New "relations"
The next day, Lan Tongtong didn't wake up until noon. The hangover headache still lingered, but it was much better than the night before. She remembered Mo Ge's message, and a warm feeling welled up inside, along with a touch of embarrassment. She quickly got up, ate something quick, and headed to the beam yard.
Arriving at the beam yard office, I sensed a different atmosphere. A tall, booming stranger was engaged in a lively conversation with Deputy Director Feng Chang. He was in his early thirties, with dark skin and a brand-new, ill-fitting work uniform. He looked burly, and his every move exuded a bold, unassuming air of the underworld.
"Engineer Lan, you're just in time!" Feng Chang saw Lan Tongtong and waved, his face showing a mixture of politeness and helplessness. "Come, let me introduce you. This is our new technician, Zhang Biao."
The man immediately turned around, showing his white teeth, and laughed loudly: "Haha, you are Engineer Lan, right? I've heard about you for a long time, you are young and promising! My name is Zhang Biao, and I will work in the beam yard in the future. Thank you for your guidance!" As he said that, he stretched out his hand and shook hands with Lan Tongtong vigorously, with great strength.
"Hello, Mr. Zhang, welcome." Lan Tongtong was caught off guard by his enthusiasm.
Feng Chang pulled Lan Tongtong aside and said in a low voice, "Xiao Lan, this is... well, he was introduced by Deputy General Manager Zhang from the client's side to learn. He's here to help temporarily. He doesn't have much on-site experience, so you can take the trouble to familiarize him with the beam yard and explain the basic procedures and precautions."
Lan Tongtong understood immediately. Another "connected client," and one with considerable connections, introduced by the client's Vice President, Zhang Wang. This reminded her of Liu Feng, and her heart skipped a beat. But Zhang Biao's demeanor didn't match Liu Feng's feminine, demanding approach.
"Okay, Minister Feng, leave it to me." Lan Tongtong nodded in agreement.
He led Zhang Biao out of the office and onto the bustling beam yard. Curious about everything, Zhang Biao pointed at the massive steel frame, formwork, and concrete mixer truck and asked, "Worker Lan, are these the beams for the future bridge? Wow, they're massive! How heavy are these bars?"
Lan Tongtong patiently replied, "This is a prefabricated box girder with a standard span of 30 meters. The main reinforcement is about 32 millimeters in diameter, so it's really not light."
"Amazing!" Zhang Biao exclaimed in amazement, then pointed at the workers operating the machine and said, "These guys are really hardworking! I've been on a construction site before, but I was doing earthmoving. This is my first time doing this kind of technical work!"
Lan Tongtong guided him away from the work area while explaining the key steps in beam construction: rebar tying, formwork installation, prestressed pipe positioning, concrete pouring, and curing. Zhang Biao listened attentively, but his basic understanding was evident, and he often asked questions that seemed normal to the layperson but were somewhat amusing to the technicians.
For example, he would ask: "Once the concrete is poured in, how can we ensure that it is solid inside? It won't be hollow, right?" Lan Tongtong would have to explain the role and importance of the vibrator.
He would point to the prestressed steel strands and ask, "This wire is so thin, how can it support such a large beam?" Lan Tongtong would have to explain to him the principles of prestressed concrete.
Although the questions were basic, Zhang Biao was very friendly and asked questions whenever he didn't understand. His voice was loud, but not annoying, rather, it had a kind of rough and straightforwardness. He would often sigh with emotion: "Oh, this knowledge is different! Lan Gong, you know so much! I need to learn from you!"
After a complete tour, Lan Tongtong had a mixed impression of Zhang Biao. He certainly lacked professional knowledge and was a complete "newbie," but unlike Liu Feng, he didn't seem to harbor ulterior motives. Instead, he had the down-to-earth, straightforward demeanor of a migrant worker. She wondered if there was something hidden behind this straightforwardness.
"Mr. Zhang, this is roughly the process. There are a lot of details, and you will gradually become familiar with them." Lan Tongtong concluded.
"Okay, okay! Thank you so much, Engineer Lan!" Zhang Biao nodded vigorously, then took out a cigarette and handed it over. "Want one?"
"Thank you, I don't know how." Lan Tongtong waved her hand to refuse.
Zhang Biao lit a cigarette, took a puff, and looked at the busy beam yard. He sighed, "This place is great! It's much better than the earthwork we used to do! From now on, I'll follow you, Lan Gong. Just tell me what work you need. I'll take care of the hard work!"
Lan Tongtong smiled, but she didn't dare relax. She knew that with this special newcomer at the beam yard, her future work would be more uncertain. She just didn't know where this seemingly open "knife" would ultimately point. She couldn't help but think of Brother Mo, and she decided she had to find a chance to talk to him about this.
That afternoon, Lan Tongtong paused at work, her thoughts still lingering on Zhang Biao. This seemingly out-of-the-blue "connected person" appeared forthright, but his background and motives shrouded a fog of mystery. After much hesitation, she decided to approach Mo Zhichi, reveal the matter to him in person, and get his perspective.
She walked to the door of the director's office and knocked gently.
"Come in." Mo Zhichi's familiar voice came from inside.
