Courtyard House: In this life, I have a new home!

Li Weidong added, "There are medical books here, take a look at them when you have time."

He turned to Dr. Wu and said, "Old Wu, you'll be in charge of the pharmacy from now on. Three nurses will be overseeing the injection room."

Dr. Wu opened his mouth, but in the end he swallowed his words, lowered his head, and went into the pharmacy.

This man surnamed Wu was in his early twenties, and his medical skills were ridiculously poor. Li Weidong guessed that he was a relative of some leader who had put him in there.

Just as Li Weidong finished making the arrangements and was thinking about going to Workshop 1 to cause trouble for Yi Zhonghai, he saw Qin Huairu leading Jia Zhangshi in.

Jia Zhangshi was walking with a limp today, and it looked worse than a few days ago.

"Wait, Qin Huairu, aren't you working in Workshop One? What are you doing in the infirmary?"

Li Weidong frowned. "You've taken leave?"

He knew, of course, that the woman was accompanying her mother-in-law to the doctor, but Li Weidong was determined to cause trouble. If she hadn't asked for leave, he was sure he would have used this as an excuse to make a scene.

"Is it any of your business?!"

Jia Zhangshi immediately exploded and started making a scene.

"Grandma, Grandma! Shut up!"

Qin Huairu's eyes flashed coldly as she glared fiercely at Jia Zhangshi.

Jia Zhangshi originally intended to throw a tantrum and then renege on the medical bills. However, when she saw that Qin Huairu dared to tell her to shut up, her anger flared up, and she was about to start cursing.

Who would have thought that Qin Huairu would stare at her with eyes that looked like she was looking at a dead person? Jia Zhangshi's heart trembled, and her thoughts of making a scene vanished instantly.

"Chief Engineer Li, I've already asked Director Zhou for leave."

Qin Huairu softened her voice, "Could you please take a look at my mother-in-law's legs..."

"No need to look anymore, you need surgery."

Li Weidong said calmly, "The conditions here aren't good enough. Let's go to a big hospital."

"What? You're saying you need surgery without even looking at it? Who are you trying to fool?"

Jia Zhangshi was seething with anger and wanted to vent it on someone.

"Jia Zhangshi, what do you think this place is? Trying to cause trouble?"

Li Weidong sneered, "If you dare utter a single curse word, I'll slap you across the face. If you dare roll on the ground, I'll have the security guards throw you out."

"You, you..."

Jia Zhangshi shrank back, not daring to utter a sound.

"Grandma, please stop talking. This isn't our compound."

Qin Huairu hated Jia Zhangshi to the core.

Jia Zhangshi shut her mouth; she was a bully who preyed on the weak. She only dared to cause trouble within the compound; outside the compound, without Yi Zhonghai's backing, who would pay any attention to this shrew?

"I told you before that her leg injury was serious, but you didn't take it seriously."

Li Weidong's voice turned cold, "Go to the hospital for surgery as soon as possible, there's still a 50% chance you won't be left with a disability."

"Of course, it can be treated conservatively, but then this leg would definitely be ruined."

Qin Huairu panicked immediately, and Jia Zhangshi's face turned pale.

"No, no way? How could my leg be crippled? I just fell!"

Jia Zhangshi kept muttering to herself.

"Alright, let's get to a major hospital right away."

Li Weidong waved his hand.

"Chief Engineer Li, can't you perform surgery here?"

Qin Huairu asked anxiously. "It'll definitely be much cheaper to do it here."

"I said no!"

Li Weidong's tone was firm: "There's no need to explain the reasons to you. Just leave."

"Then prescribe me three bottles of painkillers."

Madam Jia Zhang hadn't forgotten about this.

Three bottles? Are you crazy?

Li Weidong sneered, "It's good enough if you open a few pills. Three bottles? Who would dare open one for you? I'll send them straight to the police station."

