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The Ideal City

This is a work of fiction

Ep8

If you don't wanna buy a house,

we'll keep delaying our wedding?

Of course not.

I have plans.

What plans?

Come here.

Take a seat.

Don't peek.

What is it?

Look.

I've written all my plans on it.

I've made some calculations.

We are closer to the goal

of buying a flat.

Around that time,

I'll use my overtime compensation

and my annual bonus.

Also,

I will do a freelancing job.

If it's still not enough,

I'll ask my family for help.

By October next year,

we will be able to make a down payment

on a small flat.

After that,

I will visit your parents.

Then they will feel

reassured to see you marry me.

October next year?

Of course.

It's written on my plan.

Don't you worry.

You just

need to wait for

preparing for our wedding.

Su.

You work so hard, girl.

You go back home so late every day.

Ms. landlord,

anything wrong?

Right.

I want to know

if you will still rent my flat next year.

If you do,

the rent is going up.

I'll rent it.

How much more?

Not much, 800 RMB.

I see.

Have an early night, then.

I'll go.

Goodbye.

Bye.

Good morning.

Thank you.

Morning, Du Juan.

What's wrong?

It's early in the morning, you look so sad.

The landlord is increasing the rent again.

It's 500 RMB.

I've worked hard in

a whole year only for the landlord.

But you can't solve the problem even if

you open a credit account now.

Should I find a boyfriend and share the rent?

Who wants to share the rent with a boyfriend?

Go to work.

I was being kind.

Why are you like that?

Sir.

May I...

This...

What are you doing here?

Why are you here?

What? Back to work.

What are you looking at?

Are you the foreman?

Hello.

We are from the audit department

of Yinghai Group.

I'm Xu Feng.

Let's skip it. My hands are dirty.

What do you want?

Last time, you demanded

unpaid salaries from ZJ Construction.

We would like to know

how much they owe you in total?

It's been a long time.

I forgot.

If there's nothing else, just leave.

Don't interrupt us.

We're working.

Well...

We just want to know more about it.

We won't delay your work.

Go somewhere else.

We really don't have time.

The New year is coming.

We need to meet deadlines.

We're too busy.

Leave now.

There're bars and concrete.

Don't hurt yourselves.

It doesn't work, Mr. Xu.

They don't cooperate at all.

Manager Wang,

judging by the current progress,

we should be able to finish it one month ahead.

Good job.

You're doing better.

We can finally enjoy the New Year now.

We've saved a lot of materials.

Materials waste is

five percent lower than before.

Excellent.

That's for sure, Manager Wang.

You have no idea

how popular

our policy of splitting

the saved materials is.

The subcontractor

Mr. Tian...

What's with him?

He assigned someone to keep

an eye on the materials.

He knows the rules.

Yes. He's clever.

Nice.

Su Xiao is such a talent.

Chen,

should we promote her to the manager of

business contract department

after the New Year?

Manager Wang,

her professionalism

has been proven,

but we don't know about

her management skills.

Also,

we have more projects now.

It's better to have

a department manager with a certificate.

It's convenient for work.

Your words make sense, too.

Let's reconsider it, then.

This will work.

Welcome back, Mr. Xu.

What's the matter?

New Year is coming.

Manager Huang said that you are working

at TK Construction now.

We should buy flight and train tickets

for you to go back home.

OK.

Therefore,

please fill in the itinerary form

so that I can ask

someone to book tickets for you.

There's no need.

We won't rest during the New Year.

Mr. Xu,

but it's the New Year.

We celebrate it every year.

It's not a problem if we skip it this year.

You are such a workaholic.

I admire you. OK.

Alright.

If you need anything,

tell us in advance.

We'll ask some staff to stay during the New Year.

OK.

Alright, then.

OK.

Mr. Xu,

are you sure we won't rest during the New Year?

Yes.

But we've been working for so long.

When will it end?

The moment we find out everything,

we can go back.

Mr. Xu.

Maybe there's nothing wrong

with TK Construction.

Are we finding

fault with them?

Yeah.

No auditor aims at

finding a problem.

Isn't it good when there're no problems?

Right.

This is too much.

What should I say to my mom?

Instead of wasting time arguing,

why don't you just work hard?

Why is he bossing around?

Who does he think he is?

He is just borrowing

the power of the president.

Yeah. Who is he?

