Pursued by the Heavenly Dao, first level up in the courtyard.

The results of the worker level examination at Hongxing Steel Rolling Mill were posted on the bulletin board for less than five minutes, and it was immediately surrounded by a huge crowd. Workers jostled to see the list, and discussions rose and fell. The factory then began broadcasting announcements.

"Excuse me, everyone, please make way so I can see!"

Liu Haizhong squeezed to the front of the crowd, his eyes fixed on the bulletin board, searching for his results.

"Master Liu, I saw your name! Level 7 blacksmith!"

Liu Haizhong's eyes lit up as he looked in the direction the other person was pointing, then he smiled broadly.

Yi Zhonghai walked over, looked at him closely, and frowned when he realized he was still a level seven fitter.

Before the steel rolling mill's worker grade exam, he and the deaf old lady went to see Yang Jianye. Yang promised to help him reach grade eight, but he didn't become a grade eight fitter, which puzzled him.

Seeing Liu Haizhong's smiling face, Yi Zhonghai felt uneasy.

In every previous exam, he was one grade higher than Liu Haizhong.

He is still at the seventh level of fitter, while Liu Haizhong has been promoted from the sixth level of forging to the seventh level of forging.

With doubts in his heart, Yi Zhonghai forced a smile and said a few words to Liu Haizhong before turning and heading to Yang Jianye's office.

"Director Yang, are there any mistakes in the exam results?"

"Old Yi, this time the factory's worker qualification exam was supervised by someone specially assigned by the higher-ups, so there's nothing I can do about it."

"Director Yang, could you help me upgrade again next time?"

"Old Yi, the higher-ups have issued a notice that anyone who is not qualified for their position will be dealt with severely."

Upon hearing this, Yi Zhonghai felt a pang of anxiety. With his fitter skills, he was only at a mid-level among seventh-grade fitters. Without help, even if he had a few more years, he might not be able to become an eighth-grade fitter.

Jia Dongxu went to the notice board to look for his name.

"Jia Yiji, don't bother looking anymore. You haven't passed the exam; you're still a Level 1 fitter."

"Jia Yiji, if I were you, I would have changed jobs long ago. You've been in the factory for several years and you're still a level one fitter. Obviously, you don't have the talent to be a fitter. If you were a forger or a lathe operator, you might have been promoted to level four or five by now."

Seeing his results, Xu Damao smiled broadly and made a few sarcastic remarks about Jia Dongxu and He Yuzhu.

Xu Damao passed the exam and became a Level 5 projectionist, with his salary increasing to 41.5 yuan.

He Yuzhu failed the exam but remained a level nine cook, earning the same salary as Jia Dongxu—thirty-one yuan.

Xu Damao is twenty years old this year, two years younger than He Yuzhu and seven years younger than Jia Dongxu, but he earns more than both of them. Thinking about this, he can't help but feel proud and can't help but laugh again and again.

Jia Dongxu retorted angrily, "Xu Damao, stop spouting nonsense. You're just a projectionist, what's so great about you?"

He Yuzhu blurted out, "Silly Mao, if I weren't being targeted, I'd be a level six cook long ago, let alone an eighth-level cook! Hmph, we'll see!"

As soon as it was time to leave work, Liu Haizhong rode his bike home with a big smile.

"Old Liu, I heard you've become a level seven blacksmith?"

"Old Yan, who told you that?"

"The steel rolling mill isn't far from our school, and I heard your factory's announcements at school."

"I was lucky to pass the seventh-level blacksmith exam."

"Old Liu, you got promoted and received a raise. How about we throw a couple of parties to celebrate?"

"Old Yan, the higher-ups are advocating frugality, so let's skip the banquet. We'll just cook two dishes this weekend and have a couple of drinks."

"Old Liu, don't forget."

"No, I'll go home for dinner first."

Liu Haizhong pushed his bicycle and returned to the Liu family's backyard with a beaming smile.

A few minutes later, Xu Damao returned on his bicycle.

"Da Mao, you've become a Level 5 projectionist?"

"Third Uncle, you already know about this?"

"Da Mao, you got a promotion and a raise, you should celebrate. I still have a bottle of white wine, let's have a drink together."

"Uncle, I'm not worthy of your lotus-flavored white wine with wine mixed in. Go to the backyard later, I'll serve the wine and dishes."

