Zhang Cheng let out a burp, his cheeks flushed, and gratefully raised an unopened bottle of Moutai, gesturing to Zhang Jingtao:
"Brother Tao, it's all in the wine!"
Zhang Tian quickly stood up and reached out to press down on his wine bottle: "Brother Zhang, that's enough!"
Zhang Jingtao smiled and waved his hand, "Brother, there are only three bottles of wine in total. Do you want to hog them all? Eat your food first."
"Listen to your brothers!" Zhang Cheng put down the wine bottle, sat back in his chair, picked up his chopsticks, took a piece of chicken, and began to eat it heartily.
After downing more than half a jin of Moutai, he did feel a wave of dizziness and shook his head.
Zhang Jingtao sized up Zhang Cheng, then turned to Gao Datong: "This young man is too honest. If I hadn't stopped him, we would have had to take him to the hospital for a stomach pump today."
“Isn’t it precisely because of this honesty that we’re happy to be friends with him?” Gao Datong chimed in, then changed the subject, “By the way, about Yu Di’an New Village…”
Zhang Tian seemed not to hear their idle chatter. He just smiled and patted Zhang Cheng's back to help him catch his breath, while picking up food with his other hand. His eyes kept darting to Zhang Cheng's face.
Knock knock knock!
There was a knock on the door of the private room.
The waiter pushed open the door and came in, followed by a middle-aged man in a suit and tie.
"Section Chief Zhang, I apologize for being late. I'll punish myself with three drinks!" As soon as the middle-aged man entered, his gaze swept over Zhang Tian and Gao Datong's faces, finally landing on Zhang Cheng with a hint of scrutiny.
This man was Shen Baiwan, the factory manager of Yaoguang Glass Factory.
Zhang Tian, owner of Jiaxing's largest privately-owned garment factory, has a powerful background. Gao Datong, the mayor's only son, is a influential figure in the road administration bureau. He knows both of them.
Only this young man...
Zhang Jingtao stood up with a smile and pulled out a chair for Shen Baiwan: "Old Shen, you're exempt from the penalty drink. I invited you here because I have something to ask of you."
"Section Chief Zhang, please feel free to give any instructions." Shen Baiwan sat down.
As the director of the largest glass factory in Zhejiang Province, his position was originally above Zhang Jingtao's. However, in officialdom, face is given to one another.
Zhang Jingtao didn't beat around the bush and pointed to Gao Datong: "Director Gao, you know him."
“Of course we know each other. I even chatted with Director Gao at a city meeting last month.”
Zhang Jingtao then turned his hand to Zhang Tian: "Zhang Tian, the owner of Zhang Tian Garment Factory."
"Director Shen, I've heard so much about you!" Zhang Tian stood up and extended his hand.
Shen Baiwan smiled and shook hands: "Director Zhang's name is renowned far and wide."
"This is Zhang Cheng, my little brother," Zhang Jingtao introduced Zhang Cheng last.
Zhang Cheng, his face still flushed, stood up and extended his hand: "I've heard of Director Shen's reputation in Funing long ago."
In the drinking culture, it's difficult to get things done without thoroughly drinking.
Inside the private room, glasses clinked and the atmosphere gradually became lively.
After a few rounds of drinks, Zhang Jingtao put down his glass and looked at Shen Baiwan: "Director Shen, your factory should still have quite a few treasury bonds left, right?"
"Yes, we always have face values of four or five hundred thousand. What, are you guys interested in this?"
As a major factory in the province, Yaoguang Glass Factory actively participated in the purchase of glass quotas starting in 1982, with an annual quota of nearly 500,000. The factory subsidized 30% of the quota, and the workers purchased at a 30% discount.
This year, due to market demand, the factory's subscription quota has not been fully allocated, and the factory plans to subsidize 20%.
Zhang Jingtao nodded: "My little brother Zhang Cheng is currently buying up a lot of treasury bonds. So he specially invited you, Director Shen, to see if you could spare some."
"I thought it was something big!" Shen Baiwan turned to Zhang Cheng, his gaze scrutinizing him like a businessman's. "Brother Zhang, how much are you planning to ask for?"
"All of them!" Zhang Cheng answered decisively.
Shen Baiwan raised an eyebrow: "If Brother Zhang takes them all, I'll thank you. The market price is 80 yuan in cash for 100 face value bonds. I'll round it up for you, 100 treasury bonds, 78 yuan, how about that?"
“Okay!” Zhang Cheng nodded.
Shen Baiwan changed the subject: "Brother Zhang, there's something I'm not sure if I should say?"
"Director Shen, please speak freely."
"Everyone's saying the government will buy back treasury bonds this year, but that's just a rumor. If the government actually buys them back at an 80% rate, you'll lose a lot of money."
Gao Datong and Zhang Jingtao also expressed concern. The central government's attitude towards treasury bond repurchases remains unclear.
Zhang Cheng said firmly, "Director Shen, I trust the country and will not let the people suffer."
Shen Baiwan's lips twitched almost imperceptibly. Since things had come to this point, he wouldn't try to persuade him any further.
"Alright, I'll have someone gather enough treasury bonds for you to have a face value of 500,000. Come to the factory tomorrow, and we'll sign the contract. After all, it's a considerable amount."
Gao Datong laughed and said, "Old Shen, you have many connections. Could you ask around and see which other factories are willing to provide the parts? With Brother Zhang's ratio, I think there are quite a few willing ones."
“If Director Gao has asked, then of course there’s no problem. I’ll make a few calls now to ask.” Shen Baiwan stood up.
Zhang Jingtao also stood up and helped him up, saying, "Director Shen, I'll go with you."
The two walked out of the private room side by side.
As soon as they stepped outside, Shen Baiwan asked Zhang Jingtao in a low voice, "Taozi, who is that kid? Can he really eat so much?"
Zhang Jingtao did not elaborate on the matter during the phone call.
"He has an extremely close relationship with Zhao Daming from Funing. I asked Daming, and he said he's a kid from the mountains. But this kid is quite shrewd. He has his own connections in Funing, and he's also managed to get in touch with Gao Datong in Jiaxing. His future is limitless."
Shen Baiwan, Zhao Daming, and Zhang Jingtao were comrades-in-arms, but Shen Baiwan was later transferred to the capital, and this relationship is little known.
"I'll help him this time out of respect for Da Ming and you. Lately, there have been at least eighty or a hundred people asking me for treasury bonds." Shen Baiwan said with some disdain, "They all want to make quick money. Humph, when the national policy changes, they'll be crying."
If it weren't for this relationship, he wouldn't have bothered with it at all.
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