Siheyuan, Shazhu: I have both parents in this life

Chapter 435 The Twenty-Fourth Medal (Seeking votes at the end of the month)

Two weeks later, on a night when the sea breeze carried a salty and damp scent.

At a heavily guarded military port in Zhoushan, Zhejiang Province, beams of searchlight pierced the night, casting shimmering shadows on the dark sea.

There were no ceremonies, no outsiders.

Several large flat barges, covered with heavy military tarpaulins, were quietly moored in their designated deep-water berths, outlining a massive and captivating silhouette.

Old Fan was dressed in civilian clothes, but his posture remained upright. Standing beside him were several serious-looking technical experts and general assembly cadres who had rushed from the capital overnight.

He Yuzhu did not appear; all handover matters had already been arranged through an encrypted channel and a single contact person.

"Director Fan, all the 'goods' have arrived. Here's the list." A middle-aged man in port work clothes handed a document to Director Fan and said in a low voice, "As agreed, there are a total of 1,320 standard container units and 420 large containers. Preliminary external inspection shows the seals are intact, but..."

"But some have bullet holes, and the inside still needs..."

Old Fan took the document, his fingers turning slightly white from the pressure. He knew what the bullet marks meant, but he didn't know how many people He Yuzhu had sacrificed.

He took a deep breath and waved to the team of experts behind him: "Let's begin. Remember to follow the procedures strictly. The key is to check the internal condition and integrity."

The experts sprang into action immediately, spreading out like precision instruments.

Under the watchful eyes of heavily armed guards, a corner of the canvas was carefully lifted, revealing securely bound crates with English markings and special supports. Specialized inspection equipment was then connected, and the unpacking and inspection proceeded in a tense but orderly manner within the designated area.

Time passed by, with only the sound of the waves and the occasional soft clatter of tools.

An elderly expert looked up from one of the open containers, his face filled with barely suppressed excitement. He nodded to Lao Fan, his voice trembling slightly, "Director Fan, the items are correct. The gunfight intentionally avoided the container containing the core components. No heavy weapons were used; the rest are just scratches, nothing too serious."

Old Fan's tense facial muscles finally relaxed, and he let out a long, silent sigh of relief.

He looked up towards the north, towards the city of Beijing, and silently thought, "Zhu Zi, this gift is too heavy."

The handover lasted all night.

As dawn approached, after all the "goods" had been confirmed to have been received and were being transported in batches to designated locations by the military convoy, Lao Fan, exhausted but excited, returned to his temporary guesthouse and sent He Yuzhu a short message on his phone: "The goods have been safely stored."

Almost simultaneously, at Xifei Airport, Factory Director Song also received a similar message in his office, but it read: "Check completed, no errors, goods have been shipped and will arrive soon, please receive them properly!"

Factory Director Song stopped pacing nervously, rubbed his face hard to clear his head, read the text message again, raised his right arm and waved it vigorously, excitedly saying, "Old He, you're awesome! I admire you for life!"

He didn't sleep all night, just waiting for news.

He originally wanted to pick up the goods himself, but Lao Fan refused.

When Director Song received the goods, he also received a pleasant surprise. He thought the container contained maintenance data, but it actually contained a complete set of F15 data.

He was completely stunned. It was only after the head of security gave him a sharp poke that he snapped out of it. Suppressing his excitement, he whispered to the head of security, "Raise security to the highest level. I'm going to make a call!"

"Okay, should we request backup?"

"Don't do it for now, let's talk about it after we make the call."

The head of security nodded and turned to make arrangements.

When Lao Fan received the call from Factory Director Song, he was in his office pondering how to recommend He Yuzhu for credit.

Upon hearing the words "complete F-15 data", his hand gripping the microphone tightened suddenly, and he even held his breath for a moment.

"Are you sure? Not maintenance data, but the complete set of technical data?" Old Fan's voice was extremely low, almost squeezed out from between his teeth.

"Absolutely true! Lao Fan, the code and serial number on the packaging box match the bits and pieces of intelligence we got before! We did a quick look, and it's not just about aerodynamics and structure, but even the source code for the fire control radar and some core curves of the engine. This is... damn it!" Director Song was so excited he was almost incoherent. "Lao Fan, does Zhu Zi know what this means? He just crammed it into a container of spare parts and sent it over like that?"

