Lying in bed, thinking about the woman he was going to marry, Liu Jian felt confused. Was it that she looked too abstract, too ordinary, or was his memory just that bad? He couldn't remember what she looked like no matter how hard he tried.
Driving his Peugeot, Liu Jian traveled between Panshi and Heishi. He had a lot of complaints about this car. Why did he have to buy a "bitch" brand when there were so many other brands to choose from? Sometimes, when he thought about riding a "bitch" every day, Liu Jian felt quite happy. He hadn't lived many days like this in his previous life.
Having accepted reality, Liu Jian had completely changed his mindset. What was the biggest advantage of being reborn? It was foresight. Liu Jian had had enough of hard times and wouldn't waste this hard-won gift. He hadn't figured out exactly what to do, but becoming a rich man was his unwavering goal.
Liu Jian's current plan is to first become a rich second generation, to help Liu Fu's business reach new heights, and to live his carefree days a little longer. So, the first step is to change Liu Fu's current status as a construction contractor.
Liu Fu's current project is the drying tower at the Black Stone Grain Depot, which he obtained through connections from the director of the Grain Bureau. The project is simple, the quality requirements are low, and payments are quick. In recent years, Liu Fu has prospered by relying on projects from the Grain Bureau. But this is also a double-edged sword. Liu Jian clearly remembers that in two years, the country will reform the grain system, and the good days of the Grain Bureau will be over. Liu Fu, with the mindset of making a final grab for profit, took on a large project, but the millions of yuan in project payments were delayed for more than ten years, and the entire Liu family's savings were lost.
That day, Liu Jian followed Liu Fu around for more than half a day and only managed to get 100,000 yuan. After working on the project for so long, this amount of money is not even enough to cover the material costs. Liu Jian doesn't understand it at all.
Liu Jian asked, "Dad, is it hard to get the money? The project is almost halfway done, how is this little bit of money enough for anything?"
Liu Fu smiled wryly and said, "Xiao Jian, there are a lot of things you don't know. You all think it's easy for contractors to make money. Your dad has to beg everyone to get the money every year. Your dad's biggest fear is collecting debts."
Liu Jian remembered the words Liu Fu occasionally mentioned after his business failed in his previous life, and a flash of inspiration struck him. He asked, "Dad, what are you planning to do with this money?"
Liu Fu said, "Of course, I'll take it back to pay the workers' wages. I'll delay the material costs as much as possible. If I can't, I'll bring some money."
Liu Jian smiled wryly, as expected of his father's way of doing things, and said, "Dad, isn't doing this breaking the rules of the industry? I heard that those contractors only pay the workers after the project is finished."
Liu Fu nodded and said, "I know that too, but you also know that those who work as laborers have a hard time. Their families are counting on this money to make ends meet. I can't bring myself to do that kind of thing!"
Liu Jian shook his head and said, "Dad, this project has cost the family a lot of money so far, right? Now, this 100,000 yuan isn't even enough to cover our debts, and you still want to use it to pay the workers? Dad, have you ever calculated how much interest is involved? If you take out a loan, how much more will our family have to put in?"
Liu Fu frowned. In recent years, money has been easy to make, although it's difficult to get paid, but sooner or later they'll get it. Liu Fu didn't realize the difference in interest rates at all. After hearing Liu Jian say this, Liu Fu did some mental calculations, and the resulting number startled him.
Seeing Liu Fu's expression, Liu Jian knew that Liu Fu was frightened by the huge amount of interest, and then said, "Dad, you're purely using your own money for others to spend. Who doesn't calculate these accounts? That's why everyone says it's industry practice."
Liu Fu's expression changed, and he said, "Then what do you say we should do? I've been doing it this way for years. Can I just change it on a whim? What if they make a fuss and refuse to work?"
Liu Jian said, "Dad, you're the only one who does it this way. I don't believe their families don't even have money for food. Other construction sites settle wages at the end of the year. Why can't you? Besides, it's hard to find a three-legged toad, but there are plenty of people with two legs. If they don't want to work, there are plenty who do. Why aren't other construction sites worried about not having workers? Because everyone knows there are plenty of workers."
Looking at Liu Fu, who was standing there in a daze, Liu Jian knew that Liu Fu had a kind heart and couldn't bear to see others in misery. But when it came to money, Liu Jian felt he had a responsibility to remind Liu Fu, after all, it also concerned his future happiness.
Liu Jian continued, "Dad, you may not think it's a big deal to break this trade rule, just taking a small loss yourself. But this isn't a small amount of money, and no one will be grateful for your generosity. To be more practical, what good does it do if these workers remember your kindness? If there's no work for them, will they still remember you?"
Liu Fu wanted to say something, but hesitated. Yes, if that day really came, what good would it do if they remembered?
Liu Jian said, "Dad, let's not talk about anything else. Which foreman makes less money than you? Which one has ever done this? To be more realistic, if you break the trade rules, who will cooperate with you? These days I've been running around with you, and even if you didn't say it, I've noticed that none of the foremen have a good relationship with you, and no one has ever cooperated with you. Why? The root cause is right here."
Liu Fu was rendered speechless by what was said. He hadn't realized that the good deed he thought he was doing had so many drawbacks. Many things he couldn't understand before, he understood now.
Liu Fu sat there, lit a cigarette, and started smoking. Looking at his son, who was eating with his head down, his heart was filled with mixed feelings.
Liu Fu asked, "Xiao Jian, after saying all this, what are your suggestions?"
Hearing Liu Fu ask that, Liu Jian finally breathed a sigh of relief, which meant that Liu Fu had really taken his words to heart.
