Chapter 855: Recruiting Talent and Building Strength

In the bathroom of the New Dadu Hotel, thick white steam blurred the entire space, and water droplets trickled down the tiled walls.

Cheng Shao lay naked in the bathtub, squinting his eyes, enjoying himself thoroughly.

Zhang Ting knelt by the edge of the bathtub, scrubbing his back with both hands; her fingertips had become wrinkled from the soaking, yet she still served him with great pleasure.

"Did you get any big news today?" Cheng Shao's voice was languid, as if he were asking casually.

Zhang Ting didn't stop the movement of her hands, but the corners of her mouth curled up. "The big Secretary of President He... is pregnant. Today, I actually attended a confidential meeting of the He Group."

Cheng Shao's eyeballs rolled. "What news did you get?"

"They have already built factories in Southeast Asia, mainly in the food and textile industries, with a huge investment. I estimate they have already dumped over 300 million into it, and President He still wants to dump several hundred million more... I'm afraid their working capital will be drained by this."

The corners of Cheng Shao's mouth slowly pulled upward. "That's interesting."

Seeing that he was interested, Zhang Ting continued: "President He is a real gambler. He wants to sell several plots of land in Beijing... but none of the company's executives agree."

After hearing this, Cheng Shao chuckled twice. "Opportunities are indeed reserved for those who are prepared. He Yuzhu's ability to acquire land is truly peerless. Seven or eight years ago, he acquired land in Dabeiyao and Zhongguancun. Do you think these plots appreciated because of him? Or was it his keen eye that judged these to be two treasure plots? Now, these two places are worth their weight in gold!"

Before his voice had even faded, he sat up from the bathtub with a "splash," sending water flying and splashing all over Zhang Ting's face. "We must find a way to beat others to it and buy that land!"

Zhang Ting was stunned for a moment, wiped the water off her face, and only after a long while did she respond: "They... are not selling the land in Dabeiyao. They are mainly selling the land in Zhongguancun."

Cheng Shao pondered for a moment and said, "That place will do too; it's a high-tech development zone now, so there's potential. However, we can't eat it all by ourselves. We must unite Boss Pan, Boss Feng, and Boss Wang, and all four of us will go for it. As soon as you have news on your end, tell me immediately. It would be best... if you could get the reserve price for me."

The movement of Zhang Ting's hands stiffened, and her smile retracted bit by bit. "How could I possibly get that kind of confidential document? Besides, that man He Yuzhu... he might not let his son sell the land."

Cheng Shao's expression darkened in an instant. "Could it be that you can't... use some means?"

Zhang Ting's fingers began to tremble.

She had been with Cheng Shao for several years. She had worked like a beast of burden, humble and submissive; at a single glance from him, she wouldn't even dare to take a deep breath. But now—in order to get the reserve price for those plots, he actually wanted her to... accompany He Zheng? To use her body to trade for intelligence?

Her eye sockets burned, her nose felt incredibly sore, and the back-scrubbing motion of her hands unconsciously became a bit heavier.

"Slap!"

Cheng Shao slapped the edge of the bathtub, sending water splashing everywhere. "You stinking bitch! Are you trying to negotiate with me? If you can't even handle this small matter, just wait for your brother to rot in jail for the rest of his life!"

Zhang Ting's face turned pale in a flash.

As pale as paper.

She bit her lip until it bled. "Cheng Shao... I, I will try my best, okay? Please help my brother; I went to see him last time, and he was beaten by people in the cell again." Her voice was trembling.

Cheng Shao looked at her coldly, squeezing the words out through his teeth: "It's not 'try your best.' It is 'must'—get it done."

Zhang Ting lowered her head.

A tear fell silently onto the floor.

Early the next morning, just as the sky was beginning to brighten, He Zheng arrived at the office.

As soon as he entered the door, he saw Zhang Ting sitting at her workstation, looking haggard, with dark circles under her eyes, as if she hadn't slept all night.

"Did something happen at home?" He Zheng frowned. "If there's something wrong, go home and rest for two days. I'll have Xiao Zhao cover your work."

