Chapter 954

“Didn’t realize you were doing pretty well in prison. Such an interesting thing—why didn’t you tell me?”

Xiong Qingchun scrolled through her phone, watching the videos Wang Yan had shot, and even found the prison’s branded clothing—like she was rediscovering this shameless thug.

In truth, she didn’t know Wang Yan well—after all, they’d only met the day before. Her “rediscovery” came from realizing his talents and abilities didn’t match the image of a shameless thug.

“You didn’t ask. Why would I tell you?”

Wang Yan waved his hand modestly. “It’s not a big deal. Not worth talking about. No matter how impressive my record inside, no one outside cares—and I can’t get a clean record certificate. Right, Qiudong?”

“Yange, don’t tease me.”

“Lao Liu said you always look for shortcuts. Back in school, you smuggled caterpillar fungus. Just got out and settled down for a few months, then jumped into pyramid schemes. Sure, Bai Liqin manipulated you—but the real reason was your greed. This fake identity? Same thing. You got yourself into this mess.”

Bai Liqin’s scheme was something Zheng Qiudong later told Wang Yan and Liu Liangti about, while recalling Luo Yiren. At the time, Liu Liangti realized Bai Liqin had orchestrated everything—he’d learned Zheng Qiudong and Luo Yiren had gotten back together, but since he was dying, he couldn’t bear to see them happy.

After all, when Luo Yiren was his girlfriend, she’d flirted with Zheng Qiudong, even nearly left him to reunite with Zheng. Even though he’d told her she could leave anytime, he was still a man—and wearing a green hat felt unbearable. He wasn’t that generous, even if he was dying.

So he exploited Zheng Qiudong’s impatience and desire for quick wealth, and also his willingness to take risks and ignore principles. Otherwise, Zheng Qiudong wouldn’t have been caught smuggling—or ended up as a lecturer brainwashing workers.

He introduced Zheng Qiudong to the pyramid scheme’s leader, watched him sink deeper into greed, then got him arrested and sent him to prison.

Of course, all this only worked because Zheng Qiudong was greedy. If he’d been truly untouchable, Bai Liqin would’ve had no chance.

Wang Yan agreed with this assessment—and so did Zheng Qiudong, after reflecting. But what could he do? Bai Liqin wouldn’t live to see him get out. He could only swallow his anger and accept he and Luo Yiren weren’t meant to be.

As for Luo Yiren, there’s no denying she was an excellent woman for Zheng Qiudong. She’d never wronged him—on the contrary, Zheng Qiudong kept coming back and leaving. Every time he faced setbacks, he turned to her for healing, and she always gave him financial support.

That she dated Bai Liqin first, then became Xiang Jiguo’s mistress, then dated that clown actor Yu Chengfei—this complicated emotional and physical history was her personal choice. But calling her a vain, power-hungry woman? That’s wrong. Accusing her of being promiscuous? Hard to condemn. After all, it’s the new century—the chastity arches were burned long ago. In short, she’s a complex person.

“From start to finish, all I ever wanted was to give Luo Yiren happiness,” Zheng Qiudong sighed, shaking his head.

“Is love not greed?” Wang Yan shook his head. “What’s your next move?”

“I don’t know.”

Xiong Qingchun said, “Don’t you still lack an official identity? You need to go back and reapply—without one, nothing’s easy.”

Zheng Qiudong nodded. “Tomorrow I’ll apply for a visit. Maybe talking with my master will tell me what to do next.”

Liu Liangti didn’t speak as bluntly as Wang Yan—he was gentler, more patient, and willing to explain principles and analyze the future.

Still, he couldn’t deny Wang Yan was right—just that his words were always harsh. Even though they’d known each other for years, even though he still called him “Yange.”

He thought a moment. “Funny thing, Yange—remember that guy arrested in the anti-gang sweep?”

“That Zhang kid?”

“Yeah. When I first got out, working for my master, I ran into him. Then… they beat me up…” Zheng Qiudong chuckled, a touch of nostalgia in his voice.

He was the thug boss from the original story who invited Zheng Qiudong to join his crew, doing small crimes for big money. But Zheng Qiudong didn’t believe everyone who’d been to prison was on the same side—and after drinking too much, he spoke disrespectfully, got smashed with bottles, and ended up with a split head.

“That kid needed a beating. Inside he’s like a kitten, but outside he acts like a big shot? Why didn’t you report him?”

“Not worth it. He wouldn’t get more than a few days, and the compensation wouldn’t be much. I was working for my master then, and I was using a fake identity—better not stir trouble.”

Seeing the topic circle back, Zheng Qiudong changed it. “Yange, are you in HR now?”

“Look, doesn’t it say ‘job agency’? Just a small intermediary,” Wang Yan smiled. “Lao Liu said I should get certified, and since she’s in this field, I joined her. Been at it half a day.”

“Hey, I haven’t asked—how’d your morning outing go? Find any positions?”

“I went myself—how hard could it be? Found a conference hall at a four-star hotel. The manager introduced me to a few companies—if they need staff, they’ll contact me. Two days from now, there’s a three-day event needing twelve fillers. They’re paying a hundred per person. How much do you usually take?”

Xiong Qingchun replied, “Not much—just thirty percent.”

“Then same as before. Take another thirty percent from our cut, send a red envelope to the manager—this hotel’s secured. Also, I contacted ZTO Express—they always need short-term workers. Sometimes lots, sometimes little. We get thirty yuan per person we refer. No extra cost—their wages are paid directly.”

“Quickly find twelve people. Preferably young. And bring extra—someone might quit halfway.”

