Regarding Liangliang's revelation, Yang Jian was somewhat shocked, but upon reflection, his cousin's spending on personal matters seemed not to have touched their joint funds.
He had reviewed the invoices and accounts for material purchases, and both the quantities and prices were normal, indicating no embezzlement.
The disbursement of wages for the workers was also verifiable, with each person signing a receipt when collecting their pay.
Since there were no financial issues, Yang Jian felt it was inappropriate for an apprentice to interfere too much in his master's private life. He didn't doubt the truth of what Liangliang had said, but he had no intention of dwelling on his cousin's affair with a mistress. His cousin was a married adult with children, and he would have to bear all the consequences himself.
Given Sanpang's poor psychological resilience, Yang Jian accompanied him to the casino for five consecutive days, winning a total of 190,000 yuan in cash and 80,000 yuan in meal vouchers during this period.
However, the construction site was extremely busy. To complete the basement before the end of the year, the workers were pulling overtime every day. Yang Jian was responsible for quality and technical aspects, and he couldn't be away from the site for extended periods. Therefore, he didn't go to the casino on the sixth day.
"Yang Jian, wait a moment."
After dinner, Yang Jian, carrying blueprints, was about to head to the construction site. Just as he reached the main gate of the dormitory area, Chen Xiaoli stopped him.
Yang Jian looked surprised. "Xiaochen, what's wrong?"
Chen Xiaoli handed him a handmade scarf. "The temperature is very low at night. Wear this scarf. My skills aren't great, but it's made of cashmere, so it's very warm."
This sudden display of concern caught Yang Jian off guard. "This, this scarf is for me?"
"Of course, it's for you. Brother Yong told me last time that you agreed to meet my parents when you go home for the New Year. So, I'm your girlfriend now. This is my first gift for you. Do you like it?"
As Chen Xiaoli spoke, she generously wrapped the scarf around Yang Jian's neck. Because Yang Jian was much taller than her, they were almost pressed against each other.
"I, I like it."
Her breath was like a fragrant mist, and Yang Jian's heart instantly quickened. It was the first time he had been so close to a girl.
Chen Xiaoli adjusted the scarf, then took two steps back and appraised him from head to toe. "Hmm, Yang Jian, you're really handsome. I like you."
Did he have a girlfriend now? Was it that simple?
Yang Jian felt dizzy. Happiness had come too suddenly. Although he didn't have a strong impression of this girl, and he wouldn't say he liked her, being confessed to by a girl felt wonderful. Falling in love on this monotonous construction site seemed like a good idea.
"Xiaoli, I, I didn't prepare anything. I don't have any gifts for you."
Having no experience in dating, Yang Jian didn't know how to express himself to a girl.
"It's okay. You're so busy, you don't have time to buy gifts. By the way, you lied to me about opening a barbecue stall. You actually opened a casino in Huangjiaping."
"I'm sorry. At that time, I wanted to find a legitimate reason to ask for your help. After all, opening a casino is a crooked path, and it doesn't sound good to say it out loud. I was worried Manager Chen would object."
"What's not good about it? As long as it makes money, it's fine. In such a large construction site, you're the only one who dares to open a casino. I think you're amazing."
Chen Xiaoli looked at him with admiration, showing no trace of disapproval.
"Alas, I had no choice. The investment for the double-entry bookkeeping was too large, and I couldn't borrow money from home. I could only get some cash from the casino, otherwise, it wouldn't be sustainable."
"That's good. Haven't you seen people playing mahjong and poker on the construction site every day? Aren't those all gambling? You're not forcing people to gamble by opening a casino, so what are you afraid of?"
Yang Jian scratched his head. "Your way of thinking is different from most people's. I'm just glad you don't object."
"I don't object. By the way, how much have you earned at the casino so far?"
After a brief chat, the two had become much closer, and Chen Xiaoli had fully embraced the role of his girlfriend.
Yang Jian didn't hide anything. "Over 200,000, but some of it is in meal vouchers."
"Wow, you've only been running the casino for a few days and you've already made over 200,000. If you keep this up until the New Year, you'll make millions, won't you?"
"It's not that exaggerated. Opening a casino is illegal, after all. It might be shut down tomorrow. We'll take it one day at a time."
"That's true. Yang Jian, how do you plan to spend all the money you've earned?"
Yang Jian really wanted to flick her forehead. He had just mentioned investing in the construction site, and now she was asking such a naive question. However, he patiently explained again. "I'm opening the casino to get money for investing in the construction site. But if I earn a lot, I plan to buy a car. It's too inconvenient to get around."
"Buy a car? That's great! Then I can ride in your car back home for the New Year. When are you buying it? I'll go with you then. I like white cars, so let's buy a white one, okay?"
Yang Jian was almost speechless. "Xiaoli, I just said I want to buy a car, but I definitely can't afford it now. Even if the casino makes money, the construction site expenses need to be covered first."
"It's okay. You'll be able to afford it soon. I believe in you. A fortune teller also said I'm very good at bringing wealth to my husband. Now that I'm your girlfriend, you'll make money even faster. Buying a car will be a piece of cake."
Good heavens, Yang Jian felt he couldn't keep up with her pace. He quickly said, "Xiaoli, I need to go to the construction site. The workers are waiting. We'll talk more when I have time."
"Okay, I'm planning to make a pot of pork rib soup. Come over for a late-night snack after work. You have to take care of your health when you're working so hard."
"Okay, I'll come over after work."
Yang Jian left as if fleeing. Chen Xiaoli's excessive enthusiasm was a bit overwhelming for him, mainly because their relationship had just begun, and she was acting like they had been married for years.
Upon arriving at the construction site, the workers had already started working. They were all contract workers. Besides supervising technical and quality issues, Yang Jian didn't need to direct them; they were quite self-sufficient.
These workers were organized into small teams, with Yang Jian assigning them sections to contract. They were paid by area. The faster teams could earn three to four hundred yuan a day, while the slower ones might only make one to two hundred. However, this was still much higher than the eighty yuan a day for hourly laborers.
"Xiao Yang, come here for a moment."
After Yang Jian had only walked around the site once, Manager Chen, whom he rarely saw, appeared.
Yang Jian jogged over. "Manager Chen, what are your instructions?"
"Xiao Yang, you still have too few people. At your current pace, completing the basement before the year-end is a bit of a stretch. If we don't reach ground level by the year-end, there will be issues with the client's funding. You can't hold me back."
As soon as they met, Manager Chen launched into a tirade. This was a common tactic for construction site managers; they would exaggerate the problems to assert authority, regardless of whether there were actual issues.
"Manager Chen, as you can see, my men are working overtime every day. We already have over 120 people. If we add more, there won't be enough space for them to stand. Don't worry, our carpentry team will definitely not fall behind and will guarantee on-time delivery."
The old Yang Jian wouldn't have been intimidated by Manager Chen and would have voiced his opinions directly. But now, he had to lower his stance and speak much more gently. Because of Chen Xiaoli, Manager Chen was now considered an elder, and he couldn't speak carelessly anymore.