The young Chen began his apprenticeship sweeping floors and preparing ingredients. A simple, hard-working boy from the country, he soon earned Lin's trust. In his third year at the shop, Lin began to teach him to make ink sticks, sharing his best techniques and encouraging the boy by telling him, "If you learn this trade well, you'll amount to something in society."
墨莊學徒從掃地、打點雜物開始做起，鄉下孩子的純樸與勤奮，甚得林祥菊賞識，當學徒的第三年，林祥菊親自教他製作墨條，不但傳授拿手絕活，還鼓勵他，「只要好好學會製墨這項獨門工夫，將來在社會上就會有成就。」