Siheyuan: I just came across and wanted to chase me away

As soon as the whistle blew to signal the start of the exam, the workshop fell silent. The proctors were two experienced technicians from the technical department. One, surnamed Wang, had completely white hair and wore thick reading glasses, but his eyes behind the lenses were bright. He held a red pencil in his hand, marking up the roster with a serious expression. The other, surnamed Li, paced back and forth beside the line of examinees, his gaze sweeping over everyone like a searchlight. Anyone who dared to whisper was immediately glared at.

"The first one, Zhao Dayong!" Master Wang cleared his throat and read out the name.

The man who was called responded and quickly walked into the examination room, clutching the hem of his clothes. Those who had finished the exam did not come out but were led by Master Li to the rest room next door—an empty warehouse that Gu Nan had specially cleared out. Inside, there were two long wooden tables with thermos flasks and enamel cups on them, and several stacks of stools in the corner, just in case someone came out and leaked the questions to the people behind them, breaking the rules.

The line moved forward slowly, everyone's heart pounding like a drum. When it was Zhang Zhi's turn, his palms were sweating with nervousness. He glanced back quickly at Gu Nan, his eyes filled with a hint of uncertainty and panic. Gu Nan nodded at him, a slight smile playing on his lips, and silently mouthed "Good luck." Zhang Zhi took a deep breath, straightened his back as if to encourage himself, and stomped his feet on the concrete, making a "thump-thump" sound, almost like he was going into battle. Without looking back, he walked into the examination room.

Gu Nan stood at the end of the line, outwardly calm, but his fingertips tapped a rhythm lightly in his work clothes pocket, one tap after another. This was the first large-scale assessment he had presided over, and it wasn't just about whether the steel rolling mill could recruit some real technical backbones, but also about whether he could use this opportunity to suppress Deputy Director Li and his gang of people who only knew how to talk, and to rectify the factory's atmosphere. These days he had been busy overseeing production scheduling and following up on the installation of new equipment, and he hadn't had much time to actually study books and study blueprints. To say that he wasn't a little nervous would be a lie—the exam was about real skills, and the precision of the workpiece under the file couldn't be even slightly off; there was no room for shortcuts.

The wall clock ticked away, each second seeming to stretch out. After waiting for about half an hour, they finally heard Master Wang call out his name: "Next, Gu Nan."

The person in charge of guiding us was a newly arrived young foreman, probably just promoted from apprentice. I didn't recognize him, so I checked the list for a long time, then pushed up my glasses before pointing to the entrance of the examination room: "Go in, workstation number 3. The drawings and measuring tools are all ready. Call me if you need anything." — In this assessment, he, the deputy factory manager, was no different from the other engineers. He queued up just like everyone else, waited for the exam, and his skills were the only measure of his abilities.

Gu Nan straightened his clothes and stepped inside. The examination room was so quiet you could hear your own breathing; the only sounds were the rustling of blueprints turning, the scratching of files on workpieces, and occasionally the soft clinking of wrenches against metal tables. At each of the thirty-odd workstations, heads were bowed, brows furrowed, eyes fixed on the workpieces, hands moving with steady, precise strokes of the file. Sunlight streamed in through the high windows, casting focused shadows on each person.

A silent contest is quietly taking place here. Iron filings fall in a soft rustling sound, as if counting everyone's efforts. The outcome of this contest will determine whether many people will be able to earn more money and improve their lives, or continue to stagnate in the same place—the gears of fate are turning little by little with the rise and fall of the file.

Gu Nan picked up the intermediate engineer exam questions on the table and quickly scanned them. From mechanical design principles to equipment troubleshooting and process improvement plans, the questions covered a wide range of topics, but all were within his knowledge base and not too difficult. He composed himself, picked up his pen, and began to answer. His thoughts were as clear as a pre-drawn blueprint; the pen scratched across the paper, each formula and parameter written precisely and neatly.

In less than half an hour, Gu Nan put down his pen and pushed the answer sheet to the table. The examiners passed the paper around, their faces gradually showing approval. They whispered among themselves for a few moments, then nodded in unison. The senior engineer at the head of the panel smiled and said, "Congratulations, Deputy Factory Director Gu, you've successfully passed the intermediate engineer exam." He paused, then asked, "According to regulations, after passing the intermediate level, you can directly challenge for the advanced level exam. Would you like to continue?"

Gu Nan had come here specifically to become a senior engineer, and upon hearing this, he replied without hesitation, "Let's continue."

The examiner nodded, pulled out another set of exam questions from the file folder, the cover of which read "Senior Engineer Exam". "The senior exam will be much more difficult. You'll have half an hour to prepare. After that, just answer the questions in the practical and theoretical sections."

Gu Nan took the exam questions, opened them, and raised an eyebrow—they were indeed several levels more difficult than the intermediate level. They not only involved complex precision instrument design but also several challenging problems related to the application of new materials, and even included a simulation of an emergency production line modification plan, testing comprehensive abilities and on-the-spot adaptability at every turn. He didn't immediately start writing; instead, he closed his eyes, his fingers lightly tapping the table, slowly organizing his thoughts in his mind. This wasn't just an assessment; it was a comprehensive test of his technical accumulation over the years, and he had to seize this opportunity.

Half an hour passed quickly. Gu Nan opened his eyes, his gaze filled with confident certainty: "We can begin."

The examiners exchanged glances, somewhat surprised. This young man, so young, was already a deputy factory director; achieving the intermediate level was already remarkable, yet he dared to challenge for the senior level? While ambition was commendable, the threshold for senior engineer was not easily crossed. The senior engineer at the head of the group thought to himself: Let him try; a setback will teach him a lesson. Young people need more experience to hone their skills.

He cleared his throat and said solemnly, "Okay. Let's begin when you're ready. Remember, you only have one chance for the advanced assessment. If you feel you can't complete it, you can stop at any time without breaking the rules."

Gu Nan nodded in agreement, his fingertips landing on the blueprint for the first question. It would be a lie to say he wasn't nervous; every step of the advanced assessment allowed for no mistakes. But as his thinking deepened, the complex parameters and intricate structures gradually became clear in his mind, as if an invisible machine was at work. The tension gradually faded, leaving only complete focus. He would sometimes hunch over his desk writing furiously, and sometimes stand up and walk to the simulation equipment to practice, each step as meticulously as if he were debugging a precision instrument.