Old Fan's mind was buzzing; he knew perfectly well what this meant.

The F-16 was already an unexpected bonus, but the information on the F-15 is like a gold brick falling from the sky and smashing through the floor.

He Yuzhu's actions weren't just about giving a gift; he was about bringing back the entire generational gap!
"Old Song," Old Fan took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down, "Listen to me, from now on, this matter is classified as top secret. Everyone who has handled this batch of materials must immediately sign a confidentiality agreement and undergo isolation and investigation. The materials are sealed in place. I will send people immediately—no, I will personally lead the team over. Before I arrive, not a single piece of paper is to be touched, and you are not to mention it to anyone, including your superiors!"

"I understand, I understand! Don't worry, I've already sealed the items separately in the No. 3 secure vault, and I've also raised the factory's security to the highest level. Do you think it's necessary?" Factory Director Song quickly assured him.

"I'll send someone over to assist your security department. Wait for me, you need to stay calm, stay calm."

"it is good."

After hanging up the phone, Lao Fan paced back and forth in his office a few times, his heart filled with emotion.

He picked up his coat and, as he walked out, instructed his secretary: "Prepare a car for me. Go to the airport and head to Xifei immediately. If they ask, tell them I'm going to oversee the follow-up work on the F-16 parts receipt."

A few hours later, Lao Fan's private plane landed at a military airport near Xi'an Aircraft Industry Group.

Then take a car directly to Xi'an Aircraft Industry Corporation (XAC).

Upon entering Factory Director Song's office, Factory Director Song was taken aback: "Old Fan, why did you come straight here?"

"I'm worried. Wait a minute, let me make a call first." With that, Lao Fan picked up the phone and dialed a number.

The person on the other end was a little confused when they saw the number on the caller ID. They had all the phone numbers on file, but Xifei didn't know their number, so they assumed something had happened to Xifei.

"Hello, this is the **Retirement Home for Cadres. How can we help you?"

"Gangzi, this is Fan Le'an!"

"Chief, this phone call..."

"Listen to me first."

"Yes."

"Secretly transfer twenty of your branch's best field agents here. They must be completely trustworthy, and quickly!"

"clear."

After hanging up the phone, Lao Fan and Lao Song exchanged a glance, both seeing smiles in each other's eyes. The surprise had turned into a shock.

"What about Lao He?" Director Song asked.

"Don't worry about that. Just take care of your own little corner of the world. You won't treat him unfairly."

"you sure?"

"Am I really that untrustworthy? Zhu Zi is my savior!"

"Huh? I've never heard of that before."

"There are many things you haven't heard of. Anyway, don't worry, even if I can't do it, I still have your Uncle Fang."

"it is good."

After the field staff arrived, Director Song led Lao Fan through layers of guard posts and into the No. 3 secret vault deep underground.

The heavy alloy door closed behind me, and the warehouse was lit by cold, white lights that illuminated rows of tall filing cabinets.

On the isolation table in the center of the room were several large, ordinary-looking military crates. The lids were open, revealing neatly stacked microfilm cassettes, magnetic tapes, and thick technical manuals with English labels inside.

Old Fan stepped forward, put on white gloves, and carefully picked up the top booklet.

The words "F-15A Flight Manual" clearly visible on the cover immediately catch the eye.

He casually flipped through a few pages, which were filled with densely packed graphs, exploded diagrams, and parameter tables. He then picked up a cassette tape labeled "AN/APG-63 Radar System Source Code (Partial)" and his fingertips trembled slightly.

"This is, this is the original file, no wonder, no wonder." Old Fan didn't finish his sentence.

Factory Director Song understood; the F-15's failure to be released must be related to these factors.

"That wasn't twenty years ago," Director Song couldn't help but say.

"Watch your words!" Old Fan hissed.

Factory Director Song nodded and said in a low voice, "Old Fan, how are we going to repay this favor?"

