Chapter 10

In the single dormitory of the Qingfeng Agricultural Machinery Factory, Qin Hai spent his first night since his穿越. The factory was surrounded by farmland, and it was mid-summer. The croaking of frogs, like a lullaby, quickly sent Qin Hai into a deep sleep.

In his previous life, Qin Hai was used to staying up late and sleeping in the next morning. But in this world, he had to adjust his schedule. Without computers or televisions, it was impossible not to go to bed early. The next morning, just after six-thirty, the factory's loudspeaker blared without any sense of propriety. After a segment of "Singing to the Motherland," the news and newspaper summary announcer's powerful voice followed.

"Alas, who can first awaken from the great dream, and I know my life well..."

Qin Hai stretched and got out of bed, reciting the poem that Zhuge Liang once chanted in his thatched cottage, and walked to the window. He pulled the dirty curtain left by the previous occupant, and the morning sunlight instantly filled the room, brightening Qin Hai's mood.

On his way to the washroom, Qin Hai met Wang Xiaochen. The single dormitory had a shared washroom for both men and women, with over a dozen faucets for washing and laundry. On either side of the washroom were the men's and women's toilets. People came and went, and it was a common sight, with no awkwardness. It was not uncommon for male and female employees to nod and greet each other as they came out of the toilets, and no one found it strange.

Qin Hai met Wang Xiaochen as he came out of the men's toilet. Wang Xiaochen was washing his face at the faucet and greeted Qin Hai naturally, "Qin, did you sleep well last night?"

"Uh..." Qin Hai adjusted to the scene and then nodded, "I slept pretty well."

"I forgot to tell you, the mosquitoes here are particularly vicious. If the mosquito net isn't sealed tightly, they'll get in and bite you, leaving a big bump," Wang Xiaochen said.

Qin Hai replied, "I did hear the mosquitoes, but fortunately, I wasn't bitten... Maybe it's because I'm from out of town, and the mosquitoes don't like the taste of my flesh."

Wang Xiaochen laughed, "Qin, you're really funny. By the way, you didn't buy meal tickets yesterday, right? Come to my place and get some meal tickets to buy breakfast. The canteen has buns and fried dough sticks in the morning, but if you go late, there will only be steamed buns left."

"Actually, there's no need. I can find a place to eat outside," Qin Hai said.

"Where are you going to find a place to eat? You have to walk all the way to the pesticide factory to find a place that sells breakfast, and it's very expensive. You can't keep eating like that. Take some meal tickets from me, and you can pay me back later. It's not like I'm giving them to you for free," Wang Xiaochen said.

"Alright, thanks, Xiaochen," Qin Hai said.

Wang Xiaochen smiled, "Qin, I find you to be very polite. You even say thank you for such small things. We've had technical school students and college students assigned here before, but none of them were as polite as you."

Qin Hai also smiled, "So, I'm too polite, huh? Well, I'll have to change that bad habit."

Wang Xiaochen, wiping his hands with a towel, said, "Actually, there's no need to change. Being polite is a good thing. My brother is in high school, and I hope he can be more polite. By the way, Qin, when my brother comes to visit, can you teach him something?"

"Teach him what?" Qin Hai asked curiously.

"I'm not sure what to teach him. I see that you are very cultured, so maybe you can give him some guidance. I only finished junior high, and he is in high school, so I don't know how he's doing," Wang Xiaochen said.

"Sure, I can do that," Qin Hai said confidently, "Guiding a high school student's studies... well, it's not too difficult for me."

He originally wanted to sound more impressive, but then he thought about his current identity as a technical school student, who had only finished junior high. Claiming that guiding a high school student would be easy might be an exaggeration. Of course, in reality, Qin Hai had the skills to mentor several Ph.D. students.

Borrowing meal tickets from Wang Xiaochen, Qin Hai went to the canteen, bought porridge and buns, and ate. Then he went to the factory's office building to wait for the labor and personnel department to assign him a job.

"Your name is Qin Hai? What did you study at the technical school?" The official in charge of job assignments was a middle-aged woman who looked at Qin Hai as if he were a delinquent youth.

"I studied casting and have some knowledge of heat treatment," Qin Hai answered.

