blueteamnovel Chapter 98 Undeniable Evidence Shatters the Dream of Retirement
Chapter 98 Undeniable Evidence Shatters the Dream of Retirement
In the police station's interrogation room, the bright incandescent light glared at him, making Yi Zhonghai's gray hair appear even more disheveled. He huddled on the cold wooden chair, his worn-out work clothes still stained with dust from the archives. His ankle, which he had sprained while picking locks that afternoon, throbbed with pain, but it was nothing compared to the intense panic in his heart. On the interrogation table in front of him, a set of blueprints stamped with "Confidential" lay open, next to which were the secretly copied keys and the makeshift recording device that Lin Chen had modified. The red indicator light flashed, like a pair of all-seeing eyes.
"Name, age, workplace." The young police officer's voice carried a professional seriousness, the pen nib making a crisp sound as it scratched across the record paper. Yi Zhonghai's Adam's apple bobbed a few times, his dry voice trembling: "Yi Zhonghai, fifty years old, eighth-grade fitter at Hongxing Steel Rolling Mill." He subconsciously glanced at the clock on the wall; the hands pointed to eleven o'clock at night. At this time, the neighbors in the courtyard were probably all fast asleep, and no one would imagine that the once-glorious "Grandpa Yi" was in such a place.
"Where were you between 10 PM and midnight last night?" the officer pressed, his gaze fixed on the recording equipment. Yi Zhonghai's eyes darted away, his fingers unconsciously twisting the hem of his clothes. "I was working overtime in the factory... no, I was sleeping at home." This flimsy answer instantly froze the atmosphere in the interrogation room. Another older officer put down his teacup and pointed to the recording equipment: "Would you like us to show you the surveillance footage? It clearly records the entire process of you climbing over the factory wall and breaking the lock on the archives room door."
Upon hearing the word "surveillance," Yi Zhonghai's body stiffened abruptly. He couldn't understand how a young man who had recently returned to the city and been sent to the countryside could possess such advanced equipment. When he was caught in the workshop that afternoon, he still clung to a sliver of hope, thinking that as long as he denied everything, Lin Chen wouldn't be able to produce any concrete evidence, and at most he would only be criticized by the factory management. But when Lin Chen produced that device that could record images, all his excuses became a joke. The device's casing was pieced together from old radio parts, clearly handmade, yet the footage it produced was frighteningly clear, even showing his trembling fingers as he picked the lock.
"I didn't intend to steal or sell the blueprints!" Yi Zhonghai suddenly stood up agitatedly, the chair legs scraping against the cement floor with a screeching sound. "It was Lin Chen! He framed me! He's jealous that I'm an eighth-grade fitter, jealous of my position in the factory, and deliberately set a trap for me!" His voice was hoarse, and the veins on his forehead throbbed, but even he himself felt that his words were weak and powerless. A slight noise came from outside the interrogation room, and the door was pushed open a crack. Lin Chen and workshop director Zhou Jianguo stood there, looking at him with complicated expressions.
Zhou Jianguo entered the interrogation room and placed a yellowed document on the table—the workshop's apprentice welfare distribution records for the past three years. "Yi Zhonghai, take a look at this." Zhou Jianguo's voice was full of disappointment. "Lin Chen anonymously reported that you were withholding apprentice welfare subsidies from the Jia family. We didn't believe it at first, so we specifically checked the accounts. Every month you withheld the apprentices' soap, gloves, and other benefits, exchanging them for food coupons to give to Qin Huairu. How do you explain this?"
