Carrying a Jurassic on me
Chapter 1092 - 565: Bridge Construction - Tang Wan Leaves

Chapter 1092: Chapter 565: Bridge Construction - Tang Wan Leaves

"Old Liu, good morning, where are you off to so early?" On the main street of Sancha River, an old man cheerfully greeted another.

"Old Li, good morning to you too! I’m heading to West Bridge; Boss Yan is fixing the bridge today. It’s going to be lively, so I’m going to check it out..." responded the old man known as Old Liu, also with a cheerful smile.

"Really! I must go and see too; let’s go..."

"..."

Summer days start early, and with little nightlife, people went to bed early and got up early. The brightest moments just after sunrise were always the busiest on the streets.

By the heat of the noon sun, even the busiest streets would clear out—just too hot.

At this moment, people in pairs or small groups were on the streets, either buying vegetables for breakfast or just strolling around. Most of those heading west were talking about the construction site across the river.

When Old Liu and Old Li reached the end of West Bridge, the crackling sound of firecrackers had already begun—the custom in Sancha River was such that any groundbreaking work was marked by firecrackers, as was the start of major construction.

At the western end of the bridge, a crowd had already gathered, mostly onlookers.

There isn’t much to see in the beginning stages of construction; right now, the section of the river prepared for the bridge was just a big pit.

Yet, there were plenty of spectators, largely because there wasn’t much entertainment these days. People were generally idle and would flock to any event as a way to pass the time.

After the firecrackers, the next step was pouring the foundation for the bridge piers. A small Douzi Car chugged along, puffing black smoke, pouring mixed cement, sand, and stones into it, followed by carts being pushed by workers who shouted and hustled, pouring materials into the site.

Because of the heavy materials required, it was not possible to mix them slowly by hand and transport a few carts at a time like before; so now several large mixers were added on the site, booming loudly as workers raced the carts back and forth, even the smoke-puffing Douzi Car was constantly transporting loads.

While materials were being dumped on one side, on the other people were using vibrating rods in the cement and stone mixture...

Though Ma Yongming, the site foreman, was not doing physical labor, he was sweating profusely, appearing even hotter than those working. The workers were already running, and he kept urging them, "Liu Laosan, did you not eat? Pick up the pace; faster, even faster..."

On the other side, a young man running with a cart shouted, "Second Uncle Ming, you don’t know, Third Brother came home last night, his wife must have drained him dry..."

The laborers and onlookers burst into laughter...

Ma Yongming, not laughing, chided, "Ma Shifen, save your energy for working harder so you can get married sooner. Don’t always be staring at other people’s daughters and daughters-in-law. Hurry up, everyone run..."

There was another round of laughter...

The construction site was just like this; the workers, often uneducated and doing strenuous physical labor, made crude jokes that might seem vulgar to city folks, serving as a relief from their exhausting work.

Though Ma Yongming was inwardly very nervous—he was originally a village contractor, suddenly commanding a bridge construction, even a small bridge was significant to him.

The onlookers also pointed and commented; the scene was, as always, buzzing with activity.

Basically, it was a bustling construction site, yet the spectators were thoroughly engaged until the sun started blazing down and the foundation for the first pier was completed before they dispersed in small groups.

Yan Fei and Mayor Chen were there too, along with Chen Yingjun and others.

Boss Yan had planned the outing, but the progress of the work was faster than he had anticipated; the section of the riverbed prepared for the bridge had been dug at least a week ahead of Professor Shu’s schedule.

This surprised even Professor Shu and his students, who hadn’t expected these somewhat... how to say it, coarse-looking country folks who exuded a strong rural air to work with such desperate vigor once their enthusiasm was ignited.

Watching the progress day by day, Professor Shu and his students couldn’t help but become busier, continuously revising the construction plans, pushing the schedule forward yet again...

The fervent scene of work truly invigorated anyone watching, stirring up a fiery zeal.

There was even a suggestion from a student concerned that the pace might lead to accidents, recommending preparations for things like preventing heatstroke. Ma Yongming heard it, agreed outwardly, but made no actual moves—what did this weather amount to? When does anyone plow the fields in cool weather? Isn’t it always during the hottest part of the day when the sun can kill the weeds more effectively?

Besides, the river was nearby; fatigued after a session of work, workers could just run to the river for a quick wash during meal breaks, and come back as energetic as ever.

These were the most indefatigable people who, usually as silent and diligent as oxen buried in their task in the soil, once given the chance, could erupt with a passion as intense as a volcano, igniting everything around them...

For instance, Professor Shu felt that just spending some time on such a project made his body feel lighter by years, rejuvenating him significantly.

Really, no matter how respected he was, age does not spare anyone; previously, he would only casually instruct the students on the site and generally abstained from involving in the work directly.