The Sweetness of the Seventies
Chapter 837 - 806: Doing the Right Thing, Following the Right Person

Chapter 837: Chapter 806: Doing the Right Thing, Following the Right Person

In the evening, Chief Engineer Sun was in the kitchen together with Aunt Li, a rare occurrence.

Seeing them arrive, Chief Engineer Sun beckoned with a cheerful smile, "Come here, little girl, let grandpa hold you."

"She’s quite heavy, you should sit down before holding her, Chief Engineer Sun, don’t hurt your back," Yuan Chao advised. Once Chief Engineer Sun was seated, he handed the little girl over.

Chief Engineer Sun had always been without a child of his own, and he had watched the little girl grow up from birth, which endeared her greatly to him.

"Let grandpa have a look, oh, my little girl has become even prettier," Chief Engineer Sun said with a beaming smile, continuously amusing the child.

The little girl giggled from time to time in Chief Engineer Sun’s embrace.

"Yuan Chao, Big Brother Huo, keep Chief Engineer Sun company. I’ll go help Aunt Li in the kitchen," Wang Ying said. Preparing a tableful of dishes wasn’t easy, and Aunt Li shouldn’t be overworked.

"Sure, you go ahead," Yuan Chao replied. Three grown men should be capable of looking after a child.

Huo Yingjie often brought back diapers when he returned home so they didn’t have to worry about the little girl wetting herself.

As Wang Ying entered the kitchen, Yuan Chao couldn’t help but ask, "Chief Engineer Sun, I heard from Boss that we’re both being transferred to Yanjing. To be honest, I’m quite attached to this place. When we went on our last mission, I found that outside, nothing was as good as here—the scheming, the fight for fame and fortune."

"Not everyone is as indifferent to fame and fortune as Chief Engineer Sun, devoted solely to the public good," Huo Yingjie added, "If we’re bullied, it’s because we’re not strong enough. Times have changed, I will look out for you."

"Thank you, Boss," Yuan Chao expressed gratefully. He knew his own weaknesses, but he just couldn’t change them; working under someone else, he’d never do well however hard he tried.

Chief Engineer Sun smiled and replied, "The reason I’m transferring you along with Yingjie is for your own good. I’ve told you countless times about your temper, but you haven’t changed. Although capable, you lack innovative thinking. Working alongside Yingjie will get you further than if you were on your own. Moreover, come this August, I’ll be retiring. Without me to look out for you, you might not suffer loss, but you won’t achieve great success either."

Chief Engineer Sun’s arrangements reflected his deep concern and good intentions.

"Thank you, Chief Engineer Sun," Yuan Chao said with gratitude. Having such an elder to guide him was a lifelong blessing.

Fearing Yuan Chao might have reservations, Chief Engineer Sun reminded him again, "Yuan Chao, before you’re thirty, do the right things; after thirty, follow the right people. You know what kind of person Yingjie is. As long as you behave, he won’t treat you unfairly."

"I’ll remember that," Yuan Chao said, "I know where I fall short. Following Boss, it’s like sheltering under a big tree."

If his mother was the person who loved him the most in this world, then Chief Engineer Sun was Yuan Chao’s savior, and Huo Yingjie was his mentor.

Even though he knew Huo Yingjie was younger, Yuan Chao willingly called him Boss.

"As long as you remember," Chief Engineer Sun said, "now that I’ve made arrangements for both of you, I can rest easy. Oh, by the way, you two have two weeks to get everything in order, sort it out yourselves."

"Chief Engineer Sun, after you retire, just focus on taking care of yourself," Huo Yingjie said, "Take good care of your health, and we’ll be sure to visit you often."

"Ha, retirement will indeed make visits much easier," Chief Engineer Sun responded. As talent started to increase, it was time to make room for the youth, hoping they would devote their zealous passion to the job and further the cause of science.

Aunt Li was overjoyed at the thought of her husband retiring.

She could often return to Nan City to see her son and grandson. Though she wanted to stay in Nan City, she couldn’t rest easy with her husband alone here, so she reluctantly visited the research institute.

But now, with retirement, they could finally enjoy some leisure.

It was time for a well-deserved break.

Aunt Li brought out some liquor, and Chief Engineer Sun indulged in a small cup, which delighted him greatly.

Huo Yingjie and Yuan Chao, a bit saddened, drank a few more cups, and by the time they said their goodbyes in the evening, Yuan Chao was staggering.

Huo Yingjie, although he had drunk quite a bit and felt lightheaded, wasn’t stumbling.

"Big Brother Huo, help Yuan Chao. He’s so grown up and still gets drunk," Wang Ying said, surprised because Yuan Chao, though fond of drinking, never got drunk. What happened today?

"It’s okay, he’s just a bit downhearted," Huo Yingjie explained, suspecting Yuan Chao hadn’t yet mentioned the transfer to Yanjing to Wang Ying.

It was a topic Huo Yingjie left untouched, thinking Yuan Chao should bring it up with Wang Ying when he sobered up the next day.

"What’s there to be unhappy about?" Wang Ying asked curiously, knowing her husband’s project had just been successful and everything was going well. What could there be to feel downhearted about?

"Haha, don’t worry, it’s not a bad thing," Huo Yingjie reassured her, "Let’s wait for Yuan Chao to sober up, and he’ll tell you. I shouldn’t say more."

Wang Ying wanted to ask more, but seeing that Huo Yingjie had no intention of revealing more, she didn’t press the issue.

If it wasn’t anything bad, then better wait for Yuan Chao to clear his head.

Huo Yingjie took Yuan Chao home before returning to his own dormitory.

Lying in bed, Huo Yingjie couldn’t sleep. He tried to calculate his future prospects, but he could only foretell that it would generally be auspicious, without being able to discern the specifics. To avoid backlash, Huo Yingjie had to drop the matter.

Well then, just cross the bridge when you come to it.

At least there was no major calamity impending.

The next day, Huo Yingjie announced the transfer orders in front of the team members and invited them all out to eat.

Initially, he had wanted to cook at home, but seeing the sheer amount of food required, Huo Yingjie realized it was beyond his capabilities, and besides, he didn’t have enough dishes. Thus, he decided to host the feast at a cafeteria in the living area instead.

"Everyone, order whatever you like," Huo Yingjie said, "You’ve all worked hard during the time you were with me, and now that I’m leaving, I want to treat you to a meal, consider it a farewell dinner. The green hills will last, while the flowing water will flow forever. I don’t know when we’ll meet again in the future. But remember, if any of you need anything and it’s within my power, I’ll do my best to help."

"Boss, we hate to see you go," Qian Miaomiao said, "Although working in your team is a bit more tiring, we get more holidays and bonuses. And most importantly, every project we work on is top-notch."

"Yeah, without Boss around, it will be tough to earn such merits," Tang Xinliang commented wistfully. Working with Huo Yingjie not only allowed him to learn many effective methods but also broadened his perspective.

Mixed emotions filled everyone’s hearts, but they all knew that all good things must come to an end.

"However, Boss, we still wish you a smooth career, good health, and even greater achievements," Qian Miaomiao added, remembering her status as an old member who started with Huo Yingjie from the beginning.

Following her lead, others also began showering him with their blessings.

Since their mission was complete, everybody was quite relaxed, and nearly everyone got drunk, necessitating assistance to get them home.