Those Years When I Was Forced to Top the Forbes List

Chapter 48: Losing 800 meters right from the start?
Outside the car, light and shadow flashed by.

Yu Chunyin drove like he was having sex with a Japanese woman in his car, aggressively and energetically. After each bend, he floored the accelerator, and the car surged forward in waves, as if he couldn't feel satisfied until the car started screaming.

He might be reminded of his tough military career.

Chen Xuebing had planned to take a nap on the bus, but he ended up holding onto the handrail the whole time, not daring to blink.

Pengshui County, southeastern Chongqing, Xiaochaotianmen, lower reaches of the Wujiang River, Wuling Mountains.

Nestled against the mountains and beside the water.

The entire county town seems to grow out of the mountains. Driving along the mountain road, the river view is beautiful.

Miao and Tujia Autonomous County is adjacent to three Miao (Dong) Autonomous Prefectures: Enshi in Hubei, Xiangxi in Hunan, and Qiandongnan in Guizhou.

Terraced fields are a cultural tradition where many houses are built on the ridges of the fields, and a soft, muddy path runs alongside the farmland, serving as the access route to and from a village or even an entire hamlet.

It's dusty in summer and slippery in winter.

The road was longer than Chen Xuebing had imagined. Instead of stopping in the county town, they took a small road behind the gas station and drove for about twenty minutes along the mountain road to reach the town.

At 5:30, we arrived in town, at the foot of a residential building.

"boom!"

Yu Chunyin got out of the car and closed the door, expressing her displeasure. Chen Xuebing followed behind, looking around.

The long street was nearly deserted. At its end stood a roundabout, a typical feature of rural towns. Looking up, a blue sign was affixed to the second floor—[Chongqing Water Affairs XXX Wastewater Treatment Project Department]

Several white characters in the middle have been missing, indicating that this project team has clearly been around for some time.

Projects of Chongqing Water Affairs.

The predecessor of Chongqing Water Group was the Municipal Water Supply Company. After entering the 21st century, the businesses of urban water supply, drainage, and sewage treatment in various cities, which originally belonged to water supply companies, drainage companies, and public utility construction companies, were gradually integrated and formed into the Water Group, which has more concentrated business and stronger overall coordination capabilities.

Yu Chunyin's displeased expression didn't last long. After getting off the car, he regained his composure, looked up, put on a smile, and walked up the welded iron staircase next to the building.

Chen Xuebing and Tan Hailiang followed.

……

"Hello, Mr. Ren! I've heard so much about you!"

"Mr. Yu, hello, hello."

The project manager's name is Ren Kaiping. He is tall and thin, looks to be in his thirties or forties, speaks Mandarin, and appears very capable.

The entire project office has five rooms and one living room, with only seven or eight people in total, holding more than a dozen positions.

President Ren was quite decisive, and Yu Chunyin was also in a hurry to return home. After a few polite greetings and a handshake, President Ren immediately brought out the design drawings.

One finger joint thick.

"Yours... is on pages 43 to 52. Mr. Yu, you can take a look first. I'm going to grab a bite to eat. After I finish, before it gets dark, we'll go check out the site... The cafeteria is downstairs. Would you like to eat together?"

President Ren placed the invitation at the end of his sentence, which everyone understood. Yu Chunyin waved his hand repeatedly and said:

"We ate on the way! Mr. Ren, how about we go out to eat?"

"Don't spend any more money, let's just get things done. The designer and supervisor aren't here today, and you haven't even arrived on site, so we won't hand over the piles. We'll have to replace any damaged piles later anyway. Once we get there, we'll give you an overview of our entire project, the local conditions, and any matters that need to be addressed in advance."

"Alright, alright, then I'll trouble you, Mr. Ren!"

The three of them watched Mr. Ren's departing figure simultaneously.

After a moment, Yu Chunyin gave his initial impression assessment: "Hey, a pragmatist."

He didn't eat, didn't mince words, and efficiently arranged things, not seeming like someone who needed to be taken care of.

Chen Xuebing smiled and said, "Being pragmatic isn't necessarily good; the problem is that people won't show any leniency when they're handing out tickets."

