Chapter 302: This is Exactly What We Need
Li Tang originally intended to sit with the groom's family, but upon Zhu Youxin's enthusiastic invitation, he reluctantly joined the other table.
After drinking a few glasses of white liquor at noon, Li Tang felt an immediate flush of heat. Just then, the bride and groom came to their table to toast, prompting everyone to stand and offer their blessings.
Li Tang raised his head, downed his drink, slightly frowning as the bitterness slid down his throat. He glanced at the newlyweds, recalling their earlier conversations. "Now that the two of you have formed a new family, along with happiness, you'll also shoulder more family responsibilities," he remarked encouragingly.
Upon hearing this, Zhu Youxin promptly asked, "Where do you both work currently?"
"Yan'er sells clothes at a mall downtown, and I work at the construction site near my home, mostly handling steel and cement—just manual labor," Fan Heguang replied sheepishly.
"That's tough work!" Zhu Youxin set down his glass, glanced at Li Tang, and pondered briefly. "Our Hualing Steel has been continuously expanding production these past couple of years, and we're always recruiting, especially workers who are hardworking and of good character." He smiled warmly at Fan Heguang. "Would you two be interested in working with us?"
"This…" Fan Heguang hesitated, momentarily stunned.
Everyone in their neighborhood knew it was not easy to join Hualing Steel, which paid well and provided excellent employee benefits. Villagers often spoke enviously of those fortunate enough to secure jobs there.
Nearby, one man from the next village worked as a personnel supervisor at a subsidiary of Hualing Steel, managing to hire many relatives and neighbors, allowing them all to enjoy a good life. Everyone else could only look on with envy.
Recently, many buildings were being constructed in the city, drawing village youths into construction labor. Although this was hard work, some unscrupulous contractors often withheld part of the wages. In contrast, a state-owned company like Hualing Steel would never have such issues.
Seeing Fan Heguang's hesitation, Li Tang patted his shoulder and quickly accepted on his behalf. "President Zhu is kindly looking after us—quickly toast him three times to thank him!"
"Oh, oh!" Fan Heguang hastily poured himself a drink.
"Pour one for President Zhu first!" Li Tang reminded him.
Fan Heguang nervously held the liquor pitcher, spilling a little as he poured. Seeing this, Li Tang intervened, calmly taking the pitcher to serve Zhu Youxin himself.
"How could I dare let President Li pour my drink? Let me do it myself," Zhu Youxin joked as Li Tang poured steadily.
"The groom should first toast President Zhu, and after that, it'll be my turn. Your contract with our Lianying Mining truly came at a critical moment. Such great help deserves heartfelt thanks!" Li Tang's voice was sincere as he continued pouring smoothly.
"I also hope your company can quickly start producing iron ore!" Zhu Youxin laughed, then asked the newlyweds, "What are your education levels?"
Fan Heguang looked embarrassed, "I graduated from vocational school, and my wife finished high school."
"Can you both read and write?" Zhu Youxin asked without prejudice.
Fan Heguang paused briefly, then nodded, "Yes."
"That's good enough," Zhu Youxin reassured, earnestly trying to solve the couple's employment issue. "Our company's iron ore procurement is increasing rapidly, and we lack personnel. Why don't both of you join our procurement department? The groom can handle ore inventory checks, and the bride can do some clerical registration work. Would that work for you?"
Noticing their confusion, Zhu quickly elaborated, "The work is based at our city docks warehouse, allowing you to return home daily and manage your family conveniently. It can get busy sometimes, even at night when shipments arrive, requiring occasional overtime. Of course, once you have children, the bride can enjoy maternity leave."
The work wasn't technically challenging or excessively difficult—Zhu genuinely was extending care to the couple.
Seeing Fan Heguang still hesitating, Li Tang jokingly interjected, "President Zhu is being so considerate—three toasts might not be enough; maybe six toasts, symbolizing good fortune, would be better!"
Zhu laughed heartily, replying, "Then I'll have to toast President Li nine times, representing supreme respect!"
Li Tang quickly waved off the suggestion. "I shouldn't overshadow the bride and groom."
After drinking three rounds with Fan Heguang, Zhu advised kindly, "After the New Year, just come directly to find me. If I'm unavailable, look for Ji Lianghan instead." He instructed his secretary to exchange contact information, ensuring that HR was notified immediately.
