Siheyuan: Buyers get rich from hunting

Chapter 765 The Rise of Yi Zhonghai 13

At the same time, in the steel mill where the machines were roaring and the work was in full swing, a unique and significant technical competition was being prepared and finally officially kicked off. This competition covered several key technical jobs in the steel mill, aiming to inspire employees to study technology and improve their skills, and inject continuous power into the long-term development of the steel mill. Yi Zhonghai and Liu Haizhong, two well-known figures in the steel mill, signed up for the benchwork competition without hesitation.

When the news of the competition spread quickly in every corner of the steel mill, it instantly caused quite a stir among the workers. Liu Haizhong was standing in a corner of the workshop, chatting with a few workers. After hearing the news, he narrowed his slightly shrewd eyes. Those eyes, like a deep pool of water, were flashing with a thoughtful light at this moment, as if trying to dig out information that was beneficial to him from this sudden news.

He subconsciously raised his right hand and gently rubbed the slightly rough stubble on his chin. The stubble, like the unique mark left by time on his face, pricked his fingers. He rubbed it again and again, neither fast nor slow, as if he was sorting out the complicated thoughts in his mind through such actions. At this time, his brows slightly wrinkled, forming a shallow "chuan" character, as if he was facing a difficult problem. His eyes revealed a trace of solemnity, as if he was carefully analyzing the various situations he might face in participating in this competition.

After a while, his brows slowly relaxed, but before they could completely relax, they wrinkled again, and repeated several times. Every time he wrinkled and relaxed, it was like he was fighting a fierce battle deep in his heart. He knew that this benchwork competition was not an ordinary competition. It was not only a comprehensive test of his benchwork skills over the years, but also a great opportunity to establish prestige in the factory and show his ability. If he could stand out in this competition and achieve excellent results, his status in the steel rolling mill would be greatly improved, and his words would carry more weight in the future. He might even be appreciated by the leaders and get a chance to be promoted.

However, he also knew very well that Yi Zhonghai was a senior and high-level figure in the field of fitter. Yi Zhonghai had worked in the steel rolling mill for many years and had accumulated rich experience. He had superb fitter skills and skillful techniques, and he had always enjoyed a high reputation in the factory. Many young fitters regarded him as a role model to learn from and asked him questions. Although he had also worked as a fitter for a long time, there was still a certain gap compared to Yi Zhonghai. Therefore, it was not easy for him to defeat Yi Zhonghai and stand out in this competition. Thinking of this, Liu Haizhong couldn't help but feel a little worried, but the unyielding spirit in his bones made him secretly determined to go all out and strive to achieve good results in the competition.

After a moment, time seemed to freeze, and all the noise around him gradually blurred, leaving only the intense struggle and thinking in Liu Haizhong's heart. He stood quietly in place, his posture upright but with a hint of tension, like a warrior who was about to go to the battlefield and was doing the final psychological preparation. Finally, he seemed to have finally made up his mind. His eyes, which were originally slightly narrowed and flashing with a light of thought, suddenly widened in an instant, like the bright stars that suddenly lit up in the night sky, revealing a firm look in his eyes, and that gaze seemed to be able to penetrate all obstacles and reach the other side of victory.

Then, he nodded vigorously, with a large amplitude, and his head swayed up and down, bringing a slight breeze. His neck was slightly red from the effort, and a few beads of sweat appeared on his forehead. This action seemed to be announcing his determination to the people around him, and it seemed to be cheering himself up, telling himself to move forward bravely and never back down.

Then, he subconsciously cleared his throat, and the sound was particularly clear in the quiet workshop. He took a deep breath to stabilize his emotions, and then said in a loud voice, like a bell, echoing in the workshop: "Okay, let's do as you say. We have to prepare well for this competition. I'm not the kind of person who cram at the last minute. I have to take out all the skills I have accumulated in my daily life, just like treasures hidden in a treasure house, and carefully sort them out and repeatedly ponder them one by one. Some of those skills were discovered by me through countless days and nights of hard practice, and some were learned from the masters. Each one has unique value and function."

