It was only at this moment that Old Clark realized that none of the finished products had been measured by him.

What shocked Old Clark even more was that from start to finish, he never saw the fat man move the micrometer at all—he was just working the whole time, and didn’t measure even once.

“Qualified... qualified... qualified... qualified...” Manager Foster and Director Thompson, one holding a crankshaft and the other a micrometer, compared them to the blueprints and kept measuring, announcing “qualified” each time.

In the end, all the marked dimensions were up to standard, and both the inner and outer circles were perfectly precise. They had expected that a single crankshaft would take a level-six fitter a month of fine grinding, but the fat man finished two in three and a half hours—how was that possible?

“How did he do it?” Director Thompson was practically losing his mind. Was this even human?

Chapter 0009: This Is Impossible (Part 1)

After the shock, Manager Foster was overcome with a wave of wild joy. There were still two and a half days left, but he had the finished products in less than half a day, and both were qualified. Let’s see what that little Japanese guy has to say now!

“Go, get to Japan as fast as possible.” Old Man Clark, while using his spinning exercise ball to hide his trembling hands, instructed Manager Foster, “Shove these two crankshafts right into that little Japanese guy’s mouth, let him look down on us Chinese!”

“Yes, Old Clark!” Manager Foster was shaking all over with excitement, but his tone was as triumphant as if he’d won a great battle: “I’ll book the earliest flight right now, even if I have to deliver them overnight! Director Thompson, let me borrow your phone, I’ll have someone book the tickets immediately.”

Director Thompson pushed the phone across the table, also trembling all over. Completing a month’s work for a level-six fitter in less than two hours—this fat man was definitely a treasure!

No wonder Old Clark had looked so confident from start to finish. Turns out he’d already discovered the fat man’s superb skills—amazing! The older, the wiser!

Listening to Manager Foster instruct his secretary over the phone to book the earliest flight to Japan, Old Clark waited quietly. When he hung up, Old Clark called both of them over. Manager Foster’s son was also present, and after a moment’s thought, Old Clark called him over too.

“If the Japanese ask how you processed these, how will you answer?” Old Clark asked Manager Foster.

“Huh?” Manager Foster was taken aback. What did Old Clark mean by this? Then he immediately caught on and replied quickly, “Just say we got help from Shuimu University.”

“The Department of Precision Instruments!” Old Clark added, “Say the Department of Precision Instruments at Shuimu University helped, and remember, it was a new precision CNC machine tool designed by a certain professor.”

“I got it!” Manager Foster was a smart man and instantly understood Old Clark’s intention: “If they ask, I’ll say it’s confidential and refuse to tell them. Then my secretary can accept a little ‘benefit’ and secretly leak it to them. The more mysterious we make it, the more suspicious they’ll get.”

“No wonder your business is booming, you’re clever.” Old Clark gave Manager Foster a thumbs up. “We should import engine technology when needed, but if they want to sell us precision machine tools, just stall them. Wait until they can’t hold out and lower the price, then we take advantage.”

This time, Manager Foster could only nod, giving Old Clark two thumbs up in admiration.

“Xiao Li, same goes for you. If anyone asks, just credit it to Professor Wang from the Department of Precision Instruments,” Old Clark instructed Director Thompson. “I’ll coordinate with Professor Wang later, but you mustn’t let anything slip.”

Director Thompson nodded as well. Old Clark then looked at Manager Foster’s son, who was also quick-witted and immediately said sweetly, “Grandpa Liu, I don’t know anything. I’m just a student who helped my dad deliver it to the Department of Precision Instruments.”

“Good!” Old Clark nodded in satisfaction, stood up, and slowly walked out while spinning his exercise ball. At the door, he remembered something and turned to remind Director Thompson, “In the future, if that fat man comes, let him use my workshop whenever he wants. Don’t stop him.”

Of course, Director Thompson agreed without hesitation. He’d already made up his mind to talk to the fat man no matter what, and see if he could recruit him to the school-run factory for part-time work before he graduated.

Manager Foster knew how to treat people. After everyone had waited so long and was starving, he couldn’t get Old Clark to join, but he insisted on dragging Director Thompson out for a meal together.

During the meal, Manager Foster brought up the matter of payment. Director Thompson felt embarrassed to accept since he hadn’t helped, but Old Clark and the fat man had contributed, so he couldn’t refuse on their behalf.

Manager Foster was generous, directly giving Director Thompson fifty thousand yuan to thank Old Clark and the fat man. Director Thompson couldn’t refuse, so he accepted it for them and promised to pass it on to Old Clark and the fat man the next day.

It was 1996 now, and fifty thousand yuan was an enormous sum. Director Thompson was a bit envious of the fat man, but that was due to his skill—envy wouldn’t get him anywhere.

“Dad, why did Old Clark say that at the end?” David Foster, Manager Foster’s son, was also a student at Shuimu University, though in the School of Economics and Management. He didn’t understand Old Clark’s intention, so he only asked when it was just the two of them: “Why push the fat man’s credit onto the Department of Precision Instruments?”