on it and politely took his leave.
As soon as Secretary He left, the office erupted in chaos.
"Liu Li! The department wants to transfer you?! This is fantastic news!"
"The Institute of Technical Information! That's where they do macro-level research, much better than us burying ourselves in specific projects!"
"Going to Beijing will give you a bright future!"
Colleagues chimed in with comments, some expressing envy, some offering congratulations, and others genuinely happy for her. Zhou Wei walked over and said sincerely, "Liu Li, congratulations! This is such a rare opportunity."
Sun Mei nodded in agreement: "Yes, the platform over there is different, and it can play a greater role."
Liu Li held the thin business card and slip of paper in her hand, feeling as if she were holding two hot potatoes. Her mind was in turmoil; there was certainly some surprise, but more than anything, there was a sudden sense of bewilderment and uncertainty.
Go to Beijing? Join a government agency? Leave behind the familiar workshops, machine tools, and her colleagues who tackled tough challenges together? Go do technical tracking and promotion? That seems quite different from her current work, which involves solving specific technical problems…
Looking out the window at the familiar scenery of the project team's compound, then at her colleagues whom she had spent every day with, and then at her own hands still bearing the marks of handling the jigs, she felt a sudden surge of confusion.
This unexpected invitation was like a boulder thrown into the calm lake of her heart, creating ripples that were difficult to quell for a long time.
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