Yi Zhonghai's gaze fell on the records, every deduction clearly marked, along with the signatures of the recipients—all signed by Qin Huairu on his behalf. Those things he had once considered "guaranteed retirement" had now become evidence of his downfall. He slumped back into his chair, running his hands through his graying hair, his shoulders trembling violently. Memories flashed through his mind like a revolving lantern: his youthful days as a diligent student who had become an eighth-grade fitter, the adulation from the entire neighborhood when he received the "Factory-Level Model Worker" award; Jia Dongxu's initial respectful attitude towards him upon joining the factory; and the disdainful look in his eyes when Lin Chen first arrived at the courtyard…
"I just want someone to take care of me in my old age." Yi Zhonghai's voice trembled with tears, which streamed down his wrinkled face. "I've never had any children in my life. What will I do when I'm old and no one cares for me? Jia Dongxu is my distant apprentice. I helped him so he could take care of me in my old age; Qin Huairu is his wife. I helped her take over the business and taught her the skills so she would remember my kindness; Shazhu is honest. I won him over, also for my old age!" He became more and more agitated as he spoke, slamming his fist on the table and shouting, "Lin Chen ruined everything for me! He exposed Jia Zhangshi for stealing eggs as soon as he arrived at the courtyard, making it impossible for me to side with the Jia family anymore; he stole my thunder in the workshop, making the apprentices disrespect me; now he's setting a trap to harm me, he just doesn't want me to have an easy time!"
Lin Chen slowly walked into the interrogation room, his gaze calmly fixed on Yi Zhonghai: "Master Yi, when I first came to the courtyard house, you advised me that 'newcomers must know the rules.' But what you call 'rules' are simply condoning Jia Zhangshi's petty theft and embezzling apprentices' benefits for personal gain? I've never taken credit for your work in developing new technologies and improving production efficiency in the workshop; I only mentored Liu Guangtian because he was talented, and it never interfered with your training of apprentices. You've used your retirement as a bargaining chip to scheme against others, and now that you've lost, who can you blame?"
Lin Chen's words were like a sharp knife, precisely piercing Yi Zhonghai's sore spot. Yi Zhonghai looked up, his eyes blurry with tears, at Lin Chen, the young man he had always considered a "thorn in his side." Lin Chen wore faded work clothes, his eyes showing no smugness, only a calm acceptance of the world's ways. He suddenly remembered the scene when Lin Chen first entered the workshop, repairing the forging press with a self-made wear-resistant wrench. At the time, he had disdainfully said, "Unorthodox methods can't be respected." But now, it seemed that his proud "level eight fitter" status was utterly insignificant in the face of true skill.
"That set of blueprints is fake," Lin Chen suddenly said, stunning everyone. He pointed to the blueprints on the interrogation table and said, "The real core blueprints are in a hidden compartment in the safe in the archives. This set is a forgery. Except for the 'Confidential' stamp on the cover, all the technical parameters inside are wrong. I had already sensed your intention to steal the blueprints through the system, so I specially made this fake set of blueprints to wait for you to take them, just to see if you would really take that step."
Yi Zhonghai stared wide-eyed at Lin Chen in disbelief: "You knew all along?" Lin Chen nodded: "The way you looked at me on the wedding day was full of malice, and the system alerted me that 'strong danger detected'; you kept staring at the director's office in the workshop, so I guessed you wanted to make a copy of the key; during your lunch break, you hid in the corner of the corridor, and I saw you make a copy of the director's key with my own eyes. I gave you a chance; that day in the workshop, I asked you 'Are you feeling unwell?' just to remind you to turn around, but you didn't understand."
The interrogation room was silent, save for Yi Zhonghai's heavy breathing. The young officer looked at Lin Chen with admiration—this young man was not only technically skilled but also incredibly meticulous; no wonder he had distinguished himself at the steel mill. Zhou Jianguo sighed and patted Lin Chen on the shoulder: "Lin, I'm sorry you had to go through all this. If it weren't for your prior planning, we really wouldn't have known Yi Zhonghai was hiding so many schemes."
At one in the morning, the interrogation finally ended. After signing and fingerprinting the document, Yi Zhonghai was taken to the detention room by the police officers. Before leaving, he looked back at Lin Chen, his lips moved as if he wanted to say something but ultimately couldn't. Lin Chen watched his hunched back disappear at the end of the corridor, feeling no joy, only a strange sigh. He remembered the "Factory-Level Model Worker" certificate hanging on the wall of Yi Zhonghai's main room, Yi Zhonghai's lifelong pride, now facing the revocation of his title and even imprisonment for stealing state secrets. Such an ending was truly too tragic.
