Chapter 954: Grow Big and Strong

"I didn't see it, you are doing well in prison. Such an interesting thing, why didn't you tell me?"

Xiong Qingchun swiped through her phone, looking at the videos Wang Yan had filmed, and even found the branded clothing launched by the prison, as if she were re-evaluating this shameless, rogue man.

In fact, it is true that she and Wang Yan are not familiar. After all, it has only been two days since they met. Her re-recognition lies in the fact that the talent and ability outside the scoundrel made her unable to match it with the scoundrel.

"You didn't ask, why should I tell you these things?"

Wang Yan modestly waves his hand, "This is not a big deal, nothing to

"Brother Yan, please stop making fun of me."

"Old Liu said it before: you always want to take shortcuts. You smuggled caterpillar fungus when you were in school, and you hadn't even been out for a few months before you went into pyramid schemes. Although Bai Liqin's scheming was a factor, the most important thing is your own greed. This fake identity incident is the same; ending up in such a sorry state is all your own doing."

The matter of Bai Liqin was something Zheng Qiudong had mentioned to Wang Yan and Liu Liangti later, while reminiscing about Luo Yiren. At the time, Liu Liangti had realized that everything was controlled by Bai Liqin. Bai Liqin knew that Zheng Qiudong and Luo Yiren had gotten back together, but he didn't have long to live and didn't want to see Zheng Qiudong and Luo Yiren happy.

After all, truthfully speaking, when Luo Yiren was his girlfriend, she had flirted with Zheng Qiudong and even once wanted to leave him to rekindle things with Zheng Qiudong. Even though he had said that if Luo Yiren wanted to, she could leave at any time, he was a man after all. The feeling of being cuckolded while alive wasn't good; he wasn't that magnanimous, even though he didn't have long to live.

So he exploited Zheng Qiudong's impatience and desire to get rich quick, and further exploited the fact that Zheng Qiudong had a certain adventurous spirit and lacked principles. If not for that, Zheng Qiudong wouldn't have been caught smuggling, nor would he have gone to work as a lecturer to brainwash workers.

He introduced the pyramid scheme leader to Zheng Qiudong, watched as Zheng Qiudong sank deeper and deeper due to greed, and finally, when things came to light and he was caught, he sent Zheng Qiudong inside.

Of course, the premise of all this still stemmed from Zheng Qiudong's greed. If he had truly been impeccable, Bai Liqin wouldn't have had the opportunity to scheme against him.

Wang Yan agreed with this assessment, and Zheng Qiudong, having reviewed it all, agreed as well. But what could he do? Bai Liqin wouldn't live until he was released from prison. He could only swallow his pride and consider that he and Luo Yiren were simply not meant to be.

As for Luo Yiren, it cannot be denied that for Zheng Qiudong, she was an excellent woman. Luo Yiren never once wronged Zheng Qiudong; on the contrary, it was Zheng Qiudong who appeared and left time and time again. Every time Zheng Qiudong encountered setbacks, he went to Luo Yiren to heal, and it was also Luo Yiren who provided him with financial help.

And Luo Yiren first being Bai Liqin's girlfriend, then Xia Jiguo's mistress, and then girlfriend to that clown actor Yu Chengfei—such complex emotional and physical experiences were her personal choices. But to say she was a vain woman who coveted power would also be wrong. To say she didn't keep herself chaste, it seems there's no way to condemn her either. After all, it's a new century; the chastity archways were burned long ago. In short, she is a complex person.

"From beginning to end, all I thought about was giving Luo Yiren happiness as soon as possible." Zheng Qiudong shook his head and sighed.

"Is it not greed just because it's about feelings?" Wang Yan shook his head and turned to ask, "What are your plans for the next step?"

"I don't know."

Xiong Qingchun said, "Do you still not have your own identity? Then you have to go back and get it sorted out; it's inconvenient to do anything without an identity."

Zheng Qiudong nodded: "Tomorrow I'll apply for a prison visit; perhaps if I chat with my master, I'll know what to do next."

Liu Liangti was not as blunt as Wang Yan; relatively speaking, he was gentler. And he was more patient, willing to talk to him about some principles and analyze the future for him.

Of course, he didn't deny that what Wang Yan said was correct, but it was always unpleasant to hear. Even though he was a friend who had known Wang Yan for many years, and even though he still had to call him Brother Yan.

After thinking for a moment, he said: "Speaking of which, it's quite interesting, Brother Yan, that guy who got caught in the anti-gang crackdown?"

"That kid surnamed Zhang?"

