36: Chapter 36 Business Operations Begin a New Journey! Subtle Touches Reveal Foreshadowing, Messages from Old Friends Evoke Memories (1)

The early winter sunlight, tinged with a hint of crispness, pierced through the large floor-to-ceiling windows of the Ji Province Nuclear Fusion Power Station's Main Control Room, casting mottled shadows on the smooth floor. The light flowed slowly with the movement of the clouds, coating the cold metal equipment in a layer of warm, soft light. Inside the Nuclear Fusion Power Station, a busy and exhilarating atmosphere permeated everywhere—technicians were focused on their operations at the consoles, the sound of keyboard clicks dense and orderly; construction workers in heavy overalls hurried through various areas; even the air was thick with a tense yet hopeful vibe. The joy of the successful completion of the third phase of extreme performance testing had not yet faded, and the project had officially entered the preparation stage for commercial operation. Mu Li had just finished a week of mandatory rest. Although the doctor repeatedly warned him not to overwork and even specially arranged a follow-up nurse, he simply could not rest easy seeing the results about to come to fruition and the high morale of his team members. He drove back to the power station early in the morning.

Inside the Main Control Room, a special meeting regarding the preparations for commercial operation was in intense progress. On the central holographic projection screen, the overall plan for the preparatory work was clearly presented. On the blue virtual interface, multiple core modules such as technical standard formulation, operation team formation, energy transmission connection, and safety contingency plan refinement unfolded like satellite cloud maps, with detailed sub-tasks, responsible persons, and timelines marked under each module. Lin Wei and Zhao Kai stood side by side in front of the screen, reporting the progress of their respective sections with focused expressions.

Lin Wei was dressed in a simple white lab coat, her hair neatly tied back, with a hint of fatigue on her face but her eyes still bright. She pushed up the rimless glasses on the bridge of her nose, her fingertips quickly sliding and tapping on the virtual screen, synchronizing a thick draft document of standards to everyone's terminals. Her other hand hung naturally at her side, fingers slightly closed, her tone steady and clear, her eyes reflecting professionalism and certainty: "Engineer Mu, as per your requirements, the R&D team has utilized the Controllable Nuclear Fusion technology standardization system to complete the first draft of the technical standards over the past two weeks." She paused, raising her hand to circle key areas on the screen. "These standards cover 12 major categories, including reactor operating parameter standards, core component maintenance standards, energy conversion efficiency standards, and safety protection standards, subdivided into 386 specific clauses. Everything from large-scale reactor extreme operating parameters to the daily inspection frequency of core components has been clearly defined. Next, we will coordinate with the China Energy Administration for review and revision, with feedback collection and modifications expected to be completed within a week."

Zhao Kai immediately took a step forward, leaning slightly. He wore dark blue overalls with sleeves rolled up, revealing sturdy forearms, his face carrying the characteristic drive of a young man. He raised his hand to pull up the progress chart for energy transmission connection—red representing uncompleted, yellow for in-progress, and green for completed. Most areas on the chart were already green. With a confident smile on his lips, his fingers moved quickly across the chart as he spoke with a powerful tone: "The energy transmission connection work has achieved stage-wise progress. After three rounds of negotiations with the North China Power Grid, we have reached a preliminary cooperation intent. The other party has promised to fully cooperate in building dedicated transmission lines using the latest superconducting materials, which can reduce resistance loss to below 0.01%. Line laying and debugging are expected to be completed within three months." He changed the subject, withdrew his hand, and furrowed his brows slightly, his tone becoming more solemn. "However, they have also put forward clear requirements. We need to provide a detailed energy output fluctuation warning plan within a month, specifying the range of output fluctuations under different loads, the warning mechanism, and emergency response procedures to ensure that the overall stability of the power grid is not affected after connection. After all, this is the country's first commercial Controllable Nuclear Fusion Power Station, so they are being exceptionally cautious."

