pjbooks Chapter 29 Barefoot People Aren't Afraid of Those Wearing Shoes
Chapter 29 Barefoot People Aren't Afraid of Those Wearing Shoes
The practical exam is about to begin.
Looking at the towering concrete dam and monitoring instruments in front of him, Lin Chen felt a long-extinguished fire reignite in his chest. He decided to just do it. Even if not for himself, he should be serious for the woman beside him.
Otherwise, people will say you're a slacker.
"Are you ready?" the examiner urged. It hadn't even been five minutes yet. When Chen Lei took the test, he was given almost ten minutes to prepare. Damn it.
In fact, Lin Chen was already prepared.
But Bai Xiuyi didn't. She smiled sweetly and said in a soft voice, "Examiner, please give us one more minute~ We'll be done soon!" The examiner's gaze lingered on her beautiful face and graceful figure for a moment, and his expression softened: "Okay, hurry up."
This little bit of time may not seem like much, but the fact that you have it and others don't is the biggest advantage you can have.
The timer has started.
Just like last night, Bai Xiuyi hurriedly helped Lin Chen put on the seatbelt. The seatbelt was a small size and didn't fit well, making Lin Chen look like a twisted rope.
The two quickly exchanged the operating signals, confirmed the tools they would need, and then cheered each other on. Lin Chen then turned around and began climbing towards the high-altitude work area on the dam.
This practical exercise, ostensibly a two-person collaboration, was in reality a solo showcase for Lin Chen's skills.
Time ticked by, and Bai Xiuyi on the ground tensed up, her eyes fixed on the sky, her large chest heaving.
Lin Chen's agile body moved nimbly on the high embankment as if walking on flat ground, operating smoothly and without any fear.
He skillfully tightened each waterproof connector, then precisely connected the calibration instrument, and finally kept the error value steadily within ±0.015mm, which was half an order of magnitude more accurate than required.
The two examiners stood below, nodding secretly as they watched. From beginning to end, they couldn't find a single point to deduct. Finally, there was someone decent, but unfortunately, it wasn't one of their own.
Of course, Bai Xiuyi wasn't idle during this process either. She gave the examiners three coquettish smiles, mindlessly passed on the assignment tools four times, and recorded extravagant data five times.
Whenever Lin Chen completed a crucial step, she would immediately give him an admiring look, and occasionally she would secretly make a silent clapping gesture, providing ample emotional value. Her role was undeniable, just like that shout last night, which made his adrenaline surge.
With her help, Lin Chen successfully completed all the tasks. Afterwards, the two packed up their tools, took off their seatbelts, and waited for the examiner's comments and scores.
Examiner A cleared his throat and commented, "You two completed all the operations within the allotted time, which shows you've been practicing regularly. The boy is skilled and meticulous despite his rough exterior, and the girl... well, she's quite pretty."
Bai Xiuyi blushed slightly and lowered her head in embarrassment; this was sexism.
Examiner B picked up the conversation, seemingly a bit serious: "However, this was a two-person test, and your teamwork was clearly lacking. There were several communication breakdowns, which is a pity."
"What's a pity?" Lin Chen sensed the underlying meaning and his tone turned cold: "Our exams are all temporary team formations, so there are bound to be coordination issues." You weren't saying that about Chen Lei and his team just now.
Examiner B's face darkened: "In short, it's not good enough; it doesn't meet my requirements."
"If we don't meet your requirements, examiners, I'd like to know what score you'll ultimately give us?" Lin Chen's gaze was sharp as a knife, piercing the two examiners.
"The results won't be announced on the spot. You'll be notified in a week. Go back and wait for the news," the examiner said vaguely and perfunctorily.
"Then let me ask one more question," Lin Chen stepped forward, his aura suddenly intensifying, his gaze sharply fixed on the two examiners, "Compared to the previous group, Chen Lei and his team, who performed better in our group?"
"There's no comparison," the examiner growled, avoiding his gaze.
