Fusion System: Rebirth in a Courtyard - Bird Fighting Chronicles

Chapter 51: Apprentice Selection Breaks the Deadlock; Identifying Forgeries in the Illustrated Manua

In mid-September, a bright red apprenticeship selection notice was posted at the entrance of the Hongxing Steel Rolling Mill, instantly igniting enthusiasm throughout the factory area. The notice stated that, in order to cultivate technical backbone personnel, the factory had decided to select 10 apprentices from temporary workers and unemployed youth in the workshops. These apprentices would be assigned to core workshops such as forging and fitting, personally mentored by level eight technicians, and would directly enjoy the benefits of a level three technician upon becoming full-fledged employees. When the news reached the Hongxing courtyard, Liu Haizhong's family in the middle courtyard was the first to erupt in excitement.

"Dad, I want to sign up!" Liu Guangtian clutched a copy of the announcement, his voice trembling with excitement. He'd been a temporary worker in the workshop for almost two years, doing the hardest manual labor every day, and had long hoped to be promoted to a permanent position and learn a skill. Liu Haizhong squatted on the doorstep, smoking his pipe, his brow furrowed. "Sign up for what? Your brother Guangfu signed up last year, and he didn't even pass the preliminary test. The selection process involves both theory and practical skills. You didn't even finish elementary school, do you think you can do it?"

"This time is different!" Liu Guangtian pulled out a worn-out manual from his pocket. "I've memorized the 'Introduction to Forging Basics' that Master Lin gave me, and he even taught me to read blueprints. Last week, I secretly practiced polishing parts, and Master Lin said I had a good feel for it." Liu Haizhong's expression softened a bit when Lin Chen was mentioned. Ever since he was demoted for embezzling scrap metal, he had been unable to hold his head up in the yard and workshop. Only Lin Chen had helped him out—not only giving Liu Guangtian technical guidance but also praising Liu Guangtian's efficiency to Director Zhou.

Aunt Liu came out of the kitchen carrying a bowl of corn porridge, and sighed, "Old Liu, Guangtian is much more reliable than Guangfu. He's been staying up all night studying for the past six months. Just let him give it a try. If it doesn't work out, consider it an opportunity to broaden his horizons." Liu Haizhong took a deep drag on his pipe, the pipe clattering loudly against the sole of his shoe. "He can try, but he can't ask Lin Chen for help. No matter how poor our Liu family is, we can't always rely on others for support." Although he said this, he knew in his heart that without Lin Chen's guidance, Liu Guangtian wouldn't even be qualified to register.

That afternoon, when Liu Guangtian went to the labor and personnel department to register, he ran into Jia Geng. Jia Geng, clutching the registration fee given to him by Qin Huairu, held his head high: "Liu Guangtian, you dare to register? My mother said that Master Yi will put in a good word for me, and I'm sure I'll get an apprentice spot this time." Liu Guangtian ignored him; he had long been fed up with Jia Geng's arrogant attitude, relying on the power of Qin Huairu and Yi Zhonghai.

After registration closed, Liu Guangtian went to the forging workshop to find Lin Chen. Lin Chen was instructing workers on installing the improved forging equipment, fine beads of sweat glistening on his forehead. "Master Lin, I've registered," Liu Guangtian said, handing him a bottle of cool water. "But I'm not confident. The theory exam tests mechanical principles, and there are many parts I don't understand." Lin Chen took the water, took a sip, and smiled, saying, "Don't worry, I'll give you a crash course tonight. The theory questions are all basic; the focus is on the stress analysis of parts and the proper use of tools. I'll highlight the key points for you."

This scene was witnessed by Yi Zhonghai, who was not far away. The wrench in his hand clattered to the ground. Ever since Lin Chen took the lead in the technological innovation project, his status in the workshop had plummeted. Several old technicians who used to be close to him were now all fawning over Lin Chen. What angered him even more was that Qin Huairu had asked him to pull strings for Jia Geng, but now he couldn't even get an audience with the head of the labor and personnel department. "That kid Lin Chen, he's really getting better and better at winning people over," Yi Zhonghai gritted his teeth, a sinister glint in his eyes.

That evening, Lin Chen was explaining mechanical principles to Liu Guangtian when Qin Huairu's voice came from outside the courtyard gate. She stood at the door, carrying a basket of freshly steamed cornbread, nervously rubbing her hands. "Junior Brother Lin, could I trouble you for a moment? Jia Geng has signed up for the apprentice selection, but he doesn't know a single theoretical question. Could you…?" "No," Lin Chen interrupted her directly. "The selection must be fair. I'm helping Liu Guangtian because he's willing to learn, staying up late every night to study and practice. And Jia Geng? In the past six months, besides stealing from his neighbors, has he done anything worthwhile?"