As they walked out of the police station, moonlight spilled onto the ground like a thin layer of frost. Zhou Jianguo patted Lin Chen on the shoulder and said, "Lin, don't worry, the factory will handle this matter fairly. Yi Zhonghai's attempts to withhold apprentice benefits and steal fake blueprints are conclusive; he'll definitely lose his eighth-grade fitter title. As for whether he'll be sentenced, that depends on the court's verdict." Lin Chen nodded, "Director Zhou, thank you for your help. I hope this won't affect the workshop's production schedule. I've already debugged that high-efficiency forging mold; it will be ready for use tomorrow."
The two walked side by side on their way home, a chill in the night air. Zhou Jianguo suddenly spoke up: "Xiao Lin, have you ever thought about becoming the deputy technical director of the workshop? Now that Yi Zhonghai is in this situation, there's a vacancy for a key technical position in the workshop, and I think you're the most suitable." Lin Chen hesitated for a moment, then shook his head: "Director Zhou, right now I just want to focus on the technical aspects. The workshop management work is too tedious and would distract me. Besides, Liu Guangtian's technical skills are improving rapidly; with some more training, he'll definitely be able to handle things independently."
Zhou Jianguo gave Lin Chen an approving look: "It's rare to see someone as down-to-earth as you. These days, many young people in the factory are thinking about climbing the ladder, and there aren't many like you who are so focused on technical work. Okay, I respect your idea, but you'll definitely get the benefits of a key technical staff member." The two walked to the fork in the road, said goodbye to each other, and Lin Chen walked towards the courtyard alone.
As soon as he reached the entrance of the courtyard house, he saw that the streetlights in the middle courtyard were still on. Liu Haizhong, his son Liu Guangtian, Qin Huairu, and Yan Bugui from the front courtyard were all standing at the entrance waiting for him. Seeing Lin Chen return, Liu Guangtian was the first to greet him: "Master Lin, you're finally back! Are you alright?" Liu Haizhong also stepped forward, holding a thermos: "I asked your aunt to make some ginger soup. It's so cold outside, have some to warm yourself up."
Lin Chen took the thermos, a warm feeling welling up inside him. He opened the lid, and the rich aroma of ginger wafted out. He took a sip, and the warm ginger soup slid down his throat, dispelling the chill of the late night. "It's alright, Master Yi has been detained, the factory will handle it," Lin Chen said to everyone. "Thank you all for waiting for me here."
Qin Huairu stood at the back of the crowd, looking at Lin Chen with a complicated expression. She held a mended work uniform in her hand; it was one Lin Chen had accidentally torn last time, and she had been wanting to return it to him, but hadn't found the right opportunity. "Master Lin," Qin Huairu hesitated before speaking, "Will Master Yi... really go to jail?" Lin Chen glanced at her, seeing worry and a hint of guilt in her eyes. "It depends on the court's verdict," Lin Chen said. "He stole fake blueprints, so the circumstances aren't particularly serious, but deducting apprentice benefits and forging assessment samples will definitely be punished."
Yan Bugui pushed up his reading glasses, his calculating mind resurfacing: "Xiao Lin, if Yi Zhonghai gets fired, will his apartment become vacant? My third son, Jie Kuang, is getting married soon, and we're worried about where to live. Do you think you could talk to the neighborhood committee about it…?" Before he could finish, Liu Haizhong interrupted him: "Old Yan, can't you have a conscience? Yi Zhonghai just got into trouble, and you're already thinking about his apartment? Is that reasonable?"
