Chapter 45: Fun Ways to Spend Money

The next day, before Old Fang even arrived with his crew, Wang Cuixiang had already brought food for her son-in-law and daughter. The two of them hadn’t left the construction site at all.

The guys Old Fang brought over hadn’t expected that such a small job would be equipped with such big machinery. “Wow, impressive! This looks pretty legit.”

Old Fang felt proud. “My brother-in-law is a man of standards—he does things properly.”

As for how to assign the work, that was up to Old Lu. But how the work was actually done, that was up to Lu Chuan.

Old Fang didn’t even need to say anything. Everyone was there for his sake, so they couldn’t do anything to embarrass him.

Lu Chuan kept it simple when he spoke: “I know you’re all here as a favor to my brother. I can’t let you lose out either. You’ll get paid according to how much you work—the more you do, the more you earn.”

Old Fang was confused. “How does that work, more work, more pay?” The others were even more puzzled. Since when did construction work pay by output?

They were all used to just putting in their hours and going through the motions.

Lu Chuan pointed to a small corner in the distance. “That spot over there—big bro, take a look. Whoever wants to do it, and thinks a certain price is fair, let them take it. If they finish early, they can take on another small section like this elsewhere. The more you do, the more you earn.”

Honestly, everyone who came had real skills—no freeloaders. They didn’t see anything wrong with this. It was better than just muddling through the day.

Someone immediately spoke up, “I’ll take that spot, and bring someone with me. Fang, you decide what’s a fair price.”

Old Fang had been doing this kind of work for a long time, so he knew what was reasonable. He named a price that was fair for everyone. The guy nodded and took his helper over.

Just like that, with these informal little subcontracts, Lu Chuan’s business career began.

Meanwhile, Fang Wuhu had already started up the cement mixer with two others.

Old Fang was doing the math in his head. In just a short while, quite a bit of money had gone out. He was a little worried—his brother-in-law was being a bit reckless.

But before noon, those who’d taken on the subcontracts had already finished their work. They’d spent a fair amount, but the speed had picked up.

Old Fang hadn’t expected that this group actually had such skills.

In the afternoon, they subcontracted a bit more, and in one day, they earned what would usually take two days. Everyone was pretty happy.

On Fang Yuan’s side, she frowned. She’d never paid much attention to numbers before, but ever since money started coming out of her own pocket, she realized that math wasn’t so hard after all—when you add it up, it’s all crystal clear.

Of course, that just made her more anxious. “I’ve never seen anyone throw money around like you. The daily wages are double what others pay. Why are you so wasteful?”

The key was, she was running out of money. Fang Yuan wasn’t great at accounting, but she could hear how much everyone was making. Add it up, and that’s how much she had to pay out each day. She couldn’t stay calm.

Lu Chuan said, “But we got two days’ work done in one day. If you think about it, we’ll finish earlier and save a day’s rental on the mixer. Isn’t that saving money?”

Fang Yuan replied, “That makes sense, but it still hurts to hand out so much money. In the future, we’re not allowed to do anything that involves spending like this.”

Her heart just couldn’t take it.

Fang Yuan’s honesty made Lu Chuan laugh. “You just want to make money without spending any? There’s no such thing!”

Fang Yuan looked at Old Fang, who was confidently assigning jobs and setting prices. “My big brother doesn’t have to spend money himself.”

The work wasn’t hard, and everyone was flattering her brother. Fang Yuan thought this was a great gig.

Lu Chuan didn’t see it that way. To him, it was just lugging bricks with her brother. This woman really had ambition.

Fang Yuan was still muttering, “I’m serious. I just realized I’m really stingy—I actually feel bad about spending money.”

She’d never felt this anxious about spending before, which just showed how much was going out.

Lu Chuan told her to relax and not overthink it. “You’ll get used to it. There’s no such thing as only good things happening.”

In the afternoon, Lu Chuan handed out bottles of soda—originally meant for sale—to everyone on site. Fang Yuan’s face turned sour.

If she didn’t have to keep an eye on the materials, she would’ve gone home right then and there—out of sight, out of mind. This man was hopeless—a real spendthrift.

When the contractor who’d hired Lu Chuan came by and saw the cement mixer, he was amazed. “Didn’t expect you to have a proper crew here.”

Lu Chuan replied, “You flatter me. We just do what needs to be done. Look at our speed, and check the quality too. Let’s all follow your standards, so everything goes smoothly later.”

