The shadow of the tung tree, a new path for teachers
The news that Mo Zhichi had adopted Lan Tongtong as his "godsister" in the office spread like wildfire throughout the project department. The closed and sensitive world of a construction site naturally amplified these relationships, tinged with worldly wisdom.
The effect is immediate.
Lan Tongtong herself was the first to notice the change. When she returned to Liu Feng with the inspection form, the usual arrogance and impatience on his face had subsided considerably. While still sullen, he was no longer nitpicking. He glanced briefly at the site, not even taking a careful measurement with a ruler, and then signed the acceptance form disapprovingly, mumbling vaguely, "Well, it's okay this time. I'll be more careful next time."
The suffocating and deliberate difficulty disappeared.
Immediately afterwards, the attitudes of Project Manager Liu Chao and the Head of Engineering also took a 180-degree turn. At the following weekly project meeting, after summarizing recent work, Liu Chao deliberately raised his voice, his gaze sweeping across the room, finally landing on Lan Tongtong:
"Also, I want to give special praise to our new comrade, Lan Tongtong! Although she's only just graduated, she's diligent and hardworking. She's been responsible for several processes lately, and they've all passed inspection on the first try, keeping a tight schedule! We should all learn from Lan's conscientious and responsible work ethic!"
This sudden praise caught Lan Tongtong off guard, and her face flushed slightly. She could clearly see several veteran construction workers in the audience exchanging meaningful glances, eyes filled with understanding, envy, and perhaps a hint of subtle contempt. She knew the praise wasn't entirely due to her work achievements, but more to do with her newfound label: "Boss Mo's godsister."
After the meeting, Liu Chao deliberately kept Lan Tongtong, with a kind smile on his face, completely different from the image of him slamming the table and cursing a few days ago.
"Xiao Lan, you're doing great! Boss Mo also praised you to me, saying you're a promising talent," Liu Chao said affectionately. "To help you grow faster, the project department has decided to assign you a mentor. We'll implement a 'master-apprentice' model, allowing you to systematically learn construction techniques and management."
He waved towards the door: "Mr. Zhang, come here."
As soon as he finished speaking, a thin, middle-aged man in his forties, wearing black-framed glasses, walked in. It was Zhang Xiao, the project's chief engineer. Zhang Xiao had a technical background and was usually quiet, but his professional ability was among the best in the project department and he was also a relatively decent person.
"Chief Engineer Zhang, Xiao Lan will be in your care from now on," Liu Chao said to Zhang Xiao. "You're very experienced, so give her more guidance and try to train her into a key member of our project as quickly as possible!"
Zhang Xiao pushed his glasses up, nodded calmly, and looked at Lan Tongtong with a pure technician's scrutiny. "Okay, okay. Xiaolan, if you have any questions about work in the future, feel free to ask me."
Lan Tongtong quickly bowed respectfully: "Thank you, Manager Liu! Thank you, Chief Engineer Zhang! I will definitely work hard to learn from my master!"
Leaving the conference room, Lan Tongtong felt a mixture of emotions. The dark cloud that had plagued her for days seemed to have dissipated overnight. Her work was proceeding exceptionally smoothly, and she even received praise from her superiors and was officially assigned a mentorship position. This was exactly what she had always dreamed of, but it all came down to Mo Zhichi calling her "godsister."
She didn't feel much relief or joy, but instead felt like an invisible burden had been lifted from her shoulders. She knew that the way others viewed her had changed, and she no longer had the same room for error and growth as a typical newcomer. She had to do better, to prove herself with tangible achievements, to live up to Mo Ge's protection and silence the potential gossip.
She found Mo Zhichi and expressed her gratitude and concern.
Mo Zhichi was reviewing the blueprints. After hearing her words, he put down his pen and looked at her, his tone calm but powerful: "Tongtong, I accept you as my sister to give you an environment where you can work fairly, not to give you the privilege of being lazy and slacking off. Don't pay too much attention to the outside voices. What matters is the scale in your heart. Learn from Chief Engineer Zhang carefully. He is a man of real talent. Mastering the technology thoroughly is better than anything else."
"I understand, Brother Mo." Lan Tongtong nodded solemnly.
From that day on, Lan Tongtong truly became the apprentice of Chief Engineer Zhang Xiao. Zhang Xiao was a strict teacher with extremely high standards, systematically guiding Lan Tongtong through everything from drawing review and plan preparation to on-site technical briefings and quality control. Lan Tongtong, in turn, cast aside all distractions and absorbed the expertise like a sponge.
The construction site still roared with machinery. But beneath the shadow of the massive bridge pier, a young seedling, sheltered by the brilliance of a "ruler," finally managed to escape the harsh winds and rain, beginning to grow towards the sun, taking root and striving. She knew the road ahead was long, but at least she had the confidence to forge ahead with her head held high, and a strict yet clear path for growth. Beyond the cold data, the world beneath the ruler began to feel warmth and a sense of heritage.
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