bayedsolid Chapter 70: Model Worker Sets a Trap for Newcomer, Skilled Craftsman Breaks the Trap and Reveals His
Chapter 70: Model Worker Sets a Trap for Newcomer, Skilled Craftsman Breaks the Trap and Reveals His
November in Beijing was a full-blown winter. The frosty wind of the early morning swept over the walls of the Hongxing Courtyard, making the bare branches of the old locust tree in the corner whistle. Lin Chen woke up at the crack of dawn, and as soon as he put on his work clothes and pushed open the door, he saw the door to the east wing ajar. Yi Zhonghai's figure swayed behind the door. When he saw him come out, he immediately came to greet him with an enamel mug.
"Good morning, Xiao Lin. I just made some millet porridge with some red dates, to warm you up." Yi Zhonghai's face was beaming with a smile rarely seen on his face. The enamel mug was still steaming when he handed it over, and the sweet aroma of red dates mixed with the fragrance of rice wafted into his nostrils. Lin Chen's gaze swept over the rim of the mug—this was Yi Zhonghai's most treasured "Factory-Level Model Worker" commemorative mug, which even Aunt Yi usually couldn't bear to use, but today he was using it to serve porridge to an outsider.
"Uncle Yi, you're too kind. I cooked some sweet potato porridge myself." Lin Chen stepped aside, his fingertips accidentally touching the side of the jar. It was very hot, obviously freshly ladled out and specially prepared for this occasion. He glanced at the tightly closed window of the east wing, where Aunt Yi's shadow was faintly reflected on the window paper. It seemed that this "heartwarming scene" was something the old couple had planned.
Yi Zhonghai's smile froze for a moment, then quickly returned to normal. He shoved the enamel mug into Lin Chen's hand: "Don't mention it. We're neighbors, it's only right that we look out for each other. You've just joined the precision group as a key member, you must be exhausted. These red dates are from the countryside in Hebei, I asked someone to get them for you, they're good for your blood and energy." As he spoke, he deliberately emphasized the words "key member," his eyes filled with inquiry.
Lin Chen took the enamel mug, his fingertips touching the words "Model Worker of 1958" engraved on the bottom, and he sneered inwardly. In his past life, he knew that Yi Zhonghai was most adept at using this kind of "elderly concern" to get close to people. He had done the same thing to Sha Zhu back then—a bowl of porridge, a word of concern—slowly binding him to the chariot of retirement. He lifted the lid, scooped a spoonful of porridge, and smiled, "Thank you very much, Uncle Yi. I'll have my hometown send some walnuts over later to nourish your brain."
These words struck a chord with Yi Zhonghai. His eyes flickered for a moment, then he began to chat casually: "Your hometown is in the Northeast, right? The winters there are even colder. Let me tell you, back when I was helping build a steel plant in the Northeast, I was still working in the workshop when it was minus thirty degrees Celsius. I won the first Model Worker award based on my skills." He patted his chest and boasted, emphasizing his technical authority and seniority in every word.
Lin Chen listened and responded, glancing out of the corner of his eye as he saw the gate to the central courtyard open. Qin Huairu came out carrying Jia Huaihua to empty the water for washing their faces. Seeing the two of them talking at the door, she paused, then quietly retreated. It seemed that after Sha Zhu stopped providing for her, she had really become much more restrained, even lacking the courage to come over and talk to him.
"By the way, Lin," Yi Zhonghai changed the subject, finally getting to the point, "Is the workshop rushing to produce a batch of high-precision gears? I heard there are some problems with the blueprints, and several experienced workers aren't confident. You're young and quick-witted, so if you encounter any difficulties, just come to me. My skills as an eighth-grade fitter are no joke." He extended an olive branch, waiting for Lin Chen to take the bait.
Lin Chen's heart skipped a beat; they had indeed come. He had just received a notice from the workshop director yesterday to process a batch of gears for military units, with a tolerance requirement of no more than 0.01 millimeters—a real tough nut to crack. Yi Zhonghai was trying to use helping him solve a technical problem to establish a "mentor-apprentice relationship," hoping to eventually secure his retirement. He feigned hesitation and said, "Yes, the blueprints are indeed a bit complicated, and I'm currently struggling with them. But it's not good to keep troubling you; you're getting on in years and should rest more."
