"Today, we would like to especially commend Comrade Lin Zhen, our factory's model worker and all-round talent."
"Over just six short years, he had raised his fitter, blacksmithing, welding, and sheet-metal skills all to Level Eight. After discussion by the organization, it had been decided to make an exceptional promotion and appoint him a Level Nine engineer."
"We hope Comrade Lin Zhen would guard against pride and impatience, continue contributing to our nation's great construction, and lay more bricks and tiles for it. Let's give him a round of applause!"
Applause broke out.
"Congratulations, Master Lin!"
"What a rare talent! Congratulations!"
"You're treating us tonight!"
"Hahaha... Thank you, thank you! Certainly, certainly!"
Inside the rolling mill's production workshop.
Director Yang had personally convened this commendation morning meeting.
Lin Zhen was now a prominent figure in the factory, a genius among workers.
This was all thanks to his Ten Thousand Times Experience Acceleration System.
Six years ago, he had transmigrated into this world of Siheyuan.
He had arrived with a cheat that could accelerate the acquisition of all kinds of experience.
He could freely adjust the acceleration from one times to ten thousand times.
It was not limited to production skills.
Eloquence, martial arts, medical skills, cooking, knowledge, and more could all be accelerated.
Engineer rankings were the opposite of trade rankings.
For trades, Level One was the lowest; for engineers, Level One was the highest.
Although Lin Zhen had only reached Level Nine engineer and was still far from Level One.
His monthly wage had already risen to 126 yuan and 50 cents.
It was even higher than the workshop director's salary.
Lin Zhen had not wanted to draw too much attention. Otherwise, he could have become an engineer two years ago.
At that moment, everyone in the workshop was happy for Lin Zhen.
But two people wore smiles on their faces while hatred gnawed at their hearts.
One was the Level Eight fitter, Yi Zhonghai.
The other was the Level One fitter, Jia Dongxu.
They were both Lin Zhen's neighbors in the Siheyuan.
Yi Zhonghai was also one of the managers of the courtyard, where the Three Elders lived.
In terms of prestige, Yi Zhonghai ranked first.
When Lin Zhen had first transmigrated here.
The system had arranged for him to be an apprentice from the countryside.
Yi Zhonghai was his Master.
Jia Dongxu was his senior fellow apprentice.
Yi Zhonghai's wife was infertile and had remained childless all her life. In his old age, he would have no one beside his sickbed to care for him.
He had once tested Lin Zhen's character, hoping Lin Zhen would support him in old age and see him through his final days.
Lin Zhen knew the plot well, so naturally he would not be taken advantage of.
He laid it out directly before Yi Zhonghai: unless someone was his biological father, he would not support them.
From then on, Yi Zhonghai remained amiable on the surface, but inwardly, he had always hated Lin Zhen for being so heartless.
He refused to teach Lin Zhen any fitter skills and taught everything to Jia Dongxu instead.
But Jia Dongxu was a disappointment. It had taken him six years just to become a Level One fitter.
Meanwhile, Lin Zhen was a genius.
No matter what task landed in his hands, he could familiarize himself with it in minutes and master it in days.
After six years, his trade skills had far surpassed those of his former Master, Yi Zhonghai.
Lin Zhen had become one of the factory's key trainees.
After this promotion to engineer, he had even become someone the district intended to cultivate.
Yi Zhonghai and Jia Dongxu could not help but feel jealous and resentful.
Yi Zhonghai began to have doubts.
If he had not spoken so bluntly back then, and had not acted so ruthlessly afterward.
Perhaps Lin Zhen would not have grown so distant from him.
Sigh!
I made a wrong move!
How did I end up placing my bet on Jia Dongxu?
This blockhead took six years to become a Level One fitter. Can I really count on him to support me in old age?
Sigh!
That's doubtful.
Jia Dongxu felt even more dejected.
He and Lin Zhen had gotten married in the same year.
At the time, he had even mocked Lin Zhen for marrying Lou Xiao'e, who came from a poor political background.
But now, it seemed that Lin Zhen was the only one in the entire Siheyuan living well.
In their first year of marriage, Lou Xiao'e had given Lin Zhen a pair of twin sons.
Two years later, she had given birth to another pair of twin sons.
Now Lin Zhen's four sons were practically the tyrants of the courtyard, beating up Jia Dongxu's son Bang Geng every day.