“It’s not over yet.” Old Fan let out a long breath, his eyes becoming sharp and firm. “Then let’s do things well, digest these things as quickly and effectively as possible, and turn them into our own. That’s the best way to give back to him and to the country.”

"Eh"

"Alright, let's not discuss this anymore!"

"Ah."

"Old Song, hand this over to the people I brought. You immediately organize the most reliable and top-notch technical team to conduct preliminary analysis and data compilation. Remember, keep the scope small, better to have fewer but better teams. All participants, including yourself, are not allowed to leave the designated area without approval before the project is declassified."

"Understood!" Director Song straightened his back.

Old Fan spent a long time in the classified archives, carefully examining part of the catalog, and was increasingly impressed by the comprehensiveness and depth of the materials.

It wasn't until dawn that he quietly left Xifei with mixed emotions and boarded the private plane back to Beijing.

Instead of returning to his workplace, he had his driver take him directly to Nanluoguxiang.

The alley was still quiet in the early morning, with only elderly people out early to walk their birds.

Old Fan left the driver and guard at the alley entrance, straightened his collar, walked to the gate of No. 95, and gently knocked on the door knocker.

After a short while, the courtyard gate creaked open, revealing He Yuzhu's figure.

He was wearing training clothes, seemingly having just finished boxing, with fine beads of sweat on his forehead. When he saw Lao Fan, his face showed surprise.

"Why are you here? Shouldn't you be busy right now?" He Yuzhu asked.

Why don't you invite me in for a seat?

"Please!" He Yuzhu stepped aside.

The two entered the study one after the other, and He Yuzhu called out to Xiaoman to prepare two breakfasts.

After returning, He Yuzhu poured Lao Fan a glass of warm water, and then picked up the purple clay teapot next to him and took a sip.

Old Fan didn't sit down. He stood in front of the desk, looked at He Yuzhu, took a deep breath, and then slowly and solemnly bowed to He Yuzhu.

He Yuzhu paused, his hand holding the teapot still, and frowned slightly: "Old Fan, what are you doing?"

Old Fan straightened up, his eyes slightly red, his voice low and hoarse: "Zhu Zi, on behalf of many people, thank you."

He Yuzhu put down the teapot and asked curiously, "What makes you say that?"

"Don't play dumb with me. You don't know what you smuggled in the last shipment?"

"I'm glad you're satisfied. We made quite a bit of money this time, consider this a bonus," He Yuzhu replied casually.

"you you"

"Alright, what's all the excitement about? You look so naive."

"I can't argue with you." Old Fan plopped down on the sofa in anger, picked up a glass of warm water, and gulped it down.

After calming down, Lao Fan continued, "Do you know what this means? It saves us so many detours, so much time and resources! This... this is something that money can't measure!"

"If you put it that way, should I charge you a few more cents? The question is, can you even afford it?" He Yuzhu said sarcastically.

Old Fan gave an awkward smile: "I can't afford it!"

Sitting in this position, he can guess some things. For example, after He Yuzhu escorted that group of students and scientists back, the Northwest made rapid progress, but the time for public announcement was actually a few years later.

For example, a port area in Qingdao was inexplicably closed, and then the Navy's underwater projects made rapid progress.

Dalian Port and Zhoushan Port—this includes military and civilian matters. If we were to list them all, what would we use to provide them?

“I didn’t plan to take it either!” He Yuzhu said with a smile.

Old Fan didn't laugh. He stared intently at He Yuzhu: "Zhu Zi, tell me the truth, what price did you pay for all this? Those two ships at sea?"

He Yuzhu waved his hand, interrupting him: "Old Fan, some things are best left in the past. How the things came to be isn't important. What's important is that they're in our home now. How to properly utilize and integrate them is your business. I'll handle my own affairs."

Looking at his calm and expressionless face, Lao Fan knew that he wouldn't get any more information by asking.

He knew He Yuzhu well; if he didn't want to talk about something, no one could get him to open his mouth.

"Anyway, thank you." Old Fan could only express his gratitude again solemnly. He knew that those two words were too light, but at this moment, he didn't know what else to say.

"Alright, let's go have breakfast together. You must have come hungry."

"it is good."

