MMB Chapter 89: A single announcement chills the heart; authority collapses, and the masses turn against
Chapter 89: A single announcement chills the heart; authority collapses, and the masses turn against
The mornings at the steel rolling mill were always torn apart by the long wail of the steam whistles. The corrugated iron roof of the forging workshop trembled slightly in the cold wind, and black smoke billowing from the chimneys trailed long tails of snow-like dust in the hazy sky. Lin Chen had just put the newly drawn blueprints for the forging press modification into his briefcase when he saw Xiao Zhang, the workshop's communications officer, hurrying across the operating area with a stack of mimeographed notices. The red titles on the gray-white papers stood out sharply—"Notice Regarding the Handling of Comrade Yi Zhonghai's Violations in the Fitter Workshop."
"Stop right there! It's a factory announcement, everyone come over and listen!" Xiao Zhang cleared his throat, standing in the open space in the center of the workshop. The previously noisy workshop instantly fell silent. The ear-piercing sound of grinding wheels stopped abruptly, and the workers' tools, still suspended in mid-air, all turned their eyes to the announcement in his hand. Yi Zhonghai was squatting beside the fitter's bench adjusting a fixture when he heard the announcement. His body stiffened abruptly, and his fingers gripping the wrench tightened involuntarily, his knuckles turning white.
Xiao Zhang unfolded the report, each word like an ice pellet hitting a metal plate: "Recently, during the review of the quarterly assessment samples by the technical department, it was discovered that the workpiece submitted by apprentice Qin Huairu in the fitter workshop contained multiple critical errors, which were seriously inconsistent with her actual operational level. Upon investigation, it was found that the sample was improperly modified with the assistance of her mentor, Comrade Yi Zhonghai, in an attempt to cover up the apprentice's technical shortcomings. Comrade Yi Zhonghai, as an eighth-grade fitter and a factory-level model worker, failed to fulfill his mentoring responsibilities and violated assessment discipline. After deliberation by the factory management, it has been decided to issue a public reprimand, deduct her monthly technical allowance, and disqualify her from the annual 'Advanced Worker' selection..."
With a whoosh, the workshop erupted in chaos. The workers whispered amongst themselves, their eyes fixed on Yi Zhonghai like spotlights. He slowly stood up, the color draining from his face, his usually straight back now hunched. He tried to explain, but his throat felt constricted, and he could only manage muffled breaths. The apprentices nearby instinctively took a half-step back, and the young men who had been surrounding him with technical questions now deliberately avoided his gaze.
Lin Chen stood on the periphery of the crowd, watching Yi Zhonghai's dejected figure without saying a word. A crease appeared on the edge of the blueprint in his hand from his fingertips. The scene in the testing lab yesterday flashed through his mind—Qin Huairu's resolute admission of wrongdoing, the cold sweat on Yi Zhonghai's forehead, and Section Chief Wang's stern expression. This announcement, seemingly sudden, was in fact the eruption of long-standing problems. Yi Zhonghai's deliberate favoritism in order to secure a position with the retirement candidate ultimately led to his downfall at the hands of the "technical authority" he valued most.
"Master Yi, this...this can't be a misunderstanding, can it?" An old fitter hesitated before speaking. He had worked with Yi Zhonghai for over a decade, watching him rise from a seventh-grade worker to an eighth-grade, and had even received technical guidance from him. Yi Zhonghai suddenly turned to look at him, a glimmer of hope in his eyes, but the words that came out were just a heavy sigh. What could he say? Admit that he had modified the sample to keep Qin Huairu's job? Admit that he had disregarded factory rules for the sake of "retirement"? Once these words were spoken, all his remaining dignity would be lost.
After reading the notice, Xiao Zhang placed one copy on Yi Zhonghai's workbench, handed another to the workshop director, and then carried the remaining notices to other workshops. Yi Zhonghai stared at the thin piece of paper; the four words "Notice of Criticism" on it felt like a red-hot branding iron, burning his eyes. He remembered the "Model Worker" certificates hanging on the wall of his house, and the glory he felt as a key technical worker standing on the stage at every factory commendation meeting. Now, all of that had been torn to shreds by this notice.
