Chapter 114: A Decade Flies By

Hearing Wang Yan say this, Qiu Yingjie's expression turned serious—no demand was the greatest demand: "Rest assured, Manager Wang, our county government will certainly offer you the most favorable terms."

"Good, then I'll stay in Yiwu a bit longer and wait for your good news, Director Qiu," Wang Yan said with a smile. "Come on, don't just drink—eat, eat."

Qiu Yingjie chuckled in agreement; it was the most satisfying meal he'd had since starting work, and never had a deal been settled so quickly. Two cups of wine, three bites of food—and the investment was already settled.

Once the serious business was done, the people Qiu Yingjie brought and Xu Shengli began livening up the atmosphere—they were professionals at this.

Truth be told, even Qiu Yingjie was slightly out of Xu Shengli's league; otherwise, he wouldn't have brought up the issue of rank to Wang Yan. But Wang Yan didn't care about such things—he wanted to elevate Qiu Yingjie to a higher position, provided Qiu Yingjie lived long enough, since seniority was also a criterion.

"Centering on economic development" wasn't just empty talk. Wherever Qiu Yingjie was transferred, Wang Yan would invest there—this was more concrete than anything else. If things went well, he might even help Qiu Yingjie rise to a high-ranking official before he left.

After some small talk, Wang Yan took a bite of food and said, "Director Qiu, I have some knowledge of traditional Chinese medicine. Your complexion is sallow, suggesting an underlying ailment—you should go to a major hospital for a full checkup."

His TCM skills were sufficient for diagnosis, but he couldn't cure cancer; even if he prescribed medicine, Qiu Yingjie wouldn't believe him. If he did believe him, Wang Yan would call him an idiot.

"Oh? Manager Wang, you have such broad interests—I didn't expect you to study TCM. To be honest, I've been feeling low on energy lately. I'll get checked when I have time."

Qiu Yingjie said this to save face for the investor, but inwardly he didn't believe a word of it. You're the CEO of a giant company, and you're giving me medical advice? Are you stupid, or am I?

Yes, he was exhausted—but it was from working day and night. Tens of thousands of people depended on survival and development; it was the duty and responsibility of these cadres. No one in the county government had an easy job—everyone worked overtime.

Wang Yan didn't need his piercing eyes or his brilliant mind to know Qiu Yingjie didn't believe him. He took a sip of wine and said, "You don't think it's just from working too hard, do you?"

Ignoring Qiu Yingjie's awkward smile at being caught out, Wang Yan shook his head. "The human body is a complex system—it doesn't show external symptoms without cause. According to TCM, darkening between the eyebrows often indicates chronic lung disease; a dark red area between the eyebrows suggests chronic heart disease, and so on. These are conclusions drawn over millennia. So, Director Qiu, take it to heart. My skill is certainly inadequate—I've just read a few TCM books. But getting checked won't take much time, and it'll bring peace of mind."

His words were sincere. After all, Wang Yan was a major boss, while Qiu Yingjie was a county-level director who barely matched Xu Shengli in status—this was more than generous.

Qiu Yingjie said seriously, "Thank you, Manager Wang, for your concern. Once the investment is finalized, I'll go to Lin'an for a checkup."

Wang Yan nodded in approval. "That's right. Work is endless, development isn't instantaneous—your health matters most. Come on, Director Qiu, let's drink."

Qiu Yingjie: "……" He silently raised his cup and drank with Wang Yan.

Fuck, you just told me to take care of my health, and now you're proposing a toast?

After three rounds of wine and five flavors of dishes, the meal ended with everyone delighted. After exchanging polite farewells, they parted ways.

Qiu Yingjie never mentioned Chen Jianghe throughout. Normally, given their close relationship, he'd have recommended the younger man. But he knew the full story—he'd spoken to Chen Jianghe on the phone, and Chen had told him about Luo Yuzhu, so he kept quiet.

