Chapter 32

Jia Dongxu crouched beside the No. 3 rolling mill, gripping a freshly tightened wrench in his hand, his knuckles white. The machine ran fairly smoothly, but the tension in his heart hadn't eased. He stared fixedly at Zhao Jianguo's approaching back; his lips moved, but in the end he didn't speak.

Zhao Jianguo stepped forward, patted his shoulder, and, taking advantage of the moment, pulled out a notebook with its corners all curled up from the toolbox, saying, "Come on, let's find a quiet place during lunch break to talk."

The two turned into the tool room; as soon as the door closed, the clamor of the machines outside seemed to be muffled by a quilt. Jia Dongxu flung the wrench to the floor, took a breath, and said, "That thing you said this morning… 'Next time there's work, just call me'—it made Master's face turn green."

Zhao Jianguo didn't pick up on his remark, opened the notebook, and pointed a finger at a page densely filled with writing, saying, "Take a look at this first."

Jia Dongxu leaned in, his brows knitting tighter and tighter. On the paper were seven or eight technical points, each marked with the time and equipment number, plus annotations like "Yi Zhonghai not explained" and "only demonstrated, principle not stated."

"What is this?" Jia Dongxu asked in surprise.

"I've gone through every machine you've worked on with Master Yi over the past five years." Zhao Jianguo spoke softly but each word was clear: "How do you hear air blockage in a hydraulic valve? How do you adjust dynamic balance of a transmission shaft? How do you spot early signs of seal ring aging? Has he taught you these?"

Jia Dongxu opened his mouth, but no words came out.

"Last month the No. 2 shearing machine had a problem; you took it apart for three hours, and in the end it was Old Li who helped you figure it out—air got into the oil line, the exhaust valve was clogged. Do you still remember that?" Zhao Jianguo continued asking.

"I remember." Jia Dongxu replied quietly, "Master Yi just said, 'Pay attention next time,' and didn't explain how."

"It's not that he can't; it's that he doesn't want to teach you." Zhao Jianguo closed the notebook and said, "My dad mentioned casually at the cafeteria the other day, 'You need to cut pressure before loosening the top screw when venting.' Guess what? The whole maintenance crew was stunned. Even Old Li said they'd been doing this for twenty years and nobody had ever explained that detail."

Jia Dongxu lowered his head to look at his oil‑stained hand, feeling as if a wad of cotton were stuck in his throat.

"You've been a first‑class worker for nearly ten years, and that pay barely keeps you and your wife fed. Qin Huairu still has to knit sweaters in the middle of the night to supplement the household, and your son runs around the Hutong in open‑crotch pants…" Zhao Jianguo paused, then added, "Just because the master is unwilling to teach you a couple of moves, do you still have to be grateful to him?"

"I'm not…" Jia Dongxu snapped his head up and said, "But the master‑apprentice relationship is right there; if I really changed masters, wouldn't people stab me in the back behind my back?"

"Technology is dead, people are alive." Zhao Jianguo leaned against the tool rack, his tone softening a bit, "Everyone in the factory knows Zhao Erniu works without hiding anything; even temporary workers who ask him questions get hands‑on instruction. But Yi Zhonghai? He even guards against his own apprentice, afraid that if you learn the skills you'll take his livelihood."

Jia Dongxu clenched his molars and remained silent.

"If you're worried about gaining a reputation for betraying your master, let me ask—has he taught you any real skill? Has he gotten you promoted to second‑class worker? Has he shielded you from dirty, tiring work?" Zhao Jianguo fixed his stare on him, "Not a single one, right? Then which Rules Sign are you upholding? You're upholding the Rules Sign that lets him live comfortably in retirement, not the Rules Sign that lets you live well."

Jia Dongxu slammed his fist onto the metal cabinet with a loud "clang."

"Damn it… I've been stupid for nearly ten years!" Jia Dongxu roared angrily.