As he spoke, he gestured with his hands, as if those skills were materialized in his hands. "Besides, I have to study Master Yi's special skills. Master Yi is a well-known figure in the field of benchwork. His special skills are like sharp swords, which will surely exert great power in the competition. But I am not afraid, because only by knowing yourself and the enemy can you win every battle. I have to carefully analyze his technical characteristics, find out his strengths and possible weaknesses, and then conduct targeted training and preparation. Maybe I can learn something new from his special skills and take my own skills to a higher level."

At this point, his eyes sparkled with excitement, as if he had already seen himself defeating Master Yi in the competition. "We have to take this opportunity to let everyone in the factory see that I, Liu Haizhong, am no pushover. I have been working hard in silence over the years. Although I don't usually show off, my strength should not be underestimated. This competition is the best stage for me to stand out and let everyone know that I, Liu Haizhong, am also capable of carving out a niche for myself in the field of benchwork."

"Moreover, if I can get good results in the competition, I might get a reward from the factory. The reward is not just material, but also a kind of honor and recognition. With this reward, my status in the factory will definitely be improved a lot, and my words will carry more weight. Then I can live a more comfortable life in the future, right? At that time, I can use the reward money to buy some good things for my family, so that they can also benefit from me." His face was filled with a longing smile, as if he was already immersed in the beautiful life in the future.

As for Yi Zhonghai, he was sitting in front of his workbench, concentrating on debugging the tools in his hands. When he learned that Liu Haizhong was also going to participate in the competition, he just smiled slightly. That smile was like the spring breeze, warm and peaceful, and his eyes revealed a calmness and confidence. He knew that Liu Haizhong was an ambitious person, like an eagle eager to spread its wings and fly high, always looking for opportunities to prove himself. But his years of research and accumulation in benchwork skills are not so easy to be surpassed. He has been struggling in the position of benchwork for decades, and has experienced countless challenges and tests, accumulating rich experience and profound skills. Every move of his has been tempered and has reached the realm of perfection. He believes that as long as he keeps a normal mind and performs at his normal level, he will be able to achieve excellent results in the competition.

He slowly stood up and walked back to his workbench with steady and firm steps. The workbench, after years of polishing, had a slightly mottled surface, but it bore the fruits of his hard work and perseverance for countless days and nights. He gently opened the tool drawer, which neatly displayed the tools that had accompanied him for many years. Every pair of pliers and every file seemed to be endowed with life, emitting a unique luster under the dim light, as if they were his close comrades-in-arms, witnessing the ups and downs he had gone through.

He stretched out his hands and carefully picked up a pair of pliers. The handles of the pliers had been polished by his palms to be smooth and shiny. Holding them in his hands, the familiar touch made him feel warm. He used a piece of soft cotton cloth to gently wipe the surface of the pliers, from the jaws to the handles, leaving no corner untouched, as if he was caressing his most cherished treasure. After wiping the pliers, he picked up a file. The teeth of the file were clearly visible, and each tooth mark recorded his past efforts and sweat. He carefully cleaned the iron filings on the file, his eyes focused and pious, as if he was completing a sacred ritual.

As he wiped the cloth, he silently reviewed the various benchwork skills he had mastered. He started with the most basic marking, which was the first step in benchwork. Just like building a high-rise building requires a solid foundation, the accuracy of marking directly affects the quality of all subsequent processes. He recalled the time when he first learned to mark the lines. The master taught him how to use the marking tools, how to determine the baseline, and how to ensure the clarity and accuracy of the lines. He remembered every detail as if it was right in front of him.

Next comes sawing, which tests the patience and physical strength of the fitter. He can't help but smile when he thinks of his trembling hands and crooked sawing when he first picked up the saw blade. After countless times of practice, he is now able to skillfully control the direction and strength of the saw blade, and the sawing gaps are straight and even, just like they were measured with a ruler.