"Hey, it's only when you get old that you should still contribute your remaining energy!" Seeing that he had relented, Yi Zhonghai immediately said, "How about this, I'll come to your house tonight, and we'll study the blueprints together. Don't worry, I won't accept any apprenticeship gifts from you. I just think you're a promising young man and want to give you a helping hand." He patted Lin Chen on the shoulder, his tone full of "sincerity".
Just as Lin Chen was about to speak, he heard Liu Haizhong's cursing voice coming from the backyard: "Liu Guangfu, you little brat! I asked you to get me a steamed bun, and you're dawdling like that! Do you want your father to starve to death?!" Then came Aunt Liu's voice trying to mediate, and Liu Guangtian's low voice comforting his younger brother. Yi Zhonghai frowned, muttered "brute" under his breath, and said to Lin Chen, "Ignore him, we'll talk tonight."
Upon arriving at the workshop, Lin Chen had just placed the enamel mug on his workstation when Liu Guangtian approached, holding a forged part in his hand: "Director Lin, look at this! I tried the 'residual heat forging method' you mentioned, and the scrap rate really dropped!" His face was full of excitement, and his eyes shone with a thirst for technology.
Lin Chen picked up the part and used the system to check it. The precision had improved by 0.01 millimeters compared to last time. He nodded in satisfaction, "Not bad, you've improved quickly. The key to this method is mastering the timing. With a little more practice, you'll become proficient." He handed the part to Liu Guangtian and then took out the blueprint for the high-precision gear. "Take a look at this. Can you figure out the trick?"
Liu Guangtian took the blueprints and examined them intently, his brows furrowing deeper and deeper: "The tolerance requirements are too strict. Our workshop's machine tools probably can't meet the precision requirements. Moreover, the tooth profile design is very special, making it prone to deformation during forging." He pointed out the key issue, which was consistent with Lin Chen's assessment.
"I know, so I plan to improve the forging die," Lin Chen said. "Using alloy materials to enhance the die's rigidity, plus a water-cooling system to control the temperature, should solve the deformation problem." He sketched as he spoke, marking his ideas. Liu Guangtian's eyes lit up, nodding repeatedly: "That's a great idea! How come I didn't think of that before?"
As the two were discussing, workshop foreman Zhou Jianguo walked over, followed by Yi Zhonghai. Zhou Jianguo held blueprints in his hand, his expression somewhat serious: "Xiao Lin, Master Yi said he has experience in processing this gear and came specifically to give you some guidance."
Yi Zhonghai immediately stepped forward, took the blueprint, and pretended to look at it. He said, "Little Zhou, I've seen similar blueprints when I was helping with construction in Northeast China. The key is the grinding after forging. Ordinary grinding wheels won't work; you have to use diamond grinding wheels. And the grinding has to be done in three stages, with different pressure each time." He spoke eloquently, and even Zhou Jianguo nodded repeatedly.
Lin Chen knew that Yi Zhonghai was referring to the old Chinese almanac. Diamond grinding wheels could indeed improve precision, but for this special tooth shape, simple grinding was insufficient and extremely inefficient. He didn't refute him immediately, but simply smiled and said, "Master Yi is very experienced and makes a lot of sense. I plan to improve the mold first, and then try the grinding method you mentioned."
Seeing that Lin Chen didn't refute, Yi Zhonghai assumed that he had intimidated him and said smugly, "Young people are indeed clever and quick to understand. Here's what we'll do: I'll go to the warehouse this afternoon to find you some diamond grinding wheels, and we'll discuss the mold in detail tonight." He patted Lin Chen on the shoulder and gave Zhou Jianguo a wink, as if to say, "See how much I take care of the young man."
