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

Most of her complaints and criticisms back then stemmed from disappointment and disdain, not from genuine concern for him.

But seeing that his expression was completely unconcerned, only filled with emotion, she lowered her eyes accordingly, her tone becoming even gentler, tinged with reminiscence:

"It's good that you think that way... I was anxious back then, afraid you'd go down the wrong path. I've always known you're honest and responsible."

She sighed softly, playing the role of a discerning ex-wife who, though separated, still cherished the past.

Gong Yuelong showed a touched expression of being understood, as if her words had touched his heart.

"You always...understand me best." His voice was lower, sounding sincere.

"Since you understand and still have some old feelings for me, and I'm really in a difficult situation right now, you... you definitely won't bear to see me in trouble and will help me, right?"

Yu Yue was a little stunned by his sudden direct approach, and all the tender words she had prepared were stuck in her throat.

She was caught in a dilemma by Gong Yuelong's heartfelt words, a slight alarm bell ringing in her heart, but she could only climb up the ladder of past affection and understanding, barely maintaining her gentle mask:

"Look at what you're saying, between us... what's there to help each other with? Tell me, what's the difficulty?"

Gong Yuelong lowered his voice as well, as if he truly had something difficult to say:

"As you know, once the qualifications are issued, it's just an empty shell."

Now I've finally found a reliable project—there's an urgent job in the High-tech Zone, not large in scale, but with decent profits, perfect for me to practice on.

He paused, observing Yu Yue's expression, "It's these kinds of small projects where the client is very demanding on payments, requiring us to advance funds to get started, and only settling a portion of the payment after we've reached a certain milestone."

I'm... really short on cash.

He looked at Yu Yue with an open and honest gaze, yet his expression was uncompromising and left no room for doubt:

"You just said that you know I am honest, responsible, and won't do anything reckless."

I've calculated this project repeatedly. As long as I invest the initial capital, there shouldn't be any problem with the subsequent payments; the only problem is the lack of start-up funds.

He leaned forward slightly, as if he considered her one of his own.

"Xiaoyue, I remember clearly that before the divorce, we dealt with the house and car, and in the end, you got more than 500,000 yuan. At that time, I thought that you and Duoduo couldn't be left without a future."

"Look...would it be convenient for you to return that money to me first, so I can tide me over?"

His eyes were earnest, and his tone was crisp.

"For Duoduo's sake, and for the sake of my hard-won journey onto the right path, please give me a hand."

You're so reasonable, you'll definitely help me, right?

Yu Yue's gentle smile instantly faltered.

Give me my money back first?

Yu Yue's mind went blank for a moment, and she almost doubted that she had heard correctly.

This is completely different from the script she had envisioned!

Shouldn't it be that when she shows a little tenderness and mentions their daughter, he feels guilty and vulnerable, takes the initiative to talk about his recent situation, and even reveals some new relationships or opportunities that can be taken advantage of?

How come he's now so self-righteous, demanding that money from her?

"Yuelong, that money... I..." Yu Yue opened her mouth, but for a moment she didn't know how to respond.

Gong Yuelong, however, seemed oblivious to her astonishment and embarrassment, and instead continued, following the lead of the conversation:

"Speaking of which, I really have to thank you for reminding me last time that I needed to find the right connections. This time, Mr. Jiang really went to great lengths to help me."

A suitable excitement flickered in his eyes.

"It wasn't just about qualifications; she even thought about the next few steps for me. She was the one who suggested this project in the High-tech Zone, and she asked me to give it a try."

When Yu Yue heard that President Jiang was offering such generous assistance, the embarrassment and annoyance she felt at being asked for a debt were instantly replaced by a sense of resentment.

She knew all too well what this meant—it was definitely not just a favor to show kindness!

Gong Yuelong observed her expression, his tone becoming even more seductive:

"That's not all. General Manager Jiang mentioned to me privately that once this project is doing well, she will find an opportunity to introduce me to Li Qianghua, the General Manager of the Municipal Construction Company."

He lowered his voice slightly, "Mr. Li has a lot of influence with the municipal government and several large development companies."

If I could get him to nod in approval and acknowledge my team, the quality of the jobs I get from now on would be completely different.

He noticed that Yu Yue's breathing seemed to quicken slightly, so he added fuel to the fire, painting an even grander picture:

"General Manager Jiang's meaning is very clear: first use small projects to train the troops, build reputation and performance."

Qualifications are not the end goal. The next step is to find opportunities, through affiliation or cooperation, to tackle the tough jobs subcontracted by state-owned enterprises.

Even if they only get a small piece of the pie, the profits and industry standing they achieve would be incomparable to what they can get by simply waiting in the labor market.

He sighed, his tone returning to reality:

"But all of this must begin with taking this first step steadily."

This project in the High-tech Zone is the first step, and also a crucial one.

That money... was the accelerator I stepped on for the first step.

Without it, no matter how good the car or how well-known the road, it won't move.

He looked at Yu Yue earnestly, presenting her with both the enormous potential profits and a small request:

"Xiaoyue, if you keep this money, it's dead money. But if I put it with me, it could become a continuous source of fresh capital for the future."

"You gave me a hand, and once I've truly established myself in this industry and made a name for myself, how could I possibly forget about you and Duoduo?"

Seeing her ever-changing expression, Gong Yuelong deliberately straightened his back, exuding an air of confidence that he was doing well.

"You're dumbfounded, aren't you?" he thought to himself.

Yu Yue lowered her eyelids slightly, concealing the surprise and confusion in her eyes.

She still finds it hard to accept that the man she thought had no chance of ever making a comeback actually managed to start anew and even get involved with someone like Jiang Yan.

Gong Yuelong's eyes flickered slightly, catching her fleeting wavering, and he immediately continued the conversation:

"Xiaoyue, to be honest, with your looks and abilities, you should be living a much more comfortable life than you are now."

He paused, as if weighing whether he should speak.

"Your current partner holds a prestigious and stable position in the district, but in reality... I've been handling these procedures lately and have heard some rumors."

He lowered his voice, carrying a meaning only those in the know would understand:

"Their department has handled many projects, but the rules are becoming increasingly strict."

Recently, the higher-ups have been investigating more thoroughly, especially those borderline cases from the past, which are now being brought up again.

Security, auditing, bidding processes... if anything goes wrong, someone has to take responsibility.

He observed Yu Yue's instantly tense expression and spoke even more bluntly:

"Sitting in that seat, how many people are staring at you from below, and how many eyes are watching you from above?"

One wrong move and it's not just a matter of whether you get promoted or not.

He seems quite stable now, but you may not be fully aware of how many landmines are hidden beneath that stability.

"You must have spent a lot of time worrying about him, trying to figure out how to avoid trouble for him, right?"