The difficult filing and scraping are the areas he has been studying and exploring for many years. Filing requires extremely high precision and patience. Every cut must be done just right. A little carelessness may cause the entire part to be scrapped. In order to complete a high-precision filing task, he worked continuously at the workbench for more than ten hours. His eyes were bloodshot and his hands were covered with blisters. But when he saw the two parts fit together perfectly, all his fatigue disappeared. Scraping is an art. The scraper is used to perform fine processing on the surface of the workpiece to achieve extremely high flatness and finish. He has mastered various scraping techniques and can choose the appropriate scraper and scraping method according to different workpiece materials and requirements. The scraped surface is as smooth as a mirror.

He pondered over every aspect, constantly simulated the competition scenes in his mind, imagined the problems and solutions he might encounter in actual operations, and strived to achieve perfection in the competition.

Time passed quietly, and the day of the competition finally arrived. The morning sun shone on the land of the steel mill, covering the entire factory area with a layer of golden glory. The competition site of the steel mill was very lively, as if it was a grand festival. The colorful flags fluttered in the breeze, making rustling sounds, as if cheering for the upcoming competition. The audience came from various workshops and surrounded the competition venue, talking excitedly, with expectant expressions on their faces. Some of them were guessing which player would win, and some were discussing the difficulty and rules of the competition. The atmosphere on the scene was warm and tense.

Yi Zhonghai and Liu Haizhong were wearing neat work clothes and standing in front of their respective workstations in high spirits. Yi Zhonghai's work clothes were a little pale from washing, but they were clean and tidy, and every wrinkle looked so straight, as if telling of his rigor and seriousness. Liu Haizhong's work clothes were brand new, he had prepared them carefully for this competition, wanting to appear in front of everyone with the best image.

Following the referee's order, the clear and loud sound reverberated across the competition venue, like a battle horn, officially opening the curtain of the competition. Liu Haizhong took a deep breath, trying to calm his nervous mood, but his slightly trembling hands still exposed his inner turmoil. He quickly picked up the tools and began to operate. Although his movements were skillful, he was a little impatient, as if he was eager to prove himself. Fine beads of sweat soon appeared on his forehead, slid down his cheeks, and wet his work clothes. While he was sawing the material quickly, the saw blade shuttled back and forth on the material, making a sharp sound, and from time to time he glanced in the direction of Yi Zhonghai, secretly competing with himself in his heart, wanting to surpass Yi Zhonghai in speed.

Yi Zhonghai was not in a hurry. He first stood quietly in front of the workstation and carefully observed the requirements of the question. His focused eyes seemed to see through the question. Then, he slowly reached out his hand, picked up the marking tool, and began to mark the dimensions in an orderly manner. Each of his movements was precise and smooth, without any drag, as if he was performing an elegant performance. His eyes were always focused on the work in his hands, not disturbed by the surrounding environment, as if the whole world was only him and the workpiece in front of him.

During the competition, Liu Haizhong made some small mistakes because he was too focused on speed. The edge of the material he sawed was not neat, which made him anxious. He tried to speed up the filing to make up for it, but the result was that the surface of the material became uneven. He was so anxious that his face turned red, sweat dripped from his forehead, and the tool in his hand began to tremble uncontrollably.

Yi Zhonghai kept a steady pace. He carefully filed the material, and each stroke was just right. The surface of the material gradually became smooth and flat. He also used calipers to measure the size from time to time to ensure that every part met the requirements. Seeing Yi Zhonghai's superb skills, the people around him all exclaimed in admiration.

Time passed by, and the competition was coming to an end. Liu Haizhong looked at the flawed work in his hand, and his heart was filled with regret and frustration. He knew that he was doomed to lose this time. Yi Zhonghai looked at his finished work with satisfaction, and a confident smile appeared on his face.

Finally, the referee announced the result of the competition. Yi Zhonghai won the championship of the benchwork competition without any suspense with his superb skills and calm performance. Although Liu Haizhong was a little disappointed, he was also convinced. He walked up to Yi Zhonghai and said sincerely: "Master Yi, I really admire your skills. I will have to learn from you in the future." Yi Zhonghai smiled and patted Liu Haizhong on the shoulder and said: "Old Liu, we are in the same industry, we can learn from each other. As long as you work hard, your skills will definitely be improved."