With such direct intervention from the General Manager, employment procedures would certainly pose no difficulty.
After the newlyweds left, Li Tang raised his glass. "I also must toast President Zhu. You're truly a generous and considerate leader!"
Previously, upon seeing Fan Heguang working at the nearby construction site, Li Tang and Lin Feiming had been concerned. Construction work wasn't just exhausting but also dangerous, with frequent wage deductions. At that time, Lin had even suggested they move to Huizhou Province to join Shazhai Molybdenum Company, which was hiring. Still, Fan preferred staying close to home.
Last New Year, Li Tang had invited Fan to work in Yanjing, but he declined due to the distance. The matter was set aside until Li Tang recently connected with Zhu Youxin. As their companies were discussing cooperation, it became convenient to arrange employment for his cousin at Hualing Steel, a prestigious local employer.
For Zhu, hiring Li Tang's relatives was a way to strengthen their budding partnership. Li Tang was increasingly renowned in the exploration industry, and he controlled a company with enormous iron ore reserves. No one could foresee how influential he might become—perhaps even establishing a global mining empire.
Villagers at nearby tables overheard Zhu offering jobs to Fan and his wife, sparking immediate interest, particularly among older women keen to ask Zhu if their sons or grandsons could also join Hualing Steel. But everyone understood the real reason behind Zhu's generosity was Li Tang's presence.
After the banquet, Li Tang, feeling the heavy effects of alcohol, slept until morning. He skipped dinner entirely, waking with a rumbling stomach.
The wedding had concluded, yet relatives and friends still lingered joyfully at Aunt Li Xiuqin's home. After breakfast, Fan Heguang enthusiastically took Li Tang and Lin Feiming to fish by the river, spending their holidays leisurely.
Just before the New Year, Flett and Alice arrived from Perth, South Australia. Li Tang met them at the airport, then proceeded directly to Hualing Steel headquarters.
Hearing of Li Tang's visit, Zhu Youxin hurried back from inspecting the company's dock warehouses. To Hualing Steel, this initial cooperation with Lianying Mining marked the beginning of their strategic move upstream in the industry. If successful, further cooperation was certain.
"I apologize, I was inspecting the docks," Zhu explained warmly upon arriving. Li Tang introduced Alice as Chairwoman and Flett as CEO of Lianying Mining.
"Nice to meet you," Zhu warmly greeted both, then instructed his secretary to hand them the draft contract. "These are the terms President Li and I previously discussed, including payment terms and delivery details."
Li Tang glanced briefly before passing the documents to Flett, noticing they were helpfully prepared in bilingual versions.
"This is exactly what we need!" Flett remarked happily upon reviewing the documents.
Previously involved in alumina and nickel businesses, Flett had long targeted China's market for iron ore. Li Tang's swift success in securing a significant contract with a major firm like Hualing Steel significantly boosted Lianying's credibility, proving they weren't merely speculative but serious about mining iron ore.
Zhu smiled warmly, laying down his conditions. "Our technicians requested conducting a trial smelting with your iron ore powder first, to ensure it suits our blast furnaces."
"The ore samples are already en route, arriving at the port soon," Flett replied confidently, having arranged ample samples beforehand. These were specifically tailored to Chinese blast furnace standards, giving Lianying great confidence.
Zhu nodded approvingly. Agreeing to this contract was somewhat adventurous since actual iron ore production remained years away. However, the potential benefit far outweighed the risks.
Flett hesitated slightly, "The initial advance payment—might it be increased?"
"Ten million dollars was already agreed upon with President Li," Zhu firmly declined. Flett, despite needing funds, realized pushing further wasn't prudent.
Li Tang quickly mediated, "No rush. Let's first establish our cooperation. Once that succeeds, future opportunities—like equity investments or loans—will naturally follow."
Zhu agreed, proposing, "Once the iron ore arrives and passes testing, we can formalize our agreement."
"It's settled then!" Li Tang confirmed, gesturing toward Flett, "I'll soon be busy elsewhere, so I'll leave further negotiations to President Zhu and CEO Flett."
"Is there a business even more lucrative than iron ore?" Zhu asked curiously.