"Mrs. Jia, are you addicted to painkillers? You need to be sent for compulsory detoxification."

Qin Huairu's mind went blank. Jia Zhangshi was completely clueless; she had warned Jia Dongxu before that painkillers shouldn't be stockpiled. The fact that he could buy whole bottles was entirely due to Jia Dongxu's shamelessness in trying to get close to people.

"No, no, my mother-in-law is just talking nonsense."

Qin Huairu quickly waved her hand, "Mom, let's go, let's go quickly, it's more important to take care of your leg first."

Jia Zhangshi was dragged and pulled away by Qin Huairu.

"What is all this crap?"

Li Weidong snorted. "Let me say it again: everyone must prescribe medication according to drug management regulations. Anyone who misbehaves will be held responsible."

"I missed out on what happened in the past, so I don't hold it against you."

Dr. Wu's face turned pale. Li Weidong knew perfectly well that Jia Dongxu must have gotten the painkillers from him before.

"Go ahead and get busy, I'm going for a stroll."

Li Weidong glanced at his watch; it was about 10 a.m.

Not far from the infirmary, Jia Zhangshi exploded: "Qin Huairu, you've got some nerve! Daring to talk back to me now?"

"Mom, are you really going to ruin my livelihood before you're satisfied?"

Qin Huairu's voice turned cold, "If you really want to do this, I'll take my three children back to the countryside."

"You...you..."

Jia Zhangshi immediately backed down.

"Li Weidong is the chief engineer. If he wants to get rid of me, he doesn't even need to say a word. He can just give me a look and someone will tell me to get lost."

Qin Huairu said, enunciating each word clearly, "If I don't have a job, how will we survive? Are you going to starve with three children?"

"That little brat is so arrogant?"

Jia Zhangshi's tone was weak.

What do you think?

Qin Huairu retorted, "You need surgery on your leg, but I can't afford it."

After gritting her teeth and pondering for a long time, Jia Zhangshi said, "Fine, fine. I'll pay for it myself."

No one else could get money out of her pocket. But when it came to her own money, Jia Zhangshi had no choice but to accept it, no matter how painful it was.

"Then let's find a major hospital to get it checked out first."

Qin Huairu said.

"Let's talk about it tomorrow, I have things to do today."

Jia Zhangshi's eyes darted around.

This morning, Yi Zhonghai came to her, saying that there had been too many strange things happening in the courtyard lately, and that she needed someone to perform a ritual. Yi Zhonghai paid eight yuan, and even told Jia Zhangshi to add two yuan herself. She was just about to go and do this.

Qin Huairu didn't bother with what Jia Zhangshi was up to. Seeing that the woman refused to go to the hospital, she turned around and went back to work.

"Hire someone? Forget it, hiring someone costs money, I'll do it myself."

Muttering to herself, Jia Zhangshi limped out of the factory gate and went home.

Li Weidong entered the first workshop. Engine production had stopped, but the electric fans were still being rushed. The fan brand hadn't even been decided yet.

As soon as Director Zhou saw Li Weidong, he quickly went to greet him.

In one workshop, the electric fan production line is running at full capacity.

Director Zhou said with a smile, "Engineer Li, we need to hurry up and finish the work here; we simply don't have enough goods to sell."

Li Weidong waved his hand: "There's no need to be so nervous. We still need to complete the tasks assigned by our superiors."

He knew perfectly well that these electric fans would ultimately become bargaining chips for the factory leaders to cultivate relationships. Once the meat processing plant got the fans without needing ration coupons, they immediately increased the pork quota for the steel rolling mill.

The two wandered around the workshop, watching the workers busy at work.

Meng Jianguo was being bossed around by a fourth-level worker, sweat dripping down his face, and he didn't dare to utter a single word.

Li Weidong pretended not to see it, but the hatred in Meng Jianguo's eyes was almost overflowing.

Standing next to Yi Zhonghai was Qin Huairu. Old Yi's ankle was swollen, but he didn't let that stop him from working on the motor rotor.

