bayedsolid Chapter 80 The abacus-wielding shrew comes seeking a way out; the iron-willed craftsman upholds the
Chapter 80 The abacus-wielding shrew comes seeking a way out; the iron-willed craftsman upholds the
The afterglow of the commendation ceremony hadn't yet faded; the scent of firecracker debris seemed to linger on the blue brick floor of the Hongxing Courtyard. Aunt Liu carefully removed the large red flower from Liu Guangtian's chest, wrapped it in red silk, and placed it in a camphor wood chest. The gold-embossed certificate of outstanding apprenticeship, framed in a newly hung cedar wood photo in the main room, shone brightly in the morning light. Lin Chen had just finished washing up by the public pool in the middle courtyard and was wiping his face with a coarse towel when he saw Yan Bugui from the front courtyard, hands behind his back, walking slowly with a pigeon-toed gait. His navy blue instructor's jacket was impeccably ironed, but the cuffs were frayed.
"Good morning, Master Lin." Yan Bugui's voice was deliberately gentle, unlike his usual high-pitched tone. He stopped beside Lin Chen, his gaze sweeping across the courtyard and landing on the open door of Liu Haizhong's main room. Looking at the position of the photo frame, a calculating glint appeared in his eyes.
Lin Chen paused in wiping his face and glanced at him through the gap in the towel: "Good morning, Teacher Yan. Are you going to school?" He knew that Yan Bugui was off today, but he asked this deliberately—since the last time he exposed Yan Bugui's lie about being poor, the two had not fallen out, but they had lost the usual neighborly warmth.
Yan Bugui chuckled twice, took a half step forward, and lowered his voice: "To be honest, Master Lin, I'm off work today. There's something I want to discuss with you about my third son's release from prison." As he spoke, he glanced at Lin Chen's north wing room, "Why don't we go inside and talk?"
Lin Chen already knew what was going on. Yan Bugui had three sons: the eldest, Yan Jiecheng, worked as a temporary worker in a street factory; the second, Yan Jiefang, had just joined the army; and the youngest, Yan Jiekuang, had only graduated from junior high school and had been unemployed at home for more than half a year, constantly being scolded by Yan Bugui for "eating for nothing." Yesterday, news of Liu Guangtian's commendation had spread throughout the courtyard, and Yan Bugui had come to him seeking favors. Lin Chen stepped aside, saying, "Come in and talk. The room is cramped; I'm sorry to have troubled you, Teacher Yan."
The north wing room was indeed cramped. In the 12-square-meter space, a wooden bed took up half the space. An old desk stood by the window, piled with forging blueprints drawn by Lin Chen and several half-finished tools. At the far end, separated by a curtain, was a small 3-square-meter storage room. The door was ajar, and one could vaguely see stacks of scrap steel and several semi-finished products fused from system integration inside. Yan Bugui frowned upon entering, then put on a smile, carefully sitting down on the edge of the bed, afraid of getting his pants dirty.
Lin Chen poured a glass of cool boiled water and placed it in a chipped enamel mug: "Teacher Yan, just say what you want to say."
Yan Bugui picked up his enamel mug, took a small sip, and carefully placed it on the tablecloth at the corner before speaking: "Master Lin, look at Guangtian, he's become an excellent apprentice in just over six months under your tutelage. That really shows your skill. My son Jiekuang is sixteen this year, not unintelligent, but he just hasn't had a good mentor." He rubbed his hands together. "I heard your steel rolling mill is recruiting a batch of apprentices soon. Do you think you could... make an exception for him?"
Lin Chen held his water glass, his fingertips tracing the inside of the glass: "Teacher Yan, the steel rolling mill has a formal process for recruiting apprentices. First, you have to be recommended by the neighborhood committee, and then you have to take the factory's cultural and physical fitness tests. It's not something I can decide on my own."
"I know that!" Yan Bugui quickly chimed in, pulling a crumpled notebook from his pocket, flipping it open, and handing it over. "Look, I brought Jie Kuang's report card. He always gets full marks in arithmetic; that's my secret. His physical fitness isn't bad either; he even helped me carry fifty pounds of rice home yesterday." He leaned closer, lowering his voice, "Master Lin, we're neighbors in the same courtyard, we see each other all the time. If you help me with this, I'll cover all your child's schooling from now on, whether it's arithmetic or Chinese, free of charge!"
