Chapter 91: Skill Inheritance, Nurturing Newcomers

The workshop's light was still on, and the scrap metal sheet on the floor had been blown to the doorstep, wedged in a brick crack, motionless. Zhao Jianguo didn't bother with it, just flipped the registration form over, lifted his pen and read again the line he had written on the back—"Establish oneself through skill, gather people through trust." He blew the pencil dust off the paper, and when he looked up he saw Jia Dongxu standing in the doorway, a canvas bag in hand, his pant cuffs stained with factory oil spots.

"Here?" Zhao Jianguo closed the notebook and placed it on the table.

"Hmm." Jia Dongxu walked in, set the bag on the small wooden box beside the bench vise, "I thought it over all night after returning home; just lecturing won't do, we need a proper method."

"I think the same," Zhao Jianguo got up, pulled a kraft paper folder from the drawer; inside were several hand‑drawn Lesson Plans and a list filled with items, "We can't just teach how to fix machines; we also have to let people know why we fix them that way."

Sha Zhu pushed the door in at that moment, cradling a half‑basket of nuts and washers in his arms, and as soon as he entered he shouted, "Whoa, this stuff is really heavy! I just picked it up from the Scrap Yard—you're saying it's for teaching?"

"Correct." Zhao Jianguo took the basket, set it on the floor, "Starting tomorrow we officially open classes; it doesn't matter whose apprentice you are, everyone follows the same Rules Sign."

He Yushui arrived shortly after, a blue cloth bag slung over her shoulder and a small notebook in hand. "I've reorganized the point system as you said," she said, sitting down and opening the notebook, "For the beginner class, one point per session, plus two points upon completion; for the advanced class, two points per session, and an additional five points if the practical assessment is passed."

"Alright," Zhao Jianguo nodded, "Also, tool usage must be logged; anyone who takes a Wrench or pliers must sign. If something gets broken, it must be compensated at full price."

"Whoa, that strict?" Sha Zhu grinned, "What if I strip a screw head—what then?"

"Then it'll be a point deduction," Zhao Jianguo said, looking at him, "You're the teaching assistant; mistakes cost double."

A few people in the room laughed, and the atmosphere relaxed.

Yanbugui leaned on a bamboo pole, sauntered in, stood in the corner listening for a while, then finally spoke, "You set so many Rules Sign, aren't you afraid you'll scare people away?"

"What's there to fear?" Zhao Jianguo smiled, "Those who want to fake certificates will eventually be exposed; those who truly want to learn will be eager for a solid foundation."

Jia Dongxu interjected, "I've already copied the factory's latest maintenance procedures, planning to split them into six lessons. The first class will cover safety regulations— which step requires power cut, which area forbids glove use—going through them point by point."

"Good." Zhao Jianguo pulled a page from the paper folder and handed it over, "This is the teaching outline I drafted; see if anything's missing. I also plan to give each trainee a file folder to record which courses they've taken and their scores, all logged in."

"Is this useful?" He Yushui asked.

"Not now," Zhao Jianguo answered honestly, "But later, if someone is evaluated for promotion or reassigned, this will serve as evidence. We don't rely on connections; we let the records speak."

The room fell silent for a few seconds.

Sha Zhu scratched his head, "Then… can I be a teacher? I may not be good at theory, but I'm fine with hands‑on work."

"You can, and you must lead," Zhao Jianguo patted his shoulder, "You're the first non‑technical staff to learn welding; that fact alone highlights the issue. You'll be in charge of the practical side, teaching everyone how to hold the welding torch and control the heat."

"Got it!" Sha Zhu slapped his thigh, "Then I'll practice my wording tonight so I don't stammer later."

He Yushui lowered her head and wrote in the notebook, "I'll make the file folders uniformly—one per person, with a label number. Fill in name, department, and contact info."

"Alright." Zhao Jianguo turned to Jia Dongxu again, "You draft the exam questions, moderate difficulty, focusing on whether they can handle common faults. Those who fail may retake, but only up to two chances."

Yanbugui hummed, "You're making it sound like a school."

"It has to be decent from the start," Zhao Jianguo said unbothered, "In the past, skills were passed by word of mouth; today we teach half, leave a hand for tomorrow, and the result? It breaks. We're different now—we have a venue, equipment, and people willing to learn, so we must turn this into something that can be passed down."

