I am Jia Dongjin in the Siheyuan (Courtyard House)

Chapter 30 Skipping Grades

Wang Dali looked up as if he had been electrocuted. He went to the distribution box to check it, and then signaled to Deputy Team Leader Miao to turn on the power and check. Only then did the two confirm that the distribution box had been repaired.

"Old Wang, you're amazing. I'm really getting old."

After seeing Director Li off, Deputy Team Leader Miao finally dared to speak his mind.

"Go all out, aim high, and make progress quickly, efficiently, and economically."

Team Leader Wang knew what was going on. After speaking with Lao Miao, he pulled Jia Dongjin aside and whispered, "Jia Dongjin, tell me, what exactly happened?"

"The capacitor was broken, so I replaced it with a new one," Jia Dongjin said calmly.

Hard work pays off, and the young electrician Jia Dongjin finally got his chance.

After working for half a year, Jia Dongjin is now familiar with the electrician team. He knows that he is more skilled than Team Leader Wang, and the capacitor in the distribution box in front of him has been damaged.

However, the capacitor did not show any abnormalities such as blackening. The problem was rather subtle. Wang Dali, the electrician team leader, spent the whole morning trying to figure it out, sweating profusely, but still couldn't find the problem.

After his colleague left, Jia Dongjin quickly replaced the capacitor. He carefully checked it three times and took precautions before cautiously turning on the power. Sure enough, everything was normal and the distribution box was repaired.

"It's good to earn a living with your skills; you don't have to be at the mercy of others."

Electricians rely on their skills; if you know something, you know it, and if you don't, you don't. There's no room for pretense.

Wang Dali gave Jia Dongjin a deep look. After spending half a year together, he knew that Jia Dongjin was more capable than others, but he didn't expect him to be this good. He really needed to read more books. It seemed that he would have to spend more time in the library in the future.

He patted Jia Dongjin on the shoulder and said affectionately, "Brother, I appreciate your kindness. If you need anything in the future, just let me know. I won't say anything more."

"Brother Wang, I don't have a house. If I don't have a house, I can't find a wife. If I can't find a wife, I can't sleep. If I can't sleep, I'll be unable to contribute to society." Jia Dongjin complained with a bitter face.

Seeing that Jia Dongjin was really impolite, Wang Dali said with a wry smile, "Your rank is too low. You should at least be a level two worker, otherwise I won't be able to submit a report to the power department. You can ask around; everyone has a place to live. My family of four is also crammed into one room. You won't agree to the allocation of employee dormitories."

As soon as Jia Dongjin entered the factory, he inquired about housing allocation. Unfortunately, due to the rapid expansion of the steel rolling mill, the logistics could not keep up, and there was always a shortage of housing. Many young employees of the steel rolling mill could only live in the dormitory.

The dormitories housed six to eight people per room. Some employees didn't even get a room until they got married. To accommodate these unfortunate couples, the factory had to provide a few rooms for couples.

On rest days, the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl, who meet on the Magpie Bridge, are settled in the couple's room. If there are many couples, a curtain is drawn in the middle of the room to separate them.

I heard that some busybodies even started a competition to see which young couple could last the longest.

The images that come to mind are simply too beautiful.

Jia Dongjin couldn't help but shudder. He asked shamelessly, "Brother Wang, if I pass the exam to become a Level 3 worker, will I be able to get a house?"

When Wang Dali saw that Jia Dongjin was going to skip a grade in the assessment, he was stunned. This young man in front of him had some real skills. He had just repaired the electrical distribution box that even a level 5 worker couldn't handle.

He understood Jia Dongjin's meaning and chuckled, "Ordinary workers need to be at least a level four intermediate worker to get a house. We electricians have a higher starting point; even a level three worker can get one. I'll help you coordinate to skip levels and take the exam. I guarantee it won't delay your search for a wife."

"Brother Wang, it's a deal, just you wait and see."

A Level 3 electrician needs to have worked for three years, and skipping a level requires the approval and endorsement of a supervisor.

Jia Dongjin had painstakingly cultivated his reputation and worked tirelessly for the past month, all for the sake of saying this. His face immediately lit up with a smile.

In front of Jia Zhangshi and Qin Huairu, Jia Dongjin always appeared confident, but in reality, he was under immense pressure.

Having transmigrated to this day, Jia Dongjin has no system, no cheat codes, no spatial ability, no killing skills, and basically has nothing. He has been living off the legacy of his previous life and lives a miserable life every day.

He couldn't choose his birth, and he carried the burden of an indescribable family background, so he could only move forward step by step with heavy burdens, until now, when he has finally seen a glimmer of hope.

Before leaving get off work in the afternoon, Wang Dali tossed Jia Dongjin a pack of Daqianmen cigarettes and whispered the unspoken rules of electricians: "No one usually offends an electrician. If we have a good relationship, we'll go along with it; if we don't, we'll just take our time. These are cigarettes from Guo Da Piezi. Why not take them? It's a perk for us electricians. Taking a small gift is no big deal. Today is all thanks to you. I know all about it."