"No comparison?" Lin Chen sneered, his voice suddenly rising. "They're all doing the same thing. Xinhai Company has operating instructions and clear procedures for every operation. The entire exam was recorded on video; you can pull it up and compare to see whose operation was more standardized! We're all not stupid. I have no other demands, I only ask that you don't give me any special treatment. My score absolutely cannot be lower than theirs. If it is, I will not give up. I will appeal and demand a review, no matter the cost!"
The examiner immediately became furious: "What do you mean by that? Did we say your score was low? Are you threatening the examiner? Do you believe I'll disqualify you from the exam right now?"
"I wouldn't dare." Lin Chen's lips curled into a mocking smile. "I'm just reminding you two to be honest and pragmatic in your dealings with others. Your positions as examiners are hard-won, so cherish them."
After saying that, he ignored the examiner's livid face, turned around and strode out of the examination room. Bai Xiuyi was stunned, her face showing worry, and she quickly followed.
He has achieved his goal.
Many times, you can't be a fish on a chopping board, at the mercy of others. You must stand up for yourself and let those who want to trample on you and suppress you know that you are not a pushover, and that provoking you will come at a price.
Anyway, Lin Chen has nothing to lose and isn't afraid of those who are wearing shoes.
He was just an insignificant nobody in the company, with nothing to lose; but those examiners, sitting in their expert positions, enjoying resources and prestige, were most afraid of something going wrong, most afraid of losing everything they had.
He was betting that they were out of bullets and wouldn't dare fight him to the death.
Besides, they were in the wrong to begin with.
"Lin Chen, wait for me." Bai Xiuyi caught up breathlessly. "You were too impulsive just now." There was a hint of reproach in Bai Xiuyi's voice.
"Impulsive? Where was it impulsive? Didn't you see the faces of those examiners? They're playing double standards, I can't stand it." Lin Chen's lips curled into a cold smile. He could have done it for her, but he wasn't being understood.
"But those examiners are experts in the company, and they hold the power. Why are you arguing with them? Now the situation is so tense. If they hold a grudge and report it, it will have a very bad impact."
Heh, women, all I can say is that they're all talk and no action. No wonder their boss said she's all looks and no brains. Lin Chen knew there was no point in explaining, so he just replied, "Don't worry, this is just me making a fuss, it won't affect you."
"That's not what I meant!" Bai Xiuyi exclaimed anxiously, her eyes slightly reddening. "I was worried that..."
Lin Chen glanced at her and interrupted, "Worried you won't get enough points and won't pass the exam? If you don't trust me, why did you team up with me in the first place?"
Bai Xiuyi felt flustered by his gaze, and tears slowly welled up in her eyes. She choked out, "I really didn't mean that. Anyway, I felt that making a big fuss wouldn't do me any good."
"If we don't make a scene, are we just going to wait to be treated like pushovers, given a low score, and let that good-for-nothing Chen Lei ride roughshod over us?" Lin Chen's tone was calm, but every word was piercing: "That's how this system is. If you take a step back, they'll take ten steps forward. If you want fairness, sometimes you have to overturn the table."
"But... never mind, it's already like this, I'll just accept it." Bai Xiuyi sniffed, her voice barely audible.
Lin Chen looked at her and took a deep breath.
Last night it was hormones at work, an irresistible urge to take what we wanted; today, it's the stark reality.
Ultimately, we're not on the same path.
"I'm leaving, I'm going back." Lin Chen's tone softened a bit, but it still carried an undeniable determination: "If you pass this exam, I congratulate you in advance; if you fail, I apologize in advance. In short, let's not contact each other again."
After saying that, Lin Chen stopped looking at Bai Xiuyi and walked straight towards the hotel, his back view resolute and without any trace of lingering affection.
Bai Xiuyi stood frozen in place, watching him walk further and further away. Her heart was filled with mixed feelings: grievance, resentment, and a lot more of an indescribable sense of loss.
Night fell, and everyone at the training base left. Bai Xiuyi was the last to leave. For some reason, she felt a little reluctant to go, as if the memories and sensations of last night still lingered in her body.
The man who was sharp and assertive in the examination room overlapped with the man who was domineering and led her to explore ecstasy last night, causing her heart to race.
She wondered if they would ever meet again.