The supervisor was very satisfied. “This young man knows what he’s doing. I’ve checked—quality is top-notch. If you’re short on materials, let me know in advance so you don’t hold up your work.”

Lu Chuan was even happier. “Thank you, sir!”

When work started up again in the afternoon, Lu Chuan specifically emphasized the importance of quality. Otherwise, everyone would have to redo things later.

Old Fang reassured him, “Don’t worry, brother-in-law. The people I bring are all skilled—no one’s going to cut corners. We do honest work.”

Of course, since Old Fang was vouching for them, it was hard to say how much to trust it. But everyone respected Old Fang, and no one was going to slack off just for money.

When the usual quitting time came, no one left. They said if they worked an extra hour, they could finish another chunk of work. That’s the benefit of getting paid by output.

Old Fang sighed to Lu Chuan, “Turns out, when these guys are working for themselves, not a single one slacks off.”

Lu Chuan asked, “Big bro, do you think we should keep doing it this way tomorrow?”

Old Fang replied, “I think it’s great, but it’s hard to set the prices because of personal relationships. Maybe you should handle it tomorrow.”

Old Fang felt that since his brother-in-law had taken on the job, it wasn’t right for him to take charge of everything.

Lu Chuan said, “No need. This morning, I calculated their work. From now on, we’ll pay by the square meter. That way, they won’t lose out, and we don’t have to worry about personal favors. Everyone gets treated the same.”

Old Fang was surprised. “You can calculate it like that?”

But if they did it this way, would his close friends have complaints? Would his authority be undermined?

Even after just half a day, Old Fang was already getting a feel for being a foreman.

Lu Chuan said, “That’s nothing. The real skill is having friends everywhere, like you, big bro. If it weren’t for your reputation, I couldn’t have gotten these guys to help. They’d have offended the previous foreman otherwise.”

Old Fang was pleased to hear this—his brother-in-law understood him. This educated guy really was something.

As for paying by the square meter, Old Fang didn’t say much—he just thought his brother-in-law was deep.

Just then, the previous foreman showed up with his crew, all carrying tools.

Before Lu Chuan could react, Old Fang and his guys grabbed their own tools and faced off.

Fang Yuan even picked up a shovel and joined in. Lu Chuan rushed over. “Father and son fighting together, brothers battling side by side”—he was seeing it with his own eyes. No hesitation, no discussion—no one was backing down."

"Chapter 46: The Fang Family’s Big Tiger

The foreman on the other side saw Old Fang and tried to reason with him first: “Fang Tiger, you’d better stay out of this. We’ve known each other for years. This job is mine. If some outsider cuts in halfway, I’ll lose all face.”

Old Fang replied amicably, “Old Sun, now you’re being unreasonable. If you can’t handle the job and someone more capable takes it, you shouldn’t interfere.”

Old Sun was fuming inside. He couldn’t figure out why Fang Tiger was suddenly speaking up for someone else. “If you, Fang Tiger, were the one taking this job from me, I’d accept it. But this isn’t your job, so don’t blame me for not showing respect. We’re all friends here, Fang Tiger. You just watch from the sidelines. No matter who gets the job, you brothers will still make money.”

He was really giving Old Fang a lot of face. He was also promising that, even if the job was his, Old Fang would still get a cut.

Old Fang sighed inwardly. Although Old Sun usually treated him well, he’d never gone this far. Clearly, a person still needs to keep moving up in the world.

Looking back at the people behind him, for the first time, the eldest of the Fang brothers felt a sense of ambition.

Old Fang said, “Old Sun, we’ve been friends for years. If this really was an outsider’s business, I wouldn’t bother getting involved. But it’s not. Let’s just handle this fairly.”

Old Sun glared, trying to sound tough but lacking real confidence. “Fang Tiger, you think I’m afraid of you?”

It looked like things were about to get physical.

Lu Chuan quickly stepped between them. “Let’s calm down, everyone. I’m the current foreman here.”

Amidst a group of shirtless men, a guy in a yellowed, old dress shirt stood out. Despite his shabby clothes, he had an air about him.

Old Sun, the foreman, sneered, “Pretty boy, who are you? Hitting you would make me look like a bully. Listen, take your people and your stuff and get lost. This job is mine.”

Lu Chuan replied, “That’s not fair. I have a written contract for this job.”

Old Sun snorted, “Kid, let me tell you, around here, that kind of thing doesn’t mean much.”