“Ah, I’ve got it covered. No need to teach me,” Xiong Qingchun said, glancing at Zheng Qiudong. “If you don’t know where to go, work with me. You’re capable—you made four or five hundred thousand a year at a Beijing company. You’d do fine at anything else. I can give you shares. Let’s three partners start this.”

“Don’t underestimate it. Me and him already planned—we’ll start in Nanning to stabilize our base, then expand into the Yangtze River Delta, aim higher. Soon we’ll be in fancy office buildings, suits and ties.”

She spoke truthfully—and her calculations were sharp.

Wang Yan had talent. In just three or four hours this morning, he sealed deals with several companies—what efficiency? With time, positions won’t be lacking.

Zheng Qiudong too—she was right. Earning four or five hundred thousand a year in Beijing was no small feat. He’d done pyramid schemes too—and made money.

She was a woman of the streets, familiar with underworld dealings. Especially in Guangxi, pyramid schemes were relatively developed. She knew: if you lacked ability, you couldn’t make money—you’d just be exploited.

With these two, she had her Long and Phoenix—future was bright.

Wang Yan glanced at her. She gave him a simple smile, then turned eagerly to Zheng Qiudong.

Zheng Qiudong said, “Actually, I used to run a job agency.”

Xiong Qingchun clapped. “Perfect! You know the business. Nothing’s changed. We’ll start tough, but the future’s bright. The three of us together—we’ll grow big and strong. Become one of China’s top headhunting firms—within reach.”

“I really don’t know what to do yet. Besides, I need to go back to Beijing. Then I’ll decide.”

Wang Yan smiled. “You heard her—Qiudong used to run a job agency. He’s capable. If he wants to, why not start his own? Why not go straight to a thriving area? Why work for her?”

Zheng Qiudong smiled politely. “Yange’s right…”

Xiong Qingchun wouldn’t give up. “Even if you start your own company, you’ll have to give shares to capable people. I know—you two are both amazing. I’m nowhere near. So I’ll give you thirty percent right now. You become a partner. You and he spent over four years together—close friends. We’ll decide things together. What’s the difference between that and you starting your own?”

“Besides, you know his abilities. Who else could do what he’s done? If you start your own company, can you find someone as capable? Can you make him your subordinate?”

Zheng Qiudong laughed, winking at Wang Yan. “Guess I’ll be drinking wedding wine soon.”

“Go away, I’m being serious!” Xiong Qingchun waved her hand impatiently—but her face had turned red.

Of course she was embarrassed—this sounded like a misunderstanding. She said Zheng Qiudong couldn’t recruit Wang Yan—but why assume Wang Yan would stay with her?

It wasn’t that she had feelings for Wang Yan, or wanted to break up with her boyfriend. They’d only known each other for less than two days. She admitted Wang Yan was excellent, and after hearing his mockery of her boyfriend, she’d begun reevaluating her relationship—but far from considering dating Wang Yan.

She simply wanted to get rich. She believed Zheng Qiudong was capable and wanted to recruit him—so she used Wang Yan as leverage. Pure pragmatism. She could joke like this.

“I’m serious. Think about it. You heard: Wang Yan secured positions for three straight days—twelve people, a hundred per day. We take thirty, you get twenty. Three days: seven hundred and twenty. That’s just one client. When we grow, when we build a reliable team—we’ll be making money lying down.”

“And you know—he knows computers. He’s developing an HR system to match people with jobs. Yesterday he told me—if he can’t find positions, with the real estate market so hot, he could start a renovation team, buy owner lists, and take on renovation contracts. It was a joke—but I think his idea’s brilliant.”

Why? Because it touches local life services. If we grow well, we might deeply develop here—then we become an internet tech company. Internet’s so promising, so profitable—you know that. Your old valley had plenty of internet business—some even preparing for IPO. How many became overnight millionaires?

Yes, talking about money is vulgar. But even without money, building something like this—that’s fulfilling your life’s value. Why did you forge your identity? To be respected, to sit in a fancy office building, wearing a suit, talking big. The three of us together—we’ll achieve something. You don’t know where to go or what to do. Why not join us? We know each other inside out—who doesn’t trust whom?”

“Say something. Am I right?”

Xiong Qingchun looked at Wang Yan, who was eating vigorously, hoping he’d chime in.

Wang Yan chuckled. “Didn’t realize you were such a talker.”

“Just tell me—do I make sense?”

“It’s true enough. But it’s his choice. What can we do if he refuses? You gonna beat him up? Coerce him?”

Wang Yan turned to Zheng Qiudong. “She might be exaggerating—but it’s possible. Nothing’s guaranteed. If you join now, she gives you thirty percent. If you join later, when we reach her scale, you’ll get fractional shares—maybe a few per thousand, even per ten thousand. The future’s uncertain. The choice is yours.”

“Yange, you sound so sure—as if we’ll really go public.”

“I said it: nothing’s guaranteed. But if you succeed in business, you’ll make money faster than crime. Show value, and capital will come sniffing. With capital’s fuel, everything expands fast. At that point? Who knows.”

“I’ll think about it. After I visit my master and sort out my identity in Beijing.”

Zheng Qiudong admitted Xiong Qingchun made sense—but he truly didn’t know his next step. He was lost.

Wang Yan nodded. “Eat. Keep moving forward.”

After eating, Wang Yan didn’t go out in the afternoon—he drove Zheng Qiudong to the station.

They’d planned to go out for dinner and drinks, but Zheng Qiudong had no appetite. He bought a ticket to Beihai. He wanted to visit Liu Liangti, seek life advice.

Wang Yan didn’t try to keep him—he simply saw him off…