At noon, the sun was high in the sky.

In the city of Midori, at the construction site of a food processing plant.

As a shout of "Take a break and eat!" rang out, groups of workers put down their work and gathered under the shade of a tree to prepare for their meal.

Ordinary construction sites don't provide meals, and the food sold in the site canteens is expensive, so most workers bring their own food from home.

But today is different.

"Wow, what's that smell? It smells so good!"

"What kind of meat is this? Why is it so red? And it smells really good."

"Braised pork belly! So much braised pork belly!"

"..."

Under the shade of a tree.

Dozens of workers surrounded several stainless steel barrels, their eyes fixed on the tempting aroma of meat inside.

"Shut the fuck up! If you keep bastarding, believe me, I won't even feed you dogs!"

In front of everyone.

Sun Zhigang, the contractor and company boss, wearing a white hard hat, stood in front of several buckets of braised pork, swaggering around with his big belly, and casually pointing to the surroundings.

After saying that,

The people around quieted down.

Seeing this, Sun Zhi cleared his throat, then his face showed displeasure, and he said:

"I'm in a good mood today because the construction site is giving out free meat; everyone gets a spoonful while waiting in line!"

They're serving braised pork!?

As soon as those words were spoken, dozens of workers stirred instantly, their faces beaming with delight.

In 2002, although they had gradually escaped poverty and most people were able to eat their fill, their three meals a day were mostly vegetarian, with meat dishes being available but not frequently.

And the migrant workers on construction sites, not to mention now, even in 2026, many will choose to eat more staple food and no meat at lunch to save money.

Not to mention braised pork, they don't even know what braised pork is!

at the moment......

"Unlimited braised pork belly and drinks!"

Sun Zhigang said with his hands on his hips, clearly in a good mood.

A young worker below couldn't help but correct him, "Foreman, that's called all-you-can-eat."

Sun Zhigang paused, then glared at him angrily, and snapped, "I fucking know that, do I need you to remind me?!"

He didn't mince words and said it directly:

"but!"

"After you've eaten my meat, you'd better work harder this afternoon. Don't fucking make me delay the project again, and make sure the quality is up to you. Don't fucking slack off!"

Everyone was already incredibly hungry and eager, and they exclaimed in unison, "We know, we know!"

"Then serve the food!"

At Sun Zhigang's signal, he personally took up the iron ladle and started cooking, and dozens of workers crowded around him noisily.

in the corner.

Having just finished cleaning, Zhao Li, a short, plump woman with dark and rough skin, wearing rubber boots, swallowed hard and peeked inside on tiptoe.

It took a long time before it was her turn to get her food.

Sun Zhigang glanced at the woman he had just scolded yesterday, then sank the spoon to the bottom of the bucket and scooped it up again.

"Click!"

Slowly, a large spoonful of meat was placed on top of the other person's simple lunchbox.

"Now that you've eaten, get to work! Don't think I won't hit you just because you're lame!"

Sun Zhigang cursed, "Get out of here, don't block the people behind you."

Zhao Li looked at the meat in the box, pursed her lips, and felt a sense of satisfaction. She didn't say anything even when she was scolded.

She walked to the side, didn't rush to eat, closed the lunchbox, and then walked outside.

Someone saw the direction she left in, their eyes lit up, and they chased after her.

"Sister Zhao, are you going to look for the child too?"

A thin female worker walked up to her and smiled.

"My son forgot his lunch money yesterday, and I have to bring it to him in the middle of the day. Want to come along?"

Zhao Li smiled and said, "Okay, let's go together."

The children's school was not far from here, less than a twenty-minute walk away, so the two quietly left the construction site.

And the place where the food is placed.

At this moment, dozens of workers, each with a piece of braised pork in their hands, squatted in a corner and devoured it.

Physical labor is tiring.

When a person is tired, their body will feel extremely hungry, and every cell in their body will urge them to eat.

In this situation.

When a mouthful of braised pork belly with alternating layers of fat and lean meat fills your mouth, followed by a bite of fluffy and soft white steamed bun, you chew continuously with your teeth, then swallow it down with gusto, feeling the fullness in your abdomen.

At that moment, everyone on the construction site felt an unprecedented sense of satisfaction.

"Foreman, why are you in such a good mood today?"

Some workers ate while asking questions with smiles.

Upon hearing this, Sun Zhigang, who was sitting to the side eating the same food, replied with a string of curses:

"Why do you care so much?"

"We're just eating your food, you're all like starving ghosts reincarnated, talking and eating at the same time... watch yourselves to avoid choking!"

"If you die on my construction site, I'll feed your corpses to my dogs!"

Upon hearing this...

The young worker couldn't hold back any longer and, after swallowing his food, retorted again.

"Foreman, that's called 'choking,' not 'gag.'"

Sun Zhigang remained silent for a moment, then suddenly became enraged and pointed at him with his chopsticks.

"You're such a chatterbox, I know what you mean by 'choke'!"

......

......

"Sister Zhao, you're always so frugal with your food and clothes... what's the point of spending all that money on your kids? At least treat your legs and back..."

"It's an incurable, chronic condition. We've been to every place, but there's just no cure."

"This is all I've ever done in my life. As long as my child is better than me, that's enough..."

at the same time.

On the side of the road, Wang Fen, a thin female worker, and Zhao Li walked side by side, chatting as they went.

talking.

Zhao Li felt somewhat relieved, and a smile unconsciously appeared on her face as she spoke gently:

"Lele makes my life easier. She doesn't spend money recklessly, gets good grades, and doesn't cause trouble. Now I have hope for everything I do."

"Right now, I'm thinking of buying an air conditioner so that her hands won't get cold when she writes in the winter, and she won't have to study all sweaty in the summer."