Yan Bugui blushed and muttered, "I was just asking, I didn't say I absolutely had to." Lin Chen looked at Yan Bugui, recalling how he kept accounts for his children and even calculated interest on half a jin of grain coupons, and couldn't help but find it amusing. "Teacher Yan, Master Yi's house was allocated by the factory. If he's fired, the factory will take it back and reassign it. If you want to find a house for Jie Kuang, you should apply through the proper channels." Lin Chen's words left Yan Bugui speechless, and he could only give an awkward smile.
Back in the central courtyard, everyone sat around the stone table chatting. Liu Guangtian exclaimed excitedly, "Master Lin, the high-efficiency forging mold you developed is amazing! I tried it today, and the efficiency of processing parts has increased by 30% compared to before, and the scrap rate has also decreased significantly. Director Zhou praised you as a genius!" Liu Haizhong also said proudly, "I told you long ago, Lin's technology is definitely top-notch! Yi Zhonghai used to say that Lin's technology was 'unorthodox,' but now let's see whose technology is more effective!"
Qin Huairu sat silently to the side, still clutching the mended work clothes in her hand. She recalled the times when Yi Zhonghai taught her metalworking skills; how he would impatiently scold her for being "stupid," yet secretly help her modify the test samples. She remembered how, after Jia Dongxu's death, Yi Zhonghai helped her take over the factory, giving her a stable income. She remembered how, in order to win over Sha Zhu, she would feign pitifulness by the pool, and Yi Zhonghai would even encourage her. These things, which she once considered "kindness," now seemed to her to be nothing more than pawns laid out by Yi Zhonghai for his "retirement."
"Master Lin, thank you." Qin Huairu suddenly spoke, stunning everyone. She stood up and handed the mended work clothes to Lin Chen: "I used to listen to Master Yi, scheming to get Sha Zhu's food rations and playing the victim to gain sympathy. Now I understand that things gained through scheming will never last. Last time you advised me to earn a living with my skills, and I listened to you and took some mending work outside. Although I don't earn much, I feel at peace."
Lin Chen took the work clothes; the stitches were fine and neat, showing that Qin Huairu had put a lot of effort into them. "Earning a living with your own hands is better than anything else," Lin Chen said with a smile. "You're good at needlework; if you want to open a shop, I can help you find a suitable location." Qin Huairu's eyes lit up, and she quickly thanked him, "Really? Thank you so much, Master Lin!"
As night deepened, the neighbors gradually went home to sleep. Lin Chen returned to his small house, opened the system panel, which displayed: "Fallen Yi Zhonghai's plot to frame you, gained 500 points, system level increased to level 6, unlocked 'Material Optimization' function." He looked at the notification on the panel, feeling calm. The system's functions were becoming increasingly powerful, but he knew that what would truly allow him to stand firm in this era was not the abilities granted by the system, but his original intention of being a down-to-earth person and doing things conscientiously.
The news of Yi Zhonghai's arrest spread throughout the steel rolling mill early the next morning. Discussions raged in the workshop; some said Yi Zhonghai had "lost his integrity in his later years," others said he had "planned his whole life only to be outsmarted," and still others lamented that "even an eighth-grade fitter can't do whatever he wants." When Zhou Jianguo announced at the workshop meeting that Lin Chen's high-efficiency forging molds had been put into use, increasing production efficiency by 30%, thunderous applause erupted in the workshop, and everyone looked at Lin Chen with admiration.
Sha Zhu had also heard about Yi Zhonghai's affair. He specifically sought out Lin Chen, holding a bottle of Erguotou (a type of Chinese liquor): "Little Lin, let me toast you. I was kept in the dark by Yi Zhonghai before, always thinking he was genuinely good to me. Now I know he just wanted me to take care of him in his old age. If you hadn't pointed it out, I'd still be foolishly delivering food to the Jia family!" Lin Chen took the glass and clinked it against Sha Zhu's: "Brother Zhu, let bygones be bygones. You're a good cook; if you want to change jobs, I can help you contact the military guesthouse."
Sha Zhu's eyes lit up: "Really? The military guesthouse is much better than the canteen! Lin, you're a real benefactor!" Lin Chen smiled. He knew Sha Zhu wasn't a bad person at heart, just too honest and easily taken advantage of. Helping Sha Zhu find a better way out was a relief.
