Siheyuan: Buyers get rich from hunting

In the days before the training class notice was about to be announced, the entire factory seemed to be shrouded in an invisible mist, and the air was filled with an indescribable tense atmosphere. When the workers were working, even the most focused craftsmen on weekdays seemed a little absent-minded at this moment. Their movements unconsciously slowed down, and their eyes flashed with desire and worry about unknown results from time to time. Occasionally, a worker would find an excuse to walk to the notice board, pretending to check other notices, but in fact he was sneaking a glance at the place where the training list was about to be announced, as if taking one more look would increase his chances of being selected.

In the workshop, the roar of the machines is still deafening, but under the shadow of this tense atmosphere, those originally vibrant sounds have become unusually dull, as if even the machines have felt the workers' inner fluctuations and lost their former cheerful rhythm.

In such a corner full of expectation, Yi Zhonghai's hands unconsciously rubbed the corners of his work clothes. The fabric rubbed against his fingertips and made a subtle sound, which became the externalization of his inner nervousness. His eyes swept across the direction of the bulletin board from time to time, and a smile of expectation and trepidation hung on the corner of his mouth, which was a complex emotion mixed with hope and uneasiness.

"Old Liu, do you think we can be selected this time? This training opportunity is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity." There was a hint of urgency in Yi Zhonghai's voice. He gently bumped his shoulder against Liu Haizhong next to him, trying to find a hint of comfort or answer from the other's expression.

Upon hearing this, Liu Haizhong frowned and stared at the tool in his hand, as if the tool held the secret that would determine his fate. However, he had already stopped working and his mind had already drifted to the list that would be announced. He tried to sound confident: "Brother Yi, I'm not sure either. But we both usually perform well, so there should be some hope."

Although he said so, the barely perceptible worry in his eyes was like the faintest starlight in the night sky, which was small but enough to illuminate the anxiety of the people around him. He looked up at the notice board from time to time, his eyes full of expectation and anxiety, as if he could see his name on it in the next second, but he was afraid that what he saw was not what he expected.

The two were silent for a moment, Yi Zhonghai took a deep breath and tried to calm himself down. He patted Liu Haizhong's shoulder and said in a tone of someone who had experienced it: "Don't think too much, wait until the results come out. Anyway, we have tried our best. Even if it doesn't work this time, there will be another chance in the future."

Liu Haizhong heard this and forced a smile, a smile that tried to hide his inner uneasiness. He nodded, with a hint of firmness in his voice: "Yes, Brother Yi is right. Let's work hard first and don't let this affect our mood."

After that, he picked up the tools again and continued to work. But Yi Zhonghai noticed that his movements were much slower than before, and each knock seemed particularly heavy. His eyes drifted to the notice board from time to time, which was an irrepressible desire and anxiety, like the brightest star in the night sky, guiding them to look forward to the answer that was about to be revealed.

In the slightly small and somewhat old office of the Transportation Department, Xu Damao seemed to be tightly bound by an invisible force, as if he was in an airtight cage. He was fidgeting, and the chair under his butt seemed to be pierced by countless invisible needles, making him feel unbearable torture every moment.

His originally rough fingers were like an out-of-control machine, tapping unconsciously on the table in various messy and rapid rhythms. Each tap seemed to be made with all his strength, and the dull sound echoed in the small space, like a sharp hammer, hitting his heartstrings that were stretched to the limit again and again. The heartstrings seemed to break at any time, causing his heart to beat violently in his chest, and each beat was accompanied by severe pain and anxiety, as if it would jump out of his throat at any time.

"Why hasn't this damn notice come yet? It's really frustrating!" Xu Damao kept muttering to himself, his voice low and anxious, like a trapped beast roaring in despair and helplessness. His eyes were full of anxiety and uneasiness, and from time to time he would raise his head and look at the closed door expectantly. Every time he heard footsteps outside the door, his heart beat faster, and his eyes flickered with hope, but it was often followed by disappointment.

Sweat quietly slid down from both sides of his forehead, like pearls that had broken off a string, along his furrowed brows, across his tense cheeks, and finally dripped onto the table, making a slight sound. The sweat seemed to be a reflection of his inner anxiety and uneasiness, soaking his hair in front of his forehead, making his face look even more haggard and tired. The confident and complacent expression on his face on weekdays seemed to be covered by frost at this moment, becoming stiff and distorted, losing its former brilliance and vitality.

At the same time, in the noisy and bustling canteen kitchen, He Yuzhu was stirring the dishes in the pot in a trance. The old spoon in his hand seemed to have lost its soul, randomly moving in the pot, leaving a series of irregular tracks. In his eyes, the dishes seemed to have become lifeless objects, losing their former deliciousness and appeal.

"Zhuzi, what's wrong with you today? The dishes don't taste right. Are you feeling unwell?" A colleague beside him noticed his abnormality and reminded him with concern. The voice was particularly clear in the noisy kitchen, but He Yuzhu seemed not to hear it, still immersed in his own thoughts. His eyes were empty and confused, as if covered by a thick fog, losing their former brilliance and focus.

He Yuzhu suddenly came back to his senses as if awakened from a dream, and forced a bitter smile: "Oh, nothing, I'm just a little confused, and I've been thinking about the training."

As he spoke, he looked down at the food in the pot again, and a trace of confusion and helplessness flashed in his eyes, as if the food in the pot was a symbol of his complicated mood at the moment.

He stared into the distance with empty eyes, feeling mixed emotions. He longed for a chance to improve himself, yet was also worried that he was not qualified. The anxiety hung over his heart like a dark cloud, lingering.

Just like this, four people, in four corners, each with different expectations and anxieties about the training class notice, were waiting together for the answer that was about to be revealed.