Fusion System: Rebirth in a Courtyard - Bird Fighting Chronicles

Chapter 14 Undercurrents, Tempering the Iron Anvil

The footsteps of the departing crowd faded into the distance beside the stone table in the central courtyard, leaving only Qin Huairu squatting on the ground, gathering the scattered sewing baskets, her fingertips unconsciously twisting the hem of her clothes. Jia Zhangshi poked her head out of the house, glared at her fiercely, and muttered in a low voice, "Useless thing! You even need help with an assessment, and that brat Lin Chen exposed you in public. How can our family hold our heads high in the courtyard after this?" Qin Huairu's shoulders trembled, and she didn't dare to argue back. She picked up the baskets and hurried into the house, the door creaking shut, cutting off the moonlight from outside.

In Yi Zhonghai's main room, the flame of the kerosene lamp flickered. Aunt Yi was sewing shoe soles, her stitches crooked and uneven. "Old man," she said, "today's incident was too ugly. Lin Chen was clearly after you." Yi Zhonghai sat in his armchair, his fingers tracing the patina on the armrest, his face so dark it seemed to drip water. "I underestimated him. I thought he was just a greenhorn with some technical skills, but I didn't expect him to be so cunning." He recalled Lin Chen's composure when he presented the assessment data, and those millimeter-precise comparison photos, and a chill ran through him—this kid not only had technical skills, but also knew how to find fault; he was ten times more difficult to deal with than Sha Zhu.

"What about Qin Huairu? If the assessment is exposed and the technical department re-investigates, we'll both be implicated." Aunt Yi put down her needlework, her voice full of worry. Yi Zhonghai picked up his enamel mug and took a sip of cold tea, his Adam's apple bobbing. "Don't worry, I tampered with the assessment samples. They have Qin Huairu's fingerprints on them, so the technical department won't find anything. As for Lin Chen, we have to teach him a lesson, or the rules in this facility will be in chaos." A ruthless glint flashed in his eyes as he thought of his treasured "Factory-Level Model Worker" certificate, the foundation of his retirement plan, which he absolutely could not allow to be shaken.

In Lin Chen's side room, the lights shone late into the night. He had just finished transcribing the detailed blueprints for the equipment modification when a notification suddenly popped up on the system panel: "Potential threat detected: Yi Zhonghai is planning a retaliatory operation against the host. It is recommended to prioritize strengthening your own security defenses." Lin Chen raised an eyebrow, not surprised. He rummaged through the bottom of his canvas bag and pulled out a palm-sized alloy fragment, which he had picked up from the workshop scrap heap during the day; it had an extremely high chromium content. "Fuse this alloy with the iron bar on the door frame to make a security latch," he thought to himself. The system immediately responded: "Fusing requirements: Chromium alloy fragment x1, wrought iron bar x1, mental energy 3 points. Confirm?"

"Confirmed." A pale blue halo illuminated his palm, and the alloy fragments and iron bars gradually fused together, their surfaces gleaming with a silvery-white metallic sheen, the edges automatically sharpened to a blade-like edge. Lin Chen installed the anti-theft bolt he had made behind the door, tested it, and found it to be perfectly fitted to the door frame; it couldn't be opened unless forcibly dismantled with a crowbar. Having finished all this, he lay down to rest. Just as he closed his eyes, he heard a slight noise outside the courtyard wall, as if someone was spying on him. A cold smile curled at the corner of his lips, he turned over, deliberately emitting even snoring.

The next morning, before the steel mill's whistle even sounded, Lin Chen left with his toolbox. Just as he reached the gate, he bumped into Xu Damao leaning against the wall smoking, a slick smile on his greasy face: "Good morning, Master Lin. I heard you were quite the big shot in the yard yesterday, even daring to talk back to Uncle Yi." Lin Chen ignored him and walked straight ahead, but Xu Damao quickly followed, lowering his voice: "Don't get too cocky. Uncle Yi is an eighth-grade fitter; he has plenty of ways to make things difficult for you. By the way, I heard you've been hoarding scrap from the workshop? If this gets reported to the factory security, you know what the consequences will be."

Lin Chen paused, turning to look at Xu Damao. Sunlight shone on Xu Damao's sunglasses, reflecting a blinding light. "Master Xu is certainly well-informed," Lin Chen said calmly, "but I always keep a record of when I collect scrap. Old Wang at the scrap yard can vouch for that. As for you, last time you were caught 'chatting' with Comrade Li Juan in the boiler room by the patrolling security guards. If that gets back to your wife, Lou Xiao'e, I wonder if she'll make a scene at the factory?"

