Master Craftsmen: Rising Since 1959

Chapter 32 Helping others to the end

a bit.

Two times.

Three times.

The girl suddenly coughed violently, spitting out a mouthful of water, followed by a violent coughing fit.

Chen Weiguo quickly turned the girl over so she was lying on her side and patted her back hard.

The girl coughed more than a dozen times and spat out several mouthfuls of water before finally recovering.

Alive.

still alive.

Chen Weiguo plopped down on the ground, panting heavily.

The time I spent struggling in the water, plus the CPR, really took a toll on my energy.

When the onlookers saw that the girl had woken up and had had enough of the commotion, they began to retreat in twos and threes.

The middle-aged woman who had been yelling the loudest earlier also slipped away in the chaos.

Chen Weiguo was too lazy to argue with these people.

When the girl woke up, she didn't feel relieved to have survived the ordeal. Instead, she lay blankly on the ground staring at the sky, her eyes devoid of any life, as empty as a stagnant pool.

After a while, she suddenly covered her face and started sobbing.

"Why did you save me? You might as well have let me die... What's the point of me living..."

……

Chen Weiguo looked at her, feeling a mix of emotions.

He probably guessed it; those people had called her a capitalist's daughter and said she had a bad class background.

He knew how heavy the word "class background" was these days.

His sister was able to get a foothold in school only because she was the child of a martyr. Those with bad class backgrounds, let alone going to school, were treated as inferior even in life.

"What's wrong with you? Why would you jump into the river?"

Chen Weiguo squatted down next to her, trying to make his voice sound as calm as possible.

The girl cried for a while before calming down a bit, and then she began to talk about her story in fits and starts.

Her name is Zhou Mengxue, a sophomore in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Tsinghua University.

Although she came from a capitalist family, she always had excellent grades, ranking among the top three in her department.

She enjoys mechanical design and making small inventions. During her two years of university, she developed several small patents on her own. One of her designs, related to a precision transmission mechanism, was praised by an old professor in her department.

But because of her family background, she faced discrimination at school.

Her classmates didn't want to share a dorm room with her, the cafeteria ladies would ignore her, and whenever she sat in class, no one would sit in the seat next to her.

She tolerated all of this.

What she found most unbearable was that when the department assigned research groups this semester, none of them wanted her.

What's the use of good grades?

What's the use of having many inventions?

As soon as they saw the section on family background, all the doors closed.

She approached several professors in charge of research groups, but they either made excuses, saying the group was full, or told her directly, "Your family background is not good; joining the research group will have a negative impact."

She faced setbacks time and time again, and her glimmer of hope was extinguished one after another. Finally, she couldn't take it anymore and felt that she had no future in this life. Rather than living such a miserable life, she thought it would be better to end it all.

After listening, Chen Weiguo remained silent for a long time.

He recalled the time when Director Qian made things difficult for him, the time when Deputy Factory Director Liu tripped him up behind his back, and the time when he was called a hooligan after jumping down to save someone.

This world can be just so messed up sometimes.

But damn it, people have to live. Only by living can they see these shitty things being turned around little by little.

"Isn't it just a research group?"

Chen Weiguo stood up and extended a hand to her.

"Would you like to join my research group?"

Zhou Mengxue was stunned.

She looked up at Chen Weiguo, a glimmer of light appearing in her eyes, but it quickly dimmed again.

"You must be joking... You're not a professor at Tsinghua University, how could you possibly have a research group?"

"I am indeed not a teacher at Tsinghua University."

Chen Weiguo smiled. "But I have a research group. The Second Research Laboratory of the Precision Machinery Research Institute of the First Ministry of Machine Building, the Precision Machine Tool Dynamic Precision Research Group led by Professor Zheng. I am a member of this research group."

Zhou Mengxue's eyes widened in surprise.

The Precision Machinery Research Institute of the First Ministry of Machine Building? She had heard of that institute; it was the one in the gray-brick courtyard next to Tsinghua University, and everyone who could get in was a top expert in the industry.

The young man in front of me, dressed in ordinary work clothes and looking so young, is actually from that research institute?

Seeing her reaction, Chen Weiguo pressed on: "Next week I'll be holding a technical defense meeting in the small auditorium of the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Tsinghua University. The experts coming include Zhao Jishi, Deputy Chief Engineer of the Equipment Department of the First Ministry of Machine Building, Meng Zhaofang, Chief Engineer of Yanjing Heavy Machinery Plant, and people from the Commission of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense. You can come and see for yourself if what I'm saying is true."

"Are you really going to let me join your research group?"

Zhou Mengxue's voice was still very soft, but it was already trembling a little. It wasn't fear, but the kind of trembling that comes from someone who has been starving for several days suddenly seeing food.

"I told you, I invited you. But I also need to tell you something."

Chen Weiguo squatted down and said earnestly, "I'll take a look at your previous inventions. If they're really valuable, I'll recommend them to Professor Zheng. But there's one condition: joining a research group isn't about slacking off; you have to work, and it'll be the hardest and most tiring work. I can use everything you learned at Tsinghua, but you have to be mentally prepared. I won't take care of you just because you're a girl."

Hearing this made Zhou Mengxue feel even more at ease.

If Chen Weiguo patted his chest and said something like "Leave it to me" or "Don't worry," she would be suspicious.

But they clearly told her that the opportunity was given to her, but she had to earn it herself, and that was the truth.

Zhou Mengxue's tears fell again, but unlike before, this time they were hot.

"But my family background isn't good... Do you think your professor will agree? I've tried so many times, and not a single research group is willing to take me. If you go and ask, they'll definitely say no again when they see my file. Forget it, don't waste your energy on me..."

"I'll figure out the ingredients."

Chen Weiguo interrupted her, his voice not loud, but with an indescribable certainty that made people feel at ease.

"Let me tell you, when I first reported to the factory, the head of the personnel department wouldn't process my paperwork and wanted me to give him gifts. I went directly to the factory director. Later, some people said I was a spy. The factory investigated me, and the ministry investigated me too. In the end, not only did they not find anything wrong, but the ministry even issued an official document to define my character. I have a bad habit of not believing in superstitions. They said it wouldn't work, but I insisted on trying."

He paused, looked into Zhou Mengxue's eyes, and said, "I'll just ask you one question: if I really convince Professor Zheng, would you dare to come?"

Zhou Mengxue looked at him.

The young man looked only a few years older than me. He didn't speak as eloquently as the professors, but every word he uttered was as firm and impactful as a nail.

Zhou Mengxue wiped the tears and river water from her face with her sleeve and nodded vigorously.

"I dare."

"OK."

Chen Weiguo smiled, pulled a notebook from his bag, tore off a piece of paper, and handed it to her: "Write down your name and address. You know the way home, right? Go back and get a good night's sleep. When you wake up tomorrow, just pretend you soaked in the water for half an hour and washed away all the bad luck. Don't think about the past. Wait for my news."

Zhou Mengxue took the paper and pen, wrote down her name and address, and then handed them back to him with both hands.

Chen Weiguo glanced at it. "Zhou Mengxue. Okay, I've got it."

He folded the paper and put it in his pocket.

He then took off his dry coat and draped it over the girl.

"Keep warm, don't catch a cold. Go home quickly."

Zhou Mengxue nodded, wrapped herself in his coat, and walked away step by step.

After walking a few steps, she turned back to look at him again. Her eyes held gratitude, hope, and something else she couldn't quite put her finger on.

Chen Weiguo stood still and waved to her, signaling her to leave quickly.