94: The studious Loria

Shen Xiaochuan had just received the document bag from Karl when bad news arrived from the Industrial Zone—the steam engine prototype test had failed; the piston was stuck!

He pinched the edge of the paper lightly; it still held the residual warmth from the drafting process, the corners slightly curled. Instead of returning to the Main Hall, he turned and headed straight for the Industrial Zone.

Looking down at the blueprints in his hand, his pace quickened.

A semi-worn cloth curtain hung at the entrance of the Blacksmith Shop, flapping against the doorframe whenever the wind blew. The furnace fire was roaring, casting a crimson glow across the floor. Lolia was squatting in front of the anvil, a file in hand, carefully polishing the jagged edge of the broken demon-breaking blade. Her forehead was beaded with sweat, her sleeves were rolled up to her elbows, and she didn't even stop to wipe the soot from her face.

Shen Xiaochuan lifted the curtain and entered, his footsteps swallowed by the crackling of the furnace.

"Still repairing it?" he asked.

Lolia looked up and saw it was him, quickly standing up: "My Lord, it's not fixed yet. The crack is too deep; I have to take it slow."

Shen Xiaochuan handed over the document bag: "Look at this first."

She took it and opened it, pulling out a stack of blueprints. The first page was the structural diagram of the steam engine's main body, dense with lines and marked with dimensions and part names. Her eyes widened suddenly.

"This is...?"

"A steam engine," Shen Xiaochuan said. "Zhang Heng drew it. You are to build it according to this."

She flipped through the pages one by one, her fingers sliding along the lines. When she saw the connection between the drive shaft and the piston, she suddenly stopped.

"This design... could save thirty percent of the fuel!"

Shen Xiaochuan chuckled: "That kid Zhang Heng stayed up for three days and nights to revise it."

"But no matter how big the fire is, it's just boiling water. How much power can steam really have?" She frowned.

Shen Xiaochuan didn't answer. He walked to the hearth, picked up a ripe apple, held it high, and let go.

The apple hit the ground and rolled twice.

"Why did it fall down?" he asked.

Lolia looked at the apple: "The ground pulled it."

"Correct." Shen Xiaochuan bent down to pick it up. "This is called gravity. Everything is attracted by the earth. Steam rushing upward is a way of countering this pull. As long as it's violent enough, it can push heavy objects."

He gestured: "You've seen a pot lid being lifted by steam, right?"

"I have."

"Then scale it up. Use iron pots, thick pipes, and intense heat. Steam pushes the piston, the piston pulls the connecting rod, and the rod drives the wheel. Once the wheel turns, the machine moves."

Lolia stared at the blueprints, her lips moving slightly: "If the fire is bigger and there's more steam... would the thrust be even stronger?"

Shen Xiaochuan smiled: "Exactly. You understand."

She looked up, her eyes shining: "Can I try building it?"

A cold sneer suddenly came from outside the door: "What could a woman possibly know about machinery?"

Old Wu, the blacksmith, had always been jealous of Lolia being given important tasks and had long wanted an opportunity to put her in her place. At this moment, he stood at the door with his arms crossed, his face full of disdain.

Shen Xiaochuan grabbed an iron ruler from the table and slammed it onto the workbench: "Starting tomorrow, you will be Lolia's assistant!"

Old Wu's face instantly turned pale, and he didn't dare say a word back.

"The blueprints are yours," Shen Xiaochuan said. "I will coordinate the Materials, and you choose the people. But you must understand the principles behind every step; you can't just rely on intuition."

She nodded vigorously: "I want to learn."

Shen Xiaochuan pulled out the Faith Mall interface and clicked on the education category. After scrolling through the pages, he selected seven books and confirmed the exchange.

Thirty faith points were deducted.

Seconds later, a stack of books appeared in his hands. The covers read 'Complete Middle School Physics', 'Introduction to Basic Chemistry', 'Introduction to Mechanical Drawing', and so on. The pages shimmered slightly, and when opened, they revealed dynamic diagrams.

He placed the books on the anvil: "These are for you. Once you've read them, you'll know where steam comes from, how force is transmitted, and why metals expand and contract."

Lolia reached out to take them, her fingers trembling slightly. She picked them up one by one and hugged them tightly to her chest.

"I will definitely learn," she said. "Not just to fix blades, not just to forge iron. I want to know how these things move."

