Chapter 50: Stamping the Gold Coin

"No, Boss Tang, you, this, this..."

Vice President Zhang couldn't find a suitable adjective for a long time and finally said:

"What you're doing is simply too rude! If this gets out, I won't even dare to bring salespeople out anymore."

Hu Li was poached on the spot with a heavy salary; this matter will likely spread soon.

If everyone could pull this off, wouldn't that turn the bank into a human resources market?

He naturally understood that an employee like Hu Li, who climbed up from the grassroots, had low status and no connections, but her ability was the strongest.

Even if the salary was doubled to poach her, how much trouble would a single order save?

However, changing jobs is a matter of mutual consent; he couldn't really turn hostile.

Vice President Zhang looked like he dared to be angry but not to speak, which Tang Wen found completely unimportant.

After experiencing a kidnapping and using supreme power to escape, his mindset had changed.

Before, he always wanted to blend into this world and be content with modest wealth; now it seemed that since he was already exiled here, he might as well stir up the world and follow his own path.

Step forward and the sea and sky open up; step back and the sky collapses and the earth cracks!

Gaijin Shipyard definitely cannot allow outsiders to intervene, but if it maintains its current state, it will be hard to maintain contact with the outside world.

From the Tier 1 mission, it is clear that building various warships in the future will require massive funds, and the scale of operations will not be small.

He needed an intermediary company, a shell company, to operate externally, while the actual work was done by the shipyard.

The shell company conducts transactions externally, while the shipyard hides in the background, isolating its secrets from the outside world.

The key point is to recruit talents skilled in these areas with rich experience.

Tang Wen even said to Vice President Zhang:

"One Hu Li is indeed a bit few; Gaijin Shipyard really has no experience dealing externally. President Zhang, do you know anyone you can recommend?"

"You! I'm telling you, Tang..."

Vice President Zhang gasped in shock and was about to speak when he was interrupted:

"I'll give five thousand yuan referral fee for each person."

"Tang... President Tang truly loves talent. To be honest, I know someone... actually, it's my brother-in-law. He worked for a state-owned enterprise in the north for over ten years, but now it's bankrupt and he's unemployed in the private sector. He's especially suitable for external business. If there's a chance, I'll treat you to a meal to introduce him?"

"No need for a meal; just come to the shipyard for an interview directly."

Tang Wen didn't care about this or that; he was just figuring out how to operate a disposable shell company. If it didn't work, he'd just throw it away.

This attitude actually made the Vice President see an opportunity. The shipyard really lacked people, and Tang Wen didn't seem to mind the background of the talent.

If he could be so generous with a financial officer, what more could be said about higher-level talents?

Just as his brother-in-law, a state-owned enterprise employee, couldn't find work after the bankruptcy, he might as well come to Gaijin Shipyard to settle down temporarily. At least a few months' salary was no small amount.

Even the referral fee wasn't a small number; this was a legal five thousand yuan, enough to buy a decent color TV.

Vice President Zhang's emotions calmed down, and Hu Li relaxed considerably; she was still quite afraid of her former boss.

It was just that her two children were at the age where they needed money for school, and Gaijin Shipyard's high wages and five-year contract were truly tempting.

Even though prices soared and currency constantly depreciated in the late 1990s, a monthly salary of two thousand five was still rare until the year 2000.

Hu Li quickly finished modifying the contract; Vice President Zhang raised no objections and nodded in agreement without even looking at it.

Huang Dongfu, who had watched a wonderful drama, scratched his head and then chose to trust Tang Wen.

Tang Wen brought the official seal filed when obtaining the shipyard's qualifications; the three of them stamped and signed in turn, and the contract immediately took effect.

The three stood up and shook hands in turn; Tang Wen's face also showed a smile:

"It's almost evening; let's stay for a meal to celebrate."

"No, it's getting dark, and we still have to rush back to—"

Huang Dongfu pressed his palm against the Vice President's stomach; the latter held his breath and simply couldn't finish speaking.