"It's not too late to wake up now." Zhao Jianguo pulled a sheet of paper from his bag and said, "This is a diagram of the transmission system my dad drew a couple of days ago; I've copied it for you. If you're willing, I can help you work out a study plan—two hours of learning after work each day."

Jia Dongxu held that sheet of paper, his hand trembling slightly.

"But… Uncle Zhao… would he be willing to take me on?" Jia Dongxu asked hesitantly.

"Do you think my dad is that kind of person?" Zhao Jianguo said with a smile, "The other day he even said, 'Jia Dongxu this kid is willing to work hard, he's just been led astray.' As long as you speak up, he has no reason not to take you."

Jia Dongxu took a deep breath, then slowly exhaled. He stared at the diagram for a full half minute, then suddenly lifted his head and said firmly, "I want to change masters."

"Have you decided?" Zhao Jianguo asked.

"I have." Jia Dongxu said in a low but steady voice, "I can't spend my whole life as just a 'first‑class worker' who only knows how to tighten screws. I need to learn real skill, or else I'll be letting down my wife and children, and my own hands."

Zhao Jianguo nodded, put the notebook back in his bag, and said, "You've already decided on the path; I'll stand by you and support you."

The two walked out of the tool room; the sunlight was so bright it made it hard to keep one's eyes open. Jia Dongxu squinted and suddenly asked, "Um… when should I go find Uncle Zhao?"

"No rush." Zhao Jianguo glanced at his watch and said, "First write an application, make the reasons clear. Matters like technical transmission need to follow procedure. If you just show up at the door to take on a master, it'll only invite gossip."

"Then… how should I write the application?" Jia Dongxu asked again.

"I'll help you." Zhao Jianguo patted his shoulder, "Come to my place tonight; we'll eat and chat."

That evening, in the Jia family's small courtyard, Qin Huairu brought out a bowl of hot noodle soup, but Jia Dongxu didn't pick up his chopsticks. He sat at the table, clutching a sheet of paper covered in writing, and read it over and over.

"Done writing?" Zhao Jianguo asked, holding a pencil stub in his mouth and leaning against the doorframe.

"Mm." Jia Dongxu nodded and said, "I say… due to the need for personal technical improvement, I'm applying to be transferred to Master Zhao Erniu's team for instruction. The reason is… Master Yi's teaching focuses on basic operations, lacking systematic technical instruction, which affects repair efficiency and personal growth."

"Fine, it's written quite properly." Zhao Jianguo took the application, glanced at it, and said, "You didn't accuse him of hoarding knowledge, nor did you say he's incapable, but you covered everything that needed to be said. The workshop director will naturally understand after reading it."

"Uncle Zhao… will he really take me on?" Jia Dongxu asked, still uneasy.

"Do you think my dad is the type who acts based on others' expressions?" Zhao Jianguo folded the paper, slipped it into an envelope, and said, "I'll submit it first thing tomorrow morning and accompany you to the office."

The next morning, in the workshop director's office.

Jia Dongxu stood before the desk, palms sweating. The director flipped through the application, his brows slightly furrowed. Yi Zhonghai sat behind him, face ashen, tapping his fingers on his knees with a steady "thump‑thump."

"Little Jia," the director said, lifting his head, "you've studied under Master Yi for nearly ten years; suddenly wanting to change masters—aren't you being a bit… too hasty?"

"How could I not be anxious?" Jia Dongxu straightened his back and said, "I've learned plenty from Master Yi over the years, but these past years he's never explained the key technical points thoroughly. I've been fixing machines by figuring things out on my own, not under his guidance. With the factory updating equipment so fast, if I don't study systematically I'll inevitably fall behind."

Yi Zhonghai let out a cold laugh and said, "Well, I've painstakingly brought you along for ten years, and now I'm being called 'someone who didn't teach real skill'? You're being ungrateful!"