Qin Huairu's face flushed red and then paled, tears welling in her eyes. "Junior Brother Lin," she pleaded, "I know our family wronged you before, but Jia Geng is just a child. If he can become an apprentice, he can work honestly from now on. Please, for the sake of our neighbors, help him this once." Liu Guangtian couldn't stand it anymore. "Aunt Qin," he said, "last time you let Jia Geng steal Master Lin's blueprints. Luckily, Master Lin discovered it early, or he would have been fired long ago. Now you're trying to use connections? That's too much!"

Qin Huairu was speechless and turned to run home. Lin Chen watched her retreating figure and sighed, "It's not that I don't want to help, it's just that Jia Geng is simply not cut out for technical studies. Focus on your studies and don't let this affect you." Liu Guangtian nodded, knowing that Lin Chen genuinely cared for him, and took out his notebook to carefully note the key points Lin Chen had highlighted.

Three days later, in the theory exam, Liu Guangtian, relying on the key points highlighted by Lin Chen and the rote memorization of the manual, actually ranked seventh and successfully entered the practical assessment. Jia Geng, on the other hand, failed the theory exam. Qin Huairu was so angry that she cried for half a day at home. When Jia Zhangshi heard about this at the quarry, she threatened to go on a hunger strike, but was severely reprimanded by the guards before she calmed down.

The practical assessment involved grinding a high-precision gasket with a tolerance of no more than 0.05 millimeters. Yi Zhonghai and Lin Chen were the examiners. When it was Liu Guangtian's turn, his palms were sweaty with nervousness, and his hands trembled as he picked up the sandpaper. Lin Chen stood beside him and whispered, "Find a reference surface first. Apply even pressure while grinding. Use a micrometer to measure several times." Liu Guangtian took a deep breath and began grinding bit by bit, following Lin Chen's instructions.

Yi Zhonghai watched coldly from the sidelines, plotting how to make Liu Guangtian fail. After Liu Guangtian finished polishing, Yi Zhonghai picked up a micrometer and measured it, deliberately saying, "Tolerance 0.06 millimeters, unacceptable." Liu Guangtian was almost in tears: "Impossible! I just measured 0.04 millimeters!" Lin Chen walked over, took the micrometer, and measured again, discovering that the micrometer had been tampered with; the scale was off by 0.02 millimeters. "Master Yi, your micrometer is inaccurate." Lin Chen took out his own micrometer, measured again, and it showed a tolerance of 0.04 millimeters, "Acceptable."

Yi Zhonghai's face turned pale and then red; he hadn't expected Lin Chen to expose his little trick on the spot. The surrounding examiners and candidates gossiped amongst themselves, further damaging Yi Zhonghai's prestige. Ultimately, Liu Guangtian was admitted with the eighth-highest score and assigned to the forging workshop, becoming Lin Chen's apprentice.

When the news reached the courtyard, Liu Haizhong's hands trembled as he held the acceptance letter. He squatted in the yard smoking all afternoon, and in the evening, he had Aunt Liu stew a pot of pork and cabbage, which he personally brought to Lin Chen's house. "Little Lin, I was wrong before. I treated you badly and even went against you." Liu Haizhong put down the bowl and lowered his head, a rare occurrence for him. "Guang Tian was able to pass the apprenticeship exam entirely thanks to your help. You must accept this bowl of meat."

Lin Chen quickly stood up: "Master Liu, you're too kind. Guangtian was able to pass the exam mainly because of his own hard work. We'll be working in the same workshop from now on, so it's only right that we help each other out." Liu Haizhong sighed: "I used to always think about promotions and neglected my family. After Guangqi ran away, I realized that raising my child well is the most important thing. From now on, Guangtian is in your care. If he doesn't do well, feel free to scold him."

From then on, Liu Haizhong's attitude completely changed. He stopped flaunting his official power and stopped beating and scolding his wife and children. Every day after get off work, he would go home to help his wife with housework and even volunteered to help the neighbors with repairs. The neighbors in the courtyard all said that Liu Haizhong seemed like a completely different person. Lin Chen knew that this meant Liu Haizhong had finally woken up, and his former obsession with officialdom had finally been diluted by his son's future.

Having resolved Liu Haizhong's issue, Lin Chen devoted all his energy to the technological innovation project. After more than a month of hard work, the improvement of the forging equipment was finally completed. During trial operation, production efficiency increased by 40% and the scrap rate decreased by 60%. Director Zhou was overjoyed and immediately reported to the factory management to commend Lin Chen.

Just then, the factory received a report alleging that Lin Chen had used substandard alloy materials during equipment improvements, posing a safety hazard. The report was anonymous, but Lin Chen immediately recognized it as being written by Yi Zhonghai—only Yi Zhonghai and he knew the model of the alloy material mentioned in the letter.

