boyutpedia Chapter 75 is really awesome.
Chapter 75 is really awesome.
It's only April, and the weather in Sui County is already unreasonably hot. The wind blows and the air is thick with scorching heat. It's truly a horrible place.
Lin Chen was sick today, with a fever and a cold. His throat felt like it was on fire. Although it wasn't very serious, it was still quite uncomfortable, so he called Tang Xin to ask for leave.
At noon, Chen Ya arrived, carrying cold medicine and fresh vegetables. She silently cooked for Lin Chen, watched him take his medicine, and then sat by his bedside chatting casually.
During their conversation, Chen Ya leaned in close several times, but Lin Chen didn't react. So, when it was almost time, she could only leave awkwardly.
If Lin Chen were in good condition, she would definitely have gone home with her legs sticking out, all wet.
It's strange how people are. When they're healthy and free from illness or disaster, their desires pile up like mountains. They want everything and are troubled by everything.
But once you get sick, all your thoughts shrink together. Women, money, power, and status are all thrown to the winds. All you want is to get better quickly.
Therefore, it is true that good health is the greatest wealth a person can have. Only those who have truly suffered from illness can understand such a simple truth.
In the afternoon, Lin Chen saw another message from one of the old workers at the Baru Police Station: the beggar uncle lying at the entrance of the Baru Police Station had passed away.
I don't know if he starved to death, froze to death, or died of illness. He looked peaceful in the photo. In any case, at least he doesn't have to suffer this miserable human suffering anymore. I hope he will be reborn into a good family in his next life and be a rich second generation.
The cruelest injustice in this world is not about intelligence or ability, but about one's birth and the unchangeable bloodline.
Others are born into privilege, with a silver spoon in their mouth, while you are born into poverty, struggling in the mud. No matter how hard you try, you can't catch up with what they have from birth.
What can a difference of hundreds or thousands of years change with the struggles of a mere few decades in a lifetime? Most of the time, it's all in vain.
Lin Chen hadn't been sick for a long time. This time, his illness was probably related to his staying up late writing his novel. If the novel hadn't actually been profitable, he probably would have given up long ago.
The novel has now reached 200 million words, the characters are well-developed, and the story is almost finished. The royalties for the entire book, plus the adaptation rights, amount to more than 600 million yuan.
To be honest, Qian Linchen felt that was about right. As long as he didn't gamble, visit prostitutes, or recklessly engage in business or find a beautiful wife, and he was frugal, he should be able to live a stable life in Suicheng.
Therefore, this novel should also be entering its final stage.
However, after discussing with the editor, the editor gave a few suggestions: Your data is so good now, you're number one on the bestseller list, and you have so many readers supporting you. If you have money, you'd be a fool not to take advantage of it.
The meaning is very clear: he should continue writing, at least another two million words, and preferably five million words before finishing.
If the main storyline isn't enough, add side quests; if the plot gets stuck, change the map. There's no need to rack your brains for new ideas; just keep pushing forward and showing off. As long as we can keep updating, the data usage won't drop, and the money won't stop flowing.
It wasn't until then that Lin Chen truly understood why some novels start off brilliantly but become formulaic and padded with words in the later stages, making them seem like they were written by a different person. There aren't that many who have run out of ideas; most of them are held back by money.
Once a book is finished, the traffic dissipates and the money stops. These days, nobody turns down money. As for the quality of the book and the reader's experience, they have long become secondary. Making money is the only important thing.
Today, Lin Chen recovered from his illness and returned to the company, only to find that there were inspections coming again. A group of people in suits and ties were loitering in the hallway, all wearing masks, their eyes scanning around like freaks, making everyone uneasy. Later, after asking Song Qiuyu, who was pouring tea and water, he learned that they were there to inspect the company's corporate culture.
Lin Chen almost burst out laughing. These days, they even investigate corporate culture. They're really getting more and more into making things difficult for people.
Not entirely unexpected, Xinhai Company is becoming increasingly well-known and prestigious, with its workforce reaching 2 across the province.
Sometimes you might wonder, why are there so many people? Why is it so hard for ordinary people to get in? In the end, it all comes down to family background. People with connections and backgrounds can get in easily, while those without connections, no matter how talented, can only stand aside.
When the forest is big, you'll find all kinds of birds.
