Engineer Cui: "Sanmao..."
I poked my head into their car and said to the driver, "Does your hospital use this special method to let patients get some fresh air?"
Engineer Cui, both amused and exasperated, walked aside to make a phone call. A moment later, Li He called back: "I heard you thought our chief engineer was crazy?"
I asked him, "Is your chief engineer a disheveled man who drives a beat-up Santana and whose shirt looks like it hasn't been washed in two weeks?"
Li He: "...Right?"
I covered my phone with my hand and whispered, "The person in front of me looks a lot like your engineer!"
Li He: "...That's our chief engineer."
...
After an awkward moment, I shook hands with Engineer Cui again. I said apologetically, "I'm so sorry, it was mainly because what you said was too far-fetched. According to you, the country will expand the talent cultivation program as originally planned?"
Engineer Cui said, "The original plan may not be accurate, and we may need to increase the investment by 30%. The plan to transplant ancient trees alone will cost tens of millions more, and with the lawn, the landscaping alone will cost hundreds of millions."
Pointing helplessly at the buildings in front of me, I said, "Actually, all I ask is that the government build me another one of this scale."
Engineer Cui glanced at the buildings I had painstakingly constructed and said disdainfully, "What is this? Tear it down!" He put his hand on my shoulder and pointed towards the school gate, "See? After you come in through the gate, you'll be greeted by a school motto stone, and behind it is a large pond. I'll build you a 15-meter-high fountain."
I resolutely interrupted him, saying, "That won't do. I don't care if you turn this place into a septic tank, but these buildings absolutely cannot be demolished!"
Why is that?
"For no other reason than that it is the foundation of our talent cultivation, and it cannot be touched."
“I didn’t realize you were still so old-fashioned.” As he spoke, Engineer Cui took out the blueprints, unfolded them, scribbled two lines with a red pencil, and then put them away. Pointing to the school gate, he said, “Since that’s the case, I’ll move your school gate back 50 meters, put the stones and fountains back on for you, and then plant willow trees to cover up this cluster of buildings.”
I said with dissatisfaction, "What did our building do to offend you? Why do you dislike us so much? Also, the school gate has been moved back. What about the walls on both sides of the gate?"
"Tear it down!" Engineer Cui said ruthlessly. "All the walls have to be torn down. My blueprint is based on 2,300 mu, but your school is only less than 2,000 mu now."
I said cautiously, "Then I only have one last question—who will pay for it?"
This is what I'm most worried about. Judging from Engineer Cui's boastful tone, he sounds like a ruthless contractor. Don't tell me he'll tear everything down before even mentioning money. Forget building, I can't even afford to pay for demolishing this stretch of wall that's several miles long. That's why I don't want the old buildings demolished. With these buildings, Yucai School is still a school; without them, it'll truly become a wasteland.
When faced with my question, Engineer Cui readily replied, "Anyway, you don't need to pay."
"Then you push it."
Engineer Cui's eyes lit up: "Even these few dilapidated buildings?"
I said, "That won't do—just remember this: these few dilapidated buildings are like my wife; you can't make a move on them, let alone try to demolish them."
He immediately looked disappointed. I joked with him, "Why do you, an engineer, enjoy causing trouble so much?"
Engineer Cui blushed slightly and said, "I used to study directional blasting..."
Chapter 41 Searching for Yue Fei
After seeing Engineer Cui off, I went to visit the rest of the team. Engineer Cui is quite an interesting guy. After consulting me, he made a few marks on the blueprints with a red pencil, and it seemed like a multi-million dollar project was already approved. I think this might be related to his previous profession; directional blasting requires simplicity, precision, speed, and cleanliness. However, I was also a little worried for him and myself—what if one day he wasn't fully awake and thought he was still in his old profession…
Zhang Shun and Duan Jingzhu were now placed in the same room for An Daoquan's convenience. The others split into groups to go out and gather intelligence, leaving only Lin Chong at home to provide support. This support was actually to protect those remaining, otherwise their stronghold might be raided. Even with Lin Chong, it was still a lone wolf; those at home still relied on the 300 men living with them for protection. Although no one said it aloud, everyone understood, hence the sorrowful expressions on Lu Junyi and Wu Yong's faces. The Liangshan heroes had probably never felt so desolate.