The factory immediately formed an investigation team, led by the deputy factory director, to conduct a comprehensive inspection of the improved equipment. Yi Zhonghai fanned the flames in front of the investigation team: "The alloy material that Lin Chen used was bought from the black market and does not meet national standards at all. If the equipment malfunctions, the consequences will be unimaginable." Lin Chen did not defend himself, but simply produced a material analysis chart—a newly unlocked function of his system that could clearly display the composition and properties of the material.

The graph showed that the alloy material used by Lin Chen not only met national standards, but also exceeded some of the requirements. After reviewing the graph, the experts on the investigation team praised Lin Chen highly: "Master Lin, your material analysis is incredibly accurate, even more detailed than the tests in our factory laboratory." The deputy factory director also looked at Lin Chen with new respect: "Lin, you not only have excellent technical skills, but you also understand materials analysis. You are truly a rare talent."

Yi Zhonghai's scheme failed again, and he was severely criticized by the deputy factory director, who said he was "jealous of talent and disruptive to workshop unity." After this incident, Lin Chen's position in the factory became more secure, and the factory decided to promote him to deputy director of the forging workshop, in charge of technological innovation.

After his promotion, Lin Chen did not become arrogant or complacent; instead, he worked even harder. He utilized the system to integrate "mechanical design manuals and workshop production data" to develop a completely new production process, which increased the workshop's production efficiency by 20%. At the same time, he also took on three apprentices, including Liu Guangtian, patiently teaching them the skills and quickly earning their respect.

During the lunch break, Sha Zhu came to find Lin Chen, carrying a lunchbox. "Director Lin, congratulations on your promotion! This is braised pork ribs I made for you, try my cooking." Lin Chen took the lunchbox and smiled, saying, "Chef Sha Zhu, your skills are wasted in the cafeteria. If there's a chance in the future, I'll help you apply for a transfer to the logistics department as head chef." Sha Zhu's eyes lit up: "Really? I'd love to!"

As the two were talking, Yan Bugui walked in with an account book, his face beaming with excitement: "Director Lin, great news! Our workshop's bonuses for this month have been paid out, and the average person got five yuan more than last month! This is all thanks to your equipment improvements." Lin Chen smiled and said, "This is the result of everyone's hard work. You also worked hard organizing the ledgers. Tonight, I'll treat everyone to a meal at a restaurant, let's go to Quanjude on Qianmen Street."

Yan Bugui's eyes lit up: "Great! I've been wanting to try Quanjude's roast duck for ages. I've calculated it, there are 25 people in our workshop, including the apprentices. At 1.5 yuan per person, that's 37.5 yuan in total. I'll go tell everyone, and I promise they'll all be there on time!" Watching Yan Bugui rush out, Lin Chen and Sha Zhu both laughed.

Everyone enjoyed the Peking duck feast at Quanjude that evening. Liu Guangtian, holding a wine glass, bowed respectfully to Lin Chen: "Master, thank you for teaching me. I will definitely study hard and live up to your expectations." Lin Chen patted him on the shoulder: "Work hard. Once your skills are solid, that's more important than anything else." Liu Haizhong also came over with a wine glass and clinked it with Lin Chen's: "Xiao Lin, I apologize for what happened before. If there's anything in the workshop, just let me know."

As the banquet was drawing to a close, Lin Chen received a call from the neighborhood committee, informing him that Jia Zhangshi had been released a month early for good behavior at the quarry and that her family could come to pick her up. Lin Chen immediately called Qin Huairu, who was both happy and worried after receiving the call—happy that her mother-in-law was finally coming back, but worried that Jia Zhangshi might cause trouble upon her return.

The next day, Qin Huairu went to the quarry to pick up Jia Zhangshi. When Jia Zhangshi came out, she had lost weight, her hands were covered in calluses, and she no longer had her former arrogance. Seeing Qin Huairu, tears streamed down her face: "Daughter, I was wrong. I'll never steal again, I'll never cause trouble again." Qin Huairu also cried: "Mother, let's go home and live a good life. I'll go to work, the children will go to school, and things will get better."

After returning to the courtyard house, Jia Zhangshi indeed became much more well-behaved. She spent her days helping Qin Huairu take care of the children and cook, and even voluntarily helped the neighbors clean their yards. Aunt Liu remarked, "She's truly reformed after a period of reformation." Lin Chen, however, didn't think so. He knew Jia Zhangshi was only temporarily restrained; given the chance, she would definitely revert to her old ways. He secretly used the system to install an anti-theft device at the gate of his own yard, just in case.

