Chapter 1

The bus, with its white base and red trim, moved steadily down the road, the natural gas fuel pack on top swaying like a walking sandwich, looking quite retro.

Zhuang Jianye sat inside, watching the green-tinged sycamores, the simply dressed pedestrians, and the somewhat crowded army of bicycles, blinking in disbelief.

Although he had been in this world for a few days, the simple and unpretentious atmosphere, so different from his previous life, still made Zhuang Jianye somewhat doubtful.

Could all of this really be true? Had he really traveled to 1982? Why?

Zhuang Jianye didn't know. Even though he was an aviation expert in his previous life, he still couldn't explain such an incredible reason.

"Perhaps the heat flow radiation from the turbofan engine test opened a Möbius ring, and then I traveled through a wormhole."

Zhuang Jianye comforted himself with a sci-fi heart.

But no matter what, since he was here, there was no need to dwell on it. Besides, he was now in the body of a recent college graduate, which was a much higher starting point than his previous self.

Yes, it was indeed much higher.

In his previous life, although Zhuang Jianye had a degree and ability, he had offended many people in his youth and suffered a lot. Fortunately, he still had some real talent and, through his own hard work, eventually became a researcher at an aviation institute and joined the ranks of aviation experts. But then, out of nowhere, he found himself here, sitting on a bus heading to his assigned factory.

However, this life was different. Compared to the struggles of his previous life, it was like heaven and earth. Not only was he a high-achieving graduate from a prestigious aviation college in the capital, but he had also been assigned to the Yonghong Machinery Factory in Xingcheng City.

The name might sound a bit rustic, but it was a large defense and military enterprise under the aviation system, a key construction project during the "Second Five-Year Plan," and had been upgraded and expanded during the 1960s. It became one of the most important bases for the maintenance and production of special aircraft and aviation engines for the Air Force and Navy.

Compared to the bumpy start in an obscure small factory in his previous life, Zhuang Jianye was now in a much better position.

A legitimate key defense and military enterprise, a bureau-level unit, and most importantly, he had his future father-in-law backing him from the start. These conditions could crush his previous life in an instant.

Speaking of his future father-in-law, it was necessary to mention his fiancée, Ning Xiaohui.

They met a year ago when Ning Xiaohui was assigned to Zhuang Jianye's aviation college for a full-time training program to learn how to draw industrial equipment diagrams. Somehow, they fell in love.

Their relationship progressed quickly, and they did everything except the final step. They were envied by many single people and were considered a famous couple in the college.

Everything was going well until graduation and job assignments. Ning Xiaohui, being assigned by her unit, naturally returned to her original workplace after completing her training. However, Zhuang Jianye, as a recent graduate, had to follow the school's arrangements.

In the early 1980s, there was no such thing as free employment. No matter how capable or how well you studied, you couldn't escape the allocation notice.

If you were lucky, you would be assigned to a good unit; if not, you might end up in a remote place and remain unknown for the rest of your life.

In short, your fate followed the allocation, not your own path.

Under normal circumstances, Zhuang Jianye would have been assigned to a technical school in the north, which would have separated him and Ning Xiaohui, making it uncertain whether they would even see each other once a year.

At this critical moment, Zhuang Jianye's future father-in-law, Ning Zhishan, stepped in.

This old cadre, who served as the head of the organization department at the Yonghong Machinery Factory, wrote a letter to the college on behalf of the key defense and military enterprise.

In the letter, he briefly introduced their situation and criticized Zhuang Jianye for dating during his college years. However, while criticizing his behavior, the letter subtly expressed a hope that the school would help them. The content was straightforward yet tactful, and the criticism was veiled with a sense of saving face, effectively conveying the organization's intentions.

At that time, universities did not encourage dating during college, and such relationships were not considered during job assignments. However, with the organization's intervention, the situation was different. The key defense and military enterprise, directly under the ministry, had significant influence. Thus, the school turned a blind eye and adjusted the allocation, assigning Zhuang Jianye to the Yonghong Machinery Factory.

Zhuang Jianye didn't feel particularly surprised. As someone who had experienced the era, he knew how dramatic the changes could be. Whether he went to a technical school or a key military enterprise, he might eventually be swept away by the tide of the times.

Despite this, Zhuang Jianye was quite satisfied with being assigned to a key defense and military enterprise. After all, it was familiar territory, and even if the future was turbulent, he believed he could navigate the challenges and maintain his position. He was skilled in this field and could eventually secure a managerial position, ensuring a comfortable life.

Because of this, the overworked Zhuang Jianye from his previous life wanted to live differently this time, at least to enjoy life a bit more.

As he thought about these things, the bus had already entered the eastern suburbs. He saw the Soviet-style building of the machinery factory, with a tall clock tower that accurately indicated the time.

9:25.

Zhuang Jianye raised his arm and looked at the "Shanghai" watch on his wrist, which was perfectly synchronized. He nodded in satisfaction. This was a habit he had recently developed. The "Shanghai" watch was a wind-up watch, unlike electronic watches with limited battery life, which needed to be wound every few days to reset the time.

Seeing the familiar clock, Zhuang Jianye couldn't help but check the time, which drew envious glances from the other passengers. Although the "Shanghai" watch was ordinary, it cost 120 yuan, which was a luxury item when the average salary was around 40 to 50 yuan.

Money aside, the key was the watch ticket. Without it, even if you had the money, you couldn't buy a watch. Therefore, a watch was not just a timepiece but also a symbol of status.

Zhuang Jianye, having been in this era for only a short time, hadn't paid much attention to these details. By the time he noticed the passengers' strange looks, it was too late. Fortunately, the bus had already stopped at the entrance of the Yonghong Machinery Factory, and he quickly got off with his bag.

His actions, however, only made the other passengers more envious: "No wonder he can wear a watch at such a young age; he must be from the Yonghong Factory."