Fusion System: Rebirth in a Courtyard - Bird Fighting Chronicles

Chapter 50: Quarry Labor Camp Sentences, Hidden Dangers in the Reform Group

As the September morning light began to spill over the gray tiles of the Hongxing Courtyard, the footsteps of the street officials echoed through the central courtyard. When Director Wang entered the courtyard with two uniformed staff members, Qin Huairu was squatting in front of the stove cooking porridge. A few grains of rice husks floated in the clear water. Upon seeing this, the spatula in her hand clattered to the ground, and her face instantly turned ashen.

"Qin Huairu, come out for a moment." Director Wang's voice was calm and even, yet it made Qin Huairu tremble uncontrollably. She slowly stood up, supporting herself on the stove. As soon as she reached the middle of the courtyard, she saw a staff member holding a document stamped with a red seal. Jia Geng and his two younger sisters peeked out from behind the door frame. The youngest daughter, Jia Xiaoxu, was so frightened that she hid behind her brother, timidly clutching his clothes.

"After investigation by the subdistrict office, it has been decided that Jia Zhangshi has repeatedly stolen property from her neighbors, refused to mend her ways despite repeated warnings, and also instigated others to commit illegal acts. Based on relevant regulations, she is sentenced to three months of labor reform and sent to the western suburbs quarry for forced labor." Director Wang finished reading the disciplinary decision and handed a copy of the document to Qin Huairu. "Here's a copy; keep it safe. Family visits are allowed once a month at the quarry; just bring some changes of clothes and some coarse grains."

Qin Huairu's hands trembled violently as she took the document, the edges of the pages crumpled from being gripped. She opened her mouth, wanting to say something pleading, but then she saw Lin Chen standing behind Director Wang—he was carrying a bag of fried dough sticks and soy milk he had just bought, quietly watching them, his eyes showing no pity, only a calm acceptance of his fate. Qin Huairu swallowed the words that were on the tip of her tongue, tears streaming down her cheeks, dripping onto the red stamp on the document, spreading into a small puddle.

"Director Wang, Jia Zhangshi is getting old, and the work at the quarry is too strenuous. I'm afraid she can't handle it..." Yi Zhonghai hurriedly came out of the house, trying to make a last-ditch effort to salvage the situation. Since his technical advisor position was revoked last time, his influence in the neighborhood and factory had diminished considerably. But Jia Zhangshi was, after all, Qin Huairu's mother-in-law. If something really happened to her in the labor camp, his high hopes for "retirement security" would be completely dashed.

Director Wang glanced at Yi Zhonghai, his tone laced with sarcasm: "Master Yi, if you had known better, why didn't you discipline her properly when she stole your eggs? Saying this now is useless; rules are rules. Besides, there's a doctor stationed at the quarry. If she really can't handle it, she'll be reassigned to lighter work." With that, he ignored Yi Zhonghai's explanations, turned and left with his staff, leaving Qin Huairu crouching on the ground, silently sobbing, clutching the documents.

Lin Chen stepped forward and placed the fried dough sticks and soy milk he was carrying on the Jia family's threshold. "Give this to the child to eat first. The road to the quarry is difficult to travel. If you need help asking someone to bring anything, just let me know." Qin Huairu looked up at him, her eyes blurry with tears. Her lips moved, but she only managed to say "thank you." Jia Geng stared at the fried dough sticks on the threshold, swallowed hard, but didn't dare to reach for them—the lesson he learned from being caught stealing Lin Chen's sweet potatoes had made him somewhat fearful of this neighbor.

"Xiao Lin, why are you doing this?" Yi Zhonghai walked up to Lin Chen, his face grim. "The Jia family is already in enough trouble. Can't you be a little more lenient? Why do you have to be so ruthless?" Lin Chen sneered and turned to look at Yi Zhonghai: "Master Yi, I didn't send her to the quarry. It's her own fault for repeatedly stealing despite being taught not to. When she stole your eggs, you said you'd let it go out of consideration for our master-disciple relationship; when she stole Aunt Li's chickens, you tried to smooth things over. If everyone were like you, smoothing things over, this yard would have become a den of thieves long ago."

