“You do not know how bad that fat-bellied insect was! He wanted to put a nerve-stimulating neck collar on that poor, clumsy-looking fool.”
“Really, really! I was acting out of bravery, supporting the weak! I only did those things because I could not stand that big fat insect!”
The Book chattered away incessantly at his side, its small bead-like eyes brimming with hot tears. “You have to believe me, Lu Qing!”
The Book continued to wail.
The examiners led the candidates into the testing grounds in batches. They underwent a series of exams: component identification, component matching, and mechanical repair.
Each exam was graded on a scale of A, B, C, and D. Within these four major grades, there were further sub-grades of plus, minus, or no symbol. A composite grade below C was considered a failure.
Lu Qing barely managed to achieve a grade of B-minus. It was neither too poor nor too outstanding, placing him right in the middle.
Combined with his theoretical score of 100, he was just slightly above the passing line, ensuring his admission.
Once all the technical tests were finished, the final stage was a one-on-one second interview.
The transcripts were automatically saved and printed. Handed to each candidate, they lined up to enter the interview room according to their assigned numbers.
Lu Qing was the very last in line. He listened to the Book’s long-winded, tearful complaints. The sound went in one ear and out the other; Lu Qing remained unmoved and steadfast in his decision not to give it any snacks.
The Book threw a tantrum and rolled around, but seeing no effect, it sobbed, wiped its tears, and pouted in silence.
Lu Qing suddenly felt like he was raising a child. It was a child who tried to take advantage of kindness, and when acting cute failed, resorted to sulking.
“Do you feel very wronged?” Lu Qing looked up at the Book.
His intention was not to truly cut off the Book’s snack supply forever. He simply wanted it to understand that acting without restraint or consideration for the consequences of its whims could lead to great disaster.
Perhaps, as it said, it was a pampered child of the outside world, so it never felt the need to bind itself. But at the very least, he did not want the Book to be lawless, doing things recklessly based on its own likes and dislikes, even in the name of justice.
The Book hummed in response.
“You acted for a moment of satisfaction, but have you considered what a humiliated and enraged male might do to the insects under his command?” Lu Qing let the Book simmer for a while, giving it time to feel its grievances and to think.
The Book was not incapable of compromise. It remained silent for a moment and then said aggrievedly, “I understand now.”
“You are just like my Lord God Father.”
Lu Qing looked at this creature of a different species. He thought that such a comparison was not entirely inaccurate.
The candidates in front were coming out one after another. Lu Qing was the last to enter.
The interview room was larger than he had imagined, spacious and bright, though the floor bore scratches from moving large equipment. It appeared to have been recently tidied.
Diagonally across from the door sat a brand-new mahogany table that spanned almost half the room. Five old men, each with a different expression, sat in a row. They were spaced far apart, and none of them leaned toward the other.
Lu Qing’s expression did not change. He placed his palm over his chest and bowed slightly to the interviewers.
“Hmm. State your name, give a self-introduction, and provide an account of your previous educational experience.” The most serious-looking old man with a long beard stroked his white facial hair.
“Lu Qing.” Lu Qing paused briefly. “I enjoy reading books, researching principles, and manufacturing small machinery.”
The air fell into a stalemate.
Lu Qing remained silent for a moment, then added two words: “That is all.”
The long-bearded old man furrowed his brow. “That is all? What about your educational history?”
Lu Qing said, “I have no formal educational history. I have always been self-taught at home.”
A mocking laugh rang out inappropriately just as Lu Qing finished speaking. “Is this a joke? Self-taught at home? A little brat who has never been to school dares to say he likes mechanical manufacturing. Do not make me laugh.”
The one speaking was an old man with a square face and a spirited look. His black hair was streaked with white, and his wide eyes were bright and piercing. He looked like someone very righteous and reliable.
However, the words he spoke were quite sharp. “You scored 100 on the theory test, yet your mechanical operation is only a B-minus, just a bit above the passing line.”
“You are so insincere. Mechanical manufacturing?” The square-faced old man shook his head. He found it quite amusing and tapped his knuckles against the score on the panel beside him. “With your B-minus grade?”
The nitpicking had begun right from the start.
Lu Qing was prepared, but he had not expected that small machinery would become the target of the attack.
One of the requirements for the second interview was to bring a small personal creation to hand over to the instructors after a brief introduction. He thought saying he liked manufacturing small machinery would not be considered excessive.
There were many students who were strong in theory but weak in operation. These students were assigned to various departments and spent their lives dedicated to the cause; they were not usually ridiculed by others for being weaker in practical skills.
Lu Qing looked at the five instructors. They stared at him silently, seemingly waiting for an answer.
Lu Qing thought that perhaps this was what books described as the “good cop, bad cop” routine, testing a student’s ability to handle pressure and their adaptability.
“Because of family factors, I could not study outside.” Lu Qing’s voice was neither high nor low. It was neither too loud nor too deep; it flowed like water into the instructors’ ears, feeling very comfortable.
“There were many books at home, so I read them. Over time, I developed a deep interest in machinery, studied it further, and gained a certain foundation.”
“I am well aware that my foundation is not as solid as those of my classmates who had the opportunity to receive guidance from teachers. Therefore, I can only read more books and try to practice.”
“Mechanical content is very interesting. Though it is complex and difficult, I cannot help but try to apply theory to reality. Watching a strange-looking little thing take shape in my hands was the first time I harvested a sense of true happiness that belonged to me.”