Su Xiao. I'm Xu Feng.

If it's convenient,

can we meet in person?

Say no more, Mr. Xu.

I can't help you.

Goodbye.

I am so unlucky.

I'm already in the moonlight clan.

The landlord called me yesterday

that the rent is going up.

I can't afford the jacket

in the link I sent you last month.

You always buy shit.

Learn from me and spend money wisely.

You're tightfisted.

Also, listen to me.

I've been renting for a long time.

My landlord is very nice and hasn't increased the rent.

Really?

Let me share the rent.

I don't want to

live with you.

I don't want that, either.

It's just 300 or 500 for you.

Do you know

how much my landlord increased?

1,000 RMB.

1,000 RMB?

He's robbing you.

Dear me. Rent another flat.

But...

Rents do increase a lot this year.

I mean it.

I stayed there for a few years.

My place is tidy.

I just can't afford the rent.

I plan to live with my boyfriend.

I almost want to find a boyfriend.

Just do it.

Do it for me, okay?

Is your landlord really going to increase the rent?

Cooking wine, ginger slices, finely chopped chives,

shredded ginger, light soy sauce and five grams

of salt.

Are you alright?

I'm warning you.

Don't pour cold water on me.

Just wait for the dinner.

Alright.

Hongmei,

do you remember the density of ethanol?

I don't remember.

I do.

The density of ethanol is 0.8.

Then I'll calculate it like that.

Don't you even have

a bottle opener?

No.

I'll use this

handy lever.

25 milliliter.

That's so accurate.

Come on.

Just let me do it.

I'm really not used to you doing this.

Just go and clean

the table.

You still don't trust my ability.

I do.

What an accurate amount of cooking wine!

Right?

Wear this.

Clean the table now.

OK.

Hongmei,

it's difficult for me to

be promoted without a certification, right?

We are in this business.

We have to face the truth.

Cost engineer certification

gets your foot in the door in this business.

Without this,

people probably won't

hear you even if you scream.

But why didn't you

help Xu Feng?

Xia Ming is right

about one thing.

The most difficult thing is to understand people.

He wants to use me as a tool.

Without an anchor,

some networking

or people to rely on,

you can only become a tool to others.

You're either a gun

or a machine to them.

Now I think of it,

I can understand

Zhou Jun's choice.

Xiao.

I didn't mean that.

Don't think like that.

I can understand him, too.

But I don't believe that

I can't find my way

through hard work.

I don't have your courage.

But I believe you can make it for sure.

This is what I like about you.

Happy New Year.

My mom is video calling me.

Mom, dad.

Xiao.

Happy New Year.

Happy New Year.

Happy New Year, aunt and uncle.

I'm having dinner with Hongmei.

Aunts and uncles,

it's nice to see all of you.

Happy New Year.

Look at us.

Don't be too thin, Xiao.

It's not good if you want to have a baby.

Xiao,

it's okay to break up with Zhou Jun.

It doesn't matter.

Come on, give it to me.

Hi, Xiao.

Is there anyone you like?

Pass it to me.

Sis, look at me.

Have I lost weight?

Xiao,

how much is your annual bonus?

She doesn't have money.

She put all her money

in the red packets for

her nieces and nephews.

Xiao.

What are you having for dinner?

Look at these.

Hongmei cooked all of these.

Steamed fish.

Very nice.

Broccoli and shrimps.

Very nice.

Celery, snow peas and black fungus.

Xiao, without you at home...

Honestly, I...

I can't eat well.

Do you know that?

Xiao,

don't worry about your mom.

She just ate three pieces of braised meat.

She is fine.

I didn't.

Don't bullshit in front of her.

Alright. Go back to dinner.

I'll eat with Hongmei, too.

Alright?

Happy New Year.

Happy New Year.

Happy New Year, uncle and aunt.

- Bye-bye. - Bye-bye.

Eat well.

Xiao, it's the New Year.

Let's not think about sad things. Cheers.

Thanks, Hongmei.

Thank you for celebrating the New Year with me.

This is the first time

I'm not at home in the New Year.

It's just the first time.

You'll slowly get used to it.

It's been five or six years

that I'm not home in the New Year.

Do you know?

My brother finally goes to university.

I really hope that he

will gets married, find a job

and move out the moment

he graduates.

Then my room at home

will be available.

