Reborn as Zhao Ruilong of Handong, I will defy fate.

Chapter 264: Cheng Congming is miserable, while Young Master Zhao is rich and willful!

afternoon.

A convoy of vehicles slowly drove into the construction site of the Jinghai Xiawan Power Plant.

Zhao Ruilong, who had just finished the founding ceremony of Huilong Energy Company in the morning, came to inspect the construction of the power plant, accompanied by the company's general manager Feng Zhengting.

This large-scale thermal power plant, which was planned to install two 60-kilowatt coal-fired generator units in its first phase, with an average daily power generation of 2700 million kilowatt-hours, was originally a joint venture between Su Jinyi's Linjiang Xinyi Group and Jinghai Power Company.

Once the first phase of the project is completed, it will be able to supply more than 110 million kilowatt-hours of electricity per hour, which can meet the daily electricity needs of millions of households in Jinghai City, greatly alleviate the power shortage problem in Jinghai City, and prevent power outages in rural areas during peak electricity consumption periods.

In order to ensure a sufficient supply of coal for continuous and stable power generation, in addition to building a stockpile capable of storing millions of tons of coal, a huge amount of money was spent to build a wharf on the coast that can accommodate multiple 10,000-ton cargo ships for coal supply.

however……

This major provincial project, which is related to the social welfare and economic development of Jinghai, has progressed very smoothly in the early stages, including project application, environmental approval, land acquisition and demolition.

No one expected that shortly after the first phase of the power plant project started, an education rectification storm swept through Linjiang Province, leading to the flight of the richest man, Su Jinyi, and the bankruptcy and liquidation of his Xinyi Group, which nearly caused the project to be halted.

Fortunately, at the critical moment, Huilong Group participated in the bankruptcy liquidation with a huge amount of money. After a series of asset restructurings, it took over the project, ensuring that the project had enough funds to continue its busy construction day and night.

Now that Huilong Energy Company has been officially established, before the construction of the first wind farm begins, the Xiawan power plant is naturally a project that Zhao Ruilong needs to focus on.

Under the scorching sun.

The construction site, with its towering cranes and roaring machinery, remains a bustling and lively scene.

As Zhao Ruilong stepped off the minibus, he instantly felt as if he had stepped into a sauna, with waves of heat hitting him in the face.

I glanced at the group of project managers, construction supervisors, and safety technicians in front of me, all wearing white and red hard hats.

Although they were already drenched in sweat from the heat, they still stood in a line with beaming smiles and boundless enthusiasm to welcome them.

Zhong Xiaoai, who got out of the passenger seat, originally wanted to take out a parasol from her bag to shield Zhao Ruilong from the sun.

But seeing that his expression suddenly turned strange, he immediately gave up and removed his hand from his bag.

Who is the project manager for this project?

"Chengcheng, Manager Cheng."

Zhao Ruilong frowned.

Chengcheng?

What a pitiful woman!

In the original drama, she was born in a rural area but graduated from a prestigious university.

After joining Jinghai Construction Group, he was well-liked by Chen Tai and served three years in prison for Chen Tai.

Chen Jinmo, nicknamed "Old Mo," who was Gao Qiqiang's top assassin, was released from prison on the same day and gained Chen Tai's trust after returning to Jinghai Construction Group.

In the original drama, in 2006, after failing to seize power from Gao Qiqiang over the Mangcun project and framing him, she was forced by Lao Mo to jump into the sea and commit suicide on the ship leaving Jinghai.

Before that, she seemed to have been insulted by Li Hongwei, who was arrogant and domineering, and called Gao Qiqiang a stinking fishmonger.

Li Hongwei, who was later jokingly called "Frozen Fish God of War" by fans, was seriously injured on the night he kidnapped Meng Yu, the daughter of Meng Dehai, the secretary of Qinghua District, and eventually died from his injuries.

Now that I've transmigrated here, the plot development in Handong has changed considerably, and many people's fates have undergone significant transformations.

However, in Jinghai City, Linjiang Province, apart from his second uncle Zhao Lidong, who, under his influence, stopped being obsessed with making money and began to focus on making progress, the fates of the others remained largely unchanged.

