Harem Investment System: Getting Money And Women-Chapter 162: Marking The Ground

That was the best-case scenario.

If everything went smoothly, if suppliers delivered materials without delay, if the construction team hit every deadline without setbacks — then, and only then, the casino would be standing in seven months.

But that was a big if.

Ethan had been in the business world long enough to know that things rarely went perfectly. Delays were inevitable.

Maybe an inspection would get held up. Maybe weather conditions would slow progress. Maybe a supplier would mess up an order.

He swiped through more projections.

[Worst-case scenario: 12 months.]

A full year.

Ethan exhaled sharply through his nose.

He didn’t want this project dragging out that long. The longer it took, the more money he would have to sink into it just to keep things moving. And the longer it took, the more restless he would become.

He shook his head slightly and dismissed the hologram with a flick of his wrist. The screen faded, dissolving into nothing.

Ethan rolled his shoulders and stood up, brushing dust off his jeans. He wasn’t part of the crew, but this project was his, and he wasn’t about to sit around and do nothing.

Ethan wandered back toward the heart of the site, hands still tucked into his hoodie pockets as he watched the workers resume their tasks.

The quiet of the lunch break had faded, replaced once again with the sounds of measuring tapes snapping, boots scuffing against the dirt, and spray paint hissing as markers were refreshed.

His gaze found Riley.

She was crouched down, focused as she lined up a measuring tape against one of the stakes.

A can of spray paint rested beside her, and with quick, practiced motions, she marked another spot on the ground.

She worked with efficiency, her attention fully locked onto the task like they hadn’t been eating minutes earlier.

Ethan stepped closer. "So, how do you guys do this marking stuff?"

Riley glanced up, raising an eyebrow. "What, suddenly interested in construction work?"

Ethan smirked. "I like knowing how things get built."

She studied him for a moment before shrugging. "Alright, if you’re serious about learning."

She stood up, dusting her hands off on her jeans before gesturing for him to follow.

He walked beside her as she moved to another section of the site, where a few unmarked areas still remained. She pointed to a set of stakes in the ground.

"So, first, we have to make sure everything is measured out correctly," she began. "These stakes? They’re reference points. We use them to create a grid, marking out where different parts of the building will go. Think of it like drawing a blueprint — but on the ground."

Ethan nodded, glancing at the markers. "And the spray paint?"

"That’s where we get precise," she said, crouching down again.

She grabbed the can and shook it, the metallic ball inside rattling as she mixed the paint. "Once we have the right measurements, we mark the ground so the excavation team knows exactly where to dig. You can’t just eyeball it — this stuff has to be exactly as it was in the Blueprints, we don’t want the excavation team to make a mistake when they’re working on it."

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She pointed to the measuring tape stretched between two stakes.

"For example, this spot is where a foundation pillar will go. We measure the exact distance, double-check the alignment, then — "

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She pressed down on the nozzle, releasing a controlled burst of white paint in a clean, sharp line.

Ethan watched as she made another small mark. "Seems straightforward."

Riley grinned. "Oh yeah? Wanna try?"

He raised an eyebrow. "You’re letting me really jump into the practical now?"

She smirked. "Why not? If you mess up, I’ll just fix it."

Ethan chuckled, shaking his head before stepping forward.

Riley handed him the can, and he took it, feeling the weight of it in his grip. He gave it a quick shake, the rattle inside familiar.

"Alright," she said, taking a step back. "You see that spot between those two stakes? Try marking a straight line from point A to point B."

Ethan crouched down, mimicking her posture from earlier. He positioned the nozzle, pressing down lightly.

A thin stream of paint sprayed onto the dirt, but instead of a clean line, it came out uneven, jagged in some spots, too thick in others.

Riley burst out laughing.

Ethan pulled back, frowning at his work. "Okay, that’s terrible."

She crossed her arms, still grinning. "I’ve seen worse."

He glanced up at her. "Liar."

She smirked. "Okay, yeah, that was pretty bad. But hey, first time’s never perfect."

Ethan shook his head, amused despite himself. "Alright, coach. What’s the trick?"

Riley crouched beside him again. "Two things. One, don’t press too hard on the nozzle. It’s not about force — it’s about control. And two, keep your wrist steady. Smooth movement."

He nodded, adjusting his grip. "Got it."

"Here," she said, moving slightly closer. "Try again, but this time, go slower."

Ethan took a breath and positioned the can again. He pressed the nozzle lightly, keeping his wrist steady as he moved in a straight line.

The result wasn’t perfect, but it was much cleaner than his first attempt.

Riley nodded approvingly. "See? Much better."

Ethan examined his work, feeling a small sense of satisfaction. "Not bad."

"Not bad at all," she agreed. "Might turn you into a construction worker yet."

He chuckled. "I’ll stick to building businesses."

Riley stood, stretching her arms. "Fair enough. But now that you’ve contributed, you officially have a hand in building this casino."

Ethan smirked. "I’ll add it to my resume."

She laughed, stepping back to give him space as he stood. The sun was high overhead now, the warmth settling into the air and bouncing off her head – he had to admit, despite the glistening sweat trailing down her face.

Riley was beautiful.

He averted his gaze from her’s just as she looked at him, but she noticed that he was staring and decided to tease him about it – friends teased friends right?