Siheyuan: Starting from the driver

Chapter 745 Graduation Assessment!

Time flew by, and finally it was the last weekend of July.

Today is the most important day.

The first graduating class of evening college students takes their assessment!
This is not just an exam; it's a major event that concerns everyone's chances of graduating smoothly.

The students' hard work over the past three years is crucial to their graduation; it all depends on today.

Yan Wanbin and other teachers were also keeping a close eye on this matter. This was not just a matter for the students, but also a matter of giving an answer to the Education Bureau, various factories, and society.

At dawn, the sky was just beginning to lighten with the first hint of white.

The teachers at the night school also got up early to prepare.

"Director Yan, you're up so early too!"

Teacher Zhang, who was in charge of the theory classes, pushed his bicycle into the school gate and bumped into Yan Wanbin, who was walking in a hurry.

Yan Wanbin nodded. "Teacher Zhang is here. Can't sleep? This is the first class, it's of great significance, and we can't afford to make any mistakes."

"We need to check the examination room again carefully to make sure everything is perfect."

The office was brightly lit.

The teachers sat together, with sealed bags of theoretical exam papers and a list of practical assessment items spread out on the table in front of them.

Without any unnecessary small talk, everyone was conducting the final verification.

"Professor Yan, all the sealed bags for the theory exams have been checked."

“Okay.” Yan Wanbin nodded.

Afterwards, they arranged to inspect the classrooms that would be used as examination venues.

There's no need to go into detail about the classroom; the main focus is on the machines and equipment used for practical assessments. Are the circuits of these machines safe? Can the lathes, drilling machines, fitter's benches, and other tools operate normally?
This assessment will no longer be based on a comprehensive calculation of previous exam results.

Candidates must pass both the theoretical and practical exams; failure in either exam will result in not receiving a graduation certificate.

This is very disadvantageous for people like Yu Xingmei and Qi Mengru who don't work in factories, but they chose this path themselves.

Before long, the third-year students of the night school entered the familiar yet solemn campus one after another.

Their steps, whether fast or slow, were all tinged with solemnity.

It's 9 a.m. sharp.

"Jingle Bell--"

Everyone immediately went into the classroom.

Yan Wanbin entered one of the classrooms.

"Quiet! Find your seats! Today's assessment is the fairest and most important test of what you've learned over the past three years!"

"The test papers will be distributed shortly. Do not even think about cheating! Remember, there is no room for trickery in the exam room. You rely on your real skills."

The exam papers were handed out one by one, falling into everyone's hands, accompanied by a soft gasp of surprise.

The exam paper was covered with densely packed questions.

From multiple-choice questions on basic concepts to short-answer essays on complex processes; from static map reading to computational deductions requiring flexible application.

What made everyone's hearts sink even more was that the points allocated to each question were extremely "stingy".

When many people first see the time, their minds go blank for a moment.

"So many? Are you kidding me?"

"No wonder the teacher asked us to take out all the books we had read last month; so that's what she was waiting for!"

Hearing the whispers below, Yan Wanbin had already anticipated this: "Quiet! Don't talk, anyone who talks again will be disqualified from the exam."

Instantly, there was complete silence below.

"The exam will last from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., a total of 3 hours. The exam will now begin!"

After saying that, Yan Wanbin fell silent, only staring coldly at the scene.

Seeing this, everyone looked around and then lowered their heads to answer the questions honestly.

The exam covered a lot of material, but the scores weren't high; if you got too many questions wrong, your score would naturally be low as well.

Jin Jianxian had already lowered his head, his pen moving rapidly across the paper, making a soft "scratching" sound, as if he were engaged in a methodical battle.

On the other side, Qi Mengru's fingers were deeply inserted into her hair, her carefully combed long hair was messed up, her brows were tightly furrowed, and her face was full of pain and struggle.

Other students were more or less struggling.

At this moment, Li Kailang was sitting in a corner at the back of the classroom.

He unfolded the exam paper, his gaze calmly and quickly sweeping over each question, before immediately picking up his pen to write.

Facing so many questions that required calculations, it was quite challenging for him.

The classroom was soon filled with heavy sighs and the scratching of pens on paper, creating a tense symphony.

Yan Wanbin walked slowly down the aisle between the desks with his hands behind his back, his sharp gaze scanning each person's test paper and movements.

Jingle Bell--

At noon, the final bell rang, marking the end of the theoretical exam.