Zhang Ting hurriedly shook her head, her voice a bit hoarse: "It's nothing... President He, it's just, it's just that my brother was beaten by someone in prison again. He cried and asked me to save him."

He Zheng sighed and shook his head: "What is your brother's name? I'll help you ask about it."

"His name is Zhang Biao." Zhang Ting's eyes suddenly lit up. "President He... actually, my brother isn't a bad person, he really isn't! He hit someone while doing demolition work, but that person already had heart disease, and no one expected that person would die..."

He Zheng nodded, said nothing more, and directly picked up the phone on the desk and dialed.

"Hello, Auntie Li, this is He Zheng. There is something I would like to ask of you..."

Zhang Ting couldn't hear what was said on the other end of the phone; she only saw He Zheng listening patiently for a long while, and finally saying: "Okay, I will call you again in three days."

After hanging up the phone, He Zheng turned his head to look at her.

Zhang Ting's eyes turned red all of a sudden.

She felt terribly miserable—President He was so kind even to a... spy. She thought of Cheng Shao's "stinking bitch" from last night, thought of the way he looked at her, thought of all the grievances she had suffered over the years, and tears suddenly gushed out, falling down in torrents.

He Zheng looked at her appearance and softened his tone: "Why are you crying? Your brother's matter isn't certain yet. If his case is substantiated, I can't help you. But if he was wronged... I can help."

Zhang Ting covered her mouth and nodded vigorously, her tears falling even more fiercely.

Juxiantang Advertising Company.

Liu Yuan followed behind Chen Jiadong and walked into Ma Rui's office.

Ma Rui hurriedly let the two of them sit on the sofa.

He smiled and sized up the girl in front of him; she had a round face, and her features couldn't be considered beautiful, but there was nothing wrong with them either—she was just the type you couldn't find if you threw her into a crowd.

However, her temperament was quite steady; she wasn't stage-frightened, and sitting there quietly, she gave people a sense of peace.

Ma Rui asked straight to the point: "Miss Liu, you are doing well at a big company with a high salary, why are you willing to come to our small company?"

Liu Yuan smiled slightly and spoke unhurriedly: "The advertising companies in the UK and US have systems that are too mature; everything is ready-made, and everyone has a fixed division of labor, just like an assembly line. There isn't much room for individual performance." She paused. "I am the type of person who likes challenging work. If it's too comfortable, I can't stay."

Upon hearing this, Ma Rui clapped his hands, his face full of satisfied smiles: "That's a very good answer. Our company is going to vigorously expand our media work in the future; I assume Chen Jiadong has told you? What are your thoughts? Tell me."

Liu Yuan nodded: "I heard him give a brief introduction to your views on the future of the advertising industry, and I was particularly inspired after hearing them. For example, the matter of advertising in elevators—I had never thought of it before, but once you mentioned it, I felt—this thing can really succeed."

Ma Rui waved his hand and smiled: "My ideas are a bit whimsical; for now, we still need to keep our feet on the ground and take it one step at a time."

Liu Yuan, however, said seriously: "I don't think this is a fantasy. We can start doing it now—for example, by buying out the advertising spots in these elevators first. Even if we don't have the strength to install televisions yet, as long as we clear the connections first, we will be one step ahead of others in the future."

Ma Rui's eyes lit up, and there was a bit more appreciation in the way he looked at her: "Good, it seems Miss Liu and I are quite in sync."

Liu Yuan smiled and said: "I really didn't expect that you, just a freshman in college, would have such long-term vision. If possible, I am willing to follow you."

Upon hearing this, the corners of Ma Rui's mouth couldn't help but curl up; these words hit home for him.

The word "follow" carried a lot of weight. He immediately reciprocated: "If Miss Liu doesn't mind our small temple, I am willing to give you the position of Deputy General Manager and Director of the Media Department. Don't look at our company as small, but as long as you have good ideas, you don't need to worry about money."

Liu Yuan stood up, reached out her hand, and said: "It is my honor to join Juxiantang Advertising!"