Chapter 16 - Chapter 16: Faced with a Crisis, An Offering of Help

Late autumn rain had been falling continuously for three days. The air conditioning in the office building was set a little too low. Su Wan wrapped her cream-colored knit cardigan tightly around herself, but her fingertips remained cold. The construction drawings for Stellar Center's underground landscape were spread out on the conference table, covered in dense red annotations. The most striking one highlighted a problem with the load-bearing structure of the curved glass dome—the calculation report just sent by the design institute showed that the steel structure load-bearing coefficient of the original plan was 0.3 lower than the safety standard. If not adjusted promptly, the entire construction progress of the underground landscape would come to a halt."Sister Su, we've contacted three steel structure manufacturers, but they all said they can't come up with a better material plan on such short notice," Xiao Zhou, a young designer on the team, said anxiously, holding a thick stack of documents. "We need to submit the revised plan to the client next week. If we can't solve this, the project might be suspended."Su Wan rubbed her throbbing temples and picked up the calculation report, flipping through it repeatedly. The curved glass dome was a highlight of the Stellar project, spanning 12 meters. It needed to ensure light transmission while bearing the weight of rain and snow. She and the team had verified the original plan three times, never expecting such a problem to arise. She turned on her computer and pulled up cases of similar past projects, poring over them from afternoon until evening. One by one, her colleagues left the office, leaving her alone— the glow of the computer screen reflecting on her tired face."Haven't found a solution yet?" A familiar voice came from the doorway. Su Wan looked up to see Lu Chengyu standing there, holding a black suit jacket. He had clearly just returned from outside, carrying a faint scent of rain, the tips of his hair slightly damp.Su Wan froze, instinctively wanting to close the calculation report. Since their estrangement, they had barely communicated privately except for necessary work emails. "Mr. Lu, you haven't left yet?" Her voice sounded unnatural.Lu Chengyu walked in, draped the suit jacket over the back of a chair, and went straight to the conference table, picking up the calculation report. "I passed by the design institute just now and heard Engineer Li say you encountered a load-bearing issue." He flipped through the report quickly, his brows furrowing gradually. "The original plan uses Q345 steel. The yield strength of this type of steel is indeed insufficient to support a 12-meter span, especially in the rainy southern region—long-term loads are prone to problems."Su Wan was surprised by his knowledge of steel structures, looking at him in astonishment. Lu Chengyu looked up, their eyes meeting, and the corner of his mouth lifted slightly. "I minored in structural engineering in college. I'm not a professional, but I can understand basic calculations." He pulled out a chair and sat down. "I know a manufacturer that produces special steel. They have a type of Q690 high-strength steel with twice the yield strength of Q345 and a lighter weight. It might solve the problem."With that, he took out his phone and dialed the manufacturer's person in charge, communicating technical parameters and delivery time in a concise and efficient tone. Su Wan sat beside him, watching his focused profile, a jumble of emotions stirring in her heart. The misunderstanding between them hadn't been fully resolved, yet she couldn't refuse his help at this moment.After hanging up the phone, Lu Chengyu said to Su Wan: "The manufacturer will send the material samples and detailed calculation data tomorrow morning. Tonight, we can adjust the structural model of the plan first to see if it meets the requirements."Su Wan hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Thank you, Mr. Lu.""No need to thank me—this is part of the project too." Lu Chengyu opened his laptop and pulled up the 3D model of the Stellar project. "First, we'll increase the number of steel structure support points from 4 to 6, then replace the material in the original plan with Q690 steel and recalculate the load."The two worked busily in the conference room throughout the night. Lu Chengyu was responsible for adjusting the parameters of the structural model, while Su Wan calculated the cost changes and construction difficulties after the material replacement. Cup after cup of coffee was finished. Outside the window, the rain gradually stopped, and moonlight filtered through the blinds, casting long, thin shadows on the floor. By the time the computer screen showed that the load-bearing coefficient of the new plan met the safety standard, it was already one o'clock in the morning."Finally done," Su Wan sighed in relief, leaning back in her chair, her eyes filled with exhaustion. Lu Chengyu looked at her and handed her a bottle of warm milk. "Drink this—staying up late isn't good for your health."Su Wan took the milk, feeling the warmth of the bottle against her fingertips, and her heart warmed too. She looked at Lu Chengyu, hesitated for a long time, then said softly: "Mr. Lu, about that day at the mall... I'm sorry. I misunderstood you back then."Lu Chengyu froze for a moment, then smiled. "I should be the one apologizing. I didn't explain clearly in time, leading to your misunderstanding."The conference room was quiet, except for the ticking of the clock on the wall. The barrier between them seemed to quietly loosen on this overtime night.