Before leaving the study, Old Fan stopped and turned back, saying, "Zhu Zi, if anyone gets on your bad side, you can come to me."

"Anyone?" He Yuzhu laughed.

"You..." Old Fan shook his head helplessly. How could it be anyone? He wasn't that arrogant.

Then, he went to the restaurant with He Yuzhu. After Lao Fan left, He Yuzhu sat alone in the study for a while, his gaze falling on the old locust tree in the courtyard outside the window, his expression inscrutable.

After a moment, he got up, picked up a long white ash wood spear from the courtyard, and began to practice each move. The wind from the spear whistled, as if to shatter all his complicated thoughts in the morning breeze.

Xiaoman knew he had something on his mind, so she kept the children inside and watched him practice his gun skills outside through the window. However, none of the children had ever seen their uncle (grandfather, maternal grandfather) practice his gun skills so quickly before, and their excited little hands clapped until they were red.

A month later, an order list stamped with "Top Secret" was delivered to the desk of Lu Shuyi, general manager of Huagao Technology, by Xi'an Aircraft Industry Group's confidential communications officer.

The list of items is clear and specific: seventy sets of domestically produced avionics system core processing modules, high-speed data bus interface units, and special connector assemblies resistant to strong electromagnetic interference, all adapted to the new fighter jets. The technical requirements are extremely high, but the delivery time isn't as tight.

Lu Shuyi immediately realized the significance of this order, and she summoned the heads of the electronics technology laboratory and the precision engineering department.

“This is going to be a tough battle.” Lu Shuyi projected the order requirements onto the screen. “The standards are very high, but we must complete them with high quality.”

The lab director carefully examined the parameters, his brow furrowing slightly: "President Lu, this system is highly compatible with the architecture we previously researched for 'Project 10,' but some interface protocols and anti-interference requirements are more stringent. We need to specifically strengthen the existing design, especially ensuring that the stability testing cycle under harsh environments cannot be shortened."

The head of Jinggong continued, "The materials and processing techniques for the corresponding special connectors and structural components need to be fine-tuned. I suggest that a joint task force be established immediately to advance the work simultaneously on both sides and conduct cross-verification."

“Okay.” Lu Shuyi acted swiftly. “Select key personnel from various departments to form the ‘Flying Eagle’ special task force, and I will personally serve as the overall coordinator. Resources will be prioritized, and any problems should be reported directly. The goal is to produce the first batch of qualified samples within six months.”

Huagao Technology, this massive scientific research machine, is once again operating at high speed for the sake of aviation.

A few days later, Director Song personally called He Yuzhu.

"Old He, there's something else I need to trouble you with."

"When did you become so polite, you old rascal?"

"Hehe, everyone else asks me for favors, but I'm asking you for a favor, so I really have to be polite to you."

"Tell me, what's the matter?"

"We need to import a batch of high-performance computer systems and servers, mainly for... well, complex fluid calculations and structural simulations. I heard that Yellow River is a major distributor of AMD minicomputers and that NewVision in China?"

He Yuzhu held the microphone, a barely perceptible smile playing on his lips, his tone flat: "Yeah, Lao Song. What, you dare use an outside system?"

"Hua Gaoke's solution doesn't meet the requirements, and Engineer Huang from there asked me to contact you."

"Oh, you've confirmed it on your end? Will the procurement process go through?"

"It's settled. I'll figure out the procurement process myself. Besides, others may not know you, but I do. If you dare to use it, it must be safe."

"No, don't say things like that, I can't take the blame!" He Yuzhu said.

"Then let me ask you seriously, Lao He, is this thing reliable in terms of safety?"

"Since you've asked, I won't lie to you. I don't know if what others use is reliable, but what I give you is definitely reliable."

"Really?"

"You just said you understood me, but after only a few words, what, you've taken back what you said?" He Yuzhu teased.

"And the price?" "Cost price plus shipping, pretty reasonable, right?"

"Great! All we need is money!"

He Yuzhu thought for a moment and then asked, "Don't you have any special needs, such as needing certain non-standard drivers or runtime libraries? Our technical team can also provide 'deep customization' services to ensure that the system is a perfect fit for your application environment."

