Those Years When I Was Forced to Top the Forbes List

Chapter 16: Can't handle it?
……

"Hello! I'm looking for Mr. Yu!"

"Oh, it's you. Mr. Yu isn't here; he's out!"

"Then could you please give him a call? He asked me to come."

"Okay, then you can go sit over there first."

My uncle wasn't there.

The construction worker at the site was surnamed Tan. He had seen Chen Xuebing before and knew that he was the boss's nephew, so he didn't pay any attention to him. Chen Xuebing then led Lu Yiwen and the other two to look around.

Construction is progressing quite quickly. The factory foundation I saw last time has taken shape in just over ten days, and the pre-drilled holes have begun to be installed.

"Wow, that's fast!" Gou Hongyi exclaimed. "Brother, I think it's almost finished! You can't even see the steel bars and formwork anymore. Is it all poured? At this rate, it won't be finished in a month or two, will it?"

Gou Hongyi was eager to become a leader, and during this time he secretly learned some vocabulary. When he came to the site and saw the progress, he was amazed and quickly showed off.

Chen Xuebing was also looking around when he heard this. He smiled and shook his head: "This isn't a building construction project. There's no need to consider load-bearing capacity. What's so difficult about pouring concrete? Once the steel bars and formwork are in place, pouring and curing will only take two or three days."

He has also built several sewage treatment plants. The entire plant area is open-air, and the main structures are several large pools, such as water storage pools, sedimentation pools, treatment pools, and equalization pools, representing the corresponding processes. There are also some equipment platforms. Most of the pools are dug downwards, and the height above the ground is generally within two or three meters, so that it is convenient for people to go up to observe and maintain them.

The pools are large but not very precise; the difficulty lies in the prefabrication and installation of the equipment between the various pools.

Depending on the situation, we should build retaining walls and fences around the area. Building a factory on a mountain is more complicated because we need to consider the risk of landslides.

Everything is done according to the design.

The work area is wide and the various labor teams are relatively scattered, so there is no idle work and fewer problems.

Factory construction is considered to be at a beginner level of civil engineering difficulty.

The focus is underground.

A typical factory area needs to be equipped with dozens of functional wells, as well as water collection pipelines for the treatment area, ranging from a few kilometers to more than ten kilometers, and even more for large-scale treatment.

Excavating trenches, laying foundations, installing pipes, backfilling; for 300mm pipes, the total labor cost is nearly 100 yuan per meter.

This is a job that can make money, but it's also a job that requires a lot of worry.

With such a long construction distance, the environment must be complex.

Passing through residential areas, major roads, farmland, and even government gates, one has to deal with the opinions of leaders, interpersonal relationships with residents and farmers, material transportation, design changes, timely consultation with supervisors for geological changes, noise and dust complaints, dumping soil, repairing construction access roads, restoring road surfaces... Basically, any imaginable engineering coordination problem can be encountered on a sufficiently long pipeline installation project.

Unlike building construction, where a group of technicians gather around a single point to study problems, discuss solutions, and learn from each other's strengths, this type of project involves a long operational chain, often with multiple construction lines, requiring a high level of on-site management.

Chen Xuebing's first project in his previous life, the second phase, was a comprehensive sewage treatment project with even more complex content. He learned a lot of things that couldn't be learned from books after working on that project.

With his limited knowledge and experience, he really felt that the construction work these days was nothing to see. He took the three of them on a tour and then led them into the prefabricated house, his uncle's office.

These three were quite novel; they started asking questions as soon as they came in.

Liang Hui: "Brother, what was that tripod next to the guy with the red hat just now?"

Chen Xuebing: "It should be a theodolite... or a total station, used for setting out coordinates."

Liang Hui: "Coordinates? What do you mean by setting coordinates?"

Gou Hongyi: "It's all about setting coordinates! If you don't set coordinates, you can just dig randomly?"

Chen Xuebing nodded.