Sure enough, a few days later, Lin Chen discovered that Jia Zhangshi was secretly observing his window, as if she were trying to find out something. Lin Chen remained calm and deliberately placed a bag of flour on the windowsill. That night, Jia Zhangshi indeed sneaked to Lin Chen's window. Just as she was about to reach for the flour, her hand got tangled in the wire of the security device, causing her to cry out in pain.

The lights in the courtyard instantly turned on, and everyone gathered around to see what was happening. They found Jia Zhangshi squatting on the ground with her arms crossed, the flour still on the windowsill. "Jia Zhangshi, you've stolen again!" Aunt Li scolded angrily, "You've only just come out of the labor camp and you're still the same!" Jia Zhangshi quickly defended herself, "I didn't steal anything, I just wanted to ask Lin Chen if he needed help grinding the flour."

Lin Chen took out the video recording from the anti-theft device—it was taken using a simple surveillance system integrated with the system, and it clearly recorded the entire process of Jia Zhangshi stealing. "Aunt Jia, the evidence is conclusive, so stop trying to deny it," Lin Chen said coldly. "If I catch you stealing again, I'll call the police and send you back to the quarry for another six months."

Madam Jia Zhang was terrified and turned pale. She immediately kowtowed to Lin Chen, "Master Lin, I was wrong. I will never dare to do it again. Please forgive me this time." Qin Huairu also knelt down immediately, "Junior Brother Lin, please give my mother another chance. I will definitely discipline her properly." Lin Chen looked at Qin Huairu's sincere eyes, then at Jia Xiaoxu, who was trembling with fear beside him, and finally sighed, "I'll give you one more chance. If you do it again, I will not tolerate it."

After this incident, Jia Zhangshi became completely honest and never dared to steal again. Qin Huairu also worked even harder, and seeing her diligence, the leaders of the logistics workshop transferred her to the warehouse to manage supplies, and her salary was also increased. The Jia family's life gradually improved, and they no longer had to rely on stealing and robbing to make a living.

Lin Chen's life also got back on track. His technological innovation project was recognized by the factory, and he was named "Technical Expert of the Year," receiving a bonus of five hundred yuan. He used the money to buy a brand-new bicycle and a sewing machine for his family, making all the neighbors in the courtyard envious.

That evening, Lin Chen was at home studying new technical blueprints when a notification suddenly popped up on the system panel: "Main quest 'Subduing Liu Haizhong and stabilizing the courtyard' completed, reward 5000 points, current points: 66500. New feature unlocked: Skill Fusion." Lin Chen nodded in satisfaction. The Skill Fusion feature would allow him to combine his forging and fitter skills, improving his overall technical level.

Just then, there was a knock at the gate. Lin Chen opened it and saw a middle-aged man he didn't recognize, dressed in a sharp Zhongshan suit and carrying a briefcase. "Are you Comrade Lin Chen?" the middle-aged man said with a smile. "I'm from the Municipal Bureau of Industry. I heard that you improved the forging equipment and increased production efficiency. I'd like to invite you to give a lecture to the technicians at other factories."

Lin Chen was taken aback, not expecting his technological achievements to attract the attention of the Municipal Bureau of Industry. "Of course," Lin Chen quickly invited the middle-aged man into the house. "I'm ready to give the lecture anytime, but I still have some technical details to refine." The middle-aged man smiled and said, "No problem, we'll give you a week to prepare. After the lecture, the bureau will also give you a bonus and recommend you to join the Municipal Technological Innovation Committee."

After seeing the middle-aged man off, Lin Chen was filled with excitement. He knew this was his chance to break free from the constraints of the courtyard house and step into a wider world. He opened the system panel, looked at the points and new features, and secretly vowed to seize this opportunity and carve out his own niche in the field of technology.

However, what Lin Chen didn't know was that after learning he was going to give a lecture in the city, Yi Zhonghai started plotting again. He found Xu Damao and handed him a pack of cigarettes: "Damao, Lin Chen is getting more and more successful. If he continues like this, we'll have no place in the factory." Xu Damao took the cigarettes, his eyes lighting up: "Master Yi, do you have any good ideas? I'm willing to do anything to bring Lin Chen down."

Yi Zhonghai lowered his voice and whispered a few words in Xu Damao's ear. Xu Damao's face revealed a sinister smile: "Good idea! Master Yi, don't worry, I guarantee I'll ruin Lin Chen's reputation!" The two exchanged a smile, and a conspiracy against Lin Chen was quietly brewing. Lin Chen, however, was completely unaware of this. He was still wholeheartedly preparing for his lecture in the city, looking forward to his future.

The night in the courtyard seemed peaceful on the surface, but undercurrents were surging beneath. Lin Chen's rise had threatened the interests of Yi Zhonghai, Xu Damao, and others, who would not let the matter rest. An even greater crisis awaited Lin Chen.