Lin Chen looked at Yan Jiekuang's grades in the notebook; they were indeed excellent. However, he knew Yan Bugui's character better—behind this "not taking a penny" promise, who knew how many schemes were hidden? In his previous life, Yan Jiekuang had also entered the steel rolling mill, but only through connections with the street director. As a result, he slacked off in the workshop and was even fired for misappropriating workshop scrap materials to sell for money. In the end, he also dragged Yan Bugui down with him, losing face as a teacher. He pushed the notebook back: "Teacher Yan, good grades are a good thing, but rules are rules. If I show favoritism and help Jiekuang, it's unfair to the other young people taking the exam, and it will affect the atmosphere in the factory if word gets out."
Yan Bugui's smile froze. He put away his notebook, his tone tinged with dissatisfaction: "Master Lin, you're being too polite. Wasn't it you who recommended Liu Guangtian to join the workshop? Why are you being so formal here at my Jie Kuang?" He wasn't wrong. Liu Guangtian's entry into the precision group did indeed have an element of Lin Chen's recommendation, but that was based on Liu Guangtian demonstrating forging talent and passing the workshop's assessment.
Lin Chen calmly explained, "Before Guangtian entered the workshop, I had him forge three parts, and the pass rate reached 80%. Only then did I dare to recommend him to the foreman. Later, he came early and left late every day, practicing the quenching process hundreds of times. He was able to be rated as an excellent apprentice because of his own efforts. If Jie Kuang is willing, I can help him brush up on his cultural knowledge and teach him some basic forging techniques so that he can pass the exam based on his own skills. That way, he can be more secure once he gets in."
These words struck a nerve with Yan Bugui. He had always wanted his son to take a shortcut, ideally directly into Lin Chen's precision engineering team—an easy and promising path. He hadn't expected Lin Chen to insist his son take the exam himself. His face darkened. "Master Lin, are you refusing to help? I, Yan Bugui, have lived in this neighborhood for twenty years and have never asked anyone for a favor. Can't you be a little more accommodating for the sake of our neighborly relationship?"
Lin Chen put down his water glass, his tone firm: "Teacher Yan, it's not that I'm inflexible, it's that the rules can't be broken. Those who get in through connections will either be looked down upon or lack the skills to handle the work, ultimately harming the children. If Jie Kuang really wants to learn a skill, I will definitely teach him everything I know, but if he wants to use connections, I'm sorry, I cannot agree."
Seeing Lin Chen's resolute attitude, Yan Bugui knew that further pleading was useless. He suddenly stood up, the chair legs scraping the ground with a screeching sound. He tugged at his instructor's jacket, his face grim: "Fine, Master Lin is ruthless enough! I'll see if you can get any help from your neighbors in the future!" After saying that, he turned and left, deliberately slamming the door shut with a loud "bang" as he went out, startling the neighbors in the yard.
Lin Chen looked at the closed door and shook his head helplessly. Just as he was about to tidy up the blueprints on the table, he heard an argument coming from the courtyard gate. It was Yan Bugui's voice: "Everyone, come and judge! Lin Chen is a key technical staff member now, and he doesn't care about his neighbors anymore! I begged him to help my son find an apprenticeship, and he flatly refused, even saying my son is incompetent!"
Lin Chen frowned, got up, and walked to the door. He saw a crowd had already gathered in the courtyard. Yan Bugui stood in the center, slapping his thigh and crying out for justice. Aunt Yan stood to the side, wanting to pull him away but not daring to. Liu Haizhong had just returned from fetching water and, putting down the bucket, shouted, "Yan Bugui, what are you yelling about! What did Master Lin do to you?"
"Offend me? He's looking down on me!" Yan Bugui pointed at Lin Chen's door. "My son, Jie Kuang, wanted to get an apprenticeship at the steel rolling mill and asked him to put in a good word for him, but he insisted on following the rules and said my son wasn't capable! Wasn't it him who recommended Liu Guangtian in the first place? Isn't that a double standard?!"
Upon hearing this, everyone in the courtyard turned to look at Liu Guangtian. Liu Guangtian was helping Lin Chen sort through the parts he had salvaged from the scrap yard yesterday. Hearing this, he put down his work, stepped forward, and said, "Uncle Yan, before I joined the workshop, my master had me practice basic forging for a month and I even passed the workshop's assessment. It's not something you can get in just by being recommended. My master said he was willing to help Brother Jie Kuang with his academic studies and teach him the craft, but you yourself refused."
"What do you know, you little brat!" Yan Bugui glared at Liu Guangtian. "Isn't the assessment all up to Master Lin? If he wants you to pass, you will!"
