Chapter 27: Boarding the Vehicle

Liu Chunhua and Liu Erfeng's faces darkened upon hearing the results.

"Erfeng, don't worry too much. Your academic scores will definitely leave her in the dust."

"It's your turn, give it your best shot!"

Hearing his number called, Liu Erfeng tightened his collar and strode out of the line.

As he passed Li Aiguo, he couldn't resist casting a provocative glance his way.

This left Li Aiguo somewhat bewildered.

Originally, he thought Liu Erfeng was targeting him simply because his own grades were better and might pose a threat during the exam.

However.

The hatred radiating from Liu Erfeng's eyes was as if he had stolen his wife or murdered his father.

There must be more to the story.

It just seemed that the original owner's memories were somewhat fragmented during his period of unconsciousness.

Li Aiguo couldn't recall it for the moment.

Forget it.

Don't think about it.

It was just a matter of two steamed buns.

He could afford it.

Li Aiguo made a gesture toward Zhang Dahua.

*Slap!*

Liu Erfeng took a smack right to the head.

He looked up at Zhang Dahua with a face full of grievance: "Zhang Dahua, what are you doing!"

"Nothing, I just don't like the look of you." Zhang Dahua slowly withdrew her hand and signaled the character for "two" toward Li Aiguo.

The blatantness of their actions left Liu Erfeng feeling like he wanted to cry but had no tears.

If it were anyone else, he would have swung his fists long ago.

But he truly couldn't beat Zhang Dahua.

He could only grit his teeth and climb onto the locomotive.

Liu Erfeng's performance was far inferior to Zhang Dahua's; he only scored eighty points on the practical exam.

Even so, he was still among the top candidates.

"Li Aiguo, it's your turn."

Li Aiguo took the field in tenth place.

After handing his number plate to the examiner, he didn't climb directly into the driver's cab. Instead, he crouched under the front of the engine to check the journal bearings.

This was called "feeling the journals," a practice used to prevent "bearing meltdown" accidents.

Seeing Li Aiguo crawl under the locomotive, the eyes of the two nearby examiners instantly lit up.

"Feeling the journals" was not part of the core practical requirements; it was experience known only to veteran drivers.

This single step was enough to show that this candidate had put significant effort into his practical training.

It was a pity there was no extra credit for it, so the two examiners began looking for ways to make up for it in other categories.

The two followed behind Li Aiguo into the driver's cab.

Just as they were about to announce the official start of the exam, Li Aiguo had vanished.

Turning around, they saw the kid had darted into the boiler room, checking the water meter.

When the water level inside the boiler is normal, the lead plug is submerged in water and is safe; however, if the water runs low and the boiler runs dry, the lead core of the plug will melt rapidly.

If the water level is insufficient, a "lead plug leak" accident can easily occur.

This could also count as a "bonus point" item; if the kid's operation was non-standard while driving later, they could deduct fewer points.

Just as they wrote down the potential bonus, the two examiners saw Li Aiguo crawl to the top of the locomotive to check the air pump.

The two exchanged a look and silently noted down another bonus point.

Afterward.

Oil pump, fuel tank... water pump, motor... Li Aiguo checked them all.

The two examiners weren't sure if this candidate actually knew how to drive a train, but they were certain that the train he drove would be extremely safe.

After checking over ten items, he wasn't finished.

By the time Li Aiguo crawled under the chassis to check the air pump, the two examiners looked at the queue of people waiting behind him and could no longer hold back.

"Comrade, please rest assured. Because we were worried about candidates' skill levels and their inability to brake, our division has replaced the air pump, brake air pipes, brake cylinders, and brake shoes with new ones. We guarantee there won't be any problems."

Li Aiguo crawled out from underneath and scratched his head awkwardly. "I'm just a person who prioritizes safety first. Please don't mind me."

"Focusing on safety is good. As train drivers, we must take safety seriously." The two examiners were speechless.

Liu Chunhua, who had been watching the situation, spoke up loudly from the side: "Some candidates lack technical skill and instead like to play around with unnecessary trifles. Such people should, by rights, have their exam eligibility revoked to avoid wasting everyone's time."

As soon as these words were spoken, even the leaders from other sections could no longer stand it.

As a leader, instead of helping the candidates from his own section, he was dragging them down from behind—it was truly a rare sight in this world.

Li Aiguo stood up and made a gesture to Zhang Dahua: *Two steamed buns, deal with that woman.*

Zhang Dahua turned her head silently.

Li Aiguo

It seemed this tough woman wasn't as foolish as she let on.

Fine then, Liu Chunhua, is it? We'll remember this debt.

After marking a cross over Liu Chunhua's name in his mental notebook, Li Aiguo officially boarded the train.

Unlike the bright and polished high-cab locomotives of later generations, the interior of the No. 8 locomotive was primarily gray.

The constant shoveling of coal into the furnace, the large amounts of steam mixed with coal slag, and the dust leaking through the window cracks had, over time, tinted everything inside the cab gray.

The space was cramped; in a mere four or five square meters, various gauges and control levers were arranged.

In the center sat a massive furnace, and the driver's seats on both sides were welded from steel pipes, even left unpainted, presenting a rugged industrial style.

Various valves painted in striking red, paired with the roaring flames in the furnace, made one feel a sense of fighting spirit just by being there.

It was in this rudimentary environment that countless train drivers had contributed immensely to the construction of the motherland with their youth and sweat.

As Li Aiguo entered the cab, his heart was filled with respect for his predecessors.

Until he was startled awake by a weathered voice.

"Kid, hurry it up. You've used the time of two people all by yourself. I have a night shift, and I was hoping to finish early to get some rest..."

Sitting in the co-driver's seat, a middle-aged driver wearing an oil cap looked utterly helpless.

"Heh, Uncle, sorry for wasting your time. Have a smoke."

The middle-aged driver looked at the cigarette, then looked up at Li Aiguo and smiled. "Alright. I've seen many trainees, but you're the only kid who dares to offer a cigarette to my face."

The old rule for distributing cigarettes: better to miss a round than to miss a person.

Li Aiguo pulled another pack of cigarettes from his pocket and gave them to the two examiners and both firemen.

The two young examiners stared at the cigarettes, somewhat stunned.

"Take them, just take them. It's just the kid's kind gesture. Besides, if you don't know how to smoke, how can you be a driver!"

The middle-aged driver waved them off, and only then did the two young examiners sheepishly accept them.

"Uncle, you're right. That's how my father taught me back in the day."

"Heh, so you're a railway brat."

The middle-aged man struck a match, took a leisurely drag, and squinted his eyes.

"I was dying of boredom."

"You don't know. Once those kids get on the train, they're as well-behaved as little lambs. They wouldn't even dare offer a single cigarette."

*Sss... puff...*

He exhaled a large cloud of smoke.

"Kid, I've got high hopes for you."

Li Aiguo pulled out a cigarette, struck a match to light it, and began checking the instrument panel with the cigarette in his mouth.

"Uncle, those young people are inexperienced and didn't know to offer you a smoke. Where is your cigarette?"

"..."

"..."

"..."

The middle-aged driver fell silent for a moment, his mouth twitching. "My wife won't let me smoke. She says it's a waste of money."

"..."

The middle-aged driver looked coldly at Li Aiguo. "I think I should take back what I just said. Kid, I'll be watching you very closely during the exam!"