Liu Li emerged from the factory director's office, dazed, clutching a photocopy of the inquiry letter from the Ministry of Light Industry tightly in her hand; the sweat on her palms nearly soaked the paper. Instead of heading straight back to the technical department, she instinctively turned into the empty workshop break room, plopping down on a long wooden bench, needing some time to process this sudden news.
"A key technical research project of the ministry... specifically selected for transfer... the order will be issued in a couple of days..." These words kept swirling in her mind. This was on a completely different level from her usual work of innovation and equipment repair at the factory. It was like someone who had been splashing around in a small river suddenly being told that she was to swim in a great river and ocean.
Just as he was lost in thought, Master Wang Jianguo walked in carrying the chipped enamel mug, apparently having just gone to the boiler room to fetch hot water. He glanced at his apprentice, who was sitting there in a daze, but didn't say anything, continuing to blow on the steam rising from the mug.
After a while, Master Wang slowly spoke, as if chatting casually: "What's up? I heard there might be orders coming down from above?"
Liu Li looked up and whispered, "Master, the factory manager said that there might be some projects in the department that require me to be transferred there, but the order hasn't come through yet."
Master Wang put down his jar, took the paper, and squinted at it for a while. He wasn't very literate, but he understood the key points. After reading it, he didn't speak immediately, but handed the paper back, picked up his jar, and took a sip.
"What do you think?" he asked, his tone casual, as if asking what he was having for lunch.
"I...I'm not confident," Liu Li said honestly. She didn't need to pretend in front of her mentors. "Those are all top talents from across the country; I'm just a latecomer..."
“So what if you’re a self-taught craftsman?” Master Wang interrupted her without even lifting his eyelids. “When you were repairing that gantry plane, even those with formal training couldn’t do it, could they? Skill isn’t about background, it’s about here,” he pointed to his head, “and here,” and then patted his chest.
He put down the jar and glanced at the familiar machine tools in the workshop: "Staying cooped up in this little factory, the only sky you can touch is the factory roof. Going out and seeing the world is a good thing. See the world, learn from other people's strengths, and let others see that the people who come out of our Red Star Factory are not cowards."
Listening to her master's words, Liu Li felt a little more at ease. Yes, what was there to be afraid of? The worst that could happen was being laughed at for not being skilled enough; could it be worse than facing a broken gantry plane back then?
"It's just... this trip will probably take quite a while," Liu Li muttered, feeling a little reluctant to leave this familiar place, and... she couldn't help but glance in the direction of the technical department.
"What's meant to be yours will come to you, and what's not meant to be yours can't be kept." Master Wang stood up, picked up his jar, and said, "The factory has trained you all this time, and now there's a place where you can be of use, so don't be a coward. As for your family, I'll still keep an eye on things for you."
After saying that, he hunched over and slowly strolled out of the lounge.
Watching her mentor's retreating figure, Liu Li clenched the paper in her hand, her initial trepidation gradually replaced by a surge of eager anticipation. Yes, she needed to go out and explore! To see just how vast the world truly was!
That evening, she had dinner with Fu Jingchen in the cafeteria and told him about it.
After hearing this, Fu Jingchen's eyes lit up, even more excited than her: "This is great news! A major project led by the ministry, such a rare opportunity!" He put down his chopsticks and looked at her seriously, "Liu Li, your abilities are definitely not a problem. It's just... this separation will probably last for half a year."
Liu Li rummaged through the shredded potatoes in her lunchbox and said softly, "I'm also worried about this."
Fu Jingchen smiled and placed a piece of scrambled egg on her plate: "What are you worried about? It's not like you're not coming back. Take this opportunity to study hard, and I'll work even harder to secure that part-time graduate program spot. Let's... each do our best, and see you at the top?"
"See you at the top of the mountain!" Liu Li was amused by his words, and the sadness of parting in her heart was greatly relieved.
The new mission was like a door that had suddenly opened, revealing unknown challenges and a vast world beyond. To go or not to go? The answer seemed to already be in her heart.
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