The students filed out, chatting amongst themselves in small groups.

"There were just too many questions. I didn't answer many of them at the end. I'm doomed," someone shook their head and sighed helplessly.

"Me too, I feel like I got a few questions wrong, what should I do?"

Everyone looked worried and confided in each other.

Li Kailang, Jin Jianxian, Yu Xingmei, and Qi Mengru gathered together, looking at each other.

Yu Xingmei couldn't help but secretly wipe away her tears; she had miscalculated several questions and was afraid she was going to fail miserably.

Qi Mengru wasn't much better off. "The theory is already this difficult, the practical exam this afternoon will be even worse. If I don't pass the theory exam, all my three years of hard work will have been for nothing."

Jin Jianxian comforted him, saying, "The results haven't come out yet, there's always a chance. Just relax and focus on the practical exercise this afternoon."

No one said much, they packed up their things and went back to eat, preparing for the practical assessment in the afternoon.

2pm sharp.

The sun was high in the sky, blazing hot, and the air was so hot that even the cicadas had stopped chirping.

The examination was held in a small, separate workshop within the factory.

Calipers, clamps, and wrenches of various sizes are neatly arranged, and raw materials awaiting processing are piled up next to the workbench.

Everyone had already arrived outside the practical training room and was just waiting for the teacher to open the door.

Not long after, Yan Wanbin came to open the door again and let the group of students in.

"Everyone find your own spot, check if you're missing anything, and arrange your tools according to your personal habits."

Everyone began to prepare.

Not long after, another teacher came in and handed a document to Yan Wanbin, who then read aloud the content of the practical exam.

"Practical assessment, now begins! Each person will complete the task individually: 'Scribing, drilling, and filing of a sliding bearing housing blank on-site, with a time limit of three hours!'"

After speaking, Yan Wanbin paused deliberately and glanced at the group of students.

"Listen up! This is a workshop! Not a machine tool with blades or live wires! The slightest operational error could result in scrapped workpieces and failed assessments, or even injury to yourself or others!" "If anyone is injured, the exam is over! Safety is the rule, and there is no room for leniency!"

After hearing the assessment requirements, Qi Mengru and Yu Xingmei both felt that many of them were difficult, and even Jin Jianxian found them somewhat challenging.

After giving some instructions, Yan Wanbin gave a command, and the practical training room instantly erupted in a noisy din.

The sounds of a file scraping metal edges, the clanging of a hammer striking and straightening, and the metallic clanging of tools being picked up and put down.
The tense atmosphere, like an invisible fog, permeated every corner.

Jin Jianxian was skilled in the operation, and his actions of positioning, marking, clamping, selecting the drill bit, and adjusting the speed were all completed in one smooth motion.

Then it was drilled, and the spiral-shaped iron filings produced by the drilling were ejected with unusual intensity, drawing a bright arc and accompanied by a subtle but sharp sound of air being cut.

Qi Mengru was intently gripping the handles of the bench vise with both hands, trying to secure an irregular metal blank in preparation for marking.

Everyone was focused on doing their own thing.

After hearing the assessment requirements, Li Kailang breathed a sigh of relief, "Thank goodness, thank goodness, everything is under control, the assessment is not difficult."

He calmly and skillfully laid out the tools needed for the assessment according to his usual habits.

Then carefully examine the drawings to ensure that all details are understood.

Turn on the power, rotate the gear selector to choose the gear, fix the blank, and install the cutting tool.
Every movement was fluid and precise, without the slightest hesitation.

When the start switch is pressed, the lathe roars and starts running, the cutting tool steadily cutting into the steel workpiece, the movement is smooth and even, without the slightest vibration.

Rotation speed, feed rate, depth of cut—everything is under his perfect control.

Li Kailang's expression was focused and calm, his gaze fixed on the spinning workpiece and the forming machining surface, precisely controlling the dimensional accuracy of the machining.

This scene was keenly observed by Yan Wanbin, who was on patrol.

When Yan Wanbin stopped to watch Li Kailang's lathe, his eyes were filled with surprise and admiration.

The smooth spiral pattern of iron filings is something that requires years of practical experience to achieve, but Li Kailang was able to do it, which was somewhat unexpected.

Li Kailang had never done this in the practice room before.

"Could it be that Li Kailang had an epiphany in the last month or two?"

In Yan Wanbin's view, such great progress could only be due to a sudden enlightenment, and hiding one's talents was even more impossible.

