Fusion System: Rebirth in a Courtyard - Bird Fighting Chronicles

Chapter 67 A drunken curse awakens old dreams; a hearth fire illuminates the original heart.

August in Beijing had finally shed the scorching heat of the dog days of summer. The evening breeze carried the fragrance of locust leaves through the Hongxing Courtyard, but it couldn't dispel the smell of fermented liquor wafting from Liu Haizhong's house in the backyard. Lin Chen had just returned from the steel rolling mill, clutching a newly printed report on the improvement of precision forging processes. As soon as he turned into the backyard, he heard the sound of bowls being smashed and Liu Haizhong's gruff curses coming from inside the house.

"Useless wretch! Just like your deadbeat father! Back when I was working at the docks, I commanded dozens of men, and who dared disobey me? Now, you bunch of brats can't even forge a proper iron lump!" Liu Haizhong's roar slammed against the courtyard wall, startling the crickets chirping below. This was followed by suppressed sobs from Aunt Liu, and Liu Guangtian's muffled explanation: "Dad, the forging parameters for that batch of crankshafts were already off; Director Lin said the molds needed adjusting..."

"Director Lin! Director Lin! All you ever think about is Director Lin!" Liu Haizhong's voice suddenly rose. "What does that greenhorn know? If he hadn't stolen my thunder, would he be the head of the precision group now? You've been following him around, and all you've learned is a spineless coward!"

Lin Chen paused at the courtyard gate, the process report in his hand rustling in the evening breeze. He had just overseen the improvement of the forging process for the new crankshaft in the workshop. Liu Guangtian, as the main apprentice, participated in the entire process, and the sample he forged personally achieved the precision of an eighth-level worker. He had planned to publicly praise him at the workshop meeting tomorrow, but he never expected to witness this scene.

The bamboo curtain on the courtyard gate was lifted, and Liu Guangfu ran out with red eyes. When he saw Lin Chen, he quickly wiped his face and stammered, "Director Lin, please don't go in. My dad is drunk and going crazy again." This boy was only fifteen years old and had just gotten a job in the workshop logistics department through Lin Chen's connections. He was always used as a punching bag by his drunken father.

Lin Chen patted him on the shoulder, his gaze sweeping over his shoulder into the room. An empty bottle of Erguotou liquor sat on the octagonal table, two rough porcelain bowls lay broken on the floor, and Liu Haizhong slumped in a grand chair, his bald head gleaming with oil, his level-six blacksmith's work clothes open at the collar, revealing his loose belly. Aunt Liu squatted on the floor, picking up the broken pieces, tears dripping onto the liquor-stained floor, spreading into a small, dark stain.

"Master Liu, it's such a beautiful evening, what's the point of drinking alone?" Lin Chen lifted the curtain and entered the room. His voice wasn't loud, but it had a penetrating quality, and the noise inside instantly stopped. Liu Haizhong squinted at him with drunken eyes, a hint of wariness flashing in his bloodshot eyes, which was then blurred by the alcohol: "What brings Director Lin to my shabby place? Did you come to laugh at me?"

Liu Guangtian quickly stood up, intending to bring Lin Chen a stool, but Liu Haizhong kicked him in the back of the knee: "Sit down! You rude thing!" Liu Guangtian staggered to his seat, his face flushed red, his hands tightly gripping the hem of his clothes. Lin Chen, however, acted as if he hadn't seen him, walking straight to the table and placing the process report next to the broken bowl: "Master Liu, this is the forging report for today's new crankshaft. Guangtian forged the sample himself, with a precision of 0.02 millimeters, which is 0.01 millimeters higher than the standard for an eighth-grade worker."

Liu Haizhong's gaze fell on the report, his eye twitching involuntarily. Although he wasn't highly educated, he had worked in the blacksmithing industry for twenty years and immediately recognized how astonishing the data in the report was. He reached out to touch it, then abruptly pulled back, picked up the empty wine glass on the table, and gulped down a mouthful of air: "What rubbish! I think you've all conspired to fool us!"