Xu Damao's face turned pale instantly, and he hurriedly reached out to cover Lin Chen's mouth: "Don't talk nonsense! Li Juan and I were just discussing projector technology!" Lin Chen gently brushed his hand away and patted his shoulder: "Don't worry, I have no interest in meddling in other people's business, as long as certain people don't bother me." After saying that, he turned and left, leaving Xu Damao frozen on the spot, his face turning pale and then red. He couldn't understand how Lin Chen knew about his affair with Li Juan, which he had kept so secret.

The roar of the machines in the forging workshop was deafening. Lin Chen had just changed into his work clothes when Zhou Jianguo approached with an equipment list, his face beaming. "Lin, the equipment modification plan you proposed yesterday has been approved by the factory! There are ready-made thermocouples and used instruments in the materials warehouse. Take some people and get started on the modifications today." Lin Chen took the list, glanced at it, and noticed that in addition to the materials he had requested, a brand-new set of high-temperature resistant wires had been added. "Director Zhou, these wires…"

"This is something I specially applied for for you," Zhou Jianguo patted him on the shoulder. "Last time you saved me by fixing the forging press, I knew you were a man of action. Keep up the good work, and if this upgrade is successful, I'll apply for a technical innovation award for you!" Lin Chen felt a warmth in his heart and was about to thank him when he saw Liu Haizhong walking over with Liu Erzhu, his face not looking too good. "Director Zhou, such a big thing as upgrading equipment, why didn't you give it to me, an old forger? Lin Chen has only been here a short time, what if he messes it up?"

Zhou Jianguo frowned: "Old Liu, Xiao Lin's plan is very detailed, and the technical department has approved it. If you have time, could you lend a hand?" Liu Haizhong was about to argue when Lin Chen spoke up at the right moment: "Master Liu is very experienced. If you could guide me, I would be more than happy to do so. For example, I was just about to ask you how you dealt with the crack problem in the pressure-bearing components of this forging press." This gave Liu Haizhong a lot of face, and he paused for a moment, then his expression softened: "Okay, I'll give you my opinion."

After work began, Lin Chen started assembling the temperature monitoring device according to the blueprints. He inserted the thermocouple into the furnace of the forging press, secured it with refractory mortar, and then connected the wires to the discarded instruments. Liu Erzhu helped by handing him tools, but his eyes kept glancing at the device, his fingers secretly jotting something down in a small notebook in his pocket. Lin Chen noticed this and subtly changed the crucial wiring sequence—this was a backup plan he had deliberately left; without his core parameters, even copying the blueprints would be useless.

During the lunch break, Liu Guangtian ran over with an oil paper package containing two steaming hot cornbread buns and a small dish of pickled vegetables. "Uncle Lin, my mom asked me to bring these to you." Liu Guangtian's hand was still wrapped in gauze, from the burn he'd suffered yesterday. Lin Chen took the buns and patted his head: "Does the wound hurt? Did you apply the ointment on time?" Liu Guangtian nodded, lowering his voice: "My dad didn't scold me last night. He even told me to learn your skills properly. By the way, I overheard Liu Erzhu telling Xu Damao that they wanted to steal your modification blueprints."

Lin Chen's heart skipped a beat; just as he expected. He took a blank notebook from his toolbox and quickly drew a fake modification blueprint, deliberately marking several incorrect parameters on it. "Guangtian, do me a favor." He handed the notebook to Liu Guangtian, "Later, deliberately drop this notebook next to Liu Erzhu, and say I accidentally left it." Liu Guangtian's eyes lit up, and he nodded vigorously, "Don't worry, Uncle Lin, I know what to do."

The workshop was in chaos the very first day of work in the afternoon. Xu Damao pushed a projector in, claiming he was going to show the workers a "technical innovation promotional video," but actually pointed the projector at Lin Chen's modification site. Zhou Jianguo, assuming it was arranged by the factory management, agreed without much thought. Lin Chen pretended not to notice and continued adjusting the equipment, but out of the corner of his eye, he saw Xu Damao secretly taking pictures of the blueprints with a camera, while Liu Erzhu covered for him, leading the workers to the projector.

"Alright, test the temperature." Lin Chen suddenly shouted and pressed the start button on the forging press. The flames in the furnace instantly rose, and the pointer on the temperature monitoring instrument jumped rapidly, eventually stabilizing at 1200℃. "Perfect!" Zhou Jianguo came over to take a look, clapped his hands excitedly, "Before, we relied entirely on experience to estimate the firing rate, but now with this device, the scrap rate can be reduced by at least half!" The surrounding workers all gathered around, praising it. Xu Damao's face was a little ugly, and he quietly put away his camera and left.