"Wait, are you really that professional?"

“I’ve studied it!” He Yuzhu said.

"Uh, you've learned this too?"

"You think I'm just a nouveau riche?"

"Okay, I'll have someone send you the specific requirements, but..."

"Don't worry, at worst we can get the parts back, send someone over, and you can adjust it yourself, okay?"

Factory Director Song visibly breathed a sigh of relief on the other end of the phone: "That's great! I'm relieved to hear you say that! It's settled then, I'll get the procurement process started right away!"

"By the way, I'd like to remind you that you'd better not use commercial industrial design software."

"Okay, I understand. I'll also remind the other units."

"so be it."

He Yuzhu's life seemed to have returned to normal. He spent his days either playing with his grandchildren or having a game of Go with Lao Fang, Lao Zhao, or the newly returned Hong Lang. He would occasionally inquire about major group matters, but he completely let go of the details.

After a while, Lao Fan came again, but this time he found Lao Fang. The two old men whispered to each other for a long time, and then Lao Fang disappeared for a while.

One day, Lao Fan and Lao Fang arrived together, their expressions unlike usual.

As usual, the three of them sat down in He Yuzhu's study. Xiaoman served tea and then closed the door and left.

Old Fan took a sip of tea, put down the teacup, and pondered before speaking, "Zhu Zi, are they preparing to decipher something up there?"

He Yuzhu paused slightly in his teacup, looked up at him, but didn't reply.

Old Fang picked up the conversation, his tone unusually solemn: "'The heroes of the Two Bombs, One Satellite' project are about to be officially evaluated and commended. This is a major event, a momentous one. Those old guys who have been living in anonymity for decades deserve the honor they are entitled to."

He Yuzhu slowly put down his teacup, his gaze sweeping over his two old friends: "This is a good thing. Without them, I can't stand up straight."

Old Fan stared at He Yuzhu, his tone becoming extremely serious: "Zhuzi, I've discussed it with Old Fang, and we think you should be included in this group."

The study fell silent instantly, with only the faint sound of pigeons whistling coming from outside the window.

Upon hearing this, He Yuzhu was taken aback for a moment, then chuckled and shook his head: "Old Fan, Uncle Fang, are you confused? Who am I, He Yuzhu? Just a businessman, a businessman who's had some good luck. This kind of honor is for those great scientists who work in obscurity, exhausting their efforts in the Gobi Desert. Don't ever mention this again, or people will laugh their heads off, and I'll lose face myself."

Old Fan frowned, about to retort, but Old Fang raised his hand to stop him, his gaze still fixed on He Yuzhu: "Zhuzi, others may not know what you did, but do you think I don't know? Yes, you're not a scientist, you haven't calculated formulas at the testing ground, stayed up all night, or eaten sand. But some things, just because they're not written in the record book doesn't mean they didn't exist. Putting everything else aside, back then..."

"Uncle Fang, didn't we already say we wouldn't mention it again?"

"No, it has to be mentioned. It's all declassified now, so what can't be mentioned? Over the years, through the Yellow River and Huagao Technology, how many projects have you supported openly and secretly? How many things have you provided that you can't get from outside, and how many technical bottlenecks have you solved? What's wrong with asking for a commendation? It's what you deserve!" Old Fang said in a deep voice.

"Would it be of any use to bring it up?" He Yuzhu shook his head.

"How could it be useless? There are records over there, and some of the people involved are still alive."

He Yuzhu did not reply.

Old Fan couldn't help but interject, his voice trembling with emotion: "Zhu Zi, this isn't about fighting for something, this is what you deserve, it's about restoring history! It's about telling future generations that besides the heroes on stage, there are people silently supporting us behind the scenes! Do you think we're doing this for you personally? We feel that this history shouldn't be buried!"

He Yuzhu picked up the teapot to refill their water, but his hands were trembling. No one wanted to be a behind-the-scenes hero forever, but...
“Uncle Fang, Lao Fan,” he spoke again, “I appreciate your kindness. But I can’t stand in the spotlight. If you really put me in that position, it won’t do anyone any good.”

Old Fan sighed deeply and leaned back into the sofa: "You always have your reasons."