"Master," Jia Dongxu turned to look at him and said, "I remember everything you taught me. But you also have to admit that you never let me touch a major overhaul of a hydraulic system, never taught me how to correct dynamic balance, and never even told me how to choose material for seal rings. These are things you're unwilling to teach, not that I don't want to learn."

"You—!" Yi Zhonghai sprang to his feet.

"Old Yi, sit down." The director raised his hand, his tone turning stern, "Technical transmission is about actual results. Your team had four maintenance delays last month, three of which were minor issues that snowballed into major problems. Zhao Erniu's team? Zero delays. The factory isn't a place for sentiments; it's a place for efficiency."

"But… the master‑apprentice relationship…" Yi Zhonghai still wanted to say something.

"The master‑apprentice relationship must also submit to production arrangements." The director closed the application and said, "Jia Dongxu's application reasons are fully sufficient, and the need for technical improvement is reasonable. I approve it. Starting next month, you'll be transferred to Zhao Erniu's team, with him responsible for your training."

Yi Zhonghai stood frozen, his face alternating between green and white.

"Old Yi, don't be resentful either." The director glanced at him and said, "If you really had taught your apprentice everything you know, would he want to leave?"

Walking out of the office, Jia Dongxu's legs felt a little weak. Zhao Jianguo was waiting at the end of the hallway; seeing him emerge, he raised an eyebrow.

"Approved." Jia Dongxu's voice trembled, "I… I really got transferred."

"Congratulations." Zhao Jianguo handed him a bottle of soda and said, "From now on you're no longer a 'retirement pawn' but a genuine technical worker."

Jia Dongxu twisted off the cap, tipped his head back and gulped a big mouthful; the fizz made him cough. He wiped his mouth, then suddenly laughed and said, "You say… if my dad knew, how happy would he be?"

"If he knew you finally dared to fight for your own future," Zhao Jianguo patted him, "he'd surely crack open a couple of shots of liquor."

A few days later, the morning meeting of Zhao Erniu's team.

Zhao Erniu stood before the ranks, glanced at the newly arrived Jia Dongxu, nodded, and said, "Starting today, Jia Dongxu is under my charge. Let me get the unpleasant stuff out of the way first—what I teach you, you must remember seriously; what I haven't taught is because I myself haven't figured it out yet. If you have any questions, ask anytime; don't be afraid of losing face."

Jia Dongxu stood ramrod straight, his chest rising and falling unevenly, showing he was quite excited.

"Old Zhao," an old master beside him said with a low chuckle, "Taking on this apprentice, Yi Zhonghai's side is bound to kick up a storm."

"Let him kick up whatever fuss he wants." Zhao Erniu unscrewed his thermos, took a breath, and said, "I'm only responsible for teaching people; I don't care about all that messy nonsense."

Zhao Jianguo stood at the rear of the ranks, watching Jia Dongxu receive the newly issued tool kit, his fingers rubbing the strap a few times as if checking something.

He knew that once he took this step, there would be no turning back.

And the greater challenge still lay ahead.

That night, Zhao Jianguo opened his notebook under the lamp and wrote: "Jia Dongxu succeeded in changing masters. Yi Zhonghai's power suffered its first collapse. Next step, spread the technology."

He had just closed the notebook when he heard footsteps coming from outside the courtyard.

The door was pushed open; Jia Dongxu stood at the doorway, holding a packet of snacks, his face slightly flushed.

"Uncle Zhao said... let me go to his place every evening from now on to learn the transmission system." Jia Dongxu said.

"Pretty good." Zhao Jianguo took the snack and shoved it into the drawer.

"I also... brought a notebook." Jia Dongxu pulled out a brand-new notebook from his pocket, the cover neatly written with the six characters "Technical Study Notebook".

Zhao Jianguo looked at that notebook, said nothing.

Jia Dongxu stood there, not knowing where to put his hands.

"Come in and have a seat." Zhao Jianguo pulled out a chair.

Jia Dongxu was about to step forward when another hurried footsteps came from outside the courtyard.

The shadow of the door frame was cut off by a silhouette.