The neighbors chimed in. Aunt Liu walked by carrying a washbasin: "Master Yi, Xiao Lin is right. Why didn't you stop Jia Zhangshi when she was stealing? Now that she's been punished, you're acting like a good guy." Yan Bugui pushed up his glasses: "I've calculated it. The things Jia Zhangshi stole over the past three years, converted into grain coupons, would amount to over fifty jin, enough for a six-month sentence. This time, only three months is already a lenient sentence." Yi Zhonghai was speechless, glared fiercely at Lin Chen, and turned to go back into the house.

Lin Chen ignored Yi Zhonghai's anger and turned to go back inside to go to work. Just as he picked up his toolbox, a notification popped up on the system panel: "Main quest 'Precisely Strike Jia Zhangshi's Theft' completed, reward 3000 points, current points: 60500. New feature unlocked: Material Analysis Graph." Lin Chen nodded in satisfaction. The material analysis graph would be perfect for detecting the alloy composition needed to improve the forging equipment, greatly increasing his chances of technological innovation.

Upon arriving at the steel rolling mill, Lin Chen had just entered the forging workshop when Director Zhou called him into his office. "Lin, the members of the technical innovation team have been finalized," Director Zhou said, pointing to the list on the table. "Besides you and Yi Zhonghai, there's also Old Chen from the fitter's workshop and Little Liu from the welder's workshop—all key technical personnel in the factory. The funding application has been approved—100,000 yuan, earmarked for this purpose. You'd better manage it carefully."

Lin Chen took the list, his gaze falling on the name "Yi Zhonghai," and his brows furrowed slightly. "Director Zhou, Master Yi has a problem with me. Will having him join affect the work progress?" Director Zhou sighed. "I've considered that too, but Yi Zhonghai is, after all, a level eight fitter with extensive experience. Equipment improvements involve many fitter techniques, and we can't do without him. Please be more understanding, keep an eye on him, and don't let him do anything underhanded."

Lin Chen nodded, already on guard. He knew Yi Zhonghai would definitely use this opportunity to retaliate against him, either by deliberately delaying the project or by creating technical obstacles. Leaving his office, Lin Chen went directly to the innovation team's temporary office. Unexpectedly, Yi Zhonghai was already there, looking through the improved drawings Lin Chen had submitted yesterday, a hint of disdain on his face.

"Team Leader Lin, your drawings are quite fancy." Yi Zhonghai threw the drawings on the table. "Oil cooling instead of water cooling? Not a bad idea, but have you considered the cost? An oil cooling system costs three times as much as water cooling, and it's troublesome to maintain, so it's not practical at all. I think my improved water cooling solution is more reliable." As he spoke, he took out his own drawings, which still used the old-fashioned water cooling system, only with the water pipes thickened.

Lin Chen picked up Yi Zhonghai's blueprints, glanced at them using the system's material analysis charts, and a cold smile appeared on his lips: "Master Yi, your plan is indeed low-cost, but its cooling efficiency is only 60% of mine. When forging 30CrMnSiA alloy, the temperature needs to reach 1200 degrees Celsius, which cannot be lowered by water cooling, easily causing the mold to crack. Not only will it delay the construction period, but we will also have to remake the mold, resulting in even greater losses."

Just then, Old Chen and Xiao Liu walked in. Hearing the argument, they both crowded around to look at the blueprints. "Old Yi, I think Xiao Lin has a point," Old Chen said, adjusting his reading glasses and pointing to the cooling channels on the blueprints. "Your water-cooling channels are designed too narrow, the flow rate is insufficient, and the cooling is indeed slow. Xiao Lin's oil-cooling system, although more expensive, provides more even cooling and is more efficient, making it more cost-effective in the long run." Xiao Liu chimed in, "Yes, I welded an oil-cooling system before, and maintenance wasn't that troublesome; you just need to change the oil regularly."

Yi Zhonghai was shocked that Old Chen and Xiao Liu would side with Lin Chen. His face turned pale and then red. "What do you know! I've been a fitter for thirty years. Am I not as good as a young man who just got promoted?" Lin Chen said calmly, "Master Yi, skills aren't based on seniority, but on results. If you think my solution is no good, we can do a small experiment to compare the efficiency of the two cooling systems."