"Master Yi, do you still stand by your promise to teach me line-drawing techniques?" a young apprentice asked, mustering his courage, his voice hesitant. He had just joined the workshop last month, originally hoping to use his connections to become Yi Zhonghai's apprentice, thinking that he could definitely learn real skills from an eighth-level fitter. But now, seeing the report, he couldn't help but have second thoughts—could a master who dared to modify even the test samples really teach reliable skills?
Yi Zhonghai looked up, about to nod, when he heard someone whispering beside him, "It's better not to learn from Master Yi. He even dares to modify his apprentice's samples. What if there are quality problems later, and we end up taking the blame?" "That's right, I heard that Master Lin's new forging die is particularly useful, with higher processing precision than Master Yi's. Why don't we go ask Master Lin?" These words were neither too loud nor too soft, just enough for Yi Zhonghai to hear clearly. His face instantly turned bright red. He wanted to say something in rebuttal, but found that he didn't even have the confidence to refute it.
Upon hearing this, the young apprentice immediately changed his tune: "Then... Master Yi, you go ahead with your work. I'll go see if Master Lin is free." With that, he hurriedly squeezed out of the crowd and headed towards Lin Chen's precision forging group. With the first one taking the lead, the other apprentices who had originally intended to become Yi Zhonghai's apprentices also wavered and moved towards the precision forging group in twos and threes.
Lin Chen was explaining the optimized transmission system plan on the new blueprints to Liu Guangtian when he saw several apprentices approaching and stopped writing. "Master Lin, we'd like to learn from you. Is that alright?" The lead apprentice bowed sincerely. "We know you're very skilled and have even developed a new forging die. We're sure we can learn something truly valuable from you."
Lin Chen glanced at Yi Zhonghai not far away, who stood alone beside the fitter's bench, his back view exuding an indescribable desolation. He pondered for a moment and said, "Learning a skill doesn't depend on having a master. Master Yi has decades of experience in the field of fitter work, and his basic skills are very solid. However, if you want to learn precision forging and mold development, you can come and ask me anytime. I can also lend you my technical materials." He didn't take the opportunity to poach Yi Zhonghai's apprentice, but instead gave both sides a way out—both respecting the apprentice's feelings and preserving Yi Zhonghai's final dignity.
But to Yi Zhonghai, these words felt like a silent insult. He knew Lin Chen was being considerate, but this condescending respect hurt him more than direct mockery. He abruptly grabbed the hammer from the workbench and slammed it onto the jig with a loud crash, startling everyone around him. "Fine, I won't learn! I'm an eighth-grade fitter, why would I worry about not having anyone to learn?" he roared, his voice filled with undisguised grievance and anger.
Only silence answered him. The workers all lowered their heads, pretending to be busy with their work, and no one was willing to speak. Yi Zhonghai looked at the empty fitter's bench. The place that used to be full of apprentices was now empty except for him. Even the old fitters who were usually on good terms with him deliberately avoided his gaze. The hammer in his hand fell to the ground with a "clang," and he turned and rushed out of the workshop. The cold wind swirled snowflakes into his collar, but it was nothing compared to the chill that pierced his heart.
Lin Chen watched Yi Zhonghai's departing figure and sighed softly. He turned to the apprentices and said, "Master Yi is just having a moment of weakness. His marking and filing skills are top-notch in the factory. If you really want to learn the skills, you can wait until he calms down before asking him for guidance. When it comes to skills, learning from another master won't hurt you." He paused, then added, "However, learning skills starts with learning how to be a good person. No matter who you learn from, you must follow the rules. You absolutely cannot do anything opportunistic."