Previously rejecting Long Teng Investment meant nothing. But now, with Luo Yuzhu's connection, he was confident he could succeed. As for Chen Jianghe's personal matters, they were insignificant compared to Yiwu's development. He also believed Chen Jianghe wouldn't overthink it. But before he could even approach him, Wang Yan had already arrived.

He didn't mention county committee reimbursement either—this meal was Wang Yan's treat. Besides, they'd drunk five bottles of fifteen-year-old liquor, all brought by Wang Yan himself. To argue over the cost of food would be ridiculous.

The next day, Wang Yan made a single phone call and summoned a group to negotiate investment matters with the Yiwu County Committee and the higher-level Jinhua Municipal Committee.

Yiwu was merely a county-level city under Jinhua; such a massive investment couldn't be approved without informing the higher authorities. Since Wang Yan was already here, the Jinhua Municipal Committee also hoped Long Teng would invest in Jinhua city itself.

Wang Yan didn't refuse—he'd invest. If nothing else, he'd do real estate. Like his own family's old Wang, he'd build malls, theaters, and housing. After all, he'd eventually need the internet anyway—linking online and offline was a good move. Plus, rising property prices were inevitable due to slum redevelopment, urbanization, and other factors—he couldn't change them, so being a conscientious developer was fine.

When the big brother speaks, the little brother runs himself ragged. After several talks with government leaders, once the broad direction was clear, Wang Yan had nothing more to do—the rest was left to subordinates handling details.

"Manager Wang, they're inside."

Wang Yan nodded and walked into the logistics warehouse.

Today, Xu Shengli called to say they'd caught someone selling counterfeit clothing. Wang Yan didn't want Xu Shengli to show up—he told him to send someone to pick them up.

Entering, he adjusted to the light contrast and saw seven or eight men bound tightly on the ground, looking defeated, along with a dozen of his own men watching them.

"Who's the ringleader?"

One of Wang Yan's men stepped forward, approached a long-haired man, peeled off the tape wrapped multiple times around his mouth, yanked his hair, and exposed his face: "Manager Wang, this is him."

Seeing his face—wasn't this the kid who copied Chen Jianghe's designs?

Wang Yan nodded, signaling his men to let go. He walked over, knelt beside the man, and asked, "What's your name?"

"I'm Da… Da Gou." Da Gou stammered.

Though thugs usually had guts, he hadn't done much. There were dozens of them, wielding clubs, surrounding them, dragging them here without warning—he couldn't help being terrified.

"Hmm. Do you know why you're here?"

"I… I don't know. Please, Big Brother, guide… guide me."

Wang Yan glanced curiously at the man beside him: "Didn't you tell them?"

"No time, Manager Wang. The guys grabbed them and called you right away—we just got here."

Wang Yan paid no mind to this minor oversight and turned back to Da Gou: "We're Long Teng. You counterfeited our clothing and caused us trouble. If not for this, we'd have let it go. But unfortunately…"

Da Gou relaxed—he wasn't going to be killed. As long as it wasn't death, there was hope. He steadied himself and said, "Then what do you want to do, Big Brother?"

Long Teng's clothing sold well, with much higher profits than other brands. He copied whatever was profitable, and now that trouble had come, he had to accept it. Besides, he couldn't run now.

His attitude was acceptable. Wang Yan nodded: "I've seen your clothes. The texture feels similar to our developed materials. Do you have expertise in this area?"

Later, this kid was absorbed by Chen Jianghe and started researching machinery—he still knew something about materials. Clearly, a self-taught talent. Honestly, if the fabric hadn't been decent enough, he'd have broken their legs without hesitation, no matter who they were.

Da Gou gave a modest smile: "I'm not one of those."

"Good. Here's your path. I'll send you to Qiancheng—there's our new materials lab. You'll work there for a while. If you produce results, I'll let you go. If not," Wang Yan paused, locking eyes with him, "then each of you loses a leg."

