Siheyuan: Buyers get rich from hunting

On the other hand, Xu Damao was in a completely different mood. He was well aware of his technical shortcomings, and compared with technical experts like Yi Zhonghai and Liu Haizhong, he was far behind. In the dead of night, he walked alone to Xu's father's house, and had already made a plan in mind - he planned to give a gift to the head of the personnel department in exchange for a place in the skills training class.

Although he knew that doing so violated the principle of fair competition, facing the upcoming opportunity, he still chose this path that seemed like a shortcut but was actually full of dangers.

Xu Damao slowly opened the door, and was greeted by a faint scent of ink and the warmth of home. Father Xu was sitting at the old desk that had accompanied several generations of his family. Under the dim light, he held a yellowed old book in his hands, his eyes focused and deep, as if the whole world was immersed between the pages of the book. Hearing his son's voice, Father Xu raised his head, his eyes full of love and concern: "Da Mao, why are you back so late? Are you not satisfied with your work, or have you encountered any problems?"

Xu Damao sighed softly, with a solemn and helpless look on his face, and slowly walked to sit beside Xu's father. He whispered, "Dad, there is actually something I have been wanting to tell you. As you know, the news about the skill training class in our factory has been widely circulated, and everyone wants to take this opportunity to improve their skills so that they can have better development in the future. But I am just an ordinary worker in the transportation department, and my skills are far behind those senior technicians."

Hearing this, Father Xu frowned slightly, with a look of worry and confusion in his eyes: "So what are you going to do? You can't just give up like this, right?"

Xu Damao gritted his teeth and seemed to have made up his mind. He said in a low and firm voice: "Dad, I actually want to attend that training class, but I know that with my current ability, I will definitely not be able to compete with others. So... I want to give a gift to the head of the personnel department to see if he can reserve a place for me."

When Mr. Xu heard this, he was immediately surprised and puzzled: "Da Mao, you are trying to bribe someone! This is illegal. If you are found out, not only will your future be ruined, but our entire family will be implicated!"

Seeing this, Xu Damao hurriedly explained, "Dad, listen to me, I have no choice. This training class is really too important to me. If I can learn a skill, I will have more development opportunities in the future, and it will also make our family's life better. Moreover, I promise to do it very secretly and won't let anyone find out."

After hearing his son's words, Xu's father's originally calm face slightly wrinkled, and he gently closed the book in his hand and put it aside. He looked at Xu Damao with deep eyes, and said with a serious and earnest tone: "Damo, although there is a certain gap between us and those masters in technology now, these can be made up through acquired efforts and learning. Why are you so anxious that you even go on the road of breaking the law?"

Xu Damao shook his head vigorously, his face showing a bitterness and helplessness that was difficult to conceal. He whispered, "Dad, you may not be very clear about the current situation. The number of places in this training class is very limited, and the competition is extremely fierce. And I also heard that some people have begun to give gifts to leaders to get in through the back door. I really have no other way to think of, so I want to ask you for advice to see if there is any way to give gifts."

Looking at his son's anxious and helpless eyes, Father Xu couldn't help but feel a deep pity and helplessness in his heart. He gently patted Xu Damao on the shoulder and said earnestly: "Damo, you have to know that the most important thing in life is to rely on your own efforts and strength to win the respect and recognition of others. Things obtained through improper means will not last long. You should think about it carefully and see if there is any legitimate way for you to participate in this training class."

After hearing this, Xu's father's face suddenly turned gloomy, and his eyes, which had experienced the vicissitudes of life, were full of disappointment and anger. He stared at Xu Damao, as if he wanted to see through his heart, and said in an extremely serious tone: "Damo, how can you have such an idea? Relying on gifts to ask for favors is not what we Xu family should do! You must always remember that no matter what difficulties and challenges you face, you should rely on your own abilities and wisdom to solve problems. Only in this way can you truly win the respect and recognition of others and gain a firm foothold in this society."

Xu Damao blushed at his father's reprimand and lowered his head like a child who had made a mistake. He was still mumbling softly, with a hint of reluctance and helplessness in his voice: "But...but I really want to participate in this training class. I think this is a great opportunity for me to improve my professional skills. If I don't seize this opportunity, I may never catch up with those technical masters."

Father Xu looked at his son and his anger gradually subsided. His tone became a little softer. He said earnestly, "Da Mao, I know you are a good and motivated child who wants to change your destiny through your own efforts. However, some things cannot be rushed. You have to take one step at a time and walk steadily. Real skills are acquired through your own sweat and hard work, not through gifts and backdoors. You might as well focus on learning, communicate more with those skilled masters, ask for advice humbly, and learn from their experience and skills. I believe that as long as you are willing to endure hardships and work hard, sooner or later, you will definitely surpass them."

Xu Damao listened to his father's words, and his heart was moved as if touched by an invisible force. He slowly raised his head, his eyes became firm and powerful, and he looked at his father seriously and said, "Dad, you are right. I should really rely on my own abilities to fight for opportunities. From now on, I will concentrate on studying technology and never think about taking shortcuts. I want to use my own strength to prove that I, Xu Damao, can also become an outstanding technical worker."

Father Xu looked at the determined light in his son's eyes, and felt relieved and proud. He gently patted Xu Damao on the shoulder and encouraged him, "Son, I am really glad that you think this way. Remember, no matter what difficulties you encounter, you must grit your teeth and persevere. Only in this way can you grow into a real man, a man who can stand on his own feet."

Xu Damao stood up and bowed deeply to his father, tears of gratitude gleaming in his eyes. He said with a choked voice: "Dad, thank you! I will definitely work harder and never let you down!" After that, he turned back to his room, his heart full of vision and determination for the future.