The apprentices nodded, their faces showing admiration. They had initially thought Lin Chen would take the opportunity to suppress Yi Zhonghai, but to their surprise, he not only didn't do so but also spoke up for Yi Zhonghai. This magnanimity strengthened their resolve to learn the craft from Lin Chen. Liu Guangtian leaned closer to Lin Chen and whispered, "Master Lin, why are you doing this? Yi Zhonghai even deliberately made things difficult for you before, arranging for Qin Huairu to be your instructor and make things difficult for you."
"It's his business if he makes things difficult for me; it's my business if I stick to my bottom line." Lin Chen picked up the blueprints and pointed to the transmission structure. "Let's not talk about him anymore. Let's continue looking at this modification plan. If the gear ratio here is adjusted to 1:3.2, the transmission efficiency can be improved by 15%, but a matching gear shaft needs to be reforged, and the precision requirements are very high..." He quickly shifted his attention to his work. For him, technological innovation was the foundation of his success. As for Yi Zhonghai's grudges, they were just a minor episode on the road to progress.
The commotion in the workshop quickly spread to the Hongxing Courtyard. As evening fell, Lin Chen entered the courtyard and saw a crowd gathered around the stone table in the central courtyard. Yan Bugui was holding an abacus, calculating something rapidly while muttering to himself; Liu Haizhong was squatting to the side, a cigarette between his fingers, his brows furrowed; Qin Huairu stood at her doorway, head bowed, occasionally wiping away tears.
"Master Lin is back!" Seeing Lin Chen walk in, Yan Bugui immediately put down his abacus and came to greet him with a shrewd smile. "I heard the factory gave Yi Zhonghai a notice of criticism? And deducted his technical allowance? That's fifteen yuan a month, enough to buy thirty catties of flour!" As he spoke, he glanced in the direction of Yi Zhonghai's house out of the corner of his eye, his voice low but just loud enough for everyone around to hear.
Liu Haizhong took a deep drag on his cigarette, stomped the butt under his foot, and snorted, "Serves him right! I told you long ago, that old bastard was a scheming bastard. He even dared to break factory rules to get Qin Huairu to support him in his old age. Now he's got what he deserves!" He turned to Lin Chen, a look of approval on his face, "Lin Chen, you're really capable. Not only are you technically skilled, but you also managed to expose this to the factory administration, making that old bastard suffer a huge loss!"
"I simply reported the problem according to regulations; the factory decided on the outcome," Lin Chen said calmly. He didn't want to talk about Yi Zhonghai behind his back, much less flaunt his victory. He looked at Qin Huairu standing at the door and asked, "Master Qin, is everything alright at home?"
Qin Huairu raised her head, her eyes red, and shook her head. "It's nothing, it's just... I just feel bad for Master Yi. Although I asked him for help, he did it for my own good. Now that I've been punished because of him, I really feel terrible." She had been restless ever since returning from the workshop yesterday, wanting to apologize to Yi Zhonghai but afraid of being scolded. Jia Zhangshi had been scolding her all afternoon, saying she was "more trouble than she'd worth" and had ruined a good backer.
"This isn't your fault. It's mainly because Master Yi's thinking was too extreme," Lin Chen said. "If he had genuinely wanted to teach you the skills instead of trying to get you through by modifying samples, you wouldn't be in this situation today. Now that you've decided to learn the skills again, learn them diligently and rely on your own craftsmanship to make a living. That's better than anything else."
Just then, the door to Yi Zhonghai's house creaked open. Aunt Yi poked her head out and saw the people in the yard gossiping. Her face instantly darkened. "What are you all doing here? Have nothing better to do? Gossiping behind people's backs, aren't you afraid your tongues will rot?" Her voice was sharp and full of anger. That morning, after Yi Zhonghai returned from the factory, he locked himself in his room, refusing to eat or drink. She was seething with anger and had nowhere to vent it.
Yan Bugui immediately shrank back, forcing a sheepish smile. "Aunt Yi, we were just chatting casually, we didn't say anything bad." With that, he quickly packed up his abacus and slipped back to the front yard. Liu Haizhong also stood up, dusted himself off, and without a word, turned and went back to the back yard. Most of the people in the yard instantly dispersed, leaving only Lin Chen and Qin Huairu standing there.
