Chapter 3: My Ideal

Chen Hongjun was completely stunned.

He had never imagined that these units, whose names were shining with golden light, would be so "ungraceful." But what surprised Chen Hongjun even more was that while he knew his son could speak a little Russian, when did this kid learn German?

"I started interning and helping out with the project in Pusan last year. At that time, I was an assistant to a German expert named Kindler. How could I assist him if I didn't know German?" In response to his father's confusion, Chen Geng explained, "I had to learn it."

"Is that so? Then you must have studied well." Chen Hongjun nodded repeatedly.

He knew that his son had helped out on the Pusan project site last year, and he agreed with his son: indeed, if you're going to be an assistant, you can't do the job if you can't even speak the language.

If you don't know German, you can't work. The reality forced you to speak German.

The person who had just entered from outside nodded repeatedly, his face as kind as the Maitreya Buddha in a temple: "Comrade... from the military, are you Chen Geng's father? I am from the Ministry of Foreign Economic Relations and Trade, Chen Geng..."

"Hey, Old Zheng, that's not right. Everything has a proper order, you know?" Before the person from the Ministry of Foreign Economic Relations and Trade could finish introducing himself, Director Wang and Director Zeng were the first to object, looking at the newcomer with suspicion, like protective mother hens: "Let me tell you, Chen Geng has already agreed to join the Ministry of Mechanical Industry..."

"Old Wang, I don't like hearing that. When did Chen Geng agree to join your Ministry of Mechanical Industry?" Director Zeng, who had just been on the same side as Director Wang, decisively betrayed him, looking like he wanted to grab Director Wang by the collar and beat him up. But the next moment, he turned to Chen Geng with a smile: "Chen Geng, let me tell you, someone who can speak multiple foreign languages like you should go to a place where you can fully utilize your abilities, like our Ministry of Foreign Affairs..."

Seeing the leaders of the Ministry of Mechanical Industry, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Ministry of Foreign Economic Relations and Trade about to fight over his son's work placement, Chen Hongjun was completely stunned.

The people around him, however, looked as if this was perfectly normal, not finding anything wrong with it.

Indeed, there was nothing wrong. Although Chen Geng was a student in automotive engineering, anyone who hadn't experienced the early 1980s couldn't imagine how desperately the country needed talent at that time. Whether the major was relevant or not? Chen Geng, who could speak Russian, German, and English, was a talent that any unit would fight over, even if he was in automotive engineering.

Chen Geng, however, felt a severe headache. He licked his lips, about to say something, but his head suddenly felt like it was being pierced by needles, and everything went dark...

...

Staring at the vast expanse of water before him, Chen Geng was lost in thought.

He had returned to 1985, just before graduation? This reality seemed absurd to Chen Geng every time he thought about it: how could something he had always dismissed as impossible happen to him?

Chen Hongjun, dressed in military uniform, lowered his head, his face full of shame. Over the past few days, he had finally realized what a graduate from Tsinghua University meant to this country, which was in dire need of rebuilding. Any one of them was a hot commodity among several government agencies. If his son returned with him to the Third Military Equipment Repair Factory in East China, what would it mean for his son's future... not to mention, Tsinghua University didn't have any graduates assigned to grassroots positions.

His lips moved a couple of times, and seeing no one around, Chen Hongjun finally spoke softly: "Son, you... I..."

His face turned red, and he wanted to say "I'm sorry" to his son, but in an era where fathers still held a lot of authority, this was very difficult, extremely difficult.

Just as Chen Hongjun was struggling to say "I'm sorry," Chen Geng interrupted him, smiling: "Dad, I understand what you mean. I've thought it over. I'll listen to you and go back."

"No!" Chen Hongjun said instinctively: "You can't go back!"

"Why?" Chen Geng looked at him in surprise: You used to hit me to make me go back.

Chen Hongjun's face turned bright red.

Just a few days ago, he had slapped his son for not wanting to go back, almost causing a concussion. Now, suddenly insisting that his son not go back, wasn't he slapping himself in the face? Chen Hongjun felt his face burning.

But even if he was slapping himself in the face, he couldn't let his son go back.

