louisehourcade Chapter 6 Reporting to the Steel Rolling Mill and Encountering Difficulties
Chapter 6 Reporting to the Steel Rolling Mill and Encountering Difficulties
As dawn broke and the rooster crowed for the first time outside the courtyard, Lin Chen climbed out of bed on the hard kang (a heated brick bed). Early winter in the north was particularly biting; a thin layer of frost clung to the windowpanes. He touched his work clothes on the kang, feeling a chill on his fingertips. His mental energy, depleted from fusing the chisel last night, hadn't fully recovered, and his temples throbbed. But remembering today was his reporting day to the steel mill, he forced himself to stay alert, pulled half a coarse grain cake from his storage box, and swallowed it with cold water.
Clutching his acceptance letter and the newly fused chisel, Lin Chen pushed open the door to the side room. There was already movement by the communal pool in the central courtyard. Qin Huairu was squatting there washing clothes, Jia Huaihua, wrapped in thick swaddling clothes, her little face red from the cold. Seeing Lin Chen come out, she paused, looked up, and gave a slightly embarrassed smile; the embarrassment from yesterday's ration coupon incident hadn't completely faded from her face.
"Comrade Lin, good morning. Are you going to the factory to report for duty?" Qin Huairu's voice was very low, afraid of waking the child in her arms. Sure enough, the back of her hand had returned to the red, swollen, and cracked state it had been in yesterday. It was obvious that she had soaked it in cold water this morning and even smeared some soot from the bottom of a pot on the cracks, making it look even more miserable.
Lin Chen glanced at the clothes in her basin; most were Jia Geng and Jia Dang's old clothes, and there was also a thick cotton-padded coat that was clearly Jia Zhangshi's, which hadn't been difficult to wash. He nodded, not intending to chat any longer: "Yes, the sooner you go, the sooner you'll get used to the environment." After saying that, he turned and walked out of the courtyard, not responding to her comment. Behind him came Qin Huairu's soft sigh, mixed with Jia Huaihua's soft sobbing. Lin Chen didn't stop walking; he knew that he would have plenty of opportunities to witness this woman's "virtuous" act in the future.
It's a three-stop walk from the Hongxing Courtyard to the steel rolling mill, the entire route a bumpy dirt road, the cold wind whipping up dust that stung your face. Along the way, there were already quite a few workers in matching blue overalls, walking in twos and threes towards the factory, chatting about trivial matters in the workshop, occasionally interspersed with complaints about food shortages. Lin Chen followed behind the crowd, observing them discreetly. Most of these people wore the weariness of life's hardships, but when the topic turned to factory wages and food coupons, a barely perceptible glimmer of expectation would appear.
From afar, the gates of the steel rolling mill came into view. The two rusty iron gates were as tall as two people, with five bright red characters reading "Hongxing Steel Rolling Mill" hanging on them. The lettering was somewhat faded, but it still exuded the majesty of heavy industry. Two guards wearing red armbands stood at the gate, checking the work permits of each person entering the factory, and occasionally sternly reprimanding the late workers.
Lin Chen walked to the gatehouse and handed over his acceptance letter. One of the gatekeepers, who had a buzz cut, took it, glanced at it, and then looked him up and down, his eyes scrutinizing him: "From the forging workshop? Liu Haizhong's group, right? Hurry up and go in, don't waste time here, he won't forgive you if you're late." He pointed to the east side of the factory area, "Go to the end of this road, turn left when you see the big chimney, that's the forging workshop, find Director Zhou to complete the formalities."
Stepping into the factory area, the deafening roar of machinery immediately assaulted his senses, making his eardrums ache. Huge factory buildings stretched as far as the eye could see, black smoke billowing from chimneys, the air thick with the pungent smell of rust and coal. Workers pushing carts carrying steel and technicians in white coats hurried by, everyone moving with a hurried pace, conveying a tense atmosphere of production. Lin Chen took a deep breath. Although the smell was pungent, it gave him a strange sense of security—in his previous life, it was the technology of this steel mill that had given him a livelihood; in this life, he would rely on it to rise again.
Following the gatekeeper's directions, Lin Chen quickly found the forging workshop. The workshop door was wide open, and inside, it was bustling with activity. More than a dozen forging presses were operating simultaneously, emitting loud clanging noises, and sparks flew everywhere with the rise and fall of the forging hammers. Most of the workers were shirtless, wearing only aprons tied around their waists. Their bronze skin was covered with sweat and oil, but their faces exuded a sense of strength.
