Are You Stupid or Am I?

Manager Zhong took a sip of water, perhaps because talking about Liu Shang had made his throat dry.

Meanwhile, Liu Shang hastily refilled his teacup.

At this moment, Manager Zhong took another cigarette from his pack, and Liu Shang, with a smile, took the lighter to light it for him.

This act amused Manager Zhong greatly.

"Heh, you rascal, how can you be so likable."

"Don't say it, if you're not around in the future, Professor Xu and I might not be able to adjust!"

"Right, Liu Shang, you don't need to worry too much about this matter. There's always room for things to ease up."

Liu Shang smiled, "It's just a well, what's there to worry about?"

"Perhaps making it increase oil production is a bit difficult, but wouldn't it be simple to see a dynamic response?"

Hearing his words, Manager Zhong's nose almost twitched with anger.

What time is it now, and this kid is still so arrogant?

Seeing his reaction, Liu Shang smiled again, "Manager Zhong, it'll only take a few days. If you don't believe me, just wait and see."

"However, there is one thing I really need to ask for your and Professor Xu's help with, and that's to stop these people from the company from coming to cause trouble for me!"

About half an hour later, Manager Zhong's private car left the company and headed straight to Liu Shang's school.

Liu Shang first went to his counselor and requested a few days off, citing a family emergency.

Then, he returned to his dorm to pack his daily toiletries and clothes, and was once again personally driven by Manager Zhong to the construction site in the oilfield wilderness.

(Life at oilfield construction sites is typically lived in mobile housing units.)

On the way, Liu Shang sent a text message to Jiang Ruolin, informing her, which also caused her considerable worry.

As Liu Shang sat in the car, he couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

His happy, sweet, wonderful, and leisurely little life hadn't even lasted long enough, and now it seemed he was destined to become increasingly busy.

When Liu Shang and Manager Zhong arrived at the site, the crew members of the well all came out to greet them.

Generally, a crew consists of four people. The team leader of this crew was named Wang Wansong, in his early forties, a steady and easygoing person.

With Manager Zhong's repeated emphasis and instructions, Liu Shang's living situation should not be a problem.

"Kid Liu, life out in the wilderness is not like your school. Most of the workers in the crew are rough guys."

"Can you really handle it?"

Before leaving, Manager Zhong pulled Liu Shang aside again, very worried, and repeatedly asked him.

After receiving Liu Shang's repeated assurances, Manager Zhong finally got into his car and left.

As a technician with the status of a university student, and with Manager Zhong's personal endorsement and instructions, the four crew members were very enthusiastic and showed a desire to please Liu Shang.

Life in the mobile housing units at the oilfield construction site was like this, with poorer sanitation and other conditions.

However, Liu Shang was not at all unfamiliar with this kind of environment; in fact, he somewhat missed it.

His natural demeanor and lack of complaint deeply impressed the crew members, earning their surprise and favor.

Since there was no construction today, the crew was still in the preparation phase for the construction site, and everyone's work was not too busy.

At noon, the team leader Wang Wansong personally cooked, preparing a chicken and several green vegetables, and also brought out the stored beer.

Liu Shang didn't act pretentious at all and generously drank two bottles.

By the end of the meal, he had become even more familiar with everyone.

In theory, drinking alcohol is strictly prohibited at oilfield construction sites.

However, living in the vast wilderness, there are always those who sneak drinks, and most management personnel turn a blind eye.

Especially when work hasn't even started, as was the case today, no one paid any mind.

To Liu Shang's surprise, and also to his great moved, Professor Xu Tiande personally brought Ma Yuan over in the afternoon.

Back at home, Xu Tiande's children had all arrived, and his wife's condition was not serious.

However, by rights, Xu Tiande didn't have to come over these past two days.

But upon hearing that after he left, such an incident had occurred, this old professor, who was worried about Liu Shang, had traveled a great distance to come.

After exchanging pleasantries and giving some instructions to the crew members, Professor Xu found an opportunity to pull Liu Shang aside to a secluded spot.

"Liu Shang, you child!"

"I specifically told you not to say too much back then, but you just wouldn't listen."

"Now that you're here at the site, your intentions are certainly good, but the real oilfield construction site is very different from the theoretical techniques in books."

"Manager Zhong and I both suggest you return to the company."

Liu Shang naturally declined Professor Xu's suggestion politely.

However, his refusal was well within the expectations of Professor Xu and Manager Zhong, so Professor Xu could only further instruct Liu Shang to learn and observe more, pay attention to safety, and contact them anytime if needed, and so on.

Just as Xu Tiande pulled Liu Shang aside, Ma Yuan called the team leader Wang Wanlin to the other side as well.

"Old Wang, how's that kid Liu Shang?"

"Is he obedient and well-behaved since joining your team?"

Wang Wanlin wasn't a fool. As soon as he heard the suspicious turn in Ma Yuan's words, he didn't rush to respond, just chuckled, "Manager Ma, you're asking about Liu Shang? Heh, he's alright, he's alright."

Ma Yuan glanced towards Xu Tiande and Liu Shang, then sneered, "This Liu Shang is notoriously arrogant and ignorant."

"He's offended a lot of people within the company too."

"It's likely he'll be packing his bags and leaving once this construction is finished."

"So, you shouldn't indulge these ignorant brats. Deal with them as you see fit, show them who's boss. I'll back you up!"

Upon hearing Ma Yuan's words, Wang Wanlin cursed inwardly: Damn it, you idiot Ma Yuan, are you really treating me like a fool?

This Liu Shang, on his first day with the team, had two company bigwigs, Manager Zhong and General Manager Xu, escorting him and giving me instructions until my ears were ringing.

I've been with the company for seven or eight years, and I've never seen anyone get so much attention from those two bosses!

You probably didn't hear the harsh words Manager Zhong spoke this morning. I'd have to be crazy to intentionally make things difficult for Liu Shang!

Besides, even if I take a step back, this Liu Shang is much more pleasant to look at than you, Ma Yuan!

Look at how you acted when you arrived on-site and saw our temporary housing – so disdainful. But Liu Shang was so down-to-earth, it felt comfortable!

Even without Manager Zhong and General Manager Xu's instructions, I wouldn't make things difficult for the kid. Just get lost already!

However, seniority dictated that Wang Wanlin, who reported directly to his engineer Ma Yuan, didn't dare to offend him. So, regardless of what he was thinking, he repeatedly agreed verbally.

Seeing this, Ma Yuan was quite pleased, a smug smile of a successfully executed plan appearing on his face.