"Big… Big Brother, we…" Da Gou panicked again—he'd just been tinkering randomly; how could he match the real thing?

Wang Yan shook his head, cutting him off: "I'm not asking. You either do it. Understood?"

Ignoring Da Gou's near-collapse, Wang Yan stood and turned to the man beside him: "Load them onto the truck, take them to Qiancheng, and find…" He gave him a phone number for the lab director.

After giving the order, Wang Yan had someone take him back. Just a few minor players—not worth much attention.

In the following period, Wang Yan had little to do, but he couldn't leave either—some matters still required his personal negotiation or on-site decisions. Bored, he wandered the streets daily.

Half a month later, Yang Xue finally married Chen Jianghe. They held two ceremonies: one in Chen Family Village to invite relatives and neighbors, and another in Shanghai to raise their profile. Qiu Yingjie took leave to attend both—first, because he respected the folks of Chen Village who traded chicken feathers for sugar, and because Chen Jinshui had always supported him; second, because the guests at the Shanghai wedding were influential. Even though Long Teng Investment was already involved, you could never have too many investors—he wanted to meet them and attract more. After all, with Long Teng leading, many others would follow.

Wang Yan didn't know them personally, so he didn't bother attending the wedding—just silently wished them well. He hoped Yang Xue wouldn't cause trouble, Chen Jianghe wouldn't dwell on the past, and they could somehow find happiness together.

Over a month, all matters were settled and implementation began. Wang Yan then departed for Lin'an. Previously, he'd wanted to do research; now, he was going to enroll at Zhejiang University. After all, he had zero foundation—he'd start with theory.

Enrollment was simple: donate money for lab equipment, establish a returnable overseas study fund, and the whole process ran smoothly in class.

………

Seasons turned, years passed—time never paused for anyone. Before long, it was 2005.

After more than a decade of development, Long Teng had become a sprawling conglomerate spanning countless sectors—the largest private enterprise in China, unquestionably the top dog. Directly or indirectly, countless people worked for or with Long Teng—it was a household name.

As such a massive corporate entity, Long Teng fully fulfilled its social responsibilities.

In '98, the great flood; in '03, SARS—Long Teng's various industries contributed immensely, uniting to overcome hardship. Especially during the flood, compared to the original history, Long Teng's intervention had a profound impact: rescue efforts, post-disaster reconstruction, and production recovery all bore Long Teng's imprint. During SARS, the state's capacity was already substantial, and the even stronger Long Teng had prepared in advance; aside from a brief period of panic, the impact was minimal. As for charity, poverty alleviation, and leading impoverished regions to prosperity—none of that needs mentioning.

Yiwu has long been the world's largest hub for small commodities, with a highly standardized market, collective trademarks, uniform production standards, and guaranteed quality.

The quality itself is more than adequate. While those factory owners may lack innovation, their ability to copy is absolutely No. 1, not to mention their price advantage. Cosmetics, clothing, shoes, hats, children's toys, and more—in the low-end market, there is virtually no global competition; whoever dares to enter gets crushed.

After hearing Wang Yan's words, Director Qiu Yingjie was diagnosed with early-stage cancer and actively sought treatment. Since early-stage cancer has a chance of cure, and he cooperated fully, he has lived to this day.

Placed by Wang Yan in a high-ranking position in Lin'an City, he had just assumed office. Whether he can rise further depends on Qiu Yingjie's own political acumen. The current top leader in Zhejiang Province is a Xi-affiliated official, and Qiu works right under his nose—as a man of action. Besides, he is only forty-six, squarely in his prime politically—he might yet be promoted.

Due to health reasons, he no longer pushes himself at work, but there is still plenty to manage. Even with bold delegation, it remains exhausting. All in all, this revised fate is good—just being alive is the greatest fortune.