Suppressing the burning sensation on his face, he took a deep breath and said firmly: "I wanted you to go back before because I hoped you could help me make the factory better. But over the past few days, I've realized that staying in the capital is better for you." Without waiting for Chen Geng to respond, he waved his hand forcefully, as if to emphasize his point: "That's settled!"

"But I want to go back."

"Huh? What?!"

Chen Hongjun was shocked and said decisively without thinking: "No way! Absolutely not! You stay in the capital!"

Perhaps feeling that his words weren't intimidating enough, he waved his hand again and added: "If you dare to go back, I'll break your legs!"

"Dad, I know you're doing this for my own good, but I hope you can listen to my thoughts. Let's have a good talk, okay?" Chen Geng looked at his father with unprecedented sincerity.

"Alright..." After hesitating, Chen Hongjun finally nodded reluctantly: His son had indeed grown up, and it was time to have a proper conversation with him.

"Dad, it was your words that woke me up. Over the past few days, I've been thinking about the question you asked me: What did I work so hard for these four years of university?

I thought about this for a long time. Was it to stay in the capital? No, if it was to stay in the capital, I wouldn't have chosen to study automotive engineering. I wanted to develop an advanced engine for our country. Our country is in dire need of rebuilding, and the engine is the biggest bottleneck in economic development.

This is the driving force behind my four years of hard work and the reason I chose this major. But if I stay in the capital, no matter which unit I go to, the knowledge I've gained over these four years will be wasted."

Chen Hongjun's lips twitched: "But you insisted on staying in the capital before..."

Chen Geng smiled bitterly: "I was lost. I have to thank you for waking me up... It's impossible to achieve my ideals in the capital, but if I go back to the military equipment repair factory, I have a good chance of realizing my dream."

Looking at Chen Hongjun with a burning gaze, Chen Geng's eyes sparkled: "Dad, I know you will support me. You will definitely support me, right?"

"I..." Chen Hongjun opened his mouth, his rational mind telling him to nod without hesitation, but his neck felt as if it was rusted, unable to move.

From his years of education, whether it was himself or his son, they were bricks of the revolution, to be moved wherever needed. There was no question about it. He had come to Tsinghua University to persuade his son to go back based on this principle. The Third Military Equipment Repair Factory in East China needed his son to show his abilities, so he should let his son go back.

But from a personal perspective, society wasn't as beautiful as the books described. What was his unit? The Third Military Equipment Repair Factory in East China. Just the name tells you the situation.

How bad was the situation at the Third Military Equipment Repair Factory in East China? After the decision to shift the focus to economic construction, both military and civilian enterprises began to struggle. His unit, which had previously relied on government funding, had a comfortable life, but since last year, things had become difficult.

Chen Hongjun knew very clearly that if his son went to the Ministry of Mechanical Industry, he would definitely get a two-bedroom apartment by the end of the year, and could apply for a three-bedroom apartment after marriage. As for himself, he had struggled for half his life to get a two-bedroom apartment. From the perspective of his son's future development, Chen Hongjun naturally hoped his son would stay in the capital.

How could life be as comfortable in the military equipment repair factory as in the capital? Even in terms of career prospects, it couldn't compare to working in a central ministry.

Just as he was about to say something, he suddenly saw his son's roommate running over, seemingly looking for his son.

Seeing his son's roommate, Chen Hongjun felt relieved and said quickly: "Your classmate is here."

My classmate?

Before Chen Geng could turn around, Ma Chao had already rushed up to him, panting: "Old Three, there you are. I had a hard time finding you... The people from the Ministry of National Defense are looking for you."

"The Ministry of National Defense is looking for me?" Chen Geng was puzzled: "What for?"

"What else? They want you to join them," Ma Chao said excitedly after catching his breath: "Your English is so good, your Russian is decent, and now you can speak fluent German. Do you know how many ministries are fighting over you..."

"But what does the Ministry of National Defense have to do with it?"

Students from Tsinghua and Peking University sometimes joined the Ministry of Public Security after graduation, but there was no precedent for joining the Ministry of National Defense. Chen Geng didn't know why, but it was a tradition. Yet, they had come to him?