Chapter 294
"Silly girl, what are you thinking?"
"Even the CEO would have to dress like this if he came."
He noticed Sophia wasn't wearing a hard hat.
He quickly snagged one from a coworker.
"Wear this for now, I'll buy you a new one later."
The coworker grunted twice.
He hardly ever wore that hat himself.
Sophia stood on a pile of rubble and looked out.
The ground was still flat.
The scaffolding hadn't even been erected yet.
Ryan reported on the project's progress.
"I was planning to update you tomorrow."
"Since you're here, I'll tell you in person."
"The foundation was dug yesterday."
"But I modified the plans to go three centimeters deeper."
"It's for future optimization and expansion considerations."
"The imported materials have been ordered."
"They'll arrive within a month, perfect timing."
Sophia asked directly and sharply.
"Is the progress different from what was originally promised?"
Ryan sighed inwardly.
Nothing could escape her notice.
"It is indeed slower."
"We're short-handed."
Sophia raised an eyebrow.
She thought it was some major problem.
Ryan's company had long stopped handling civil engineering.
But Sophia insisted they take this project together.
He understood her lack of trust.
He contacted his old engineering team.
Over twenty people should have been enough.
But after modifying the plans, the workload increased.
They no longer had enough manpower.
Sophia asked, "Is this a long-term problem?"
Ryan nodded, "We might need to adjust the plans further later."
"Our current manpower isn't enough."
"Find two more engineering teams?"
Ryan didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
"Engineering teams aren't cabbages you can just pick."
"The good ones are all booked solid."
"Paying more won't even cover their breach penalties."
Sophia was puzzled, "You can't find one even if you pay?"
Ryan shook his head, "The risk is too high if we don't know them."
"I don't recommend hiring just anyone."
Sophia sighed.
"Don't worry, I'll think of something."
"Let me take you to eat first?"
"Thanks, bro."
"Since when are you so polite, little girl..."
A small diner nearby.
The site's boxed lunches were ordered from here.
Ryan usually ate here with the crew.
Today he brought his sister to the shop.
"Boss lady, two rice bowls!"
"Oh, little boss Ryan brought family?"
"This is my sister."
"No wonder she's so pretty!"
The proprietress greeted them warmly.
She turned to start cooking.
"We were here first, why are they cutting in line?"
"The boss is inspecting today, this is so embarrassing."
A calm male voice spoke.
"Let them go first."
He wore work clothes but had an extraordinary presence.
"Mr. Sterling—we're also in a hurry..."
The man tried to argue.
Sebastian Evans frowned, his tone impatient.
"Are we listening to you or to me?"
The man immediately fell silent.
The familiar voice made Sophia Sullivan instinctively turn her head.
Ryan Sullivan happened to call out to her.
"Sophia, come sit over here."
Sebastian whirled around.
Their eyes met, and both froze for a moment.
Sebastian recovered first, a flicker of pleasant surprise in his eyes.
"What are you doing here?"
"Looking at a construction site."
"You? Looking at a construction site?"
Sophia raised an eyebrow.
"I can't?"
"No... you're not in this industry. What are you looking at? For fun?"
Sophia cleared her throat lightly.
"I own some land here. I'm planning to build. Is that allowed?"
"Here? You own land?"
A thought suddenly occurred to Sebastian, his eyes shifting slightly.
"The plot Ethan Roscente gave you?"
"How did you know?" Sophia's eyes widened.
The man snorted softly.