"Director Zhou, this kind of work can be done by a level three or four worker."

Li Weidong stopped in front of Yi Zhonghai's workstation. "It's such a waste to have a senior technician doing this."

Director Zhou smiled apologetically: "There's nothing we can do. The factory manager said we have to do everything we can to increase production."

"After all, half of summer is already over."

Li Weidong nodded: "I'll talk to the factory manager about this. By the way, new apprentices can't be left to their own devices; they need training."

"Well……"

Director Zhou was taken aback.

"Call all the apprentices here, and I will give them their first lesson."

Li Weidong stared at Yi Zhonghai, "Teach them the skills of a first-level fitter, so they won't be treated like donkeys and have to watch their master's face to learn anything."

"I want to make a suggestion to the higher-ups to break this kind of master-disciple relationship based on personal dependence."

"Passing on knowledge and skills is a master's duty, not a favor a master bestows upon his apprentice."

Yi Zhonghai's face turned green. In his mind, a master was like a father, and an apprentice should obey. Newcomers should do odd jobs for a year or two to temper their character before being taught technical skills.

During festivals and holidays, apprentices are expected to offer gifts as a sign of respect. If you want to learn real skills, you also need to make offerings. Otherwise, why should I teach you?

Li Weidong is trying to undermine Yi Zhonghai's roots in the steel rolling mill.

Director Zhou hesitated, "But the experienced workers won't be happy..."

"What's bothering you?"

Li Weidong straightened his back. "This is for the sake of building our motherland faster and better. Anyone who tries to hinder everyone's progress or their enthusiasm for building a new society with outdated rules from the old society, let's see who dares to do that!"

As he said this, Li Weidong stared intently at Yi Zhonghai.

Yi Zhonghai's face flushed red, and the veins on his neck bulged. He was one of those who reaped the most benefits under the old rules, but he couldn't accept the label Li Weidong had thrown at him.

"Alright then, I'll call someone over. An apprentice, is that alright?"

Director Zhou asked a question.

"Yes, apprentices or level one workers are fine. Everyone else can just do their jobs as usual."

Li Weidong said, "I'm going to give everyone a public lecture."

Before long, about thirty people surrounded Yi Zhonghai's lathe.

Yi Zhonghai is a level eight worker. His workstation is very spacious, with no room within three meters around him, so there's not enough space to put anything. He used to think this was a status, a privilege, but now he just feels stifled.

Because Li Weidong assigned him to the work of a first-level worker—machining nuts and bolts. If he could master these two tasks, he would be considered a first-level worker.

Once a first-level worker is promoted to a regular worker, their salary will increase from 18.5 yuan to 27 yuan.

Yi Zhonghai gritted his teeth and gave a demonstration. He spun the nut and screw quickly and well.

But Li Weidong managed to pick out a few operational errors, and Yi Zhonghai's face immediately darkened. As Li Weidong watched him work, he explained the key points and tips in detail, which the apprentices found very simple.

"Qin Huairu, why don't you go up and give it a try?"

Li Weidong spoke.

"I?"

Qin Huairu was stunned.

"That's right. Didn't you say life was tough? The opportunity to change your life is right here. You're a smart person too."

Li Weidong said, "Then I'll improve my skills so I can have a better life."

"You're currently receiving 27.5 yuan, nine of which is Jia Dongxu's injury/death compensation. If you get promoted, that'll be 36.5 yuan!"

Upon hearing this, Qin Huairu suddenly felt a surge of energy. She took a deep breath, gripped her tools tightly, and went over.

Li Weidong glanced meaningfully at Yi Zhonghai, whose face was deathly pale.

He knew in his heart that this had thwarted Yi Zhonghai's plan once again. Yi Zhonghai's idea was to keep Qin Huairu as an apprentice forever, earning very little money and relying on him for support, so that he could control her.