Civil Engineering in the Mortal World: Ten Years Without Knowing Today's Events

Three days later, the results of the supplementary investigation came out. The quicksand layer was between ten and fourteen meters below the surface, four meters shallower than expected. This meant that at least ten of the seventeen piles previously driven had not penetrated the quicksand layer, and their bearing capacity might not meet the design requirements.

Old Hu read the report, said nothing, and lit a cigarette.

"Chen Mu, notify the design institute to perform a recalculation. If the load-bearing capacity is insufficient—"

"Do we need to replace the piles?"

"Maybe." Old Hu stubbed out his cigarette. "Let's check the calculations first."

The design institute responded that same day. The calculation results showed that the bearing capacity of the ten piles was insufficient, requiring additional piles. The proposed replacement pile plan was to drive one pile next to each of the existing piles, for a total of ten replacement piles. This would add fifteen days to the construction period and 200,000 yuan to the cost.

Ms. Zhou arrived early the next morning. She stood beside the collapsed hole, holding the pile replacement plan in her hand, looking at it page by page. After finishing, she closed the plan and looked at Lao Hu.

"Mr. Hu, who will take responsibility for this?"

"The geological conditions do not match the survey report; it's not a construction issue."

"You hired the surveying firm."

"Yes. But the survey report was confirmed by Party A."

Mr. Zhou stared at Lao Hu for a few seconds. "Two hundred thousand, fifteen days to complete. I accept that. But not a single one of the subsequent piles can have any problems."

"Mr. Zhou, we have a clear understanding of the situation of the quicksand layer. We will use impact drills for the subsequent piles and apply mud slurry for wall protection, so there will be no more problems."

"I hope so." President Zhou left.

I stood on the open ground, watching the pile driver. Old Ma was changing the drill bit; the impact drill was much heavier than the original, and it took the crane a long time to install it.

"Engineer Chen," Old Ma jumped off the pile driver, "we need to switch to an impact drill. We can't even drive one pile a day."

"One needle a day, sixty needles would take two months."

"Two months is considered fast." Old Ma wiped the oil off his face. "It's a quicksand layer; you can't rush it. If you rush it, it will collapse, and if it collapses, it will take even longer."

I didn't say anything. I stood in the open space, looking at the location of the replacement stake. Two meters away from the original stake, a circle had been drawn with white lime.

My phone vibrated. It was a voice message from Xiaohui. I replied, "Busy, will reply later." Then I continued staring at the white and gray circle.

The days of repairing the piles were harder than expected.

Each pile driven by the impact drill takes more than ten hours, and the drill bit needs mud to protect the wall for every inch it advances in the quicksand layer. The mud specific gravity was adjusted three times to meet the requirements; if it was too thin, it wouldn't provide enough protection, and if it was too thick, it would clog the pump pipe.

Every day, Old Ma would squat by the mud pit, measuring the specific gravity meter again and again. After measuring, he would write it down in his notebook, which was covered in mud so much that the words were illegible.

I stayed on site every day from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Ms. Zhou comes twice a week, and each time she checks on the progress. The first week, four stakes were added. She said it was too slow. The second week, five stakes were added. She didn't say anything, but her expression was unpleasant.

Old Hu sent daily progress reports to the client for over twenty days, and the reply was always just two words: "Received."

By the end of December, the last batch of piles had finally been driven.

The testing unit conducted a static load test, and the settlement stabilized when the load was increased to 1.5 times the design value.

I looked at the dial gauge reading; it was just above the passing mark, not exceeding it, but there wasn't much margin left either. The person from the testing unit said "passed" and signed the report.

I stood beside the replacement pile, looking at it. The original pile was next to it, less than two meters away. One pile was up to standard, and the other, after being replaced, was also up to standard. But standard and standard are not the same. The original pile's settlement was only half that of the replacement pile.

I handed the report to Lao Hu. Lao Hu glanced at it, said nothing, and put it in the folder.

January was unusually cold in the provincial capital.