Forced into a corner, Yi Zhonghai had no choice but to agree to the experiment. Lin Chen immediately arranged for Xiao Liu to make a small cooling device, Lao Chen to monitor the temperature, and he and Yi Zhonghai to debug the equipment. The experiment lasted from morning to afternoon, and the results were obvious: Lin Chen's oil cooling system could cool the simulated mold from 1200 degrees Celsius to room temperature in ten minutes, while Yi Zhonghai's water cooling system took twenty-five minutes, and the temperature was still at 300 degrees Celsius.

After the experimental results came out, Yi Zhonghai completely lost his temper and sat in his chair without saying a word. Lin Chen looked at him and softened his tone: "Master Yi, I know you have a problem with me, but technological innovation is for the good of the workshop and the factory. As long as you cooperate well, you will get a share of the credit when the project succeeds, and your technical guidance position will be reinstated." Yi Zhonghai raised his head, a hint of hesitation flashing in his eyes, and finally nodded.

He thought things would go smoothly, but things went wrong the very next day. When Lin Chen arrived at the workshop in the morning, he discovered that the oil cooling device used in yesterday's experiment had been tampered with. A small hole had been cut in the cooling oil pipe, and the cooling oil inside had leaked out completely. "Who did this?" Lin Chen slammed his fist on the table in anger. Old Chen and Xiao Liu also gathered around, their faces full of surprise.

"Yesterday, only Master Yi was the last to leave the office," Xiao Liu whispered. "I saw him fiddling with this device when I left work, and I thought he was checking the equipment." Lin Chen frowned and walked to the monitoring room—this was something he had specifically requested to be installed from Director Zhou yesterday, precisely to prevent sabotage. Sure enough, Yi Zhonghai's figure appeared on the monitor. Taking advantage of the absence of anyone, he secretly cut the oil pipe with scissors and then left as if nothing had happened.

Lin Chen took the surveillance footage to Director Zhou. After watching it, Director Zhou was trembling with anger: "That Yi Zhonghai is really too much! He actually sabotaged a technological innovation project for personal grudges!" He immediately picked up the phone, wanting to call Yi Zhonghai to his office, but Lin Chen stopped him: "Director Zhou, don't rush. The project has just started. If we fire him, no one will be in charge of the fitter process, and the project will stagnate. Let's give him a chance for now. If he dares to cause trouble again, then we'll deal with him."

Director Zhou hesitated for a moment, then finally nodded: "Okay, I'll do as you say. But you have to keep a close eye on him and make sure nothing else goes wrong." Lin Chen returned to his office, placed the surveillance footage on the table, and deliberately let Yi Zhonghai see it. After seeing the footage, Yi Zhonghai turned pale and quickly stood up to apologize: "Xiao Lin, I was wrong, I was confused for a moment, please don't tell Director Zhou..."

"Master Yi, I can keep quiet about this from Director Zhou, but you have to promise to cooperate fully from now on." Lin Chen stared into his eyes. "If I find out you're up to no good again, not only will you lose your technical advisor position, but you'll also be fired. I mean what I say." Yi Zhonghai nodded hurriedly, "I promise, I won't dare to do it again. I'll definitely cooperate fully." Only then did Lin Chen put away the recording, but he knew in his heart that Yi Zhonghai was only temporarily backing down, and he would have to be more vigilant in the future.

With Yi Zhonghai's problem resolved, the project finally got back on track. Lin Chen used material analysis charts to accurately determine the optimal composition ratio of the cooling oil, increasing cooling efficiency by another 10%; Lao Chen optimized the mold's fitter processing technology, reducing machining errors; and Xiao Liu improved the welding technique, making the oil cooling device more airtight. In just half a month, the project achieved a breakthrough, and the small experimental device was already operating stably.

During the lunch break, Sha Zhu came to find Lin Chen, carrying a lunchbox and looking somewhat mysterious. "Master Lin, I brought you something good." Opening the lunchbox, Lin Chen found it filled with braised pork, its aroma filling the air. "I made this especially for you, to nourish your body," Sha Zhu said with a smile. "I heard you've been working on technological innovations; you must be exhausted. By the way, Qin Huairu contacted me yesterday, wanting me to deliver some things to Jia Zhangshi at the quarry. What do you think, should I help her?"

