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

He unconsciously swiped his thumb upwards on the screen, then swiped it again.

The page was refreshed, but the numbers remained unchanged.

Opening the transaction history again, the latest one is an online banking transfer income from ten minutes ago, and the amount is correct.

We've really arrived.

He locked his phone, then unlocked it again, and checked the numbers one more time. The numbers were still there.

Then he did something he later realized was a bit silly—he exited the app, turned off his phone, waited five seconds, turned it back on, and logged in again. Fingerprint verification, login.

[Income: 43,800.76]

Nothing has changed.

Gong Yuelong let out a long breath.

He took out a cigarette and lit it.

When I took my first puff, my hand trembled slightly, almost imperceptibly.

It became.

This time it wasn't a feeling, it was seeing.

White background with black lettering, clearly visible.

This project at the sports center transformed him from a casual laborer into a small contractor.

He walked out of the project site and returned to his car.

He took out his phone and opened his bank app. He found the transfer option and entered Cao Dayong's card number.

Amount column: 8220.

This is the wages that Cao Dayong and his gang deserved at the sports center.

Not a penny more, not a penny less, just the price we agreed on.

Gong Yuelong's thumb remained on the confirmation button, but he didn't press it immediately.

Once the money is transferred out, there really won't be much left in the account.

But if you pay the money late, the taste will change a little.

Cao Dayong may not say it, but he will remember it.

The next time there's an urgent task requiring someone to fill in, that feeling of remembering might be the obstacle that causes delays.

He pressed it.

Password, verify. The progress bar spun twice.

Transfer successful.

The prompt tone is short and crisp.

Gong Yuelong exited the interface and checked the total balance again.

The numbers have shrunk a bit, but the remaining part becomes clear all at once.

It's crystal clear which funds can be used and which cannot, which are reserved for entertaining guests and which are kept as emergency funds.

He locked the screen and tossed his phone onto the passenger seat.

The car window was open, and outside was the two o'clock afternoon sun and the sound of traffic. He leaned back in his seat and lit a cigarette.

I felt more at ease after giving away the money.

Like clearing away a stone that's uncomfortable to step on.

With Cao Dayong's situation stabilized, the Nanshan Gang will be more willing to come next time they hear his call. This score was well settled.

He picked up his phone again halfway through his cigarette and opened his debt list.

The other entries are still there, and the numbers are still overwhelming.

But things are different now.

Before, when I looked at this list, it seemed like an endless expanse of black.

Looking back now, after the sports center received this revenue, it paid off the labor costs and still had some money left over.

This wasn't just about income and expenses. It was about untangling the first thread of his tangled mess of debts and livelihood.

My phone vibrated.

He picked it up and looked at it. It was a short text message from Cao Dayong:

"Brother Long, the money's here. Not a penny short. The brothers asked me to tell them to say thank you. Next time you need work, just let me know, and we'll be back."

This was followed by three clasped-fist emojis.

Gong Yuelong looked at the screen, his lips twitched, but he didn't laugh.

He knew Cao Dayong well; he was honest and straightforward.

This short message was concise and to the point, stating the exact amount and conveying a clear message—follow-up.

The word "he" carries significant weight.

In the past, at the labor market, people would temporarily gather together to do odd jobs, and once the work was done, they would disperse and the debt would be settled.

Now that Cao Dayong has said he'll follow, it means that he and the other fellow villagers from Nanshan he brought have already moved Gong Yuelong from a foreman looking for work to a leader who can follow him long-term.

Fast and accurate money transfer is the basic requirement.

But being able to get the workers to say they'd like to do it again next time after the bill is settled is more than just being efficient at settling accounts.

This is because we trust Gong Yuelong as a person, we trust his way of doing things, and we believe that if we work with him, we can not only get the money this time, but also next time and the time after that.

He gripped the steering wheel, his eyes fixed ahead.

Cao Dayong's text message made him feel at ease.

Debt is dead; the numbers are there.

People are adaptable. The more people who believe in you and work with you, the wider your path will become.

The deal with the sports center brought in more than just tens of thousands of yuan.

What he earned was the word "follow" in Cao Dayong's text message.

This feels pretty good.

He didn't rush to drive, and silently said to himself: "Intelligence, please tell me the current income and expenditure situation."

Before my eyes, a faint blue luster spread silently.

[Income and Expenditure Overview]

Total debt: 4199728.00 yuan

[Current Deposit: 26600.76 yuan]

Two lines of numbers, one above the other, hung silently in the field of consciousness.

The number above was enormous, weighing heavily on the mind: 4,199,728 pieces.

The following number is tiny: 26,600.76 yuan.

Gong Yuelong stared at the two lines of numbers for a long time.

There was neither ecstasy nor despair.

The numbers in his bank account were painstakingly painstakingly earned from the mud. From the labor market to the sports center,

From having to read people's faces to leading people to work, from being penniless to having over 20,000 yuan in the account that could be used.

It's progress.

But this progress is so small as to be almost negligible compared to the huge denominator in the debt column.

Twenty-six thousand is just a fraction of four million two hundred thousand.

At this rate, it might take more than ten years of working without eating or drinking to even pay off the principal.

He leaned back in his chair and lit a cigarette.

Smoke slowly rose into the cramped space inside the car.

Some things have been accomplished, but it's still far from being a success.

It's like struggling to take the first step on a long uphill road, and when you look up, the mountaintop is still shrouded in clouds and mist.

But this step was one that I truly took myself.

The money was given to the right people. Most importantly, the sports center project was completed, and the company's reputation was established. The message from Engineer Zhao was relayed, and the path Jiang Yan pointed out was found.

This is something that cannot be fully reflected in the figures on paper.

He stubbed out his cigarette in the car's ashtray.

The debt is still there, not a penny less.

But the path beneath my feet is different now. Before, I was being pushed around by debt, stumbling aimlessly, getting hurt and bleeding just to catch my breath.

Now, we understand how large the debt is, and we also understand what tools we have at our disposal.

This little bit of money, these brothers who are willing to work with me, and the little bit of reputation and potential connections I've just earned.

We shouldn't be overly ambitious; worrying about those four million is useless.

We can't just look at what's under our feet and be satisfied with the meager 26,000 yuan we have for basic necessities.

You have to watch your step and make sure you take each step firmly.

The sports center is the first step. The next step, or following Jiang Yan's lead to find other gaps, must be done like pouring concrete—doing the job well, earning the money we deserve, and building up the reputation we deserve.

Step by step, we moved forward.

With each step you take, the shadow of debt recedes an inch.

By taking one step, you can get one more card in your hand.

Total debt: RMB 4199728.00.

Current deposits: 26600.76 yuan.

The numbers haven't changed.

But for those embarking on this long road of repayment, the strength in their hands and the path in their hearts are completely different from what they were a month ago.