The chilly autumn morning made people shiver, but the entrance to the city's No. 1 Workers' Cultural Palace was packed with people—a red banner hung on the gatehouse, proclaiming "1973 Citywide Machinery System Youth Workers' Skills Competition," rustling in the wind. Teams from different factories wore different work clothes, some blue, some gray. Team leaders held up signs, and the contestants either clutched their tool bags or whispered encouragement to each other; the air was thick with a competitive spirit.
The team from Hongxing Factory followed behind the union chairman. Liu Li walked in the middle, wearing a faded blue work uniform. Her hat covered her hair completely, and her face was expressionless. Only her hand tightened its grip on the tool bag—the bag contained the measuring tools that Fu Jingchen had helped her calibrate, as well as the file that Master Wang had sharpened by hand. Touching the familiar wooden handle, she felt a little more at ease.
The written exam was held in the auditorium of the Cultural Palace. The tables and chairs were arranged neatly, and the floor was swept clean; even the scratches on the table corners were clearly visible. Hundreds of candidates filled the auditorium. Liu Li found the seat with her name on it. Next to her was a young male worker in gray overalls, who was fiddling with his pen, his hand trembling slightly.
As soon as the bell rang, the proctor began distributing the exam papers. He was an elderly engineer wearing reading glasses, walking slowly and glancing at each candidate after handing out each paper. Liu Li took the paper and scanned it first—some questions were about mechanical drawing, some about tolerances and fits, and there was even a big question asking her to analyze "how to ensure the accuracy of the hole positions of box-type parts," which matched the exam points that Fu Jingchen had explained to her before.
She calmed herself down and answered the questions. The fill-in-the-blank and multiple-choice questions were easy, and when it came to writing the three-view drawings and adding lines, the shape of the part immediately appeared in her mind, and her pen flew across the paper. When she got to the process analysis question, she didn't just write down what was in the textbook, but also added her own experience—for example, using "standardized datum" can reduce errors, and using thin copper sheets as pads during clamping can adjust the accuracy. These were all real skills she learned from Master Wang.
Just as Liu Li finished answering the last question, the bell rang. As she handed in her paper, she saw the young male worker next to her still frowning at his half-blank paper, his pen twirling rapidly in his hand, sweat dripping onto the paper.
At noon, they ate dry rations in a small room next to the auditorium. The Red Star Factory provided white flour steamed buns with pickled vegetables. Engineer Zhou handed a bottle of cold boiled water to Liu Li: "How did the exam go this morning?"
"I've answered all the questions, so there shouldn't be any major problems." Liu Li took a bite of her steamed bun and swallowed it with some pickled vegetables.
"The afternoon measurements are crucial," Engineer Zhou patted her on the shoulder. "Don't let your hands shake. Do it the way you practice, keep it steady."
The afternoon measurement assessment took place in the workshop of the municipal mechanical technical school. Dozens of tables were arranged in a row, each with measuring tools and parts to be measured. The judges were dressed neatly and walked around with their hands behind their backs, their eyes scrutinizing like rulers, making everyone feel nervous.
Liu Li was assigned to the third workstation. She first picked up the calipers and shook them to see if the subframe slid smoothly. Then she cleaned the measuring surfaces of the micrometer and confirmed that the zero point was accurate—this was a habit that Master Wang had taught her: check the equipment before starting work. The old referee next to her saw this and quietly nodded.
The first thing to be measured was a cast iron block with a blind hole. Liu Li took the calipers, aimed them at the blind hole, and aligned the caliper with the end face of the iron block. She slowly pushed the subframe until her fingertips felt a "light touch," then immediately stopped and tightened it. She looked down at the scale: "Blind hole depth 25.36 mm, step outer diameter 30.12 mm." The judge wrote it down in his notebook and marked it with the word "fast."
Next, she measured the optical axis with a micrometer, which required skillful micrometer work. Liu Li held the micrometer, slowly rotating the micrometer tube between her thumb and forefinger, listening to the "click-click" sound. Just before touching the optical axis, she slowed down, relying entirely on the feel of her fingertips—not forcing it, but "gently touching" it. Once the graduations on the micrometer tube aligned with the baseline, she announced the reading: "20.003 millimeters." The judge glanced at the standard value, then at her, his eyes showing more approval.
The most difficult part was measuring the inclined plane of the assembly with a universal protractor. There was one angle that was particularly off. Liu Li adjusted the ruler several times before she could get the base ruler and the inclined plane to fit together. She stared at the scale and slowly turned the vernier until the alignment line was clear before she reported the angle: "67 degrees and 30 minutes".
After completing all the tests, Liu Li's back was soaked with sweat, not from exhaustion, but from being too focused—she had to listen attentively to the measuring tools and parts in her hands, without being distracted at all.
That night, she stayed in the school's temporary dormitory, with bunk beds and walls covered with old newspapers. Liu Li lay in bed, not falling asleep immediately, her mind going over the day's exam: the theory should be fine, and the measurements went smoothly, but she knew that other factories must have experts, and tomorrow's practical exam would be the real test.
She touched the documents Fu Jingchen had given her in her pocket; on them were his small handwriting: "Be careful during practical exercises. Read the blueprints carefully before you start." Liu Li closed her eyes and took a deep breath—no matter what tomorrow brings, she had to use all the skills she had honed during this time to live up to her master's expectations and to live up to herself.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com