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

She stopped there, saying no more, and instead picked up a piece of fish, naturally changing the subject:

"This fish tastes really good, it's fresh and smooth."

Gong Yuelong also picked up his chopsticks again and echoed, but his mind was already racing.

How to create opportunities to gain exposure?

Jiang Yan's friend... Is there any loophole in this that can be exploited?

The atmosphere seemed to become more harmonious in the latter half of the meal.

Jiang Yan took a small bite of the fish and said softly, seemingly naturally:

"By the way, from now on, if you call me Boss Jiang too formally, just call me 'sister' when we're not alone."

Gong Yuelong smiled. She's clearly younger than me, yet she insists on belittling me. What a strong woman!

He poured her half a cup of tea and immediately replied, "Don't worry, sister. You set the stage, I'll perform; I promise I won't mess it up."

The phrase "You set the stage, I perform" sounds ordinary, but it perfectly resonated with Jiang Yan.

Instead of empty declarations of loyalty, he placed her in the leading position, highlighting the dominant and collaborative relationship between the two.

Jiang Yan's lips unconsciously curved into a very faint smile. She didn't respond, but simply hummed softly.

At this moment, a young girl came over to change the bone plate.

She moved nimbly, but her eyes couldn't help glancing at the two of them.

One was mature, capable, and outstanding; the other was calm, strong, and focused. The man's gesture of adding tea to the woman's cup was natural and effortless, and the woman did not refuse him with the slightest politeness.

The young girl thought to herself: This doesn't look like a business negotiation; it looks more like a couple who've been dating for a long time.

She smiled, changed quietly, and quickly stepped away.

Jiang Yan wiped her hands, looked up at him, and smiled teasingly: "At the labor market, everyone's saying that you, Gong Yuelong, have a good reputation. People are willing to work first and get paid later, and they want to work for you."

She paused, her tone casual, yet revealing a deep understanding:

"That place is also divided into levels. At the bottom are casual laborers, above that are professional teams with fixed positions, and only above that can you get subcontracted work, which requires some assets and the ability to work independently."

Gong Yuelong nodded: "It's all thanks to the support of my brothers. Plus, the job at the sports center went fairly well. Everyone felt that working with me might bring in money slower, but at least I wouldn't feel guilty. Right now, I'm barely a team leader."

"If we want to take on serious projects, we don't have enough squad leaders; we need company commanders who can lead teams independently," Jiang Yan said bluntly.

"This upgrade requires two things: first, adequate manpower and equipment; and second, and most importantly, upfront capital. Otherwise, why should the client trust you? If you run out of funds halfway through the work, who's responsible for the mess?"

At its core, it all comes down to money.

Jiang Yan noticed Gong Yuelong's slightly furrowed brows and knew he was weighing his options. Her voice slowed down: "With what you have, supporting your brothers and getting by is the limit. If you really want to take a step up, you need to have the confidence to get people to give you advance work."

This confidence comes either from having amassed a substantial fortune, or…

She stopped speaking, leaving the rest unsaid.

Gong Yuelong didn't respond, waiting for her to continue.

"Either someone is willing to stand up for you, or point out a way to get around it." Jiang Yan's tone was calm, but it carried a lot of weight.

Gong Yuelong understood that this was an indication that she was willing to use her credit or connections to help him overcome the first financial hurdle, within certain limits.

"I understand, sister," he said calmly. "We have to take it one step at a time. Money is a major hurdle, but I'll find a way. Your guidance today has already shown me the way."

Without pressing further or complaining, this attitude brought a hint of satisfaction to Jiang Yan's eyes.

His tone softened slightly: "Knowing that's the key is enough. Focus on the present. When you finally see the right opportunity and are just one step away from success, come talk to me. A living person can't let themselves be held back by their own desires."

That's all we'll say; we understand each other perfectly.

Everything that needed to be ordered was ordered for this meal.

……

……

Standing at Yu Xiaoxian's door, Gong Yuelong watched as Jiang Yan's car taillights, like two dark red stars, flashed and then disappeared into the night.

He took out a cigarette, bent down and lit it.

He walked over to his slightly worn pickup truck.

His gaze swept over his old buddy, the car that had accompanied him to labor markets and construction sites.

I did have a thought just now—when I have more money, should I get a decent car? At least I won't look bad when we're discussing business.

But the thought only flashed through my mind for a moment.

He shook his head. "It's not the right time yet," he told himself.

Now every penny must be spent wisely.

A car is a status symbol, but substance is more important than appearance.

He drove back to the vicinity of the demolition site, but instead of going in directly, he parked his car in the shadows at the entrance of the old alley.

Take out your phone, open the bank app, and unlock it with your fingerprint.

First, look at the transaction details. Zhao Siyan's 30,000 yuan compensation payment is clearly listed.

He swiped his finger and found the five thousand yuan he had previously paid for Lao Niu's medical expenses, as well as the three thousand yuan that Widow Qin had transferred earlier. Lao Yu didn't say anything, but he remembered that kindness.

The mental tally automatically unfolded: the 30,000 yuan Zhao Siyan paid was in hand. He'd paid 5,000 yuan out of his own pocket for Lao Niu's treatment. He'd borrowed 3,000 yuan from Sister Qin. The sports center's surplus, plus his previous small savings…

He exited the transaction log and opened the total assets.

[Current Deposit: 48200.76 yuan]

Forty-eight thousand two hundred and seventy-six dollars.

Staring at the number, Gong Yuelong's lips twitched, but there was no real smile.

Zhao Siyan and Liu Heita sound impressive, and they are considered big names in the labor market, but when it comes to actually losing money, a loss of 30,000 yuan can cripple them.

He usually acts arrogantly, relying on intimidating honest people like Lao Niu to squeeze out a few coins.

Fighting and killing may seem exciting, but it's actually a struggle at the bottom of society, earning money through blood, sweat, and fear, and living hand to mouth.

He had no choice before, but now... The expression on Jiang Yan's face when she spoke flashed before his eyes, along with words like "state-owned enterprise," "internal recommendation," and "capital advance."

The roads are different now.

Although the 48,000 yuan in front of me is still as insignificant as a grain of sand in the face of a debt of more than 4 million yuan.

But this money was unlike any other.

This wasn't money I scraped together from odd jobs, nor was it compensation I extorted by risking my life.

Here are the profits he earned by leading his team, and the compensation he fought hard to wrest from the jaws of the wolves with his fists and brains.

The amount of money hasn't changed much, but the ways to save money seem to have broadened and increased.

He locked his phone, the screen went dark, and after sitting quietly for a moment, he opened the car door and got out.

He closed the car door and locked it.

He returned to his little house.

Forty-eight thousand two.

He went over the number in his mind again.

With 48,000 yuan, it's enough to support Cao Dayong and his team and cover their daily expenses, but it's far from enough to leverage even a small project.

When I was driven to desperation by debt, I dared to think of anything and gamble on anything.

Now that we've just seen some steady progress, we must proceed with even greater caution and not fall back into the mire.

Money earned through violence is hot potato and doesn't last. Zhao Siyan is a prime example.

He took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and suppressed his distracting thoughts.

Consciousness sank into that familiar pale blue glow.

[Information, please consider: given my current situation, what is the best project I can undertake in the near future?]

After asking the intelligence system, Gong Yuelong breathed a sigh of relief.

He is waiting.

I'm thinking about it too.

The system will then point out several possible paths for him.

I need to think about what choices I should make and what path I should take.