I haven't gone home for years.

However,

Bei said that in October this year,

we can get married and buy a house.

I think Bei is very nice.

But my mom insists that he's a liar.

What do I have?

What can he get from me?

Right?

Bei is a simple guy.

Your mom will understand sooner or later.

Years go by

and time flies.

When I was in university,

I thought that 25 years old

is such an old age

that I have to

marry by then.

But all of a sudden, I'm 30.

Yeah.

I thought that I'd get married

this year.

It turns out that I have to start from scratch.

It's okay, Xiao.

You're so excellent.

Zhou Jun doesn't deserve you at all.

You will surely find

a guy ten thousand times better than him.

I mean it.

But don't open

a bottle like that

ever again in front of men.

If you do all the men's jobs,

what can they do?

Who would treat you as a woman?

I don't want a man.

I'm good when I'm single.

Go on.

Happy New Year to you.

I wish that we will be one step closer

to our dreams

in the New Year.

Chief,

here's this month's list

of materials for Heart Art Gallery.

Please review it.

If nothing is wrong,

I'll send it to the material department

and prepare the shipment.

OK.

It's good. Here.

Done.

Manager Wu from the material department

will be here for a meeting.

I'll hand it to him.

OK.

What's the progress

of the JS River Project?

We're calculating the price.

OK.

Good job.

Manager Wang.

Good job.

Manager Wang.

Bring my local speciality products

up here.

They're next to the elevator.

Wait, Su Xiao.

Come back.

Happy New Year.

Thank you, happy New Year.

Happy New Year.

Happy New Year Manager Wang.

Good.

Thank you

for working in the New Year.

Manager Wang.

- Manager Wang. - Manager Wang.

Happy New Year, Manager Wang.

Wish you success.

Happy New Year.

Happy New Year.

Thank you, Manager Wang.

Wish you prosperity.

Thank you.

Here. OK.

Happy New Year.

Happy New Year. Stay safe.

Alright.

Zhengming.

Thank you, Manager Wang.

Get some men.

Come on. To the garage.

Let's carry some stuff.

Thank you for your work.

I'll go.

Thank you for your work.

Didn't you say you'll be back on the eighth day?

Why are you back early?

I have to drink wherever I am.

I'd rather drink less here.

Every time I realize Xu Feng

is at Huang Lilin's place,

I don't feel at ease.

After they finish auditing there, it'll be us.

It appears that they'll find out everything.

Tell me the truth,

can we go through the audit?

We have to come up with a plan.

Mr. Xu,

I don't think it'll work

if we just waste time.

Do you have any suggestions?

No.

We've looked through everything.

What can I do?

I think you should

report our situation

to the president.

What should I say?

That we are useless?

No.

How come we're useless?

We tried our best.

There's nothing wrong with TK Construction.

If there's nothing wrong with them,

I will eat this letter.

The revenue

is two times more than the year

before the last, but their profit

only increased 50 percent.

Do you believe it?

Do you believe it?

But...

Do you believe it?

It's not about belief.

You're not an auditor, Mr. Xu.

Auditors need proof.

The proof doesn't support your speculation.

Right. Auditors need proof.

No one forces it like you.

If you don't want to work,

you can get lost now.

What did you say?

What did I say?

Mr. Xu.

How could you say that!

- You're too unreasonable. - Come on.

Stop arguing.

Let's smoke a cigarette, Mr. Xu.

Enough.

Let's sit.

Don't blame us, Mr. Xu.

We're all eager to find out the truth.

But we really

can't waste time on it anymore.

In the end, if there's no result,

you will be the one in trouble, Mr. Xu.

Mr. Xu, think about it.

Why is manager Xu ill

all of a sudden?

He knows

that these are tricky.

Is it so easy to find out

what the president wants?

Also, there're experts in TK Construction.

I think that the result

won't change in the end.

By that time,

not only we will be disgraced,

the president will

be disgraced, too.

What will he think of you?

Mr. Xu.

I understand that you want to achieve something.

There's a long time ahead.

Preserve your energy for now

and protect the president.

President.

What's wrong with you? Do you want to give up?

I... No.

I don't want to give up.

But it's too difficult.

Easy approaches lead you downwards.

Do you want that?

President, I fear that

you'll be disgraced.

Are you worried

about me or yourself?