The project department of the general contractor is there to generate profits for the company. The project is awarded to these construction companies, and the profit is the price difference deducted from the contract. This profit is almost fixed. However, the entire project department has fixed personnel expenses every month. The longer the project drags on, the higher the cost, and the less the performance record created by the project manager becomes.

Aside from relationships, performance is the foundation for a project manager's survival.

If the process drags on, the contractor will usually try to find ways to issue fines to the construction company in order to make up for its own profits.

This project has clearly been dragging on for a very long time.

The two bosses were concerned about the project manager, but Tan Hailiang, the construction worker, was concerned about something else.

"Xiao Chen, if you don't hand over the stakes this time, next time you come... you'll have to bring your own people to do the handover. The city area will be conducting water tightness tests soon, so you might be quite busy."

The handover of stakes and intersections refers to the process where the design department surveys and maps out the axis lines and horizontal control points, and then hands them over to the design department. These points are usually marked on relatively fixed stakes, along with some survey data. The coordinates, level, and elevation will then be determined using these data, along with the drawings and instruments, to ensure the accuracy of the construction location.

When the piles are handed over, the construction unit must use instruments to verify their accuracy, and then the design, supervision, and construction units must sign and confirm them on site.

Chen Xuebing thought for a moment, then smiled and said, "Engineer Tan, the Yuzhong project should be ready in about two months, right? My uncle's project has also been contracted out. Why don't you... come and work with me?"

"Eh!"

Yu Chunyin snapped, "Why are you trying to steal my man?!"

Chen Xuebing scoffed, "You've become a hands-off boss, what's the point of having construction workers? It costs money to employ people. I'm just helping you out of this mess. Besides, Engineer Tan is with me, so he can go back to work whenever you need him."

After saying that, he looked at Tan Hailiang and said, "Engineer Tan, would you like to consider it? I know a bit about construction, as you should know. It will definitely be easier for you to work for me than for my uncle. Besides, he doesn't have any projects for the time being; he's outsourced them all."

He was too lazy to find a construction worker. He had a general idea of ​​Tan Hailiang's overall capabilities; he could handle a project worth tens of millions of yuan on his own with plenty of money to spare, and he was knowledgeable about surveying and construction data.

However, he was also a hands-off boss before the college entrance exam in June, so it's uncertain whether his job would be easier than his uncle's.

You can draw the pie first.

"Who said I don't have any projects?" Yu Chunyin glared. "I'm still going to hand over the third section of the river pipeline network to Engineer Tan!"

Chen Xuebing scoffed and waved his hand: "That stuff doesn't even involve technology. You can just find someone to help you sell river sand. As long as you have the right channels, any team leader can do it for you."

As he spoke, he said with a half-smile, "Uncle, don't forget, we still have a bet. If I start work smoothly in February, you'll be going to Shenzhen."

Yu Chunyin glared at him: "You greenhorn! You even tried to drag me into this! Let me tell you, that was just something your aunt mentioned casually, I'm not going!"

Chen Xuebing, however, was not to be outdone. He even used a common phrase parents use when scolding their children: "That's a chance to make money. Do you think I would harm you?"

As she spoke, she pulled Yu Chunyin aside and whispered, "You don't want to beg for others your whole life, do you? No matter how good the relationship is, how many years can it last? If you don't have anything of your own, it's just a pure dependency relationship... It's like walking on thin ice."

These words struck a chord with Yu Chunyin.

There was silence for a moment.

Tan Hailiang frowned. When Chen Xuebing spoke for the first time, he thought it was a joke, but judging from the situation, it seemed like he was serious.

“Um… Xiao Chen, this isn’t suitable, this isn’t suitable, I can’t do this here.”

Just kidding, he personally witnessed Mr. Yu giving his nephew two thousand yuan for travel expenses. With that kind of ability... let alone doing engineering work, it would be difficult to even pay him a salary!

But considering Chen Xuebing's effective management and control methods on the construction site, he clicked his tongue and said with some regret:
"Hey, I thought you were coming to help Manager Yu with the construction site... What happened? Why did you subcontract it to Luo An?"

Mr. Yu's attitude towards Chen Xuebing is completely different from his attitude towards Luo An. These two uncle and nephew seem more like relatives. Logically speaking, with such a nephew helping to manage things, there's no need to subcontract the work to others.