When Aunt Yi saw Lin Chen, her anger flared even more: "Lin Chen, did you report this to the factory administration? What did my husband do to you? Why are you so determined to destroy him?" She rushed forward, pointing her finger at Lin Chen's nose, spitting all over the floor. "He just modified a sample for Qin Huairu, what's the big deal? Did you have to make the factory administration issue a public reprimand, making him lose face in front of the whole factory?"
"Aunt Yi, you can't say that." Lin Chen took a step back, avoiding her finger. "The assessment system is set by the factory, and no one can violate it. As an eighth-level fitter, Master Yi should set an example, not lead the way in breaking the rules. I was just reporting the problem according to regulations. If it were anyone else, I would have done the same."
"According to the regulations? I think you're doing this on purpose!" Aunt Yi shouted, throwing a tantrum. "You're just jealous that my husband is an eighth-grade fitter, jealous that he's a model worker, so you're deliberately picking on him! Let me tell you, this isn't over. I'm going to report you to the factory administration for abusing your power for personal revenge!"
"Go ahead and sue if you want. I have a clear conscience." Lin Chen's tone remained calm. "But I'm reminding you, the factory has a review report from the technical department, Qin Huairu's testimony, and evidence of Master Yi's modifications to the samples. If you sue, it will only make Master Yi lose face even more." He paused, looking at Aunt Yi, "Master Yi must be feeling terrible right now. Instead of arguing with me here, you should go back and talk to him properly, help him face his problems. If he wants to protect his technical reputation, he should teach his apprentices properly, instead of resorting to these crooked methods."
Aunt Yi was speechless after Lin Chen's words. She opened her mouth, but couldn't utter a single word in rebuttal. She knew Lin Chen was telling the truth, but she couldn't suppress her anger. At this moment, Yi Zhonghai's voice came from inside the house: "Alright, let him go. Don't make a fool of yourself here." His voice was hoarse and filled with exhaustion.
Aunt Yi glared at Lin Chen, turned and went back into the house, slamming the door shut. Lin Chen looked at the closed door, shook his head slightly, and turned back to his own room. As soon as he entered, the system panel lit up, displaying a new notification: "Host, uphold principles, maintain fairness in rules, complete the 'Righteous Mind and Clear Discipline' main quest, reward 3000 points, system level upgraded to level 6, unlock 'Equipment Diagnosis' function—can quickly detect equipment faults and generate repair plans."
Lin Chen's eyes lit up; this "equipment diagnostics" function was just what he needed. His previously developed forging press modification plan required a comprehensive inspection of the existing equipment to pinpoint specific faults and areas for optimization. This function would save a significant amount of testing time and improve modification efficiency. He immediately clicked the "equipment diagnostics" icon on the panel, and a system notification popped up: "Please approach the equipment to be tested; the system will automatically scan."
Lin Chen put away the panel, deciding to go to the workshop first thing tomorrow morning to inspect the forging press. He had just placed the blueprints on the table when he heard a knock at the door. Opening it, he saw Qin Huairu, holding a bowl of steaming millet porridge and two steamed buns, standing awkwardly in the doorway. "Master Lin, this…this is the millet porridge I made. You haven't eaten yet, have you? Please try some."
Lin Chen was taken aback, not expecting Qin Huairu to bring him food. He glanced at the millet porridge in the bowl, which was thick and topped with a few red dates, and the steamed buns were fluffy and white. In this era of scarce food rations, such food was considered quite plentiful. "Master Qin, you don't need to be so polite. I have my own food rations and can cook for myself," he said, trying to decline.
"Master Lin, please accept this." Qin Huairu pressed the bowl into his hand. "This is my heartfelt thanks to you. If you hadn't reminded me, I would still be living by playing the victim, never knowing where I went wrong. This bowl of porridge isn't worth much, but it's a small token of my appreciation." Her eyes were sincere, devoid of her former calculation and pretense, filled only with pure gratitude.