He thought to himself, if I voiced this suggestion, countless people in later generations would curse me. He shook his head, brushed the thought aside, and said, "Dad, my suggestion is that we should also start delaying the wages of migrant workers."
Hearing his son's serious suggestion, Liu Fu was stunned. He was mentally prepared that Liu Jian's idea would be this. But Liu Fu had been a soldier, and he was very upright. He wasn't suited for the construction industry. You had to be ruthless in this line of work; the more ruthless you were, the more money you made. Liu Fu didn't manage to do it in his previous life and went under in a few years. In this life, Liu Jian would never let those things happen again.
Liu Jian knew his idea was a bit messed up, but it was the best option currently. Looking at his frowning father, Liu Jian was also a little worried. He picked up the Hong Shuangxi cigarettes that Liu Fu had placed on the table and lit one for himself. Liu Fu, who was thinking about something, saw his son skillfully puffing out smoke beside him and wondered when this kid had learned to smoke.
Looking at the worried Liu Fu, Liu Jian thought for a moment and said, "Dad, if you really can't bring yourself to be ruthless, just give them twenty or thirty thousand to get them started. Slow down the project for the next few days, and don't buy any more materials. In a few days, go to the Grain Bureau to ask for money. Wait until all of our early-stage project funds are settled before continuing. It doesn't matter if the project is slower. You can increase the budget and ask for more, won't we make more money then?"
Liu Fu still couldn't quite accept it, frowning and saying, "Xiao Jian, isn't that bad? I don't know how many people will be cursing me."
Liu Jian said, "Dad, do you think being scolded is more important, or making money is more important? Everything else is empty; only the money in hand is real."
Liu Fu was rendered speechless by this. Although he couldn't quite accept it in his heart, reason told him that Liu Jian was right.
During lunch, the father and son barely ate anything. Liu Fu's mind was filled with what Liu Jian had said. Looking at the 100,000 yuan in his hand, he knew he couldn't act the way he used to anymore. Liu Fu was kind, not stupid.
That afternoon, Liu Fu paid the construction workers 20,000 yuan in wages. The expected trouble didn't occur, and no one came chasing after him for more. Watching the workers continue with their work, Liu Fu deeply felt how correct his son's opinion was and realized that he must have seemed like a fool in the eyes of the workers all these years.
That evening, Liu Fu returned home drunk. Liu Jian's mother, having heard the story from Liu Jian, didn't say anything. Over the years, she had long been dissatisfied with Liu Fu's behavior. However, Liu's mother had been taking care of Liu Jian's daily life at home and didn't have much say in work matters. After several attempts to persuade him proved ineffective, she stopped saying anything. She hadn't expected her son to be so capable, persuading Liu Fu in just a few days.
This change was exactly what Liu Jian wanted to see. In the previous life, Liu Fu only left behind a good reputation but nothing else. When Liu Fu no longer had projects, the workers disappeared without a trace. Being good to them was completely useless.
Liu Fu quickly returned to normal and no longer concealed many things from Liu Jian, beginning to treat Liu Jian as an adult. After asking Liu Fu for money several more times, Liu Jian was also convinced and took the opportunity to say to Liu Fu: "Dad, can we think of a way to get those grain depot directors to help us ask for money? I've seen several grain depot directors asking for money for their projects these past few times, why doesn't anyone ask for our project?"
Liu Fu said: "You don't know that those guys keep adding to the budget. An engineering project that should clearly cost 500,000 yuan is dragged on for a month or two and costs 700,000 or 800,000 yuan. Those grain depot directors take the opportunity to add to the budget and can get a lot of benefits from it. Your dad wouldn't do such a thing."
Looking at Liu Fu's upright face, Liu Jian was dumbfounded. "No way, Dad, what are you thinking?"
This time, Liu Jian really didn't know what to say to Liu Fu. If it were anyone else, Liu Jian would probably be pointing his finger at him and yelling, "Are you stupid!"
Liu Jian rubbed his head and said, "Dad, think about it, the reason we can get this project now is because we have a connection with the Director of the Grain Bureau. What if he gets transferred? Besides, the additional budget isn't your money, and it's not anyone's personal money. Our country is so rich, would it even care about this little bit? And you haven't been a public employee for a long time, making money is all that matters, right?"
Liu Fu snorted and said, "Making money is important, but we can't abandon our conscience."
Liu Jian smiled wryly and said, "Dad, how can you say it's against your conscience? If you add more budget, you can improve the quality of the project. Besides, with the added budget, the grain depot can ask for more money in the name of it. Some of it is ours, some is the grain depot's. This is an open secret. Which contractor doesn't do it this way? If you don't give them this incentive, who among the grain depot directors will want to give you the project in the long run? They might not say anything, but who knows what they'll be cursing you in their hearts!"
Sighing, Liu Jian continued, "Dad, let's not talk about anything else. What will you do the day the director of the Grain Bureau really gets transferred? Without him, will you still get the project? Which grain depot would be willing to give you the project? Dad, let's just go with the flow. Don't do anything unconventional. Getting rich in silence is the only way to go."
Liu Fu didn't say anything, but you could see the confusion in his eyes. A person who is honest and kind is forced to make all kinds of changes for money. Surely his heart must be in pain at this moment. Liu Jian silently watched Liu Fu's figure, and felt a little uncomfortable for some reason. He knew he was destroying his father Liu Fu's long-held concept of integrity and uprightness. It was cruel, but that's how society is. If you don't change, you'll be eliminated. If Liu Fu doesn't want to be eliminated, he has to make this kind of change.
Looking up at the sunset clouds in the sky, Liu Jian was also confused, wondering where his future lay.