Gao Qisheng's business still mainly involves selling PHS phones, but he has also partnered with others to sell MP3 players and opened a chain of internet cafes.

Gao Qiqiang married Chen Shuting and became Chen Tai's godfather. While working hard at Jinghai Construction Group, he also ran shady businesses such as Baijinhan Club, becoming the underground boss of Jinghai.

Chengcheng, the tragic woman in the original drama, is still working at the Construction Group and is deeply trusted by Chen Tai, serving as the project manager of the Dawan Power Plant.

"What about her?"

"I heard that you were coming to the construction site to inspect, Mr. Zhao. She took some people to buy watermelon and drinks. They should be back soon."

"Tell her to buy more if she wants, so that everyone on the construction site can eat watermelon and drink beverages."

As he spoke, Zhao Ruilong looked up at the migrant workers who were busy working under the scorching sun.

"Why are the workers working so hard without taking a lunch break in this heat? Are the heatstroke prevention measures in place? Have they all received their high-temperature allowances?"

These two questions left many people completely baffled.

It's already a good thing if we can pay these migrant workers from the countryside on time.

We also need to consider whether they will suffer from heatstroke.

What exactly is a high-temperature subsidy? Is it necessary?

In the countryside, working from dawn till dusk is hotter and more tiring than working on a construction site, and you don't earn as much as on a construction site, but you still do a good job.

After a long pause, someone raised their hand and said:

"General Manager Zhao, our canteen makes mung bean soup every day for everyone to drink for free, and the project department has also prepared a lot of Huoxiang Zhengqi Water."

"Moreover, the workers use large water bottles to carry enough water when they go to work on the construction site. The different work groups don't work all the time; they also have rest periods."

Zhao Ruilong pressed further, "Did the project team provide everyone with a high-temperature allowance?"

"Uh... no, I haven't heard of any subsidies being issued."

Zhao Ruilong didn't say anything, took the safety helmet handed to him by Feng Zhengting, put it on, and walked into the construction site.

In 2001, in China, let alone providing high-temperature subsidies to migrant workers on construction sites, many people working in factories didn't even have labor contracts.

How long you work, how much you earn, how much you get bonuses are all basically agreed upon verbally, and you're constantly being fined or penalized. And forget about getting social security benefits.

Because far too many young and middle-aged people from rural areas leave their homes to work in cities in order to earn more money, the labor supply far exceeds the demand, which leaves the working people with absolutely no bargaining power.

Anyway, there are plenty of people willing to do the jobs you can't do.

It's hard to find skilled and educated people, but there are plenty of young and middle-aged people with physical strength but no education.

Therefore, Zhao Ruilong did not expect Jinghai Construction Group to provide high-temperature subsidies to the workers.

The main purpose of today's visit is to check on the construction progress and safety conditions of the power plant.

As a time traveler, Zhao Ruilong knew that construction sites were the most prone to safety accidents due to their dense population and complex operations.

No matter how much emphasis is placed on safe production, and no matter how much safety education and precautions are taken, a large number of accidents still occur every year, resulting in thousands of deaths and injuries.

Having transmigrated to this world, I initially thought that with a more backward economy and weaker safety awareness, the prevention of the three major construction site accidents—falls from heights, earthwork collapses, and crane injuries—would be even less effective.

However, after walking around and observing for a while, Zhao Ruilong found that Chengcheng was quite competent as the project manager.

All workers at heights wore safety helmets and safety belts; no one worked shirtless, and safety nets were hung at intervals to prevent falls.

Furthermore, the various materials used in high-altitude operations were not seen piled up near the edges or openings, so that a slight mistake could cause some materials to fall from the height and injure or kill people.

Walking on the construction site, you can see various warning lines and signs everywhere. There are no messy cables, equipment and materials scattered around. Even those working at the bottom of the pit have a series of reinforcement and anti-collapse devices.

Today's inspection was a last-minute decision; I was only notified before departure.

No matter how efficient you are, it's impossible to get all the safety measures in place in less than half an hour.

This is enough to prove that Chengcheng is truly dedicated to managing this project.

