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

Zhao Si glanced at him and shook his head:

"Stop it here. We're after money, not deadly enemies. The best strategy is to scare him into giving back what he's taken, or to make him behave and share with us in the future."

If things really escalate to a point of no return, and we alert the wrong people, or push him too far... even a rabbit will bite when cornered.

Liu Heita grinned. "Bite? What can he bite with? His pretty face, or that beat-up car?"

Back in my day in prison, what kind of tough nut didn't I crack? Someone like him, I could squeeze the pee out of him with one hand!

He paused, then, as if remembering something, chuckled:

"But you're right, he's a bit bespectacled. This guy is quite handsome, no wonder he managed to snag Jiang Yan."

Once we've put him in a good position, maybe... we can get him to whisper sweet nothings in Jiang Yan's ear and help us make a connection?

That woman's slack is way more lucrative than the scraps on the Gold Coast!

Zhao Si didn't laugh, he just said calmly:

"Let's take care of the immediate matter first. We've cut off contact with Lao Niu; let's see what other tricks Gong Yuelong has up his sleeve. If he's smart, he'll back off, saving everyone trouble. If he's not..."

……

Evening, at the courtyard where characters are dismantled.

Gong Yuelong walked to the middle of the courtyard: "Sister Qin, Uncle Yu, Brother Niu, if you have some spare cash, could you lend me some money to tide me over?"

Widow Qin turned off the stove, wiped her hands, and with a slight turn of her waist, took out her phone from her apron pocket, tapping the screen lightly with her fingertips: "Account hasn't changed? I'll transfer the money to you."

"Aren't you going to ask what it's for?" Gong Yuelong looked at her.

"You're borrowing money, how could it be for some crooked reason?" Widow Qin looked up at him.

"The hospital knows your character. You don't cheat people when you're in debt, and you're quick to pay your workers when you have money."

I'm just afraid... now that you have more options, more people are watching you. What if you run into a hole that you have to pay to fix, or...?

She glanced at the old ox. "Don't go head-to-head. Our lives are just beginning to brighten; we can't afford any more trouble."

After saying that, he looked down to transfer the money, then held up the screen to confirm: "This is it for now, three thousand. We'll talk again if it's not enough."

A soft beep sounded.

Old Niu sidled closer, his face pale, and lowered his voice:

"Brother Gong, Sister Qin is right! Are you trying to settle things with money because of Zhao Siyan and his gang of scoundrels?"

Or hire them? Absolutely not! They're ruthless; most of them take the money and do nothing!

"Let's be patient, my arm is almost healed. I don't need the truck anymore, I won't haul the feed, okay? Don't throw any more money into this!"

Gong Yuelong patted his shoulder: "Brother Niu, don't worry. It's not about that. I have my own path."

Old Yu gave a bitter smile: "I... really have no money to spare. My children are in school, my parents need medicine, and I'm broke every month."

He looked up, his eyes serious: "I'm sorry I can't help with money. But if you need someone quiet, reliable, and capable of handling things, like running errands or keeping watch, call me."

I have strength, and I have this old face that nobody gives a second glance.

Gong Yuelong nodded: "Uncle Yu, I'll remember that."

The courtyard fell silent, the soup pot bubbling gently.

"Okay, I'll borrow the money and pay you back as soon as possible." He turned to the stove, "Sister Qin, what delicious food are you making? Can I...mooch a bite tonight?"

"Okay. I'll eat it in a bit too."

The widow Qin's voice came through, light and cheerful.

It must be said, Widow Qin's cooking skills are exceptional. Gong Yuelong thought to himself.

……

……

After eating the meal prepared by Widow Qin, Gong Yuelong put down his chopsticks and left.

He didn't call ahead; he went straight upstairs and knocked on Jiang Yan's office door.

"Enter."

Gong Yuelong pushed open the door and went in.

Jiang Yan wore a light-colored dress today, with her hair up, revealing her slender neck.

"Hello, Boss Jiang." Gong Yuelong smiled and greeted him.

Jiang Yan's gaze lingered on his face for a moment, her expression unchanging: "Coming over at this hour, is there something you need?"

Gong Yuelong got straight to the point, "I have something I'd like to trouble you with, Boss Jiang. I'm a little short on cash right now and would like to borrow some money from you."

Jiang Yan raised an eyebrow almost imperceptibly.

She recalled the last time he waited downstairs to deliver ice cream, a stark contrast to his current manner of directly asking for money.

Back then, you knew the rules and how to behave. But now? Do you feel the relationship is closer and it's okay to speak up? Or... have you really run into some serious trouble?

He just finished work at the sports center and received a large sum of money, and now he's coming to borrow money from her? Has he found another good job?

"How much do you want to borrow?" she asked, her voice devoid of emotion.

Gong Yuelong gave a number: "Two thousand."

Jiang Yan was stunned.

"two thousand?"

"two thousand."

Two thousand? She thought it would be followed by at least ten thousand. What can two thousand yuan do? Not even enough to fill a tooth gap.

"Two thousand?" she repeated, a hint of amusement in her eyes, her eyebrows curving into a smile. "You came all this way in the middle of the night just to borrow two thousand yuan?"

This didn't align with her assessment of Gong Yuelong. He was a man with a very strong sense of purpose, never wasting effort.

"Yes, just two thousand." Gong Yuelong nodded, his face very frank. "I need it urgently, and I'm just short of that amount of cash and readily available funds. Asking others to lend me the money would be a big fuss and take a long time. You're the most direct option."

Jiang Yan quickly reassessed the situation.

If it's not a big problem, then what is it? Two thousand yuan urgently needed… how urgent could it be? If it's really urgent, why not call?

Moreover, the fact that he specifically came to borrow from her means that he placed her in the most direct option, which in itself is a signal.

"I can lend you the money," she finally spoke, her tone softening somewhat, but her doubts remained.

"However, before you take the money, I need to ask—has everything been settled with the sports center? And has Engineer Zhao left any loose ends?"

She appeared to be assessing the risks, but in reality, she steered the conversation toward what she truly cared about:

What has he been doing lately, and how is it progressing?

"Everything's settled. Wages have been paid, everything that was due has been paid, and Zhao's feedback... has been pretty good," Gong Yuelong replied briefly.

"A good review?" Jiang Yan's eyes lit up. "That Fatty Zhao is notoriously difficult to deal with, and he has a sharp eye. For him to give a 'good review' is no small feat. Tell me, how exactly is it good?"

She needs more details to confirm her judgment.

Gong Yuelong thought for a moment and picked out a few specific things:

"During the final stage of the foundation slab pouring, the foundation of the pump truck's outriggers softened, almost causing an accident, but it was discovered and dealt with in advance."

During the high temperatures, concrete was poured, and the concrete plant was coordinated to ensure a continuous supply without leaving any cold joints.

The group of fellow villagers from Nanshan under my command held up well in critical moments, and the coordination didn't go wrong.

Jiang Yan listened, her mind racing.

Pump truck hazards are a major safety risk. Early detection and decisive handling require extremely careful observation and a willingness to take responsibility.

Ensuring quality while continuously pouring concrete at high temperatures tests on-site coordination capabilities and influence over suppliers.

It's even more valuable when your team follows orders and is capable of handling things in critical moments; it shows that you know how to lead people and that your subordinates respect you.

Any one of these points, taken individually, would be considered outstanding by a seasoned construction worker or small contractor.

Gong Yuelong, who was still grabbing odd jobs in the labor market a few months ago, accomplished all these things when he led a team to do this kind of project on his own for the first time.