Inside the Phoenix Hotel, toasts and laughter filled the air.
Jiang Yuhong was a well-known figure in Shanghai. As he led Zhang Cheng through the banquet, people would frequently come up to him with wine glasses.
He handled the situation with ease, managing to speak flawlessly in just a few words. Zhang Cheng followed behind, also getting to know several familiar businessmen, thus becoming a familiar face to them.
Half an hour later, Zhang Tianhong, beaming, came over and whispered to Jiang Yuhong and Zhang Cheng, "President Jiang, Mr. Zhang, we've made contact with Mr. Sun from the Wenzhou shoe factory, and we have a preliminary intention to cooperate."
Jiang Yuhong patted Zhang Cheng on the shoulder and lowered his voice: "See? This is the circle. At this level, interests are the glue, and interpersonal relationships are the lubricant. I was right to see you make it in Funing."
He changed the subject: "Zhang Cheng, I'll say it again, come help me, and I'll save the vice president position for you."
Zhang Cheng was grateful for Jiang Yuhong's high regard, but he preferred to forge his own path. He shook his head slightly: "President Jiang, I still want to test the waters myself."
Jiang Yuhong shrugged, his face revealing neither joy nor anger: "Fine, I've given you a chance. This is the second time. You chose this path yourself."
Zhang Cheng grinned: "Maybe next time President Jiang asks me, I'll change my mind."
"Then I'll wait." Jiang Yuhong laughed and put his arm around Zhang Cheng. "We've almost finished eating. Come on, let's go upstairs and belt out some karaoke!"
The group worked until after 3 a.m., when Shanghai was still brightly lit.
The next day, the sun was high in the sky.
Zhang Cheng was awakened by a knock on the door. He opened it and a waitress stood there with a brand-new black suit, leather shoes, and belt, smiling. "Mr. Zhang, this was specially made for you by General Manager Jiang. Please try it on. If it doesn't fit, I'll take it to be altered immediately."
"Thank you for your kindness." Zhang Cheng accepted it.
Wearing a sharp suit and standing in front of the mirror, the young man's face still had a youthful air, but his eyes already possessed a composure that didn't belong to a nineteen-year-old.
He loosened his tie, pushed open the door, and went out.
The waiter was still waiting outside. When he came out, he gently led the way: "Mr. Zhang, Mr. Jiang is waiting for you in the restaurant on the second floor."
On the second floor, Jiang Yuhong sat by the window, gazing at the bustling traffic outside.
"President Jiang."
Jiang Yuhong snapped out of his daze and looked Zhang Cheng up and down, who looked completely refreshed: "Not bad, clothes make the man. You look much more energetic and more like a boss."
Zhang Cheng sat down opposite him.
"Would you like to take a look around the old concession area?" Jiang Yuhong asked.
"No, thank you." Zhang Cheng shook his head; he had something on his mind.
“Alright.” Jiang Yuhong didn’t press the matter further. “The treasury bonds have been counted, totaling over 13.6 million. I’ll round it up to 14 million. Based on the previously agreed ratio, I’ll give you 13 million in cash. Give me your account number, and the finance department will transfer it this afternoon.”
"Okay!" Even Zhang Cheng's breathing quickened slightly for a moment upon hearing this number.
Jiang Yuhong saw this and a smile crept onto his lips: "Thirteen million, that's enough for you to live comfortably for the rest of your life. Or, how about I arrange for you to go to a small country in Southeast Asia to lay low for a couple of years and enjoy a carefree life?"
Zhang Cheng coughed twice and smiled wryly: "President Jiang, please stop teasing me."
"Hahaha!" Jiang Yuhong laughed loudly.
At this moment, Zhang Tian walked over with a beaming smile: "President Jiang, Mr. Zhang, good morning!"
Jiang Yuhong raised his hand, gesturing for him to sit next to Zhang Cheng.
After Zhang Tian sat down, Jiang Yuhong said, "Mr. Zhang, the accounts for the treasury bonds have been settled, and the money will be transferred to Zhang Cheng's account this afternoon."
Zhang Tian's eyes lit up, and he jumped to his feet, clasping his hands together. His voice trembled with excitement as he said, "President Jiang..."
Jiang Yuhong waved his hand to stop him: "Let's skip the formalities. If it weren't for Brother Zhang's sake, I wouldn't accept this price. We're both businessmen, and I won't make much profit from this deal. If you want to thank someone, thank Brother Zhang."
"Yes, yes, we should thank you, Master Zhang!" Zhang Tian turned to Zhang Cheng, his face full of sincere gratitude. "If it weren't for Master Zhang's help, how could I have met such a benefactor as President Jiang, and I wouldn't have had the guts to sell everything I own to collect treasury bonds!"
He rubbed his hands, somewhat embarrassed, "Master Zhang, this matter depends entirely on you. The previous proposal of a 30/70 split wasn't appropriate. How about... a 50/50 split, how about that?"
Having witnessed Zhang Cheng's methods and heard Jiang Yuhong's words, Zhang Tian was genuinely frightened and also wanted to befriend him.
Zhang Cheng glanced at him and nodded: "Since Mr. Zhang is so agreeable, I naturally have no objection."
"Good, good, good!" Zhang Tian replied repeatedly. With an initial investment of nearly ten million, he could earn one and a half million in less than a week. This deal was worthwhile! After deducting the expenses for bribing officials, a net profit of over one million and one hundred thousand was no problem. As for the one million that Zhang Cheng had initially lent him, he didn't dare mention it at all.
With the transaction completed, it's natural to celebrate.
After lunch, Jiang Yuhong left first. Zhang Tian was going to explore Shanghai and bring back some "trendy" local specialties for his family.
Zhang Cheng, along with Zhang Jianhao and the other three, also went for a stroll on the street.
In the evening, Jiang Yuhong informed Zhang Cheng that the money had arrived in his account.
Zhang Cheng immediately contacted Zhang Tian, and the two went to the credit union together.
After deducting Zhang Tian's principal and share, Zhang Cheng made a net profit of 1.5 million yuan from the 13 million yuan.
One and a half million in 1987!
Zhang Tian was overjoyed and immediately contacted the president of Jiaxing Credit Union, patting his chest and guaranteeing that he would repay the seven million loan as soon as he returned to Jiaxing.
Zhang Cheng was concerned about Shengzi's funeral, so he bid farewell to Jiang Yuhong that very night.
Zhang Tian will stay in Shanghai for a few more days. Besides currying favor with Jiang Yuhong, he will probably also have a deeper conversation with Mr. Sun, the owner of the Wenzhou shoe factory.
The Santana that went back was borrowed by Zhang Tian. He said he would send someone to drive it away when they arrived in Funing County.
My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
