Siheyuan: Starting from the driver

Chapter 768 Resistance and Resignation

Meanwhile, Li Kailang also arrived at the transport team.

Everyone welcomed him warmly when he arrived.

After exchanging a few pleasantries, Li Kailang got straight to the point, explaining the matter of Wan Shen and the quota for Ye Da.

Immediately, all the apprentices looked worried and distressed.

Li Kailang called over a fellow apprentice he was on good terms with, "I'll give you a spot at night school, do you want it?"

Instantly, a smile that looked more like a grimace appeared on his face, and he clasped his hands in a gesture of respect.

"Brother Li! My Kailang brother! You're my own brother! We're brothers, but please don't let me down in this matter!" His voice was pleading.

“You know what kind of person I am, Master Li. I’m already exhausted from fixing this and that at the team during the day, and I still have to go to school at night. Doesn’t this kill me?”

He asked others, but no one dared to answer.

"Master Li, you are the golden phoenix that flew out of our transportation team, and we are all happy for you! But the hardship is something that not just anyone can endure."

"Yeah, if we could concentrate on our studies, we wouldn't have ended up here after graduating from junior high. If we had that kind of ambition, we would have gone to university long ago."

"Exactly! Brother Li, we admire your success, but that stuff can't be replicated! We don't have your ruthlessness, nor your cleverness."

"The factory forced this spot on us; it's like pushing a duck onto a shelf!"

Li Kailang looked at the faces filled with resistance and listened to their heartfelt complaints and pleas for mercy.

As expected, it still didn't work out.

While knowledge can change one's destiny, whether one can persevere in it is another matter.

Seeing this, Li Kailang shook his head helplessly. He had tried to persuade him, but to no avail, and there was nothing he could do.

"Alright, alright, look at you all, as if I'm dragging you to the execution ground. I'm just here to convey the factory's message: there's a spot for our transportation team."

"But let me make this clear: this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. This is a channel that the factory is focusing on developing. If we miss this chance, we won't get another one."

"Think about it some more. If any of you brothers suddenly 'realize' it, tell me in the next couple of days."

At the entrance of the technical department.

Wan Shen heard the gist of how Director Wang lectured him, how he forcibly assigned Zhao Xiaohai and the other two, and how the three of them looked dejected.

A weight was lifted from his heart—at least three spots were secured.

Although the method was not entirely satisfactory, at least it was a satisfactory result.

Presumably, they went because they were from the steel rolling mill and represented the mill's reputation, so they probably wouldn't deliberately perform poorly.

He also saw the somewhat helpless expression on Li Kailang's face when he returned, and he already knew the outcome.

"Technician Li, what about the transport team?"

Li Kailang gave a wry smile and spread his hands: "Secretary Wan, as you expected, none of them agreed. I've said everything I could. I'm afraid the transportation team's spot is out of the question."

He shook his head.

Wan Shen had been prepared for this, so he wasn't too disappointed. Instead, he comforted Li, saying, "Technician Li, you've worked hard. The transportation team's situation is indeed special. I understand! I understand!"

"In the technical department, Director Wang has already selected three young people: Zhao Guoqiang, Huang Jin, and He Yu."

He didn't mention that he was forcibly assigned the task.

Li Kailang raised an eyebrow, surprised that Xiao Zhao had been selected, and felt somewhat happy for him.

"That's good. They have a foundation, which is much better than what I had back then. I hope they can stick with it."

Wan Shen smiled and said, "With Technician Li as our role model in the factory, they can ask you for help if they don't understand something. It's much better than when you were all alone."

“That’s right.” Li Kailang nodded in deep agreement.

But Xiao Zhao himself wasn't happy.

Xiao Zhao was slumped over his workstation, sobbing, "This is the worst luck imaginable! I haven't even had a chance to warm up my seat before I've been sent back to school?"

"What am I going to do about my new boyfriend? My plans for a movie date this weekend are completely ruined!"

"I hope they can persevere," Li Kailang said with his blessing.

Wan Shen nodded: "Yes, with Technician Li as a role model in the factory, they can ask you for help if they don't understand something. They always have someone to rely on."

After exchanging a few words, Wan Shen went to report to Director Yang.

Factory director's office.

After listening to Wan Shen's detailed report, Director Yang's expression changed from gloomy at first to astonishment later, and finally turned into a long sigh. He leaned back in his chair, his fingers unconsciously tapping the table.

"How could this happen? This is night school!"

Factory Director Yang couldn't understand it.

