The Fitter Master in the Courtyard: Surrounded by Dead Men

His heart was filled with an overwhelming jealousy towards Yang Ping, and he didn't think much about the house.

Back in the day, he was a highly regarded technical expert who became a fitter at the age of 23. He was quite proud of himself for it. But who would have thought that he would be stuck at the threshold for the past few years and be unable to cross into the ranks of fourth-level workers?

But Yang Ping, whom he used to hold in his palm and who was timid and dared not utter a word, suddenly became a level six fitter. He couldn't swallow this insult no matter what.

As Yi Zhonghai watched his apprentice walk away, he thought of Yang Ping, who was now a sixth-level worker, and felt a strange mix of emotions.

To be honest, he was a little envious of Xie Quancai—he had produced such an outstanding apprentice.

He shook his head and sighed, then turned and went back to his workstation.

As noon approached, Xie Quan patted the dust off his hands and called out, "Yang Ping, let's go eat."

"My master is treating today, so please don't stand on ceremony with me."

"Then I won't be polite!"

Yang Ping smiled and agreed.

The two entered the cafeteria one after the other.

Xie Quancai randomly chose a window to stand in and waited to get his food.

Yang Ping followed silently behind him.

Looking up, I saw that Jia Dongxu was right in front of me in line.

Yang Ping's lips curved into a smile.

"Yang Ping, watch closely, I guarantee I'll pass the Level 4 worker exam next time."

Jia Dongxu suddenly turned around and met Yang Ping's gaze, then bluntly uttered a sentence.

"Then congratulations in advance."

Yang Ping still had a smile on her face.

It seems that being promoted to Level 6 worker has been quite an achievement for Jia Dongxu.

This kid is determined to catch up—unfortunately, no matter how hard he tries, the gap will only widen.

Jia Dongxu raised his chin and turned around, his expression as if he were still the genius everyone talked about, and that Yang Ping, the former pushover, would be trampled under his feet sooner or later.

"Yang Ping, I heard you got promoted to Level 6 fitter?"

Guo Da Piezi, who was at the front of the line, turned to the side and asked in a loud voice.

At this question, everyone's eyes turned to Yang Ping, their faces filled with inquiry.

They had heard the rumors before, but they didn't know if they were true or not.

"Yes, Jia Dongxu was also present at the time, and he knew about it."

Yang Ping intentionally steered the conversation toward Jia Dongxu.

Upon hearing this, Jia Dongxu's previously smug expression immediately turned somber.

He suddenly realized that his newly obtained Level 4 fitter certificate wasn't anything special—others were already Level 6 at the age of twenty.

Guo Da Piezi, always eager for a bit of excitement, saw Yang Ping point to Jia Dongxu and immediately followed up with a question:

"Jia Dongxu, is this really true?"

"have."

Jia Dongxu forced out a single word.

The sound seemed to be grinding out from between the teeth, and anyone could hear the stifling tension within it.

If he weren't afraid that Guo Da Piezi, a level-six worker, would use this as an excuse to make trouble, he wouldn't have wanted to say a word.

"Ha!"

Guo Da Piezi chuckled briefly as he looked at him.

He turned to look at Yang Ping, his tone filled with admiration:

"Master Yang is truly a promising young man. Our factory has gained another excellent candidate for the eighth-grade worker position."

"Master Xie is also remarkable. He can train a sixth-level worker apprentice. Two sixth-level workers in one school are rare in the entire steel rolling mill."

"In a few years, they'll probably surpass their predecessors."

"Who can argue with that!"

Those around him nodded in agreement, their eyes filled with envy and admiration.

In everyone's mind, it was only a matter of time before Yang Ping became an eighth-grade worker—it was just a matter of accumulating seniority over a few more years.

But you can't envy that; everyone has their own skills.

Who wouldn't want to excel in their skills at a young age and have their salary multiply in the future?

"You flatter me, everyone."

Yang Ping replied politely.

Xie Quancai, standing to the side, was already grinning from ear to ear, his smugness impossible to hide.

Xie Quancai felt a surge of satisfaction; having taken on such a disciple was indeed a source of pride for him.