I changed my electric scooter gloves to a thicker pair, but my hands are still freezing. Every morning when I ride to the construction site, my fingers are stiff.

I started coughing a couple of days ago. It's a dry cough, my throat is itchy, and I can't cough anything up.

When my mom called, she heard me coughing and asked if I was sick. I said I was fine.

"When are you coming back? I haven't even looked at the furniture yet."

"Mom, I'll be done with this part here."

"You keep repeating the same thing over and over again. When are you going to stop?"

"Mid-month."

Mom hung up the phone. I put my phone on the table and continued drawing. The wind was blowing outside, stirring up dust from the construction site, turning the sky yellow. The pile driver had stopped, and the workers were excavating the soil between the piles. The excavator scooped up bucket after bucket of soil, throwing it aside to form a small hill.

In the middle of the month, I asked Lao Hu for leave to go home.

I went to see Xiaohui first. She was wearing that light blue dress with a gray coat over it, and she was still cold; her nose was red from the cold.

She was waiting for me downstairs.

"Brother Chen, you've lost weight."

"no."

"Yes. Brother Chen is lying."

I looked at her; her eyes were bright, but I noticed a dark circle under her eyes, as if she hadn't slept well.

"Xiao Hui, what time do you go to bed tonight?"

Nine o'clock.

"Did you sleep well?"

She lowered her head. "I can't sleep without Brother Chen."

I didn't know how to comfort her.

Standing downstairs, the wind blew in through the gaps between the buildings, making her hair flutter to one side.

"Xiao Hui, I'll be back in the spring."

"What month is spring?"

"March."

What date in March?

"It's not decided yet."

"Let me know when Brother Chen has made the decision."

"it is good."

……

When I rode to the furniture store, my mother was already waiting there, holding a stack of GG bills, each with a folded corner.

Sofas, beds, wardrobes, dining tables—I looked at each store and picked out each one carefully.

"We need two beds," Mom said. "One for you two, and one for your dad and me. Buy a bigger one for you, 1.8 meters."

"Mom, it doesn't need to be that big."

"It's better if it's bigger, so it won't be crowded when we have kids later."

I didn't reply. I paid a deposit of one thousand yuan and wrote down the delivery address: Chenwangzhuang.

When I got home in the evening, Dad was sitting on the sofa watching TV. He was thinner than last time; his cheekbones were prominent, and his face was almost devoid of flesh.

"Xiao Mu, have you ordered the furniture?"

"It's settled."

"How much?"

"Eight thousand."

Dad paused for a moment. "It's not expensive."

"Um."

The television was still playing traditional opera, its lyrics sung in a mournful, guttural tone. After listening for a while, Dad suddenly spoke. "Xiao Mu, Dad might not live to see you get married."

My heart skipped a beat.

"Dad, what are you saying?"

"To be honest," Dad's voice was soft, like the wind rustling through a piece of paper, "I know my own body. My liver function is getting worse and worse, and the doctor said I might not make it through next year."

"Dad, don't overthink it."

"I'm not overthinking it. Dad just wanted to let you know. If you can get it done sooner, then do it sooner. Don't wait until March."

"Dad, I've been discussing this with Xiao Hui's family for three months."

"Then March it will be." Dad turned back and continued watching TV.

My eyes felt a little sore, so I quickly lowered my head and shoveled the cold rice into my mouth. I couldn't swallow it, grain by grain.

The next day, my mother saw me to the door and gave me a bag of food: steamed buns, pickled vegetables, and homemade pickled peppers.

"Mom, I'm leaving."

"Drive carefully."

By the time we arrived in the provincial capital, it was already dark. The construction site was lit up, and the excavator was still digging, bucket after bucket, looking like a giant beetle under the lights.

I walked into the office, sat down, and turned on the computer. An unfinished drawing remained on the screen, the cursor blinking.

My phone vibrated. It was a voice message from Xiaohui.

Goodnight, Brother Chen.

"Good night."

Then I continued drawing. Outside the window, the excavator was still roaring.