"Whether it's a hoax or not, the workshop's test records don't lie." Lin Chen pulled up a stool and sat opposite him, and Aunt Liu quickly poured him a glass of water. "Back in the day, Master Liu managed dozens of people at the docks, and he kept things under control with his real skills. Now that Guangtian has this skill, you should be happy, so why are you scolding him?"

These words seemed to strike a nerve with Liu Haizhong. He suddenly slammed his fist on the table and howled, "Happy? How can I be happy! My eldest son, Guangqi, ran off with his wife to another city to speculate and make money, without even sending a letter back! And now these two brats are gone, one a quiet mummie, the other a good-for-nothing. Who will take care of me in my old age?!" He dragged a tin box from under the bed, slammed it on the table, and opened it. Inside was a yellowed ledger, meticulously detailing every penny spent on Liu Guangqi's wedding. "I saved my whole life's money, and it's all been squandered by this ingrate! And now, I can't even find a trace of him!"

The account book fell to the ground, its pages scattered everywhere. Lin Chen bent down to pick them up and saw on one page, "May 1963, bought a bicycle for Guangqi, 5 yuan," with a small checkmark next to it. The handwriting was crooked but showed earnestness. Aunt Liu wiped away her tears and said, "His father has been looking through this account book every day for the past few years, and he cries every time he looks through it."

Lin Chen neatly arranged the ledger page by page and placed it in front of Liu Haizhong: "Master Liu, my father used to be a blacksmith too. When he was an apprentice in a third-tier factory, he, like you, hoped that his son could inherit the craft. Unfortunately, he passed away early, and I didn't even learn his skills." He paused, looking at Liu Haizhong's reddened eyes, "Guang Qi ran away because he was heartless, but Guang Tian is different. Last time, when the crankshaft of the forging press in the workshop broke, he braved the 40-degree heat and worked with me to adjust the mold for three days and three nights, getting three blisters on his hands without complaining. A son like that is a hundred times better than those who only know how to sponge off their parents."

Liu Haizhong's Adam's apple bobbed, and the fierceness in his eyes lessened as he looked at Liu Guangtian. Liu Guangtian seized the opportunity to say, "Dad, Director Lin taught me how to improve the forging dies. From now on, our crankshaft forging efficiency will double, and the scrap rate will decrease. The workshop foreman said he'll raise my apprentice's salary next month, so I can earn money to support you from now on."

"You don't know anything!" Liu Haizhong still wanted to argue, but his voice was much weaker. "Forging molds can't be changed just like that. Back when I was learning from an eighth-grade engineer, I spent three years just practicing on molds."

"If you don't believe me, Master Liu, come with me to the workshop tomorrow." Lin Chen pushed the process report in front of him. "Guangtian not only learned my improved process, but also proposed the idea of ​​using waste heat to preheat the billet, which can save one-third of the coke. I didn't even think of this idea; he came up with it himself after thinking about it for half a month."

Liu Haizhong finally picked up the process report, his fingers repeatedly tracing the three characters "Liu Guangtian." In the moonlight streaming through the window, Lin Chen saw a glistening moisture in the wrinkles around his eyes. Just then, footsteps sounded at the courtyard gate. Yan Bugui, carrying a cloth bag, entered. Seeing the setup inside, he turned to leave, but Lin Chen called out, "Teacher Yan, you're here just in time. Help Master Liu take a look at this cost accounting."

Yan Bugui was summoned by Lin Chen. That afternoon in the workshop, Lin Chen had heard that Liu Haizhong was drinking heavily again because of Liu Guangqi's situation, so he specifically went to the school to find Yan Bugui, who had just finished get off work, and asked him to help with some calculations. Yan Bugui pushed up his glasses, took out an abacus from his cloth bag, and started clicking away: "Master Liu, according to Guangtian's improved process, our workshop can forge 200 crankshafts per month, saving 12.8 yuan in coke costs. The reduced scrap rate will recover 19.5 yuan in losses. Add to that the 30 extra crankshafts forged due to increased efficiency, and we can earn an extra 73.2 yuan per month. And that doesn't even include the saved labor costs."

