On My Way - Chapter 28

Chapter 28 - Bullying Women Brings Bad Luck

The project, which had been stalled for so long, could finally resume operations.

Once a project gets moving, many things start to follow in its wake.

For instance, because we needed to transport a massive amount of supplies, we did some simple repairs to the muddy, impassable roads in the village.

The large influx of workers and the constant flow of transport teams sparked business for the internet cafe owned by Harina’s family. It wasn't just them; the small shops and restaurants in the village saw visible improvements in business, and a new express delivery point was even built nearby.

The villagers shifted from shouting curses at us the moment they saw us to running to our door, gesturing and asking if we were still hiring.

The only thing that didn't go smoothly was that the site was full of Zhao Yu's people, and the local workers didn't hold women in very high regard.

There was one worker whom I corrected regarding inadequate safety protocols; he immediately glared at me, his fists clenched tight as if he were about to pounce and hit me at any moment.

He was kicked to the ground by Zhao Yu, and his fire was extinguished instantly.

Rubbing his backside, he didn't dare say a word and slunk away with his head hung low.

"I've noticed some people really are like walnuts by nature—they’re just asking to be smashed!" Zhao Yu gathered everyone on the construction site for a meeting. "What do you think Director Ren came here for? She’s here to clean up your mess! Without Director Ren, you lot would have been working yourselves to the bone out here, and the whole operation would have gone bust long ago."

Like Old Feng, his word was law at the construction site. The difference was that everyone under Old Feng found him annoying, while even though Zhao Yu’s mouth was full of crude, foul language, he kept his men firmly in line.

"Director Ren takes one look at the blueprints, and the rebar specifications, concrete strength, and how the site corresponds to the drawings—it’s all at the tip of her tongue. Can you lot do that? What right do you have to look down on her just because she's a woman?" He continued, berating and intimidating them: "I'm telling you, I've been in this trade for twenty years. Anyone who likes to put on airs like a 'big shot' is going to have nothing but bad luck, goddammit!"

From then on, everyone was respectful toward me.

I breathed a sigh of relief. Being a woman in charge at a construction site is difficult enough, especially when you're in a strange place where no one knows you. Having a reliable head honcho to maintain order made things much easier for me.

I went out of my way to buy two bottles of liquor to thank Zhao Yu.

He waved a large hand and said, "It's me who should be thanking you. When I was lying in the hospital and heard it was you coming, my heart went cold. I truly didn't expect you to be able to shoulder the load."

"Why is that?"

Zhao Yu was very blunt: "Well, I actually wanted a technical talent to be my deputy. You were promoted too quickly; usually, people like you only make it to the top by sucking up to others..."

I thought to myself, you guessed correctly—that is exactly what I do!

"But once I saw the revisions you made to the drawings, I knew you had the goods. Rest assured, I don't play those petty, underhanded games here! We’ll get this project done smoothly, and that’s better than anything else."

"You got it!"

I finally understood why Zhao Yu was so fierce but still popular: he wasn't petty. If it were Old Feng, you would have to carefully probe his intentions, never knowing when you had offended him severely.

However, this was a case of blind luck.

The technical talent Zhao Yu actually loved wasn't me.

It was Cheng Xia.

——

During those few days when I was sick and delirious, my brain was filled with countless ideas, yet I couldn't grasp a single one.

And the more anxious I became, the harder it was to hold onto them.

Cheng Xia would go out during the day and return at night to sit by my bedside, helping me sort through my thoughts, bit by bit.

"Actually, to summarize, the problems are only three things: low-cost renovation of old houses, public welfare, and the budget."

"There are a few ways to handle insulation. Listen to these: direct gain, Trombe walls, and attached sunrooms..."

"I think we can save more on the budget by looking at the building materials..."

Countless times, I would slap my thigh and say, "Exactly, exactly! That’s exactly what I was thinking!"

But those thoughts had been floating in the chaos, and no matter how hard I racked my brains, I couldn't grasp them. Cheng Xia helped me organize them clearly.

On the day of the final report, I didn't sleep a wink, reviewing the PowerPoint repeatedly. I only dozed off as the sky turned bright, and when I woke up, I found Cheng Xia ironing my shirt.

Sleepy-eyed, I said, "Don't worry about it, everyone is going to be dusty and disheveled anyway."

"No, you can look unstylish if you have to," he said, holding up the white shirt and examining it. "But you cannot give people the feeling that you aren't prepared."

I looked at the white shirt, too, and nodded silently.

Why did I like Cheng Xia so much? Because whenever he appeared before me, his shirt was always crisp, clean, and refreshing.

Even in such a primitive environment, he was like a pearl in dirty water, emitting a clean and gentle light.

This wasn't because he carried some "white moonlight" buffer.

It was because every night, he would conscientiously wash his clothes, fetch hot water for skincare and washing, and then get up early the next day to wash his hair clean. Only then would he iron the wrinkles from the night before, making his clothes neat before heading out.

That was the source of the high-class quality he exuded.

"In these kinds of circumstances, maintaining a sense of decency is actually a form of strength," he said while blow-drying my hair. "Strength makes people trust you more."

I buried my face in his chest. It smelled of laundry detergent, citrus, and the scent of good luck.

I suddenly had a premonition.

I would succeed; I definitely would.

——

The day after the meeting was the day Cheng Xia had to leave; after all, you can't take leave indefinitely.

That night, there was a heavy rain. The spring rain pattered rhythmically against the roof, like ten thousand elves dancing above our heads.

We lay in bed, our hearts feeling very peaceful and secure.

I said, "Cheng Xia, thank you so much for this time."

Cheng Xia said, "I didn't do much. The ideas were all yours; I just helped you organize them."

"That’s exactly what I’m thanking you for," I said. "All this time, it seems I’ve been rushing forward with nothing but brute force. This is the first time I felt like I couldn't get through, and you were the one who helped me."

His eyes sparkled. I knew he was very happy.

"You possess a very powerful strength," he said. "But things that are too intense are prone to hurting yourself. Being able to help you makes me very happy."

The soft quilt covered us, along with Cheng Xia's body.

He had no excess fat, and there was a slight definition of muscles on his abdomen. His fingers, however, were soft, just like his eyes.

He stroked my face, bit by bit, and said, "When we were in school, I always felt that our worlds were so far apart. Me coming to you, or you coming to my side—those were unimaginable things... But now, I know that we can go together to create a... world that belongs to us."

His lips pressed down, as gentle as a sigh.

The rain fell harder and harder, but the world inside the quilt was very warm. I felt a kind of daze; Cheng Xia and I were like two little squirrels, huddled together, depending on each other for survival.

This was the most beautiful moment of my life. The person I loved most kissed every part of my body, just like the places where spring water flows, bringing all things back to life.

I felt that everything was wonderful, and everything would be even better.

The next day, I sent Cheng Xia off.

It wasn't until I returned that I noticed the tiny changes he had made: the electrical outlets had been moved to the bedside, a rug had been laid on the floor, and he had even used sheet metal to build a simple walk-in closet for me.

And on the table sat a bouquet of wildflowers, blooming with extreme fullness in the sun after the rain.