"Brother Wang, we all owe you a lot today, as everyone knows."

He knew he had to be mindful of social etiquette, but Jia Dongjin wouldn't do anything too flashy.

"He's generous and open-minded; this young man has a bright future."

Wang Dali gave a thumbs-up, saying that as a team leader, he must be very efficient in handling affairs.

In the end, all the cigarettes were distributed to everyone. Jia Dongjin received an extra pack, just like the team leader and deputy team leader, who each received two packs of Daqianmen cigarettes.

"Brother Wang, I have good news! My childhood friend promised to get you a tin bucket and hose, so next summer you'll be able to take a hot shower. How was the salted fish last time? Was it too salty or too bland?"

Holding a cigarette, Jia Dongjin lowered his voice and asked if the gift he had given to the leader was satisfactory.

In reality, he set a topic trap, and no matter how Wang Dali answered, it gave him a reason to give gifts again.

"Salted fish is so delicious, even your sister-in-law can't bear to eat it. She only cuts half a fish each week. My son loves it the most." Wang Dali smiled and narrowed his eyes as he thought of his wife and son's cravings.

"That's great! My mom wasn't on a food ration, and we had nothing to eat or drink at home. She had no choice but to risk catching fish in the river to supplement our income. Luckily, we still have a few fish that we can't finish. We'll get two more for the kids tomorrow night. They're growing and need extra nutrition."

When his boss hinted that he wanted salted fish, Jia Dongjin quickly followed up and finalized the gift-giving arrangements for the following evening.

Wang Dali was a good person. He had a high salary and a good family background. He didn't take the salted fish for nothing. He not only exchanged it for cornmeal of equal value as a return gift, but also gave Jia Dongjin some oil coupons and grain coupons. In fact, Jia Dongjin actually got a slight advantage.

Relationships need to be maintained and managed. With the deputy head of the electrical engineering team about to retire, and with Liu Ning, a formidable competitor, and Wang Dali, Jia Dongjin's direct superior, a key figure in Jia Dongjin's advancement.

He wasn't ambitious; he was content to be the deputy head of the electrician team.

A tree that stands out in the forest will be felled by the wind; the protruding rafter will rot first.

In the storms to come, workers, and only workers, will be the most reliable.

The salted fish given to Wang Dali was carefully prepared by Jia Dongjin. He selected the largest and best-looking salted fish, and while giving the gift, he took the opportunity to complain, reasonably explaining his past grievances about not catching fish, thus covering up his shameful past.

It's only because the weather is cool that he would have installed a shower room for Wang Dali. Now he can only wait until next summer to do so.

The Jia family was in dire straits, and now the electricians all knew about it. Seeing that Jia Dongjin had become sensible and recently reformed, transforming from a poor student into a good one, Wang Dali could only nod in understanding.

By cultivating good relationships, you can maximize the benefits of your efforts and secure better rewards, such as the opportunity to skip a grade in the assessment you gained today.

Only by understanding and making reasonable use of the rules of social operation can one say that where there's a will, there's a way; otherwise, one is bound to be futile and end up with nothing but a bump on one's head.

Understanding the rules and methods, working hard enough, and having the right direction are some of the key elements for climbing.

Several essential elements are indispensable. There are countless talented people in the world, all of whom are intelligent and hardworking, so why are there so few who succeed? This is the reason.

"Huh, where did the toothpaste go?"

When Jia Dongjin got up to wash up in the morning, he suddenly realized he couldn't find his toothpaste.

He found some salt, and he and Qin Huairu finished washing up together. When they were having breakfast, they talked about the toothpaste. When he saw that Bang Geng's expression was not right, he immediately began to interrogate him.

Because of his craving, Banggeng stole the toothpaste tube that could still be used a few times and traded it with the ragpicker for maltose.

What was originally a minor matter turned into a shock when the interrogation revealed that Bang Geng was incredibly audacious. He had even stolen his own father Jia Dongxu's teacup and replaced it with maltose.

"Bang Geng, taking a toothpaste tube is a small matter, your uncle won't punish you. But stealing a teacup is a big deal, thieves are punished by the fence, you'll stand against the wall as punishment. Grandma will let you go when you realize you were wrong."

Jia Dongjin has been closely monitoring the movements of the little stick thief, ready to cut off the little stick thief's mastermind at any time.

He was in a hurry to get to work, so he left the responsibility of disciplining his children to his mother, Jia Zhangshi.

Taking sick leave is necessary for making a living; it's something Jia Dongjin has to do. He is never late or leaves early and always abides by the rules and regulations.

The teacup was a relic used by Jia Dongxu, and both Jia Zhangshi and Qin Huairu were very angry. This time, the two women did not defend him.

"Don't stop me, no one can stop me, I'm so angry, they've gone too far!"

For the first time ever, Madam Jia gave Bang Geng a good beating. She picked up a feather duster and gave her grandson a good taste of bamboo shoots stir-fried with pork.

"Uncle, save me!"