"Casting, so you're a sand molder, right? Why did the technical school send us another sand molder?" The middle-aged woman grumbled, "Why do we need so many sand molders?"

Qin Hai remained silent. He knew that the best way to deal with a woman in her menopause was not to argue, as it would only make things worse. This woman probably had no particular issue with him; perhaps she was just upset about spending an extra five cents on vegetables that morning or about her child's report card with a few red marks. All he could do was wait.

Sure enough, after grumbling for a while, the woman's mood improved. She looked up at Qin Hai and said, "I'll assign you to the casting workshop as a sand molder. Do you have any objections?"

"No," Qin Hai answered without hesitation.

"Really no objections?" The woman was surprised by Qin Hai's quick response. She remembered that the technical school student assigned last year had complained and refused to work as a sand molder. Sand molders were considered the most tiring and dirty job in the factory, working with iron furnaces and coming home covered in sweat and coal dust every day. Although this job came with an extra 3 yuan in monthly allowance, few young people were willing to do it.

"I am a brick of the revolution, ready to be moved in any direction by the Party," Qin Hai said with a smile, using a somewhat outdated slogan to answer the woman's question.

"Hmm, there aren't many young people with your attitude these days," the woman said, her mood greatly improved. She took out a notebook, wrote a letter of introduction, tore off a copy, and handed it to Qin Hai, saying, "Take this letter to Director Miao Funan in the casting workshop. He will arrange your work. Work hard, and if you perform well, you might have the opportunity to become a cadre."

Being a cadre while working as a worker was the best career prospect for a worker in that era. The woman's promise to Qin Hai did not mean she had the power to transfer him to the office; it was just a casual remark to praise his honest attitude.

Qin Hai thanked the woman, put the letter in his pocket, and left the office building for the workshop. His predecessor in the technical school had indeed studied casting and had built up some strength, so he was not concerned about being assigned to work in the workshop. As a穿越, Qin Hai was not worried about his future as a worker. He believed that if he wanted to, changing his life circumstances would be easy.

"Qin Hai, what, you've been assigned to our workshop?"

As soon as Qin Hai entered the casting workshop, he ran into Ning Mo and Miao Lei. They were delighted to see him and immediately started chatting.

"Such a coincidence, you two are also in the casting workshop?" Qin Hai asked with a smile.

Ning Mo said, "Yes, I'm a forge worker, and Lei is a crane operator. What can I do? His father is the workshop director, so he got a good job, while I have to work hard."

A crane operator was a skilled job and relatively easy, so it was considered a good job. Hearing Ning Mo's words, Miao Lei said, "Fatso, what are you talking about? Your father is the old factory manager. If he wanted to, he could get you an office job, let alone a crane operator. But your father insisted that my father assign you as a forge worker. What could my father do?"

Ning Mo sighed dramatically, "My old man says I'm too restless and not steady enough, so he wants me to work as a forge worker for a few years to calm down. But I actually like being a forge worker. It's exciting. Sitting in an office with a bunch of old people would drive me crazy."

"Ha, what about Hai Tao?" Qin Hai asked about Yu Haitao.

Miao Lei said, "Hai Tao is a statistician in the warehouse, a very comfortable job. By the way, Qin Hai, what job were you assigned?"

"Sand molder," Qin Hai showed the letter to the two of them and said, "The labor and personnel department told me to find Director Miao. Lei, is Director Miao your father?"

"Old lady? Hahaha." Ning Mo laughed, "Qin Hai, you really have a way with words. You're talking about Luan Suqin from the labor and personnel department, right? She's a real old lady, always looking at everyone with a frown. I'll tell you, in the entire Qingfeng factory, I'm most afraid of her, and then my father."

"Being able to scare you, Fatso, this Luan old lady must have a colorful life," Qin Hai said with a smile, then asked Miao Lei, "Lei, where is Director Miao now? I'll go report to him first, and then come back to chat with you."

"Director Xiang from the production department is here, and my father is talking to him. Look, they're coming this way," Miao Lei pointed to the other end of the workshop, where two middle-aged men in blue work clothes were walking towards them.

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Sorry, I was busy this morning and forgot to post the chapter. I'm making up for it now.

Starting today, I'll post two chapters... if I have enough saved up.

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