"Then I'll trouble Boss Tang. Also, can you bring more pastries this time? My daughter is just so greedy..."

Tang Wen laughed heartily. After treating guests several times, he had full confidence in the Port Hotel and immediately patted his chest, saying:

"Don't worry; loading the car full today is no problem.

Last time it was mostly seafood and cold dishes; this time I'll add some Chinese cuisine. Order whatever you want."

Only then did the Vice President catch his breath, thinking: Why did President Huang insist on mooching this meal? Could the shipyard cafeteria even serve anything delicious?

"President Tang, I toast you!"

The Vice President, his face flushed, said he was toasting but poured himself a full glass of an unknown red wine.

The taste was mellow, the aroma rich; drinking it was worlds apart from anything he had ever encountered before.

Even on a business trip to Shanghai once, where he opened a foreign liquor said to cost several thousand yuan per bottle, it wasn't as good as this.

"Please, please, please..."

Tang Wen hurriedly returned the toast. This Vice President was truly a case of not judging a book by its cover; after getting into the drink, he directly grabbed a crispy roast suckling pig and gnawed on it, drinking various liquors like water, yet he simply didn't get drunk.

Huang Dongfu and his brother had gained experience; they started by picking out the exquisite dishes they hadn't seen before, only tasting the ones that made them full, and saving all the desserts to pack up at the very end.

Hu Li, sitting nearby, had no experience; at first, she didn't dare to be too excessive, but later, seeing everyone relaxed, she started ravenously clearing the plates.

What should have been merely a business banquet turned into a buffet scene.

This even gave him an illusion: if the Port Hotel opened its doors to the public, the catering revenue alone would be enough to make a fortune.

The meal lasted a full two hours, not ending until nearly eight o'clock.

Because it was too late to drive safely, Tang Wen asked the village head to help arrange accommodation for the group in villagers' homes.

Early the next morning, the group mooched another hotel-special breakfast, took away a huge pile of bags and packages, and then reluctantly got into the car.

In the car, Huang Dongshun couldn't help but say to his brother:

"Big brother, our ship needs a resident manager at the factory. How about I come to stay at the factory, and you go back to handle things?"

"Is that really staying at the factory? You're just here for the food and drink!"

"Living here every day, even Boss Tang can't afford to eat like this at every meal."

"True."

Huang Dongshun felt a bit regretful; the shipyard's reception meals had so many varieties that eating through them one by one, he hadn't really remembered any of them.

However, this time he had obtained a menu from Tang Wen and planned to see if any hotels in the city could make these dishes.

Meanwhile, in the back seat of the sedan, Hu Li also needed to return to the city first to notify her family; Tang Wen had specially granted her a one-week leave, to return to work after the week.

She touched the shoulder bag she carried with her, inside which lay a heavy pile of metal:

—Tang Wen hadn't kept much cash at the shipyard, and with no mobile transfers available, he had simply given her over a hundred silver coins.

The clatter of a pile of silver coins printed with various warships in the bag did not go unnoticed by the several people in the car.

The Vice President Zhang took a silver coin, and with a single touch knew it was of very high purity; moreover, the simple craftsmanship was extremely fine, and if sold as a craft item, it would surely fetch a price higher than the standard silver rate.

"Did he make these himself, or did he buy them?"

Hu Li, having just woken up, was still very frightened by her own "defection" behavior yesterday; facing the Vice President, she was timid and submissive:

"The boss told me these are souvenirs he bought, but they are all over 99% silver, and he told me to sell them myself."

"There's no need to sell them; just deposit them at the bank for exchange. I'll give you back the highest rate."

Banks generally have gold and silver precious metal exchange services; especially since accepting precious metals carries no risk, it is actually a conservative investment that only profits and never loses.

Thinking of Tang Wen's bizarre style, the Vice President found himself increasingly convinced that the other man was a remarkable person.

At the same time, an open-top jeep passed them coming from the opposite direction.