"Yan Bugui, you're wrong about that!" Yi Zhonghai's voice came from the crowd. He had just returned from his morning exercise and was still holding a Tai Chi fan. "The steel rolling mill's assessment is supervised by the workshop director and three veteran technicians. Lin Chen is just a recommender. How can he have the final say? I was there for Guangtian's assessment last time. The precision of the gears he forged was indeed up to standard. That's real skill."
Qin Huairu also came over carrying Jia Huaihua and said softly, "Teacher Yan, Master Lin isn't that kind of person. Last time my son Jia Geng stole something, Master Lin didn't expose him. He even took him to the workshop and taught him that he should earn a living with his skills. If he wanted to show favoritism, he would have helped him long ago."
Seeing everyone helping Lin Chen, Yan Bugui's face darkened even more. He glanced at Lin Chen standing at the door and raised his voice, "I don't care! He just won't help! Our courtyard emphasizes neighborly assistance, but he's forgotten his roots now that he's got the ability!" As he spoke, he squatted down on the ground, pretending to cry.
Lin Chen stepped forward and said calmly, "Teacher Yan, let me say it again. If Jie Kuang is willing to learn, starting today, I will teach him arithmetic and basic mechanics every night in my room, and take him to the workshop to practice his skills on weekends until he passes the assessment. But there is absolutely no way to get in through connections. If you think I've forgotten my roots, then there's nothing I can do."
Yan Bugui squatted on the ground, silent for a long time. He knew Lin Chen was telling the truth; the steel mill's assessment was indeed strict. But he just didn't want his son to suffer and always wanted to take shortcuts. At this moment, Yan Jiekuang ran out of the house and tugged at Yan Bugui's sleeve: "Dad, I want to learn the trade from Master Lin. I don't want to rely on connections; I want to pass the exam myself."
Yan Jiekuang is sixteen years old this year, and he's almost as tall as Yan Bugui. Unlike his father, he's not calculating; instead, he's rather simple and honest. He's long wanted to learn a trade, but Yan Bugui has forced him to stay home and study, which he's always resentful of. Just now, he overheard his father and Lin Chen arguing inside the house and, knowing that Lin Chen was willing to teach him, he quickly ran out.
Yan Bugui paused, looking at his son's earnest eyes, his mind racing with calculations. He quickly realized that Lin Chen's skills were top-notch at the steel mill; if his son could truly learn his abilities, he'd definitely be better off than a temporary worker. Even with exams, Lin Chen's tutoring would increase the pass rate. Thinking this, his expression softened, and he stood up, dusting off his trousers: "Alright, I'll trust you this once. Jie Kuang, if you don't learn well, see how I deal with you!"
Lin Chen nodded: "Jie Kuang, come over at seven o'clock tomorrow night, I'll prepare the teaching materials for you." Yan Jie Kuang nodded quickly: "Thank you, Master Lin!" Yan Bugui snorted, turned around and went home, and the farce finally subsided. Seeing that there was no more excitement to watch, the neighbors gradually dispersed, praising Lin Chen for doing the right thing, for following the rules and not showing favoritism.
Liu Haizhong patted Lin Chen on the shoulder: "Master Lin, you really know how to handle things. This Yan Bugui is a shrewd operator. If we don't teach him a lesson, he won't know the meaning of rules." Lin Chen smiled: "We're neighbors, so I'll help if I can, but we can't break the rules."
At nine o'clock in the morning, Lin Chen took Liu Guangtian to the forging workshop of the steel rolling mill. As soon as they entered, Director Zhou Jianguo greeted them with a smile: "Lin Chen, you've finally arrived! I have good news for you. The factory has decided to have you lead the development of a new type of forging die. If it succeeds, you'll be highly commended!"
Lin Chen's eyes lit up: "A new type of mold? What kind of part is it for?" Zhou Jianguo pulled him into the office and took out a drawing: "Look, this is a gear part for a military order. The precision requirements are extremely high. Our existing molds simply cannot meet the standards, and we've already scrapped three batches of materials. The factory has studied it, and only you have the ability to overcome this problem."
Lin Chen took the blueprints and examined them carefully. The tolerance for these gears was within 0.01 millimeters, ten times more precise than the parts they had forged before. He pondered for a moment, his mind already beginning to conceive the structure of the mold. Suddenly, a system notification popped up: "High-precision gear forging requirement detected. 500 points can be consumed to unlock the 'Precision Mold Design Blueprint.' Unlock now?"
Lin Chen was overjoyed and immediately chose to unlock it. A complete set of mold design drawings instantly appeared before his eyes, clearly marked from material selection to forging process. He looked up at Zhou Jianguo and said, "Director, I can handle it. But I need two materials: one is chromium-containing alloy steel, and the other is a high-temperature resistant ceramic coating material. I also need a high-precision milling machine."
