Chapter 23

Shi Jinhe then used his phone to start calculating the situation of our company's houses,

He paused and said: "Our three housing projects nearing completion total 1,890 households; the Guanghua community still has 134 units left; altogether we have over two thousand households."

I nodded,

I asked Shi Jinhe: "What is the current average price of homes in Zaocheng?"

Shi Jinhe said: "Yesterday's price in Xin Cheng was around 5,000 yuan, fluctuating up and down."

I said: "With over two thousand units, selling 50% would be enough to repay the principal and interest to Southern Group."

It is now May; half a year later will be November,

We will start construction immediately, build the houses as fast as possible, and aim to sell more than half by September and October; then we need not fear any profit‑sharing agreement.

As soon as the houses break ground, the other building materials can keep up, and those companies can also make money.

Shi Yong, upon hearing this, nodded,

"Brother, let's sign—live or die, forward. What's there to fear about a profit‑sharing agreement? We are the local tyrants of Zaocheng; why fear outsiders?"

At this moment Xiao Hua said: "Brother, you need to think clearly; this money is not for our company's working capital. Once construction starts, we will still need a huge amount of working capital turnover."

I took a puff of a cigarette,

Then I said: "As for Zaocheng Bank's 420 million yuan in funds, if Southern Group repays it for us, we can treat it as bridge financing. I can also borrow again from Zaocheng Bank, so we need not worry about working capital."

We need to get past the immediate difficulty; afterwards we should carefully consider how each subsidiary can become profitable.

Xiao Hua said: "Since everyone agrees to sign the contract, I'll call Kang Zong over. We'll sign the contract, so their company can remit payment quickly."

I said to Xiao Hua: "Then hurry and let Kang Zong come in; we'll sign the contract."

After Xiao Hua left, Shi Jinhe worried: "Everything is hypothetical; if we can't sell the houses, what then? If the payment doesn't come, all these years of our effort will have been for nothing."

I took another puff of a cigarette,

"Jinghe, we have no choice but to gamble everything. We've been backed into a corner; if we get past this hurdle, we'll be fine."

After the contract is signed and Southern Group makes the payment, tomorrow you should promptly pay the workers' wages, and after paying them send them to the construction site,

and tell them that such a situation will never happen again.

Shi Jinhe had to say: "All right, first thing tomorrow morning I'll go to the construction site and tell the workers."

At this moment Kang Yali pushed the door and entered,

I hurriedly stubbed out my cigarette,

Ya Li gave me a faint smile,

"Chairman Zhao, we have examined the profit‑sharing agreement thoroughly and understand our repayment capacity. Now we should sign the agreement."

I said: "All right, Kang Zong. After we sign the agreement, you must remit the funds promptly; we urgently need to pay the workers."

Ya Li said: "As soon as the signatures are done and the seals affixed, payment will be made."

I said: "All right, give me the contract."

I took the contract in hand, and under Ya Li's guidance I wrote my name, then affixed the company seal and my personal seal.

Ya Li also signed and affixed her company's seal.

Finally we added a contract seal.

Only then was it considered complete.

After the seals were affixed, Ya Li shook my hand briefly,

"Chairman Zhao, I will be stationed at your company from now on and may cause you unnecessary trouble; please bear with me."

I said: "You're too kind, Kang Zong. Our company's doors are open; welcome you to be stationed here to guide the work."

Ya Li gave me one copy of the contract, and she kept one for herself.

Then she took out her phone and began to make contact,

"Zhang Zong, the contract has been signed; Chairman Zhao has no objections, so you can transfer the funds. All right, I'll send you an email tonight."

After Ya Li finished speaking, she hung up the phone.

Then she sat down in a chair.

"Chairman Zhao, to show sincerity, I will wait until our company's funds arrive before leaving."

Upon hearing that,

I said: "Kang Zong, I trust your company; go rest at the hotel tonight, and tomorrow you still need to make a formal visit to Zao Chengshi."

Ya Li said: "Tomorrow's work has already been arranged. This is also for Kong Shi's performance. Kong Shi is quite familiar with our Zhang Zong."

"I hope Chairman Zhao will also be able to become friends with our Zhang Zong in the future."

I said: "That will certainly be the case. Although I have never met Zhang Zong in person, I feel we are all kindred spirits,"

"Nowadays there are too few people who give help in times of need."

"Everyone is constantly scheming against each other. I believe my future cooperation with Zhang Zong will be very pleasant."

At this moment Xiao Feng's phone rang,

He hurriedly pulled it out and answered,

"All right, the money has arrived. I'll report this to the chairman right away."

After Xiao Feng hung up the phone,

he lowered his head and told me: "Just now Liu the accountant called; Southern Group's remittance has already arrived, amounting to 520 million yuan."

At that moment I clenched my fist and said: "Great."

Then I said to Ya Li: "Kang Zong, the funds are in place; your company keeps its word."

Ya Li stood up,

and gave me a faint smile, saying: "I hope Chairman Zhao will also keep his word and be able to repay within half a year."

Otherwise, we will all have to go to court.

After speaking, he deliberately waved the contract in his hand.

I laughed and said, "Manager Kang, rest assured, I, Zhao Jianqiang, am a man of my word; if we lose this bet, I will definitely fulfill my responsibilities as agreed and hand over the group in full to your company."

"All right, Chairman Zhao, I won't disturb your rest. We still need to get familiar with the work environment at your company; from now on we'll work together."

I said, "Xiao Hua, you must fully cooperate with Manager Kang; we will surely work together happily."

Kang Yali finished speaking and left with her assistant. Xiao Hua and Xiao Feng hurried after her to go to the company to assist Ya Li with her work.

Only I, Shi Yong, and Shi Jinhe remained in the room.

The three of us didn't speak,

Shi Yong took out a cigarette,

each was given one,

and the three of us started smoking,

Shi Yong said, "Brother, this contract is just signed like that."

I said, "Signed, what else do you want to do?"

Shi Yong said, "Too simple, huh?"

I laughed,

"Tomorrow there's a grand event in Zao Chengshi; if you want to attend, you can go with Xiao Hua."

Shi Yong said, "I didn't mean that."

Shi Jinhe then said, "Then what do you mean?"

Shi Yong said, "I can't explain it anyway, forget it; let's just work hard—if we pay back the money within six months, there'll be no problem."

Shi Jinhe said, "Shi Yong, that's about right. Brother, work hard; otherwise, even if we sold ourselves, we couldn't pay off that debt."

"Brother, let me ask you something: just now that Manager Kang, I felt like she was someone."

I asked, "Who do you mean?"

Shi Jinhe said, "Like Ya Li; I worked with her for a long time when we built the dormitories at Qi He Kuang. Now she's just gotten fatter than before; nothing else has changed."

"'Nothing else has changed, how do you know?' Shi Yong retorted."

Shi Jinhe snapped, "I'm talking about appearance, you're talking about something else—I hate chatting with you."

After hearing Shi Jinhe finish, I also laughed,

"'Jinghe, it's really Ya Li; she recognized us.'"

Shi Yong then shouted, "She recognized us—why didn't she greet us and instead put on that pretentious act?"

"'Mind your manners, Shi Yong, what do you want me to say? Almost twenty years have passed; everything has changed, people are no longer the same.' I sighed."