Chapter 289

Watching Zhang Jianquan and Li Zhonghai leave the office, Zhou Andong stroked his chin, his mind wandering elsewhere.

Gu Bing pushed the door open and entered. Seeing Zhou Andong sitting there in a daze, he asked curiously, "What are you thinking about? Look at that dazed look on your face."

Zhou Andong came back to his senses, picked up a cigarette, and lit it: "How much do you know about Zhang Jianquan, the general manager of the City First Construction Company?"

"Why are you asking about this?" Gu Bing walked over and reached out to pick up the cigarette on the desk.

Zhou Andong said, "I naturally have my own plans; just tell me what you know."

Gu Bing lit his cigarette, turned around, and sat on the sofa: "I don't even know him, so what the hell would I know about him?"

"If you don't know him, why are you asking all these questions?" Zhou Andong said irritably, then grabbed the phone and called Gu Qing.

Soon, Gu Qing's voice came through the receiver: "Factory Director!"

Zhou Andong said, "How much do you know about Zhang Jianquan, the general manager of the City First Construction Company?"

Gu Qing said, "I've had contact with him a few times. This person is quite upright and has strong principles; he doesn't understand those crooked ways, so he hasn't undertaken many engineering projects. The employees can get by, but compared to the lives of the Second Construction Company's employees, it's like heaven and earth..."

Zhou Andong asked, "If we were to establish our own construction company, between Zhang Jianquan of the First Construction Company and Li Zhonghai of the Second Construction Company, who would be usable?"

Gu Qing pondered for a moment: "That's really hard to say. Zhang Jianquan doesn't have much ambition and values relationships; he's suitable for guarding the home and business. Li Zhonghai, however, is ambitious and very slick in his dealings, making him suitable for expanding territory. But he also values benefits the most; if you can't give him enough benefits, he will definitely leave without hesitation."

"Alright, I understand." Zhou Andong hung up the phone.

Gu Bing asked, "Do you really want to start a construction company?"

Zhou Andong said, "This construction company has nothing to do with the winery, so you don't need to worry about it."

Gu Bing said, "Can't I just ask?"

Zhou Andong said, "This is a trade secret, why are you asking?"

Gu Bing snorted with dissatisfaction, took two pieces of paper out of his pocket, and threw them on the desk: "The Hong Kong and Macau travel permits are done. When are we leaving?"

Zhou Andong picked them up and looked; they were handwritten and had one-inch photos on them, which were taken when they went out to eat in the afternoon.

"I still have some things to handle tomorrow. Let's go the day after tomorrow."

Gu Bing nodded: "Let's take a plane. Taking the train is too much of a hassle, and you have to transfer."

"You're the boss!"

Zhou Andong got up and walked out, with Gu Bing following behind. As the two left the factory department, they saw An Jing and Zhou Anqin returning, followed by two brothers from the Security Section.

Although Pang Yong wouldn't come to Jiangzhou to cause trouble for the time being, they still had to be on guard. Therefore, every evening, Yao Jun would have people escort Zhou Anqin to the store, and when it was time, have people pick her back up.

An Jing walked over and said, "I'm going to Fengjing tomorrow."

Zhou Andong asked, "Looking for a storefront?"

"Yes!" An Jing nodded: "Last month's turnover increased again, with a net profit of 370,000. It's already August; we can't wait any longer. We must open by the end of the year."

Zhou Andong said, "You handle it. I'm going to Hefei the day after tomorrow, then take a trip to Hong Kong and Macau, and then go to Shenzhen to take a look. It'll take at least twenty days to a month."

An Jing was stunned, then immediately said, "Leaving Xiaoqin alone at home?"

"I'm fine!" Zhou Anqin said: "If I go to the store, Brother Dajun will arrange for someone to send me."

"Alright then!" An Jing didn't say anything more.

Gu Bing said, "We're taking a plane to Hefei and going to Fengjing the day after tomorrow. Let's go together."

An Jing didn't refuse: "Okay, one day doesn't make a difference."

The next morning, An Jing and Zhou Anqin knocked on the door with breakfast, and then Gu Bing also entered the room.

Zhou Andong said, "You have a dog's nose, sniffing out the scent to come here, right?"

Gu Bing chuckled: "I heard the knocking." As he said this, he sat down, picked up a bun, and took a bite: "What are you doing today?"

Zhou Andong said, "Trade secret, stop prying!"

"You jerk!" Gu Bing cursed, "Trade secret my foot."

"Even eating can't shut your mouths." An Jing rolled her eyes at the two, picked up a bun, and stuffed it into Zhou Andong's mouth: "Eat quickly, and after you're done, go do whatever you need to do."

"Brother!" Zhou Anqin hesitated for a moment, "There's a boy who has been going to Dicos to eat every day for the past few days, and he gives me flowers every time."

"What?" Zhou Andong glared, "Whose brat is that, daring to harass my sister."

"Slap!" An Jing hit Zhou Andong and said irritably: "Can you speak properly? That child, although he looks quite naive, writing love letters and giving flowers, is still very polite, and he knows when to stop every time; he hasn't been pestering me. Otherwise, would I just sit by and do nothing?"

"There... there are love letters too?" Zhou Andong opened his mouth wide, and the bun he was biting fell onto the table, "Where are the love letters?"

"I tore up the love letters." An Jing picked up the bun, stuffed it into Zhou Andong's mouth again, and said quite dissatisfied, "Xiaoqin is with me every day, what are you worried about? Don't you trust me?"

"How could that be!" Zhou Andong took a bite of half the bun: "In this world, the only two people I trust the most are Qiuchiu and you."

"That's more like it!" An Jing said with a smile, and then, not knowing what she thought of, her ears suddenly flushed with a layer of red.

After eating, Zhou Andong drove An Jing and Zhou Anqin to the store, then drove to the municipal government.

Deng Zhangli was just about to go out and was very surprised to see Zhou Andong: "Why did you kid run over here? Something up?"

Zhou Andong said, "It's about the First Construction Company."

Deng Zhangli asked suspiciously: "First Construction? What's up with First Construction?"

Zhou Andong said, "As far as I know, the First Construction Company isn't having an easy time. Compared to the Second Construction Company, it's like heaven and earth. Didn't I want to start a construction company? It just so happens that I can acquire the First Construction Company."

Deng Zhangli pointed at Zhou Andong and said with a smile: "I knew it, you kid never gets up early without a profit. Coming to see me this early in the morning, it definitely isn't anything good."

Zhou Andong said, "Isn't it a good thing that I can let the First Construction employees drink and eat meat? Besides, this acquisition has nothing to do with the winery."

Deng Zhangli was stunned: "The total assets of the First Construction Company must be twenty or thirty million. It's not a winery acquisition, it's your personal acquisition?"

Zhou Andong smiled: "I said before, for the urban complex project, I will invite Hong Kong businessmen to cooperate. The other party also intends to establish a construction company in the mainland, so I thought of the First Construction Company. Acquiring it directly saves a lot of trouble."

Deng Zhangli was immediately tempted. Whether it was him, Cheng Zhanjun, or Zuo Peiming, they all remembered what Zhou Andong had said: inviting Hong Kong businessmen to Jiangzhou to cooperate in developing an urban complex project.

Especially in the last few days, the news of Hong Kong businessmen going to Fengjing to inspect investments was overwhelming, and he was so envious.

"Can you tell me who this Hong Kong businessman is?"