1959Siheyuan, a Turnaround

The days are like the fine sand on your fingertips, slipping away silently day by day.

In that mysterious yet hopeful secret base, Li Weiguo and Zhang Jianguo buried themselves in research all day long, devoting themselves wholeheartedly to those complex and meaningful projects.

In the laboratory, various precision instruments flashed indicator lights and drawings covered the desk. The two of them often argued over a piece of data, and would hug each other to celebrate a breakthrough.

Hard work pays off, and they finally achieved considerable research results. These results are as dazzling as bright stars, and have been highly recognized and praised by the bigwigs of the Ministry of Industry.

For a time, the two became famous in the industry, but at the same time, they were also busy. The tasks in the base followed one after another, as if there was no end.

In the blink of an eye, it is the graduation day for the 61st class of the Polytechnic University.

The campus was filled with the atmosphere of farewell, with the sound of rolling suitcases, the laughter of classmates saying goodbye to each other and the occasional sob intertwined together.

On the boulevard, neatly dressed graduates gathered in groups of three or five, busy leaving each other their addresses, hoping to keep in touch in the future.

For every graduate, this is not only the end of their studies, but also the starting point of a new journey in life.

Li Weiguo and Zhang Jianguo knew clearly that no matter how busy they were, they could not forget the friendship between their classmates. At this special moment, they should go back to school and say goodbye to their classmates properly.

The two of them submitted a report in advance and after going through layers of approval, they finally got permission from above. At this moment, they were rushing towards the school without stopping.

On the other side, Zhao Shuheng, Wang Yong, Su Jincheng, Liu Fusheng, Chen Yuxuan and others arrived early with their luggage and stood at the school gate like a few watchful sculptures.

Their eyes were full of anticipation. From time to time, they stood on tiptoe and stretched their necks to look towards the intersection in the distance. They looked so eager, as if they wanted to see through the road and wait for Li Weiguo and Zhang Jianguo to come.

As roommates in the same dormitory, at the moment when they were about to go their separate ways, their hearts felt as if they were filled with lead, heavy and full of reluctance.

After all, they had been eating and sleeping together for several years and had spent countless days and nights together.

They studied professional knowledge together, fought hard for competition honors together, worked late into the night, talked about the world together, and looked forward to the future.

Even if we are just lying on the hard bed in the dormitory, we will imagine together how to return home and build our hometown after graduation.

Now, we have to face separation, and no one knows whether we will have the chance to meet again in this vast sea of ​​people after this separation.

The scorching sun made people feel upset. The person they had been waiting for for a long time had not shown up yet, and several people couldn't help feeling a little annoyed.

Wang Yong was so anxious that beads of sweat appeared on his forehead. He stretched his neck and kept muttering, "He said he would come to see us off. Li Weiguo is not going to break his promise this time!"

In fact, not only Wang Yong was so anxious, but even Chen Yuxuan, who always looked leisurely and relaxed and was teased by everyone as a "salted fish", had the same feeling at the moment.

Although they looked as if nothing had happened, they were all looking forward to seeing their two good brothers again.

Last night, the five of them lay on the hard beds in the dormitory, looking at the ceiling, talking to each other all night long.

From the youthful ignorance when they first entered school, to the nervousness of entering society now; from the interesting anecdotes on campus, to the confusion and expectations for the future.

But no matter how many words I say, I can't express the friendship of these years, nor can I stop the pace of separation.

Although they were reluctant to leave, they knew that they had graduated and had new responsibilities on their shoulders.

What they have to do is to return to their hometown with the professional knowledge they learned from university, just like carrying a precious spark, to light up that land.

Contributing to the construction of their hometown is a pursuit that always burns in their hearts and nothing can shake it.

Several people stood at the school gate, watching their classmates dragging their luggage and walking away one by one, but the person they were waiting for was nowhere to be seen.

Zhao Shuheng's eyes gradually dimmed, and he said dejectedly: "Could it be that the management above is too strict and they won't let them out?"

Liu Fusheng frowned and whispered, "That's hard to say. They are both helpless now. After all, they have entered such an important place."

Su Jincheng also quickly agreed: "Even if the base's requirements are strict, we have been friends for so many years, they can't let us go like this! Let's wait a little longer, I believe Li Weiguo will come back."

As he spoke, he clenched his fists as if to cheer himself up, and his eyes were full of determination. He was determined to wait until his friend showed up.

Just when everyone's patience was about to run out, a cloud of dust rose on the road in the distance, and an old jeep came speeding towards them.

Before the car came to a complete stop, Li Weiguo and Zhang Jianguo jumped out impatiently. They trotted towards the crowd at the school gate, their faces full of anxiety and guilt.

"Guys, I'm sorry we're late!"

Li Weiguo said while panting, his eyes full of apology.

Wang Yong was the first to rush forward and punched Li Weiguo in a pretended angry manner: "You are finally here, kid! I thought you had forgotten about us!"

Everyone gathered around, and for a moment, thousands of words came to mind, but they didn't know where to start.

Finally, it was Zhao Shuheng who broke the silence: "Weiguo, Jianguo, we don't know when we will meet again after this separation. You guys work hard in the base, and we will work hard on our own and meet at the top!"

Li Weiguo nodded heavily, his eyes slightly red: "Don't worry, brothers, we will see each other later!"

Afterwards, everyone took out the prepared mailing addresses and handed them to the two, and reminded everyone to write to them often in the future.

Li Weiguo handed each of them a bag, which contained the gifts he had carefully prepared for his brothers.

Wang Yong wanted to open it and take a look mischievously, but Li Weiguo stopped him and told them to open it after they got on the train.

Several people stared with wide eyes and looked curious, wondering what was in the bag.

They all knew that Li Weiguo was a low-key and capable person, so they all thought that the bag in their hands contained rare and valuable things.

Zhang Jianguo took out a few small badges from his bag. They were badges that he and Li Weiguo had made themselves at the base. They were engraved with the word 305, symbolizing the wonderful years they spent at 305.

He distributed them to his roommates one by one: "Brothers, take this. When you see this, it will remind you of the days we spent together."

Several people carefully pinned the badge on their clothes, right over their hearts.

The time of farewell finally arrived. Li Weiguo and Zhang Jianguo stood at the school gate, watching their roommates go away.

Their shadows, illuminated by the sunlight, were very long, just like the unbreakable friendship between them.

Only when their roommates completely disappeared at the end of the road did the two turn around and, with reluctance and determination, embark on their own journey again.