As Lin Chen stepped out of the workshop at the end of the workday, he was stopped by security personnel. "Comrade Lin Chen, come with us to the office. Someone reported you for stealing workshop technical blueprints." The head security officer's face was stern, holding a photograph of the blueprints Xu Damao had taken that afternoon. Lin Chen knew this was a trap set by Yi Zhonghai and Xu Damao, waiting for him to fall into it. "I didn't steal the blueprints. This is my own design for the modification," Lin Chen said calmly. "I can go with you, but I need to call Director Zhou first."

In the security office, Yi Zhonghai and Xu Damao were already there. Yi Zhonghai sat on the sofa, looking heartbroken: "Xiao Lin, I really didn't expect you to do such a thing. The workshop's technical drawings are state secrets, how could you just divulge them?" Xu Damao fanned the flames from the side: "That's right, I saw him hide the drawings in the toolbox with my own eyes, and I even took photos as proof!" He placed the photos on the table, the drawings clearly visible in them.

Lin Chen picked up the photo, looked at it, and suddenly laughed: "Master Xu, this photo was taken this afternoon, right? You did take a picture of my blueprints, but unfortunately it's fake." He took out the real blueprints from his pocket and handed them to the security officer. "Look, the thermocouple model on the fake blueprint is WRN-130, while the real blueprint shows WRN-120. The temperature measurement ranges of these two models differ by 200°C, so they are completely incompatible. Moreover, the wiring sequence on the fake blueprint is wrong. If you connect it that way, it will short-circuit as soon as you turn on the power."

The security officer compared the photos and indeed found the difference. "This…" He looked at Xu Damao, his eyes filled with doubt. Xu Damao panicked: "Impossible! I clearly photographed the blueprints he was using!" Lin Chen took out the notebook Liu Guangtian had given him; the fake blueprints inside were exactly the same as those in the photo. "I deliberately placed them there to catch the person who stole the blueprints." Lin Chen looked at Yi Zhonghai, "Master Yi, this afternoon Master Xu was taking photos in the workshop, and Liu Erzhu was covering for him. You didn't see that, did you?"

Yi Zhonghai's expression changed, and he was about to speak when Zhou Jianguo pushed open the door and came in, holding the equipment modification acceptance report: "Comrade from the Security Department, Lin Chen's modification plan has passed the factory's acceptance. This is the official technical document, with my signature and the official seal of the Technical Department." He placed the report on the table. "As for the matter of stealing the blueprints, I think someone deliberately framed me. I was in the workshop all afternoon and personally saw Xu Damao secretly taking pictures. Comrade Lin Chen did not leak any blueprints at all."

The situation reversed instantly. The security officer, glancing at the acceptance report and then at Xu Damao's flustered expression, already made his judgment. "Comrade Xu Damao, you are suspected of false accusation and theft of technical data. Please come with us," the security officer said sternly, stepping forward to take Xu Damao away. Xu Damao panicked, pointing at Yi Zhonghai: "He made me do it! Yi Zhonghai told me to report Lin Chen, and even said he'd help me get a permanent position after it was done!"

Yi Zhonghai suddenly stood up, pointing at Xu Damao: "You're talking nonsense! When did I ever ask you to do something like this?" The two started arguing, and the security officer had no choice but to take them both away. Only Lin Chen and Zhou Jianguo remained in the office. Zhou Jianguo patted Lin Chen on the shoulder: "Good lad, brave and resourceful, you didn't embarrass me. But you need to be more careful with Yi Zhonghai in the future." Lin Chen nodded. He knew that although the crisis had been resolved this time, the feud with Yi Zhonghai was now permanently established.

It was late at night when Lin Chen returned to the courtyard house. The central courtyard was quiet, except for the Jia family's lights still on. Lin Chen had just reached the door of his side room when he saw Qin Huairu standing there, holding a cloth bag. "Master Lin," Qin Huairu's voice was a little hoarse, "these are gloves I sewed for you. Blacksmithing is hard on the hands. Thank you for not involving me in today's events." She handed the bag to Lin Chen, turned, and left, her steps hurried.

Lin Chen opened the cloth bag; inside was a pair of thick canvas gloves, finely stitched, with a layer of cowhide sewn onto the fingers. His thoughts were mixed. Qin Huairu, though calculating, wasn't inherently bad; she was simply forced into this situation by life's hardships. He looked up at the Jia family's window. Under the lamplight, Jia Dang was telling Jia Huaihua a story, while Jia Geng did his homework nearby—a heartwarming scene. Lin Chen sighed, put the gloves in his toolbox, and turned to go inside.

Inside the room, a notification suddenly popped up on the system panel: "Main quest completed: Frustrate Yi Zhonghai and Xu Damao's framing, protect technological achievements, reward 500 points, unlock 'Precision Forging' skill. Side quest completed: Gain Qin Huairu's favor, reward 100 points, unlock 'Needle and Thread Repair' temporary skill." Lin Chen nodded in satisfaction. This time, he not only resolved the crisis but also unlocked a new skill, achieving two goals at once.