In the afternoon, the factory's decision was made: Yi Zhonghai's eighth-grade fitter title was revoked, he was dismissed from the factory, and for his attempted theft of forged blueprints, he was handed over to the judicial authorities. When this news reached the courtyard, Aunt Yi fainted on the spot. Lin Chen and Liu Haizhong rushed her to the hospital, and after emergency treatment, she was finally out of danger. Looking at Aunt Yi lying unconscious on the hospital bed, Lin Chen couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness: Yi Zhonghai had schemed his whole life, and in the end, he not only ruined himself but also implicated his wife.
Three days later, Aunt Yi woke up. After learning the outcome of Yi Zhonghai's case, she neither cried nor made a scene; she simply sat quietly on the hospital bed, looking out the window. When Lin Chen visited her in the hospital, she suddenly spoke, "Lin, I'm so sorry. I didn't stop Yi Zhonghai from scheming against you; I even helped him by talking badly about you behind your back." Lin Chen shook his head, "Aunt Yi, it's all in the past. Don't bring it up again. Focus on getting better; you have a long life ahead of you."
Looking at Lin Chen, Aunt Yi's eyes were filled with guilt: "I know Yi Zhonghai was wrong. He shouldn't have schemed against others, shouldn't have stolen the blueprints. But he's also a pitiful man, without children his whole life, afraid that no one will care for him in his old age." Lin Chen remained silent. He could understand Yi Zhonghai's fear, but he couldn't condone his actions. Retirement is never about scheming, but about exchanging sincerity for sincerity. Like Liu Haizhong, who used to beat and scold his son, but later, under Lin Chen's guidance, began to care about his son's growth. Now, Liu Guangtian is a key worker in the workshop and is very filial to him; like Qin Huairu, who used to make a living by scheming against Sha Zhu, now earns a living through her sewing skills and has won the respect of her neighbors.
On the day of her discharge, Lin Chen and Liu Guangtian went to pick up Aunt Yi. As they reached the courtyard gate, Aunt Yi looked at the pomegranate tree in the central courtyard and suddenly stopped. That pomegranate tree was planted when she and Yi Zhonghai first moved to the courtyard; now it was lush and bearing sweet pomegranates. "I want to sell the house and go back to my hometown," Aunt Yi suddenly said. "The people and things here make me feel terrible." Lin Chen nodded: "I'll contact a real estate agent for you and get a good price."
Two weeks later, Aunt Yi sold her house and returned to her hometown with only a few belongings. Before leaving, she gave Lin Chen the "Factory-Level Model Worker" medal: "Yi Zhonghai wore this medal for twenty years, but he didn't deserve it. Lin, you earn your living with your skills and live with integrity, this medal should be yours." Lin Chen took the medal; the cool metallic touch was palpable, and the four characters "Model Worker" engraved on it gleamed in the sunlight.
Yi Zhonghai's case was quickly adjudicated; he was sentenced to five years in prison for "stealing state agency documents." Lin Chen didn't visit him in prison. He knew that no amount of visits could change the outcome; Yi Zhonghai needed to reflect on his life in prison. Life in the courtyard gradually returned to normal. Jia Zhangshi stopped stealing chickens and dogs and helped Qin Huairu take care of the children every day; Yan Bugui, although still calculating, no longer always tried to take advantage of his neighbors; Liu Haizhong quit drinking and spent his days studying forging techniques with Liu Guangtian, and the relationship between father and son became increasingly harmonious.
That evening, Lin Chen stood under the pomegranate tree in the central courtyard, watching the lively atmosphere fill the air, feeling calm. Suddenly, a notification popped up on the system panel: "Main quest 'Fallen the Retirement Group's Plot' completed, 1000 points gained, system level increased to level 7, 'Equipment Improvement Blueprint' function unlocked." Lin Chen smiled and closed the panel.