Old Fang interjected, “Old Sun, it’s too hot for all this fuss. You said it yourself, the job is mine, so just let it go. See? That’s my brother-in-law—he’s in college, he’s capable. He’s in charge here. If there’s a problem, talk to me.”

Old Sun scowled. “Your sister? Brother-in-law? Who are you kidding? Your sister could land a college student?” No one believed it—a college student must be out of his mind.

Fang Yuan lifted her chin and said, “What’s the problem? He’s my man, and he’s in college.” She was even tougher than Old Fang.

Unfortunately, no one was in the mood to gossip about that. Old Sun was furious—it really was her brother-in-law. Must be a marriage she forced.

If the Fang brothers were just hired muscle for someone else, Old Sun could still appeal to their friendship. But if it was their own brother-in-law, how could he hope to win them over?

A group of workers on Old Sun’s side picked up their tools and came over. Old Sun had some brains—he was only here to intimidate, not to actually fight. He didn’t have the guts for a real brawl.

And when it came to being tough, he couldn’t compare to Old Fang. The Fang brothers were five strong men—if they called out, they’d all stand together. Who on Old Sun’s side could match that kind of unity?

Besides, this show of force was just a scare tactic they used all the time. Old Fang saw right through it.

But backing down like this would be humiliating for Old Sun. Who would follow him after this? How could he keep getting jobs as a foreman?

Old Fang knew all this well. In the past, whenever Old Sun tried to scare others, Old Fang was always the one backing him up.

Now Old Fang felt a bit awkward—this was hard to resolve.

Lu Chuan quickly spoke up, “Big Brother, Old Sun, we’re all friends here. Let’s calm down. I’m new to this business and don’t have much experience. Old Sun, maybe you can give me some pointers?”

Then he added, “I didn’t know the rules, and my brother already scolded me for it. But I’ve already signed a contract—if I don’t do the job, I’ll have to pay a penalty. That’s why my brother is helping me out. He keeps saying how much he values his friendship with you, Old Sun. I’m sure you’ll understand.”

Fang Yuan turned to look at Lu Chuan. When did he ever say that? Did that really happen?

And all this “brother” talk—anyone listening would think Lu’s mother had a dozen sons. He didn’t sound like a college student at all.

Luckily, Fifth Fang was quick and pulled Fang Yuan aside.

Old Fang followed Lu Chuan’s lead. “Old Sun, my brother-in-law is young and doesn’t know the rules. I’ve already talked to him about it. But what’s done is done—we can’t do the work and still pay someone else. I’ll make it up to you later, Old Sun.”

Old Sun finally had a way out. “Fang Tiger, now that you’ve said that, I feel better. There’s work everywhere, but this client is no good—writes contracts just to trick people. Fang Tiger, you’d better watch out.”

The two of them put their arms around each other and walked off, chatting.

The rest of the crowd dispersed. The workers were eager to earn money and left quickly.

They didn’t want Old Sun to take the job back—they actually liked having Lu Chuan as the foreman. It was hard work, but they could make two days’ pay in one.

The people Old Sun brought were just there to show support—they never intended to fight.

Especially since the Fang brothers were locals—no one wanted to mess with them.

Old Fang and Old Sun exchanged a few words. All Old Sun wanted was to save face, and Lu Chuan had given it to him in front of everyone. What more could he ask for?

Still, losing the job was like losing money out of his own pocket—he couldn’t help feeling bitter.

Old Fang said, “Sorry about this, Old Sun.”

Old Sun replied, “I got outplayed, that’s all. But from now on, I can’t hire you, Fang Tiger.”

That was a clear break.

Old Fang didn’t say anything—what could he say? Maybe it was time for a career change. Old Sun had already left.

Lu Chuan came over, feeling a bit guilty toward his brother-in-law. “Big Brother, I’m sorry you had to risk years of friendship for me.”

Old Fang replied, “It’s no big deal. I wasn’t planning to do this kind of work forever anyway.”

Even so, Lu Chuan couldn’t just take it at face value—he felt bad for his brother-in-law.

Fifth Fang said, “So what? If Old Sun can get jobs, why can’t we? We don’t have to work for him—we can do it ourselves.”

Old Fang was tempted but kept a straight face. “Listen to you brag. How capable do you think you are?”

Fifth Fang got anxious. “Why not? Are we supposed to hang onto Old Sun’s coattails forever?”

Old Fang glared at him. “You’d better learn from Lu Chuan. Don’t be so reckless.”

