The July sun was scorching, and the northern sun made people's skin sting. However, the square of the city's No. 1 Workers' Cultural Palace was packed with people—the final results of the competition were to be posted on the red list today.
Liu Li stood outside the crowd, her back ramrod straight, like the gleaming C616 lathe in the workshop. She looked steady, but her palms were already sweating; her blue overalls were faded from washing, and the factory badge on her chest shone brightly in the sunlight. Those around her either tiptoed forward to get closer or whispered among themselves, their faces showing tension and exhaustion—the competition these past few days had taken its toll.
Fu Jingchen stood not far away, not pushing his way to the front, but quietly waiting, his eyes occasionally glancing towards Liu Li with a mixture of worry and hope for her well-being. Master Wang was more at ease, squatting in the shade by the auditorium entrance with a few old referees, smoking and chatting, but his eyes kept glancing towards the wall displaying the notices, he wasn't so calm.
"They're here! The notice has been posted!" someone shouted at the top of their lungs, and the crowd surged forward like a boiling pot, elbows bumping against each other, footsteps creating a chaotic mess.
Liu Li's heart leaped into her throat, then pounded wildly, making her chest feel tight. She didn't push forward, but stood on tiptoe and strained to see, her gaze passing over the dense crowd of heads, fixed on the white wall that had just been plastered—the black characters on the red paper stood out vividly when the red notice board was unfolded.
"First Prize in the Fitter Group! Zhao Dagang from the Heavy Machine Tool Factory!"
"Where's the lathe crew? Quick, check on the lathe crew!"
"Is anyone from our factory going to work?"
Amidst the noise, Liu Li's eyes were fixed on the list of fitter group members. There were only three names for second prize, and she read through them line by line until she saw the second one—Liu Li, from Hongxing Machinery Factory.
A warm feeling welled up inside me, all the tension I'd been holding in completely relaxed, and my eyes even started to well up with tears. It was a success! The fitter won second prize! This wasn't for nothing; all those nights spent filing things in the workshop, with Master Wang teaching him word by word, had finally paid off.
Her joy didn't last long before she quickly checked the list for the lathe operator group. Lathe operation wasn't her specialty, and with the vise coming loose, she hadn't held out much hope. The list of third-prize winners was incredibly long; she searched through them one by one until her eyes were blurry, when suddenly she saw the last name—Liu Li, from Hongxing Machinery Factory.
Two awards!
Her mind was a little dazed, filled with surprise and joy; her hands even started to tremble. She rubbed her eyes and looked again. The two "Liu Li" names were clearly printed on the red list. Someone around her shouted, "Liu Li from Hongxing Factory! Second-class fitter, third-class lathe operator! A double-certified worker!"
As soon as she shouted this, the crowd fell silent, and everyone turned to look at her—some with surprise, some with admiration, and some with curiosity.
Which one is Liu Li?
"That woman in the blue overalls! She looks quite pretty, I didn't expect her to be so capable!"
"Winning awards in two different fields at the same time, that's incredibly versatile!"
"Red Star Factory has really shown its strength this time; a dark horse has emerged!"
Liu Li's face flushed slightly, not from embarrassment, but from joy. Fu Jingchen squeezed through the crowd, a rare smile on his face: "Comrade Liu Li, congratulations! Winning two awards, that's amazing!" He even handed her a clean handkerchief, "Wipe your sweat, you're covered in sweat."
Liu Li took the handkerchief and grinned, revealing her teeth: "Engineer Fu, I really didn't expect a lathe operator could also..."
"You have the ability, you deserve it." Fu Jingchen nodded, his eyes full of approval.
Master Wang also came over, still with that serious look, but the corners of his mouth subtly turned up. He didn't say anything, but stretched out his hand, which was as rough as sandpaper, and patted Liu Li's shoulder heavily—it hurt a little, but it was very warm.
“Master…” Liu Li’s voice was a little hoarse.
Master Wang grunted in agreement and then said, "Don't be arrogant, there's still a long road ahead."
“I know, Master!” Liu Li nodded vigorously.
The awards ceremony was held in the auditorium. When the host announced, "Second Prize in the Fitter Group, Liu Li from Hongxing Machinery Factory," Liu Li took a deep breath and walked onto the stage with her hands behind her back. The stage lights were dazzling, and a sea of heads filled the audience. She saw Fu Jingchen and Master Wang in the front row clapping enthusiastically. A white-haired leader handed her the red certificate and a box wrapped in red silk, shaking her hand and smiling, "Good job, young lady! Keep up the good work!"
"Thank you, leader!" Liu Li bowed, her voice clear and bright.
A short while later, the third prize in the lathe operator group was announced, and she went on stage again. Holding two certificates and two boxes, the applause from the audience was even louder than before—everyone admired this female technician who could win two awards.
After the event, Chairman Li of the factory's labor union was all smiles, taking photos with Liu Li, Master Wang, and Fu Jingchen: "Liu Li, you've done a great service for our factory! This time, our overall performance has improved significantly, and the factory will definitely commend you when we get back!"
People from other factories came to congratulate her. An older worker patted her on the shoulder and said, "Master Wang, you've taught your apprentice well! She stays calm in the face of trouble and is meticulous in her work!"
"Young lady, the way you worked on that vise the other day, you had the spirit of an old-timer!"
Liu Li thanked them one by one, glancing out of the corner of her eye at Sun Peng standing far away, his face as black as the bottom of a pot—he hadn't won any awards. Sun Peng glanced at her, snorted coldly, and turned to squeeze away. Liu Li didn't care; everyone has their own path, and she just needed to do her job well.
On the truck back to the factory, everyone was quite happy. Liu Li opened the prize boxes. In the fitter's box was a set of files—all made of good steel, with even teeth and smooth wooden handles that felt comfortable to hold. In the lathe's box were a dial indicator and an inside gauge, brand new, with dials so shiny they could reflect light.
"This thing is useful!" Liu Li said, touching the file and smiling happily.
"To do a good job, one must first have the right tools, and the organizing committee knows what they're doing," said Fu Jingchen.
Master Wang glanced at it and said, "This good thing needs to be used properly, don't waste it."
"Don't worry, Master, I'll definitely get the job done with these!"
As the truck entered the factory gate, Liu Li was stunned—a large crowd had gathered in front of the factory building, with Zhang Shulan standing at the very front. Upon seeing the truck, she jumped up and shouted, "Li! We've been waiting for you to come back! A double award! We female workers can win big prizes too!"
Zhang Shulan rushed over and hugged her, and the other workers gathered around: "Well done, Liu Li!" "Let's see who says female workers aren't skilled!" "You have to treat us!"
Director Zhao held her hand, his eyes crinkling with laughter: "Comrade Liu Li, thank you for your hard work! You'll be giving a speech at the factory-wide commendation meeting tomorrow morning!"
Surrounded by everyone and hearing their heartfelt blessings, Liu Li's eyes welled up with tears again. There was no room for idle speculation here, only respect for skill and recognition of hard work. She looked back; Master Wang was nodding from outside the crowd, and Fu Jingchen was smiling at her—this honor wasn't just hers; it was the result of her mentor's teachings and everyone's help.
The setting sun bathed the factory area in a golden-red hue. Liu Li, carrying her certificates and prizes, walked steadily towards her dormitory. Her name on the honor roll was the end, but also a new beginning. Like the most resilient steel in the workshop, she had been polished and shone brightly. The road ahead was long, and she had to keep working hard.
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