Gou Hongyi is incredibly arrogant.

Lu Yiwen: "Brother, I took a look at it, and there are so many buttons on it. It's so complicated. Do we construction site managers have to learn about all those machines?"

Chen Xuebing: "No need, just knowing its function is enough. You can learn it if you want. Construction workers must know it, but to learn this, you need to learn how to read construction drawings."

Lu Yiwen: "Oh... what's a construction worker?"

Chen Xuebing really wanted to curse him as an idiot, but then he remembered how clueless he was when he first entered the construction site.

Forget it, I'll just focus on self-cultivation.

"That was the construction supervisor. There are nine key personnel on a construction site: construction, safety, quality, materials, documentation, quality inspection, budgeting, machinery, and testing. On a small construction site like this, apart from excavators, there isn't much large machinery. Basically, there are only three personnel: the construction supervisor, the documentation clerk, and the materials clerk."

There is also a hidden position, collectively known as the administrator.

The mechanics are usually experienced managers and veteran workers who can operate the instruments. Quality inspection and testing are handled by the general contractor's project department and the client's supervisor. The boss controls safety and budget.

In construction projects, the most important aspects are construction and documentation. Most construction workers understand surveying, and some understand documentation as well. However, documentation clerks have too much work and need to be hired separately. Without documentation, there's no pay. Documentation can also be outsourced, with staff coming to the site according to acceptance milestones. Documentation companies are more professional, but they don't provide the same level of attentiveness as having someone you own. If you want to get more money, you have to manage the documentation yourself.

A glint flashed in Gou Hongyi's eyes: "Brother, isn't the data staff the highest paid?"

"Not necessarily, it depends on skill level. Generally, the highest-paid are construction workers, and document controllers are about the same."

Lu Yiwen: "So, we don't know anything, and when we enter the construction site, we become the invisible supervisors?"

"We'll assign you a position as management apprentices. You'll usually start as a materials clerk, managing materials for excavators and trucks, helping construction workers carry equipment, and buying things. In reality, you'll do all sorts of miscellaneous tasks. When you're a manager on a construction site, everyone needs to be multi-skilled. Unless it's a particularly large construction site, it's unlikely that we can afford to support so many specialists. You'd better learn everything you can see and learn in order to realize your value. The reason we sent you to university is to teach you how to learn."

This is the real point Chen Xuebing wanted to make by bringing them here.

If you don't want to study in school and yearn for the freedom of entering society, what job doesn't require a lot of learning?

Even when you're in the army, you still have endless study notes to copy.

"Dong dong."

Someone came in and knocked twice on the door.

"Is Mr. Yu not here?"

Chen Xuebing glanced at the man's attire: a red hat and a vest with the name of the 14th Metallurgical Construction Company printed on it; he must be from the project department.

He was also holding this little notebook in his hand.

"What's wrong? Is something the matter?" Chen Xuebing stood up. "He's not here. Just tell me if you need anything. I'm his nephew."

The man clicked his tongue in dissatisfaction, sized up Chen Xuebing, sighed, and said, "Tell him that the leaders of our Kunming headquarters and the district leaders are coming to inspect the area tomorrow or the day after. General Manager Jia specifically asked me to come and take a look at this safety hazard in your factory area. It needs to be rectified properly... Never mind, do you even know anything about construction? I'll take you to see it, and you can explain it to him clearly."

Chen Xuebing smiled.

This person looked like a novice, and seemed quite anxious. He was willing to give this person his uncle's phone number, probably because this person didn't have a phone.

District leaders inspected…

Leaders in district-level departments are not directly addressed as "district leaders"; they are always clearly stated which bureau or department they belong to.

The district leaders in Chongqing are high-ranking officials, so the people from the 14th Metallurgical Construction Company are probably not low-ranking either.

It's possible that he has connections with a leader whom his uncle knows.

Anyone have a cigarette?

Chen Xuebing gave the three men a wink.