Old Fang, deflated like a punctured balloon, muttered, "I knew I couldn't reason with you."

He Yuzhu finally showed a genuine smile and raised his teacup: "Have some tea. Let's put this matter behind us."

However, how can this matter be turned over in the past?

The two old men didn't give up.

They began to seek out those who had experienced or were aware of the events of that time, asking them to write memoirs or provide historical materials, in order to indirectly confirm He Yuzhu's role in those turbulent years without touching on core secrets.

However, the process proved far more difficult than they had imagined.

As time has passed, many of the key contacts from back then have passed away.

Those who are still alive either have never met He Yuzhu and cannot write about him, or they simply do not know the inside story.

Time and time again, I faced setbacks and disappointments.

But they didn't give up.

Lao Fan, through his connections still within the system, attempted to access some peripheral files that had already passed their declassification period, hoping to find some clues.

Old Fang continued searching based on his memory, such as who had given He Yuzhu the military uniform and rank insignia, and who had seen He Yuzhu off from the desert.
Hard work pays off.

After months of hard work, they finally found several people who had indirectly participated in receiving the materials back then.

"Old Hu, do you remember that young man who had to memorize some materials back in 1957?" Old Fang asked.

"He's still alive?"

“Yes,” Old Fang said.

So, what are you doing this time?

“Yes,” Old Fang said.

"What do you need me to do?"

"One set of supporting documents, and also help me find more people who can write these documents," Lao Fang said.

"it is good."

As key figures were found, a series of supporting documents were written, not only to vouch for the individuals involved, but also to prove the effectiveness of the documents. In short, everyone who participated contributed.

As Lao Fan locked the compiled materials into the safe in his office, he sighed to Lao Fang, "That kid has put on such a thick 'cloak of invisibility' that it's harder than climbing to heaven to make a fuss about him."

Old Fang snorted, but a complicated smile appeared on his face: "Haven't he always been like this? We've done our best, haven't we?"

In late spring of 1999, poplar catkins were in full bloom in Beijing.

When Lao Fan and Lao Fang stepped into the study in courtyard number 95 again, Lao Fan solemnly took out an unmarked kraft paper file bag from his old briefcase and gently placed it on the mahogany desk in front of He Yuzhu.

“Zhu Zi,” Old Fan’s voice was not loud, but every word was clear, “After months of material verification, multi-party confirmation, and layer-by-layer review, the higher-ups have reached a conclusion.”

He Yuzhu's gaze fell on the thick file folder, but he didn't touch it immediately.

Old Fang took a deep breath and continued, "You, He Yuzhu, have provided indispensable and crucial information for the breakthrough of the nation's cutting-edge defense technologies. After deliberation, it has been decided to award you the Medal of Merit."

The study was so quiet that you could hear the faint sound of poplar catkins gently touching the window frame.

He Yuzhu's back remained straight, but the knuckles of his hand resting on his knees were slightly curled, revealing the turmoil beneath his calm exterior.

“However,” Old Fan said, his tone becoming more serious, with an undeniable determination, “out of consideration for your personal safety, the stability of your vast business system, and the complexities of history, this honor will not be included in the public register, published in newspapers, or publicized. It will only be recorded in top-secret files. The awarding ceremony will be conducted by the two of us on behalf of the recipients, on a very small scale.”

He Yuzhu slowly raised his head, his gaze shifting from the file folder to Lao Fan and Lao Fang's faces.

His face showed no excitement or elation, but rather an extremely complex expression that blended relief, emotion, and a touch of melancholy.

He opened his mouth as if to say something, but in the end, it only turned into a very soft "Thank you!"

Old Fang's eyes instantly reddened, and he turned his head away, blinking hard.

Old Fan stood up, walked to He Yuzhu, and instead of standing at attention and saluting, he slowly stretched out his hands, solemnly picked up the file folder, and handed it to He Yuzhu.

He Yuzhu remained silent, then stood up and accepted the gift with both hands.

The file folder felt heavy in my hand; besides the documents, there were clearly other things inside.

He untied the cord and carefully took out a flat, dark blue box lined with velvet, along with a thin decision document stamped in bright red.

