Chapter 4

Lu Jun was surprised: "Ah, how did you know?"

Lu Jun smiled apologetically, put down her ruler and pen, and sincerely said: "Chief Engineer Wu, I am a newcomer, having just graduated not long ago, and I do not have much experience. I should work harder. I am not as clever as Zhou Xu, so it is normal for a slow learner to take the lead."

Thank you, thank you for the compliment," Lu Jun's eyes suddenly brightened. In the past, many people had said that her structural drawings were beautiful, but none had made her as happy as today. She enthusiastically explained, "It is not just my achievement; everyone discussed it together, and in the end, it was decided that I would be the one to put pen to paper.

Do not work too hard

The chef in the canteen at the construction site is a local uncle, who is quite amusing and speaks English fluently. When he jokes with Wu Wei, outsiders find it hard to interject a word. However, the food is completely the opposite of his personality; breakfast is always the same monotonous dry flatbread and plain soup, which is rather unappetizing. Yet, one cannot avoid eating. With such great work pressure, no one can get through a morning without food. The two sat in a corner of the empty canteen, and when Lu Jun took a bite of the hard breakfast, her features immediately scrunched up, but it was just a fleeting moment. In a very short time, she cheered up again: "It's still edible, crispy, just like the naan back home."

Wu Wei was drinking soup when he suddenly choked. He coughed twice, then looked at Qian Dahua and said with remarkable calmness: "I came early today, met Xiao Lu, and came over to have breakfast together."

Wu Wei sat opposite her, finding her expression of frowning and then quickly brightening up so vivid that he couldn't help but laugh, saying: "You are very optimistic"

Despite it being just an ordinary smile, Lu Jun still felt her face flush. She finally understood that there are indeed people in this world who can go to bed at 1:00 AM and wake up at 5:30 AM yet still look so beautiful; it truly is a favor from heaven. Lu Jun revealed a sincere smile and nodded, saying: "Chief Engineer Wu, good morning to you as well"

During this period, you have been the first to arrive at the testing ground, even earlier than I have," Wu Wei said with a smile, pointing to the materials on another slightly smaller table that were over half a meter high, "I have almost finished reviewing all of these.

Zhou Xu noticed that Lu Jun's face was suspiciously turning red, and kindly came to her rescue: "Yes, Mr. Qian, haven't you noticed that Lu Jun has been getting up very early lately? She has always been very diligent."

I am well aware that principles and life are two different matters, Lu Jun said slowly while resting her chin on her hand. "Any random collection of famous quotes contains uplifting truths; there are countless such principles. However, life has never been as simple as those principles suggest. Nevertheless, I believe that the reason quotes are considered famous is that they always provide inspiration. As long as we are alive and have hope, there will always be a way to find solutions"

Wu Wei smiled appreciatively, albeit noncommittally, and said, "Let's talk about it in two years."

The experimental site and the dormitory area are merely a hundred meters apart, and their level of simplicity is quite similar. Here, models of the power station, computers, and other necessary equipment such as generator sets are placed.

Upon hearing this, Wu Wei nodded slightly and said: "The reasoning is quite correct, but in my view, the challenge lies not in being optimistic, but in how to maintain that optimism. Life is akin to walking on the edge of a cliff; a slight push from others can lead to unimaginable consequences. Enthusiasm is ultimately limited, yet the dark periods of life can sometimes be excessively prolonged"

"Are you trying to flatter me?" Wu Wei shook his head, unable to suppress a smile, "This is of no use to me. The work that needs to be done still has to be done"

"Indeed, it is time to return," Qian Dahua said with deep emotion. "But if we talk about hardship, who isn't? Wei Yi, really, it’s even harder for you. You have been working abroad for several years; why not apply to come back with me? Although the money in the country is a bit less, at least it’s not as exhausting, and it’s closer to home. You should also consider getting married and having children."

Qian Dahua sat down, looked at her for a second, shook his head and said: "Girls should sleep a little longer; beauty is important. No matter how big the project is, it won't make a difference if you take an extra half hour to sleep. My daughter has never woken up early."

Where is that?

Yesterday, when I called back, they said they had gone. Qian Dahua was very excited, and Xiaomin was very happy, saying she had never seen so many people before. Everywhere was decorated with lanterns and streamers, and she also mentioned that the teachers and students were very friendly.

"In a good mood," the sound of laughter came from the doorway, belonging to Deputy Engineer Qian Dahua and Zhou Xu. The two looked at them without a hint of surprise. Qian Dahua, having had breakfast, walked in with a steel lunchbox filled with soup, swaying with every step, and continued the unfinished sentence: "Tsk tsk, General Manager Wu, it has indeed been a long time since I've seen you this happy; could it be due to the beautiful female engineer?"

Wu Wei then pushed the door open and said with a smile, "Xiao Lu, good morning"

Despite having such dark circles under his eyes, he still radiates brilliance when he smiles. Wu Wei approached Lu Jun, bent down, and carefully examined the design drawing, which measured one square meter, from top to bottom and left to right. He simply looked, remaining silent for a long time. After two or three weeks of interaction, Lu Jun understood that Wu Wei was an exceedingly strict person in his work. His requirement for everyone was, "We cannot make a single mistake." In his eyes, there was only good or bad, and the phrase "acceptable" never existed. After two or three weeks of interaction, Lu Jun understood that Wu Wei was an exceedingly strict person in his work. His requirement for everyone was, "We cannot make a single mistake." In his eyes, there was only good or bad, and the phrase "acceptable" never existed. His gaze on the drawing was almost one of scrutiny and study. Although the weather was cool, Lu Jun felt beads of sweat forming on her back. Almost a century seemed to pass before he finally stood up, nodded at her, and his gaze held rare approval: "Your drawing is indeed quite good, the proportions are accurate, and the lines are simple and clear. Here, the design of the cross-section of the cofferdam is handled exceptionally well."

