The night sky at the end of the month was clear and crisp, with a crescent moon hanging obliquely in the sky, casting its gentle light and outlining the factory area clearly and serenely. After another day of discussing the details of the technical center, Liu Li and Fu Jingchen walked side by side back to their dormitory. The compacted cinder path beneath their feet made a soft rustling sound, replacing the daytime roar of the machines.
They didn't hold hands, maintaining a distance that was considered appropriate in this era, yet their steps naturally aligned, their rhythms matching. A cold winter wind swept by, stirring up some dust from the ground, and Liu Li subconsciously shrank her neck, turning up the collar of her wool coat.
"Are you cold?" Fu Jingchen turned his head to look at her, his voice sounding particularly clear in the quiet night.
"It's alright." Liu Li shook her head, her breath forming a small puff of white mist in the air before quickly dissipating. She looked up at the crescent moon, then at the distant, indistinct outline of the workshop, and suddenly spoke. The topic was still work, but it carried a different kind of groundedness, infused with personal emotion: "I was thinking, for the first batch of challenges the technical center should tackle, could we start by improving the tooling and fixtures that received the most feedback from the various workshops? That would be quick to show results, and the experienced workers would immediately see the benefits. Then, there would be much less resistance when promoting other things."
Her mind seemed to always revolve around those blueprints, equipment, and problems that urgently needed to be solved.
Fu Jingchen listened quietly, the moonlight reflecting faintly on his glasses. He didn't immediately answer whether it was feasible or not, but followed her train of thought: "That's an idea. The drilling jig that Master Zhang from Workshop Two mentioned last time is indeed prone to loosening in positioning, affecting the accuracy of batch parts. And the indexing head fixture used on the milling machines in Workshop Three is too inefficient. We can start by working on these to demonstrate solutions."
His response was not a simple agreement, but rather provided specific technical details, proving that he also kept these production details in mind.
"Yes, those are it!" Liu Li's tone carried a hint of excitement at finding the right direction. "For Master Zhang's one, I think we can use the elastic pin positioning structure I saw in the project team at the department. With a few modifications, it should work. The indexing head one might be a bit more complicated; we'll have to recalculate the positioning accuracy and clamping force..."
She began to elaborate on her thoughts, speaking slightly quickly. In the cool moonlight, the lines of her profile appeared focused and powerful.
Fu Jingchen slowed his pace, listening attentively, occasionally interjecting with suggestions about stress analysis or material selection during her pauses. And so, they walked step by step, discussing and debating, along the moonlit factory paths, transforming what could have been a private emotional exchange into a mobile "technical discussion forum."
However, this discussion was unlike any before. The core of the conversation remained cold technical parameters and process logic, but the atmosphere flowing through it carried an indescribable warmth and harmony. They were no longer merely colleagues exchanging opinions, but weaving a shared vision of the future in ways they knew and cherished most. Every technical milestone reached in consensus was like laying a solid foundation for their shared journey.
Reaching the women's dormitory building, Liu Li stopped and turned to look at Fu Jingchen. Moonlight shone on her face, and her eyes, which always shone with a thoughtful light, were exceptionally clear at this moment.
"Shall we prepare a preliminary plan in this direction?" she concluded, her tone deliberate but her eyes resolute.
“Okay.” Fu Jingchen nodded, agreeing simply. He looked at her, his gaze behind his glasses deep and gentle. After a moment of silence, he said in a low voice, “It’s cold outside, let’s go upstairs.”
"Okay, you should get some rest too." Liu Li smiled and turned to walk into the stairwell.
Fu Jingchen stood there until he saw the warm light coming from her dormitory window before turning to leave. His steps were steady, and his mood was as clear and peaceful as the tranquil moonlight.
Liu Li returned to her dormitory, opened the window, and let the cool air flow in. She watched Fu Jingchen's figure gradually disappear into the distance, blending into the boundary between the moonlight and the night. There was no reluctance in her heart at parting; instead, she was filled with a serene strength.
Between them, there wasn't much romantic talk under the moon, or even many direct expressions of tenderness. But this relationship, based on shared ideals, mutual understanding, and professional resonance, was like deep-rooted veins, silently yet tenaciously intertwining and growing, supporting each other as they climbed towards higher goals. In this vibrant era that values dedication, finding a partner whose soul and career resonate with her is undoubtedly the most precious gift and the most solid emotional refuge bestowed upon her by the tides of time.
The moonlight, like water, flowed quietly over the vast factory area, and also over two hearts that beat closely together, united by the same goal. The road ahead was long, but they knew they would always remain together, hand in hand, walking side by side.
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