Lin Chen scooped up a piece of braised pork, put it in his mouth, and found it quite delicious. "Master Sha Zhu, helping is fine, but you can't do it for free," Lin Chen reminded him. "You were too easygoing before, which is why they took advantage of you. This time, you're helping her deliver things, so asking for a small fee, like an ounce of grain coupons or a few eggs, isn't unreasonable." Sha Zhu nodded: "I understand. I won't let her take advantage of me this time."

As the two were talking, Yan Bugui walked in with an account book, his face beaming with excitement: "Master Lin, great news! The workshop's production efficiency has increased by 20% this month, all thanks to your optimization of the processing flow. Director Zhou said that once the technological innovation project is successful, he'll give you a two-level raise and recommend you for the position of deputy workshop director!" Lin Chen smiled and said, "This is the result of everyone's hard work, and you deserve credit for organizing the ledgers. Once the project is successful, I'll treat everyone to a nice meal at a fancy restaurant."

Yan Bugui's eyes lit up: "Great! I've heard that Quanjude on Qianmen Street is good, but it's too expensive, costing 1.5 yuan per person. There are 20 people in our workshop, so it'll cost 30 yuan." Lin Chen didn't expect him to have even calculated the place and price of the meal, and couldn't help but laugh: "Okay, let's go to Quanjude." Yan Bugui quickly took out his abacus and started calculating: "Twenty people, 30 yuan, 1.5 yuan per person on average..." Watching him calculate so seriously, Lin Chen couldn't help but think that this "abacus expert" was indeed a talent if he used his skills in the right place.

In the afternoon, Lin Chen was instructing workers on installing oil cooling equipment in the workshop when Qin Huairu suddenly approached, carrying a cloth bag and looking somewhat flustered. "Junior Brother Lin, could I trouble you with something?" Lin Chen stopped what he was doing. "What is it?" Qin Huairu opened the bag; inside were a few changes of clothes and a small bag of cornmeal. "I want to go to the quarry to see my mother, but I don't know the way, and I don't know how to apply for a visitation permit. Could you help me ask around?"

Lin Chen looked at the cornmeal in her hand, remembering the dry, hard cornbread the Jia family children had eaten that morning, and sighed inwardly, "Alright, I'll ask for you. Visiting requires a permit from the street office beforehand. The quarry is in the western suburbs, quite far from here, a two-hour bus ride. It's inconvenient for you, a woman with a child, to go alone. I'll have Master Shazhu go with you; he has a bicycle, it'll be faster." Qin Huairu quickly thanked him, "Thank you, Junior Brother Lin, you're such a good person."

Lin Chen helped Qin Huairu obtain a visitation permit from the street office and then had Sha Zhu accompany her to the quarry. When Sha Zhu returned, he told Lin Chen about the quarry: "That place is too remote, it's all rocks. Jia Zhangshi was carrying stones in her prison uniform, her hands covered in blisters, she looked quite pitiful. Qin Huairu brought her some cornmeal, and she hugged Qin Huairu and cried for a long time, saying she would never steal again." Lin Chen nodded, hoping this labor camp experience would truly awaken Jia Zhangshi's conscience.

Just two days later, news came that Jia Zhangshi was causing trouble at the quarry. The quarry manager called the factory, saying that Jia Zhangshi had deliberately overturned the porridge bucket in the canteen and argued with the guards, demanding that her meals be improved. Director Zhou called Lin Chen to his office: "Xiao Lin, you're familiar with Qin Huairu, go and persuade her to tell Jia Zhangshi to reform herself and stop causing trouble. If she causes trouble again, her sentence will be extended."

When Lin Chen found Qin Huairu, she was crying in the logistics workshop, holding a warning letter from the quarry. "Junior Brother Lin, what should I do? My mother is causing trouble at the quarry. What will I do if she gets punished more severely?" Qin Huairu cried her heart out. Lin Chen took the warning letter and read it. "What else can you do? Go to the quarry and have a good talk with her. Tell her to behave. Also, bring her some pickled vegetables and cornbread, and tell her that if she causes trouble again, no one will bring her anything anymore."