Mu Li sat at the head of the conference table, his fingertips quickly sliding and zooming on the holographic screen in front of him, browsing the contents of the two reports line by line with sharp and focused eyes. He nodded slightly from time to time in approval of their work, and occasionally frowned, lightly marking areas where he had questions, his fingertips making a faint "da-da" sound against the screen. A few minutes later, he looked up, placed his hands gently on the table, and swept his gaze over every team member present, saying firmly: "The first draft of the technical standards must be submitted for review as soon as possible. Proactively coordinate with the experts from the China Energy Administration. Communicate and coordinate promptly on any points of contention, and organize special seminars if necessary to ensure the standards are both scientifically rigorous and operational. For the energy output fluctuation warning plan, Zhao Kai will take the lead, collaborating with the R&D team and power grid technicians to formulate it. It must be precise and comprehensive, fully considering various emergencies such as extreme weather, equipment failure, and sudden power load changes—nothing can be overlooked. Additionally, the formation of the operation team needs to be accelerated. Besides internal selection of technical backbone members, we can also recruit professional talent with experience in large-scale energy projects from the public. Focus on evaluating practical experience and emergency response capabilities, especially for the three core positions: reactor operation and maintenance, grid dispatching, and safety management. We must maintain strict standards and complete the first round of recruitment interviews within a week."

"Understood!" Lin Wei and Zhao Kai responded in unison, their voices loud and firm, echoing in the Main Control Room.

Lin Wei quickly raised her hand to slide and record on her terminal, the tip of her pen leaving clear marks on the screen, her fingertips slightly tensed with focus. Her heart was full of reassurance and certainty—Engineer Mu's decisions could always precisely balance safety and efficiency. This 'step-by-step progression + dynamic monitoring' plan not only preserved the safety bottom line she insisted on but also accommodated the need for technical breakthroughs. The tension she had felt previously due to differing ideas completely dissipated, leaving only the determination to push the work forward with all her might. She secretly resolved to sort out the details of the technical standards' coordination as quickly as possible, so as not to fail the trust that had balanced all perspectives.

Zhao Kai's movements were even faster, his fingertips flying like a dance on the terminal, his eyes sparkling with excitement. He had previously worried that his extreme testing philosophy would be completely rejected, but he hadn't expected Engineer Mu to not only adopt the core demands but also formulate such a meticulous implementation plan, providing space for technical breakthroughs while having comprehensive risk mitigation measures. His excitement was beyond words; he only thought about quickly working with the team to refine the energy output fluctuation warning plan and using solid data to prove the value of extreme testing, not letting this rare opportunity go to waste.

The other R&D personnel beside them also nodded in agreement, with relieved smiles appearing on their faces. The veteran experts who supported Lin Wei felt the weight lift from their hearts, silently marveling at Engineer Mu's thoroughness—he had neither ignored safety risks nor stifled innovative vitality, which reduced their concerns about subsequent tests. The young technical backbones who supported Zhao Kai were invigorated; the sense of oppression originally caused by the disagreement vanished, and the passion for technical exploration reignited in their eyes, making them eager to immediately dive into the refinement of the plan. The rift in the team caused by the disagreement mended instantly, replaced by a unified cohesion. Everyone felt a surge of energy, determined to execute this plan that balanced safety and breakthroughs to the letter, pushing the project one step further.

The meeting lasted for the entire morning. From technical details to personnel allocation, and from capital budgets to policy coordination, the division of responsibilities and timelines for various preparatory tasks were clarified one by one. After the meeting adjourned, the team members immediately went their separate ways to take action, and the Main Control Room soon returned to its previous busy rhythm. Mu Li did not leave immediately; instead, he walked alone to the window, hands in his pockets, looking at the distant Ji Province city area. The city in early winter was shrouded in a light mist. Among the towering buildings, smoke and traffic intertwined, and pedestrians hurried along the streets, sketching a vivid and real picture of urban life.

During this time, his world consisted only of dense reactor parameters, endless technical problems, and a packed project schedule, almost isolating him from the ordinary life of the outside world. Every day he woke up to data reports and closed his eyes to technical plans. Eating and sleeping were spent thinking about how to advance the project; he had long forgotten what ordinary life was supposed to be like. Looking at the scene before him now, he suddenly felt a sense of trance—he was giving his all to push the Controllable Nuclear Fusion project, staying up late to overcome technical hurdles, and standing firm against pressure to innovate. Wasn't it all so that this kind of ordinary life could have more stable and cleaner energy support? Wasn't it so that these ordinary people could use safe and reliable electricity, making the city's operation more efficient and smooth? Yet he himself had long since moved away from such a life.