In an office in the corner of the workshop, a middle-aged man in a gray Zhongshan suit was looking down at a report. His hair was neatly combed, and a pair of black-rimmed glasses perched on his nose, making him look exceptionally capable. Lin Chen knocked on the door, and the man looked up, his sharp eyes behind the glasses scanning him: "Come in, are you Lin Chen? I'm Zhou Jianguo, the workshop director."
"Hello Director Zhou, I'm here to report for duty." Lin Chen handed over the admission notice, his tone respectful yet neither humble nor arrogant.
Zhou Jianguo took the notification letter, glanced at it, then flipped through the files on the table, and nodded: "I understand your situation. You came back from the countryside during the Cultural Revolution, and you have basic fitter skills, which is good. Although the forging workshop is tough and tiring, as long as you're willing to put in the effort, the prospects are better than in other workshops. I've assigned you to Liu Haizhong's group. He's a level six forger, and his skills are decent. You should learn from him." As he spoke, he picked up an enamel mug on the table, poured a cup of hot water, and handed it to Lin Chen. "Have some water first, and I'll take you over to meet them."
Following Zhou Jianguo into the workshop, the noise grew even more jarring. Zhou Jianguo led Lin Chen to a forging press and shouted to a burly man directing his apprentice, "Liu Haizhong, come here for a second!"
The burly man turned around, and Lin Chen immediately saw his appearance. He was about forty-seven or forty-eight years old, tall and robust, with shoulders as broad as small mountains. His face was covered in thick, fleshy features, and a long scar ran from his brow to his temple, making him look particularly fierce. He was wearing an open work uniform, revealing his muscular chest, and was clutching a large sledgehammer. He was panting heavily, but upon seeing Zhou Jianguo, the fierceness on his face softened somewhat, and he quickly walked over: "Director Zhou, what's the matter?"
"I'm bringing you a new apprentice, Lin Chen. He came back from the countryside during the Cultural Revolution and has some basic skills in fitter work." Zhou Jianguo pointed at Lin Chen. "Teach him well and get him up to speed as soon as possible."
Liu Haizhong sized Lin Chen up and down, a hint of disdain in his eyes. Although Lin Chen was fairly muscular, he had just returned from the countryside, his skin still somewhat pale, and he looked rather weak. Compared to the factory workers who toiled year-round, he appeared exceptionally "frail." He curled his lip, giving him a curt look: "Understood, Director Zhou. Don't worry, I'll definitely 'train' him properly." Even Zhou Jianguo could hear the perfunctory tone in his voice.
Zhou Jianguo frowned and glared at Liu Haizhong: "Don't try any tricks with me. Xiao Lin is a promising talent. If you ruin him, I'll hold you responsible." He then turned to Lin Chen, his tone softening, "Work hard. If you encounter any difficulties or technical problems, come to me anytime."
After Zhou Jianguo left, Liu Haizhong's face immediately darkened. He waved to Lin Chen and said, "Come with me and get familiar with the environment." His voice was gruff and impatient.
Lin Chen followed behind Liu Haizhong, discreetly observing his surroundings. The forging workshop was divided into several areas, each with its own forging equipment and scrap piles. Scattered on the ground were numerous scrap iron blocks and steel slag. Liu Haizhong led him to a scrap pile in the far corner of the workshop, pointing to the mountain of scrap iron: "Your first task is to remove the rust from all this scrap iron. I'll be checking it tomorrow morning."
Lin Chen glanced at the pile of scrap metal, which was about half a person's height and covered with thick rust. Removing the rust within a day would be an almost impossible task. He knew that Liu Haizhong was deliberately making things difficult for him, firstly because he didn't like him, and secondly because he wanted to give this "newcomer" a hard time so that he would obey him in the future.
"Master Liu, with so much scrap metal, you probably can't finish cleaning it all in one day, right?" Lin Chen asked deliberately, wanting to see his reaction.
Liu Haizhong scoffed, crossed his arms, and leaned against the wall. The scars on his face looked even more menacing with smugness. "Can't finish? Others can finish, but you can't? I think you just can't handle hardship! If you want to work in the forging workshop, you have to show some real skills. Don't think you're so great just because you have some basic fitter skills." He paused, then changed the subject, his eyes carrying a hint of suggestion, "Of course, if you know the rules, this job isn't impossible to work around."
