For a newcomer joining a team, a simple welcome ceremony is normally a good start.
But now there wasn't even a welcome ceremony.
If it were an ordinary newcomer, they would already be feeling anxious, wondering if they had done something wrong and were unwelcome.
However, Chen Jianye was no ordinary person.
Equipped with a system, he came here to work.
As long as he could work, he could gain Carpentry experience.
As for whether anyone welcomed him, it wasn't important to Chen Jianye.
“Everyone, put in some effort and let the newcomer feel the warmth of our team!”
Wang Lif shouted, rallying everyone to applaud.
The old Masters showed no reaction.
The applause from the younger people was sparse.
Chen Jianye saw Jia Dongxu looking at him with a pleased expression, while Yi Zhonghai didn't even look his way, completely ignoring him.
“It must be Yi Zhonghai and Jia Dongxu causing trouble.”
Chen Jianye thought to himself, making a mental note of the two in his little book.
“What's wrong with you all? What kind of medicine did you take?”
Wang Lif frowned and criticized.
He felt he had lost face.
He was the Squad Leader of the Pliers worker team, and now he couldn't even get his team members to respond. Wasn't he making a joke of himself in front of a new employee?
“Everyone, applaud and welcome our new colleague.”
Yi Zhonghai spoke.
“Lao Yi, you're too righteous! This kid doesn't show you any respect, and you're still helping him?”
An old Carpenter asked, puzzled.
“Oh, young people, who doesn't make mistakes?”
“Chen Jianye is Chen Tuntian's son. Just for that, we should welcome him.”
Yi Zhonghai took the lead in applauding.
The old Masters hesitated for a moment, then followed suit.
Soon, thunderous applause filled the Pliers worker team.
A smile touched Chen Jianye's lips.
Interesting.
It seemed Yi Zhonghai's authority within the team was greater than he had imagined.
He had experienced the initial show of force, and it was indeed very formidable.
“Alright, the newcomer welcome ceremony is over. Who is willing to take Chen Jianye as an apprentice?”
“Jianye is a good young man, quick-witted in his work, and he'll definitely be worry-free.”
“Don't look at the injury on his head; look at his two hands—thick and strong. He clearly has plenty of strength.”
Wang Lif brought up the second matter.
Finding a Master for Chen Jianye.
He intentionally lifted Chen Jianye's hands, like one would inspect a mule or horse, for the old Carpenters to examine.
The most important thing for a Carpenter is one word: 'work'.
A file and a pair of hands, working tirelessly for ten or eight years.
Even a fool could process qualified parts.
Without hands-on work, everything was useless.
Yi Zhonghai, as an Eighth-Grade Fitter, had Carpentry skills that were among the best in the Rolling Mill, able to achieve micron-level precision with his bare hands.
Engineers who graduated from universities or even higher institutions might surpass Yi Zhonghai in terms of academic credentials.
But in practical application, ten Engineers couldn't compare to Yi Zhonghai with a file in hand, standing at the workbench.
Because they had to work hard at the workbench for long periods, a Carpenter's physical condition was very important.
Without a good body, a Carpenter couldn't do the work, and even the best talent would be useless.
Chen Jianye didn't particularly like the way Wang Lif presented him, but he also knew Wang Lif meant well.
Just as Zhao (Specialist) had said before, for an Intern Fitter newly entering the Workshop to work, finding a Master to guide him was entirely beneficial.
Some of the old Masters either averted their gaze, not looking at Chen Jianye, or looked at him with disdain.
In short, not a single old Master was willing to take him as an apprentice.
“What's wrong with you all?”
Wang Lif was annoyed.
He was the Squad Leader of the Pliers worker team, yet when he brought a newcomer into the team, these old-timers repeatedly disrespected him.
“Squad Leader, this kid slapped Lao Yi at the East Gate today.”
“Look, the marks on Lao Yi's face haven't faded yet.”
An old Master explained.
Wang Lif's gaze shifted to Yi Zhonghai's face and indeed saw several finger marks.
He then looked at Chen Jianye, wanting an answer.
“It was indeed me, but I had my reasons.”