Lu Yiwen immediately took out a pack of Hongsheng cigarettes, took out two, and handed them to the man and Chen Xuebing, then lit them for them.

Chen Xuebing wasn't a heavy smoker and didn't resist smoking; most of the time, he'd just have one to keep him company. "What's your surname?" Chen Xuebing asked, taking a puff.

Seeing Chen Xuebing's mature demeanor, the newcomer calmed down: "Wang Bing, I'm from the project department. You and you..."

The man quickly calculated the relationship between the nephew and his uncle: "Your uncle, right?"

Chen Xuebing nodded slightly, and then said, "Yes, just tell him my name, and he'll know that I'm in charge of your section."

"Oh, Engineer Wang." Chen Xuebing walked to the door and pointed to a spot, saying, "The safety hazard you mentioned, is it that pile of equipment connected to electricity?"

Wang Bing perked up: "That's right! Unauthorized wiring, such a long one, with the grinder still connected to the wire and left on the ground, how dangerous! And what about making a switch box? What would the leaders think if they saw this?"

Chen Xuebing nodded; he had already seen it.

After thinking for a moment, he turned to Gou Hongyi and said, "Go and call that construction worker over. Be respectful and call him Engineer Tan."

"it is good!"

Gou Hongyi jogged out, and Chen Xuebing returned to his desk, sat down, and raised his hand:

"Mr. Wang, please have a seat."

Seeing Chen Xuebing's practiced manner, as if he were about to arrange work on the construction site, Lu Yiwen and Liang Hui felt honored and stood on either side of Chen Xuebing like henchmen, giving him a grand display.

Wang Bing couldn't help but look Chen Xuebing up and down again: "What's your surname?"

"My surname is Chen, and my given name is Chen Xuebing."

"Mr. Chen, you... also work on construction sites? I've never seen you before."

Chen Xuebing laughed and started chatting along with his topic: "Do I look like someone who works on a construction site?"

Wang Bing didn't know what to say, so he could only nod and say, "Young and promising."

"Hehe, I work elsewhere. By the way, is the boss sure he wants to come to the construction site?"

“I should come. Our project manager, Mr. Jiang, specifically asked me to come and take a look.”

"Oh...no problem, please tell Mr. Jiang that he can rest assured."

Chen Xuebing tapped his fingers on the table, and his young face showed a smile that was surprisingly mature and kind.

The people on the construction site are quick; they arrived after only a few words.

The construction worker was somewhat surprised to see Chen Xuebing sitting inside with his legs crossed: "General Manager Yu isn't back. Did you call me?"

Chen Xuebing nodded and said naturally, "Engineer Tan, Engineer Wang from the project department came to inform us that leaders from higher up and from the district will be coming over tomorrow and the day after. There are some safety hazards that need to be rectified."

The construction worker was named Tan Hailiang. He had worked with his uncle for several years, and Chen Xuebing had also worked with him in a previous life, so they naturally knew each other.

Tan Hailiang knew him.

He'd heard Mr. Yu mention this Xiao Chen before; he was a student! How come he's being given a job so casually?

“…This…I’ll talk to him when he comes back.” Tan Hailiang said dismissively to Chen Xuebing.

He was in charge of the technology, handling all the construction surveying data. He was a straightforward person and didn't understand anything about leadership. He just thought these were trivial matters and usually left them to General Manager Yu to deal with.

This phenomenon is common on construction sites: the higher the technical skills, the lower the emotional intelligence.

Upon hearing this, Wang Bing immediately slammed his hand on the table and said, "You need to take this seriously!"

Tan Hailiang was busy when he was called over. He thought the boss had returned and needed him for something, but it turned out to be the boss's nephew. Feeling like he'd been tricked, and not wanting to vent his anger on Chen Xuebing, he turned to Wang Bing with a look of frustration and said:

"Engineer Wang, you know, I'm in charge of the entire factory and construction site by myself. Everyone was resting just now, and I was still laying out the slope lines. How could I have time to manage all this? When he comes back, I'll talk to him about it!"

