A nation's industrial development begins with junior engineers.

After wandering around for a while, the little jeep finally stopped at the back gate of the Academy of Sciences.

?

"Are you sure you're not in the wrong place? This is the Fourth Ministry of Machine Building."

Jiang Xia saw that Lao Wang's expression was unfriendly. Lao Wang exhaled a smoke ring and pointed to the small sign at the back gate of the Academy of Sciences.

"The Fourth Ministry of Machine Building?"

Jiang Xia was a little stunned. Was it really that hasty?

The new department is being established, and instead of a lion dance troupe, shouldn't there at least be some firecrackers? Is it because it's Sunday? And why is this sign so small? And why is it placed at the back door?

Walking through the small door, well, there were plenty of security guards. After verifying Jiang Xia's work ID, Jiang Xia was led into a large conference room.

Yes, it's the same as always, much like the conference room in a steel rolling mill. Old tables, small stools, plus a stage.

However, a few words were written crookedly on the podium: "Inaugural Meeting of the Fourth Ministry of Machine Building and Discussion Conference on the Foreign Trade Ministry's Participation in Export Technology Categories Led by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs."

It's so illegible! The character "暨" probably has too many strokes, and there are even ink drops dripping down the edges. The two characters for "科技" (science and technology) have been crossed out with a horizontal line.

It feels like the writer wanted to change the title, but ultimately got too lazy to change it and just stuck with the way it looked when it was hung up.

What the hell? It's the Fourth Ministry of Machine Building and the Ministry of Foreign Trade, look at this ridiculous slogan! Can you even read it coherently?! Why don't you at least add some punctuation?!

"Did I just join a fake Ministry of Machinery Industry? Did that scumbag Lao Wang choose the wrong place? He's so unreliable," Jiang Xia muttered to himself, stroking his chin.

Looking around, there was only a young woman in the conference room, busy spreading a red cloth on the old table.

Jiang Xia's mutterings startled the girl. "Oh, comrade, why are you only just arriving! Come and help! You can't manage all this by yourself!"

"Huh? Oh, good!"

Working together as a couple makes the work easier, and the girl didn't cause any clumsy mishaps like knocking over teacups.

Those craving melodramatic plot twists may be disappointed.

Soon, the meeting room, which had been covered with a red cloth to conceal its flaws, appeared much more gentle. The portrait on the wall looked at the little guy with the ahoge (a limp, unshaven hair) with a slight pursing of his lips.

"Oh, comrade. Thank you so much. The Fourth Ministry of Machine Building is short-staffed right now. If it weren't for your help, I might have been criticized! Eh, which ministry are you from? I'm Li Fanghua from the Fourth Ministry of Machine Building! My research focuses on single-crystal electron diffraction." The young woman poured a glass of water and handed it to Jiang Xia with both hands.

While working, the two exchanged a few words, and the young woman realized that Jiang Xia wasn't someone sent by the Fourth Ministry of Machine Building to help her. However, time was of the essence, so they had no choice but to go along with the misunderstanding…

"I'm from the Ministry of Machinery Industry, specializing in... mechanical equipment!" Jiang Xia said, holding his water glass and glancing at the girl.

My esteemed scholar, your book "Electron Crystallography and Image Processing" has been the subject of in-depth research by scholars throughout history.

In particular, the "unwinding technology based on the principle of maximum entropy" is where the basic research on a certain high-temperature superconducting material began.

Oh my goodness, what a wonderful day it is to meet so many meritorious figures today?

Will I run into even more experts in the meeting later?

If I could get their autographs, publishing papers in the future would be a piece of cake.

"Oh, mechanical engineering! By the way, I heard from Sister Xide that your First Ministry of Machine Building developed an 'alumina' laser? Apparently, it was developed by a young guy. Have you met him?" The girl said shyly, twisting her braid. "I've been staying in the lab lately, so I haven't had much contact with the outside world..."

"Yes, I've met her before, I know her very well... But, the Sister Sid you're talking about, is her surname Xie?"

"Yes! Do you know her? Sister Xide just came all the way from Shanghai last week!"