Chen Jianye admitted frankly.
“No need to say more, the fault is all mine. I have already forgiven Chen Jianye.”
“I'm not suitable to take Chen Jianye as an apprentice. You should take apprentices as you normally would; don't mind me.”
Yi Zhonghai waved his hand, interrupting Chen Jianye's next words.
He also used a tactic of feigned retreat to advance.
“Kid, I'm taking the blame myself. How can you still badmouth me?”
“If you badmouth me again, it will only make your character seem uglier!”
“Anyway, I won't take him.”
“I won't either. Who knows, he might slap me one day.”
“My skills are mediocre, I'm afraid I can't teach him, and I'm even more afraid that one day my apprentice might be dissatisfied and I'll get slapped.”
Several old Carpenters expressed their attitudes.
Taking an apprentice was out of the question.
Jia Dongxu's face showed a look of satisfaction.
A good slap indeed! Now you can't gain a foothold in the Pliers worker team.
No one will teach you; just wait to die.
Yi Zhonghai slightly raised his head.
He looked at Jia Dongxu with approval.
He thought Jia Dongxu's plan this time was good.
It successfully made Chen Jianye stumble and get stuck in his throat as soon as he joined the team.
“Squad Leader, since no one is taking an apprentice, I'll just figure things out myself.”
“Please arrange work for me.”
Chen Jianye didn't want to delay and actively asked for work.
“Are you really able to work? Is your head not dizzy?”
Wang Lif asked seriously.
“No, do I look like I'm in trouble?”
Chen Jianye chuckled.
“Alright then, come with me.”
Wang Lif led the protagonist to a workstation.
“You haven't done Carpentry work before, and you don't even recognize all the tools. I'll teach you how to recognize and use the tools first.”
“Carpentry is a very ancient metal processing technique. We usually mainly use...”
Wang Lif explained.
Chen Jianye listened patiently.
He indeed felt greatly enlightened.
At this moment, someone withdrew his gaze and came before Yi Zhonghai: “Master, the Squad Leader is teaching Chen Jianye Carpentry work.”
“He's quite attentive, completely disregarding you.”
Jia Dongxu said indignantly.
“He has to be attentive. If Chen Jianye came to the team and couldn't do any work, wouldn't he become a living ancestor?”
“It's good for Wang Lif to teach Chen Jianye.”
Yi Zhonghai said calmly, with a confident look that everything was under his control.
“Wang Lif is a Fifth-Grade Fitter. If he personally teaches Chen Jianye, wouldn't all our previous efforts be in vain?”
Jia Dongxu worried.
“Wang Lif is already too busy with the team's affairs. He has no time to take an apprentice.”
“You'll see, he'll teach for two days at most, and then he'll have Chen Jianye figure things out by working.”
“Chen Jianye is finished.”
Yi Zhonghai leisurely took a sip of tea.
“Master, you truly have foresight.”
“Once Chen Jianye suffers a loss, he'll definitely come to you to admit his mistake.”
Jia Dongxu gave a thumbs-up.
“Hehe, we'll see then.”
Yi Zhonghai exhaled a puff of hot air.
Thinking of Chen Jianye bowing his head to admit his mistake, he felt a surge of satisfaction and greatly anticipated that moment.
“Master, you go ahead and be busy, I'm going to the restroom.”
Jia Dongxu said.
Yi Zhonghai pursed his lips and said nothing.
To be honest, he didn't like Jia Dongxu always using the excuse of going to the restroom to wander around aimlessly.
As a qualified Carpenter, one should spend time at the workbench researching when there's time.
And refining one's technique.
Someone as unreliable as Jia Dongxu would find it difficult to improve his technical skills.
Jia Dongxu went to the restroom, then wandered into the cafeteria.
He planned to cause more trouble for Chen Jianye.
He had to make Chen Jianye submit.
“Oh, isn't that Jia Dongxu?”
Sha Zhu saw Jia Dongxu enter the cafeteria and shouted a greeting.
“Sha Zhu, come here.”
Jia Dongxu waved.
Sha Zhu looked puzzled but still walked over.