Lin Chen understood immediately; this was a "becoming an apprentice" ceremony. In his previous life, when he first entered the workshop, he was constantly harassed by Liu Haizhong because he didn't understand these "rules," and was even deducted half a month's worth of food rations. In this life, how could he possibly suffer such a loss again? He pretended not to understand Liu Haizhong's words and nodded: "Since Master Liu says so, then I'll give it a try and do my best."
Seeing that Lin Chen wasn't cooperating, Liu Haizhong's expression darkened even more. He glared at him fiercely and said, "Don't try to pull any tricks on me! Let me tell you, in my group, you have to listen to me. If you dare to slack off, you'll be in big trouble!" After saying that, he turned around and walked to the rest area not far away. He joined a few old workers to smoke, occasionally glancing back at Lin Chen with a look full of schadenfreude.
Lin Chen ignored Liu Haizhong's provocation, walked to the scrap heap, and squatted down to examine it carefully. Most of the scrap iron consisted of failed forgings and discarded parts, with varying materials; some were ordinary cast iron, while others were steel with a high carbon content. He picked up a piece of scrap iron, ran his fingers over the rust, and already made up his mind.
He pulled the chisel he had fused with himself from his work clothes pocket, and gently pried at the rust on a piece of scrap iron. The rust peeled off like tree bark, revealing the shiny black steel underneath. This chisel was far harder than ordinary tools, making it perfect for removing rust. Lin Chen felt a surge of relief; thankfully, he had fused the chisel with himself yesterday, otherwise he would have been truly stumped by Liu Haizhong today.
Just as Lin Chen was about to make his move, a quarrel suddenly broke out in the workshop rest area. He looked up and saw Liu Haizhong cursing at a teenager. The teenager had his head down and was holding a chipped enamel bowl, with porridge spilled all over the floor.
"You little brat! You can't even deliver a bowl of porridge properly! What have I done with you all these years?!" Liu Haizhong's curses grew increasingly fierce, and he raised his hand to hit the boy. The surrounding workers, used to such sights, simply lowered their heads and smoked, and no one stepped forward to stop him.
Lin Chen recognized the boy as Liu Haizhong's third son, Liu Guangfu, whom he had seen in the courtyard yesterday. He quickly stepped forward and stopped Liu Haizhong's hand: "Master Liu, don't hit the child, he didn't mean it."
Liu Haizhong was taken aback when Lin Chen dared to stop him. His anger flared even more: "I'm disciplining my son, what's it to you! I just assigned you a task and you dare to meddle? Do you want to quit?"
"Master Liu, I'm not trying to meddle, it's just that the child is still young. If he makes a mistake, we can talk to him nicely. Hitting someone won't solve the problem." Lin Chen's tone was calm, but it carried an undeniable force. "Besides, this is a workshop. If it affects production, it won't be good if Director Zhou finds out."
Mentioning Zhou Jianguo, Liu Haizhong's imposing manner immediately weakened. He glared fiercely at Liu Guangfu and cursed, "Get out! If you make this mistake again, I'll break your legs!" Liu Guangfu trembled in fright, quickly picked up the enamel bowl from the ground, and ran out with his head down.
Liu Haizhong turned around and glared fiercely at Lin Chen: "Kid, I'm warning you, mind your own business! Do your job properly, or you'll be fired by tomorrow!" He then flicked his sleeves, returned to the rest area, and continued smoking, muttering curses under his breath.
The surrounding workers looked at Lin Chen with sympathy. An older worker came over and whispered, "Young man, you don't know this yet. Master Liu has this temper. He's very irritable and biased. He dotes on his eldest son, Liu Guangqi, and gave him all his savings to get him married. He beats and scolds his second son, Guangtian, and his third son, Guangfu. You should avoid messing with him in the future."
Lin Chen nodded, thanked the worker, and gained a clearer understanding of Liu Haizhong's character. This kind of person, seemingly fierce, is actually insecure. Because of his low level of education and lack of technical skill for many years, he can only assert his existence by beating and scolding his family and making things difficult for his apprentices. Dealing with this kind of person, brute force is definitely not an option; only strategy will suffice.
Back at the scrap heap, Lin Chen didn't hesitate any longer and picked up the chisel to start removing the rust. This fused chisel was indeed very useful; whether it was thick rust or stubborn rust marks, it could be easily peeled off with a gentle pry, several times more efficient than the ordinary tools in the workshop. While working, Lin Chen kept an eye on his surroundings, his eyes occasionally sweeping over the scrap heap beside him. He remembered that in his previous life, the scrap heap in the forging workshop often contained discarded alloy scraps. These scraps, containing rare metals, were much more valuable than ordinary scrap iron, making them perfect for fusing system items.