His fingertips lingered on the cold lid for a moment, then he gently lifted it.

Inside the box, on a red lining, lies a medal.

Golden five-pointed stars and ears of rice surround the central motif, radiating a calm, restrained yet profound light in the dim light of the study.

There is another, slightly smaller one, which is a medal recognizing his contributions in other fields.

There was no ribbon, no fancy decorations, just the medal itself and everything it represented.

He Yuzhu stared at the medal for a long time, his breathing becoming deep and slow.

He reached out and his fingertips brushed the surface of the medal with extreme gentleness; the cool metallic touch seemed to carry a scorching heat.

A tear, without warning, slid down his cheek and quickly disappeared into his clothes; there was no second one.

He quickly closed the lid of the box, gripped it tightly in his hand, his knuckles turning white from the force.

He looked up at Lao Fan and Lao Fang, his eyes red-rimmed, but he forced a smile, his voice barely audible and hoarse: "It was worth it."

Old Fan patted him heavily on the shoulder, everything was understood without words.

Old Fang wiped his face and said in a deep voice, "Put the things away. That's it for now."

There was no applause, no onlookers, only three elderly people in this quiet study, completing this historical recognition that spanned decades.

He Yuzhu carefully put the medal box and documents back into the file folder, but instead of putting them away immediately, he left them on the desk and pressed them down with his hand.

Xiaoman seemed to sense something. She gently pushed open the door and entered with a plate of freshly brewed tea and some snacks. Seeing the three people standing silently in the study, the slight redness in He Yuzhu's eyes, and the unfamiliar file folder on the desk, she didn't ask anything. She simply put down the tea and snacks, nodded slightly to Lao Fan and Lao Fang, and then quietly withdrew, gently closing the door behind her.

He Yuzhu turned around, his face now calm as usual. He picked up a cup of tea and gestured to Lao Fan and Lao Fang, "Let's use tea instead of wine."

The three raised their glasses and clinked them together lightly.

Amidst the wafting aroma of tea, a piece of history is solemnly archived and preserved in the annals of history.

But life goes on.

Meanwhile, before the Lunar New Year, several vans with special license plates, carrying technical engineers from the Yellow River Group, drove into the Xi'an Aircraft Industry Group plant area after passing through layers of inspections.

Director Song and several technical leaders from the institute were already waiting there.

The engineer leading Huang He's team was surnamed Liu. He was very young, but very composed.

He directed the staff to unpack the tightly sealed chassis, and handed a thick technical document to Factory Director Song.

"Director Song, as instructed by the chairman, this is the complete system. The hardware is a high-performance minicomputer cluster based on AMD's latest architecture, and the software is a deeply customized New-Vision server system. We have already pre-installed the necessary compilers and basic runtime libraries according to the application environment list you previously provided."

Factory Director Song took the document and flipped through the densely packed configuration list and system architecture diagram. Although he didn't quite understand many of the technical terms, the rigor and meticulousness reassured him.

He looked at Engineer Liu: "How long will the debugging take?"

"Hardware deployment and basic system debugging are expected to take about a week," Engineer Liu replied. "However, subsequent adaptation and optimization with your specific application software will require our engineers to work with us. The chairman specifically instructed that our team will be stationed on-site until all key applications can run stably and achieve the expected performance."

"Good job stationed here! Good job stationed here!" Director Song knew what this meant, of course. He Yuzhu was sending talent here. As long as these people passed the review, they would basically be considered his Xifei people.

"Where are the things stored?" Engineer Liu asked.

"If you need any cooperation, just contact Chief Engineer Li," Factory Director Song said, pointing to a middle-aged man wearing thick glasses beside him.

Chief Engineer Li stepped forward and shook hands with Engineer Liu: "Engineer Liu, welcome!"

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Chief Engineer Li led Engineer Liu and others to get to work, and the computing center became one of the busiest places in the factory.

The technical team from Huanghe and the engineers from Xi'an Aircraft Industry Group worked together day and night.

Inside the server room, indicator lights flashed like stars, and fans emitted a low hum.

