Chapter 861

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Protagonist:

Li Xiulan

"Remember, when you see Zhou Hongwei and the others later, don't say your company went bankrupt. Just say you're preparing to develop in the construction industry and want to come understand the market conditions first, experience the intensity of frontline work."

Early the next morning, Wang Zhanggen took Wang Erhai to the construction site, instructing Wang Erhai along the way.

Wang Erhai's mindset was actually much better than before; he asked with a smile:

"Why can't I say it? Nothing would happen if I did."

Wang Zhanggen glared at him coldly:

"You really have a wooden head, no wonder you ran the company into bankruptcy! If you say that, how will they look at you, how will they look at your father me? A tree needs bark, a person needs face, understand? And you call yourself a big boss!"

"Got it, got it, don't worry, if they don't ask, I won't say."

Wang Erhai nodded in agreement.

Wang Zhanggen then said:

"If they ask, you still can't say!"

Wang Erhai smiled:

"Fine, fine, if they ask, I won't say either."

Wang Zhanggen suddenly remembered something at this moment, then hurriedly added:

"Right, the matter of your divorce from Liu Meiqi, don't tell them that either. Family shame shouldn't be spread outside, understand?"

"Okay, okay, I know, Dad. Even if you don't say it, I know what to do. I'm not a little kid anymore."

Soon, the two arrived at the construction site.

This was the place where the construction team led by Zhou Hongwei worked, and also the Wang family's new building.

The shell of the new building was already finished.

Now it was being renovated.

Wang Zhanggen brought Wang Erhai inside, only to see Zhou Hongwei laying tiles, while Liang Xinghua and Zhou Zhihao listened carefully nearby.

"Remember, there are two key points to laying tiles: first, don't skimp on cement; the cement must cover the entire tile to avoid hollow spots. If hollow spots appear and the homeowner discovers them during inspection, rework will be needed. Second, you must know how to find level. The most important thing in laying tiles is to lay them flat; if they're not flat, everything else is wasted effort! How to find level? See that level pipe? First use the level pipe to determine the level line, then fix both sides with ash lines, find the level points, then use the ash lines as reference, laying piece by piece. That way it's basically flat."

Zhou Hongwei explained in great detail and even demonstrated on the spot for Liang Xinghua and Zhou Zhihao.

Liang Xinghua watched very seriously, but Zhou Zhihao was absent-minded on the side.

Holding a mobile phone in his hand, constantly replying to messages.

"Zhihao, pay attention and listen!"

Zhou Hongwei couldn't help but say a sentence to Zhou Zhihao:

"You've followed me this long, yet you don't learn as fast as Xinghua!"

Zhou Zhihao was Zhou Hongwei's nephew, which was why Zhou Hongwei cared a bit more.

If it were someone else, he couldn't be bothered to say anything.

"Got it, Second Uncle." Zhou Zhihao replied with just that sentence.

But his hand was still playing with the phone.

"Can't you put the phone down first!"

"I'm replying to Yun Cui's messages!" Zhou Zhihao said as such.

Zhou Hongwei was directly rendered speechless:

"Really don't know what's so good about that Li Yuncui! You really aren't picky!"

"Second Uncle, don't talk about Yun Cui like that. She's a good girl!"

"Would a good girl sell her own child?"

Watching the uncle and nephew, they were about to start arguing.

At this moment, Wang Zhanggen walked in with Wang Erhai.

"Brother Hongwei, Erhai says he wants to learn mud/plaster work!"

Wang Zhanggen passed a cigarette over.

Zhou Hongwei hurriedly stood up to receive the cigarette, face showing puzzlement:

"Isn't your son a big boss in the county town? How come he's back learning mud work?"

Wang Erhai laughed hehe, took out a lighter, lit a cigarette for Zhou Hongwei:

"Uncle Hongwei, I'm just preparing to enter the construction industry, so I came to you first to learn from your experience. Please give me plenty of guidance."

Wang Erhai spoke as Wang Zhanggen had prompted earlier; Wang Zhanggen listened and felt a load off his mind.

He had just been afraid Wang Erhai would speak nonsense.

Unexpectedly, Wang Erhai was this obedient.

