C15 Talent(2)

Yang Chenxuan's mind started to churn with ideas. "Mr. Huang, you've done quite a job with these cars. You've got some real skills there! Your business must be doing well, right?"

Huang Shiming took a drag from his cigarette and sighed slightly. "It was better back when I worked at the factory. My shop here just gets by—enough to put food on the table. In this small town, not many people need these kinds of repairs."

Huang Shiming's words were honest.

"But you know how to weld and work with circuits, right? There are so many construction projects going on," Yang Chenxuan pointed out.

Huang Shiming patted his injured leg. "People are hesitant to hire me for that kind of work. Honestly, when it comes to those electricians, I don't think much of their skills."

From what Huang Shiming said, it seemed he was quite skilled. Yang Chenxuan was seriously considering having him work as a mechanic at the sandpit. After all, knowing how to weld and fix electrical issues would be handy when machinery inevitably breaks down.

However, talk is cheap; it all comes down to skill.

Yang Chenxuan asked, "How about five dollars a day? Come work for me and help make a sign. You bring your welding gear, and I'll provide the materials. Meals and lodging are included, plus a pack of cigarettes a day. We'll settle up as soon as the job's done. How does that sound?"

Hearing five dollars a day, Huang Shiming didn't hesitate to agree. "No problem!"

Staying at his shop, he averaged only three or four dollars a day and had to cover his own meals.

Yang Chenxuan said, "I'll leave you the address. Just come by tomorrow. My name's Yang Chenxuan. Once you get there, just ask anyone for me, and we'll start your pay from tomorrow."

"Alright! Sure thing!" Huang Shiming readily agreed.

Yang Chenxuan left the address of the construction site and rode off on his bike. Watching Yang Chenxuan's retreating figure, Huang Shiming couldn't help but feel a mix of admiration and envy. The young man seemed quite capable despite his age, handling matters efficiently and appearing to come from a well-off family. In contrast, Huang thought about his own son, around the same age, who had finished middle school and was now working on the family farm. It's true what they say—comparison can be the thief of joy.

When Yang Chenxuan returned to the sand yard, he found Yang Chenxi and Wu Daxiang's wife, Chen Guihua, stationed at the entrance. They were checking each arriving vehicle, confirming reservations, and allowing them through according to the rules. The job was straightforward, though the dust from the dirt road was a nuisance.

At their sand yard, Yang Xiuyuan had hired three local workers to help out, but even with the extra hands, they struggled to keep up with the demand for sifting sand. The piles kept growing, requiring constant moving of sand and gravel, which was exhausting.

Everyone was sweating and working hard, yet Yang Xiuyuan and Zhang Yuehua couldn't stop smiling. By midday, the team had already loaded seven or eight truckloads, with the potential to match that in the afternoon. It was all money in the bank. Most importantly, all the river sand they had dug up in the morning had already been sold.

Yang Chenxuan glanced at the other sand pits, noticing they had lost their previous buzz. Most of the arriving trucks headed straight to his family's spot. After all, in this area, there were only so many people needing river sand, and his family had already placed their orders. What was left for others?

Yang Chenxuan understood that if things continued this way, some might start feeling dissatisfied with his family.

Early the next morning, Huang Shiming arrived. Yang Chenxuan had already drawn up the plans and then bought the materials as per Huang Shiming's instructions. He sat by the conveyor, figuring out how to make the process more efficient.

If he remembered correctly, in the past, sand pits used dredgers or large equipment equipped with crushers, producing only sand. Unlike his family, which still relied on manual labor and sieving.

Buying a crusher was out of the question—it was too expensive. But adding an automatic sand sifter at the end of the conveyor seemed feasible.

Freshly dug river sand would fall off the conveyor directly into the sifter. The sifter, angled and motor-driven, would shake continuously. Sand would fall through, while stones, unable to pass through, would slide down the slope of the sifter.

This way, only one person would be needed below to shovel sand and pebbles. To prevent excessive shaking, Yang Chenxuan added a protective edge.

Holding the plans, Yang Chenxuan went to find Huang Shiming. "Mr. Huang, can we make this?"

Yang Chenxuan wasn't an expert in this field, but fortunately, the structure was simple. Huang Shiming thought it over and said, "It's not hard to make, but the mesh inside is bound to wear out. We should make it replaceable."

Yang Chenxuan agreed with the suggestion. When sifting stones and sand, even a wire mesh wouldn't hold up to daily use. "Alright, how about this... Mr. Huang, could I trouble you to make another one of these once the sign is done? The pay will be the same as before, and I'll buy the materials."

"Sure!" Huang Shiming was secretly hoping for a long-term gig here. Even though it was tiring, he could save all the money he earned.

However, Huang Shiming wasn't sure if Yang Chenxuan needed a long-term worker. Even if he did, Huang felt too embarrassed to ask for a permanent position because of his limp.

What he didn't know was that Yang Chenxuan had been quietly observing him all along.