As for Long Teng's hometown, Qiancheng—put it this way: aside from Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen, which benefit from policy and geographic advantages, Qiancheng is the top. Long Teng even funded and donated a university to the Ministry of Education, solely to establish a higher education institution nearby to cultivate talent.

Wang Yan has always kept tabs on Yang Xue and Chen Jianghe. Beyond daily surveillance, he even infiltrated their company, bribing their housekeeper. It was distasteful, but not malicious—only to glean clues or learn the state of their relationship.

After marrying, they had a son in the first year and a daughter in the second—two children, one of each.

What time erodes is not only youth, but also Chen Jianghe's feelings for Luo Yuzhu. After so many years, he has long come to terms with it, yet the regret of loving without being loved remains. Life is never perfect; what you cannot have always seems best—it is inevitable. He feels no guilt toward Yang Xue, toward his children, nor even toward his deceased father-in-law.

Yang Xue never caused trouble, contentedly living with Chen Jianghe. She knew he could not forget Luo Yuzhu; at first, she didn't care because she was so proud of him—love could tolerate everything. Later, it was because Chen Jianghe truly fulfilled his duties; she could feel his tolerance. After all, married life inevitably brings minor conflicts, and she had been spoiled since childhood—when she reflected, she understood his sincerity.

Even regarding cooperation with Long Teng, she supported it. Though occasionally bitter, she held back—after all, they were far behind Long Teng; this was called mentorship. Without Chen Jianghe's connection, they would barely have secured such cooperation.

Their arguments, beyond daily matters, centered on two issues: business, and the group from Chen Family Village.

When a company grows large enough and dominates its field, expanding horizontally into new areas using its own resources is an inevitable path of development. In recent years, beyond Yang Group's original businesses—department stores, daily chemicals, hardware, jewelry—Chen Jianghe has expanded into real estate, the internet, and others. He modeled these ventures on Long Teng's, analyzing them carefully and concluding they held promise. These businesses were newly established with their own funds, under Chen Jianghe's management.

Because Chen Jianghe and Yang Xue held differing business philosophies, and because old investors loyal to her father still obstructed him, Chen Jianghe's lofty ambitions were rendered useless. Eventually, they agreed: no more arguing, no more fighting—take family money, Chen Jianghe goes out on his own, each pursuing their own vision, for the benefit of both.

What remained was the group from Chen Family Village—Yang Xue was not pleased. Say it once, and they'd do it once.

As in the drama, once Chen Jianghe rose to success, the old crowd flocked to him. Chen Jianghe, remembering their upbringing and care, said nothing and accepted them all. Each one put on airs, refused to work, flaunted their status, and acted superior. Chen Jianghe, in his high position, overlooked these petty matters; others, intimidated by their status, dared not complain—so resentment festered.

Yang Xue had no patience for such nonsense. Once she gathered evidence, she took Chen Jianghe to see their faces, and, ready to fight him over it, expelled them all. Letting these people into the company was less efficient than just giving them money.

After being kicked out, they returned to the village and spread gossip: "Chen Jianghe became rich and forgot the people who raised him!" Then, shamelessly, they came back begging for his help: "Fine, I won't work in your company—but I watched you grow up. Helping me out isn't too much to ask, is it?"

Chen Jianghe couldn't refuse. A man must not forget his roots; the debt of saving one's life outweighs heaven itself—he relented.

Every time he helped, Yang Xue would nag and fight with him. She didn't care about the small sums of money—she was furious at his refusal to say no.

With all their quarrels, their days were surprisingly lively.

As for Wang Yan himself, he remained as carefree as ever. He is now forty-four, still single, with women coming and going one after another. As for Zhao Ruyun, she is one year older than him; though wealthy and well-maintained, she had lost something essential.

Moreover, Wang Yan was not serious—he had woman after woman around him, aged twenty-five to thirty-five. Zhao Ruyun wanted security, and boldly asked him for a child. Wang Yan didn't want one—he already had too many children; it was enough. So he let her go—do whatever you want.