News of the skills competition spread like wildfire throughout the entire Hongxing factory overnight, making many young people eager to participate. The next day at work, the atmosphere in the workshop had changed—the smell of machine oil was mixed with an indescribable tension, and when coworkers greeted each other, their eyes held a hint of probing, as if they were weighing whether "this person can compete with me for a spot."

Liu Li arrived at the workshop early, changed into her work clothes, and began cleaning the lathe. She wiped the guide rails clean with cotton yarn and was meticulous when adding oil to the oil holes. Although her hands were steady, her mind was uneasy—the skills competition was a good opportunity, but to get a spot, she had to prove herself in a real contest.

"Little Liu, you're here early." A gruff voice came from the side. It was Li Weidong from the fitter team. He had joined the factory a year earlier than Liu Li. He had thick eyebrows and big eyes, and he was hardworking. He was the most outstanding among his peers besides Liu Li. His father was also a veteran worker in the factory and was well-liked in the workshop. He came over with a smile that was a little probing.

"Good morning, Mr. Li," Liu Li replied politely, her hands still busy.

"Don't call me Master, we're about the same age." Li Weidong waved his hand, leaned closer, and lowered his voice, "You heard the broadcast, right? About the martial arts competition."

"Yes, I heard you."

“This is a great opportunity!” Li Weidong’s eyes lit up. “We probably only have one fitter position in our workshop. Who do you think we can send in the end?” He stared at Liu Li, his words carrying a hidden meaning.

After wiping the lathe, Liu Li straightened up and looked at him: "Didn't Director Zhao and Master Wang say that it's all about ability, whoever is capable should take the job?"

“Of course.” Li Weidong puffed out his chest. “In terms of seniority, I’ve been here a year longer than you; in terms of skills, I’ve learned quite a bit of the scraping and polishing techniques.” He was ostensibly talking about himself, but subtly reminding Liu Li of the importance of “first come, first served.”

Before Liu Li could reply, she heard a sarcastic voice: "The spots haven't even been decided yet, and people are already starting to weigh their options? Don't they know their own limitations?"

It was Zhao Yongqiang, Zhang Pangzi's apprentice. He was thin, but just as slick as his master. After Sun Peng left, he became one of the few people in the workshop who didn't like Liu Li.

Li Weidong frowned: "Zhao Yongqiang, what do you mean by that?"

"It's nothing much." Zhao Yongqiang glanced at Liu Li sideways. "I just think some of the female colleagues are too ambitious. They've only been apprentices for a few days, and they already want to represent the workshop in the skills competition? What if they accidentally make a mistake and embarrass the factory? Besides, men are better at technical work."

These words were harsh, blatantly sexist. Liu Li was furious inside, but she didn't show it on her face, only saying calmly, "Whether someone has the skills or not isn't determined by words; whether someone can go or not isn't up to any one person to decide."

"That's right!" Zhang Shulan rushed over, grabbed Liu Li's arm, and started lashing out at Zhao Yongqiang, "Zhao Yongqiang, stop looking down on people! Everyone in the workshop has seen Liu Li's skills, even Master Wang praises her steady hands! What can you do besides learn to flatter your master? Let's see who's really capable in the selection competition!"

Zhang Shulan had a loud voice, and her words made Zhao Yongqiang's face turn pale and then red. The surrounding experienced workers shook their heads and laughed, while others frowned in thought. Zhao Yongqiang, speechless, glared at the two women and slunk away.

Li Weidong watched this scene with a complicated expression. He knew Liu Li was skilled, even more meticulous than himself (for example, with that ball-head work clothes), but he felt uneasy about having to take on an apprentice who had arrived later than him and was a woman. He muttered, "Anyway, there's only one spot, so it's all about skill," and returned to his workstation.

Zhang Shulan pouted and said, "Lily, don't pay them any attention. We have to fight for this spot! You must get it!"

Liu Li patted her hand: "Thank you, Sister Shulan, I understand."

This morning's little commotion was just the beginning. All day long, the workshop was abuzz with discussion about the competition slots—some thought Li Weidong, with his seniority, should go; others thought Liu Li, with her superior skills, should participate; still others were just waiting to see what would happen, even betting privately on who would win. An invisible pressure weighed heavily on Liu Li.

After get off work, Liu Li stayed behind for extra practice as usual, but Master Wang didn't let her practice measurement. Instead, he walked around the workshop with his hands behind his back, looking at the marks at each workstation and checking how well the equipment was maintained. Liu Li followed behind without saying a word.

Walking up to Li Weidong's workbench, Master Wang wiped the vise guide rail with his finger, which was covered in iron filings: "I didn't clean it properly after get off work."

Walking over to Zhao Yongqiang's area, he picked up a half-finished file and examined it against the light: "He's too impatient, the gap between the parts is too big."

Liu Li saw this and understood that her mentor was testing everyone—good skills can't be hidden in the details.

Finally, they arrived at Liu Li's lathe. The machine was gleaming, the tools were neatly arranged, and even the rags were folded. Master Wang glanced at the small test piece she had made from the scrap metal cart; the dimensions were perfectly precise.

"Hmm." Master Wang hummed, without commenting on whether it was good or bad, and turned to hand her two blueprints.

Liu Li took a look and saw that one was a machinist's drawing of a complex box, covered with densely packed dimensions, including the dimensions of the closed chain, which required a lot of patience and spatial awareness; the other was a turning drawing of a stainless steel assembly, which included circles, conical surfaces, threads, and grooves, requiring comprehensive skills.

“This is…” Liu Li looked up and asked.

"The technical assessment questions from last year's factory were more difficult than those for this competition," Master Wang said calmly. "Don't practice anything else these two days. Just thoroughly understand the drawings and figure out the process route. The workshop will hold internal selections this weekend."

Liu Li's heart tightened—the selection was really here! Her mentor was giving her such a difficult question to see who could withstand the pressure and who was truly capable.

"I understand, Master." Liu Li gripped the blueprints tightly, the edges of the paper almost crumpled. This was no ordinary practice; it was the first hurdle on the road to the martial arts arena.

“Remember,” Master Wang looked at her, his eyes sharp, “skills don’t lie. Whether you’re confident or not, the final product will tell you.”

Liu Li nodded emphatically, took the blueprints, and sat on the long bench. In the dim light, she began to study the densely packed dimensions. She knew that Li Weidong, Zhao Yongqiang, and others were also fighting for a spot. All she could rely on were her own two hands and her unwillingness to give up.

It was dark outside the window, and amidst the chirping of insects, Liu Li was the only one left in the workshop, facing the blueprints and beginning her first competition in the selection process.