After my divorce at thirty, I developed an intelligence network.

"Old Zhao!" The project manager rushed over from the prefab house, also covered in sweat.

"Just got a call. Command center might be coming over this morning to check on our preparations! This is a crucial project, and we can't afford any mishaps at the very beginning!"

Mr. Zhao felt a tightening around his back molars.

Offering a gift, saving face... these words were like tiny needles, pricking his already heavy head.

Reasonable construction period? He silently savored those four words, finding them rather uninteresting.

Based on his years of experience, he knew that starting with a 5,000-square-meter foundation like this without thorough preparation was a gamble. He was prioritizing speed over safety and quality.

But nobody talks to you about that now; all that matters is the nice-looking date written on paper.

All the trouble will ultimately fall on his shoulders as the person in charge of the scene. If something really goes wrong, those below him will have to take the blame!

"Understood." His voice was a little dry. "Everyone's here. I'll check first. If it's not good, change it immediately."

These words seemed to be addressed to Xiao Liu, but also to set a rule for himself, to grasp something he could control in this chaotic and irritable morning.

Xiao Liu nodded quickly and then craned his neck to look at the gate.

Engineer Zhao stopped wandering around and instead stood by the foundation pit, hands behind his back, squinting at the entrance.

As dawn broke, wisps of heat rose from the ground, and sweat soaked through my short-sleeved shirt, which clung tightly to my skin.

……

On the other side, there's the courtyard with the character "拆" (deconstruction).

Gong Yuelong found Lao Niu and said, "You'll be in charge of collecting scrap materials on the Gold Coast from now on, so you can make a few trips there."

Old Niu's eyes lit up, but then he hesitated, "But such a good job... is it even possible for us? I heard there's a territory involved."

"These days, the scrap metal collecting business isn't something just anyone can do."

Every street, every neighborhood, even every construction site is monitored and designated areas are marked out.

If you come in with a stranger's face, at best you'll be kicked out, at worst... sigh.

As he spoke, he looked at Gong Yuelong, his eyes filled with a mixture of lingering fear and envy:

"You were lucky before, you didn't run into any tough guys when you were buying that little bit of timber. If I went, what if..."

Gong Yuelong understood Lao Niu's concerns and smiled, "Uncle Niu, this time it's different. We're not going to fight for food ourselves; we're following Engineer Chen's route."

I know Engineer Chen; he can handle this. Just follow the rules and don't worry about anything else.

"Engineer Chen nodded, it's a legitimate waste removal process," Gong Yuelong said, wiping his face.

"This job is piecemeal, but stable. If you're willing, I'll give it to you. Take two people with you, haul goods from the construction site, and deliver them to a scrap yard I know."

This is much better than just taking odd jobs! Old Niu rubbed his hands together, making up his mind: "Okay! Trust me, I won't let you down!"

"Why don't you go take a look around today and familiarize yourself with the place?" Gong Yuelong suggested.

"Okay!" Old Niu nodded repeatedly.

"Don't spread this around the courtyard yet," Gong Yuelong added.

"Understood! Understood!" Old Niu understood immediately.

Helping Lao Niu is not only a matter of honoring an old friend, but also a way of planting a seed. In this world where personal connections are resources, a reliable helper is more valuable than money.

……

Sports Center.

The beautiful young woman, Xiao Liu, stood at the edge of the foundation pit, feeling a tightness in her chest.

The higher-ups are constantly pushing for projects to become "civilized construction sites," and the phone keeps ringing, asking only about the progress, regardless of whether the project is going well or not.

Just then, Manager Zhao decided to use this new work team whose background was unknown.

The agreement was signed, but on the construction site, things on paper are the least reliable.

She recalled the small job she did in the West District last time. She had also found someone at the last minute, but the tools were incomplete, and the person was slow and dawdling, which almost caused a problem and made her get scolded.

This time it's the main sole, if it slips up again...

As a woman working among men, she had to be extra careful to maintain her position, and she dreaded being caught in the middle like this.

When pressure comes from above and drags you down from below, you often end up being the one who suffers the most.

If this team is really no good, and things fall apart right from the start, and then the command center sends people... she can almost see the project manager's ugly face and Engineer Zhao's icy gaze.

"This is so annoying!" She kicked away a pebble at her feet, trying to find something to do to calm herself down.

Just as the clock was about to strike seven, I looked up and saw several figures slowly turning into the construction site.

The one leading the group was a man, around thirty years old, quite tall, and dressed neatly.

His skin wasn't fair, the kind of skin you get from being out in the field all year round, but his face was clean, his eyes were bright, and his back was straight. He didn't look like a typical foreman at all.

What's even more eye-catching are the seven or eight people following behind him.

They were all wearing the same dark blue work clothes. Although they were old, they were all starched and clean, without any stains.

They were all wearing the same yellow hard hats, their faces tanned dark under the brim. No one looked around or whispered to each other; they just silently followed the person in front of them.

The tools were not carried or slung around, but were neatly mounted on two dedicated tool carts and secured with ropes.

This group of people, compared to the scattered workers next to them who were all loosely organized and had their tools at hand, seemed like they belonged to a completely different system.

Xiao Liu was stunned for a moment, and the unexpected neatness extinguished half of his anger.

But doubts quickly arose – it looks quite decent, but it might just be a pretty facade that's all show and no substance.

She quickly went to meet her.

"Excuse me, are you Master Gong from Nanshan?"

"I'm Gong Yuelong. You must be Engineer Liu? Manager Zhao mentioned you, saying that you'd handle specific on-site matters."

Gong Yuelong stopped and quickly glanced at the female construction worker in front of him—she was young, with a tanned face and a neat ponytail tied behind her head.

He looked quite energetic, the kind of refreshing and resilient appearance rarely seen on construction sites.

A thought flashed through his mind: it must be difficult for such a young girl to manage the scene, but his expression remained unchanged.

"Yes, it's me." Xiao Liu nodded, skipping the small talk and getting straight to the point, "Temperature control inside large-volume concrete is crucial. How do you usually handle it on-site? Don't tell me to wait for instructions and listen to us."

Gong Yuelong said calmly: "This is simple. We will strictly control the thickness and interval of each layer of pouring to reduce the risk of temperature rise from the source."

The maintenance requirements outlined in the agreement require our project team to provide plastic film for covering purposes at any time.

Xiao Liu fell silent. She looked at Gong Yuelong, then glanced at the workers behind him with their neatly arranged tools.

My doubts quickly dissipated by more than half.

This person is not only knowledgeable, but also very thoughtful, and has even prepared contingency plans and equipment.

The quality requirements in that agreement seem to be genuine.

Her tone softened: "Regarding the equipment and personnel, we'll begin preparations according to the plan. I'll explain the specific pouring areas and sequence in detail later."

"Understood." Gong Yuelong nodded and turned to give a simple gesture to his team.

The seven or eight people immediately sprang into action.