Chapter 78: Chapter 77: Stay Hidden Inside and Don’t Show Your Face, Got It?

Jiang Yaoting definitely can’t write that Li Yang was just an academic failure, because being excessively smart, he studied hard for a month and successfully became the top scorer.

This is not something for ordinary people to see.

What ordinary people need is inspiration, not dreaming.

How many people in the world can reach Li Yang’s level?

He must find an excuse for Li Yang’s previous poor exam results, saying that after he made up his mind, he stuck to his 7:3 strategy, highlighting that Li Yang is a very patient person with extremely firm beliefs.

Of course, he also needs to write about Jiangcheng First High School’s educational philosophy, regardless of how poorly Li Yang deliberately performed usually, the school always showed him the greatest tolerance, which is also the educational philosophy of Jiangcheng First High School, never giving up on any student.

Bla bla bla…this is a free, open, and inclusive learning environment, an exploration of new-era educational philosophy…

During the day, this draft must be spread throughout the county!

…

Li Likun and Wang Cuiping didn’t sleep all night.

As for working tomorrow?

Screw work! The son scored over 700 points! And he’s the top scorer in the entire province.

Li Likun was most annoyed because Wang Cuiping had been blaming him for half the day, saying they should have returned earlier and hired someone to help them with work.

It’s just a bit of a financial loss, right…

Li Likun knew that this was just Wang Cuiping being nervous, and he accepted it calmly.

Actually, he regretted it himself, shouldn’t have been greedy for those few thousand bucks, even if it meant spending over ten thousand round trip, it couldn’t compare to being at home at this moment.

He couldn’t even imagine, if he were at home, how he would be right now. Wouldn’t he buy some big fireworks to set off in the middle of the night?

“Have you booked the tickets?”

He asked.

They knew how to use smartphones a little, but booking tickets was too advanced for them.

They mostly just went directly to the train station or to a place that sold train tickets, paying an extra five or ten yuan.

Wang Cuiping said, “Ningning already booked them, it’s around eleven in the morning, but the money…”

Li Likun thought for a while, “Once it gets light, I’ll go find the boss.”

They had been working on this construction site for four months, apart from some living expenses, they hadn’t received the main salary yet.

Altogether, it was about fifty thousand or so.

There were indeed some savings at home, but it was all in fixed deposits.

The main concern was that they worried about not having enough money.

“Then I’ll pack…”

“What are you packing for, don’t bring anything, just take the money back. Boil some hot water for a bath, remember to take time to buy a couple of new outfits, so you won’t have time to change after you go home, embarrassing your son.”

The last time they returned, there was really no way, they rushed to the exam venue immediately.

This time is definitely different, probably won’t come back to work in the short term.

“Okay, sure.”

Li Likun squatted at the door, and inside, he could occasionally hear Wang Cuiping talking on the phone with Xue Ning.

Because Xue Ning couldn’t sleep either.

During this waiting time for daylight, Li Likun forced himself to smoke a pack of cigarettes at the door, resisting the urge to call home to relatives.

Hell, this kind of joyous event must be shared after going home!

Now it feels overly unreal.

A little past five, when dawn was just breaking, he went directly to the largest shed on the construction site, where the foreman lived with his sister-in-law.

Li Likun knew the foreman, if you trace back generations, they were considered relatives.

The salary offered was reasonable, but they had to wait until all the work was done to settle it, usually holding back about ten percent, given when the next site opened.

The site he organized never lacked people; as a foreman, he could earn two to three million a year, considered as one of the famous big bosses in the entire county, otherwise, how could he bring his sister-in-law? His wife at home would have already gone mad.

By the family hierarchy, the foreman had to call him uncle.

However, that was distant, as a rough working man, he never tried to leverage relationships.

Li Yijun, thirty-six this year, had just gotten up to go to the bathroom when he saw Li Likun standing at the door, giving him a scare.

“Uncle, why are you here? Wasn’t the living allowance given a few days ago?”

He came over, taking out a cigarette box and handing a cigarette to Li Likun.

It was a soft Zhonghua, many people on the site would occasionally come over to bum a few; Li Yijun never minded.

This small gesture didn’t mean much, could a few cigarettes cost much?

As long as these people worked well, he could easily earn hundreds of thousands more.

Li Likun didn’t take the cigarette but said, “Boss, I want to take some money and go home; my Yangyang got into university.”

When Li Yijun heard this, he immediately smiled, “Uncle, congratulations, congratulations.”

He actually knew Li Yang, who on the site didn’t know about Li Likun’s son who was acting up all the time.

Got into university? How good of a university could it be?

He continued, “Uncle, it’s not that I won’t give it, but the higher-ups haven’t approved the money yet; we must wait until the work is done. How about this, I’ll personally take out ten thousand yuan to advance, and send it to Yangyang, little bro.”

He wanted to keep Li Likun around to continue the work here.