Hearing this, Jia Dongxu, who was in front, felt a little embarrassed.

If Yang Ping really gets certified as an eighth-level fitter, I'm afraid I'll never catch up, no matter how hard I try.

The line moved forward slowly.

Yang Ping chatted with her coworkers as she moved with the crowd.

Sha Zhu sauntered out of the kitchen through the food serving window.

Seeing Yang Ping in the queue, and his apprentice Ma Hua cooking at that window, he leaned over and lowered his voice:

"MCA, let me handle this. You go inside and rest for a while."

"Master, I can do this job."

You've been busy all morning; it's time for you to rest.

MCA wouldn't dare to step aside immediately.

"become."

Sha Zhu readily agreed, but his eyes were fixed on Yang Ping outside the window. He instructed, "See him? That short-haired kid."

I don't like him. When you get him his food, pick out the two smallest steamed buns and half a spoonful of soup, make it a little thin.

He had anticipated that the MCA would decline, so he conveniently handed over the task to them.

Yang Ping came with his master Xie Quancai, who was a level six fitter. Sha Zhu couldn't openly offend him, so it was perfect for Ma Hua to take the blame.

As for the news that Yang Ping had also been rated as a sixth-level worker, it hadn't reached the canteen yet; it was only circulating quietly in a few workshops.

Which one?

Ma Hua frowned and looked into the queue.

"The young man right after Xie Quancai, the one with a rather decent appearance."

Sha Zhu raised his chin in that direction.

Speaking of Yang Ping's appearance, Sha Zhu was not happy, but he had to admit that the kid was quite handsome.

Of course, compared to myself, I'm still a long way off.

"Understood."

MCA nodded in agreement.

Sha Zhu glanced smugly in Yang Ping's direction, grinned, and then swaggered away.

This bastard can't be dealt with in the compound, but in this canteen, that's his territory.

He has plenty of ways to make sure this kid is completely subdued.

The line moved slowly, and soon it was Jia Dongxu's turn.

"Two ounces and two bowls of noodles, plus a side of vegetables."

He pushed the lunchbox forward and added in a low voice, "I'm acquainted with your master, He Yuzhu."

The last sentence was a pre-arranged code—He Yuzhu had previously instructed his apprentice Ma Hua that whenever someone asked for a steamed bun, they should be given the biggest one, and a few extra pieces of meat should be secretly hidden in the vegetarian dishes.

Although Sha Zhu was in charge of the canteen, it couldn't be made too conspicuous.

Ma Hua didn't even lift his eyelids: "My master instructed that no one is allowed to come here to freeload from now on."

As he spoke, he picked up two small, thin steamed buns, then scooped up half a spoonful of watery broth. With a skillful flick of his wrist, he sent the vegetable leaves and minced meat falling back into the bowl, leaving only a small spoonful of thin broth, which he then poured into Jia Dongxu's lunchbox.

This skill of reducing ingredients by shaking the ladle was originally intended for Yang Ping, but unexpectedly, Jia Dongxu caught up with it first.

"Are you serving food or giving alms?"

Jia Dongxu's expression immediately changed.

"Master said that everyone should be treated equally."

MCA, unhurriedly, said, "Last time they gave us big steamed buns, so this time we should give us small ones; last time they gave us extra meat in the dishes, so this time we should add more soup—it's perfectly fair."

He wasn't flustered at all.

If things really get out of hand, just pin the blame on Sha Zhu.

Jia Dongxu's face turned ashen as he turned and glared at the kitchen.

Through the window, Sha Zhu was grinning at him, his smile full of mockery.

His heart clenched, and his face turned even uglier.

This is clearly Sha Zhu deliberately trying to trip him up.

"What are you dawdling for, you in front! Hurry up!"

The people in line behind them were already impatiently urging them to hurry up.

"Fine... make your master wait."

Jia Dongxu gritted his teeth, said a few words, picked up his lunchbox, and turned to leave.

It's not the right time to make a scene now; we'll still have to eat in the cafeteria in the future, so we'll just have to swallow this anger for now.