"At Lianying Mining, Flett manages everything—I'm just a passive investor," Li Tang responded enigmatically, deliberately withholding details about his upcoming projects in Africa.
"You're the boss behind the scenes, so naturally you can just sit back and make money. I'm different—born to a life of labor," Zhu Youxin remarked with a sigh, though without any real complaint. He shook hands with Flett warmly, adding, "Here's to a pleasant partnership!"
After leaving Hualing Steel's headquarters, they found a quiet place to sit and discuss the finer details of the deal.
Li Tang and Flett spoke extensively about the terms of cooperation. Both men were very optimistic about signing this contract with Hualing Steel, sharing the same view about the massive potential in China's iron ore market.
Then Li Tang turned his attention toward Alice. "There's something important I need you to handle."
Alice, gently stirring her coffee with a small spoon, seemed preoccupied, her gaze fixed thoughtfully on Li Tang's face. Snapping back into focus at his voice, she quickly asked, "What is it?"
"Our company's foreign exchange account still holds about 150 million US dollars. I want you to convert this amount into Australian dollars."
Li Tang understood clearly that the US dollar would sharply depreciate further this year, whereas the Australian dollar would hold much steadier.
He recalled Flett's earlier comments about the rising costs for Lianying Mining's infrastructure construction. Indeed, the previously estimated 2 billion AUD budget was now outdated, impacted significantly by global economic trends and currency depreciation. According to current standards, the total budget for building a complete mining infrastructure—including dedicated railway lines, ports, and desalination plants—could easily surpass 3 billion Australian dollars.
Moreover, the longer construction took, the higher costs would soar.
Alice was fully aware of the funds Li Tang mentioned. She nodded, asking, "What exactly do you plan to use the money for?"
"Flett mentioned finding a suitable time to raise funds. Use this money to continue investing in Lianying Mining," Li Tang replied frankly.
Currently, he didn't have any better investment projects on hand. Since Lianying Mining was desperately short of funds, reinvesting was the obvious decision. Li Tang knew all too well how insatiable Lianying Mining's appetite for capital had become—like an endless black hole. Even if he poured in his entire fortune, success wasn't guaranteed.
But if they managed to finish all the infrastructure and start mining iron ore, the company would transform overnight from a money-swallowing beast into a cash-generating machine.
"Alright," Alice agreed readily, without hesitation.
After finalizing their discussion, Flett stayed behind in Sanxiang Province to await the arrival of the iron ore powder shipment. If its quality met requirements, they would quickly proceed with signing the final contract.
Alice returned to Yanjing to handle the currency exchange transactions.
Li Tang went back to Aunt Li Xiuqin's house to continue celebrating the Spring Festival, setting aside business concerns for a few days.
He enjoyed a lively festival with his family in Sanxiang Province, relaxing, fishing, and cherishing their time together. These wonderful days passed swiftly, and on the third day of the lunar new year, he returned to Yanjing.
Key executives like He Runqi and Dai Yingchi had already ended their holidays early, preparing to resume work for the new year. Employees assigned to overseas projects also came back ahead of schedule.
He Runqi quickly departed again for Australia, ostensibly to provide technical support to Lianying Mining, but essentially to oversee the mine construction progress on Li Tang's behalf. Regardless of Flett's capabilities, Li Tang felt more secure having his own people on-site—even if it was just idle supervision.
He Runqi brought local specialties from his hometown as gifts for all the staff. When meeting Li Tang, he enthusiastically brought up the topic of coal. "The villagers who went to Australia with us now have some money saved. During the holidays, they began discussing their next move."
"Having a plan to make money is good," Li Tang said, genuinely happy for the villagers.
"Our hometown province is rich in coal reserves. We never thought much about coal before, but its price has kept rising over these last two years. It used to be around 120 yuan per ton, but last year it rose to 170. This winter, the peak heating season, prices shot up even further—now it's 200 yuan per ton. Ordinary households like ours have to buy coal from town at even higher prices," He Runqi explained excitedly.
"It's definitely the right timing," Li Tang noted, realizing that the coal market had indeed entered the golden decade of surging prices.
"Mining coal doesn't seem very technical. Nearby villages often have exposed coal seams. People used to casually dig out coal and carry it home for heating, not considering it valuable. But now, everyone sees coal as a precious commodity," He Runqi continued.