Shen Xiaochuan looked at her: "I don't need a craftsman who only knows how to follow orders. I need someone who can understand blueprints, revise them, and create new things. Are you willing to be that person?"

She straightened her back: "I am."

"Good." Shen Xiaochuan patted her shoulder. "Starting tomorrow, work during the day and read at night. If you lack anything, ask Zhou Mingrui. If there's anything you don't understand, ask me anytime."

Lolia looked down at the books in her arms, then back up at him: "Thank you."

Shen Xiaochuan didn't say anything more and turned to walk out.

As he lifted the curtain to leave, the wind blew the flames askew, causing his shadow to flicker against the wall.

By the time he returned to the Main Hall, the sky was pitch black.

Untouched food was laid out on the table.

There were two pairs of chopsticks; one was placed neatly, while the other was weighed down by a piece of paper with a folded corner. He walked closer and saw it was the list for the steam engine project, with three names circled by him.

Lilia was asleep, slumped over the table. Her head rested on her arms, her cheek pressed against the paper, her breathing light and slow.

Shen Xiaochuan stood at the door without moving.

He took off his outer coat and gently draped it over her shoulders, his movements extremely slow for fear of waking her.

Her eyelashes fluttered, but she didn't wake up.

A few seconds later, she suddenly opened her eyes and jerked her head up.

"My Lord!" She stood up all at once, knocking the chair over with a crash. "The food is cold! I'll remake it right away!"

Before he could say anything, she had already run toward the kitchen.

Shen Xiaochuan wanted to call her back, but he opened his mouth and ultimately closed it.

He sat down at the table and looked at the untouched bowl of noodles. The vegetables had all been picked out and neatly arranged on the side; she was clearly waiting to eat with him.

The sound of a spatula came from the kitchen, followed by the sound of water being poured into a pot. He looked down at his hands.

Just now at the Blacksmith Shop, he had explained principles, handed over blueprints, and given books—every word had been clearly thought out. But now, he felt he had forgotten something important.

He hadn't come back on time.

Twenty minutes later, Lilia walked out carrying a fresh bowl of noodles. It was steaming hot, with a poached egg resting on top.

"Please eat while it's hot," she said.

Shen Xiaochuan took the bowl but didn't pick up his chopsticks.

"Have you eaten?"

"I have."

He looked at the faint shadows under her eyes.

"In the future, if I come back late, you eat first. Don't wait."

"I should wait," she said. "You haven't had a proper meal all day."

Shen Xiaochuan lowered his head and took a mouthful of noodles.

The noodles were soft, and the soup was a bit salty.

He swallowed and took another bite.

"Starting tomorrow, every day at twelve noon, I'll have lunch at the Cafeteria," he said. "If you're not busy, come too."

She was stunned for a moment: "Me? Go to the Cafeteria?"

"Yes," he said. "Don't always gnaw on dry flatbread in the shop. Eat when it's time to eat."

"I understand."

Shen Xiaochuan finished the last bite and put down the bowl.

"Go and rest," he said. "There are things to do tomorrow."

"Yes." She cleared the dishes and turned to leave.

"Wait," he called out to her. "Thank you for waiting for me today."

With her back to him, her shoulders moved slightly: "No thanks needed. It's what I should do."

With that, she walked out and gently closed the door.

Shen Xiaochuan sat at the table without moving.

The candle flame flickered; the lamp oil was almost dry.

He reached out to trim the wick, and the flame stabilized. The silhouette of the stack of books on the table cast a shadow on the wall, like a row of orderly soldiers.

He thought of the way Lolia held the books, and the look in her eyes when she asked if a bigger fire could push things further.

He also thought of Lilia's wrist as she brought out the hot food. There was an old burn scar on it, left from an exploding oil pan last year.

He looked down at the steam engine project order on the table; the ink had long since dried.

The words written while the pen tip was suspended in the air had now all landed on the ground.

But some people were still waiting for him to land.

He stood up and walked to the window.

Over in the Industrial Zone, the light in the Blacksmith Shop was still on.

He knew Lolia wouldn't sleep. She must be flipping through those seven books right now, reading page by page, memorizing line by line.

He turned off the light and sat down in the darkness.

The first thing tomorrow would be to have Zhou Mingrui install a night lamp in the Blacksmith Shop.

Not for himself.

But for those who had begun to learn.

Just as Shen Xiaochuan was about to rest, a dark shadow suddenly flashed past the window—