Zhou Jianguo smiled with satisfaction: "With Master Yi's help, I'm relieved. This batch of goods is urgent and must be delivered by the end of the month. You all need to cooperate well, and I'll report your achievements once it's completed!" After saying that, he turned and left. Yi Zhonghai watched Zhou Jianguo's back, said a few more words of "do a good job" to Lin Chen, and then slowly returned to his workstation.
Liu Guangtian leaned close to Lin Chen and whispered, "Director Lin, Master Yi's method won't work. I've tried similar methods before, and the tooth shape easily deforms during polishing." He was worried that Lin Chen might actually take the wrong path by listening to Yi Zhonghai's advice.
"I know, he just wants to show his authority," Lin Chen said in a low voice. "This afternoon, come with me to the scrap heap and see if we can find any suitable alloy scrap. Let's make the mold first. Let him look for the diamond grinding wheel if he wants; it'll buy us some time." Liu Guangtian nodded, understanding Lin Chen's intentions.
In the afternoon, Lin Chen and Liu Guangtian went to the scrap heap behind the workshop, where various discarded parts and materials were piled up, and no one usually wanted to come here. Lin Chen opened the system and activated the "material analysis" function, and quickly found several pieces of chromium-containing alloy scrap. This material is rigid and resistant to high temperatures, making it perfect for making molds.
"This is it," Lin Chen said, pointing to the scrap pieces. "Go and move them over there, we'll start smelting them." Liu Guangtian was strong, so he picked up the scrap pieces and headed towards the smelting furnace. After taking a few steps, he saw Yan Bugui carrying an abacus, followed by his third son, Yan Jiekuang.
"Director Lin, what are you looking for?" Yan Bugui asked, adjusting his glasses. He had no classes this afternoon and had come specifically to see if he could help with a batch of important parts that the workshop was rushing to complete. Ever since he received praise for helping the workshop calculate costs last time, he felt that using his arithmetic skills to help the workshop was much more meaningful than scheming against his children at home.
"Let's find some alloy scrap to make molds," Lin Chen said. "Teacher Yan, you've come at the right time. Could you help us calculate the material utilization rate of this batch of molds? We want to save as much material as possible."
Yan Bugui's eyes lit up, and he immediately said, "No problem! Tell me the dimensions of the mold, and I'll calculate it for you clearly, ensuring that not a single piece of material is wasted." He asked Yan Jiekuang to bring out paper and pen, while he fiddled with the abacus, the clattering sound of the abacus echoing beside the pile of scrap.
Lin Chen told Yan Bugui the dimensions of the mold, and Yan Bugui listened and took notes, calculating rapidly on his abacus. In no time, he calculated the result: "According to these dimensions, each mold requires 1.2 kilograms of material. If we utilize the scraps, we can save another 0.1 kilograms, achieving a utilization rate of 92%." The figures he gave were incredibly accurate, and even Lin Chen secretly admired them.
"That's great, thank you, Teacher Yan!" Lin Chen said. "Once this batch of parts is finished, I'll talk to the workshop director and ask him to apply for a reward for you." Yan Bugui smiled and waved his hands repeatedly, "No need, no need, it's good that I can help. Jie Kuang, you help Liu Guangtian move things, let's do our part too." Yan Jie Kuang was usually strictly controlled by his father, so he rarely had a chance to show his abilities. He immediately stepped forward to help Liu Guangtian move the scrap materials.
Working together, the group quickly melted down the waste material and poured it into a pre-made mold. The next step was cooling and polishing, a process that required patience and couldn't be rushed. Lin Chen instructed Liu Guangtian to monitor the cooling process while he returned to his workstation to prepare for Yi Zhonghai's "guidance" that evening.
As soon as he returned to his workstation, he saw Yi Zhonghai walking over with a diamond grinding wheel, a smug smile on his face: "Xiao Lin, look what I found for you! This is an imported diamond grinding wheel. I went to great lengths to get my hands on it back then, and I've always been reluctant to use it." He handed the grinding wheel to Lin Chen, waiting for Lin Chen's praise.
