Volume 1, Chapter 20: This Girl Is a Treasure

As the host finished speaking, Jiang Yu rose calmly, preparing to head toward the podium.

A glimmer of triumph flashed in Jiang Yuehua's eyes. Calculating the angle perfectly, she extended her foot with a feigned air of indifference, waiting to see Jiang Yu fall flat on her face in front of everyone.

However, instead of the expected gasp, she felt a sharp, precise kick strike the leg of her chair!

Jiang Yuehua, who had been leaning forward, instantly lost her balance.

It was Huo Chenyuan.

He did not even turn his head; he simply retracted his long leg, as if the precise maneuver had nothing to do with him.

Jiang Yuehua let out a sharp cry. She tumbled forward, unable to control herself, and landed face-first, hitting the aisle floor with a solid thud.

Waiting for her right there was a pool of dark, viscous engine oil that Jiang Baoguo had accidentally spilled moments earlier.

With a dull "thump" followed by the sound of oily liquid splashing, the entire hall fell into an eerie silence.

Everyone stared at Jiang Yuehua in stunned disbelief.

She struggled to push herself up, her once-delicate face now smeared on the left side with thick, black waste oil. Strands of hair clung to her cheeks like disgusting tentacles. A large, shameful black stain marred her white dress, making her appear both comical and pathetic.

Jiang Yu did not pause, merely casting a faint glance at her.

She walked onto the stage calmly, approached the microphone, and spoke in a clear, steady, and unhurried tone:

"Mr. Guo, hello. The question I wish to pose concerns the Dongfanghong-54 tractor. Under overload conditions, is there a precisely calculable, non-linear functional relationship between the compression ratio within the diesel engine’s cylinders and the wear rate of precision components such as the pistons and cylinder liners?"

She paused, her voice growing more confident and resolute: "If we can identify the threshold of this functional model, could we potentially extend the engine’s overhaul cycle from the current average of two years to two and a half, or even three, without changing existing materials or manufacturing processes?"

Upon hearing these words, the phalanx of engineers in the front row erupted into a sudden, intense commotion!

In the seat of honor, Mr. Guo, who had been resting with his eyes closed, suddenly snapped them open! In his slightly clouded eyes, it was as if he had seen a light within the girl.

How could this be?!

"Yes! There must be!" Mr. Guo slammed his hand on the table. Disregarding his status, he quickly stepped down from the stage and approached Jiang Yu, his voice trembling with excitement: "Young comrade, continue! What is your line of reasoning? Write down your calculation formula!"

***

Jiang Yu looked at this national-treasure-level scientist and articulated the experience that had been etched into her very bones during the ten years she spent with cold machinery in her past life. She held nothing back.

In her previous life, she had harbored these ideas, but she had neither the opportunity nor the capability to express them.

In this life, she had spent a long time researching in the library, and her inner thoughts were finally verified by textbooks. The formulas she hadn't quite grasped before had been clarified under Huo Chenyuan's guidance last time.

When she no longer had to care about the Jiang brothers or live for the sake of others, she realized how fulfilling and interesting life could be.

When Jiang Yu finished speaking, the entire hall burst into applause. Even Mr. Guo stood up, looked at the young girl, and exclaimed that she was no ordinary person—this girl would surely achieve greatness in the future!

Offstage, Jiang Yuehua looked miserable. Just as she prepared to take advantage of the distraction to slip away, a loud voice rang out from behind her.

It was Huo Siye.

He let out a feigned sound of surprise and said loudly, full of concern: "Student Jiang Yuehua, are you alright? How could you be so careless as to fall in such a dirty place? But it doesn't matter!"

He shifted his tone, grinning broadly: "As it happens, didn't you just tell us that you had deeper insights than Student Jiang Yu? Come up to the stage quickly and share them with Mr. Guo and the leaders! Let everyone see your talent; then no one will remember this little accident!"

Once these words were out, those two fools, Jiang Weimin and Jiang Baoguo, thought this was a chance for her to shine. They hurriedly tried to help Jiang Yuehua up, urging her on: "Yuehua, hurry! Go up and speak; this is a great opportunity!"

That was right—Jiang Yuehua was much smarter than Jiang Yu. If Jiang Yu could spout off such high-level concepts, Yuehua, who had also graduated from high school, couldn't possibly be worse than her!

Forced onto the stage like a duck to water, Jiang Yuehua stood with a face half-smeared in oil, smelling the pungent odor on her own skin. Under the inquisitive gazes of the crowd, pushed forward by her father and brother, she trembled, unable to utter a word.

She cursed inwardly time and time again.

But everyone in the hall was waiting quietly for her—waiting for her "unique insights."

She had no choice but to bite the bullet and speak:

"...I think that what determines the quality of a tractor is that we must implement our ideology, study hard, and then, study hard..."

Her words sounded exactly like those of a simpleton who only knew how to shout slogans.

Suddenly, someone could no longer hold it in and let out a "pfft" of laughter.

Mr. Guo’s brows were furrowed tightly as he gave a blunt assessment: "Not starting from reality, merely shouting empty slogans—this is intellectual laziness and technical opportunism! In our field, the most taboo thing is to have high standards but no ability, to be a person who only knows how to shout slogans! Student Jiang Yuehua, you still have much to learn from Student Jiang Yu!"

***

Huo Siye was even more merciless, sneering: "To come to Mr. Guo’s symposium without a shred of knowledge or technical understanding, only to make a fool of yourself and dig for engine oil—aren't you afraid of the bad luck?"

"Pfft—"

The entire hall erupted in even louder mocking laughter.

Amidst the roar of ridicule, Jiang Yuehua’s mind went blank. She bit her lip as a crushing sense of humiliation washed over her.

Unable to bear what felt like a public execution, she burst into tears and squeezed her way out through the crowd.

After the symposium ended, Mr. Guo took Jiang Yu’s hand and said kindly to Huo Chenyuan: "Chenyuan, this girl is a treasure! A true treasure! Hand her over to me, and within ten years, I guarantee I’ll return a pillar of the nation to you! What do you think, Huo Chenyuan?"

Huo Chenyuan bowed to Mr. Guo, "That would have to be asked of Commander Huo. It depends on whether he is willing to let her go."

Mr. Guo laughed even more heartily, "It’s just a joke; would I really try to snatch someone away from a Commander? Besides, with his temperament, he wouldn't let her go anyway!"

When the meeting concluded, Huo Chenyuan first dropped off Mr. Guo, then led his fourth younger brother and Jiang Yu home.

In the car, Huo Siye started joking around.

"Big Brother, I didn't expect you to enjoy playing little tricks behind people's backs, too."

Huo Chenyuan knew what he was referring to but ignored him.

Jiang Yu looked at the scenery outside the window, thinking of the different experiences she had in her two lives, and suddenly felt a great sense of relief.

"Big Brother, thank you."

Huo Chenyuan paused for a moment; he didn't restart the car until the driver behind him honked the horn.

"I just can't stand people who play dirty tricks behind the scenes. I didn't do it for you."

Jiang Yu nodded, "I know. Thank you anyway."