But think about it.

She was one of the few top students from a prestigious university in the 1990s.

It's clear that one couldn't gain Chen Tai's trust simply by relying on academic qualifications.

It must be because she has excellent professional skills and outstanding management abilities.

Even in areas such as dust prevention and management of living areas, there are still shortcomings.

But this is also determined by the current national conditions.

Just like no one would voluntarily give construction workers a high-temperature allowance.

Naturally, they wouldn't care whether the construction site would cause noise and dust pollution to the surrounding area.

After all, the relevant laws and regulations are not yet strict and detailed enough, let alone their supervision and enforcement.

What is not prohibited by law is permitted!

If the law doesn't explicitly require it, how many people will take the initiative to do so?

For example, the current construction safety inspection standards in China do not stipulate that vehicle washing facilities should be installed at the entrances and exits of construction sites.

Therefore, the construction site would not build a water pit, spend money to build a washing device, or even arrange for someone to wash the vehicles leaving the site.

The environmental and sanitation standards for construction sites do not require that the transportation of earthwork, slag, and construction waste be carried out using enclosed transport vehicles or with covering measures.

Therefore, the dump trucks entering and leaving the construction site were not covered with covers or tarpaulins, so that they stirred up clouds of dust wherever they went, but no one found it strange.

However, environmental regulations are not stringent, but Zhao Ruilong's requirements for this power plant are not low.

In order to protect the ecological environment and to become a benchmark for the green transformation of thermal power generation.

Zhao Ruilong aims to make it the first thermal power plant in Linjiang Province to meet ultra-low emission standards.

Therefore, power plants naturally need to build a series of facilities to treat the generated waste gas and wastewater.

When Zhao Ruilong and his team arrived at a regulating pond that was being dug, project manager Chengcheng returned.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Zhao, I'm late."

Chengcheng had just gotten off the bus when she rushed over.

He put on his helmet while running.

Zhao Ruilong turned his head at the sound.

Like a woman from northern China, Chengcheng has long, slender legs.

Wearing work clothes and with short hair, she looked capable and efficient.

She gives off the impression of a smart, hardworking, and successful career woman.

but……

As soon as Zhao Ruilong saw her, he couldn't help but recall the power struggle between her and Gao Qiqiang over the Mangcun project in the original drama.

At Li Youtian's call, Mangcun wanted to raise funds to build a resort. In order to stop the construction, Gao Qiqiang sent Lao Mo to sneak into the construction site and push the honest man Li Shun off a height to his death.

Li Shun's son, Li Qing, has an intellectual disability. He was forced to stop taking his medication by Li Youtian and was instigated by Li Hongwei. In a fit of rage, he kidnapped Gao Qiqiang's son, Gao Xiaochen. Afterward, Gao Qiqiang taught his son to lie.

Lu Tao, Gao Qiqiang's driver, is Chengcheng's cousin. He installed a bug in the car and secretly recorded Gao Qiqiang teaching his son to lie. Chengcheng burned the recording onto a CD and sent it to Anxin.

As expected, the police detained Gao Qiqiang. Chengcheng then used a truck from the construction group to transport Zhang Xiaoqing's body and hid the rope that Zhang Daqing used to strangle Zhang Xiaoqing in Gao Qiqiang's house in order to frame him.

This seemingly clever move almost cost Gao Qiqiang his life, and if Gao Qiqiang were arrested and imprisoned, Chengcheng would inevitably become the person in charge of the Mangcun project.

Little did she know that Gao Qiqiang didn't sell fish, but studied military strategy every day. In addition, he was a big shot in the Jinghai underworld and had many brothers who dared to fight and be ruthless.

Knowing full well that Lu Tao was disloyal, she deliberately kept him around to pass on messages, cleverly using a scheme to not only clear her name but also defeat Cheng Cheng and sideline Chen Tai...

therefore.

In Zhao Ruilong's view, Chengcheng is a little clever, but she is not ruthless enough.

She viewed the struggle for power and profit as a simple workplace battle.

He thought he had lost the battle and could simply leave Jinghai dejectedly.