Fortunately, Zhang Shun has a beautiful and lively female apprentice named Ni Siyu. Right now, the little girl is peeling an apple with a knife, scolding Zhang Shun with a stern face as she does so: "I'm not trying to be mean, Master, but how come you're such a grown man and still getting into fights?" I know she's just trying to cheer Zhang Shun up. It won't be difficult for Zhang Shun to get out of bed in a few days, but if he wants to go swimming again, it will probably be three months later. That's as painful as a lecher not being able to touch a woman for three months.
Lin Chong told me that Ni Siyu arrived this morning and had been crying until just now; she has only just calmed down.
I snatched the apple she was almost peeling from her hand and stuffed it into my mouth. Then I pushed her off the bed with my bottom and, with the apple still in my mouth, mumbled to Zhang Shun, "Are you feeling better?"
Ni Siyu tapped my back twice with her little fist, then stood beside me peeling a second apple. I saw Zhang Shun shake his head slightly, knowing that things were probably not progressing much. Because Ni Siyu was there, we could only talk about trivial things.
Just then, the door opened, and Xiang Yu arrived. Ni Siyu sweetly called out, "Big brother, would you like an apple?" Zhang Shun and I said in unison, "You have no conscience!"
Another beautiful woman with a serene expression appeared behind Xiang Yu; it was Zhang Bing. Ni Siyu was seeing her for the first time. Seeing this elegant beauty so intimately close to Xiang Yu, she knew this must be her "sister-in-law," and was momentarily stunned. I swiftly snatched the knife from her hand, nearly slicing my hand in the process. I scoffed, "This isn't a TV show, why all the formality?"
After Xiang Yu and Zhang Bing, another person carelessly barged in—it was Zhang Shuai. It seems this freak trio is truly inseparable.
Xiang Yu didn't care about anything else. He first glanced at Duan Jingzhu on the bed next to him, nodded to him, then picked me up and put me aside. He sat on the bed. He first looked at Zhang Shun's injury, then frowned and asked, "Who did this?" Zhang Shun and the Ruan brothers had become friends with Xiang Yu after a fight, and now they were very close. Seeing the horrific wound on Zhang Shun's leg, he was already furious.
Zhang Shun hesitated, then Xiang Yu looked up and said, "Those who are not involved should leave for now."
Zhang Shuai was the first to leave. Seeing that Xiang Yu didn't try to stop him, Zhang Bing had no choice but to follow. Ni Siyu had just flashed a triumphant dimpled smile when Zhang Shun said, "Xiaoyu, you go out too." Ni Siyu immediately pouted.
After closing the door, Zhang Shun briefly recounted the events, also mentioning the grudges between the heroes and the Eight Heavenly Kings. Xiang Yu listened and murmured, "Li Tianrun? I'll remember that name. Leave this man to me."
Those present reacted differently to his words. Wu Yong was overjoyed; receiving Xiang Yu's powerful ally at this time was undoubtedly a godsend. Lin Chong, however, hesitated for a moment and said, "Brother Overlord, this is a matter between Liangshan and Fang La; please do not interfere."
Xiang Yu smiled faintly and said, "I don't care about other things. I only know that this Li Tianrun injured my friend. This matter is between him and me. It doesn't count as helping your Liangshan."
Duan Jingzhu said, "Brother Xiang, let's avenge me as well. The one who hit me is Wang Yin..." He was glared at fiercely by Lin Chong.
Xiang Yu smiled slightly and asked me, "Don't you know anything about how these people came to be?"
I said, "I'm also looking for that old charlatan Liu Laoliu. I suspect he failed his tribulation and was knocked away by the Thunder God's brick."
Xiang Yu said, "Then let's find Li Tianrun and the others first." As he spoke, he patted Zhang Shun on the shoulder and said meaningfully, "We don't have much time left."
I jumped up and said, "Yeah, you only have a year anyway, why make trouble for yourselves? Wouldn't it be better to just pretend you've never met him?"
Unexpectedly, Zhang Shun, who was usually very easygoing, gritted his teeth and said, "Xiao Qiang, let me ask you, if your father's killer and you were in the same slowly boiling pot and couldn't escape, and according to you you were going to die sooner or later anyway, would you kill him first, or would you just let him kill you because there's no hope of survival?"
I rested my chin on my hand and thought for a moment before saying, "I can persuade him to escape with me first."
Zhang Shun slammed his fist on the bed and shouted, "Do you even know what it means to be irreconcilable enemies?!"