When talking about his daughter, Qian Dahua's face lit up with joy. This was the first time Lu Jun heard him mention his daughter, and she wanted to seize the opportunity to change the subject, only to find that Wu Wei was one step ahead of her: "Old Qian, at this time every year, with the new students starting school, has Xiaomin also gone to register at the university?"

Wu Wei let out a long sigh, as if feeling a weight lifted off his shoulders, and said: "After all these years, you and your sister-in-law have worked hard. Once this project is completed, you can return home with peace of mind"

Chief Engineer Wu, you have naturally become immune to flattery over time," Lu Jun chuckled softly, "However, please rest assured, I will certainly comply with your orders, as I am receiving a high salary from the three electrical companies.

Some are doing, some are watching, Wu Wei said, "It will always be known."

She felt a bit nervous, but fortunately, Wu Wei did not detect the subtle hints of ambiguity in her words. He simply shook his head and said, "I am no longer young; I have been working for eight years."

Wu Wei glanced at the sky, which was still a deep blue, with the stars and moon shining together, truly beautiful; lowering his head, he noticed the searchlight from the construction site in the distance casting its light over, not too cool, but the fragments of stones and steel around the dormitory area were glaringly visible. He frowned, thinking: someone needs to come and clean this up. He looked around and caught sight of the light from a room in the testing area, which was far away from the construction site, and quickened his pace

As they spoke, the sky outside gradually brightened. Wu Wei raised his wrist to check the time: "The cafeteria should be opening now; let's go eat together"

Following the light, the room in the corner of the testing ground came into view. The door was slightly ajar, and Wu Wei stood at the entrance looking inside. He first noticed a head of glossy black hair, and then saw the slender figure bent over the desk, engrossed in drawing. Perhaps it was due to the angle from which he was observing, but she appeared even thinner than during the day. He had a sense of unease in his heart and extended his right hand to knock on the door.

I only started writing yesterday, and today I've already completed more than half of it, staying up late to draw?" Wu Wei raised an eyebrow, looking at her

Perhaps due to being too engrossed in painting, the people in the room did not hear the knocking at the door, as they were typically buried in their paperwork; Wu Wei shook his head and smiled, shook his head and smiled, and increased the force of his knocking.

At that moment, the people in the room suddenly raised their heads, looked around, and then turned back, catching a glimpse of the figure outside the door. She seemed startled, and for a moment, her pale face gained a bit of color. Then, gripping a ruler and a pencil, she spoke: "Please come in." This was the first sentence of the day, and her voice was crisp to the point of being somewhat strange.

His watch was an old-fashioned silver quartz watch, with noticeable signs of wear on the strap, conservatively estimated to be at least ten to twenty years old. Lu Jun was secretly astonished. Wu Wei was a chief engineer dispatched from the Ministry of Three Electricities, and his income should be quite high, so he shouldn't be unable to afford even a watch. Before being dispatched, she had stayed at the Ministry for half a month, and all the senior engineers she knew had cars and houses, completely different from Wu Wei.

Lu Jun quickly and carefully looked into his eyes, pouting: "You make it sound like you are very old." The moment the words left her mouth, she was startled by her own statement; these words were quite normal in themselves, yet once she said them, the tone of the sentence felt so strange.

Wu Wei had slightly long hair, with a few strands naturally and casually falling over his forehead. He smiled and said, "You are still so young; it's always good to be a bit more optimistic"

Although she had known Wu Wei for some time, she knew very little about his personal affairs. All she knew was that he had spent six years abroad, and nothing else. She was the only female engineer on this project, and she did not hear any gossip; moreover, she had never been one to pry into others' matters. Previously, it was always others who informed her about who was dating whom, who had broken up, and even that her boyfriend was two-timing her was something she learned from others. At this moment, she was surprised to find that, merely because of a watch, she had become curious about the leader in front of her.

Lu Jun thought to herself, "Where are you old? Where are you old? Although you have been exposed to the sun and rain, your skin is still quite good. Even though you toil day in and day out, your gaze remains bright. You can still captivate half the women on the street when you walk by. These are all signs of youth." These thoughts could not be voiced; she covered her mouth and laughed lightly, saying subtly, "Actually, it's not that bad. Everyone says you are the youngest, most capable, intelligent, and noble engineer at San Dian..." After holding back, the word 'handsome' finally did not escape her lips.

One must be optimistic in life, Lu Jun said with a beaming smile, "Depression is always temporary. My life experience over the years has taught me that things will always get better. Life cannot remain bad indefinitely; there will always be a turning point. So why not wait with a smile for that good day to arrive"

"I didn't stay up late; I just got up a little earlier than usual," Lu Jun explained. "This is a draft, and it will need further improvement."

At dawn, Wu Wei woke up on time. He was usually a person accustomed to simplicity; he put on his coat, quickly washed up, and casually grabbed a stack of documents before leaving the dormitory. He always left at this time. In the deep mountains of summer nights, the construction site, which would be bustling with activity during the day, was particularly quiet at this moment, but it was by no means silent. A gentle breeze rustled the leaves, and the faint sound of insects flapping their wings could be heard.

Lu Jun and Zhou Xu exchanged glances. Without needing a strong intuition, they understood that everyone harbors unspoken hardships. Behind their conversations lay a hidden world, one that was difficult for newcomers like them to penetrate and comprehend. The hydropower workers had their own realm, and the veteran hydropower workers had their own circle. They had weathered numerous challenges together in a harsh environment, and the bonds formed during those times were not something outsiders could easily access.