He started yelling as he was talking.

Wang Bing is only in his early twenties. In his eyes, he is just a greenhorn. Although he is a construction worker in the project department, he is not even good enough to be his apprentice in terms of technical skills.

Chen Xuebing knew these veteran technicians had bad tempers, so he got up and walked over to him, saying, "Engineer Tan, I saw you carrying some things earlier, but I didn't call you. The management is indeed a bit chaotic. The secondary cable of that welding machine can be extended at will without insulation? The grinder is on the ground, and sharp parts are scattered everywhere. And last time I came, the steel pipes were placed at the entrance, the timber was placed on the sunny side, and the formwork wasn't moisture-proofed. You can't be unaware of these things, can you? Is it that you don't understand, or that you just don't want to manage it?"

Chen Xuebing emphasized the last sentence slightly.

Tan Hailiang looked somewhat surprised.

"You...you know about these things?"

Chen Xuebing just stared at him without saying a word.

Whether I understand or not is none of your business.

As a boss, you should maintain an air of mystery in front of your subordinates, letting them guess how much you know and understand.

“It’s not that I don’t want to manage it,” Tan Hailiang softened. “During this period, the external pipeline network needs someone to manage it. There aren’t enough management personnel at the factory and construction sites to begin with, and I also have to run around all over the line. We can only delegate these things to the team leaders of each work group. The key is that they’re two-faced! Whenever something happens, they’ll nudge me and then do something, especially that Cao San who’s in charge of the carpentry team! He…”

Just as Tan Hailiang was about to start complaining, Chen Xuebing waved his hand dismissively:
“My uncle has entrusted all these matters to you, so you have to step up. If there aren’t enough people, you can ask for help; he can handle it. How will he know if you don’t tell him?”

"I want to save money for the boss! If the boss doesn't make money, how will he pay our salaries?"

This phrase is Tan Hailiang's go-to answer to any problem he encounters, and Yu Chunyin usually falls for it too. Even if something goes wrong, as long as Tan Hailiang says it's to save money, Yu Chunyin will stop pursuing the matter.

But that didn't work with Chen Xuebing.

"Slacking off is laziness, what's wrong with that? What about Cao San from the carpentry team, Li Si from the steel reinforcement team? Management rules are about the issues, not the people. Why are you arguing with a team leader? We need to set rules! If you don't manage things, how can others follow them?"

"... "

Chen Xuebing's reprimand silenced Tan Hailiang.

He was very dissatisfied, but he could clearly sense that this young man was not easily fooled.

"Then...then tell me how to manage this! I'll call all the team leaders over for a meeting right now. You'll talk to them, or you'll have General Manager Yu talk to them?"

The problem has been brought back to Tan Hailiang, who is not entirely convinced that Chen Xuebing can handle it.

Chen Xuebing chuckled.

Old fox.

"The meeting will definitely be held, but it can't be held like this." Chen Xuebing calmly turned to Wang Bing and said, "Engineer Wang, could you please have your project department issue us a false penalty notice? The fine amount... Engineer Tan, how many work teams are there on the factory construction site?"

Tan Hailiang paused for a moment: "...Six."

Chen Xuebing then continued, "Then let's go for 18,000. It's uncivilized construction, and the reasons are what you just said, okay?"

"...Do I need a stamp?"

"No need, they won't understand it anyway, a piece of paper is enough."

“That works.” Wang Bing realized something and immediately said, “Don’t you have a printer? Print it out, and I’ll just sign it with the project manager’s name.”

Chen Xuebing smiled and said, "Then I'll trouble Engineer Wang to sit for a while. We'll attend the meeting together later. Engineer Tan, when my uncle comes back, I'll ask you to notify the six team leaders to come and collect their fines, three thousand each."

(End of this chapter)