"That's him. When I had just gotten out of prison and was running errands for my master, I ran into him. At that time... and then they gave me a beating..." Zheng Qiudong shook his head with a wry smile, feeling a bit emotional.

This was the guy from the original drama, the rogue boss who invited Zheng Qiudong to join him in doing some illegal and criminal things to make big money. But Zheng Qiudong didn't agree that just because everyone had been in prison, they were on the same side. Plus, feeling resentful and having had too much to drink, he said some unpleasant things and got his head cracked open by a few beer bottles.

"That kid just needed a lesson; he was like a kitten inside, but now that he's out, he's become a big shot? Why didn't you call the police?"

"No need; he wouldn't be locked up for many days, and he couldn't pay much in damages. At the time, I was running errands for my master, and I was using a fake identity, so it wasn't good to cause trouble."

Seeing that the topic had been steered back by himself, Zheng Qiudong changed the subject again, "Brother Yan, are you working in human resources now?"

"Look, doesn't it say 'Job Agency' there? It's just a small agency." Wang Yan laughed, "Isn't this what Old Liu said? I even got a certificate. Since she works in this, I just joined in to work with her; I've only been at it for half a day."

"Oh, right, I haven't asked you yet: how did this trip go this morning? Did you find any positions?"

"Since I personally took charge, how could a small position not be easily secured? I found a four-star hotel venue, and the manager introduced me to several companies; if they have a need for personnel, they will contact me. There's an event the day after tomorrow, running for three consecutive days, needing twelve people to fill the venue. They're paying us one hundred per person. How much do you usually take as a cut?"

Xiong Qingchun replied: "Not much, just thirty percent."

"Then follow the usual practice. Take another thirty percent from our cut to give that manager a red envelope later; this hotel will be secured. Additionally, I contacted ZT Express; they always need short-term labor, sometimes in large volumes, sometimes small. For every person we introduce, we take a thirty-yuan cut. This doesn't require us to pay out any more money; the wages are settled by them.

You hurry up and find the twelve people; try to keep them as young as possible. Also, prepare a few extra people, just in case someone quits halfway through."

"Oh my, I have it all under control; you don't need to teach me." Xiong Qingchun said, looking at Zheng Qiudong, "If you don't know where to go, working here is fine too. You're a capable person; you could earn an annual salary of four or five hundred thousand at a big company in Beijing, so you won't do poorly in other things either. I can completely give you some shares, and the three of us can partner up.

Don't look down on this, okay? He and I have already discussed it: for now, we'll open up business in Nanning to stabilize our base, and then we'll strike into the Yangtze River Delta to develop toward higher places. In the future, we'll also be working in high-end office buildings, dressed in suits and leather shoes."

Zi Yi Ren was speaking the truth, and her calculations were sound.

Wang Yan had great ability; he went out for just one morning, just three or four hours, and directly negotiated with several companies. What kind of efficiency is that? As long as there is enough time, there will definitely be no shortage of positions in the future.

Zheng Qiudong is the same; as she said, earning an annual salary of four or five hundred thousand in Beijing is already very impressive, and he had even done pyramid schemes and made money.

Zi Yi Ren is a woman of the world and has heard of some illegal and criminal underworld affairs. Especially here in Guangxi, the pyramid scheme industry is relatively well-developed, and she has some understanding of it. You absolutely cannot make money in pyramid schemes without ability—you'd just be the one getting scammed.

So having these two is truly like getting a Crouching Dragon and a Young Phoenix; the future is promising.

Wang Yan glanced at her, receiving a naive smile from the latter, and then she looked eagerly at Zheng Qiudong.

Zheng Qiudong said: "Actually, I've worked in a job agency before."

Xiong Qingchun clapped her hands: "Isn't that perfect? You're familiar with the business, and it's no different now than it was before. We might have a harder time in the beginning, but the future is bright. With the three of us working together, we can definitely grow big and strong. Becoming one of the top headhunting companies in China is just around the corner."

"I really don't know what to do right now. Besides, I still have to go back to Beijing, and then I'll make plans."

Wang Yan laughed: "You heard it too; Qiudong has worked in a job agency before. He's not lacking in ability either. If he really wants to do it, wouldn't it be better to be his own boss? Wouldn't it be better to go directly to developed places to develop? Why stay here and work for you?"

Zheng Qiudong smiled politely, Brother Yan is right...

