The Ultimate Contractor: Building Infrastructure in the Late Ming Dynasty

The protagonist, Zhu Lei, is a true descendant of the Zhu family. Unfortunately, he didn’t inherit any royal privilege, only their poverty. After graduating from high school, his family was so broke they could barely afford food, let alone college. They didn’t even have enough money to buy a bag of cement, so he had no choice but to head to a construction site and start out as a laborer carrying bricks. Who would have thought this kid was born to be a construction boss? He could carry cement and read blueprints, get along with the workers like a brother, and argue his case with the clients. His motto was simple: “Don’t drag your feet when it’s time to get paid, and don’t slack off when it’s time to work.” After years of hard work, he rose from brick hauler to Boss Zhu, managing several construction sites and spending his days around excavators, cranes, rebar, and cement. He mastered all kinds of cutting-edge construction techniques, and could fix any stalled project that other contractors couldn’t handle, earning him the title of “Construction Site Savior.” More remarkably, he was humble to his core. He didn’t flaunt his wealth or buy luxury cars and mansions. He saved everything to buy building materials and upgrade his equipment, living by the motto “Get rich quietly.” Compared with the boastful warlords of ancient times, he was a breath of fresh air among contractors. No, more like a man of few words.