"Thank you so much, Uncle Yi. You've gone to so much trouble." Lin Chen took the grinding wheel and said, feigning surprise. He knew the grinding wheel was indeed a good thing, but it wasn't very useful for the molds they were currently making. However, since Yi Zhonghai had sent it, he couldn't refuse, and he could keep it for later use.
"Don't mention it, it's all for the sake of the workshop's tasks," Yi Zhonghai said. "I'll come to your house tonight, and we'll study the blueprints together and try to finalize the mold design as soon as possible." He thought Lin Chen had already acknowledged his position, and he was already planning how to use his "experience" to control Lin Chen that night.
After get off work, Lin Chen went home first and told his neighbor, Grandpa Wang, about his plan to discuss blueprints with Yi Zhonghai that evening. Grandpa Wang was a long-time resident of the compound, an honest man who disapproved of Yi Zhonghai's scheming ways. Lin Chen specifically told him to prevent Yi Zhonghai from playing any tricks that night.
Just as I finished making dinner, I heard a knock on the door. Yi Zhonghai walked in carrying a cloth bag containing blueprints and a pen. "Xiao Lin, are you eating? I won't disturb your meal. Let's look at the blueprints first." He sat down at the table and spread out the blueprints.
Helpless, Lin Chen could only put down his chopsticks and sit opposite Yi Zhonghai. Yi Zhonghai picked up a pen and began to draw on the drawing, saying, "Look, the grinding of this tooth shape must start from the tip of the tooth. The thickness of each grinding should not exceed 0.005 millimeters, and it must be done clockwise to ensure accuracy." He spoke with great seriousness, as if he really had many years of experience.
Lin Chen looked at the marks Yi Zhonghai had drawn on the blueprints and chuckled inwardly. Yi Zhonghai's polishing path was completely contrary to the principles of mechanics; following his method, the resulting teeth would definitely be unevenly stressed and wouldn't meet the requirements at all. But Lin Chen didn't expose him on the spot; he simply nodded occasionally, pretending to listen attentively.
Just then, there was another knock on the door. Lin Chen opened it and saw He Yushui. She was holding a lunchbox and said, "Director Lin, my brother asked me to bring you some dumplings. He said you'll be studying blueprints tonight and won't have time to cook."
Yi Zhonghai's expression changed slightly when he saw He Yushui. He knew that He Yushui had always disapproved of his scheming against Sha Zhu, and her sudden appearance must mean she was worried about Lin Chen. He Yushui ignored Yi Zhonghai, handed the lunchbox to Lin Chen, and said, "Director Lin, my brother said you're a good person and asked me to remind you that some people seem to help on the surface, but actually have ulterior motives." After she finished speaking, she gave Yi Zhonghai a meaningful look, turned around, and left.
Yi Zhonghai's face flushed red and then paled, and he gave an awkward laugh: "This rain is getting more and more inconsiderate." Lin Chen opened the lunchbox, inside were steaming dumplings, still emitting a fragrant aroma. He knew that Sha Zhu was genuinely grateful to him, and felt a warmth in his heart.
"Uncle Yi, let's have some dumplings first, we can chat while we eat," Lin Chen said, pushing the dumplings in front of Yi Zhonghai. Yi Zhonghai was indeed hungry, and picked up his chopsticks to start eating. Lin Chen seized the opportunity to say, "Uncle Yi, this afternoon Liu Guangtian and I made a sample mold using a chromium-containing alloy. Could you take a look and see what you think?"
Yi Zhonghai put down his chopsticks and said, "Oh? You've finished making it? Take me to see it." He was a little surprised, not expecting Lin Chen to act so quickly. He originally thought Lin Chen would wait for his "guidance" before starting.
Lin Chen led Yi Zhonghai to the storage room in the courtyard, where he usually made things. He took out the mold sample he had just finished and handed it to Yi Zhonghai. Yi Zhonghai took the sample, touched it, and felt that it was very smooth and very rigid. He was secretly surprised; the quality of this sample was much better than he had imagined.
