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

He didn't explain what the numbers were, nor did he adopt any aggressive stance.

Engineer Zhao stared at him for a long time.

The person in front of me seems to be holding some unseen card.

The ease in that smile didn't seem feigned.

Finally, the seriousness on Zhao's face slowly melted away. "No matter what, just don't cause trouble for the project or delay the schedule. Otherwise..."

Seeing Gong Yuelong's calm expression, he didn't say anything more and waved his hand.

Gong Yuelong got up, pushed open the door, and went out.

Outside the corridor, the heatwave from the construction site hits you again.

He took a deep breath

—You have to do your job well.

We must also defend our territory.

Whoever blocks our way, we'll take them down.

He has to forge his own path, dealing with this debt, this person, and this road.

……

It was dusk, and the sky was dark.

As soon as the old ox entered the yard, it shouted excitedly.

"Incredible! Incredible! Following Brother Gong's directions, one trip to the Gold Coast to haul some scrap metal is worth two days of my work at the labor market!"

Widow Qin stopped hanging the clothes: "You've made it?"

"I made it!"

Old Niu beamed with joy. Not only did he earn money, but he earned it very smoothly. "At the Gold Coast, the foreman, Engineer Chen, was incredibly polite to me! The work went smoothly, and the money came right away!"

Yu Qin leaned closer, her eyes wide: "How much?"

"This number!" Old Niu spread two fingers and waved them. "A little over two hundred!"

"Brother Gong is really capable!" Yu Qin rubbed his hands together, his face full of envy. "He's only been around for a few days, and he's already made a name for himself so much."

Widow Qin wiped her hands, her eyes filled with approval:

"He's been through tough times, he knows what he's doing, and he's got a good sense of right and wrong. It's not easy for Engineer Chen to give him face."

"It's more than just giving him face!" Old Niu lowered his voice, speaking mysteriously. "Judging from his tone, Engineer Chen really thinks highly of him! From now on, it'll probably be more than just this scrap material issue!"

As they were talking, it got dark.

Widow Qin looked up at the empty courtyard gate, and her hands slowed down.

"Where's Brother Gong?" she asked casually. "What time is it already?"

Old Niu's high spirits subsided a bit. He scratched his head and lowered his voice, "I'm afraid... he's busy, isn't he? He always has to socialize with those people from the project department."

He paused, his tone tinged with bitterness and a hint of unease: "People are... different now. Do they still remember to come back to this dilapidated courtyard every day?"

The courtyard fell silent as soon as he said that.

Yu Qin opened his mouth, but didn't say anything.

Widow Qin pursed her lips slightly, then turned to walk towards the stove: "Then I'll go first..."

Before the words were finished, footsteps came from outside the courtyard gate.

Several people turned their heads at the same time.

Gong Yuelong carried a dripping plastic bag in one hand, with several bottles of ice-cold beer clinking softly against it; in the other hand, he carried two small cold dishes.

He stepped into the courtyard, a familiar faint smile on his face:

"What are you all standing there for? There's some mixed tofu skin and seaweed salad at the intersection. On a hot day like this, having something cold will make you feel better."

The courtyard fell silent for a moment.

Looking at what he was holding and then at the expression on his face, Old Niu chuckled.

The worry in Widow Qin's eyes vanished, and the corners of her mouth curved into a smile.

Gong Yuelong placed the items on the table, and the chilled beer released a gentle coolness.

Just looking at them makes me feel comfortable.

……

Daodong, Qiaojiao Beef Barbecue Stall.

Five men sat around a stainless steel square table. The charcoal fire was blazing, the meat skewers were sizzling, and a row of empty liquor bottles were already laid out under the table.

"Bang!"

An empty wine bottle was slammed heavily on the table.

"Damn it, I've been watching that pile of junk on the Gold Coast for half a month!"

Liu Heita had a face full of fat and a rough voice.

"I know exactly how much of this timber can be sold as secondhand material!"

Xiao Wang, one of Engineer Chen's subordinates, had drunk with me at several parties, confidently declaring he'd have no problem! Then some greenhorn named Gong Yuelong snatched the prize away!

Liu Heita had been involved in the underworld in his early years and had a criminal record. Later, relying on his ruthlessness and a few fellow inmates, he took on jobs cleaning up sand, gravel, and waste materials at construction sites in the north of the city.

The profit margin on scrap materials is thin, but there are many tricks to it; if you misjudge it at first glance, you'll have worked for nothing.

He had his eye on this shipment from the Gold Coast for a long time.

Beside him, Zhao Siyan leisurely ate his skewers, his small eyes gleaming: "More than that. I just got word that he's also got his hands on the 5,000 cubic meters of concrete for the foundation slab of the sports center."

Zhao Siyan, whose real name is Zhao Zhiyuan, attended a vocational school for a few years. He is quick-witted and adept at scheming.

He started as a junior construction worker, gradually building up his network and team, specializing in concrete pouring jobs.

He had already started working on the sports center project, even using connections to reach a junior leader in the command center to put in a good word.

It cost no less than two thousand yuan in total. I thought that Engineer Zhao would at least give me some face and share a portion of it.

There was a moment of silence on the table.

"The sports center?" A man with a scar on his forehead suddenly looked up. "That job...didn't we hear that you, Four-Eyes, have been doing it for a long time?"

"An event?" Zhao Siyan scoffed. "You've treated people to meals and given them gifts, but it's all for nothing."

You know Fatty Zhao, he's incredibly stubborn. This guy surnamed Gong, I don't know what tricks he used, managed to pry open the crack.

Liu Heita squinted, grabbed a beer, and took a big gulp. "Engineer Chen from the Gold Coast, Fatty Zhao from the Sports Center... This kid, he's got a knack for tackling tough challenges, huh? Not content with just one, he's taking on two?"

"The key is efficiency." Zhao Si wiped his mouth. "Regarding the Gold Coast matter, he immediately found Jiang Yan's supply line, and it was fast and clean."

"Jiang Yan?" The scarred man's brow twitched. "That woman is ruthless, but she's capable. She managed to take on this guy surnamed Gong..."

"That's why I said it's not simple." Zhao Si's gaze swept over the people at the table.

"We can accept earning less from the scrap metal. But what kind of place is the sports center? If they can take the foundation today, they might dare to extend their reach to the main structure tomorrow! What will we be left to starve?"

Liu Heita's face darkened: "A penniless wretch burdened with millions in debt, who was begging for a living at the labor market just a few months ago, now thinks he can get away with this?"

"A bankrupt scumbag?" Zhao Si chuckled. "Someone who's carried this much debt and still hasn't collapsed, and can even bounce back... do you really think he's a pushover?"

The scarred man pondered, "He's involved with the Nanshan Gang. Cao Dayong is a man of some prestige; it's not a good idea to confront him directly."

"A direct confrontation?" Zhao Si shook his head, picked up a freshly grilled skewer of meat, and slowly blew on it. "That's a last resort. There are plenty of other options on a construction site."

He bit off a piece of meat and chewed it:

"He needs the work, doesn't he? Then let him do it. If he can keep it up, that's his skill. If he can't..."

He paused, gently placed the metal skewer on the edge of the plate, and looked up:

"That's called not having the fate."

Liu Heita understood, grinned, revealing a mouthful of yellow teeth: "Four-Eyes, you're pretty smart, what do you suggest?"

Zhao Siyan put down his wine glass.

"Let's not directly confront Gong Yuelong yet. That old ox under him, hasn't he been getting a taste of success collecting scrap metal with him on the Gold Coast lately?"