And after Lin Zhen married Lou Xiao'e, her capitalist parents had immediately gone abroad.
Lou Xiao'e had severed ties with her parents and even written a solemn declaration.
Now, she lived with Lin Zhen, a worker born into a poor peasant family.
Instead, she had become a positive example of repentance praised by the neighborhood office.
Lin Zhen's career was flourishing, and he had enjoyed success in both his work and family life.
Seeing this former junior fellow apprentice surpass him at every turn left Jia Dongxu terribly stifled.
The more Jia Dongxu thought about it, the angrier he became.
The more he thought about it, the less he understood why Lin Zhen was living so well.
Why was Lin Zhen the one praised by the entire factory instead of him?
Jia Dongxu would lower his head and stare blankly for a while, then mutter curses under his breath.
He was muddleheaded, as though he had come down with some illness.
With his mind entirely consumed by envy of Lin Zhen, he naturally neglected his work.
Less than an hour after work began.
A thunderous crash suddenly rang out.
Jia Dongxu screamed and collapsed at his workstation.
Distracted during work, he had failed to properly inspect the steel being hoisted.
As a result, a steel beam collapsed and struck Jia Dongxu squarely in the waist.
Jia Dongxu fainted from the pain on the spot.
Lin Zhen was instructing others on the production process in the workshop. Seeing this, he could not help shaking his head.
What was meant to come had come after all.
Jia Dongxu was steeped in malice. In the end, he could not escape this calamity!
It looked like he could save the money for tonight's celebration banquet.
This guy might very well be meeting the King of Hell today!
The people in the workshop hurriedly carried Jia Dongxu into the infirmary.
But as soon as the doctor felt Jia Dongxu's waist, he repeatedly shook his head and sighed.
"No good. His waist is broken. We don't know whether his internal organs are damaged or whether there's internal bleeding. He needs to be transferred to a major hospital immediately!"
Everyone was shocked and hurried to find a vehicle to take him to a major hospital.
First Elder Yi Zhonghai in particular was so anxious that his eyes had turned red.
One might say he felt sorry for Jia Dongxu, but there was more anger than grief on his face.
One might say he was angry that Jia Dongxu had failed to live up to expectations and gotten hurt, but among everyone in the workshop, he was the most anxious.
Only Lin Zhen understood the reason behind it.
Yi Zhonghai was worried that the person who was supposed to care for him in old age and bury him was about to be gone. He did not truly feel sorry for Jia Dongxu.
On the contrary, he was angry that Jia Dongxu was such a failure and kept causing trouble for no reason.
Why did he have to suffer such a potentially fatal injury?
What if he died?
Would you be seeing me off, or would I be seeing you off?
Jia Dongxu was quickly taken into the emergency room of a major hospital.
The news reached the Siheyuan.
Jia Zhangshi immediately sat on the ground and began wailing.
Qin Huairu held Bang Geng's hand in her left and Xiao Dang's in her right.
With her pregnant belly protruding, she cried while trying to console her mother-in-law, Jia Zhangshi.
"Mom, stop crying. Let's get to the hospital quickly!"
"Oh, heavens! Dongxu! You have to hold on!"
The people in the Siheyuan also tried to persuade her.
First Aunt said, "old sister-in-law, leave Bang Geng and Xiao Dang at my place. You two hurry to the hospital."
Silly Zhu said, "Grandma Jia, stop crying. Hurry up. I'll find a flatbed cart and push you there!"
"I don't need you to take me! You ill-intentioned old bachelor! Stay away from my family!"
"Hey! You old woman—fine! Pretend I said nothing, all right?"
Silly Zhu turned and started to leave.
Qin Huairu quickly called out, "Silly Zhu! At a time like this, why are you still arguing with an old person? Go find a flatbed cart!"
Jia Zhangshi flew into a rage, turned around, and slapped Qin Huairu across the face.
"My son isn't even dead yet, and you shameless thing are already looking for another man! I'm not riding Silly Zhu's cart. I'll walk there myself!"
Holding her cheek, Qin Huairu cried, "Mom, stop making trouble. The baby in my belly is almost due. If I run to the hospital with you, I'll definitely go into premature labor. At a time like this, Silly Zhu is the only one who can help us. Do you expect someone surnamed Lin to help instead?"
Jia Zhangshi thought about it and became even angrier.
"Someone surnamed Lin is even worse. Then let Silly Zhu push us there!"
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