"The rigidity of this mold is indeed quite good, but I don't know if it can withstand the pressure during forging," Yi Zhonghai said, trying to appear calm. He still didn't want to admit that Lin Chen's skills were better than his.
"Don't worry about that. I've already done the pressure test, and it can withstand 1000 kilograms of pressure, which fully meets the requirements," Lin Chen said. "Moreover, I used the material utilization rate calculated by Teacher Yan to make use of all the scraps, saving a lot of materials."
Yi Zhonghai was even more surprised. He hadn't expected Lin Chen to not only solve the technical problem but also consider cost control. He held the mold sample, examining it from all angles, and suddenly said, "The cooling holes in this mold are in the wrong position, which can easily lead to uneven temperature distribution, causing it to deform during forging." He had finally found a flaw to nitpick.
Lin Chen had anticipated that Yi Zhonghai would nitpick, so he smiled and said, "Uncle Yi, I've already considered the issue you raised. I added a guide channel next to the cooling hole to allow the cooling water to be distributed evenly. Look here." He pointed to a small guide channel on the mold.
Yi Zhonghai took a closer look and indeed saw a tiny, ingeniously designed flow channel. He then realized that Lin Chen's technical level far exceeded his expectations, and he couldn't guide Lin Chen at all. His calculations had failed, and he felt somewhat disappointed; the mold sample in his hands suddenly felt heavy.
"Not bad, this design is ingenious." Yi Zhonghai had to admit that Lin Chen's skills were better than his. "It seems I'm getting old and can't keep up with the thinking of young people anymore." He sighed, a look of dejection on his face.
"Uncle Yi, you are very experienced, and there are many things we can learn from you," Lin Chen said. He didn't want to make things too awkward, after all, Yi Zhonghai still had a certain prestige in the workshop.
Just then, Jia Zhangshi's cough came from the courtyard gate, followed by Qin Huairu's voice: "Mom, walk slowly, don't fall." Lin Chen and Yi Zhonghai came out of the storage room and saw Jia Zhangshi being supported by Qin Huairu, her face pale and coughing incessantly.
"What happened?" Lin Chen asked. He knew that Jia Zhangshi had asthma, which was prone to flare-ups in winter, so it seemed that she had caught a chill earlier.
"I went to the street to buy coal just now and got caught in the wind, which triggered my asthma," Qin Huairu said, her face full of anxiety. "I've run out of medicine at home, and I was just thinking of asking Shazhu to help me buy some." She no longer dared to scheme against Shazhu like before, and could only sincerely ask him for help.
Yi Zhonghai frowned. He was in dire straits himself and had no intention of getting involved in the Jia family's affairs. Lin Chen felt a pang of pity seeing Jia Zhangshi's distress and said, "I have a bottle of cough and asthma medicine here, sent from my hometown. You can take it to her first." He turned and went back into the house to get the medicine, then handed it to Qin Huairu.
Qin Huairu took the medicine and said gratefully, "Thank you, Director Lin. You are such a good person. If you ever need anything in the future, just let me know, and I will definitely help if I can." She was truly grateful to Lin Chen now. She used to think that Lin Chen was difficult to get along with, but now she realized that Lin Chen was one of the few people in the hospital who genuinely cared about others.
After taking the medicine, Jia Zhangshi's cough gradually subsided. She glanced at Lin Chen, wanting to say something, but ultimately remained silent. She used to always scheme against Lin Chen, but now she was receiving his kindness, and felt somewhat ashamed.
Watching this scene, Yi Zhonghai felt a mix of emotions. He had spent his entire life scheming, trying to find a reliable source of support in his old age, but he had always met with setbacks; while Lin Chen, on the other hand, treated people with sincerity and won everyone's respect. He suddenly realized that his previous thinking was wrong; old age is not something that can be obtained through scheming, but rather through sincerity begetting sincerity.
"Xiao Lin, I'm going back," Yi Zhonghai said, his tone devoid of its previous calculation, replaced by a hint of melancholy. He turned and walked away, his back appearing somewhat hunched in the moonlight. Lin Chen watched his retreating figure, knowing that Yi Zhonghai must be feeling terrible, but there was nothing he could do; he had chosen his own path.