If it's about me,

I can take care of it.

You don't need to worry.

President,

I didn't mean that.

Xu Feng, you let me down a bit.

I thought you'd be different.

Rest assured, president.

I promise to find it out.

Come back.

Didn't I gave you

a direction?

She won't help.

President, how about transfer

Su Xiao to the audit team?

That's too obvious. People will talk.

It's not good.

Alright.

Then I'll try again.

It seems that

the back-to-back teamwork

is very effective.

You've done well

and even have the time for discussion.

But I know

that you have

disagreements on the quota.

Tell me your reasons.

I'll go first.

Only TK Construction

can compete with us

in this project.

Xia Ming is very presumptuous.

Last time, he lost.

He must be unconvinced.

That's why this time, I feel

that he will make less profit

and lower the quota.

So, I think

that we should focus on a low price.

I don't really agree.

I have checked

his quotas in our group's biddings.

Every time,

the profit is over 15 percent.

Also, he wins biddings of big projects

outside the group.

The JS River Project means

almost nothing to them.

They don't need to win it.

But I met him on

the construction site last time.

I also chatted with him.

He sounded like

he will get it for sure.

The bidding is about the reasonable lowest price.

When the quota is lower than the cost,

a tender will be annulled.

Meanwhile,

the competitor can

offer a reasonable quota

and enter the bid.

He will win in the end

and keep the profit margin.

You haven't competed with Xia Ming

for long enough.

You don't know him.

He may seem very polite,

but he is in fact very aggressive.

He's very good at understanding what others think.

We also understand him.

Alright.

Don't argue.

Let me think.

Hello.

What?

What's wrong, Su Xiao?

Heart Art Gallery's materials haven't arrived.

How is that possible?

Don't worry, Dong Hong.

I'll ask Su Xiao to go to the construction site

now and fix it.

Heart Art Gallery's materials

haven't arrived on time this afternoon.

Go there now and check

what went wrong.

You're a cost engineer.

You should know

it's not fun when

a construction site is shut down.

We'll lose tens of thousands in a day.

I understand. I'll go now.

What about JS River Project's tender?

Don't worry. Zhengming will take care of it.

Go to the construction site.

That's more important.

Alright, I'll go.

Zhengming,

you're in charge

of finishing the tender.

What about the quota?

Follow what Su Xiao said.

Do as I say. It won't go wrong.

Go.

OK.

I made the list on Friday.

All the materials should

arrive this morning.

Dong.

Finally, you're here, Wu.

Su Xiao said she made the list on Friday.

What's going on?

But...

I didn't receive the list at all.

I'm not responsible for that.

I asked Chief Chen

to sign the list on Friday.

He said that you'll

come to the company

and he'll give the list to you.

But...

Newcomer,

you either

blame Manager Wu

or blame Chief Chen.

It's not good. You have to change that.

I don't know which link

went wrong.

I didn't receive

the list at all.

If I ever received it,

I'd send the materials for sure.

I've been doing it

for over ten years, why would I

make such a mistake?

Don't be angry.

Manager Wu from the material department

will be here for a meeting.

I'll give it to him.

It's normal to make mistakes.

Who doesn't make mistakes?

But you can't blame

your mistakes on others.

You're a cost engineer.

You know how must it costs when work stops.

Make a new list right now

and see if Manager Wu can

transfer the materials here.

Come on. Let's smoke cigarettes.

Let's go.

Come on.

Why did Dong Hong call me

and say that the construction will stop?

That girl Su Xiao

forgot to prepare the list of materials.

I've told her to make a new one.

If she's quick, the materials

will arrive tomorrow morning.

We'll only waste an hour or two.

How could she make

such a stupid mistake?

She's a little girl.

She just gets complacent

about her achievements.

I'll talk to her.

She's like that exactly because of you.

Alright. Let me talk to her.

Don't worry. I will educate her well for sure.

I don't spend much time in the company.

Thank you for your work.

Don't be so distant.

Zhengming performs well recently.

He didn't rest throughout the Spring Festival.

He also wrote the tender

last time.

We should offer some reward

to employees like him, right?

Shall we apply to the group

and get him a pay rise?

You can decide.

OK.

I'm sorry about the trouble.

We finally have everything.

Thank you a lot, bro.

I owe you

a lot.

Done.

They'll send the materials before ten tomorrow.