These numbers struck Liu Haizhong like a hammer blow. Money was the most important thing in his life. He had scrimped and saved for ten years to prepare a dowry for Liu Guangqi, never imagining that his second son, whom he had looked down upon, could earn so much with his skills. He suddenly grabbed an empty wine bottle from the table and smashed it on the ground: "Damn it! If anyone ever dares to say my son is useless again, I'll fight them to the death!"

Grandma Liu and her two sons were stunned; this was the first time Liu Haizhong had praised his son in front of outsiders. Lin Chen seized the opportunity and said, "Master Liu, the workshop is holding a skills competition next week, and I've already registered Guangtian. If you're free, how about you be a judge for your son?"

Liu Haizhong suddenly stood up, seemingly sobering up considerably. He straightened his slightly hunched back and said, "Referee? With my level six blacksmithing skills, I'm more than qualified to be a referee! But let me make this clear: if Guangtian's skills aren't up to par, I'll still declare him the loser!" Although his words were stern, the corners of his mouth couldn't help but turn up.

That evening, as Lin Chen left, a different sound came from the backyard. Liu Haizhong was using his old blacksmithing tools to explain to Liu Guangtian how to polish a chisel, while Liu Guangfu stood nearby holding a kerosene lamp, casting the shadows of the three men on the wall. Aunt Liu stood at the doorway, handing Lin Chen a cloth bag containing freshly steamed cornbread: "Director Lin, you are a great benefactor to our family. Please accept this small token of our appreciation."

The next morning, as soon as Lin Chen arrived at the workshop, he saw Liu Haizhong, dressed in clean work clothes, squatting in front of the scrap pile, picking through alloy scraps. Seeing Lin Chen, he gave a rare smile: "Director Lin, I think it's a waste to throw these scraps away. They're perfect for Guangtian to practice on. When I was learning blacksmithing, I honed my skills using these scraps."

Lin Chen felt a warmth in his heart, knowing that the old blacksmith had truly come to his senses. He pointed to the precision forging machine not far away: "Master Liu, that machine has just been set up. Could you give Guangtian some pointers? His control over the heat is still a bit lacking."

Liu Haizhong rolled up his sleeves and headed out, but stopped in front of the machine tool. He turned back to Lin Chen and said, "Director Lin, I was foolish before. I always felt you were stealing my thunder. Now I understand. Skills aren't for competing; they're for making a living, supporting your family, and working for the country." He paused, his voice a little hoarse. "If the workshop has any technical problems in the future, just come to me. This old body of mine can still contribute a little."

The forging workshop was unusually lively that day. Liu Haizhong personally wielded the hammer for Liu Guangtian, teaching him how to judge the temperature of the steel billet based on the color of the flame; Lin Chen recorded data on the side, occasionally adding a few words of modern forging theory; Yan Bugui held an abacus, calculating the cost of the improved process, muttering, "If we had used this process earlier, we could have saved the factory two hundred yuan more last year."

At lunchtime, Sha Zhu came in carrying a lunchbox containing freshly stewed pork ribs. "Director Lin, Chef Liu, I heard you're working on technological innovation, so I specially stewed some pork ribs for you to nourish yourselves." He now works as a chef at the military region's guesthouse, and his life is getting better and better; he's no longer being used as a pawn like before.

Liu Haizhong grabbed a piece of pork rib and started gnawing on it, saying indistinctly, "Shazhu, your cooking is pretty good! Next time my son wins a prize in a martial arts competition, you have to cook us a celebratory feast!"

Sha Zhu smiled and agreed, then looked at Lin Chen: "By the way, Director Lin, I told the guesthouse manager about your factory's stainless steel parts, and he said he wants to order a batch of spatulas. He'll send someone over next week to discuss it."

Just as Lin Chen was about to speak, Qin Huairu's voice came from the workshop door. She walked in carrying a bamboo basket filled with freshly washed fruit: "Director Lin, Master Liu, I heard that Guangtian is going to participate in the skills competition, so I specially bought some apples for him to help him get some nutrition. Jia Geng also said that he will learn forging from Brother Guangtian from now on and will no longer be naughty."