He had just put the bonus for the equipment upgrade into the drawer when he heard a knock at the door. Opening it, he saw He Yushui holding an envelope, her face filled with anxiety: "Comrade Lin, something bad has happened! My brother has been summoned by Uncle Yi. He said he has to plead for Xu Damao, or else his model worker eligibility will be revoked." Lin Chen frowned. Yi Zhonghai was desperate; he was actually threatening him with Sha Zhu's model worker status. "Don't panic, I'll go with you to see." Lin Chen grabbed his coat and followed He Yushui out the door.

In Yi Zhonghai's main room, Sha Zhu sat in a chair, his face flushed. "Uncle Yi, Xu Damao's false accusation against Lin Chen was wrong to begin with. Why should I plead for him?" Yi Zhonghai's face darkened. "Sha Zhu, have you forgotten who promoted you from apprentice to chef? Who gave you awards for outstanding performance every year? Now, I'm asking you for a small favor, and you're making excuses? If you don't plead for Xu Damao, you can forget about being a model worker this year!"

"Uncle Yi, the selection of model workers is based on actual achievements, not personal connections." Lin Chen pushed open the door and entered calmly. "Master Shazhu saved the workshop nearly a thousand kilograms of grain this year and also innovated three ways to prepare staple foods. These achievements alone are enough to qualify him for model worker status. If you disqualify him because of personal grudges, I'm afraid you won't be able to explain it to the factory management, will you?" Yi Zhonghai was taken aback by Lin Chen's arrival, then became furious: "I'm disciplining my apprentice; it's none of your business!"

"If you truly considered him your apprentice, you shouldn't have forced him to do things against his conscience." Lin Chen walked to Sha Zhu's side. "Master Sha Zhu, do you remember last winter when you delivered grain to the Jia family, but your own sister caught a cold? Uncle Yi only thought about you taking care of her in her old age; he didn't care about your family at all." Sha Zhu was stunned, recalling what He Yushui had said to him in tears last time, and a chill ran through him. He stood up and looked at Yi Zhonghai: "Uncle Yi, I can't plead for Xu Damao; I can't do that."

Yi Zhonghai watched Sha Zhu's resolute retreating figure, trembling with rage. He never imagined that his long-cultivated pawn, nurtured for so many years, would be turned against him by Lin Chen with just a few words. "Fine, very well!" Yi Zhonghai pointed at Lin Chen, "You just wait, this isn't over!" Lin Chen smiled, "Uncle Yi, I advise you to think carefully about how to explain the false accusation against me to the factory management. If they find out that you've gone so far as to frame a key technical worker for personal grudges, you might lose your model worker title."

As they left Yi Zhonghai's house, Sha Zhu patted Lin Chen on the shoulder: "Brother Lin, thanks. I always thought Uncle Yi was genuinely good to me, but now I realize he just used me as a tool for his retirement." He Yushui also came over, her face full of gratitude: "Comrade Lin, thank you for helping my brother see the truth." Lin Chen shook his head: "We're all colleagues and neighbors, helping each other is only right. If anyone bullies you again, just tell me."

Back in his side room, Lin Chen had just sat down when he heard a system notification: "Side quest triggered: Repair the sibling relationship between Sha Zhu and He Yushui. Quest progress 50%. Upon completion, you will receive 300 points and unlock the 'Interpersonal Mediation' skill." He smiled. It seemed that Sha Zhu's transformation was just the beginning, and the layout of this courtyard was slowly changing.

As night deepened, Lin Chen took out the "Precision Forging" skill manual he had just acquired that day and began to study it carefully. The manual explained forging techniques in a simple and easy-to-understand way, and also included machining drawings for various complex parts. He thought of the old forging press in the workshop, and a new idea came to him—if he could convert the forging press into a semi-automated machine, production efficiency could at least double. He picked up a pen and quickly began to draw on the paper; under the lamplight, his eyes were firm and bright.

Outside the window, moonlight spilled onto the bluestone slabs of the courtyard, casting dappled shadows. In the front yard, Yan Bugui was still keeping accounts under the lamp, the abacus beads clicking away; in the back yard, Liu Haizhong was explaining forging techniques to Liu Guangtian, his voice low and patient; in the middle yard, the Jia family had already turned off their lights, except for the pair of newly sewn gloves on Qin Huairu's windowsill. Lin Chen knew that the calm was only temporary; Yi Zhonghai and Xu Damao would not let it go, and an even bigger storm awaited him. But he was not afraid. Just as an anvil hardens through tempering, a person grows through trials. In this era full of calculation and opportunity, he would rely on his own hands and wisdom to forge his own path.