Chapter Eleven: The Examination in Progress

“Mr. Lin, in a moment we’ll start with the written exam,” Guo Biao said in the car, talking about the upcoming combine harvester test.

When the show airs, the post-production team will definitely insert an explainer segment here about the combine harvester exam. After all, many people have no idea what the exam entails—some don’t even know you need a license to operate one!

Half an hour later, they arrived at the testing site. Hong Fei, Guan Peng, and the others were there as well. The cameras were set up. Ten of them entered the exam room to take the test.

As for the questions, everyone had drilled them before. The written test was much like the first part of a driver’s license exam: if not a ninety percent pass rate, then at least eighty. Under normal circumstances, these ten should have all passed.

But this wasn’t a normal day. In the end, two people failed—not for the sake of the show, but for real. One was Lin Miaoyin, who’d stayed up all night and hadn’t reviewed the material. The other was Ding Yi, a minor celebrity who’d only finished elementary school—he was simply out of his depth.

The rest all passed the written portion without trouble.

Lin Xing found the questions fairly easy and couldn’t figure out how Lin Miaoyin had managed to fail.

“Next, let’s head back to the wheat field,” Guo Biao addressed Lin Xing’s group. “But this time, besides us, there’ll be some other candidates as well.”

Tests like this were held several times a year, and for convenience, the exam sites were usually set up nearby for the benefit of the candidates. Even if Lin Xing’s group wasn’t taking the test, the agricultural machinery department would still have set up the venue near the fields.

By the time Lin Xing and the others arrived on site, the local candidates were already there. There were quite a few people, but none seemed particularly excited—they didn’t recognize Lin Xing and the others, after all.

“What’s going on here? Why are there people taking photos?” someone asked.

“Are you dumb? They’re not taking pictures, they’re filming a show.”

“Yeah, must be a TV program.”

The local candidates, meanwhile, were a little excited to see all the cameras and equipment.

After a brief exchange, everyone settled in. After all, they weren’t star-chasers, and aside from Lin Xing, the rest were either small-time celebrities or had faded from the public eye. Take Guan Peng, for example—compared to his heyday, he was barely recognizable.

“We’ll do a practice round first, then the actual test,” said the young examiner responsible for Lin Xing’s group of eight. He sounded a bit nervous as he began, “Let me go over the safety guidelines before we start…”

It was all by the book.

Lin Xing and his seven companions listened quietly.

For the actual test, Lin Xing was slated to go fourth. After a practice round, everyone was feeling pretty confident, especially Hong Fei.

“I’ll set the example,” Hong Fei declared, stepping up to start the engine—only to stall out almost immediately. Less than ten seconds had passed.

“Before starting the engine, the gearshift and PTO lever should be in neutral,” the young examiner reminded him with a sigh. “I just went over this.”

Hong Fei shrugged. “The first one out is always cannon fodder. Xiao Hai, the pressure’s on you now.”

Duan Hai, who was second, started to get nervous—simulations were one thing, but the real test was different. Thanks to Hong Fei’s example, he remembered to put the gearshift and PTO lever in neutral before starting the engine, but slipped up during the start. He’d forgotten that you’re supposed to honk or signal before moving the harvester.

He failed, too.

The third candidate, now nervous as well, did fine until he forgot to honk while turning.

The young examiner had to remind everyone again: whenever starting, turning, or reversing, you must honk or signal.

The third candidate managed those steps but stalled the engine at the end and failed as well.

And this was just the second phase of the exam, yet already three had failed.

“This is tough.”

“Every license test, it’s always the second part that’s hardest.”

“I don’t know if I’ll make it.”

The remaining candidates began to murmur among themselves.

Now it was Lin Xing’s turn.

He took a deep breath, reminding himself to stay calm. As long as he didn’t make any major mistakes, he should be fine.

It was just a matter of following the required path—driving in a straight line, maneuvering in and out of the designated area. Lin Xing nearly stalled halfway through but managed to hold it together and passed.

“Great!”

“Mr. Lin is amazing!”

“Mr. Lin, you’re the best!”

The others broke into cheers when Lin Xing cleared the second phase, especially Lin Miaoyin, who had already failed the written portion.

Who said farming was easy? Try getting a combine harvester license yourself and see how it goes.

Feng Gang quickly directed the camera toward everyone. Even the young examiner cracked a smile.

Thanks to Lin Xing’s success, the next four candidates were less anxious. Guan Peng managed to pass, and among the three lesser-known celebrities, only one failed.

Those who failed the second phase got a second attempt. With experience under their belts, everyone was less nervous, and both Duan Hai and Hong Fei passed the second time around.

“Phase three is the field driving skills test, and phase four is the self-propelled combine harvester operation exam,” the young examiner explained. “Both take place in the fields themselves. Usually, there are practice runs, but this time it’s all real.”

So that’s how it was. Everyone had been wondering why they’d bothered coming back for the second phase. Turns out, this exam was all practical.

This wasn’t against the rules, either; in many places, the tests were held directly in the fields, and the agricultural department would invite local media and TV stations to promote the importance of combine harvester licensing.

This time, the show “Let’s Farm” being at their local agricultural supervision office was a major boon for the area, and they’d even invited local media to cover it.

“Phase three is relatively simple. We’ve already set up the field. All you have to do is lower the header to cutting position at the first turn marker, raise it back to transport position at the fourth marker, and exit through the gate,” the young examiner said, now much more relaxed. “It’s really not that hard.”

Once again, Hong Fei went first—and failed again.

“I’m telling you, it looks easy, but keeping within the lines and not hitting any markers is really tough,” he concluded, analyzing his mistakes. He still had another chance, after all.

This time, Lin Xing was up second.

…