Qin Huairu had no choice but to have Sha Zhu accompany her to the quarry again. This time, Qin Huairu looked much better: "I explained things to my mother, and she promised to reform herself and stop causing trouble. The quarry manager said that if she behaves well, she can be transferred to the kitchen to help with cooking next month and won't have to move stones anymore." Lin Chen nodded: "That's right. Only by reforming herself can she get out sooner."

Having resolved the issue with Jia Zhangshi, Lin Chen devoted all his energy to the technological innovation project. He used a system that integrated "sensors + instruments" to create a simple temperature control system that could monitor the temperature of the cooling oil in real time and automatically adjust the flow rate. Yi Zhonghai also completely focused on his work, diligently handling the fitter's work and offering several excellent suggestions for improvement. With everyone's joint efforts, the improvement work on the forging equipment progressed smoothly, and installation and commissioning were expected to be completed within a month.

That evening, Lin Chen returned to the courtyard after finishing his overtime work and found a bowl of steaming egg custard on the stone table in the middle courtyard, with Qin Huairu standing beside it. "Junior Brother Lin, this is egg custard I made for you. Please try it." Qin Huairu's face showed a hint of shyness. "Thank you for your help these past few days. I really don't know what I would have done without you." Lin Chen was stunned, not expecting Qin Huairu to cook for him.

"Don't be so polite. We're all neighbors, helping each other out is only natural." Lin Chen took the bowl, tasted it, and found it very fresh. "Work hard from now on, raise the child, and things will get better." Qin Huairu nodded, turned, and went back into the house. Watching her retreating figure, Lin Chen couldn't help but feel a pang of emotion. This woman had used a lot of cunning to survive in the past, but she wasn't inherently bad; she was just forced into this situation by life.

Back inside, Lin Chen opened the system panel, which displayed: "Side quest 'Guiding Qin Huairu onto the right path' triggered, current progress 30%. Reward: 1000 points, current points: 61500." Lin Chen nodded in satisfaction. As long as Qin Huairu could completely wake up and stop colluding with Yi Zhonghai and others, this courtyard would have less strife and more peace.

Just then, Xu Damao's voice came from outside the courtyard gate. He was drunk and cursing, "Lin Chen, you come out here! You made me get punished, I'm not done with you!" Lin Chen frowned, picked up the iron bar in the corner of the wall, and walked out of the house. He saw Xu Damao standing staggering in the middle of the courtyard, holding a wine bottle in his hand, his face full of drunkenness.

"Xu Damao, what's wrong with you?" Lin Chen said coldly. "If you cause any more trouble, I'll call the police." Xu Damao laughed: "Call the police? You think I'm afraid of you! Let me tell you, I've already found out you're selling tools on the black market. I'm going to report you right now!" Lin Chen was shocked; he hadn't expected Xu Damao to know about his black market tool business. Just as he was about to speak, he saw Sha Zhu rush out of the house and punch Xu Damao in the face: "You bastard, how dare you threaten Master Lin!"

Xu Damao was knocked to the ground, the wine bottle shattering on the floor. He got up, wiped the blood from his mouth, and said fiercely, "Shazhu, you dare hit me? I'm not done with you!" He then lunged at Shazhu and started fighting. Lin Chen quickly stepped in and separated them, saying, "Stop fighting! Xu Damao, if you dare report me, I'll give the recording of you flirting with a female worker to the factory administration, and you'll be fired!"

Xu Damao paused, a hint of fear on his face. He knew Lin Chen had something on him; if he were really fired, he was finished. "You win!" Xu Damao glared at Lin Chen, then turned and stumbled away. Sha Zhu patted Lin Chen's shoulder: "Master Lin, if he dares to cause trouble again, I'll take care of him!" Lin Chen smiled: "Thank you, Master Sha Zhu."

Back inside, Lin Chen knew that Xu Damao would definitely not let this go and would find another opportunity to retaliate. Moreover, although Yi Zhonghai was temporarily behaving himself, it was only a temporary measure; once the technological innovation project succeeded, he would certainly try to regain his position as technical advisor. And then there was the deaf old woman in the backyard; her false identity as a martyr's relative hadn't been exposed yet, and she would inevitably cause trouble again sooner or later.

Lin Chen opened the system panel, looking at the 61500 points and the "Materials Analysis Chart" function, and felt full of confidence.