Chapter 19: We Are the Flickering Sparks That Build China!

As dusk approached, the two of them conferred briefly with Su Dingping and decided to resume their work at the research institute in two days.

Then Engineer Zhang spoke up again.

“By the way, Dingping, what about the first prize I promised for your graduation project?”

Back then, Zhang had promised anyone who took first place in their graduation project a tour aboard the 956E to see what a modern warship really looked like.

Now, with so many design blueprints laid out here and even a model of the 956E completed, that reward had lost much of its allure.

Although the 956E was already featured in the military forging atlas, Su Dingping still wanted to see if the two ships delivered had indeed been stripped of certain technologies.

With that in mind, he said, “If there’s time, I’d like to go see them.”

“All right, I’ll arrange it,” Sun Yongguo responded promptly.

As Su Dingping stepped out of the lab, his stomach suddenly growled.

Only then did he realize he hadn’t eaten since lunch. Just as he was about to head to the cafeteria, someone called out from behind.

“Junior Brother Su!”

Turning around, he saw Guo Xueyun waving at him.

“Senior Brother Zhao came to invite Senior Sister for a meal earlier, so I knew you’d be out soon. Thought I’d check on you. Haven’t eaten yet, right? Let’s go together.”

Seeing Su Dingping hesitate, Guo Xueyun added, “I ran into some difficulties during my experiment, which Senior Sister can’t solve, and my advisor isn’t around, so I might need to ask for your help.”

“No problem. Let’s head to the cafeteria. I have some things to do later anyway.”

They chatted along the way; Guo Xueyun was tactful, knowing what to ask and what to avoid—never mentioning anything about the lab.

Su Dingping felt relieved.

They laughed and talked as they got their food in the cafeteria.

Barely a few bites in, someone called out beside them.

“Guo Xueyun! Su Dingping?”

Turning their heads, Guo Xueyun immediately recognized the person, while Su Dingping found him vaguely familiar but couldn’t place him at once.

“That’s Chen Kai,” Su recalled. Two months ago, when borrowing equipment from various labs, he had met him.

Chen Kai's academic record was impressive, even better than Zhao Haikuo and Wang Xin.

“Senior Brother Chen,” Su said, scooting over slightly.

He felt he had little connection with Chen Kai, who was likely there to see Guo Xueyun.

Guo Xueyun, so beautiful, surely had suitors; it was hard to believe otherwise.

Unexpectedly, Guo Xueyun moved aside as well, continuing to sit facing Su Dingping.

Chen Kai didn’t mind; he took a seat between them, carrying his tray.

After nodding to Guo Xueyun, Chen Kai looked at Su Dingping and said,

“Junior Brother Su, since we parted last time, I couldn’t get in touch with you. Didn’t expect to run into you here in the cafeteria—what a coincidence!”

“To be honest, before meeting you, I wasn’t convinced! Among our cohort, I didn’t yield to anyone! But after a thorough chat with you two months ago, I felt ashamed! That’s when I understood there’s always someone better out there.”

Despite the flattery, Su Dingping remained composed.

“It’s all thanks to Professor Zhang.”

“I heard you’ve only been with Professor Zhang for just over a year?”

“That just proves how good Professor Zhang is.”

Guo Xueyun, sitting nearby, was puzzled: Is this how guys talk to each other?

After some small talk, sensing the mood was right, Chen Kai suddenly shifted gears.

“The list for direct doctoral admissions came out this year, and I made it.”

“That’s great, congratulations, Senior Brother.”

“But I haven’t decided yet whether to pursue my doctorate here or elsewhere.”

“Xueyun, isn’t Harbin Institute of Technology pretty good?”

Guo Xueyun replied, “Beyond that, there are only a few top schools like Tsinghua and Peking University.”

She had just finished speaking when Chen Kai shook his head.

“I want to go somewhere else.”

If you want to leave, just leave—why tell me? We've only met twice! Are you crazy?

Su Dingping thought silently, his expression unchanged.

“Like where?”

“I’m planning to apply to several prestigious universities in the United States. I’ve heard they have the world’s top research equipment and cutting-edge teams…”

Chen Kai’s eyes brightened.

“I know a senior studying there who gets tens of thousands of dollars in scholarships every year! He told me it’s a beautiful country—free, open, and wonderful—where everyone’s worth can be fully realized!”

“Wishing you all the best in achieving that.”

“And you? With your grades, those top foreign universities wouldn’t reject you.”

Me?

Su Dingping shook his head.

“I’m not considering studying abroad right now.”

“What about in the future?”

Fixing his gaze on Chen Kai, Su Dingping suddenly smiled.

“Chen Kai, we’ve only met twice. Are you really thinking we’ll continue as schoolmates?”

Chen Kai smiled in return.

“Great minds recognize each other! If you and I apply to the same university, maybe we really will be schoolmates.”

Now Su Dingping fully understood Chen Kai’s meaning.

He shrugged, choosing not to reply.

“Actually, continuing as schoolmates wouldn’t be bad. After all, we come from the same school, have overlapping fields, and can look out for each other.”

Chen Kai went on by himself.

“If I were you, I’d definitely give it a shot instead of wasting time here.”

“Good luck with your studies! I’m full now—you two enjoy your meal.”

Knowing further talk was pointless, Su Dingping stood and left.

“Junior Brother Su, wait for me!” Guo Xueyun quickly followed.

Walking across the campus together, Guo Xueyun smiled brightly.

“Did you see? When you said that last sentence, Chen Kai’s face turned green.”

She had always admired Su Dingping’s intellect beyond his years, but today she found him quite interesting.

“I sensed something was off. If he wants to leave, just let him go—why drag me along? Serves him right!”

“There’s no helping it. In recent years, the trend of studying abroad and chasing the ‘American Dream’ has only grown stronger. Many dream of going overseas.”

Hearing this, Su Dingping fell silent.

From the 1990s to the early 21st century was the peak era for studying abroad and the American Dream. Many took pride in saying, “So-and-so is studying abroad,” or “So-and-so works overseas.”

“Have you really never thought about going abroad? Many say foreign countries are wonderful.”

Su Dingping said nothing, then spoke quietly to himself.

“Xueyun, what if one day, the global dream no longer centers on the American Dream but on the Chinese Dream? What would that look like?”

Guo Xueyun was stunned.

She had never considered that.

“The Chinese Dream?”

“Yes, the Chinese Dream!”

“That path must be difficult, right?”

Su Dingping gazed into the distance, as if seeing the future.

“Every generation has its own Long March, its own mission. The baton of the times passes to us, and we are the sparks that will build China’s future!”

Guo Xueyun stood still, her hair swaying in the breeze, her heart stirred.

Su Dingping’s words echoed repeatedly in her mind as she looked at him lost in thought.

In that moment, Su Dingping’s image soared immeasurably in her heart.