Yu Chunyin was also somewhat embarrassed.

Chen Xuebing chuckled. "When an old woman is in charge, the house collapses."

"Old Tan, I know what you're worried about. Money isn't the issue. I think you should reconsider. If it really doesn't work out, introduce me to one of your fellow apprentices. They need to be as skilled as you, and their salary will be based on your standards, with a 10% increase every year. Oh, and give me the phone number for purchasing surveying instruments. If you can find a used domestic computer total station, you can also help me get a price quote."

Both theodolites and total stations can be used for construction surveying. Total stations have more functions and higher accuracy, but they are also many times more expensive than theodolites. Although Tan Hailiang was not Chen Xuebing's subordinate, Chen Xuebing had a confident and decisive manner when assigning tasks, which Tan Hailiang subconsciously nodded in agreement.

A hint of hesitation crept into my mind.

Wages increase by 10% annually…

They even bought a total station.

He had already mentioned the purchase of a total station to Yu Chunyin. That thing is convenient to use, has a wide range of applications, and can measure point distances.

However, a domestically produced total station from Southern Surveying and Mapping costs 20,000 yuan, while the more expensive imported Leica ranges from tens of thousands to millions of yuan.

When Yu Chunyin heard that theodolites could also be used for surveying, he immediately refused the offer.

This isn't just about total stations; it also involves procurement.

Working with the meticulous and thrifty General Manager Yu sometimes feels reassuring, at least you don't have to worry about the boss not having enough money to pay salaries, but sometimes you feel misunderstood, and you have to explain for a long time whenever there is a major expense.

Chen Xuebing wanted to buy a total station to get it right the first time. Theodolites have inherent errors and are easily affected during operation. They are fine for small projects, but the errors become exaggerated when the range is slightly larger.

He'll definitely be taking on big projects in the future. Why spend a few thousand dollars on a theodolite for a small factory project that doesn't even work well?

……

Wait for Mr. Ren to look at the blueprints.

Chen Xuebing was half capable of reviewing blueprints.

He was overwhelmed by the floor plans, elevations, and sections, but he could read the written explanations, especially the part about the construction process.

The scope of work and the process involved encompass the cost of the project.

The process can only be seen from the drawings. The project quantities are on the drawings and in the contract, but they are not accurate; they are based on the drawings. Design companies that make the drawings often delegate site visits to others. Small companies save on daily personnel costs and have many cheap apprentices. Large companies have more work and take on jobs first and then plan. Subcontracting is also very common, resulting in uneven skill levels. Many people are not doing design but simply drawing templates.

Some designs are purely speculative, and significant changes may occur during actual construction.

Therefore, he prefers to see the scope of the project himself on-site.

Many of the habits of veteran engineers reveal the ills of the entire industry.

Mr. Ren ate very quickly, and before six o'clock, everyone was ready to set off. Mr. Ren brought a young man with him, and there were five of them, filling one car.

Seeing the Toyota Camry downstairs, Ren Kaiping smiled slightly. He was a fairly capable boss, unlike most bosses in other price ranges who mostly owned cars under 20 yuan.

If you have the ability, you'll have fewer problems. Nobody wants to spend every day on the construction site negotiating workers' wages and material costs, or helping the construction company write guarantees for all parties.

As soon as he got in the car, Ren Kaiping asked, "Mr. Yu, I heard you have other projects in the city? Who is in charge here?"

“I am Mr. Yu. Please take care of me in the future,” Chen Xuebing said proactively.

Ren Kaiping sat in the passenger seat and looked back carefully; his smile froze.

He had initially thought this young man was a driver who took turns driving.

"You...have experience in engineering?"

Ren Kaiping looked at Chen Xuebing again and confirmed that the other party should be no more than 20 years old.

Yu Chunyin came to support Chen Xuebing, and spoke up at the right time: "He is my nephew. He has managed construction sites and knows a thing or two. Don't worry, Mr. Ren, I will take care of things if anything happens. It's just that I'm usually quite busy. There is another project worth 20 to 30 million in Taohuaxi. Before I came, I also communicated with Mr. Huang of your Water Investment in person. In addition, the leaders also instructed that this sewage treatment plant is the core of your entire treatment project, and we will definitely do a good job."