Lan Tongtong pushed the door open and saw Mo Zhichi standing by the window, looking at the already formed bridge piers in the distance, his brows slightly furrowed, as if he was thinking about something. He turned around when he heard footsteps.
"Brother Mo." Lan Tongtong called out, and said hesitantly, "A new technician came to the beam yard today. His name is Zhang Biao."
"Yeah, I know." Mo Zhichi's expression didn't change. He just walked back to his desk and sat down, motioning her to sit down too.
Lan Tongtong was a little surprised that Mo Zhichi already knew about this, but she continued, "He was introduced by the owner, Vice President Zhang. Director Feng asked me to familiarize him with the site. He... doesn't seem to have much experience, but he's quite generous, it's just..."
"I just can't figure out the situation. I'm worried that he's the second Liu Feng, or has other intentions?" Mo Zhichi directly pointed out Lan Tongtong's concerns, and a very faint and meaningful smile seemed to appear at the corner of his mouth.
Lan Tongtong nodded honestly: "Yeah, I'm a little worried. After all..."
Before she could finish her words, Mo Zhichi suddenly chuckled and shook his head. His smile held a hint of understanding and a subtle, inexplicable depth. He looked at the bewildered Lan Tongtong and said slowly, "Don't guess. I recommended Zhang Biao to Mr. Zhang."
"What? You recommended him?" Lan Tongtong was completely stunned, her eyes wide open, completely unable to understand the logic behind this. Brother Mo clearly hated this kind of behavior of using connections to get people in, so why would he actively recommend someone who seemed unprofessional?
Seeing Lan Tongtong's surprise, Mo Zhichi patiently explained, "Didn't we have a coordination meeting with the owner a few days ago? We had dinner together after the meeting. Zhang Wang, the vice president of Tianma Investment, is Zhang Biao's distant uncle. He had a couple of extra drinks during the meal and mentioned his nephew. He said he was a very down-to-earth person, but he didn't have any skills. Working as a laborer for a small contractor wasn't a long-term solution. He wanted him to learn some real skills, but he didn't have any connections."
Mo Zhichi picked up the teacup, blew on the hot steam, and continued, "I told him at the time that if he really wanted to learn and wasn't afraid of hard work, we were shorthanded at the beam yard for the project, so he could start as a temporary worker and learn from the master craftsman on site. Mr. Zhang was very happy at the time and felt that I had done him a great favor."
Lan Tongtong seemed to understand a little, but still had questions: "But... why? And why is it the beam yard?" The beam yard has high technical content and heavy responsibilities, and assigning a novice to it does not seem to be the best choice.
Mo Zhichi's gaze grew sharper, and his voice lowered. "Tongtong, you have to look deeper. Why is Liu Feng so arrogant? Is it just because his father is Liu Tianyuan? Not entirely. It's more because he's the supervisor, holding the construction company's neck in his hands. And on the owner's side, Liu Tianyuan has a lot of say."
He paused, tapping his fingers lightly on the table. "Vice President Zhang Wang and Vice President Liu Tianyuan aren't on solid terms. Zhang Wang's people were assigned to the beam yard, and they were 'recommended' by me. Feng Chang understands this relationship, and Liu Chao understands it even more. Tell me, if Liu Feng wants to make things difficult for us at the beam yard as he has in the past, he should think twice."
Lan Tongtong suddenly realized something, her mind suddenly clearing up! It turned out that Brother Mo's move had such profound implications! This wasn't just about finding a job for Zhang Biao; it was also about cleverly exploiting the subtle relationships within the owner's organization to plant a "chess piece" in the key area of the beam yard that could effectively contain Liu Feng. Zhang Biao's presence itself was an invisible constraint on Liu Feng. By recommending Zhang Biao, Brother Mo not only did Vice President Zhang Wang a favor, but also partially took control of the initiative in this constraint.
"I understand, Brother Mo!" Lan Tongtong expressed sincere admiration. The twists and turns involved were beyond the comprehension of a freshly graduated student like her. Mo Zhichi wasn't just measuring the project with a ruler; he was also using his wisdom to gauge the complex interpersonal relationships and power balances.
"I'm glad you understand." Mo Zhichi nodded, his expression returning to seriousness. "I've gotten to know Zhang Biao from the side. He's not a bad person, just straightforward and not very scheming. When you lead him, you must teach him what he should teach and never let down his strict standards. Let him learn real skills and gain a firm foothold. That will be truly beneficial to us and the beam yard. Only then can this chess move come to fruition."
"Don't worry, Brother Mo, I know what to do," Lan Tongtong promised solemnly. She felt the burden on her shoulders grow heavier, but the direction was clearer than ever. Not only did she have to grow herself, but she also had to guide Zhang Biao well. This was both her job and the carefully planned plan by Brother Mo.
As Lan Tongtong left the office, he glanced back at Mo Zhichi, who had once again stood by the window. The setting sun gilded his silhouette, making it no longer just that of a meticulous engineer; it also revealed the composure and wisdom of a man who was well-versed in the world and masterminded his strategies.
Inside the ruler is the project, outside the ruler is the human heart. At this moment, Lan Tongtong feels that there is still a lot for her to learn.
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