He paused, his tone softened, "I'm not trying to become a master taking apprentices; I want anyone who mentions the Siheyuan workshop to know that a batch of diligent, capable technicians came from here."

Jia Dongxu silently took out a fountain pen and wrote "No. 1 Workshop Night Class – Phase One" in his notebook, each stroke penned with great care.

"What about enrollment?" He Yushui asked, "There are too many applicants; we can't accept everyone."

"Separate classes," Zhao Jianguo had long planned, "Those with weak basics go to the beginner class, first learning schematics, tool identification, and safety; those with some foundation go to the advanced class, focusing on equipment repair and emergency handling. Every Saturday we hold a comprehensive exam, then post the results."

"Who will invigilate?" Sha Zhu asked curiously.

"We'll take turns," Zhao Jianguo said, "You, Master Jia, Sister He, and Old Yan—you're on night duty, so you can also supervise exam discipline."

Yanbugui was startled, "Me? Invigilate?"

"Your experience is extensive; a quick glance tells you who's peeking," Zhao Jianguo laughed, "Besides, aren't you also logged for night patrol? It's all to serve everyone."

The old man gave no reply, but the corner of his mouth twitched slightly, as if holding back a laugh.

The meeting went on until night fell completely; outside came a few coughs and Footsteps, someone passing the doorway glanced inside, then hurried away. Zhao Jianguo handed out the printed course manuals to everyone—six pages total, the cover bearing a Gear Set and hammer crossed, drawn by his own hand.

"Tomorrow night at seven, the first class," he announced finally, "Topic: Ten Prohibitions for Safe Production. Arriving five minutes late counts as absent; three absences cancel exam eligibility."

"That harsh?" Sha Zhu widened his eyes.

"Rules that can't hold up make everything empty talk," Zhao Jianguo tucked away the paper folder, "We're not after spectacle; we want real results."

After the meeting, He Yushui stayed to organize the file folders, cutting paper with scissors one by one, then stitching the edges with needle and thread. Jia Dongxu stood before the Blackboard, using Chalk to draw the circuit schematic for tomorrow, murmuring as he drew, "Power switch → fuse → grounding wire…"

Sha Zhu brought in several long benches and lined them up, humming a tune, "I've never properly sat down to listen to a class in my life; tomorrow I'll sneak in and listen!"

Zhao Jianguo sat on a sawhorse, red pen in hand, beginning to verify the first batch of trainee names. He scanned each name, checking a box after those marked with an asterisk—these were either three‑shift workers or elders with children hoping to pass on the trade.

Outside the door, a sudden knock sounded.

"Who's there?" Sha Zhu went to open the door.

It was the son of neighboring Aunt Li, dressed in a faded work uniform, clutching a crumpled registration form. "Brother Zhao, can I enroll in the advanced class? I've been operating lathes in the factory for three years, just need an official certification."

Zhao Jianguo looked up at him, didn't answer immediately, but opened his registration card and asked, "Did you pass the theory exam?"

"Not yet…"

"Then take the beginner exam first," Zhao Jianguo handed the form back, "Everyone is equal before the Rules Sign. If you truly have skill, you can advance within a month."

The young man bit his lip, took the form, and left.

Sha Zhu sighed, "You're being too tough."

"If we soften, the Rules Sign will collapse," Zhao Jianguo stacked the list neatly into a file bag, "Here we don't care who knows whom; we only see who can patiently learn."

At this point, Jia Dongxu had already erased and redrawn the Blackboard, the diagram now far more orderly than before. He stepped back two paces, looked, and nodded approvingly.

He Yushui also arranged over twenty file folders neatly, each labeled with a number and name.

Zhao Jianguo rose, walked to the doorway, looked up at the copper plaque above the door. The light shone on the two characters "No. 1," their surface glinting with aged metal.

He turned, grabbed the red pen, opened the topmost trainee roster, and began annotating.

Jia Dongxu came over, asked softly, "Have you looked at the first exam paper? Should we add another troubleshooting question?"

"Add it," Zhao Jianguo nodded, "Use the leaking kettle example, see if they can spot the faulty weld joint."

The two sat side by side, one with a pen, the other flipping through documents, the lamp's light quietly spilling onto the tabletop.

Outside, the wind lifted the scrap metal sheet wedged in the brick crack, it spun and struck the doorframe, emitting a light "ding."