"Even at 120 yuan per ton, mining it yourself could have turned a profit," Li Tang pointed out.
"Self-mined coal wasn't popular because of poor quality—it produces heavy smoke and doesn't burn well unless washed properly," He Runqi clarified, scratching his head. "You have no idea how crazy coal trading has become. During the holidays, I visited a coal-producing area. Trucks leaving coal-washing plants get stopped mid-road by eager buyers!"
"Has it really become that chaotic?" Li Tang hadn't closely monitored the coal market recently.
"There's no shortage of buyers. Coal warehouses that used to overflow are now empty. Buyers carrying cash literally wait at factory gates—whenever a truck leaves the plant, they buy the entire load immediately," He Runqi described vividly.
"Are power plants buying coal directly from mines?"
"Yes, along with second-hand dealers. Basically, anyone who gets coal and transports it can turn a quick profit."
"Thinking about not going back to Australia?" Li Tang observed Runqi's excitement and wondered aloud.
"No, that's not it!" He Runqi quickly clarified. "Some villagers want to buy trucks and start transporting coal."
"Driving trucks can be profitable," Li Tang commented, though he had no real advice to offer.
"I can't really say much about that. But during the holidays, a wealthy man from town invited me to jointly invest in a small coal mine and set up a washing plant…" Runqi hesitated, clearly tempted.
"And did you agree?" Li Tang noticed a gleam of aspiration in Runqi's eyes.
"I haven't agreed yet," Runqi admitted sheepishly. "I've saved some money from bonuses these past years, around 500,000 yuan. I wanted your advice—can coal be a good investment?"
Runqi deeply trusted Li Tang's judgment regarding mining investments, knowing that his insights were always accurate. Li Tang considered this carefully before asking, "What exactly does your relative want to do? Manual mining?"
"Yes, manual mining. Most of the money would go into building a coal-washing plant and purchasing simple equipment."
"If you plan to leave our company, I'd strongly support your coal investment," Li Tang answered directly. He understood clearly that coal was now at a lucrative turning point, and even amateurs could earn significant profits—at least in the short term.
However, Li Tang also knew the coal industry was complicated, fraught with pitfalls, environmental concerns, and potential troubles down the road. Many coal entrepreneurs had indeed gotten rich—but many ended disastrously too.
"Actually, I want to stay here!" Runqi quickly assured him. "I just wondered if I could make a bit more money on the side."
"If you aren't personally overseeing operations, can you be sure your money will truly be invested productively?" Li Tang warned him gently. "Even if the coal is mined and profits soar, are you sure your partner will pay your share properly? Greed can easily cloud judgment."
"I trust you!" Runqi quickly responded, decisively setting his mind at ease. "I should just focus on my current job and not overthink. My mother always says contentment brings happiness."
Li Tang smiled warmly. "As long as you don't regret staying with me."
"Impossible—I enjoy working here," Runqi assured him sincerely.
"And what about love? Any new developments?" Li Tang teased playfully.
Runqi blushed furiously. Over the holiday, relatives pressured him to get married. Friends had also tried introducing women to him. Having remained single since college, seeing colleagues like Dai Yingchi and Li Tang with attractive girlfriends left him increasingly anxious.
Runqi gathered courage, finally stammering out, "Li Tang, um…can I ask you something?"
"Spit it out clearly! Why so shy?" Li Tang teased further.
"Well…I think Lin Xiaoshu from Finance is pretty…" Runqi's face turned bright red.
"So you like Lin Xiaoshu?" Li Tang laughed. "You've worked together closely—it's understandable."
"I…I heard from colleagues she likes you," Runqi hesitated nervously.
"Nonsense! Don't slander me!" Li Tang snapped, mock-angrily. "Whoever spreads rumors in my company will be fired immediately!"
Seeing Li Tang's exaggerated reaction, Runqi laughed nervously. Li Tang gave him a playful kick, and Runqi dodged away laughing, relieved. This familiar teasing brought comfort and confidence back to him.
Feeling braver after a few drinks that night, he finally called Lin Xiaoshu. "Are you doing well? I dreamed about you last night…"
Thank you for the support, friends. If you want to read more chapters in advance, go to my Patreon.
Read 40 Chapters In Advance: patreon.com/Johanssen