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

half a month later.

Around 8 a.m., Gong Yuelong's phone started vibrating on the bedside table.

He opened his eyes to a message from Jiang Yan, brief and to the point:

If you have time today, go to the Technical Section of the District Construction Committee; there's a change of registration paperwork you need to handle. I'll have someone send the required documents to your email.

Gong Yuelong immediately replied "Received" and then got up.

He hasn't been idle for the past two weeks.

Ever since that dinner with Yu Xiaoxian, he's been on edge even more.

The road Jiang Yan pointed out was right there, but you have to earn your own travel expenses.

He relied on the precise information provided by the intelligence system to take on odd, urgent jobs.

The system became his toughest foreman and budgeter.

[Check: Area C of Chengdong Logistics Park urgently needs six skilled steelworkers for emergency steel reinforcement binding tomorrow. The unit price is 15% higher than the market price. Contact person: Engineer Liu. His characteristics are efficiency and aversion to procrastination.]

[Check: In Building 7 of the South Suburbs Villa District, the carpentry team suddenly withdrew from the site due to a dispute. The project manager wants to lower the price, but is willing to accept a lump-sum price. The key is that at least four people can be organized to come to the site immediately before tonight.]

[Check: The University Town Gymnasium project is short of a skilled foreman for scaffolding erection. The work period is one week, paid daily, and the price is negotiable. Safety officer Lao Wang is on duty at the site tonight and can be contacted directly.]

He relied on these specific pieces of information, down to the people, the prices, and the pain points, to gather the manpower he had assembled after defeating Zhao Siyan, and did everything from steelwork and carpentry to scaffolding.

The money came in small amounts, three thousand today, five thousand tomorrow. After deducting the wages owed to his brothers, necessary tool wear and tear, and vehicle fuel costs, he saved the remaining profit bit by bit.

The balance on my bank app on my phone slowly climbed from 48,200 to just over 72,000.

In total, the net increase in the past two weeks was approximately 24,000.

The numbers aren't large, but every single one reflects a sense of stability.

The brothers followed him, and they had a constant stream of work and were paid on time. Although they were tired, they felt at ease and looked at him with increasing trust.

In the labor market, the idea that following Boss Gong meant you'd get a good living gradually spread.

More importantly, this process allowed him to weigh the new people who had come to him, to figure out who he could use and who he had to be wary of, and he gradually developed a mental understanding of their roles.

He had considered Jiang Yan's suggestion to win her over and offer to advance the funds.

It was practically a credit check that could be drawn up in advance, allowing him to immediately skip the quagmire of his initial capital accumulation.

But he forcefully suppressed the thought.

This money is usable, but not right now.

What Gong Yuelong needs most right now is not a windfall, but proof of his ability to independently manage projects.

He has to use his own money and his own people, even if it's just the smallest contract, to do a good job from start to finish and get the settlement clear.

This demonstrates his basic survival skills and the lowest level of his creditworthiness.

Only by solidifying this lower limit can Jiang Yan's resources become a lever for his advancement, rather than a rope that ties him down.

What he needs is the confidence of his collaborators, not the obedience of his subordinates.

Now that he's used her money, even if the project succeeds, in everyone's eyes, including in Jiang Yan's heart, he'll still be seen as that lucky guy who lives off Sister Jiang's generosity.

This runs counter to his goal of establishing a firm foothold.

He understood from Jiang Yan's message about running errands that it was a new test.

He quickly washed up, organized his materials, and changed into a presentable outfit.

Gong Yuelong pushed open the door and came out, full of energy in the morning light.

He wore a light gray shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his forearms, his hair was neatly shaved, and he looked energetic. Even the lines of his profile were more defined and sharp.

Widow Qin, who was hanging clothes to dry in the yard, looked up and thought the man seemed more efficient.

"So early, is there work to do?"

"I need to take care of something." Gong Yuelong walked to the water to wash his face. "Sister Qin, did you receive the money?"

"Received it!" Widow Qin said with a smile. "There's no rush, you can use it for now."

"What's owed must be repaid." Gong Yuelong wiped his face. "Everyone has their struggles."

Widow Qin felt a warmth in her heart. It was common to see people refusing to pay their debts in the courtyard, but rare to see someone settle their bill so quickly after just catching their breath.

"Okay, you know what you're doing." She lowered her voice again, "They... haven't contacted you again?"

"That's all for now." Gong Yuelong picked up the file folder. "It'll be difficult in the future either."

Widow Qin nodded and watched his back as he left the courtyard.

This guy's ruthlessness seems to have found a more suitable path now.

Gong Yuelong walked in the alley.

My mind is completely clear.

He always advocated that money should be spent wisely, and that favors should not be misused.

Ever since he acquired this intelligence system and glimpsed a sliver of opportunity to turn his life around, his plans have never changed.

We always prioritize establishing a firm foothold before pursuing further development.

This is why we tolerated Zhao Siyan's provocation, and this is also why we refused to immediately use Jiang Yan's resources.

He looked down on the benefits of quick success and instant benefits, and was even less willing to easily tie himself to someone else's chariot for a little quick money.

Debts must be repaid, and one must walk one's own path. These small gains and benefits in the present moment cannot disturb his composure.

I, Gong Yuelong, am a person destined for great things and to make a lot of money.

Only by thinking about important things every day can you achieve great things.

When Gong Yuelong arrived at the district construction committee, he followed the instructions and found the engineering management section.

There was no one inside. He waited for a while, and then the small door inside opened, and a middle-aged man walked out. He was wearing a white shirt and black trousers, with a slightly protruding belly and neatly combed hair. He was carrying a thermos cup.

The man glanced at Gong Yuelong, his face expressionless, then walked behind the table and sat down: "What for?"

"Hello." Gong Yuelong handed over the file bag.

The man took the document, slowly flipped through it, glanced at it a few times, then looked up and sized up Gong Yuelong: "You're Gong Yuelong?"

"it's me."

The man took a sip of tea, put down his cup, and said, "This project, wasn't it Zhao Si... oh, Zhao Dehai and his team handling the initial earthwork?"

Gong Yuelong's heart skipped a beat, but his face remained calm: "I'm not very clear about the earlier matters; I just took over this part of the construction coordination."

The man, Zhou Guopeng, the deputy section chief in charge of this area, gave him a half-smile:

"Zhao Dehai is a bit impulsive, and sometimes his hands aren't very clean. But you know, in this line of work, bumps and bruises are inevitable, right?"

He spoke slowly, his words carrying a hidden meaning.

Gong Yuelong understood. This was a subtle hint to him.

Zhao Siyan and Liu Heita probably have more than just acquaintances with this Section Chief Zhou; they likely have some shady dealings involving mutual benefits.

By cutting off those two people's source of income and crippling them, he had essentially taken a piece of meat from Section Chief Zhou's bowl.

"You're right." Gong Yuelong nodded, saying nothing more or responding.

Seeing that he was so unyielding and impossible to reason with, Zhou Guopeng felt a little annoyed, but when he thought of the phone call he had received earlier, he suppressed that annoyance.

He leaned back, his tone becoming less forceful:

"I've checked the materials, and there aren't any major problems. However, we need to pay special attention to construction safety. As for General Manager Jiang... although I've given instructions, rules are rules."

He emphasized the words "General Manager Jiang" slightly, his eyes fixed on Gong Yuelong.