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

Just as murmurs were about to rise in the crowd, with people huddling together and whispering, someone remarked, "It's normal for the deputy factory director to pass the intermediate-level exam. After all, he's in charge of production, so it's not surprising that he knows some technology." But before the words had even finished, the announcement over the loudspeaker exploded like a thunderclap over the factory area: "...At the same time, having passed the senior engineer assessment and with the approval of the Municipal Bureau of Industry, Comrade Gu Nan is now officially recognized as a senior engineer of the steel rolling mill."

"What? High-class?" An old worker closest to the loudspeaker dropped his wrench with a clatter, his eyes wide as saucers.

"Jumping directly from junior to senior? Is that even possible? Our factory has been around for so many years, and we've never heard of anything like this before!" A technician wearing glasses pushed up his glasses, which had slipped down to the tip of his nose, his face full of disbelief.

"My God, Director Gu's skills are amazing! This isn't just stepping on stairs, it's like flying in an airplane!" The young workers exclaimed excitedly, their voices filled with barely suppressed shock.

The discussions surged like the rising tide, wave after wave. There were genuine exclamations of amazement, heartfelt admiration, and a few who squinted, a barely perceptible hint of doubt playing at the corners of their mouths—after all, such a meteoric rise was extremely rare, like a skyscraper built from scratch, inevitably making people uneasy and wondering if there was something more to it than met the eye.

Just then, Yi Zhonghai stood at the very edge of the crowd, hands behind his back, deliberately clearing his throat. His voice was neither too loud nor too soft, just loud enough for those around him to hear, carrying a hint of sarcastic sarcasm: "Gu Nan is now the deputy factory director, wielding quite a bit of power. This assessment result... heh heh, I'm afraid it's not entirely based on real ability, is it? After all, who can say for sure if there's any special treatment involved? With just a word from him, he can decide who gets the evaluation?"

These words immediately changed the tone of the surrounding discussion, like sand being thrown into a pot of clear soup. Several suspicious glances swept towards the office building, and someone nodded in agreement: "Yeah, skipping two levels is too outrageous. Even a genius wouldn't jump like that. Is there some kind of backing?" "Hard to say. These days, anything can be done with power..."

Just then, a voice came from the broadcasting room again. This time it was the propaganda officer, speaking calmly but with an undeniable certainty: "Comrades, let me add some supplementary information: This assessment was overseen by an expert group sent by the Municipal Bureau of Industry. From the theoretical questions to the practical assessment, everything was handled by an external unit. The entire process was video-recorded and archived, ensuring fairness and impartiality through transparency. Comrade Gu Nan's assessment score ranked first among all candidates, with full marks in both theory and practical assessments. He fully meets the national standards for exceptional promotion. The relevant materials have been posted on the factory's bulletin board; everyone is welcome to review and supervise."

These words were like a bucket of clear water, instantly extinguishing many of the flames of suspicion. Yi Zhonghai's face froze instantly, his mouth, which he was about to open, seemed to be blocked by something, and he couldn't close it for a long time—those experts from the Municipal Bureau of Industry were known for their iron-fisted impartiality. Last year, when they were evaluating the professional titles of the neighboring factory, even the factory director's brother-in-law didn't get any leniency. Who would have the ability to pull any tricks under their noses? He opened his mouth, wanting to say something more, but his throat felt like it was stuffed with cotton, and he couldn't utter a single word. He could only turn his face away dejectedly, staring blankly at the pebbles on the ground.

The discussion in the crowd quickly shifted, with amazement and admiration becoming the dominant sentiment. Even those who had been muttering earlier changed their tune: "So it was an expert panel supervising the exam, then it can't be fake! They're paid by the government, they wouldn't lie about anything, would they?"

"Full marks? My goodness, full marks in theory are not uncommon, but full marks in practical skills? That must be incredibly impressive!"

"Our factory has really struck gold! With Director Gu's technical expertise backing us up, we'll definitely have no problem with technological innovation and securing large orders in the future!"

Gu Nan vaguely heard the murmurs outside his office, buzzing like a swarm of headless flies, but he didn't pay much attention. He picked up his enamel teacup and took a sip of hot water, the steam blurring his glasses. His gaze fell on the window—the setting sun was painting the steel mill's chimneys a golden-red, the smoke curling and blending into the twilight. For him, the "senior engineer" certificate wasn't the end, but a new beginning. As for those vague doubts, they would eventually be overshadowed by the tangible results of the technical improvements. He opened his leather-bound notebook, his pen tracing patterns on the paper, and began to ponder the content of the evening's meeting: how to lead this group of newly promoted engineers to revive the factory's technical improvement projects that had been shelved for half a year, especially the outdated rolling mill in Workshop No. 3, which was long overdue for a new transmission system.

The setting sun slanted in through the window, casting a warm yellow light on the desk, which perfectly illuminated the newly posted list of "Senior Engineers." Gu Nan's name was at the very top, the ink still fresh, as if foreshadowing that the steel rolling mill was about to turn the page on its dull old chapter and usher in a new one.

But at the steel rolling mill, Yi Zhonghai thought differently. He stood in front of the bulletin board, staring at Gu Nan's name, his knuckles clenched until they turned white. A fire burned within him—Gu Nan was already the deputy factory director, wielding real power over production scheduling; now, with the added title of "senior engineer," all the factory's technical backbone would likely gravitate towards him. What place would this "old hand" have left?

"What's wrong with experts?" Yi Zhonghai suddenly raised his voice and shouted at the workers gathered in front of the bulletin board, "Who doesn't know that Gu Nan is now the deputy factory director? He has real power. It's not hard for him to get a certificate for himself. Who can guarantee that he didn't use his power or pull strings?"

Several older workers who were close to Yi Zhonghai immediately chimed in: "That's right. Deputy Director Gu is in charge of all the big and small things in the factory every day. How can he have so much time to study books and delve into technology? This senior engineer came too easily. Something about him is not right."

The anger that had just been suppressed by the exam results reignited in the crowd after this provocation. Groups of two or three people gathered together, whispering and discussing whether Gu Nan's certificate was rigged. Their voices were not loud, but they spread like vines.

Gu Nan heard everything clearly in his office, but only gave a faint smile. True gold fears no fire; his skills were undeniable. Last month, when he was repairing an imported machine tool, so many junior engineers were circling around helplessly, but in the end, it was he who, based on the blueprints and his experience, found the root cause of the bearing wear. Had all these people forgotten?

There were also disgruntled people in the crowd. A young technician wearing glasses stepped forward, frowning as he looked at Yi Zhonghai: "Master Yi, you're not right to say that."