Sure enough, at the very bottom of the scrap heap, Lin Chen found several pieces of blackened scrap. He quietly picked one up and used the system to identify it. The panel immediately displayed the information: "Chromium-manganese alloy scrap, high hardness, strong wear resistance, can be recycled for 5 points per kilogram." Lin Chen was secretly delighted. This kind of alloy scrap was very common in the workshop, and many workers thought it was just ordinary scrap iron and threw it away casually. He didn't expect it to be a treasure. He quietly stuffed the few pieces of alloy scrap into his work clothes pocket, planning to take them home that night to fuse.
At lunchtime, the workers in the workshop took out their own lunchboxes and squatted on the ground to wolf down their food. Lin Chen also took out his own coarse grain biscuit, and just as he took a bite, he saw Liu Haizhong walk over and squat down next to him.
"Kid, how's the work going?" Liu Haizhong asked, his mouth full of steamed bun, his eyes glancing at Lin Chen's lunchbox.
"It's alright, I've already cut off a little over half." Lin Chen answered truthfully, but didn't stop holding the pancake in his hand.
Liu Haizhong nodded, then suddenly changed the subject: "You've just arrived at the workshop, so according to the rules, you should give your master a 'beginning-of-apprentice gift.' I won't ask for much, just half a jin of grain coupons will do. Don't worry, as long as you understand the rules, I will definitely teach you the skills well, and no one in the workshop will dare to bully you in the future." He spoke with righteous indignation, as if it were a matter of course.
Lin Chen sneered inwardly. He hadn't expected this. He put down the flatbread, feigning distress. "Master Liu, I'm so sorry, I just got back from the countryside. The food coupons were distributed by the neighborhood committee per capita, just enough for myself. There's really no surplus. I'll definitely make it up to you next month when I get my salary."
"No?" Liu Haizhong's face darkened, and he slammed the steamed bun in his hand to the ground. "I think you did this on purpose! You expect me to teach you skills without giving you a gift for becoming an apprentice? No way! If you don't finish the rust removal task tomorrow, you can get out of the forging workshop!" After saying that, he stood up and stormed off.
The surrounding workers all looked over, their eyes filled with pity and schadenfreude. Lin Chen, however, didn't care. He picked up the flatbread from the ground, dusted it off, and continued eating. He knew in his heart that Liu Haizhong was all talk and no action; if he really kicked him out, Zhou Jianguo wouldn't be able to justify it. Besides, he had the system at his disposal. As long as he could find enough materials and fuse them into even more powerful tools, he would eventually gain a foothold in the workshop, and then Liu Haizhong wouldn't dare to boss him around anymore.
As expected, Liu Haizhong began targeting Lin Chen during the afternoon work session. He deliberately pulled the other apprentices aside, personally teaching them forging techniques, while ignoring Lin Chen and even making him clean the workshop toilets. Lin Chen didn't argue, silently picking up a broom to clean the toilets. He knew that now wasn't the time to turn against Liu Haizhong; patience would prevail, and once he demonstrated sufficient skill, he would naturally impress Liu Haizhong.
After cleaning the toilet, Lin Chen returned to the scrap heap to continue derusting. He worked while observing Liu Haizhong's work. Liu Haizhong, wielding a large sledgehammer, repeatedly hammered at a red-hot iron block. His movements, though seemingly rough, possessed a unique rhythm; each strike landed precisely on the crucial points of the iron, quickly transforming an irregular block into a semi-finished gear. Lin Chen had to admit that while Liu Haizhong's character wasn't great, his skills were undeniable; his level six blacksmithing prowess was well-deserved.
By the time he finished get off work in the evening, Lin Chen had already completed most of the rust removal from the pile of scrap iron. He glanced at the sky and decided to stay and work overtime. On the one hand, he wanted to finish the task as soon as possible to avoid giving Liu Haizhong any reason to cause trouble; on the other hand, he wanted to take advantage of the empty workshop at night to forge a tool that would be more suitable for forging, which might give Liu Haizhong a surprise the next day.
