Xie Changning could tell that although the Brigade Commander asked the question, his gaze was distant.

Clearly, he wasn’t very happy that she had married his favorite subordinate.

"It is indeed the data I obtained from my experiments at the screw factory." Xie Changning nodded, not denying it.

The Brigade Commander frowned, scrutinizing Xie Changning.

In his view, how could a girl—and such a young one at that—possibly figure out the optimal formula for titanium alloy screws?

This was simply ridiculous!

"Brigade Commander, this matter has already been certified by the Provincial Bureau of Industry." Seeing that the Brigade Commander didn’t like his wife, Yue Yihan quickly added.

’He needed to stop his Brigade Commander from targeting his wife.’

’The Provincial Bureau of Industry wouldn’t make a mistake. So many people were watching. Besides, numerous experts had failed to figure it out. What did that prove?’

’It proved his wife was smart and capable!’

’A genius!’

The Brigade Commander set the documents in his hands down and looked at Xie Changning. "I’m not yet sure about any vacancies in the family compound. I’ll need to wait for a report before I can approve anything for you."

As for the wedding, he didn’t mention it at all.

Xie Changning was no fool. Seeing he had no intention of arranging it for them, she didn’t linger.

She turned to Yue Yihan. "I’m heading back. I start at the screw factory tomorrow, so I need to get my work clothes ready." With that, she gave the Brigade Commander a nod and made a dignified exit.

It was the kind of tacit understanding adults have, with everything left unsaid.

Seeing his wife leave, Yue Yihan hastily bid his Brigade Commander farewell and hurried after her. "Honey, wait for me! I’ll see you home!"

Watching Yue Yihan’s departing figure, the Brigade Commander was filled with disappointment.

Yue Yihan was very popular in the army. He could have had his pick of the young women from the Art Troupe, but no, he had to choose one with a questionable background! He’d even thrown away his future for her!

’That brainless fool!’

Leaving the Brigade Commander’s office, Xie Changning wasn’t angry. She felt the Commander’s dissatisfaction with her stemmed from his genuine care for Yue Yihan.

But understanding was one thing; she wasn’t a pushover.

If he wouldn’t grant his approval, she would just live off-base. It wasn’t as if she had nowhere to stay.

’Worse comes to worst, I can just live in the family compound at the screw factory!’

"Honey, my Brigade Commander doesn’t know you, so don’t be angry. I’ll go back and give him a piece of my mind..."

"I’m fine."

Xie Changning shook her head.

She wasn’t too keen on the military family compound anymore. Since she had a job at the screw factory, she could apply to live in their family compound instead.

Everyone there was a factory worker; getting along with them would probably be more pleasant.

She had never interacted with the families in the military compound and didn’t have the energy to start. There was no telling how that would turn out.

Seeing that Xie Changning truly wasn’t angry, Yue Yihan breathed a sigh of relief. He secretly resolved to pester his Brigade Commander every single day from now on. ’He can delay the family compound approval, but why is he holding up my wedding too?’

’I have to proclaim to the world that this is my wife!’

’And no one is to mess with her!’

’I have to stake my claim!’

Xie Changning had said she was going to buy clothes, and she did, picking out a tasteful reddish-brown suit and a pair of flat leather shoes.

When she put on the outfit, Yue Yihan couldn’t take his eyes off her.

He went to pay for it immediately, giving Xie Changning no chance to take it off.

He was so insistent that Xie Changning didn’t object. They headed home, and after she changed, Yue Yihan washed her clothes before leaving the courtyard to train.

The day, full of surprises but no real danger, came to a close.

Dressed in the reddish-brown suit that Yue Yihan had washed for her, Xie Changning set off for work.

As she arrived at the screw factory gate and stepped out of the car, the sound of gongs and drums erupted. Startled, she looked toward the entrance and saw Wang Lisheng at the front of a procession. Behind him were the factory’s cadres, each playing an instrument.

A female cadre came forward and placed a large, red flower sash over Xie Changning’s shoulders.

"Welcome, our new Vice Factory Director!"

Someone shouted the phrase, and the music stopped, immediately followed by thunderous applause.

Xie Changning pressed her palms together, and, caught up in everyone’s enthusiasm, her smile widened. "Thank you, thank you!"

Once inside the factory, Wang Lisheng led Xie Changning to her office.

"Given your special circumstances, we won’t make you climb stairs. Your office is right next to the laboratory. In the future, this entire row of rooms will be your experimental zone!"

The advent of the titanium alloy screws had already improved the screw factory’s business.

Once the foreign orders were complete, the titanium alloy screws could be put into mass production.

’When that time comes, I’ll apply for an expansion, and the higher-ups will definitely approve it!’

Hearing this from Wang Lisheng, Xie Changning nodded happily. "In that case, thank you so much, Factory Director!"

"Vice Factory Director, now that the welcome ceremony is over, could you take a look at the furnace that’s currently sitting idle?" someone interjected.

Xie Changning looked and saw it was the director of Workshop Three.

Their workshop’s furnace had broken down yesterday, and they hadn’t repaired it, waiting for the new Vice Factory Director to arrive today so she could fix it for them!

"Let’s go!"

Now that she was part of the factory, Xie Changning was, of course, obligated to help improve its facilities.

Her answer delighted the director of Workshop Three.

The group headed straight for Workshop Three. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

The furnace in Workshop Three wasn’t the same model as the one she’d seen before; this one was a box-type resistance furnace.

It was mainly used for the tempering process.

After quenching, the screws were very hard but also quite brittle. They needed to be placed in the furnace and heated for a period to reduce their brittleness, increase their toughness, stabilize their structure, and eliminate quenching stress.

Now that the box-type resistance furnace had a problem, large batches of screws were sitting idle, waiting to be tempered.

Xie Changning went to inspect it and quickly determined it was a common issue.

The resistance wire had partially melted and oxidized from the high temperature.

"Director Lu..." Xie Changning explained the problem to the workshop director. Afterward, the workers of Workshop Three began to repair the furnace.

Two hours later, the furnace was back in operation.

Once the factory’s workshops were all back on track, Wang Lisheng finally spoke to Xie Changning. "Sister Changning, there’s something your big brother needs your help with."

"Go ahead."

"I’ve seen that your welding skills are exceptional. Even the best workers in the factory can’t match your level. Would you... be able to help correct their welding mistakes?"

In essence, he was asking Xie Changning to help train them.

Xie Changning nodded. "Of course. I’ll go change into my work uniform, and we can start as soon as I get back."

"Excellent!"

There were seven members in the special welding training class, all of them the most skilled Grade 8 welders in the screw factory.

However, their skills were still no match for Xie Changning’s.

So when they heard that Xie Changning was going to help them advance their welding skills, they all signed up immediately.

"Vice Factory Director Xie!"

The moment Xie Changning entered, the welders all stood and addressed her respectfully.

Everyone was won over by Xie Changning’s skills. They held her in high regard, feeling that having a vice factory director like her was a great fortune for the screw factory.

"First, let’s talk about..."