"Engineer Mu, haven't you gone to lunch yet?" Zhang Hongyuan walked over carrying a steaming box lunch, holding the lunch box steadily in his hand with an enthusiastic smile on his face, his tone carrying a hint of longing: "The nearby city area is quite lively, especially the pedestrian street in the city center; it has all the snacks and shops you could want. I took some time to wander around recently and experience the hustle and bustle. The Donkey Meat Fire and Handmade starch jelly there are very authentic, much tastier than the box lunches at the construction site."

"Pedestrian street?" Mu Li turned his head, his body slightly angled, a flash of curiosity in his eyes. His brow relaxed slightly, and his originally tense facial lines softened. In his memory, the last time he had visited such a place full of the breath of life was during his university days. Back then, he and his roommates would often make plans on weekends to go to the pedestrian street near the school, eating cheap snacks, chatting about far-fetched dreams, and occasionally buying a few discounted clothes—simple but happy. After starting work, especially since taking over the nuclear fusion power station project, his tracks were almost limited to laboratories, offices, and construction sites. Even going to the supermarket was a rush, let alone leisurely strolling through a pedestrian street.

"Yeah, it's not far from here, only about a twenty-minute drive." Zhang Hongyuan proferred the lunch box, introducing it enthusiastically, his eyes sparkling, clearly still reminiscing about the liveliness of the pedestrian street. "There are many local specialty snacks inside. Besides Donkey Meat Fire, there are freshly baked Sesame cakes with meat, sweet and sour Candied haws, and many small shops selling daily necessities. The prices are affordable, and they have everything." He gestured to illustrate the crowd. "It's especially crowded on weekends, shoulder to shoulder, very lively. Once the project preparation work eases up a bit, you can also go for a stroll to relax. Staring at work all the time isn't the way; didn't the doctor tell you to rest more? Changing the environment might even spark new inspiration."

Mu Li nodded thoughtfully and reached out to take the lunch box, his fingertips touching the warm wall of the box, quietly committing the words "pedestrian street" to memory. Perhaps Zhang Hongyuan was right; relaxing appropriately and experiencing the life of ordinary people and the hustle and bustle of the marketplace could not only relieve the fatigue of recent days but also allow him to clearer understand the meaning of the project and strengthen his determination to advance it. This thought was like a stone thrown into a calm lake, creating ripples in his world that was entirely dedicated to work. Although he quickly suppressed it again and pulled his attention back to work, that slight yearning for ordinary life had already planted a seed in his heart, quietly taking root and sprouting.

In the afternoon, Mu Li sat at the desk in his temporary office, his hands flipping through a thick stack of resumes, carefully reviewing the recruitment plan for the operation team. He scrutinized each resume, lightly marking the names of key candidates with his fingertips. The resumes on the desk were piled like a small mountain, and the sunlight through the window shone on them, making the writing clearly visible. Just then, his private phone suddenly vibrated, breaking the silence of the office. He put down the resumes, picked up his phone, and slid his thumb across the screen to unlock it. A WeChat message popped up on the screen from a group chat he hadn't been in contact with for a long time—"University Energy College Class of 2010 Experimental Class."

This group was his class group from university. After graduation, everyone went their separate ways, mostly engaged in energy-related industries. Initially, they occasionally shared work experiences and vented about the state of the industry in the group, but as everyone's work became busier and their responsibilities heavier, the group gradually fell silent. Only during festivals would there be a few copy-pasted blessing messages, and the past liveliness was gone. Mu Li hesitated for a moment, then tapped the screen and opened the group chat. A new message caught his eye, sent by the class monitor, Li Zhe. Below the message was a class photo from their university days; the students in the photo were green and full of vitality.

"Old classmates, it's been almost ten years since graduation. Time really flies! Everyone has been busy with their own work, and we haven't gathered in a long time. Many of us can hardly recognize each other anymore." Li Zhe's message carried a hint of emotion; his nostalgia could be felt even through the screen. "I propose that we organize a class reunion in Jing City in the middle of next month. No matter which city you are in now or what job you are doing, please try to make time to come back and get together, talk about our past youth, and discuss future development plans. Those who are willing to participate, please sign up in the group. I'll tally the numbers and book a venue, and strive to make sure everyone can eat happily and chat to their heart's content!"