After all, the real estate market was good; the sooner they finished building here, the sooner they could head to the next site.

Li Likun looked troubled, “I want to take the entire sixty thousand, but don’t worry boss, even if I lose money, I’ll find someone to take over the work.”

Li Yijun frowned.

The efficiency of hiring people to work isn’t that high, the quality isn’t guaranteed, and the costs are even greater.

“Uncle, isn’t this making things difficult…”

Li Yijun couldn’t possibly give him the money; what if after paying him, Li Likun doesn’t return?

He couldn’t resolve the losses from a delayed project with just a few tens of thousands.

This has always been his strategy: while paying money on time, he also symbolically withholds some. During the project phase, he doesn’t give too much money to prevent workers from running away without a burden.

His ability to earn so much boils down to one word: efficiency!

He can start three construction sites in a year, while others can only manage two.

Li Likun said, “I have no choice either. The ticket is booked, and I have to leave around eleven.”

Li Yijun didn’t expect Li Likun to be so resolute this time.

Could it be that Li Yang got a decent score? Got into a second-tier university?

He said helplessly, “Uncle, I’m borrowing money to cover living expenses for everyone. I truly have no money on hand.”

Li Likun knew what Li Yijun was worried about, so he said, “I’ll go back for a month. After a month, I guarantee to return and continue working. By then, Cuiping won’t come; I’ll bring the third child from home.”

Li Likun also had a blood brother, but he wasn’t a reliable worker. Over the years, he worked off and on, unable to stick to one construction site for long.

When Li Yijun heard it was a month back home, he became even more unhappy.

He simply laid his cards on the table with Li Likun, “Uncle, if you leave for a month, the work may not be yours anymore. To be blunt, Yangyang will have lots of expenses for university in the future. Although I may slightly withhold wages, every year by the end, I bring money home to settle accounts, allowing each family to have a good New Year. You’ve been with me for so many years and know that here, every radish leaves a pit; if you leave now, I’m not sure I can guarantee you a spot on the next construction site.”

Of course, Li Likun understood this problem, but he had to go back; he had no choice!

He had to go back even if he didn’t get the money!

“Can you withhold one thousand and give five thousand first?”

Li Likun also put forward some conditions.

It didn’t matter how much he could bring back.

Li Yijun reluctantly said, “Uncle, have you decided? Do you really have to go home?”

“Yes, I must return! I’ve already found temp workers; they’ll come replace us during the day.”

Li Yijun sighed, “Alright, alright, but forget about temp workers; those people work too slowly. I’ll directly let others take over first.”

Li Likun knew it was essentially a way of being pushed out.

But compared to the big matter concerning his son, he didn’t care now.

“So about the wages…”

“Uncle, I really don’t have much money on hand now. How about this: when the bank opens later, I’ll withdraw two thousand for you, and the rest will be sent to your home by the end of the year, okay?”

Li Likun opened his mouth but ultimately didn’t say anything.

“Alright, thank the boss.”

Two thousand is two thousand.

“Uncle, you head back first. I need to sleep a little longer.”

…

Li Likun left, and when Li Yijun returned indoors, the young wife on the bed said, “Who was it, coming so early in the morning?”

“Li Likun, saying his son got into college and asking for money.”

“His son?”

“Well, it’s just an excuse, probably doesn’t want to work here anymore, found a way to bring it up. Everyone knows the nature of his son. Unlike before, college students are everywhere now.”

“Did you give him any?”

“My money is all with you. When the bank opens later, withdraw two thousand for me. Li Likun left, and he’ll regret it. If it wasn’t for fear of compatriots digging up my family grave, I’d learn from other foremen, earning at least a couple hundred thousand more in a year.”

“He’s leaving, why bother with pleasantries?”

“A few polite words don’t cost me anything; come on, move over a bit… I’ll take a nap…”

…

Li Yijun didn’t know how long he slept; in a daze, he heard someone shouting for him.

He opened his eyes; it was his sister-in-law.

“Yijun, get up quickly. Outside, a bunch of reporters have come.”

Li Yijun immediately woke up.

Why did reporters suddenly come to this crummy place?

Could it be an investigation related to migrant workers?

According to standards, there are hardly any construction sites qualified; even as a foreman, there’s nowhere decent for him to use the toilet.

It was just past eight in the morning.

He hurriedly dressed and asked, “What’s going on? How many people came? Investigating what?”

The woman said, “I don’t know. I was just about to head out to get the money, and saw the worker sheds getting blocked. Those reporters with cameras seemed to be at Li Likun’s door…”

“Uh?”

Li Yijun’s first thought was, could it be because he didn’t agree to clear the payment in the morning, and Li Likun reported him?

But then he figured it couldn’t be; he was polite enough, and Li Likun didn’t seem like someone who’d do such a thing.

“I’ll go take a look. You stay hidden inside, don’t show your face, alright?”

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