Xiong Qingchun still didn't give up: "If you start your own business, won't you also have to give shares to the capable people under you in the future? I know, both of you are more capable than the other, and I'm far inferior. Then I'll directly give you thirty percent of the shares; you'll be a boss too. You and he have been good friends who were locked up together for more than four years and lived together day and night; if something comes up, we'll discuss it. What's the difference between that and being your own boss?

Besides, you know his ability clearly. With all the things he's done, can you find a second one? If you start your own business, can you have a helper as capable as him? Can you make him work under you?"

Zheng Qiudong, however, laughed and winked at Wang Yan: "Looks like I'm going to be drinking at a wedding soon."

"Go, go, go, we're talking about serious business." Xiong Qingchun waved her hand impatiently, but her face had already turned red.

Zi Yi Ren was, of course, embarrassed; these words were very misleading. Zi Yi Ren said Zheng Qiudong couldn't recruit Wang Yan, so what made her so sure Wang Yan would stay with her?

It wasn't that she had developed a crush on Wang Yan and wanted to break up with her boyfriend; after all, she had known Wang Yan for less than two days. Zi Yi Ren acknowledged Wang Yan's excellence, and after hearing Wang Yan mock her boyfriend, she had indeed started to re-examine this relationship, but it was far from the point of wanting to date Wang Yan.

Zi Yi Ren simply wanted to get rich and simply believed that Zheng Qiudong's ability was sufficient, so she wanted to pull him into the fold and used Wang Yan to make her point, utilizing her advantages. This was purely being unconstrained by small matters; she could handle this joke.

Zi Yi Ren said: "I'm telling you the truth, you should consider it carefully. You heard it just now: Wang Yan went out to find positions, and for three consecutive days, a total of twelve people, one hundred per person per day, we take thirty, getting twenty, which is seven hundred and twenty over three days. And this is only with this one company. In the future, when our business grows and we bring out a batch of available personnel, that's making money while lying down.

And you also know he knows computers. He is currently developing a human resources system to match personnel with positions. He even told me yesterday that if we can't find positions, since the property market is so good right now, he could pull together a renovation team, buy some owner lists, and contract renovation work. Although this is a joke, I think his idea is very good.

Why? Because this involves local life services. If we develop well, we might not be unable to cultivate this area deeply, and then we'll become an internet technology company. You surely know how promising the internet is and how much wealth it can create. The Shangu you were at before had a significant portion of internet business, and that was preparing for an IPO; how many people must have become rich overnight there?

Yes, talking about money is too vulgar. Even if we don't talk about money, isn't participating in creating such a cause realizing one's life value? Why did you forge your identity? Isn't it because you wanted others to look up to you, wanted to talk eloquently in suits and leather shoes in high-end office buildings? The three of us partnering up can definitely achieve something. Anyway, you don't know where to go or what to do, so why not work with us? We all know each other's roots; who can't trust whom?

Say something, am I right or not?"

Xiong Qingchun looked at Wang Yan, who was eating vigorously, and asked him to invite him as well.

Wang Yan shook his head with a smile: "I really didn't see it, you're quite the talker."

"Just tell me if what I said makes sense."

"It is indeed the case, but it still depends on his choice. If he doesn't agree, what can be done? Do you want me to beat him up, use coercion and inducement, and force him to work together?"

Wang Yan looked at Zheng Qiudong and said, "What she said might be a bit exaggerated, but it's not impossible; human effort can achieve anything. If you join now, she'll give you thirty percent of the shares. If you join later, if it really develops to the extent she described, it would be stock allocation, only a few thousandths, or even a few ten-thousandths. No one can say for sure about the future; anyway, the choice is yours, you decide for yourself."

"Brother Yan, you're being too certain, as if we could really go public in the future."

"I just said it: human effort can achieve anything. In fact, if a startup succeeds, it makes money much faster than illegal and criminal activities. As long as you show your value, capital will smell it and come over. Under the catalytic effect of capital funds, everything expands rapidly. Once it really reaches that level, what will happen is hard to say."

"I'll consider it some more. After I see my master and go back to Beijing to get my identity sorted, we'll see."

Zheng Qiudong admitted that what Xiong Qingchun said made a lot of sense, but he really didn't know how to proceed in the future; he was truly very confused.

Wang Yan nodded: "Eat; one still has to look forward."

After eating, Wang Yan didn't go out to work in the afternoon, but drove Zheng Qiudong to the station.

Originally, they were going to go out for dinner and drinks in the evening, but Zheng Qiudong wasn't in the mood now and directly bought a ticket to Beihai. He wanted to visit Liu Liangti to get some life advice.

Wang Yan naturally wouldn't force him to stay, and just like that, he sent him off...