Yan Wanbin's understanding of Li Kailang was still based on the end-of-term practical exam at the beginning of the year.

But after July, things were completely different.

Since being promoted to Level 8 worker, Li Kailang has rarely taken action. In fact, since he started taking practical training courses, he has hardly participated in any practical training sessions.

Before long, Li Kailang completed his own assessment.

Remove the precision-machined workpiece, and use a vernier caliper to measure it at three cross-sections: both ends and the middle. Measure each cross-section twice.

Each cross-section met the requirements of the assessment, and was even more refined.

Yan Wanbin, watching from the side, looked at Li Kailang with undisguised amazement and exclaimed in a low voice, "Good! Good! Good!"

"Li Kailang, your skills are quite good, you must be at least a level four worker, right?"

Although it was a question, the tone was certain.

Most of the students in the class have the skills of a level three or four worker, and Jin Jianxian even has the skills of a level four or five worker.

Li Kailang nodded. He didn't directly reveal his level eight craftsman skills, as that would be too astonishing.

Especially considering how young he is, no one would believe him.

He simply said modestly, "Teacher Yan, you flatter me. I should be considered a fifth-level worker."

"A fifth-level worker?!" Yan Wanbin was first taken aback, then relieved, his smile widening.

"A Level 5 worker is pretty good! All that's missing is a Level 6 worker."

Li Kailang is a level 5 worker, which is outstanding, but still within acceptable limits.

No wonder Li Kailang can easily handle any complex exercise during practical classes, and he is often the first to propose an optimization solution.

I initially thought he was just being extra diligent, but now it seems his skill level is truly unfathomable! "Great! Great! Excellent!"

Yan Wanbin repeatedly said "good," and patted Li Kailang's shoulder forcefully, expressing both affirmation and immense relief.

The fact that the Night School has such a gem is a highlight of its prestigious reputation.

Yan Wanbin's actions were also clearly seen by the others, and everyone immediately realized that Li Kailang must have passed the practical test.

"Do it well, and don't make mistakes."

After giving a few instructions, Yan Wanbin continued his inspection. He nodded in approval as he looked at what the others had done, especially Jin Jianxian and a few others.

Although he didn't appear as effortlessly skillful as Li Kailang, he still exuded a sense of ease within his limited space.

Yan Wanbin remained calm in the face of the techniques employed by Jin Jianxian and others.

Jingle Bell--

As the sun began to set, the magnificent colors of the sunset painted the sky.

The five o'clock bell signaled the end of all assessment subjects.

With a piercing power-off alarm, the roaring machine tools finally fell silent, leaving only the scattered sounds of tools being put away in the workshop.

"Exam over! Everyone stop!"

Holding the register, Yan Wanbin solemnly checked each student's submitted work once again.

Whether the repairs are perfect or have flaws, each item is checked, verified, and then sealed and signed.

After the final batch of finished products was counted and found to be correct, all the workpieces were packed into boxes under everyone's supervision.

"Dear students!"

Yan Wanbin stood in the middle of the workshop, a little higher up, his voice louder than usual, carrying a sense of ease as if he had accomplished a major task.

"Thank you all for your hard work! Today's theory and practical assessments are now all over!"

clap clap clap!
Immediately, thunderous applause erupted.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, and almost everyone felt completely drained.

At the end of the day, whether it's the intense mental exertion or the tense arms and back from actual operation, there's a deep sense of fatigue.

Yan Wanbin cleared his throat and continued, "We will organize teachers and technicians to conduct a fair, rigorous, and repeated review of all theoretical exam papers and practical results."

His gaze swept over every expectant, anxious, and uneasy face.

"Please remember the time: the second weekend of next month. Please make sure to gather at the night school then. All the results will be announced then."

He paused again, then said in the most solemn tone: "And the final result that will determine whether each student can graduate smoothly!"

That last sentence immediately put everyone's relaxed nerves on edge again.

Qi Mengru's face paled even more, Yu Xingmei subconsciously clenched her fists, Jin Jianxian frowned, and even Li Kailang's expression became more solemn.

Although I am confident, nothing is certain until the results are in.

Yan Wanbin waved goodbye one last time, "You're all exhausted after a whole day of exams. Go home, eat something good, and get a good night's sleep!"

After grabbing his things, Yan Wanbin was the first to walk out.

Everyone looked at each other, finally able to breathe a sigh of relief.

(End of this chapter)