"Preparing to enter the construction industry? So you want to open a construction company in the county town?" Zhou Hongwei asked in surprise.

Wang Erhai nodded:

"Yeah."

Zhou Hongwei asked again: "What type?"

Wang Erhai said:

"Mainly renovation, electrical and plumbing installation, floor tiling, ceiling installation, etc. — we do it all. Since I don't understand anything, I came back to learn from you. My dad said you're an all-rounder; in construction, you know everything!"

Zhou Hongwei, praised like this, couldn't help revealing his brownish-yellow teeth, letting out a simple, honest laugh:

"Oh, it's nothing really — I just know a little bit of this and a little bit of that, nothing too refined. But Erhai, if you want to learn, I'll definitely hold nothing back!"

Wang Erhai smiled and thanked him:

"Then thank you, Uncle Hongwei!"

At this moment, Zhou Zhihao spoke up:

"Second Uncle, Yun Cui and I made plans to go to the county town this afternoon, so I won't be coming to work this afternoon."

Zhou Hongwei got annoyed the moment he saw Zhou Zhihao:

"Scram then, scram. You're not willing to learn anyway!"

Ever since Zhou Zhihao refused to listen to advice and insisted on being with Li Yuncui, Zhou Hongwei had been thoroughly disappointed in him.

Zhou Hongwei told his older brother about this — that is, Zhou Zhihao's father — and Zhou Zhihao's father also had strong objections to Li Yuncui, opposing Zhou Zhihao being with Li Yuncui.

But Zhou Zhihao persisted in his own way, making his father quite furious.

In this day and age, it's no longer the era of parents arranging marriages.

So Zhou Zhihao's parents, although they opposed it and were angry, could do nothing about it.

In the end they could only let Zhou Zhihao do what he wanted to do.

After all, it's just dating for now, not yet time for marriage.

Who knows, after a year or two of dating, the two might break up.

"Second Uncle, then I'm off."

After getting permission, Zhou Zhihao left smiling.

Zhou Hongwei stopped paying attention to Zhou Zhihao and hurriedly pulled Wang Erhai over, teaching him the tile-laying techniques once more.

After listening patiently, Wang Erhai tried doing it himself once.

Then he asked Zhou Hongwei: for tiling a living room's floor tiles, how much would labor plus material cost roughly? And how are the installation fees for plumbing and electricity calculated?

Seeing how eager to learn Wang Erhai was, Zhou Hongwei answered each question in turn.

He also laughed and praised:

"Erhai, no wonder you can be a Big Boss — your attitude of being eager to learn leaves my foolish nephew in the dust by several streets!"

Liang Xinghua also praised:

"Erhai, you're really impressive — just one day here and you're already laying tiles like a pro."

Wang Erhai joked with a smile:

"It's not that I have strong learning ability — it's that this house is my family's. If I don't lay it well, won't my dad grab a rattan cane and whip me?"

These words coming out made everyone burst into laughter.

At this point Liang Xinghua got chummy with Wang Erhai:

"Erhai, later when you've established a renovation company in the county town and need manpower, you must call me — I'll absolutely be able to become an outstanding employee in your company!"

Wang Erhai couldn't help feeling a bit guilty, because he had never thought about starting a renovation company — everything he'd said before was just to conceal the truth that his real estate agency had gone bankrupt.

But he still hurriedly nodded:

"Sure, sure, no problem — when the time comes and we're short of people, I'll definitely call you!"

Hearing this, Liang Xinghua was immediately overjoyed and added:

"Then I'll hold you to that — you don't know, my wife has been longing day and night to go back to living in the city! For this she's quarreled with me several times, and smashed quite a few things at home!"

Wang Erhai was stunned:

"Meng Lian Sao doesn't like living in the village?"

Liang Xinghua said:

"Sigh, it's not a matter of liking or not — it's that staying in the countryside for long is really boring. There are hardly any young people in the village, transportation isn't convenient either. Plus the children's education is a big problem — Shanggou Village Primary School has been shut down for who knows how many years. My child will need to start school in a few years, so going back to the city is still better — even the county town is better than Shanggou Village."

Hearing this, Wang Erhai couldn't help nodding in agreement:

"That's true enough."