Qin Huairu helped Jia Zhangshi back home, and the courtyard returned to quiet. Lin Chen returned to the storage room, looking at the mold sample with satisfaction. He knew that as long as this mold could be put into use smoothly, this batch of gears could be delivered on time, and his position in the workshop would be more secure.
The next morning, Lin Chen brought the mold sample to the workshop and installed it on the forging machine. Zhou Jianguo and several experienced workers in the workshop gathered around to see if the mold would work. Liu Guangtian started the forging machine, and the high-temperature molten steel was poured into the mold, where it was shaped under pressure.
After cooling, Lin Chen opened the mold, and a perfectly intact gear blank was taken out. Measurements with a precision instrument showed that all indicators met the requirements, even exceeding those on the blueprint. Zhou Jianguo patted Lin Chen on the shoulder happily: "Lin, you're amazing! With this mold, we'll definitely be able to deliver on time!"
The experienced craftsmen also praised it, saying, "This mold design is ingenious; it's much better than the molds we used before!" and "Young Lin is so young, but his skills are truly exceptional. He'll definitely be more successful than Master Yi in the future!"
Yi Zhonghai stood in the crowd, listening to everyone's praise, feeling a pang of bitterness, but he had to admit that Lin Chen's skills were indeed better than his. He walked up to Lin Chen and said sincerely, "Lin, you're really capable, I admire you. From now on, if there are any technical problems in the workshop, I'll study them with you."
Lin Chen smiled and said, "Uncle Yi, you're too kind. Let's work together to improve the technical level of the workshop." He knew that Yi Zhonghai had finally put aside his scheming and genuinely wanted to cooperate with him.
At lunchtime, Sha Zhu came over with his lunchbox and sat down next to Lin Chen: "Director Lin, I heard you successfully made that mold? That's amazing! I knew you could do it." He now genuinely admired Lin Chen, not only for his excellent skills but also for his good character.
"It's all thanks to everyone's hard work," Lin Chen said. "By the way, the dumplings your sister brought yesterday were delicious, thank you."
Sha Zhu smiled and said, "No need to thank me, we're all neighbors. If you ever need anything, just tell me. I may not be the brightest, but I'm strong, and I'll definitely help if I can." He had finally come to his senses and was no longer being schemed against by Yi Zhonghai and the Jia family. He just wanted to make a good living with his skills and repair his relationship with his sister.
Yan Bugui also came over with his lunchbox and said, "Director Lin, I've done another calculation. Based on the material utilization rate of this mold, we can save 50 kilograms of steel for this batch of parts, which is more than 200 yuan!" His face was full of pride, feeling that he had made a contribution to the workshop.
"That's wonderful, Teacher Yan, you're truly our workshop's lucky charm!" Lin Chen said with a smile. Everyone sat together, chatting and laughing; the atmosphere in the workshop had never been so harmonious.
Looking at the sincere people around him, Lin Chen felt a surge of hope. He knew that as long as everyone worked together, relying on their own hands and skills, there was no difficulty they couldn't overcome. Yi Zhonghai's transformation also made him realize that everyone has a heart; if you treat others with sincerity, even the most calculating person can be moved.
In the afternoon, Lin Chen received good news: the factory decided to award their workshop a collective third-class merit and also give bonuses to those who participated in mold development. When Zhou Jianguo announced the news in the workshop, everyone cheered, and the workshop was filled with laughter and joy.
As the sun set, Lin Chen returned home from get off work, walking along the bluestone path of the courtyard. Moonlight streamed down, casting long shadows in the yard. He saw Yi Zhonghai helping Aunt Liu repair the window, Liu Haizhong teaching Liu Guangfu to read, Yan Bugui explaining arithmetic problems to the children, Qin Huairu sewing clothes in the yard, and Sha Zhu helping Aunt Li carry water.
This courtyard house, once filled with scheming and conflict, has finally found a touch of warmth and harmony.