Lu Chuan knew his brother-in-law was interested now and smiled. “Let’s just focus on doing this job well first.”

Fang Yuan hadn’t joined the crowd at all—she was keeping an eye on the cement mixer, worried Old Sun might try something sneaky.

Everyone went back to work. Lu Chuan walked over to Fang Yuan. “Were you scared?”

Fang Yuan, of all people, scared? She shot Lu Chuan a look, thinking his question was odd. “No, I was just worried they’d try something. I’ll have my brothers stay here tonight, just in case.”

Lu Chuan said, “I don’t think it’s necessary. Would they really dare mess with my brother-in-law?” He was pretty confident.

Fang Yuan replied, “You don’t understand. Listen to me. It’s not that I’m afraid they’ll come with people—it’s that I’m afraid they’ll try something underhanded.”"

"**Chapter 47: This Pretty Boy Doesn’t Look Like a Good Person**

Lu Chuan rubbed his nose and looked at Fang Yuan, who had fallen silent. He felt secretly pleased—Fang Yuan was even better than he’d thought.

Honestly, it was no surprise that the foreman had come looking for them. Wasn’t Lu Chuan relying on his brother-in-law’s backing, after all?

That evening, Wang Cuixiang made dinner and called the family home to eat.

No matter what anyone said, Fang Yuan refused to go back. All her money was here—how could she go home? Even if she did, she wouldn’t be able to eat.

Lu Chuan offered to stay and watch over the place, but Fang Yuan still didn’t feel at ease. She didn’t trust anyone except herself.

Wang Cuixiang, knowing her daughter’s temperament, said, “Don’t bother with her. She’s stubborn as a mule—no use talking sense into her.”

Lu Chuan didn’t find Fang Yuan difficult at all. In fact, it made him feel more at ease.

He spoke up to shield Fang Yuan: “Mom, I’ll stay here with Fang Yuan. I’m not comfortable leaving either. But could Fifth Brother help me by going home? We’ve been out for two days now. If I don’t go back soon, my mom will start to worry.”

Wang Cuixiang still felt sorry for her son-in-law. “Why are you running around with her? If she wants to stay here, I’m not going to force her home. You go eat, and check in at home tonight.”

Fang Yuan was being so cautious for Lu Chuan’s sake, and Lu Chuan insisted, “Mom, I’ll stay here with her.”

Then Fang Yuan’s eldest brother dragged Lu Chuan away. To be honest, with Lu Chuan’s slight build, he didn’t stand a chance against his brother-in-law—he couldn’t even put up a struggle.

But this also showed that the eldest brother-in-law really did see Lu Chuan as family. He wanted Lu Chuan to eat with them, have a drink, and talk business.

Meanwhile, Fifth Tiger waved at Lu Chuan, reassuring him, “I’ll stay with her. Don’t worry. Bring us back something tasty. Last night, Fourth Brother already rode over to your house and let your parents know.”

Lu Chuan instantly felt relieved—these guys handled things reliably.

He turned to Fang Yuan, trying to persuade her to come eat with him: “Won’t you come back with me? It’s fine, really. Fifth Brother’s here.”

Honestly, Lu Chuan didn’t think much of it, but to everyone else, his words sounded so gentle it sent chills down their spines.

Mother-in-law Wang Cuixiang thought to herself, if it were her, she wouldn’t be able to resist that soft voice.

A few brothers-in-law instinctively took a step back, thinking, “We’re just not the same kind of people as this brother-in-law. No matter how you look at this pretty boy, he doesn’t seem like a good person.”

If they had that kind of skill, would they ever have to worry about bride prices?

They looked at Fang Yuan with concern—wouldn’t she be completely taken in by someone like that?

But Fang Yuan didn’t even look at Lu Chuan. She just waved her hand, grabbed Fifth Tiger, and continued watching the cement mixer.

Her voice drifted over: “It’s just a meal. Why are you making such a fuss?”

Lu Chuan felt a little disappointed. Now he understood why Fang Yuan didn’t think much of his skinny frame—she probably thought he was useless.

For some reason, Lu Chuan thought of his eldest brother. The guy wasn’t too bright, but at least he was sturdy.

Maybe Fang Yuan was that shallow when they were matchmaking? The thought made him feel a little sour and uncomfortable.

Who would have thought—his tricks didn’t work on Fang Yuan. His own sister really was a bit dense.

But maybe that wasn’t such a bad thing after all.