"If I get into a good university, I won't be like me, uneducated and only able to do manual labor on construction sites..."

Women are not the foremen's first choice on construction sites.

Biologically speaking, women are less strong and have less endurance than men, and construction sites are full of heavy work.

For the same price, it's more cost-effective for men.

Women are only given priority when it's a job like "construction site cleaner," where the pay is low and it doesn't require much physical strength.

Not to mention people like Zhao Li, who have physical disabilities and are almost impossible to find work on construction sites.

"How much is the air conditioner? Sister Zhao, how much have you saved up?"

Wang Fen was somewhat surprised and suspicious.

"Branded items cost over three thousand, but secondhand ones that don't break easily only cost eight hundred."

Zhao Li was meticulous in her calculations, having clearly visited many appliance stores.

Wang Fen said, "You only earn so little a day, and you have to support two children... Can you save that much in six months?"

"We'll eventually have a good life."

Zhao Li didn't think much of it and was quite content.

She doesn't have any grand ambitions; she just wants her child to grow up peacefully and healthily.

Air conditioners are expensive, but if you save a few dollars a day, you can always save up enough.

The road may be difficult, but as long as you are willing to work hard and endure hardship, you can still reach your destination.

She'd calculated that she'd save enough money next month, then secretly install the air conditioner, so that when her child came home for vacation, they'd see it hanging on the wall...

Thinking of this.

A smile crept onto Zhao Li's face, and she and Wang Fen stopped walking.

They arrived.

Right in front of us is the 18th Academy of Green Forest City.

The gate is a retractable iron gate, and there is a security booth on the left. Looking through the gate, you can see the main entrance of the building, and there is a flagpole in the center with a flag flying high.

at this time.

Before them stood countless energetic young people in uniform, walking and talking on the road.

Zhao Li stood in front of the security booth, tiptoed, and knocked on the window.

"Knock knock~"

"Sizzle!"

The window opened, and the security guard poked his head out, asking in confusion, "Who are you looking for?"

Zhao Li began, "I'm looking for..."

She didn't finish her sentence.

"Bang!!!"

It happened without any warning, suddenly.

A voice rang in my ears.

Zhao Li was taken aback. She turned her head and looked towards the main hall opposite the retractable gate.

There.

One person fell to the ground.

She fell from the building like a piece of pork...yes, like a piece of pork falling onto a cutting board, not bouncing, but crashing straight down into a puddle.

The blood stained her clothes brown and then seeped out, spreading outwards from her.

His cheek slammed into the ground, and half of his face was already mangled.

The other half of her face was covered in bruises and bloodstains. Her eyes were dull and lifeless. She stared at the main entrance with her mouth agape, like a dead fish on a chopping board.

In an instant.

Everyone froze, those closest to them still in their conversational poses, as if time had stood still.

At the main entrance.

Zhao Li was stunned by what she saw, standing there blankly.

"Snapped!"

A cheap plastic lunchbox fell to the ground, the lid slammed open, and the cold braised pork rolled on the ground, covered in sand and gravel.

......

......

It's one o'clock in the afternoon.

On the construction site.

After the workers finished their rest, they were preparing to start work.

Sun Zhigang turned his head and looked around, only to find that two figures were missing, and then frowned.

"Where are Wang Fen and Zhao Li?"

"Where did they go? Has anyone seen them?"

Those around him exchanged glances and shook their heads upon hearing this.

"I didn't see it."

Upon hearing this, Sun Zhigang frowned even more deeply.

Although the environment is better than it was twenty years ago, accidents still happen frequently on construction sites, and it's unsettling not to see anyone there.

"Go find someone first."

The group began searching every corner, but after searching for a long time, they didn't see a single trace of it.

Just as Sun Zhi's face was filled with rage...

"Foreman...foreman..."

A voice, trembling with sobs, rang out from afar. It was Wang Fen's voice!

Sun Zhigang was about to get angry, but when he turned around, he saw Wang Fen wearing work clothes, wiping away tears and sobbing as she staggered toward the construction site.

He paused, and waited for the other person to approach before asking.

"Why are you crying?! What happened?!"

"A dead person...a dead person..."

Wang Fen spoke through tears, her voice choked with sobs, which made Sun Zhigang somewhat anxious.

"Think it over before you fucking speak!"

"Where's Zhao Li? Where did Zhao Li go? She's disappeared!?"

Wang Fen cried, "Sister Zhao and I went to look for the child, but...her child is dead!"

"It looked like he was pushed off a building and died instantly... half his head was smashed!!!"

die....

Someone's dead!?

Sun Zhigang was shocked.

"Where's Zhao Li? Where is Zhao Li?!"

Wang Fen cried even more bitterly, speaking repeatedly.

"Sister Zhao...Sister Zhao also collapsed. I don't know what happened. She suddenly clutched her chest, her face turned pale, and then she collapsed to the ground."

"I wanted to leave, but the security guard wouldn't let me go. I ran back while he was making a phone call..."

"Are you sure someone pushed the child?" Sun Zhigang asked.

Wang Fen cried, "I saw several heads looking down from the rooftop; there must be someone up there."

Someone died...someone died.

He was pushed down the stairs and fell flat on his face...

He died at No. 18 Middle School, and Zhao Li, who had been with him for years, is now also missing, her fate unknown...

They bullied others to the point of taking him under their control!

Suddenly.

Sun Zhigang's face was ashen, looking extremely unwell. Veins bulged on his forehead, his hands were clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white, and his chest heaved violently.

The next second...

A roar suddenly rang out on the construction site, making everyone's eardrums go numb.

"Fuck you, all you still breathing, grab your weapons and come with me!"

"Don't let him get away!!!"

Tap the screen to use advanced tools Tip: You can use left and right keyboard keys to browse between chapters.

You'll Also Like