"Da Mao, you go back first, I'll come find you later."

Yan Bugui was overjoyed at the prospect of getting a free meal and watched Xu Damao leave.

A few minutes later, Yi Zhonghai, Jia Dongxu, and He Yuzhu returned.

Five people from the institute work at the steel rolling mill. Liu Haizhong and Xu Damao were promoted this time, while Yi Zhonghai, Jia Dongxu, and He Yuzhu remained in the same position. All three of them were in a bad mood.

"Old Yi, Old Liu became a level seven blacksmith, did you pass the level eight fitter exam?"

Yan Bugui, who saw Yi Zhonghai, asked with a smile.

Yi Zhonghai said with a grim expression, "Old Yan, I failed the eighth-level fitter exam this time."

"Old Yi, with your skills, you'll definitely become an eighth-level fitter next time."

Yi Zhonghai forced a smile, said a few words, and strode towards the Intermediate People's Court.

He Yuzhu ignored Yan Bugui, and Jia Dongxu, who was already in a bad mood, was too lazy to waste words with Yan Bugui.

Qi Bing, who was in the east courtyard, was not surprised to hear that Yi Zhonghai had not become an eighth-level fitter.

Some time ago, when he was chatting with some elders, he mentioned that some workers in certain factories did not actually have the skills required for their job level, which led to the addition of supervision teams to the job level examinations in many units this time.

Well-informed people don't care much about the oversight team, but they are worried about the subsequent spot-check team.

If the technical capabilities do not meet the current standards, those involved will face penalties if discovered by the inspection team.

Why do we only conduct self-examination and rectification after being discovered by others? Why don't we conduct self-examination and rectification in the meantime?

The backyard, the home of the deaf old lady.

"Madam, Liu Haizhong passed the exam and became a Level 7 blacksmith, while I'm still a Level 7 fitter."

"Zhonghai, didn't Xiao Yang promise to help you get promoted to level eight fitter?"

"According to Director Yang, a supervisory team was sent from above for today's worker level exam, and he has no power to interfere."

"Zhonghai, it's not a big deal. Liu Haizhong is a level seven blacksmith, and you are a level seven fitter. In the courtyard, Liu Haizhong is the second oldest, and you are the oldest. You are still a head taller than him."

"Madam, Liu Haizhong is attending night school for high school. Should I enroll in night school too?"

"Zhonghai, it's up to you whether or not you go to night school."

After dinner, Qi Bing continued testing the destroyers and submarines.

During the actual testing process, he solved all the problems that were discovered.

With the ability to disassemble and synthesize, building ships is a breeze, and modifying ships is quick and easy.

The submarines and destroyers he developed had a displacement of only 10,000 tons.

"The submarines and destroyers can be finalized now."

Having obtained the relevant production technology data, Qi Bing began to develop cargo ships and fishing boats.

According to his idea, he would build a shipyard in Yucheng on the banks of the Yangtze River in Yucheng, under the name of Yucheng Industrial Group.

In the early stages, the Yucheng Shipyard produced cargo ships and fishing boats, which not only increased shipping and fishing capacity but also trained a group of shipbuilding technicians.

It's not too late to start producing ships once the number of shipbuilding technicians increases and their technical capabilities improve.

The next morning, Yang Ruihua and Chen Rong chatted in the front yard.

"Auntie, Jia Dongxu has been working at the factory for almost seven years and he's still only a first-class fitter. He's a good-for-nothing."

"Second Aunt, your husband Lao Liu is really amazing. He's already passed the seventh-level blacksmith exam. Blacksmithing is a physically demanding job, but the food ration is high. With Lao Liu becoming a seventh-level blacksmith, his salary will probably be ninety."

"My husband has done the math; his salary isn't ninety yuan, it's probably around eighty yuan."

"Sha Zhu is impulsive and reckless, and speaks without thinking. He offended the canteen manager. Otherwise, with his cooking skills, he would have become a level seven cook long ago."

"Shazhu's salary is thirty-one yuan. So, on average, he and He Yushui each earn almost sixteen yuan, which is much better than our family."

"Don't forget that Sha Zhu often goes out to organize banquets for people. His monthly income is likely to be fifty or sixty yuan."

"By the way, do you know where Qi Bing from the East Wing works?"

"It seems he hasn't started work yet. He goes out every morning and comes back around noon."