Wang Cuixiang sucked in a breath. How did her daughter hear “gentle persuasion” as “nagging”? Maybe she’d raised her the wrong way.

Meanwhile, Fang Yuan’s eldest brother was being very warm to his brother-in-law. “Now I get why Dad insisted we all go to school. Turns out, if you’re smart, you make more money than others. Brother-in-law, I’ve worked on construction sites for years, but I never had your guts. I don’t admire many people, but I admire you.”

Lu Chuan regained a bit of confidence. When it comes to making money, muscle doesn’t matter.

See, his brother-in-law was wise and insightful. They say blood runs thicker than water—Fang Yuan must be sharp too.

Third Brother chimed in, “Those guys really are something. If you pay them, they’ll work—they did two days’ work in one day!” It was true.

That was what bugged the brothers most. Fourth Tiger said, “They’re even worse than us.”

No one had expected the project to move so quickly. The brothers were all calculating in their heads—if things kept up at this pace, they’d really make money.

Eldest Brother spoke up, “After dinner, everyone head back to the site.”

The brothers didn’t ask questions—they just followed orders.

Lu Chuan could see now why no one in the village dared mess with the Fang family. They were united.

If it were his own family, Third Brother would definitely try to slack off, and Eldest Brother would stay silent but wouldn’t be happy about it.

As for himself, he was even more petty. No wonder his family couldn’t compare to the Fangs—it wasn’t just a matter of having two fewer sons.

Looking at the big table full of food, Lu Chuan thought of Fang Yuan at the construction site and felt uneasy. “Mom, could you pack up some food for me? I’ll take it to Fifth Brother and eat with him.”

Fourth Tiger snorted, “Since when were you and Fifth Brother so close?” This brother-in-law was finally getting the hang of things—knowing to care for his wife. Just a bit shy, using Fifth Brother as an excuse.

Wang Cuixiang kicked him, “You talk too much. Trying to show off?”

She smiled at her son-in-law, “Eat well here. I’ll save some for the two of them in the pot. When you’re done, take it over to them.”

Lu Chuan really was thinking of Fang Yuan, but his mother-in-law insisted he eat his fill before leaving.

If she hadn’t stopped him, his eldest brother-in-law would have dragged him off for a drink. Today’s events had made a big impression on Eldest Brother.

He said, “Brother-in-law really made a name for himself today.”

When the eldest sister-in-law brought in a pot of pork and cabbage, she was all smiles. “That’s right. You’ve worked on construction sites for so long—so many people call you ‘Big Brother,’ but I’ve never seen you land a job like this yourself.”

Eldest Brother said, “You women—like I’d ever think of something like that.”

Wang Cuixiang thought to herself, that’s the difference. Otherwise, if she’d just stuck to the pork stall, her sons would still be hauling bricks—just not cut out for this.

Lu Chuan ate absentmindedly, thinking of Fang Yuan at the site while he was at home eating. When your mother-in-law likes you, everything’s fine; but if she doesn’t, this could become an issue.

After eating, Lu Chuan immediately said, “Big Brother, you’ve worked hard all day. You rest—I’ll go take food to Fang Yuan.”

Wang Cuixiang had already packed two lunchboxes and two cucumbers. “Let Fifth Brother come home to eat. I can see you didn’t eat much—go keep Fang Yuan company and eat some more.”

Lu Chuan smiled, grabbed the bag, and left.

Wang Cuixiang was stunned for a moment—she had to admit, her son-in-law really did have a charming smile.

Inside, the sons and daughters-in-law were gossiping, “Our brother-in-law really does have a nice smile. No wonder your sister fell for him.”

Fang Daleng was pleased too—his daughter had found a capable husband. “What’s so great about a smile? For a man, it’s all about ability. Our son-in-law’s got skills.”

Eldest Brother agreed, “Right, Mom, you’re too old to be judging by looks and smiles. My sister isn’t that kind of person.”

Thinking of how Fang Yuan had just treated her husband, the brothers all nodded in agreement.

[End of Chapter 47]

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**Translator’s Note:**

- “小白脸” (xiǎo bái liǎn) literally means “pretty boy” or “pretty face,” often with a negative connotation of being weak or effeminate.

- “五哥” (Fifth Brother), “方老大” (Fang Eldest Brother), etc., are all family nicknames.

- The text contains some typos and garbled characters at the end, which have been omitted for clarity."

"Chapter 48: Who’s Really Got the Upper Hand?