Chapter 23 Technical Master
Zhao Chen's eyes swept across the silent computer, their expression instantly sharp and calm, like an experienced doctor examining a dying patient. He set down the black metal toolbox and smoothly opened the buckle.
The box's interior was meticulously constructed, layered with a variety of tools Yu Ling had never seen before, gleaming with a cold metallic sheen—a compact, precise screwdriver set, a probe with a magnifying glass, a peculiarly shaped interface converter, and even several fingernail-sized chips enclosed in anti-static bags. The entire toolbox exuded an aura of professionalism, austerity, and efficiency, a stark contrast to his usual gentle, homely demeanor.
The colleagues around looked on with curiosity and awe, and even Xiaomei held her breath.
Zhao Chen ignored the glances. With unerring skill, he unplugged all the computer's external cables. Then, with both hands, he grasped a discreet clip on either side of the computer case. With a soft click, the side panels were effortlessly removed. His movements were as deft as if he were disassembling a toy he'd played with a thousand times.
The inside of the computer case was exposed. Zhao Chen's gaze, like the most sophisticated scanner, quickly scanned the motherboard, power supply, memory sticks, hard drive... His fingers were slender and steady, and he picked up a precision screwdriver with a strong magnetic grip from the toolbox. His movements were so fast that they almost left afterimages! He removed screws, pulled out slots, checked interfaces... Every movement was precise, neat, and without the slightest hesitation! His focused expression, his thin lips slightly pursed, and the cool, sharp glint in his eyes, like a scalpel, reminded Yu Ling once again of the man who had made the phone call on the balcony, the man who controlled life and death!
The huge contrast shocked her heart! How could this be just "knowing a little about computers"? This was clearly the posture of a top engineer!
Less than three minutes later, Zhao Chen stopped moving. His fingertip pointed precisely at an inconspicuous capacitor near the power module. "Here. The capacitor is burned out, short-circuiting. This could have impacted the motherboard power module and the hard drive connector." His voice was calm, carrying undeniable professional judgment.
"Then... the data in the hard drive..." Yu Ling's heart was in her throat and her voice trembled.
"The possibility of physical damage to the hard drive is not high. It is mainly because the interface protection and data path were interrupted by the sudden abnormal current impact."
As Zhao Chen spoke, he deftly pulled a strangely shaped, palm-sized black metal cube from his toolbox. It had multiple ports on one end and a USB-C port on the other. He smoothly connected the cube to the hard drive's data port, then took out a custom data cable and connected the other end to the thin, silver laptop he had brought with him.
The laptop turned on and the screen lit up. It was still the pure black background as deep as the starry sky, with only a simple command line window floating in the air.
Zhao Chen's fingers danced across the keyboard at a dizzying speed! In the black command window, lines of white code flowed down like a waterfall!
It was so fast that Yu Ling couldn't even see what he was typing; all she could see was a blurry white afterimage! The focused profile, the slightly furrowed brow, and the smooth rhythm and absolute control of his fingertips tapping the silent keyboard once again stunned Yu Ling! This speed, this momentum, was even more terrifying than the last time he "helped a friend optimize a small script"!
The entire office was silent, and everyone watched the scene with bated breath, as if they were watching a thrilling high-tech operation.
Time passed by minute by minute. Yu Ling's palms were sweaty with nervousness, and she stared at Zhao Chen's screen and the black cube connected to the hard drive without blinking.
Suddenly, Zhao Chen's fingertips landed heavily on the Enter key. The cascading stream of code on the screen stopped instantly.
He let out a long sigh, leaned back slightly, and rubbed his brows. A hint of relief from completing the challenge appeared on his face. Then, he slid his fingers across the touchpad a few times and clicked on a folder icon on the desktop.
Under the astonished gazes of Yu Ling and all the onlookers, the folder suddenly contained the "Xinghai Final Summary" PPT file and analysis report document! The icons were clear and intact!
"Alright." Zhao Chen's voice had returned to its usual clarity, and with a hint of relief in his smile, he turned his head to look at Yu Ling, who was almost suffocating with nervousness. Her amber eyes clearly reflected her shocked and ecstatic face. "The files are all there, nothing lost. The hard drive is at risk of physical bad sectors and can no longer be used. I've exported all the data for you and copied it to this USB drive."
Like a magic trick, he pulled out a brand new, simple-looking silver metal USB flash drive from the toolbox, plugged it into the computer, and began copying with his fingers quickly.