Moreover, the provincial company employs a group of idle experts who receive ridiculously high salaries. They do nothing productive all day but ponder over a bunch of data and frequently visit subordinate companies to conduct various inspections with ever-changing content, almost every month.
Back when he worked at the water supply station, Lin Chen used to curse every day, thinking that the company leaders were all idiots who did all the inspections and checks every day and every month, which was so annoying that he couldn't concentrate on his work. Now that he's in the office and has more contact with the leaders, he's gradually come to understand more about the situation.
Actually, the leaders also find this inspection annoying.
However, ignoring these inspections is not an option, because if the inspection data is poor, the company will be criticized by its superiors, which will affect the company's performance and the leader's achievements, making it difficult to continue to be promoted.
What's worse is that if your data drags you down this time, you'll be put into the "key monitoring list," and the next inspection will be stricter and more frequent, with endless scrutiny until your data looks good, at which point you can finally climb out of the cage.
With pressure from above and performance evaluations from below, leaders, whether willingly or unwillingly, have to rack their brains to deal with these inspections. But these inspections themselves have little practical significance. After all the fuss, the burden ultimately falls entirely on the grassroots level, who spend their days filling out forms, supplementing materials, and carrying out rectifications. Little real work is done; all the time is wasted on these superficial tasks, which in turn creates a climate of resentment.
Last time, during the spot check, they said the innovation indicators did not meet the standards, so they hurriedly pulled him and Chen Ya over to rush the innovation project. They just managed to get away with it. This time, when the experts came, the company prepared in advance, wiping the table and setting up the documents. They were so busy that it was chaotic. In the end, they were still found to have new problems: "the political environment and humanistic care" were not done well.
The experts were quite kind, listing a bunch of specific questions and clearly outlining the criteria:
1. The Party members' activity room is not clean. The table is dusty, there is no organization flag, the learning materials are not properly arranged, and there are other unrelated items.
2. Monthly activity learning materials are incomplete, photos are blurry, and there are no latest learning records from the chairman this month;
3. The slogans in the activity room are not up to standard, the colors are not standardized, and they are not eye-catching;
4. The activities were monotonous and boring, and mostly held indoors, failing to effectively and broadly motivate participants.
That's a very good and specific explanation.
Unfortunately, the company rectified what could be rectified on the spot, but the content of the activity was monotonous and boring, which was a bit difficult. The leaders organized everyone to study it again and decided that the office would take the lead in developing an activity plan.
Soon the office produced a "Red Plan: Climbing Suige Mountain and Taking the Revolutionary Road".
The plan was copied from the internet by Zhang Junmin in one afternoon. He used the principle of "borrowing" well. Suige Mountain is a very good place with great educational significance, and it is also suitable to use it as a gimmick.
The plan was so detailed that even Lin Chen felt inferior.
Location: Suig Mountain
People: 158 employees of the company (including retirees)
Itinerary: Meeting, taking a bus, hiking, eating, taking a dump, returning home.
Required items: a banner, 158 sets of hiking clothes, 158 bottles of eight-treasure porridge, 158 bottles of Nongfu Spring water, a stretcher, a bottle of mosquito repellent, a first aid kit, and a pacemaker.
Budget: 30.
Lin Chen didn't know how he calculated this budget, but since the plan was approved, it meant there must be no problem and there must be places where he could spend money. The per capita amount was only... He was bad at math and dared not calculate it.
On the day of the event, Tan Huasheng led the team, and Lin Chen, being tall and handsome, was responsible for carrying the banner.
Before setting off, Lin Chen looked at the only bus in front of him and wondered, "How can 158 people fit on this one bus?"
I asked and found out that only 50 people came.
That makes perfect sense. Retired employees are too old to go hiking, so they didn't notify anyone. There were also some who couldn't come because of other commitments. A third of them showing up is already a lot. It seems they've thought things through very well.
However, when Lin Chen looked at the autograph list, it was densely packed with signatures.
That's reasonable. Even if they don't participate in the event, they still need to bring their clothes and such.
But something ridiculous happened. When the car slowly reached the foot of Suige Mountain, the heavens seemed to be acting strangely and drizzled a few drops of rain, the kind that dries as soon as it hits the ground.
Actually, it's a good thing for hiking. The weather is so hot right now, it's nice to have some rain to cool things down.
However, the leader was farsighted and very cautious. He adopted the principle that "safety cannot be taken lightly and safety is paramount," and decisively and resolutely terminated the mountain climbing.