After all the other workers left, the workshop fell silent, with only a few machines still running humming softly. Lin Chen walked to a corner of the workshop, took out the alloy scraps and a few pieces of ordinary scrap iron he had collected during the day, and pulled a scrap steel knife he had just picked up from his pocket. He took a deep breath, concentrated, and activated the system; a pale blue panel instantly appeared before his eyes.
"Consume 5 points of mental energy to fuse alloy scraps, ordinary scrap iron, and scrap steel knives to create a 'High-Strength Forging Hammer'?" The system's prompt sounded in my mind.
"Confirmed fusion." Lin Chen silently recited in his mind.
A pale blue light enveloped the three items, and they began to slowly fuse together, filling the air with a faint smell of rust. Lin Chen quickly pulled out the deodorizer he had redeemed from the system and sprayed it a few times on the fused area, instantly eliminating the rust smell. Half an hour later, the light faded, revealing a jet-black forging hammer in Lin Chen's hand. This hammer was significantly heavier than ordinary forging hammers, with a cylindrical head and a smooth, mirror-like surface that subtly gleamed with a metallic sheen. After using the system to examine it, the panel displayed: "High-strength forging hammer, containing chromium-manganese alloy, five times harder than an ordinary iron hammer, with the 'Precision Strike' attribute, which can improve forging accuracy."
Lin Chen swung the forging hammer with satisfaction. It felt excellent in his hand; although the weight had increased, it was effortless to swing, clearly an optimization by the system. He believed that with this forging hammer, he would definitely make a breakthrough in forging techniques tomorrow.
Just as Lin Chen was packing up to leave, footsteps suddenly came from the workshop door. Startled, he thought it was Zhou Jianguo, the workshop director, and quickly hid the forging hammer behind his back. Turning around, he saw that it was Liu Haizhong who had returned, carrying a gourd of wine, clearly having had a few drinks.
"Why haven't you left yet?" Liu Haizhong was stunned when he saw Lin Chen, then asked drunkenly, his eyes filled with doubt.
"Master Liu, I want to stay and work overtime to finish the rust removal task as soon as possible," Lin Chen answered truthfully, gripping the forging hammer behind him tightly.
Liu Haizhong looked Lin Chen up and down, his doubt turning into surprise. He walked to the scrap heap and saw the scrap metal, which was mostly rusted, and couldn't help but nod: "I didn't expect you to be so hardworking." He paused, took a cornbread out of his pocket, and handed it to Lin Chen, "Here, you haven't eaten much all day, don't ruin your health."
Lin Chen was taken aback, not expecting Liu Haizhong to be so kind to him suddenly. He hesitated for a moment, then took the cornbread: "Thank you, Master Liu."
Liu Haizhong waved his hand, turned and walked away. When he reached the workshop door, he suddenly stopped, turned his back to Lin Chen and said, "I'm going to check your task tomorrow morning. If you do well, I'll teach you the basic forging techniques." After saying that, he left without looking back.
Lin Chen watched Liu Haizhong's retreating figure, then looked at the cornbread in his hand, his heart filled with mixed emotions. He hadn't expected that beneath Liu Haizhong's seemingly fierce exterior lay a hidden side. Perhaps, this person wasn't so difficult to get along with; it was just that the pressures of life and his own personality forced him to put on a tough exterior.
Holding the newly fused forging hammer and the steamed bun Liu Haizhong had given him, Lin Chen walked out of the workshop. Night had fallen, and the streetlights in the factory area were on, their dim yellow light illuminating the way home. Lin Chen looked up at the sky; the stars were twinkling, and the moonlight was bright. He knew that his first day at the steel rolling mill was just the beginning, and many challenges awaited him. But he was confident that, with his wisdom and the system, he could definitely carve out a place for himself in this land.
Back in the courtyard, all was quiet. Lin Chen tiptoed into his side room, locked the door, and took out the cornbread Liu Haizhong had given him, slowly eating it. Although the cornbread was somewhat coarse, it had a faint aroma of wheat. This was the first time since arriving in this era that he had felt such kindness from a stranger. He secretly resolved to perform well tomorrow, not only to complete Liu Haizhong's task but also to showcase his skills and earn Liu Haizhong's true recognition as his apprentice.
After finishing his cornbread, Lin Chen hid the forging hammer and checked the doors and windows to ensure safety before lying down to rest. Moonlight streamed through the cracks in the window, illuminating his face with a composure and determination beyond his years. He knew that in this life, he was no longer the Lin Chen who could be bullied at will. He would rely on his own hands and the system to rewrite his destiny and make those who had schemed against him pay the price.