Lines of code scrolled rapidly on the command-line interface, and complex 3D models and flow field maps on the screen were generated and transformed at an unprecedented speed.

The process was not without its challenges.

A self-developed program designed to simulate the response of a wing box structure under extreme loads frequently encountered errors after being ported to the new system.

Engineers from both sides worked through two nights in a row, checking the code line by line, and finally discovered that it was an inconspicuous memory boundary handling problem that had luckily gone undetected on the old system, but was amplified in the high-concurrency environment of the new platform.

The moment the problem was solved, Chief Engineer Li rubbed his bloodshot eyes and sighed to Engineer Liu, "Before, we had to queue all night to calculate a single working condition. Now it's really hard to get used to."

Engineer Liu smiled and said, "Hardware is the foundation, but there's still a lot of room for optimization in algorithms and models. Our chairman said that future hardware upgrades will only be charged at cost price."

"Great."

Before He Yuzhu received the medal, when the first batch of large-scale, high-precision full-machine aerodynamic simulation results were presented to Director Song in a much faster-than-expected time, he stared at the pressure cloud map on the screen that clearly captured the subtle vortex structure and remained silent for a long time.

He returned to his office, picked up the phone, and called He Yuzhu.

"Old He," Director Song's voice was filled with barely suppressed excitement, "the stuff you sent is fantastic! It's not just fast, it's that we can now work on many models that we never dared to imagine or calculate before! This is of great significance for us to analyze the aerodynamic data of Unit 10 and optimize subsequent modifications!"

On the other end of the phone, He Yuzhu's voice remained calm: "It's good that it can be used. You still need to add more talent, especially software talent."

"Understood!" Factory Director Song laughed heartily.

With the new computing center operating at full capacity, Xi'an Aircraft Industry Group's research and development process has accelerated significantly.

Not only Project 10 itself, but also the next-generation fighter jet concept design under its pre-research, has begun more in-depth and detailed virtual verification and iteration with the help of this powerful computing power.

At Huagao Technology, the "Flying Eagle" project team is also making good progress.

Based on solid preliminary research and clear requirements, the avionics core modules and special connector samples adapted to the new fighter jet passed all tests in the laboratory environment several months ahead of schedule.

Lu Shuyi personally delivered the test report to He Yuzhu's desk.

"Dad, the sample meets the standards. The next step is to send it to Xi'an Aircraft Industry Group for joint testing with the overall system."

He Yuzhu flipped through the report and nodded: "Proceed according to plan. Tell Xi'an Aircraft Industry Group that during the joint testing phase, Huagao Technology's engineers must also follow up throughout and solve problems on-site."

"Yes."

After Lu Shuyi left, He Yuzhu looked at the draft document on the desk concerning the group's strategic direction.

After the financial crisis, Ho Yiu-cho and his team stabilized the real estate market in Hong Kong.

Under the leadership of He Ningxue and Hong Lang, the real estate industry in mainland China began to expand inland.

Under the leadership of Ho Yiu-chung, the telecommunications and electronics industry in the Special Economic Zone persevered in climbing the upstream of the industrial chain despite the market pressure following the financial crisis.

Xu Damao's TCM alliance has initially formed a cohesive force and has begun to gain a certain degree of influence in standards and patents.

The infrastructure and heavy industry sector, led by He Yuxin, has seen steady order growth, riding the wave of increased national investment in infrastructure.
Factory 541's rectification efforts have yielded initial results, and it is now fully committed to developing amphibious special operations units. What supports their continued development are orders for special vehicles such as armored vehicles, special police assault vehicles, and so on.

The Yellow River Automobile Factory, helicopter factory, steel plant, and so on are all thriving.

Beneath the water's surface, Huagao Technology (X Institute) has been deeply embedded in the nation's most advanced R&D system, forming a peculiar symbiosis and isolation with the main body of the Yellow River.

Overseas companies such as AMD, New-Vision, Taishan, NeoComm, and Junyue are also developing steadily.

The new millennium is just around the corner, and He Yuzhu is most concerned about the internet, mobile phones, and communication satellites.

So he picked up his pen and began writing the outline for the group's next stage of development.

(End of this chapter)