Lin Chen also thought it made sense. Personal safety is inviolable and must be taken very seriously. He thought that was the end of it, but it turned out that the leader only stopped the mountain climbing, not the activity itself.
So everyone got off the bus and went on a unique "mountain climbing" activity at the foot of the mountain.
Under the leader's guidance, everyone struck various mountain-climbing poses. To make it as realistic as possible, they first had everyone squat and stand up on the spot and run around to work up a sweat. Then, they found a grave mound as a backdrop and took a group photo.
In just ten minutes, everyone successfully completed the task and then got on the bus to go home.
In fact, many employees suggested that since they had already come, they should climb the mountain on their own and bear the consequences themselves, but they were all stopped by the strong sense of responsibility of the leaders. Tan Huasheng's words still resonated: "I brought you here, so I have the responsibility to bring you back safely."
The next day, an article titled "Climbing Suige Mountain, Taking the Revolutionary Road" by Suicheng Company was published on the company's website. The author was Chen Ya.
The article used extremely flowery language to describe the entire process of the company employees climbing the mountain, showcasing their excellent competitive spirit. It also included many photos, although many of them were photoshopped, including several retired employees.
The final summary was even more inspiring, stating that through this activity, employees learned from their predecessors' unwavering belief in facing difficulties without flinching and forging ahead bravely, thus inheriting the red gene.
Before long, the report was featured on the website's homepage for study and circulation throughout the province. Tan Huasheng praised the office at a meeting, saying that they were serious and pragmatic in their work.
Three more days passed.
Lin Chen had just returned to the company when the phone on his desk rang. It was Song Jiehui's voice, his tone enthusiastic: "Lin Chen, come to my office."
Lin Chen thought it was something good. When he pushed the door open, Song Jiehui was flipping through an official document issued by the provincial company. When he saw Lin Chen come in, he pushed the document over to him and said, "Lin Chen, take a look. The provincial company has started accepting applications for the new year's expert selection. These requirements are all tailor-made for you. They all match up perfectly."
The company selects experts annually through open competition, but the number of openings is limited and the requirements are very high. First, candidates must obtain a senior waterworker qualification certificate, and they must also have won an innovation award and received a provincial-level honor.
Lin Chen is a senior engineer and an advanced individual in the provincial company. He also just happened to win the first prize in the province for innovation. It seems like everything was destined.
Upon hearing this, Lin Chen glanced at the document and felt a sudden tightness in his chest: "Director Song, you don't mean to make me sign up, do you?"
Song Jiehui nodded and said, "Yes, this is a rare opportunity. Lin Chen, this is not just a personal matter for you. Passing the exam is an honor for you and a performance achievement for the company."
Lin Chen was at his wit's end: "Director Song, this... I can't do it."
Song Jiehui criticized with a stern face: "How can you say it won't work before even trying? I have confidence in you. If you need anything, such as document stamping or preparation materials, the company will fully support you. Moreover, I have some connections in the province, so I will definitely help if I can when it really comes down to it."
Damn it, how can you refuse after they've put it that way? Lin Chen frowned, feeling trapped, and could only nod: "Okay, then I'll sign up."
Lin Chen didn't not want to be an expert. Putting aside everything else, being an expert meant an extra few thousand yuan in subsidies every month, which was real money going into his pocket. Who could refuse that? As for other opportunities to be a reviewer, forget about them.
But how easy is it to become a company expert?
In all these years, only two experts have emerged from Sui County. To become a company expert, one must pass both written and practical exams. Lin Chen is not afraid of either of them. The most important thing is to look at performance, personal resume, and personal honors.
In terms of seniority, resume, honors, and so on, how could Lin Chen compare to those who work in the city or provincial companies?
Lin Chen, itching to check his resume, looked through an expert's resume. Not to mention the various honors such as "Outstanding Role Model", "May Day Model Worker", and "Good Youth", he had more than a dozen innovative projects and a large number of personal patents.
That's fucking terrifying, how can you compare to him?
Although Lin Chen had received an A performance rating for seven consecutive years at the Baru Institute, could he really compete with such a high level of achievement in front of so many outstanding individuals across the province? Lin Chen himself had no confidence whatsoever, let alone the ability to pass the exam.
Lin Chen didn't have high expectations; he just treated it as a formality to go to the provincial capital and relax.
