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

Gong Yuelong was taken aback: "Fortune telling? I got a lucky charm when I was driving a car years ago, but I haven't bothered with it since."

He thought to himself, "Does getting a project require consulting one's birth chart?"

Jiang Yan smiled, beautifully, and waved her hand, saying, "I'm not asking you to do the calculations. I'm just saying that in our line of work, there are many customs and traditions surrounding groundbreaking and construction. It may seem superstitious, but many people believe in them, for peace of mind and good luck."

"I've heard of that," Gong Yuelong nodded.

"Just hearing about it isn't enough. You have to know your limits. When they do it, you just follow along by bowing and offering incense. Don't say too much, and don't show any unfamiliarity. That's called 'when in Rome, do as the Romans do'."

Her tone became more lively: "There are some tricks to it too. The client usually provides the incense, candles, and paper money, but if you're clever, you can bring two strings of red paper money yourself."

After the ceremony, ask a question and light a candle.

As soon as the sound started, red paper flew everywhere, and the scene became lively.

Spending little money makes you seem savvy and hopefully the project will be a success.

Gong Yuelong listened carefully: "Understood. Only when the proper etiquette is observed can the gift be considered truly presented."

"Yes." Jiang Yan became more talkative. "There are many strange and particular things in this industry. In my early years, I worked on construction sites and met an old project manager who would always bury a cobblestone with an inscription in the southeast corner of the foundation pit whenever he started a new construction site, saying it was to 'suppress the earth's energy.'"

Some people even tie a red cloth strip to the boom on the day the tower crane is erected... There's no real reason for it, but people in the construction industry feel more secure when they have something to rely on.

Over time, it becomes a rule that isn't really a rule.

Gong Yuelong understood, just like the lucky charm he used to hang in his car. He laughed and said, "It seems that to get a project, you not only need to understand blueprints, but also some old customs."

Jiang Yan laughed, "Of course."

"Let me tell you something even more mysterious. A dozen years ago, there was a man in the city called Master Zhao, who was quite legendary."

No matter how difficult or dangerous the project he takes on, he can complete it safely and quickly with acceptance and settlement.

People say he's lucky. But insiders say it's because he's very particular about these old customs. He always chooses the most auspicious dates for laying the foundation or completing the project, either by consulting the almanac himself or by asking someone else to do so.

Of course, he himself is also very capable.

But his reputation for good fortune spread, and more people sought him out. Would you call that superstition, or just that he knew how to capitalize on opportunities?

Gong Yuelong seemed to be thinking: "It seems that understanding these old customs is more important than believing them. Following them can sometimes really save you trouble, and even bring some benefits."

"That's the idea." Jiang Yan saw that he understood, and her eyes showed approval.

"In this industry, contracts, qualifications, and skills are the hard skills; these underwater intricacies, personal connections, and trends are the soft skills. You need to have both."

She quieted down a bit, her tone returning to its crispness: "Of course, the fundamental thing is to do the job well, manage the people, and ensure safety. Don't put the cart before the horse."

"I've noted it down," Gong Yuelong replied.

Seeing that it was getting late, he got up to say goodbye.

Jiang Yan smiled and urged them to stay in touch.

Stepping out of the office building, a cool evening breeze blew. Gong Yuelong's mind was now filled with another thing: the project, manpower, and the old routine for starting work.

As he walked, he thought, "Red earth...carved stones...red ribbons...I need to ask Sister Qin and Uncle Niu where I can get them all."

Thinking about it, I smiled to myself.

From foreman to General Manager Gong, there's a real variety of things to learn.

……

Late at night, Gong Yuelong walked towards the courtyard where the characters were being dismantled.

A hot wind rushed over me, instantly drying the sweat that had just appeared. Mosquitoes buzzed around me.

"Um?"

A figure stood at the entrance of the courtyard.

The waistline is meticulously cinched, with an extremely pronounced curve.

It is Yu Yue.

My ex-wife, Yu Yue.

Upon seeing Gong Yuelong, Yu Yue's face blossomed into a gentle and graceful smile, her voice soft and melodious, carrying just the right amount of... a slight tremor from a long-awaited reunion:

"Yuelong, you're back."

greasy.

Even the slightest smile on her face seemed to have been carefully measured.

The initial heat in Gong Yuelong's heart was instantly replaced by a clear sense of annoyance and coldness.

He looked at her. Her appearance, her tone of voice, her posture.

He suddenly understood that the person he was back then, who had nothing but strength and recklessness.

How did he fall headfirst into it, how did he practice boxing so hard, how did he willingly give his all and be her slave, giving her every penny he earned, and still feel that he wasn't good enough?

A naive young man who had just struggled out of the mire of poverty was suddenly struck by the sight of such a refined, gentle woman who seemed to radiate a halo.

She spoke softly to him, saying he had worked hard, and handed him a clean handkerchief.

How the hell can we withstand this?

He chuckled inwardly, but his face remained impassive as he simply nodded: "What is it?"

This short, crisp sentence, devoid of warmth, caused Yu Yue's prepared, gentle words, along with the perfectly measured tenderness and concern on her face, to freeze slightly.

Her confidence wavered, and she thought to herself:

"It's really different... When they saw me like this, they didn't rush to ask me how long I'd been standing, if I was hungry, or if I was tired, like they used to..."

Her mind worked quickly; the slight displeasure on her face flashed by, replaced by a more gentle demeanor. She took a small half-step forward, her voice softening even more.

"I heard you got your qualifications? I'm so happy for you, it wasn't easy."

I... I happened to be running some errands nearby and thought I'd drop by. Also... Duoduo's birthday is next month, and she keeps talking about her dad. Are you... available that day?

Gong Yuelong looked at Yu Yue's gentle and concerned appearance, his mind racing.

He knew all her poses too well.

He feigns weakness, reminisces, uses his daughter as an excuse, and his eyes reveal a calculating and probing look.

He used to fall for that, but now...

A fleeting look of dazedness crossed his face, as if her words had stirred up old feelings within him. His voice softened, a stark contrast to his previous coldness.

"Sigh, don't even mention it. This time, we were able to get it done thanks to General Manager Jiang—the same Jiang Yan who mentioned me before."

They genuinely helped me, giving me directions and introducing me to people; they didn't look down on me at all, considering I was just starting out.

As Yu Yue listened, a surge of bitterness and jealousy welled up inside her.

When she left, she was convinced that this was all there was to him for the rest of his life.

Now I have to deal with my husband and put on a smiling face to get even a little bit of opportunity or information.

What makes Gong Yuelong so special? Just his ruthlessness and luck, enough to get a woman like Jiang Yan to put in so much effort to help him?

No wonder people say that in this world, it's sometimes easier for men to turn things around than for women!

If only she had his reckless drive and Jiang Yan's connections...

She felt a surge of resentment, but quickly put on a relieved expression, preparing to continue the conversation.

Let's catch up and get to know each other better, and see if we can benefit from his newfound connections.

But Gong Yuelong beat him to it, his eyes filled with a hint of old dependence as he looked at her:

"Speaking of which, I have to thank you, Xiaoyue." He used the old form of address.

"You used to say I was stubborn, inflexible, and didn't know how to adapt."

At the time, I was unconvinced. Looking back now, if it weren't for that stubbornness that kept me focused on the path of aptitude and not going off to do other crooked things, I probably wouldn't have been able to wait for Mr. Jiang to give me a hand.

You were doing it for my own good back then.

Yu Yue was taken aback.