Ma Hua didn't care at all, just kept his eyes down, fiddling with the spoon in his hand, as if to say "take it or leave it."

His indifferent demeanor.

Yang Ping, who was not far away, took all of this in, his brows furrowed slightly, and a hint of doubt rose in his heart.

Could it be that He Yuzhu has some designs on Qin Huairu and wants to break ties with Jia Dongxu?

The thought had barely crossed his mind when he suppressed it—it was too much for He Yuzhu; he wouldn't dare.

"Two steamed buns made from two kinds of dough, two ounces of meat, and a serving of vegetables."

The line moved forward, and it was his turn to get his food.

Ma Hua handed over two substantial steamed buns and scooped up a generous half-spoonful of meat.

He stared at the plate for a moment, stunned.

Leaving aside the steamed buns, the amount of meat alone must be at least half a pound.

This is a privilege usually reserved for senior workers or those with connections in the canteen; ordinary workers can only dream of it.

He had never received such care in all his years at the factory.

To say that He Yuzhu suddenly changed his personality because he had just been promoted to Level 6 fitter is absolutely impossible.

That kid was eager to make him suffer, so he didn't care what his job level was.

In a flash, he suddenly understood.

Through some kind of unseen intuition, he discovered that the MCA had actually become one of their own—no wonder they had previously dealt with Jia Dongxu, but now they were taking extra care of him.

This is going to be interesting.

It remains to be seen how Jia Dongxu will deal with He Yuzhu.

He steadied the plate, a smile playing on his lips, and walked toward his master Xie Quancai's table.

***

12. Yang Ping: Betrayed his master?

Yang Ping and Xie Quancai were busy all day.

The master originally received level 5 parts, the later added level 6 parts, and Yang Ping's own level 2 parts were all used up.

"Yang Ping, we really have to thank you this time."

Xie Quancai wiped the sweat from his forehead and began to speak.

If it weren't for Yang Ping's intervention, these tasks would probably have been delayed until tomorrow, and Director Lü would have given us a good scolding.

"Master, what you're saying..."

Yang Ping smiled and said, "Refining these level-six parts is also a rare opportunity for me to improve myself."

As the last level-six part was completed, he vaguely felt that his level-six fitter skills, which had already reached an excellent level, seemed to have reached a certain critical point.

Perhaps in just a few days, I'll be able to reach the threshold of the top grade.

Once his special skill level for level six parts has stabilized, he can start working on level seven parts, and becoming a level seven fitter is just around the corner.

"Such a rare talent!"

Xie Quancai couldn't help but exclaim in admiration.

He could clearly see that Yang Ping was making rapid progress, and he feared that in another week, the boy would be able to truly step into the threshold of a level seven fitter.

In contrast, I have been stuck at the intermediate level of Level 6 for many years due to my limited talent.

"Master, I see that there are still many mistakes in your technique, and some of your habits are holding you back."

I'll explain it to you in detail later, and help you reach level seven too.

Yang Ping adopted a mature tone and spoke slowly.

Xie Quancai was stunned for a moment.

He was all too familiar with those words—he had used the same tone to instruct Yang Ping when Yang Ping was still a junior apprentice.

Now he's being lectured by his apprentice?

"You little rascal, you're really going to cause trouble!"

He laughed and cursed, then grabbed a wooden stick leaning against the wall, pretending to hit it.

"Oh."

Yang Ping smiled lightly and stepped aside.

"No matter how capable you are, I'm still your master!"

Xie Quancai deliberately put on a stern face and angrily raised the stick.

It was all just for show; he really couldn't bring himself to do it.

To be honest, after Yang Ping said that, he felt a sense of anticipation—he had been stuck at the seventh level for too long and really wanted to get past it.

"Master, I'm going home now."

Yang Ping glanced at the time; all the work for the day was finished.

"Go on, be careful on the road."

Xie Quancai put down the stick and gave instructions.

Yang Ping smiled and walked towards the courtyard.

Along the way, there were many more people greeting us than usual, and everyone was very enthusiastic.

Clearly, news of his promotion to level six fitter had already spread.

He politely responded a few times and then continued walking forward.