Zhou Jianguo patted his chest and said, "The materials and equipment are no problem! I'll apply for them for you right away, and they'll be in place this afternoon. You can pick any manpower you need!" Lin Chen pointed to Liu Guangtian beside him: "Guangtian will do. He has a solid foundation, is hardworking, and can be a good assistant to me."
Liu Guangtian blushed with excitement and quickly said, "Thank you, Master! I will definitely do my best!" Zhou Jianguo smiled and said, "You have a good eye; Guangtian is indeed a promising young man. You all hurry up and get ready; we'll start working this afternoon when the materials arrive."
Back in the workshop, Lin Chen explained the design concept of the mold to Liu Guangtian: "The core of this mold lies in the precision of the mold cavity. We first forge the mold blank with alloy steel, then machine the mold cavity with a milling machine, and finally apply a ceramic coating to improve its high-temperature resistance. The key step is the machining of the mold cavity, and the error cannot exceed 0.005 millimeters." He took out paper and pen and drew a detailed structural diagram of the mold, marking the dimensions of each part.
Liu Guangtian diligently took notes, asking questions whenever he encountered something he didn't understand. Lin Chen patiently explained everything, from the properties of the materials to the processing techniques, leaving no detail unexplained. He knew that giving a man a fish is not as good as teaching him how to fish; only by truly teaching Liu Guangtian the skills could the boy go further.
At 2 PM, the materials and milling machine arrived at the workshop on time. Lin Chen first inspected the alloy steel to confirm that the material met the requirements, and then began forging the blank. He personally operated the forging press, while Liu Guangtian helped adjust the parameters. The high-temperature steel blank gradually took shape under the forging press. With his years of experience and the assistance of the system, Lin Chen precisely controlled the forging force and temperature to ensure that the blank had a uniform density.
After forging, Lin Chen guided Liu Guangtian to operate the milling machine to machine the mold cavity. This was the most crucial step, and Lin Chen personally taught Liu Guangtian how to adjust the milling machine's precision. Each rotation of the scale required repeated measurements. "The milling machine's feed rate must be controlled at 0.01 millimeters per revolution, and the speed cannot exceed 300 revolutions per minute, otherwise it will affect the machining accuracy," Lin Chen explained while operating the machine. "Look at this vernier caliper. When measuring, you must handle it gently, and when reading the value, your line of sight must be perpendicular to the scale line to ensure accurate readings."
Liu Guangtian studied with exceptional focus, his eyes glued to the milling machine's cutting edge, adjusting the parameters according to Lin Chen's instructions. Sweat streamed down his forehead, dripping onto the control panel, but he remained oblivious. The mold cavity wasn't finished machining until six in the evening. After measuring it with a high-precision micrometer, Lin Chen nodded in satisfaction: "Error 0.003 millimeters, meets requirements."
Next came applying the ceramic coating. Lin Chen evenly applied the ceramic coating to the inner wall of the mold cavity, then placed it in a high-temperature furnace to bake. During the baking process, he and Liu Guangtian sat in the workshop's rest area, eating steamed buns they had bought from the canteen. Liu Guangtian took a bite of his bun and said, "Master, today I truly understand what it means to strive for perfection. I used to think that forging was just about making the shape, but I never imagined the precision requirements were so high."
Lin Chen smiled and said, "Forging is the foundation of industry. The precision of each part is related to the performance of the entire equipment. Just like these gears, if the precision is not enough, they will jam when installed in the machine, or even cause damage to the equipment. So no matter what you do, you must have a meticulous attitude." He looked at Liu Guangtian, "You are very talented. As long as you persevere, you will definitely surpass me in the future."
Liu Guangtian nodded vigorously: "Master, I will definitely study hard! In the future, I want to be like you, developing new types of molds and contributing to the factory!"
At 8 PM, the ceramic coating was baked successfully. Lin Chen removed the mold, allowed it to cool, and then proceeded with the final assembly. When the mold was finally displayed, his colleagues in the workshop gathered around, exclaiming in admiration. Zhou Jianguo also rushed over, carefully inspected the mold, and excitedly said, "That's fantastic! Lin Chen, you're a true hero to our factory! We'll start trial production tomorrow. If it's successful, I'll personally petition the factory management for recognition on your behalf!"