Just a few days before the selection, Tang Yuwei called, her voice filled with excitement: "I know you're going to the provincial capital to take the expert exam. I'll pick you up and treat you to something nice."
To Lin Chen's surprise, the expert assessment was to be held at XXX Hydropower School in the provincial capital, which happened to be Lin Chen's alma mater. To ensure fairness and impartiality, the company usually hires external experts to conduct the assessments.
That makes sense. Outsiders are less likely to be involved in the process. It's estimated that they hired a professor from the hydroelectric school as the reviewer, but nobody knows exactly who it is.
Because he had made an appointment with Tang Yuwei, Lin Chen arrived in the provincial capital a day early.
As soon as I got off the car, I saw a beautiful figure. Tang Yuwei was wearing a long emerald green dress, the hem of which reached her snow-white ankles. Her long hair was not tied up as usual, but simply spread out over her shoulders. The strands of hair swayed gently in the wind. Her elegance was wrapped with an undeniable charm. Her figure was a little rounder than before, which could be felt from the curves of her breasts.
The curve of her shoulders is also softer, less childish and more gentle.
After more than two months apart, the two looked at each other, and a faint sense of unfamiliarity filled the air. Lin Chen's gaze unconsciously drifted away, not daring to linger on her, and he spoke first: "Have you been waiting long?"
"It wasn't long, only half an hour." Tang Yuwei smiled, her voice soft and gentle, without a trace of complaint.
"The train was delayed, there's nothing we can do about it," Lin Chen replied.
"It's okay, I'm happy to see the class monitor." Tang Yuwei smiled.
"Where are we going?" Lin Chen asked.
"Let's go eat first. I told you I'd take you to eat something delicious." Tang Yuwei said, reaching out to gently hug his arm, but then, as if afraid of something, she used very little force, pulling him towards the side of the road.
Lin Chen's arm was wrapped around her soft hand, and he could smell the faint scent of gardenias on her body. His heart inexplicably warmed, and he followed her footsteps without daring to say anything more.
Tang Yuwei had already booked a restaurant; it wasn't far, just a few minutes' walk away.
The restaurant is located on the second floor of a street corner. When you push open the door, warm yellow light shines down, making the whole space exceptionally romantic. Green plants separate the tables, and you can vaguely hear the whispers of couples at the next table. The style is exquisite and private, clearly a carefully chosen establishment.
Tang Yuwei led Lin Chen to a booth further inside, pulled out a chair for Lin Chen to sit down first, and then sat down opposite him. She raised her hand to tuck the strands of hair that had fallen across her cheeks behind her ears, and when her fingertips brushed against her earlobes, the tips of her ears turned a faint red.
The waiter handed over the menu, and Tang Yuwei gave it to Lin Chen: "You order, don't be shy with me."
Lin Chen glanced at the menu and saw that each dish cost over a hundred yuan, which was quite shocking. However, he considered himself a wealthy man now, so these things were nothing to him. He casually ordered two signature dishes, intending to scramble to pay the bill later.
I don't have the habit of living off women, nor do I need to.
"How can ordering so little be enough? I told you not to try to save me money." Tang Yuwei added two more.
After the waiter left, the booth quieted down, with only soft music playing in the distance. Tang Yuwei lightly traced the rim of the glass with her fingertips, her gaze fixed on his face. Unlike her usual directness, her gaze held a cautious, tentative undertone: "You didn't prepare much for this exam, did you?"
"Well, I didn't have high hopes, I just came to make a cameo appearance," Lin Chen said honestly, with a hint of self-deprecation in his tone. "There are so many talented people in the whole province, my resume is simply not up to par."
Tang Yuwei shook her head, her tone resolute: "Class monitor, don't underestimate yourself. I've looked at the resumes of those who signed up, and actually, not many of them are better than you. Don't lose confidence."
Lin Chen was a little surprised: "You looked at the applicants' resumes, how did you find that out?"
Tang Yuwei smiled smugly: "I'm in the organization department of the provincial company now. All the materials for your expert selection are submitted to our department. Although it's not my responsibility, I've seen them."
Organization Department?
Lin Chen never expected that she would go to such a powerful department as the provincial company. Lin Chen might not know about other departments, but the organization department of the provincial company was definitely one of the most awesome departments.
This person holds the power of life and death over some of the leaders below them.
If an ordinary employee like them came down to the county, Song Jiehui would probably have to go out to greet them.
That's really awesome.