Little did they know that going up against the notorious gangster Gao Qiqiang would be a life-or-death struggle.

of course.

It was only 2001 at this moment.

Despite the downfall of the Tang family and the bankruptcy liquidation of Haifu Group, Jinghai Construction Group is still in a phase of rapid development.

Chen Tai, the founder and chairman of the group, is not old and frail, but suffers from high blood pressure and needs to rest.

Gao Qiqiang had been with the construction group for less than two years, while Chengcheng, who had served three years in prison for Chen Tai, returned to the group around the same time.

Therefore, Chengcheng and Gao Qiqiang are currently just high-level employees who follow orders under Chen Tai, and neither of them has enough power to fight for power and profit.

"Did you buy all the watermelon and drinks I asked you to buy?"

Zhao Ruilong asked calmly.

"I bought it, I bought it!"

Chengcheng smiled broadly and turned to point to a large truck she had brought back.

Before she could speak, Zhao Ruilong immediately gave the order:

"It's too hot right now. Let the workers stop work for two hours and have some watermelon to cool off!"

"Okay, okay!"

How could Chengcheng dare to disobey Zhao Ruilong's orders?

It wasn't just because she knew about Zhao Ruilong's powerful background.

Also because Zhao Ruilong is a true 'client daddy'!

The homeowners have already spoken, so how can we argue or object?

After a while.

The workers returned to the living area built with prefabricated houses.

Upon receiving their watermelon drinks, they cheered and jumped for joy, overjoyed.

Zhao Ruilong inquired and found that there weren't many workers from Linjiang.

Most of them come from the central and western regions, especially the provinces of Sichuan and Hebei.

Working on construction sites year after year, their hands are rough, their skin is dark, and their clothes are dirty.

But with work to do, money to earn, and free watermelon and drinks, their smiling faces showed genuine happiness and simplicity.

"When you're at work, you must be alert and not be careless."

"When you're resting, never gamble in groups. We don't earn our money easily."

"Especially those families in rural areas, with wives, children, and elderly relatives, think more about your families!"

There are few forms of entertainment on the construction site.

Besides smoking and drinking, all he does is play cards and watch videos.

People who are addicted to gambling can't be changed, but since we're already here, we can at least try to persuade one person if we can.

However, the living conditions of workers these days are truly appalling.

The small prefabricated house contained many double-decker steel-framed beds, housing more than a dozen people, regardless of gender.

There is no air conditioning, only electric fans.

Even with the doors and windows open and the fan blowing, the room is still very stuffy.

Add to that the various odors of sweat and feet, along with the smell of smoke, and the air quality becomes even more worrisome.

However, it is simply unrealistic to expect Jinghai Construction Group to spend money to improve the living conditions of the workers.

After leaving the living area, Chengcheng led everyone to the project headquarters.

Zhao Ruilong, already drenched in sweat from the heat, gave the order in a deep voice:

"Manager Cheng, please have our project's air conditioning supplier deliver the air conditioners ahead of schedule so the workers can use them first!"

"what???"

Chengcheng was stunned.

Zhao Ruilong frowned and said, "What 'huh'? Air conditioners don't break that easily. What's wrong with bringing them in early and letting the workers enjoy the air for a while?"

Chengcheng quickly said, "But with so many rooms using air conditioning, the electricity bill isn't cheap, and relocating and installing new units in the future will also be a considerable expense."

Zhao Ruilong glanced at Feng Zhengting.

"Isn't it just about increasing the project budget? You can draft an application report for General Manager Feng and have him submit it to the finance department of Huilong Group."

“Our project in Linjiang Province should be like the one in Handong. We should not only provide air conditioning for the workers, but also give them high-temperature subsidies and buy them accident insurance.”

"..."

Chengcheng was completely dumbfounded.

She has been working in the construction industry for quite some time.

I've only ever seen homeowners desperately trying to save money; I've never seen one proactively increase their budget.

Moreover, the increased budget was not for the project itself, but rather to improve the welfare benefits for the workers.

"No wonder so many top talents are flocking to Handong!"

"Young Master Zhao is truly people-oriented, and also truly rich and willful!!"