Courtyard House: A Major Power's Heavy Industry, Hand-Crafted Nuclear Fusion

The bell had just rung to signal the end of the workday, but the workshop did not immediately become noisy as usual.

Everyone was still savoring Su Zheng's impromptu "on-site teaching" session.

Zhao Ming and several other young workers were surrounding Su Zheng, asking him all sorts of questions with eager eyes.

"Master Su, is this how you use the waist strength you mentioned earlier?"

"Master Su, the texture of that file..."

"Ahem!"

A loud cough broke the lively atmosphere.

Yi Zhonghai, his face dark, strode over, followed by Old Zhang, the workshop director.

He stomped heavily with each step, as if he wanted to stomp out holes in the workshop floor.

"What are you all doing gathered around here? Aren't you going to leave work? Aren't you going to eat?"

Old Zhang, with a stern face and hands behind his back, scolded, "The workshop is for production, not for your secret meetings! Disperse!"

When the young workers saw that the director had spoken, they all shrank back in fear, but they did not disperse. Instead, they looked at Su Zheng with pleading eyes.

Su Zheng patted the iron filings off his hands and stood up calmly.

"Director, this isn't a private meeting. This is a technical exchange."

Su Zheng pointed to Zhao Ming and the others, "My fellow workers are ambitious and want to learn skills. As an eighth-grade worker, I have the obligation and responsibility to help them improve."

"Obligation? Responsibility?"

Yi Zhonghai sneered and finally couldn't resist getting involved himself.

He walked up to Su Zheng and stared at Su Zheng's eyes with a sinister look.

"Su Zheng, stop trying to intimidate me with your big talk. How old are you? How many years have you been working at the factory? What do you know about mentoring an apprentice?"

Yi Zhonghai adopted a seasoned air, saying, "Our factory has strict rules for taking on apprentices! You need a master, experience, and approval from the factory! You're just a greenhorn who's only been promoted to Grade 8 worker, you haven't even established yourself yet, and you dare to take on apprentices? Can you bear the blame for misleading young people?"

These words were spoken with extreme seriousness.

If it were the old Su Zheng, he might have been overwhelmed by this heavy label of "misleading the youth".

But Su Zheng is no longer the pushover he once was.

"Uncle, you keep talking about rules and lineage."

Su Zheng didn't back down. Instead, he took a step forward, his imposing aura radiating, "Then I'd like to ask, which rule in our factory states that an eighth-grade worker can't take on apprentices? Which rule states that age is a factor when taking on apprentices? Skill level must meet the standards, ability must be strong enough, and the apprentice must be able to produce results—that's the bottom line! As for misleading young people…"

Su Zheng turned his head and glanced at Jia Dongxu, who was hiding behind Yi Zhonghai, a mocking smile curving his lips:

"Some people have been training apprentices for seven or eight years, and the apprentices are still only at the first-level worker stage, unable to even understand a blueprint. Isn't that misleading students? Isn't that occupying a position without doing its job?"

"You!" Jia Dongxu was so angry that his face turned green. He wanted to curse but didn't dare to. He could only glare at Su Zheng with resentful eyes.

Yi Zhonghai was so angry that he was trembling all over.

This is a public slap in the face! And a really loud one at that!

"Old Zhang! Look at this! What kind of nonsense is this?!"

Yi Zhonghai pointed at Su Zheng and yelled at the workshop director, "This kind of person who disrespects elders and disrupts unity must be punished! He must be severely punished!"

Workshop foreman Lao Zhang is also in a bit of a predicament.

On the one hand, Yi Zhonghai is a veteran in the workshop and has many technical backbones under his command, so he cannot afford to offend him;

On the other hand, Su Zheng is currently riding high, and he is also a favorite of the factory director, so it's not easy for him to directly suppress him.

"Well... Su Zheng," Old Zhang tried to smooth things over, "Master Yi has a point. Taking on an apprentice is indeed a serious matter. Although you're skilled, you're still young. How about this, you can take on an apprentice if you want, but you have to follow the procedures. First, you have to write an application, then the factory reviews it, and finally there's an assessment..."

Old Zhang is using the "delaying tactic".

Once the process starts, it's bound to drag on. A year or two can pass, and by then it'll be too late.

"process?"

Su Zheng smiled.

He had anticipated this move.

"Okay, Director, let's proceed according to the procedure."

Su Zheng took out a pre-written application from his pocket and slapped it into Lao Zhang's hand.

"This is my application to mentor an apprentice. As for the assessment..."

Su Zheng looked at Yi Zhonghai, his eyes filled with provocation:

"Since this old man thinks I'm not qualified, then let's test him right here! Right now! Whether it's theory or practical skills, whether it's testing me or my apprentice, you can name the questions! If I lose, I'll apologize publicly and never mention taking on an apprentice again. If I win..."

Su Zheng pointed to Zhao Ming and the others, "I've decided to take these apprentices on! And from now on, all their work will be counted towards the total output of our workshop! Director, this is real performance data; you shouldn't refuse, right?"

This tactic is called "sharing benefits".

When Lao Zhang heard the word "performance", his eyes immediately lit up.

If Su Zheng can really train these young workers, the workshop's output will definitely skyrocket! That would be a huge achievement for him!

Compared to that, Yi Zhonghai's little bit of face is nothing!

"Well..."

Old Zhang's eyes darted around, and his attitude immediately changed. "Since Comrade Su Zheng has this confidence, we can't dampen the enthusiasm of the young people. Master Yi, what do you think..."

When Yi Zhonghai saw that Lao Zhang was wavering, he was filled with resentment.

But he was also cornered by Su Zheng.

If you don't accept the challenge, it means you're afraid; if you do accept, what if you lose...?

"Hmph! I'll take the test then!"

Yi Zhonghai gritted his teeth, a ruthless glint in his eyes. "However, since this is an apprenticeship assessment, we can't just test you. We have to test your ability to teach your apprentices! We'll test... a blind person's key-cutting skills!"

Key duplication for the blind?

The surrounding workers all gasped in shock.

This is way too difficult!

Making keys is a delicate job in itself, and to do it blind? This is a skill that only a level seven or eight fitter can master! Su Zheng might be able to do it, but can his newly accepted apprentice Zhao Ming do it?

Yi Zhonghai is setting a difficult problem for us! He's deliberately making things difficult for us!

Su Zheng smiled.

She smiled exceptionally brightly.

"Okay. Let's test your ability to make keys even if you're blind."

He turned to look at Zhao Ming and patted him on the shoulder: "Are you scared?"

Although Zhao Ming's palms were sweaty, seeing the determination in Su Zheng's eyes, he took a deep breath and said loudly:

"Don't be afraid! Master will teach me, and I can do it!"

The single word "Master" caused Yi Zhonghai pain in his heart, liver, spleen, lungs, and kidneys.

"good!"

Su Zheng shouted, "Then let's set up a table! Let all the workers in the workshop be witnesses!"