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

Liu Jing picked up the menu at the opportune moment, smiling as she turned to Lin Wei:

"Mr. Lin, we've been so busy talking that we haven't ordered all the dishes yet, have we? How about we add something else? Their fish is quite good; it's made with local river fish."

"Yes, yes, add some fish and some vegetables," Lin Wei quickly chimed in, smoothly changing the subject.

"Mr. Zhao, what happened to that cultural center project in the town you mentioned last time?"

Taking advantage of the situation, Zhao Hongyuan began to talk about the project, but his tone was less enthusiastic than when he was talking to President Gong, and more casual.

The conversation at the table seemed to have resumed, but the atmosphere had changed.

Gong Yuelong could tell that he was no longer a potential partner who was treated as an equal, but rather... perhaps still somewhat useful, but definitely not an outsider belonging to their company's circle.

He sat quietly, listening to them chat about trivial matters and calculations, his mind clear, and he even felt like laughing.

This meal was worth it.

At least it made him see clearly where the threshold was for the circle he wanted to enter.

Lin Wei took a sip of tea, then turned the conversation back to the main topic:

"Honestly, with the current labor qualification requirements, it's impossible to get by without the necessary qualifications."

I've recently been asking around to see if I can set up a shell company for labor subcontracting—I just don't know if I have the connections or if the money will be well spent.

Zhao Hongyuan scoffed:

"Applying for qualifications at this critical juncture? You're just asking to be ripped off."

We're just doing the work, no need to worry about so much. Speaking of making money, the Gold Coast is the place to go. I heard they handled over ten tons of steel bars in one go. I had a friend who could have gotten it, but some guy in a beat-up pickup truck intercepted it halfway there; he was incredibly fast.

He smacked his lips:

"That acquaintance was furious later, saying that the person who snatched the job was a complete stranger, driving a beat-up pickup truck, and working very efficiently, negotiating and delivering the goods on the same day. By the time he found out, there wouldn't be a trace left."

Liu Jing also seemed to remember something, and smiled, pursing her lips:

"That's not all. For the sports center project, everything was arranged beforehand, but at the last minute, a team that nobody had ever heard of took it on."

I heard the person leading the team is quite capable; he coordinated everything flawlessly on-site, and even someone as difficult as Fatty Zhao gave him a positive review.

As she spoke, a hint of emotion crossed her eyes:

"This kind of job may seem small, but countless people would kill for it, only for some random person to snag it. Tell me, isn't that just luck?"

Gong Yuelong listened, but a slight thought stirred within him.

Ten tons of steel bars... the concrete work for the sports center...

Isn't this all something he did?

It turns out that in the eyes of these people, the opportunities he desperately seized were snatched away by a fool, or just some random stroke of luck.

They didn't know that he was the one driving the beat-up pickup truck, or that he was the one leading the team into the sports center.

But none of that matters anymore.

The important thing is that he's sitting here now, listening to them talk about that lucky guy with envious tones.

And he was that guy.

Gong Yuelong put down his teacup and smiled.

Unbeknownst to him, he had become the one who had stolen the prize in other people's eyes.

Although the other person was sitting right across from him at that moment, completely unaware of the truth.

Zhao Hongyuan was still lamenting, "In this industry, sometimes it's the bold who get rich and the timid who starve. If we're too conventional, we'll just be too constrained."

Lin Wei nodded, then looked at Gong Yuelong, this time with a more serious tone:

"Boss Gong, although you mainly do labor services now, if you want to go more formal in the future, you will have to deal with qualifications sooner or later."

"If...if I find a reliable connection, could we share the information?"

Gong Yuelong nodded:

"it is good."

Lin Wei and the others chatted enthusiastically, but Gong Yuelong didn't say much, only slowly eating the fish that had just been served.

The fish is a local river delicacy, cooked to perfection. One bite after another, you savor the rich and fresh flavor.

He ate with a sense of satisfaction, as if the meal itself was more substantial than any of the conversations at the table.

After Gong Yuelong finished eating and drinking, he wiped his mouth, stood up, and said:

"Please enjoy your meal, everyone. I'll be taking my leave now."

Lin Wei and the others politely tried to persuade him to stay, but seeing that he was determined to leave, they did not insist.

Zhao Hongyuan even got up to see him to the door and said, "Take care, Boss Gong."

After Gong Yuelong's figure disappeared at the top of the stairs, Zhao Hongyuan sat back down at the table, shook his head and smiled:

"This Mr. Gong is a very honest person. It's just a pity, I thought he was a capable colleague."

Liu Jing took a sip of tea and replied softly:

"The labor market is tough right now. Speaking of which, have you heard? A while ago, Zhao Siyan and Liu Heita in the north of the city got their jobs taken."

Lin Wei put down her chopsticks, her eyes narrowing:

"True story? I've vaguely heard people mention it, but I thought it was just a rumor."

"Absolutely true." Zhao Hongyuan lowered his voice.

"Right at the barbecue stall in Daodong, in full view of everyone, their hands and feet were broken cleanly and efficiently. After the beating, they even took compensation and declared—'From now on, in Zicheng, I'll beat them every time I see them.'"

Liu Jing sighed softly, "To be so ruthless... I wonder who it was."

Xiao Zhang, the driver who had been sitting quietly in the corner and hadn't said much—he was brought by Zhao Hongyuan and usually went to construction sites with him—said something at this moment:

"General Manager Zhao, General Manager Liu, General Manager Lin... I... I think I know who they are."

The three of them looked at him at the same time.

Xiao Zhang swallowed hard, his voice strained:

"It's...it's the guy who just left...Boss Gong."

The table fell silent instantly.

Liu Jing raised her delicate eyebrows, and Zhao Hongyuan opened his mouth but couldn't say anything for a long time.

"Are you... sure?" Lin Wei's voice was a little unsteady.

Xiao Zhang nodded and said in a low voice:

"I happened to be having barbecue nearby that night and saw it with my own eyes."

Boss Gong went over alone, didn't say a few words, and went straight to... Liu Heita's arm.

The sound of a crack was chilling. Zhao Si tried to run, but his leg was broken by a kick.

After beating him up, he squatted there waiting for Zhao Siyan to transfer the money before leaving.

He paused, then added in a low voice:

"Later I heard from people that it was because Zhao Siyan and his gang beat up a guy named Lao Niu, one of Boss Gong's men, smashed his car, and tried to cut off his source of income."

Another silence fell over the table.

Zhao Hongyuan slowly leaned back in his chair and let out a long sigh:

"No wonder... I felt that this person's eyes were a bit different just now. They looked calm, but there was something in them."

Liu Jing gently shook her head, her tone complex:

"At the bottom of this line of work, people are really risking their lives. People like Lao Niu can only endure being beaten."

Boss Gong's willingness to take action... is ruthless, but he was also driven to the brink.

Lin Wei didn't say anything, but just stared at the seat where Gong Yuelong had just sat. The bowl of fish soup was still there, steaming slightly.

She remembered his calm demeanor when he said I didn't have much of a company, just a shift leader; she remembered his focused attention as he ate his fish; and she remembered his decisive response when he said "okay."

It turns out that it wasn't dullness, but rather the composure that comes from having lost someone's limbs.

It turned out that the arrogant stranger they had just been lamenting was right there at the table, quietly listening to them talk about him.

She suddenly realized that she hadn't eaten enough at that meal.