“The instructor is right; my practical level is not sufficient to support this passion. But the sea of learning is boundless, and I will continue to work hard for it.”
Several of the old men nodded, and their stiff expressions relaxed slightly.
“Can I ask what those family factors are?” the square-faced old man suddenly asked, his eyes sharp and pressuring as they fixed on Lu Qing.
The thin, small old man sitting to the side suddenly spoke up. “No need to say more.”
“That is enough; we will stop here. Give me your work.” The long-bearded old man picked up where the thin one left off and reached his hand out toward Lu Qing.
Lu Qing stepped forward at the appropriate time and placed the small machine into the instructor’s palm.
“You may go,” the thin old man said.
After Lu Qing left, the old men began to discuss the candidate.
“Not bad. This kid has a righteous mind; you can tell he is an insect who truly loves this stuff,” the kind-looking old man, who had been silent until now, said with a smile.
“What if he loves it?” The square-faced old man remained stern, looking somewhat dismissive. “Many people love things, but many also lack talent. If he has no talent, he will not go far.”
“I am not so sure.” The thin old man held the small, semi-finished robot, checking it from side to side. The first smile of the day broke across his face. “Look at this little thing.”
Another chubby old man leaned in. “What? Is it not just a basic model robot made from discarded components?”
“That is exactly why it is a surprise!” the thin old man said with a laugh. “This old-model robot, made with old components, is predicted to have an efficiency of over seventy percent!”
The chubby old man was shocked!
He laughed as well. “This kid is incredible. Can someone who is self-taught really make this kind of robot? How did he overcome the wear and tear of mechanical components without ever systematically studying mechanics?”
The thin old man narrowed his eyes. “Let this old man go back and study it to see what kind of system or method he is using.”
The long-bearded old man cleared his throat and arched an eyebrow. “Have you asked for my opinion yet, you old geezer?”
The old men argued back and forth and could not reach a conclusion for a long time. Finally, they decided to set it aside for now.
All of them were masters of mecha manufacturing. If they were to make a small robot, they could naturally achieve an efficiency of over seventy percent or even higher, but that was always according to their own unique systems and skills.
They believed that a male who had received no formal education should not have had the chance to come into contact with those systems. Therefore, this small robot was very intriguing.
Lu Qing stopped by the supermarket on his way home to buy some groceries and returned home with the dejected Book.
He first collected the new ingredients he had picked at the school gate, placed them in a small box, and put them in a corner cabinet. Then, without any haste, he pulled out all the weeds in the courtyard. Using a small trowel, he opened a small new area and planted the tea seeds he had recently obtained from his old neighbor.
The tea seeds were round and black-brown, looking like the chocolate balls that Zerg children often ate. However, smelling them closely, the shell of the seed had a faint fragrance that was different from chocolate.
Once, the Book had actually mistaken these spheres for chocolate. It put one in its mouth and chewed twice before finding it strange. It spat it out and reached for another to try, only to be caught on the spot by Lu Qing. He snatched the food from the Book’s mouth, washed the seed, and put it back in its place.
The Book had not yet recovered from its sadness. Looking at the small seed that once had its saliva and tooth marks on it, it patted the head of the seed and said with deep emotion, “My brother, once you are in the soil, you must grow up well. Strive to give your brother a taste of your tender buds next year.”
Lu Qing plucked the fat seed from the Book’s claws, giving the “brothers” no more time for their chat, and ruthlessly buried it in the dirt.
The Book wept uncontrollably.
There was no live broadcast today.
Lu Qing took out the fruits, vegetables, and meat he bought from the supermarket, washed and soaked them, placed them on the cutting board, and diced several different kinds of vegetables.
Some vegetable cubes needed to be softened, while others needed to remain dry and crisp. Lu Qing skipped the middle step of putting the diced vegetables in a sieve and boiling them in water; instead, he blanched the vegetables directly with boiling water and then scooped them out.
For the meat, he chose a beast with more lean meat and a bit of fat, putting it into a machine to grind it into mince. Mixing it with salt, cooking wine, and powdered seasonings, he combined the diced vegetables and minced meat into a mass, then cracked in an egg and added flour so the meat could hold its shape.
Lu Qing put on gloves, rolled the shapeless mass into several large balls, and then pressed them with his palm to form uniform, round patties.
The Book felt its nose twitch as a pleasant scent wafted over from one end of the kitchen.
It was going to cry! The Book, which had no snacks to eat, now had to endure the temptation of delicious food aromas! This was hell on earth! The Book was speechless with tears, and now that the tears were dry, what was left?
An empty stomach!
“Book, come and eat.”
Lu Qing’s gentle voice was like heavenly music. The Book turned its head in surprise and pounced toward the kitchen.
“I love Lu Qing the most! I am crying a storm!”
Lu Qing put on a hooded sweatshirt, tidied the kitchenware one last time, and instructed the Book, “I need to go out for a while. Stay here and watch the house. There is ice cream I made yesterday in the bottom of the fridge; you can take it out and eat it. If anything happens, you can contact me using the new communicator I bought you.”
The Book bit into half of a crispy fried vegetable and meat patty, not even looking up as it nodded and waved a claw to say goodbye.
Lu Qing smiled and glanced at the recent call log. The most recent call displayed on the screen was from a military hospital ten minutes ago.