Siheyuan: Mastery started in the 50s

One night, Wang Qiang was alone in the workshop, operating the rolling mill mechanically, feeling irritated and anxious. His movements were no longer so stable, and his thoughts became confused. At this moment, Master Li quietly walked into the workshop, watching Wang Qiang's operation, frowning.

"Qiangzi, stop." Master Li suddenly spoke.

Wang Qiang was startled and quickly stopped what he was doing and looked up at Master Li.

"What are you doing? If you continue like this, it will only make you more and more tired, and more likely to make mistakes." Master Li said sternly.

Wang Qiang lowered his head, his heart filled with shame: "Master, I just... I just want to practice better and do this job well as soon as possible."

Master Li sighed, walked up to him, and his eyes softened a little: "Qiangzi, working in this industry is not just about hard work. What you need is to calm down and find the rhythm, instead of pushing yourself to the limit."

Wang Qiang raised his head, his eyes full of confusion: "But Master, I feel like no matter how much I practice, it's still not good enough. I always make mistakes, and I always feel... not good enough."

Master Li patted him on the shoulder and said earnestly: "Qiangzi, everything has a process. You have worked very hard, but hard work does not mean immediate results. Some things take time to digest and cannot be rushed. Just like steel, it needs to be slowly tempered at high temperature before it can be formed."

Wang Qiang gradually calmed down after listening to Master Li's words. He realized that he was indeed too impatient and ignored many details and adjusted his mentality. The pressure and frustration at work put him in a vicious circle. He blindly pursued speed and perfection, but lost his enthusiasm and patience for work.

The next day, Wang Qiang decided to adjust his mentality and slow down his pace to carefully feel the details of each operation. He began to find his own work rhythm according to Master Li's advice. Whenever he felt tired or anxious, he would stop and take a deep breath to calm himself down before continuing.

Gradually, Wang Qiang found that his operation became smoother and the error rate was significantly reduced. His hands no longer trembled and his heartbeat became stable. The problems that once puzzled him seemed to become simpler with repeated practice. He finally found the feeling of "talking to the machine", as if he had become a part of the rolling mill, running with it and reaching a tacit understanding.

Master Li was pleased to see Wang Qiang's changes. He knew that Wang Qiang had passed the most difficult stage and that he only needed time to hone his skills. Wang Qiang's skills became more and more sophisticated, and he began to participate in more complex processes. Every time he successfully completed a task, he would be filled with a sense of satisfaction that he had never experienced before. This feeling was different from the sense of accomplishment he had when he was learning to be a fitter in the courtyard, and it brought a sense of calmness and confidence.

One day, Master Li said to Wang Qiang, "Qiangzi, you are now almost able to handle things on your own. I plan to let you take charge of the next task and see if you can really do the job well."

Wang Qiang was excited and nervous when he heard this. He knew this was a huge test and also a chance to prove his ability. He nodded solemnly: "Master, I will do my best."

Master Li smiled and said, "Don't be too stressed. Go at your own pace. I believe in you."

Wang Qiang began to independently manage a brand new rolling mill, which had a more complicated process than before and required more precise steel specifications. Each step required extremely high precision, and the entire production line would be affected if there was any mistake.

Wang Qiang's efforts paid off. His skills became increasingly sophisticated, and he was recognized not only by his master and fellow workers in the workshop, but also by the factory leaders. Every year, the factory holds a steel rolling technology competition to select the best workers and showcase their skills and innovation. This competition is a big event in the entire factory, and almost every worker is preparing for it, so the competition is very fierce.

This year's competition is about to come, and Wang Qiang learned the news during a conversation with Master Li.

"Qiangzi, you can try to sign up for the competition this year. I think your current skills are already good enough for it." When Master Li said this, his eyes were full of expectation and encouragement.

Wang Qiang was a little surprised. Although he was confident in his skills, this competition was always full of top players, and he was not sure whether he could stand out among such strong opponents.

"Master, do you really think I can do it?" Wang Qiang asked hesitantly.

Master Li smiled, his eyes firm: "Of course. Everyone has seen your progress over the years. How can we know if we don't try? This is not only an opportunity to show your skills, but also a chance for you to learn more. He began to think about it. He knew that this competition was not only a display of skills, but also a comprehensive test of his years of hard work. Thinking of this, his fighting spirit was ignited, and he decided to sign up for the competition and try his best.

After signing up, Wang Qiang practiced harder every day. He carefully studied the rules and content of the competition and knew that the competition not only tested the skills, but also required the participants to complete difficult processes within the specified time and ensure the accuracy and quality of the products. This was undoubtedly a huge challenge for Wang Qiang, but he was full of fighting spirit.

On the day of the competition, the atmosphere in the workshop was tense and enthusiastic. Workers gathered around the competition venue to cheer for the contestants. Wang Qiang stood in front of his workbench, feeling nervous, but more excited. He recalled every effort and progress he had made over the years, and told himself that this was an opportunity to prove himself.

With the referee's order, the competition officially began. Wang Qiang quickly got into the state, and his hands operated smoothly and steadily. He knew that time was tight and every step could not be neglected. The roar of the rolling mill echoed in his ears, and the hot billet was accurately fed into the rollers in his hands, forming the shape he expected.

Every detail in the competition is extremely important, and Wang Qiang knows this very well. He concentrates on controlling the speed of the machine and constantly monitors the condition of the steel. His movements are steady and fast, and he is completely immersed in his own rhythm. As the difficulty of the competition gradually increases, Wang Qiang begins to feel the pressure, but he forces himself to calm down and move forward step by step according to his plan.

"Keep calm, don't be impatient." Wang Qiang said to himself. He knew that any impatience would lead to irreparable mistakes.

Just as the competition was coming to an end, Wang Qiang encountered an unexpected problem: the steel billet was slightly offset during the final process, which could cause the entire workpiece to be scrapped.