The call was from Professor Li.
Over the phone, he apologized to Jiang Si on behalf of the Ministry of Construction and the entire project team.
"I'm sorry for the oversight. You didn’t deserve to be treated this way."
In fact, when the design drafts were reviewed, many had raised doubts about Shen Dong’s professionalism.
Yet, for various reasons, the matter wasn’t thoroughly investigated in the end.
"Professor Li, please don’t say that. It’s all in the past now."
Truthfully, Jiang Si felt grateful to Professor Li and Dean Gao. If not for their outspoken advocacy,
overturning this case wouldn’t have been so easy.
After all, it involved far too many departments.
"Thank you, Professor Li," Jiang Si said sincerely.
But her gratitude only made Professor Li feel more apologetic.
After a pause, he said, "Jiang Si, the follow-up regarding this design proposal is too complicated to explain over the phone."
"Are you free tomorrow morning? If so, I’d like to invite you to the Ministry of Construction so we can discuss it in person."
Jiang Si readily accepted Professor Li’s invitation.
Yet after hanging up, an inexplicable melancholy settled over her.
Though Professor Li hadn’t explicitly stated it, Jiang Si could guess what this was about.
The only problem was, she wasn’t sure how to bring it up to Huo Tingzhou.
Huo Tingzhou had gone to the military district that day and didn’t return until late at night.
He pushed the door open quietly, careful not to wake his wife.
The room was dimly lit by a single bedside lamp.
Their two little ones were sound asleep in their crib.
But Jiang Si sat propped against the headboard, hugging a pillow, lost in thought—so much so that she didn’t even notice him entering.
It wasn’t until Huo Tingzhou leaned over the bed, gazing intently at her, that she suddenly snapped back to reality.
"When did you get back?" she asked.
"Just now," he replied softly, his eyes lingering on her troubled expression. "Something on your mind?"
"Not exactly. Professor Li called me this afternoon."
Jiang Si repeated what Professor Li had said, then sighed.
When she’d first submitted her design, she hadn’t thought much of it.
She’d simply seen it as a rare opportunity and wanted to try.
Perhaps because she hadn’t held high expectations from the start, learning she hadn’t been selected hadn’t affected her much.
But now things were different.
Her design had been chosen after all!
Unlike in later years, where issues could be resolved with a phone call or video conference,
this era’s limitations meant that after submitting her work, she’d need to coordinate extensively with the construction team.
If any design-related problems arose during construction, she’d have to make adjustments on the spot.
She’d also need to be present for critical inspections and approvals.
"Professor Li probably wants to discuss all this with me."
After a pause, Jiang Si added, "If I take this project, I won’t be able to return to Qiongzhou Island anytime soon."
Huo Tingzhou listened quietly, his expression unreadable.
When she finished, he pulled her close.
After a long moment, he said, "I know."
Jiang Si looked up in surprise. "You know?"
"Yeah."
He nuzzled the top of her head, his voice calm.
"When the farm was being rebuilt, Dean Gao and his design team stayed on the island for nearly three months."
"They only left after the project was completed and they’d confirmed everything was in order."
From what he’d heard, Dean Gao had been on-site almost every day during that period.
The effort involved was undeniable.
Still, there was one thing he wasn’t sure about. "Your project is far more complex than a factory. How long would construction take?"
Jiang Si wasn’t certain either.
Without heavy machinery in this era, the building’s framework and foundation would rely entirely on manual labor.
Plus, with no advanced insulation or frost-proofing techniques, concrete and mortar would freeze between mid-November and late March, compromising structural integrity.
Construction would have to halt during those months.
Then there were materials like steel and cement, which required allocated quotas.
Some specialized materials might not even be available immediately.
Factoring all this in, the project would likely take at least a year—possibly longer, depending on the Ministry of Construction’s arrangements.
As she spoke, Jiang Si studied Huo Tingzhou’s reaction.
She’d expected reluctance, or at least some emotion.
After all, this separation wouldn’t be brief.
Most importantly, he’d go months without seeing their children.
Since their birth, he’d taken charge of everything concerning them.
The twins adored him, too.
Their first instinct every morning was to look for their father.
This was precisely why Jiang Si had hesitated to decide.
Yet to her surprise, he remained composed.
Just as she thought he might need time to consider,
Huo Tingzhou tightened his grip on her hand, their fingers interlaced.
"Do it if you want to," he said, his voice steady as ever. "The kids can stay here with their grandparents and great-uncle. They’ll be well taken care of—don’t worry."
Then, as if remembering something, he added,
his tone mirroring their mentor’s words to her that day, "Just take care of yourself. Don’t overwork."
Jiang Si was both touched and astonished.
A bittersweet ache welled up inside her.
"You’re really okay with this?"
She wrapped her arms around his lean waist. "You’d let the three of us stay in the capital while you go back to Qiongzhou Island alone?"
"Of course not." His voice was thick.
How could he bear it?
After a pause, he continued, "But even if you returned, I wouldn’t be able to stay with you…"
Jiang Si looked up, puzzled.
Meeting her gaze, Huo Tingzhou explained slowly, "After my annual leave, I’ll be teaching at the flight academy in Heilongjiang for about three months."
"Once that’s done, I’ll have to attend a four-month closed training session right after."
Jiang Si knew he taught at flight academies yearly.
Last year, he’d skipped it because of her pregnancy with the twins.
Given the circumstances, the military had adjusted his schedule.
But she hadn’t known about the four-month training.
Last year, they’d mentioned a training exercise too—only for her to later learn from the news
that tensions had been rising in the south.
The so-called "training" had been a cover for something else.
The thought filled Jiang Si with unease.