I'll go back first. I have a lot to do.

OK.

Safe journey, Wu.

Stay overnight

on the construction site.

Our facilities aren't good.

Please don't mind.

It's okay.

How long has it been?

An hour.

Why does it take such a long time?

It's been an hour.

It's not even a big project.

Why does it take so long?

Who knows?

Chief.

It's okay.

Even if we lost,

we still win.

Sorry for

keeping you waiting.

Something special happened today.

Two companies' composite scores

are exactly the same.

TK Construction wins the technical bid

while TK Construction wins the commercial bid.

After the bidding group voted on it, we choose

TC Construction.

Let's congratulate

them on winning the bid at 27 million RMB.

Chief Chen,

come to my office and go through

the formalities.

OK.

Let's go, chief.

I don't understand.

I don't understand.

Let's go.

Let's go.

Vice President Zhao,

who did I lose to?

Lu Zhengming.

We lost again.

Wang Yang

will be so cocky.

Wang Yang's PL Mountain Project is gone.

He only had

some small projects.

We don't need this project.

Let's not lower the price and compete.

I know that.

But I feel uncomfortable.

I don't want to see

him so happy.

I remember that Su Xiao passed

the level-one cost engineer exam.

Why can't I find her on the list?

Why would I know?

Ask Manager Yu.

Now?

Just ask.

Yu, it's me.

I'd like to ask something

about your former employee Su Xiao.

I remember she passed

the level-one cost engineer exam.

Why isn't she on the list?

That's not my business.

You didn't do that, right?

She has left my firm.

I don't hate her that much.

The girlfriend of her ex

is Chief Li Xue, right?

I see. I see.

Thank you.

They withheld it.

No wonder.

Can you find someone

to help her get it back?

What for?

If the certificate is withheld,

you can't take the exam again.

She's a talent and I want to help her.

In our business,

rules aren't that important.

You can work whether you have

the certificate or not.

It's true.

But she will never

be able to sign her tender and will

always stay a shadow cost engineer.

Why do I sense that you do it for

some reason?

Do you like her?

Chief Chen,

- I was at... - Welcome back.

Just in time.

We'll have dinner together.

Prepare yourself.

Let's go.

I met Manager Wu on

the construction site yesterday.

He insisted he didn't receive the list.

But I did give it to you on Friday.

You told me you would give it to him.

No.

When did you give it to me?

You're supposed to contact

Manager Wu directly.

Why would I give it to him for you?

This is not bad.

Come on.

Come on. Cheers.

Cheers. Bottoms up.

I'm very happy today.

Although our

work styles are different,

we share the same goal.

All of us can do our jobs

and help each other.

Together, we form

a very strong team.

We mix up in harmony just like the alcohol.

I believe the second winning

is just the beginning.

There will be a third time,

a fourth time

and even more.

Of course.

Certainly.

Alright, alright.

I would like to praise one employee

in front of everyone.

Without this employee, we can't win the bidding.

This employee

is our old acquaintance from

the business contract department.

Lu Zhengming.

Stand up, Zhengming.

Stand up.

Everyone knows that Zhengming

didn't learn it at school.

He learnt it later in life.

He doesn't know as much compared with many,

but he works and studies very hard.

So he made rapid progress.

I have faith in him.

Yes.

I think he will be

as good as Xia Ming.

Say something, Zhengming.

Honestly,

it's because

all of us worked hard.

The credit...

The credit goes to us all.

Come on. Cheers.

Cheers.

OK.

Cheers.

Bottoms up.

Sir.

Be quick.

Come on.

Slow down.

Where to?

Come on.

Let's go.

Send him home.

Goodbye, Chief Chen.

Goodbye, Chief Chen.

Su Xiao,

wait a moment.

I have something to say.

The credit of the bidding is yours.

I know it. Everyone knows it.

But you don't have the certificate of cost engineer.

I can't

officially recommend you.

We need to promote those

with a certificate first.

Lu Zhengming

has worked hard over the years.

He needs recognition more than you.

But I won't treat you bad for sure.

I have high expectations.

I hope that you

can understand my efforts.

Thank you, Chief Chen.

I'll go back.

Let me give you a lift, Su Xiao.

But I'm not going your way.

It's okay. I'll just take a small detour.

Let me give you a lift.

Get in the car.