Although engineers have a high social status, their work is also very demanding. Given that everyone's salary is roughly the same, there's no need to work so hard.

"Was the technical department ultimately appointed by force?"

"Yes, Director Wang said that in order not to betray the factory director's trust and because of the importance of the quota, we must ensure that it is completed. Zhao Guoqiang and the other two are the youngest and have the best foundation," Wan Shen answered cautiously.

The transport team...not a single one is willing? Even Li Kailang's personal intervention was useless?

"Technician Li said that the apprentices are all complacent and can't endure the hardship of studying."

Factory Director Yang frowned deeply.

He anticipated difficulties, but he did not expect them to be so great or so thorough.

In a steel rolling mill with nearly 10,000 employees, the technical department had to forcibly allocate three positions to meet the quota!

This is completely contrary to his original intention.

"Factory Director, what do you think of these three from the Technical Department? Although they were chosen by Director Wang, they meet the requirements—they have the necessary qualifications and are young. How about we take these three?" Wan Shen asked tentatively.

Factory Director Yang sighed: "Let's settle on these three for now, but it would be best if it were voluntary."

"How about we extend the deadline by a few more days and see if anyone is willing to go, even if we relax the requirements a bit?"

"I think we should make an announcement and ask if anyone wants to go?"

Factory Director Yang nodded.

Wan Shen turned and went out again. He had already asked before, so there was no need to ask each person individually. Now that the conditions were so open, he could just broadcast it over the loudspeaker. It would be quick and easy.

Before long, the announcer's clear and articulate voice rang out from the loudspeakers throughout the steel rolling mill:
"Attention all factory workers! Attention all factory workers! The following is an important notice from the factory management."

"To cultivate and reserve technical talent for the steel rolling mill, the factory overcame difficulties and secured valuable evening college slots. Our comrade Li Kailang became the steel rolling mill's first evening college graduate. This opportunity was extremely rare."

"Any employee who is in good health and willing to learn can register with their workshop leader! Please cherish this opportunity, register enthusiastically, and contribute to your personal growth and the future development of the steel rolling mill!"

"Registration deadline: 5 PM three days from now. Late registrations will not be accepted, so please cherish this opportunity."

The broadcast echoed throughout the factory area, sounding particularly clear amidst the roar of the machines, yet somewhat out of place.

The notice sparked varying degrees of discussion in different workshops, as the conditions were all set out to be as simple as the ocean, with no restrictions on age or education.

However, the result was obvious: most people treated it as a joke, and no one wanted to go.

"But someone absolutely has to sign up!" Xiao Zhao and the others were actually hoping that someone would take their place.

The next day. The first day of the three-day deadline.

Zhao Guoqiang, Huang Jin, and He Yu did not sit idly by and wait for their fate. Although they were hoping for a replacement, they knew that if no one could take their place, they would be the ones who would suffer in the end.

Left with no other choice, the three of them went to consult their "senior" Li Kailang, asking him what they should be careful about at night school.

I also borrowed his book and flipped through it beforehand, so I wouldn't be completely clueless at the last minute.

Seeing this, Director Wang reduced the workload of the three students so that they could adapt to night school as soon as possible.

On the surface, Director Yang was busy handling other official business, but his mind was always on the matter of enrolling in night school.

He instructed Wan Shen to summarize the registration information for each workshop every half day.

At the end of the first day, Wan Shen's report chilled him to the bone: zero!
Not a single person signed up! Except for the three from the technical department who were forcibly forced to stay.

The next day, everything remained calm.

While reviewing documents, Director Yang couldn't help but sigh to Wan Shen, "Wan, tell me, are our workers truly unwilling to improve, or are they simply held back by this current stability?"

"Back when we were building, where did that spirit of 'if we have the conditions, we'll go for it; if we don't, we'll create them and go for it' go for it?"

Wan Shen could only offer words of comfort: "Factory Director, changing mindsets takes time. Perhaps someone will come to their senses on the last day?"

The third day has passed in the blink of an eye.

In the morning, no workshop submitted a new list of volunteers.

The atmosphere in Director Yang's office grew increasingly tense. He even began to doubt whether his decisions were too idealistic and detached from the actual needs of the workers.

During lunchtime, Wan Shen came in again, his expression still grave, and shook his head slightly: "Factory Manager, still nothing."

Factory Director Yang took a deep breath and waved his hand.

"Understood. It seems that's the only way. As for those three from the technical department, submit the official list and inform them to report to the night school on time."

"In addition, this incident reminded me that relying on everyone to 'realize' is not enough; we need to establish our own worker training system."

