Director Zhao remained as steady as a mountain, completely unaffected by the crowd’s whispers.

’They’re murmuring because they can’t see Xie Changning’s value,’ he thought. ’Just as long as they don’t try to poach her from me later!’

"Mr. Xie, your Director Zhao has placed his trust in you. Are you confident you can deliver?" Mr. Wang’s gaze was calm as he looked at Xie Changning.

The titanium alloy screws she developed last time had certainly left a stunning impression on him.

He was especially fond of the fact that Xie Changning hadn’t held anything back, handing over the data directly. It gave him a particularly good impression of the young woman.

"Of course!" Xie Changning nodded.

’Military-industrial applications are my specialty,’ she thought. ’It’s just that the technology of this era is rather primitive. I’ll need some time to adjust.’

’Once I get used to the current machinery and techniques, time is the only other thing I’ll need.’

Perhaps because she was so young, her confident words struck some as youthful arrogance. One man spoke up, clearly unconvinced. "Mr. Xie, how long do you think it will take you to develop high-strength bearing steel?"

His tone made Xie Changning glance sideways at him.

She gave a slight smile. "And how long would it take an expert such as yourself to develop it?"

Her retort made the man’s expression stiffen.

If he could have developed it, would they even be having this meeting?

Their eyes met. Xie Changning’s gaze seemed to say it all: ’You’re asking me how long it will take when you couldn’t develop it yourself?’

Her reply was so sharp that the other experts in the room looked uncomfortable, but most of their disapproval was directed at the man who had asked the question.

Whether it could be developed at all, or how long it might take, were unknowns even to them. How could he have the gall to ask someone else?

’The man is an absolute idiot!’

He had thought he could stir up some animosity toward Xie Changning, but instead, all of it had fallen on him. He fumed silently, not daring to speak up again.

He was afraid he’d be attacked if he did.

Mr. Wang glanced at the man, and it wasn’t until someone else stepped in to smooth things over that the incident passed.

The meeting went on for about two hours and still reached no conclusion, though it did allow Xie Changning to secure some support.

As long as she had support, Xie Changning was confident she could succeed in her research and development.

As everyone was leaving, Chen Liuzhang deliberately approached Xie Changning. "Xiao Xie, your future is truly limitless."

Xie Changning wasn’t sure what he meant by that.

"Old Chen, I heard you didn’t approve Xiao Xie’s husband’s application for family housing? And that you won’t even let them hold their wedding on the base?" Director Zhao spoke up before Xie Changning could say a word.

Chen Liuzhang frowned and looked at Xie Changning.

"Who told you that?"

"Do I need anyone to tell me?" Director Zhao could see that Chen Liuzhang thought Xie Changning had snitched. He continued, "Wang Lisheng arranged a dormitory for Xiao Xie and is also helping find an auspicious date for the wedding. Do I really need to hear it from someone else?"

"It’s obvious you didn’t approve her husband’s application."

The color drained slightly from Chen Liuzhang’s face. He rubbed the bridge of his nose. "It’s not that I didn’t approve it. It’s that I need to file an application with my superiors." Such applications took time—sometimes a month, sometimes a year.

They couldn’t just accuse him of rejecting it outright.

’Don’t they know perfectly well what kind of background Xie Changning has?’ he thought.

Director Zhao didn’t care about any of that. Xie Changning was one of his people now, and he had to protect his own. "Once they pick a date, remember to come to the wedding banquet! HA HA HA!"

The two of them were clashing like the bride’s family and the groom’s family.

Director Zhao was acting as Xie Changning’s protector.

"Does that even need to be said? Yue Yihan is my soldier. Of course I’ll be there!" Having been bested by Director Zhao, Chen Liuzhang didn’t say much more and turned to walk out of the conference room.

Only after Chen Liuzhang had left did Director Zhao purse his lips in a sneer.

"He can’t even handle a simple thing like that, and he still tries to argue his way out of it!" ’A day will come when he’ll be begging our Xiao Xie for help!’

Xie Changning was very grateful for Director Zhao’s defense. "Director Zhao, you don’t have to strain your relationship with Chen Liuzhang on my account..."

"What are you talking about? I’m on your side of the family now! He’s clearly looking down on your background, thinking you’re not good enough for Yue Yihan!" Hmph! ’In my opinion, Yue Yihan hit the jackpot marrying Xiao Xie!’

A faint smile touched Xie Changning’s lips.

"Alright, alright, my dear Director Zhao from the bride’s side. We should get going!" Otherwise, the staff might lock the two of them in the conference room.

The two of them left the conference room. They hadn’t gone far before Mr. Wang’s secretary intercepted them and led them to his office.

As soon as they entered, they saw Chen Liuzhang, who had left earlier, now sitting inside Mr. Wang’s office.

When Chen Liuzhang saw Director Zhao, his expression stiffened for a moment before he gave a nod, as if their earlier confrontation had never happened.

"Old Zhao, Xiao Xie, come on in. Let me make an introduction," Mr. Wang said enthusiastically when he saw them, intending to introduce them to Chen Liuzhang.

Director Zhao chuckled. "Mr. Wang, we’re all old acquaintances here. No need for introductions!"

"Xiao Xie..."

"Xiao Xie’s husband is Commander Yue Yihan, who serves under Old Chen. So there’s even less need for an introduction."

Hearing this, Mr. Wang gave Chen Liuzhang a surprised look, then realization dawned. Everyone was being evasive about Xie Changning’s background.

He’d heard some whispers about one of Chen Liuzhang’s commanders risking his career to marry a woman, but he never imagined it would be Xie Changning’s husband.

"So you’re all family."

Director Wang sat back down in his seat. After a few pleasantries, he got to the point. "Old Zhao, Xiao Xie, the main reason I called you over is to have you listen to Chen Liuzhang’s requirements—or rather, the problems with the bearings currently used in our military vehicles."

As the conversation turned to official business, Director Zhao’s expression grew serious.

Xie Changning, too, dutifully took out her notebook and looked at Chen Liuzhang. "Chen Liuzhang, what kinds of noises do the combat-readiness vehicles currently make while in operation? Which parts fail most frequently?"

Xie Changning fired off several questions in quick succession, all of them highly professional.

Even if Chen Liuzhang was reluctant to admit it, he had to concede that Xie Changning really knew her stuff. He glanced sideways at his adjutant, who quickly handed Xie Changning the notebook he was holding.

From her previous "studies," Xie Changning already knew the common points of failure for this era’s combat-readiness vehicles.

However, as her eyes fell upon the notebook, her expression turned grave. The problems were far more serious than she had imagined.

’There are just so, so many problems for the pioneers of this age to overcome...’

"After reviewing this, Mr. Xie, do you think improvements can be made?" Chen Liuzhang asked.

"Improvement will take time, but these are not insurmountable problems."

Xie Changning replied calmly.

’There are always more solutions than problems,’ she thought. ’If the pioneers of this era could overcome them, there’s no reason I can’t!’

Chen Liuzhang didn’t seem to pay much mind to Xie Changning’s answer. "Mm, those are the problems. I hope Mr. Xie can help us overcome this one."

With Chen Liuzhang being uncooperative, Director Wang couldn’t press the matter openly either.

He just let him leave first before turning to Xie Changning. "You just focus on your work. If any issues come up, report them to your Director Zhao. The Provincial Industrial Bureau will give its full support to your R&D efforts!"

"Don’t have any reservations whatsoever!"