Lin Chen took the bowl, the steam from the porridge warming his palms through the porcelain. "Then I won't be polite, thank you, Master Qin," he said. "If you have any technical questions in the future, feel free to ask me. I'll bring you the learning manual I told you about tomorrow."
"Really? Thank you so much, Master Lin!" Qin Huairu's eyes lit up, her voice trembling with excitement. She had been worried that Lin Chen wouldn't be willing to teach her, but she hadn't expected him to not only be willing but also to have prepared a learning manual. She bowed deeply, "Master Lin, don't worry, I will definitely learn well and never try to take shortcuts again. I will earn a living with my own skills from now on."
Lin Chen nodded, watching Qin Huairu's departing figure, a sudden wave of emotion washing over him. This woman, who once schemed to get Sha Zhu's lunchbox by feigning pitifulness, had finally woken up and begun to face her life squarely. Perhaps this was the complexity of human nature; there were no absolutely good people, nor absolutely bad people. As long as someone was willing to lend a helping hand, even the most lost soul could find the right direction.
Lin Chen carried the millet porridge back into the house, took a sip—the porridge was at the perfect temperature, sweet with a hint of warmth, sliding down his throat and warming him to the core. He picked up a steamed bun, took a bite—it was soft and fluffy, with a subtle wheat aroma. While eating, he looked at the blueprints on the table, mentally conceiving the details of modifying the forging press. He knew that Yi Zhonghai's collapse of authority was just the beginning; as his skills improved, more and more people would gravitate towards him, and the responsibility on his shoulders would grow heavier and heavier.
The next morning, as soon as Lin Chen arrived at the workshop, he saw Yi Zhonghai already sitting at the fitter's bench. He was wearing faded work clothes, his hair was a little messy, and his eyes were bloodshot, clearly indicating that he hadn't slept all night. When he saw Lin Chen come in, he didn't say anything, but silently picked up a file and began grinding on a piece of scrap steel, his movements somewhat stiff.
Lin Chen didn't disturb him and went straight to the forging press. He activated the system's "Equipment Diagnosis" function and placed his hand on the forging press's outer casing. The system immediately began scanning, and a 3D model of the forging press quickly appeared on the screen. Red dots flashed on the model, marking the fault points and wear areas. "Severe wear of the transmission gears was detected, with a tooth surface accuracy deviation of 0.05 mm; the bearing clearance was too large, exceeding the standard value by 0.03 mm; there was a slight leak in the hydraulic system, with a pressure loss of 10%..." The system's prompts rang out clearly, while simultaneously generating a detailed repair and optimization plan.
Lin Chen carefully reviewed the plan and discovered that the system not only pinpointed the fault but also provided specific repair methods and optimization suggestions. It even clearly indicated the model and dimensions of the parts that needed to be replaced. He took out his notebook and meticulously recorded the plan, intending to report it to the workshop director today and apply to initiate the forging press modification project.
Just then, a young apprentice hesitated and walked to Yi Zhonghai's workbench, whispering, "Master Yi, I... I want to ask you about the techniques of marking lines. Can you teach me?" This apprentice was one of the ones who wanted to learn from Lin Chen yesterday. He thought about it all night and felt that Lin Chen was right. Yi Zhonghai's basic skills were indeed solid, and he couldn't deny everything about him because of one mistake.
Yi Zhonghai's hand holding the file suddenly paused. He looked up, staring at the apprentice in disbelief. He was stunned for a few seconds before reacting, his voice slightly hoarse as he said, "You...you really want to learn from me?" "Yes!" The apprentice nodded vigorously. "Master Lin said your marking skills are top-notch in the factory, and I want to learn from you properly."
Tears welled up in Yi Zhonghai's eyes instantly. He put down the file, stood up, walked to the marking platform, picked up a marking needle, pointed to a steel plate and said, "The first thing to do when marking lines is to find the datum. If the datum is not found, all the subsequent dimensions will be wrong..." His voice gradually became louder, and his originally stiff movements became more skillful.