"Considering the actual situation of our factory, we'll hold it right here in the factory, utilizing spare time, but it needs to be planned and have incentives!"

"Make learning something tangible and helpful to your work!"

"Yes, Factory Director! I understand! I'll get started right away!" Wan Shen replied immediately, though he wasn't too optimistic about the matter.

Although training is a good thing, it's possible that not many people will participate.

After all, the promotion assessment has not been reopened, so it's not very motivating for everyone to study hard.

Even with incentives for outstanding workers, some workers still lack motivation to work.

The registration deadline was 4:30 PM.

As everyone expected, apart from the three "chosen ones" from the technical department, no one else volunteered.

The three spots for night school went to Zhao Guoqiang, Huang Jin, and He Yu.

All three of them felt like dying.

During this time, Li Kailang asked Cui Yuan if he wanted to participate, but Cui Yuan refused without hesitation.

He was an electrician, neither the best nor the worst, and he knew he didn't have the ability, so he didn't meddle.

Director Wang approached the three of them: "No one from the factory has signed up, so the three of you are the factory's quota for this year. We'll let you know when to go to night school before the end of the month."

“If you go to the night school, you must study hard. You represent the face of the steel rolling mill. If you don’t understand anything, you can go to Li Kailang.”

"Yes!" the three replied with bitter faces.

Looking at the notice in his hand, Zhao Xiaohai felt as if he were holding a court judgment.

"We've just started dating, the initial excitement hasn't even worn off, and you're already not seeing me every few nights, and I have to go to tutoring on weekends? What girl can stand that? It's definitely going to end!"

He had originally planned to practice various ways of falling with his partner, figuring out how to make the "injury" look realistic but not too painful, and ideally, even classify it as a "work injury".

When he told his girlfriend about it...

Immediately, her eyes welled up with tears: "Guoqiang, you have classes tonight and no free time on weekends, how can we... how can we still be together?"

Xiao Zhao panicked: "Xiao Fang, it's not that I want to go! It's a command from the leadership! I can't refuse! It's an organizational task! Don't worry, I... I'll try my best to spend time with you."

He quickly came up with a brilliant idea and imitated Director Wang's tone.

"Besides, this is factory training. They'll graduate as college students, and who knows, they might even get promoted to a higher level. There are so many benefits, wouldn't our lives be much better in the future?"

This half-true, half-false, and somewhat guilty "prospect" barely managed to keep Xiaofang calm.

Huang Jin then gave up completely, resignedly thinking, "Fine, I can't fight city hall. Director Wang already said he represents the steel mill's reputation, but what's reputation worth anyway?"

However, he spoke too soon.

He made up his mind that once he went there, he would just drift through life in a "Buddhist" manner.

For classes, just showing up is enough.

Copy the notes, copy the homework.

For exams, passing is everything!!!

He regarded "the art of deception" as his guiding principle and was determined to lie low to the end.

Isn't reading a novel in bed more enjoyable than studying a book?

However, perhaps he was being too optimistic.

Only He Yu, after his initial frustration, calmed down a bit.

Both are technicians, but Li Kailang was able to make it through, even starting as a driver with no prior experience. Why can't I, a vocational school graduate, do the same?

Although it was forced upon us, it was still an opportunity.

He approached Li Kailang, his attitude sincere: "Brother Li, I have absolutely no idea what to do at night school. What should I prepare? Is there anything I should be careful about?"

Looking at him, Li Kailang felt like he was seeing his younger self.

She dug out all the old textbooks she used back then, with their curled edges and densely filled notes, and gave them all to him at once.

“You graduated from a vocational high school, so your foundation is definitely stronger than mine. You will definitely be able to understand the initial theoretical lessons, but things will get a bit more difficult later on.”

"Teachers will also consider the situation of us workers when they teach. The key is not to be afraid of losing face. If you don't understand, just ask. Ask in class or ask the teacher or classmates after class."

"Keep your notes up. Even if you don't know how to do the homework, you have to finish it. It's better to make a mistake than to leave it blank."

Li Kailang shared his experience with He Yu, and finally patted him on the shoulder.

"Everything is difficult at the beginning, but you'll get used to it. Tomorrow is the weekend, so take a look when you have time."

"Okay, thank you, Brother Li."

With that, the matter of night school spots has finally come to an end.

Tomorrow, a certain 'talent' will finally emerge.

After half a month, it was finally about to break out of the cauldron, but it took five days longer than the original ten days.

(End of this chapter)