Yu Ling looked at the familiar folder on the screen, then at the silver USB flash drive in Zhao Chen's hand. A surge of joy washed over her fear and despair like a tsunami! She covered her mouth tightly, tears welling up again, but this time, they were tears of ecstasy and relief at having found what she had lost!
"Thank you...thank you..." She choked and spoke incoherently. The huge emotional impact made her almost unable to stand.
Zhao Chen finished copying the files, unplugged the USB drive, stood up, and with a perfectly natural movement, reached out and gently embraced Yu Ling's body, which was trembling slightly with excitement. His arms were warm and strong, carrying a reassuring sense of strength, like the most solid harbor.
"Silly girl, why are you crying?" His low voice sounded in her ears, with gentle doting and a hint of imperceptible heartache, "As long as I am here, the sky will not fall." He patted her back gently, like comforting a frightened child.
Yu Ling leaned in his warm arms, smelling the familiar cedar scent on him, feeling his steady and strong heartbeat, listening to his gentle comfort... The overwhelming despair and cold fear just now were completely dispelled by this huge sense of security!
The string that was taut because of doubt was quietly plucked at this moment by the ecstasy of regaining what was lost and the solid and warm support, making a barely perceptible... loose buzzing sound.
She closed her eyes and let herself indulge in this long-lost, comforting embrace, her tears silently soaking the shirt on his chest.
The colleagues around them watched this scene with mixed expressions. There was envy, surprise, and mostly a sense of "oh, that's how it is"—no wonder Yu Ling was able to get Mr. Lin to come to terms with her, no wonder the project was able to be revived. It turned out that behind her stood such a hidden "technical god" husband!
Xiaomei's eyes lit up with excitement, and she whispered to the person next to her, "See? Lingjie's husband is so handsome! He's like a real-life superhero! He comes down from the sky at the critical moment!"
Zhao Chen seemed oblivious to the surrounding discussions, concentrating solely on comforting the agitated Yu Ling in his arms. With one hand, he gently patted her back, while with the other, he picked up the life-saving silver USB drive on the table and shoved it into Yu Ling's cold palm, his fingertips warm.
"Here, your lifeblood." His voice was filled with a hint of teasing, trying to ease her mood. "Hurry up and prepare the report. It's almost time. President Lin doesn't like being late."
Yu Ling held the heavy USB drive, warm from his palm, feeling the warmth and strength of his embrace. Her chaotic emotions finally calmed. She looked up at Zhao Chen's handsome face, close at hand, with a gentle smile on its face. His amber eyes were clear and open, filled with her reflection.
Fear and doubt temporarily took a back seat in the face of the huge loss and recovery and solid support.
She nodded vigorously and withdrew from his arms, with tears still on her face, but her eyes became firm again: "Yes!"
She took the USB drive, turned around and walked quickly to her workstation, ready to copy the documents to the meeting room. Her steps were much lighter.
Zhao Chen stood there, watching her straighten her back again, the smile in his eyes deepening. He quickly packed up his black toolbox and the silver laptop, as if it were an ordinary tool.
"Mr. Zhao, you... you're amazing!" Xiaomei couldn't help but come closer, a look of admiration on her face. "What was that tool just now? And the speed at which you typed the code... it's simply amazing!"
Zhao Chen smiled and picked up the toolbox, his tone casual. "Oh, this? It's a data emergency tool developed by a friend's company. It's an internal beta version and hasn't been released yet. I'm just... tinkering with it, I only have a basic understanding." He shook the toolbox in his hand. "It's just a useful tool."
They are friends. They also have a basic understanding. They are also useful tools.
Yu Ling paused briefly as she copied documents at her workstation, but didn't turn around. She stared at the familiar folder icon on the screen, her fingers tightly gripping the warm USB drive.
This time, under the overwhelming surge of relief and reliance, the lingering vine of doubt in her heart seemed... to actually loosen a little. The man who had descended like a god in the critical moment, saving the day with his incredible skills, and the cold, threatening image he'd conveyed on the phone to her, tore fiercely apart in her mind. Ultimately, the former's brilliance temporarily overshadowed the latter's shadow.
Maybe... he really only "knows the basics"? Is he just a powerful tool for his "friends"?
She took a deep breath, unplugged the USB drive, straightened her back, and headed towards the conference room. No matter what, he had helped her through this difficult time. This kindness and the peace of mind she felt at that moment were undeniably real. As for those unfathomable mysteries... perhaps, they could be put aside... for now?
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