When Jia Dongjin got home from get off work in the afternoon, he found Banggeng hiding miserably in a corner, his bottom hurting so much he couldn't sit down. After scolding him, he could only play the good cop and comfort Banggeng. That evening, he told the children a few stories from Journey to the West.

"Bang Geng, you really can't be a thief. Look at the monsters who steal things, they all end up dead. They're all killed by Sun Wukong. But the big monsters who eat people get away with it. The big monsters are powerful, and they all have powerful backers. Even Sun Wukong has to smile at them. How could he dare to touch the big monsters?"

"Uncle, I understand! Thieves are no good. If you're going to be a thief, be a big robber and find a powerful backer, or you'll get killed by Sun Wukong."

"Go back to bed and sleep. You can dream about anything."

Jia Dongjin had read the analysis online in his previous life and was deeply impressed by it. He casually told Bang Geng about it, but Bang Geng thought he had gained the truth and was dumbfounded.

He was so angry that his eyes were blazing, and he casually slapped the child's bottom.

"Ouch, that hurts, that really hurts!" Bang Geng's buttocks were suffering and he couldn't lie down. He was lying comfortably when his groin was attacked, and he cried out in pain.

"Serves you right. Do you know why Grandma was angry? This teacup is your father's keepsake. It's a keepsake from Grandma and your mother. You're lucky your legs weren't broken. Don't take the toothpaste anymore. If you want candy, work hard. Your uncle will buy it for you. It's much more worthwhile than stealing toothpaste tubes."

Hearing Jinsun's screams, Jia Zhangshi got off the kang and picked up the stick, muttering to herself.

"Dongjin, Banggeng is right. It's clear that you need a powerful backer. If you have a powerful backer, you won't need to steal toothpaste tubes. Banggeng, Grandma has seen plenty of these. If you have a powerful backer, you can just steal Tang Sanzang's cassock if you want it. Petty theft is too troublesome and doesn't deserve respect. Once our family is successful, we'll just kidnap Yan Jiedi to be your maid. We'll have her play with you every day. Grandma will just throw a bag of silver dollars at Old Man Yan and see if he dares to utter a word."

Qin Huairu in the inner room: "..."

"Mom, how can you do that?"

"This is absolutely not how you should educate children," Jia Dongjin argued forcefully.

"I'm not buying your act. I've seen this all the time in Beijing before liberation, and it's always been like this."

"Mom, that was before liberation; this is the new society."

Jia Dongjin wanted to argue further, but Jia Zhangshi, holding her grandson, swayed her hips and went into the inner room, completely ignoring her youngest son's grand principles.

When the year-end exams approached, with Wang Dali's support, Jia Dongjin had a smooth path to the next level, passing all the way from Level 2 to Level 3. Level 3 electricians need to have worked for more than five years, but Jia Dongjin had only worked for six months and was not qualified to take the exams at all.

Skipping grades in exams is never easy, and those who succeed usually attract attention.

It's not easy for logistics staff to get promoted; many promotions come from years of service.

Logistics Director Li Huaide is a man with lofty ideals and a strong desire for progress. However, every year when he takes the grading exams, he always ends up feeling humiliated.

Unlike the production department, which relies on actual output, the production department can speak for itself based on its results, leaving no room for criticism.

Logistics is completely different; doing a good job is expected, but if something goes wrong, you become the scapegoat.

For example, regarding the last time we repaired the distribution box, if we fixed it, we received no credit; if we didn't, it was just logistics delaying production. It's too hard to label people like that.

This year, a new electrician was promoted to a third-level worker in the logistics department. Li Huaide was very interested. He saw that the young man was handsome and upright with bright and clear eyes. He did not have the awkwardness of an ordinary worker. He couldn't help but make a joke.

"Aren't electricians tired? How come your face is so tanned?"

Wang Dali, standing nearby, quickly added with a smile, "His name is Jia Dongjin. He's young and promising, a diligent student, and his work is impeccable. He's even gotten a tan. His successful promotion this time reflects Director Li's excellent leadership; our steel rolling mill is full of talented people."

The year-end certification exams are a big deal, conducted in several workshops according to job type, with leaders taking turns to inspect them. As the top leader, Director Yang also came to the electrician certification exam site.

Upon learning that a young electrician had successfully skipped a grade in his exams, Director Yang remarked, "Comrade Jia Dongjin, your written and practical exams were basically perfect. However, a Level 3 electrician requires three years of work experience. Director Li is very curious, as am I. How did you manage to do it?"

Jia Dongjin was prepared. He rolled his eyes, grabbed the bag outside the examination room, and without saying a word, took out a notebook from the bag and presented it to the leader for inspection.

When Director Yang opened the notebook, he saw that it was filled with neat, small regular script, densely packed with various electrical engineering knowledge. He flipped through it and found that the notebook covered a wide range of topics, including even knowledge about radios. He couldn't understand many of the records at all.

"Director Yang, the logistics department has produced a talent. Just this handwriting is enough to get him into the propaganda department. Writing propaganda slogans will be no problem for him."

"Publicity Department?"