Little Dai Mao started trembling again. Could it be? Could it be that today we're going to meet another big shot who's on par with "Dr. Lan Ying"?

Which Fudan University student in later generations hasn't fantasized about this old man writing them a letter of recommendation?

Hehehe, what you've all been waiting for, I might just be able to pester the other person to write me a message today. The little ahoge squinted slightly, starting to fantasize about good things happening.

No, I can't just write one paragraph, I have to write an entire one!

And we have to take a picture! We absolutely have to!

Hey Lao Wang! Hurry back and get me the camera. Don't think I didn't see it on the table in the main room!

Time passed, and the conference room was filled with people.

Many people that Jiang Xia knew, or people he knew but others didn't know, appeared in the conference room.

"I've struck it rich! I must say hello to them later! Future generations, though we've never met them, have been deeply grateful for their kindness. Now, if permitted, please allow me to bow to you on behalf of the passionate youth of future generations!" Seeing so many meritorious figures whose photos he had only seen in extracurricular readings appearing before the little boy made him extremely excited.

Little did they know, these powerful figures in their prime were also somewhat excited to see Jiang Xia: "Oh, the kid who caused so much trouble is here too. I heard he's pretty good at automatic control, computers, mechanical design, and lasers. We should have a good chat with him after the meeting..."

Indeed, these bigwigs have also learned about some of Jiangxia's achievements through relevant channels, and they are currently in a stage of mutual admiration.

Ok?

Would you consider this a kind of "two-way journey"?

The big meeting was the same old thing, especially since he hadn't seen many of the leaders on the podium before. He would get distracted while listening and would just start looking at the figures from his textbooks.

Although the textbooks are full of photos of them in their old age, their noble spirit is still evident from a young age. Now, the little boy's fun is to quietly tilt his head and identify these achievements one by one by comparing them with his memories.

Hey, isn't that so-and-so? I didn't expect him to be so handsome when he was young?

Oh, isn't that so-and-so? The bronze statue is still on the lawn to the left of the library. Hmm, it looks a bit haggard, not as spirited as the statue...

Hmm? A few more people sat down on the platform. Oh, aren't these the big shots from the Air Force and Navy? What are they doing here?

The sudden change caught Jiang Xia's attention, and he turned his gaze to the podium.

Hey, when did so many people appear on the stage?

The bigwigs from the external control department, the bigwigs from the logistics department, and that guy in the suit looks kind of familiar, but I just can't remember his name...

Never mind, the little guy looked at the big boss of the outer department with a somewhat dazed expression.

"Heavy snow presses down on the green pine, yet the green pine stands tall and straight. To know the pine's nobility, wait until the snow melts."

Hello, sir!

"Alright, that concludes the meeting for the establishment of the Fourth Ministry of Machine Building. The Minister of the Foreign Coking Department will now guide us through the subsequent agenda items. Those whose attendance does not meet the required security clearance, please leave..."

A collective gasp rippled through the crowd as everyone rose to their feet and applauded. Then, some comrades stepped forward and quickly walked out of the meeting room.

Security classification?

Jiang Xia was a little confused. Wait, nobody's ever told me about these security classifications? I shouldn't have one, right? Look at the people who left behind—aren't they all famous figures in later generations…

However, I'm a little unwilling, sob sob sob. I want to "collect stamps" (i.e., keep them until the end) so that I'll have a chance to take a photo with these big shots.

Oh well, I'll find an opportunity later and work harder. I'm sure I'll be able to take a photo with the big shots!

Jiang Xia, with her limp, bushy hair sticking out, followed closely behind the departing people.

"You little brat, where are you going? Come back and sit down!"

"And you two, you dare to sit on the podium? Finished your self-criticisms? Go wait down there!"

The air force and navy comrades shrank back and slunk off, pulling Jiang Xia along as they tried to run to the back of the conference room.

Yeah, it's like how a slacker instinctively wants to stay away from their homeroom teacher.

Jiang Xia, sandwiched between the two uncles, looked utterly bewildered, but he keenly sensed that these two uncles had probably been scolded again, and being around them would only bring collateral damage...

"Uncles, we're not familiar with each other, sob sob sob..."