Sunlight streamed through the workshop windows, illuminating everyone's faces. The sight of Liu Haizhong instructing Liu Guangtian on how to polish molds, Sha Zhu's smiling face as he distributed ribs, Qin Huairu arranging fruit, and Yan Bugui's focused expression as he calculated accounts—all combined to create a lively and heartwarming scene. Lin Chen watched all this and opened the system panel.

The panel displayed: "Side quest 'Skill Inheritance' triggered, quest completion 60%, reward 15000 points, unlock 'Master Mentor' buff (increases apprentice's skill learning efficiency by 30%)." Lin Chen smiled; he knew this was just the beginning. As the skills competition approached, the learning atmosphere in the workshop grew stronger. Even the apprentices who used to slack off started practicing their skills with Liu Haizhong and Liu Guangtian.

The night before the competition, Lin Chen was revising a process report at home when he suddenly heard a knock at the door. Opening it, he saw Liu Haizhong and his son Liu Guangtian, carrying a cloth bag. Liu Haizhong handed him the bag: "Director Lin, this is a notebook I took when I was learning the craft from an eighth-grade craftsman. It contains tips on controlling the heat. Guangtian won't be able to use it, but you might find it useful."

Lin Chen opened the cloth bag; inside was a yellowed notebook. The handwriting was messy, but the notes were incredibly detailed, even clearly marking the forging temperatures for different types of steel. He looked up at Liu Haizhong and saw genuine sincerity in the old blacksmith's eyes. "Master Liu, thank you. This notebook is invaluable; I'll return it to you after I've read it."

"No need to return it." Liu Haizhong waved his hand. "A craft is something that will only be lost if it's kept hidden. My master told me that a good craft should be passed on to a good person. You are more capable than me and can make this craft play a greater role." He patted Lin Chen on the shoulder. "Tomorrow's martial arts competition, Guangtian is in your hands. I believe in my son, and I believe in you even more."

After seeing the father and son off, Lin Chen opened his notebook. Inside was a black-and-white photograph of Liu Haizhong and his master when they were young. In the photo, Liu Haizhong was wearing work clothes, his eyes full of anticipation for the future. Lin Chen suddenly understood that, whether in the past or present, what is passed down in craftsmanship is not only the technique, but also the original intention of being down-to-earth and conscientious in one's work.

The second day's skills competition was exceptionally exciting. Thanks to his improved forging process and the precise temperature control techniques taught by Liu Haizhong, Liu Guangtian forged a crankshaft with an astonishing precision of 0.01 millimeters, far exceeding the standard for a level eight worker. When Director Zhou announced that Liu Guangtian had won first place, the entire workshop erupted in cheers. Liu Haizhong, standing in the crowd, was so excited his hands trembled, repeatedly muttering, "My son has made it! My son has made it!"

After the skills competition, Director Zhou held a special commendation meeting, awarding Liu Guangtian a bonus and a certificate of honor, and appointing Liu Haizhong as the workshop's technical advisor, responsible for mentoring apprentices. Standing on the stage, holding the microphone, Liu Haizhong said, "I used to think I'd rely on my son for my old age, but now I understand that passing on my skills and helping more young people succeed is more important than anything else! I want to thank Director Lin; he made me realize that in the forging trade, it's about real skill, not putting on airs!"

A round of enthusiastic applause erupted from the audience. Lin Chen looked at Liu Haizhong on the stage and Liu Guangtian standing beside him, then at the apprentices listening attentively below, and knew that everything he had done was worthwhile. The system panel popped up again with a notification: "Side quest 'Skill Inheritance' completed, reward 20000 points, unlocking the 'Master Craftsman' beginner title, eligible to apply for patent research and development permissions."

After the meeting, Liu Haizhong brought Liu Guangtian to Lin Chen, and the father and son bowed respectfully. "Director Lin, from now on, my son and I will work for you and we will definitely improve the technology in the workshop!" Liu Haizhong's voice was strong and his eyes were full of determination.

Lin Chen helped them up, his heart filled with hope as he watched the busy figures in the workshop. He knew that as more and more people devoted themselves to technological innovation, the steel rolling mill would have a brighter future, and the story of this Red Star Courtyard would continue to be written in the lively atmosphere of craftsmanship inheritance.