It was almost ten o'clock when Lin Chen returned to the courtyard house. Just as he reached the door, he saw Yan Jiekuang standing under a streetlamp, holding a notebook. "Master Lin, you're back," Yan Jiekuang said somewhat awkwardly. "I've been waiting for you for ages. I wanted to ask you what you're learning tomorrow night so I could prepare in advance."
Lin Chen was a little surprised, then smiled: "Come in with me, I'll highlight the key points for you." He hadn't expected Yan Jiekuang to be so attentive; it seemed the boy really wanted to learn a trade. Once inside, Lin Chen took out an old mechanical engineering textbook from his desk, opened it, and highlighted the key points for Yan Jiekuang: "Tomorrow night we'll learn the basic principles of mechanical drawing. Memorize these formulas and diagrams, and then I'll explain how to draw part drawings."
Yan Jiekuang took notes diligently, nodding occasionally. Watching his focused expression, Lin Chen recalled his own past life, when he first entered the factory, filled with a thirst for technical knowledge. He suddenly felt that perhaps he could change Yan Jiekuang's fate in this way, preventing him from repeating the mistakes of his past life.
After explaining the key points to Yan Jiekuang, it was almost 11 PM. Lin Chen saw Yan Jiekuang off and returned to his room. A system notification popped up: "Host's adherence to principles and rejection of personal feelings have helped Yan Jiekuang get on the right path, earning 800 points. Successfully developed a precision mold, unlocking the 'Advanced Forging Technology' skill, and the system level has been upgraded to level 9."
Lin Chen smiled as he looked at the system notification. He walked to the window, opened it, and found the courtyard silent except for a few distant barks. Moonlight streamed onto the green tiles of the courtyard house, casting a soft glow. He knew that he had not only changed Liu Guangtian's fate, but perhaps many more. And all of this was not due to any opportunistic manipulation of the system, but rather to his own hard work and unwavering principles.
The next morning, trial production began at the steel rolling mill. Lin Chen's mold design lived up to expectations; the forged gears met all the precision requirements, achieving a 100% pass rate. Zhou Jianguo excitedly hugged Lin Chen: "Lin Chen, you've done a fantastic job! If this order is completed, our factory will receive a huge bonus!"
The news quickly spread throughout the entire steel rolling mill, and Lin Chen's name once again became the focus of everyone's discussion. At lunchtime, Xu Damao approached with his lunchbox, a fawning smile on his face: "Master Lin, congratulations! I heard your mold development was successful, that's amazing! You mentioned before that the workshop needed someone to watch the furnace, I'd like to give it a try, what do you think?"
Lin Chen looked at Xu Damao, recalling how he had given Liu Guangtian candy yesterday, and nodded: "Okay, but you have to promise me that you won't slack off during work hours, and you definitely won't take anything from the workshop. If something goes wrong, I can't protect you."
Xu Damao nodded quickly: "Don't worry, Master Lin! I promise I'll work hard and never make the same mistakes again!"
In the afternoon, the factory's commendation decision came down: Lin Chen was awarded a major merit, a cash reward of 200 yuan, and promoted to foreman of the precision forging group, enjoying the treatment of a level seven worker. When the news reached the courtyard, it once again caused a stir. Liu Haizhong pulled Lin Chen aside, insisting that he come to his house for drinks to celebrate that evening; Yi Zhonghai also brought over a pair of his treasured precision measuring tools; Qin Huairu brought over a bowl of freshly stewed chicken soup, saying it was to nourish Lin Chen's body.
Looking at his warm-hearted neighbors, Lin Chen felt a surge of warmth in his heart. He knew that he had finally truly established himself in this courtyard. And all of this was not due to the power of the system, but to his own skills and unwavering principles. Watching Liu Guangtian helping Yan Jiekuang with his homework, and seeing Yan Jiekuang diligently taking notes, he suddenly understood that the meaning of his rebirth was not only for revenge and survival, but also to use his abilities to help more people, to make this courtyard, and this era, a better place.
That evening, Liu Haizhong's main room was filled with food and wine. Neighbors from the courtyard all came, raising their glasses in celebration, laughter echoing throughout the entire courtyard. Yan Bugui also arrived, raising his glass to Lin Chen, and said apologetically, "Master Lin, I was confused before. Thank you for teaching me the skills of Jie Kuang. If you need any help in the future, please don't hesitate to ask."
Lin Chen took the wine glass and clinked it with his: "Teacher Yan, you're too kind. We're neighbors, it's only right that we help each other out."
Moonlight streamed into the courtyard, illuminating the smiles on everyone's faces. Lin Chen knew this was only one stage of his rebirth, and many more challenges awaited him in the future.