This statement is clearly indicating the relationship.

Water Investment is the head office, Water Construction is the branch office, and Ren Kaiping is just a project manager at Water Construction. Yu Chunyin casually mentioned the leaders of the head office, and also mentioned another title, "leader".

The level of information that needed to be revealed has been revealed. If Ren Kaiping wants to make things difficult for this team in the future, he'll have to think twice.

Chen Xuebing keenly noticed from behind that Ren Kaiping did not react to these words, but simply chuckled and looked out the window.

They either have powerful connections or they dislike people who rely on connections.

Most of those who come to this rural area to become managers are probably the latter.

As Chen Xuebing pondered, he slightly turned his head to observe the expression of the construction worker beside him. He noticed that the worker was staring intently at Ren Kaiping in the passenger seat, as if he were expecting something.

Chen Xuebing stiffened, and the scales in his heart began to tip to the other side again.

This project... requires more effort.

……

sunset.

The car stopped in front of a bad road.

There was a rural middle school next door, and the road ahead turned from uphill to downhill, and the road conditions changed drastically as far as the eye could see.

The road is marked by a muddy mound in the middle, scattered stones, and depressions on both sides.

The road from the township to the village was already in bad shape, but it was even worse here.

Yu Chunyin was about to drive in from the higher point in the middle when Ren Kaiping stopped him.

"Mr. Yu, we can only walk in from here. The road is terrible. It's not worth it to scrape the undercarriage of your car."

"Oh... how much further?"

"One kilometer, less than eight hundred meters."

The car could only be parked on the side of the road, and the group walked down the stone path. The air was very fresh, and they could see the water at the foot of the mountain below.

“There’s a bridge over there, and our construction area is right next to it. The first thing we need to deal with is this road. When we were building the bridge, a lot of materials were transported and damaged the road, so we filled it with a lot of soil to allow large trucks to pass. We paid the local government a sum of money afterward, but the road wasn’t repaired. You see, it’s uneven and slippery when it rains. Since we’re working here, the first thing we need to do is repair the road surface.”

"Oh..." Chen Xuebing's eyes lit up.

Isn't this part of the extra work beyond the main project? Eight hundred meters of paved road surface, the roadbed still needs to be treated, plus the original waste soil transfer and such, a four-meter-wide road, how could it not cost at least 200,000 yuan?
Moreover, this profit margin is relatively consistent, with a minimum profit of 30%.

Chen Xuebing became interested.

"Mr. Ren, what grade of concrete is used for this road? C20 or C25?"

Ren Kaiping pondered for a moment and said, "C15 will be fine. Actually, our suggestion is... as long as the construction can be completed smoothly, a gravel road surface is also acceptable."

Chen Xuebing was disappointed; the lower the grade of concrete, the lower its strength, and the cheaper it was.

Gravel roads are even cheaper, and the profit margins are more transparent.

"Then... should we also use the price of 99 plus 8%?"

Ren Kaiping looked somewhat embarrassed and cleared his throat.

"Um... this money is a bit difficult to reimburse. The client is the county government, and they say the road has exceeded the budget. They've already compensated the town, but the town hasn't repaired it. They've ordered the town to repair it, and the town doesn't dare to shirk its responsibility. They just say they don't have the money and will only repair it when the treasury has funds, which might be at the end of next year. This plan clearly doesn't match our construction plan, but no one is in charge. I reported it to my superiors, but following the procedures won't work. We can only compensate you in other ways. I'll handle the communication regarding your road repair costs and inflate the figures for you."

Upon hearing this, Yu Chunyin nodded subconsciously, feeling that as long as there was some compensation, it was worth it.

But Tan Hailiang stopped in his tracks.

Chen Xuebing's face immediately darkened.

False amount?

I was going to do it anyway! Otherwise, how would I earn money?
You still owe me money for this project, which is a total of 200 million. By then, I'll be making up for it to the heavens.

The settlement price is significantly overstated; are they treating the client like fools?
This project... it lost 800 meters right from the start?
(End of this chapter)