Valuable Commodity

Zhou Wei came back into the office with his phone in hand.

“Finished with your call? There’s no response. Maybe your company’s too far away and your Director has no influence here, huh?” mocked Li Yu-Lan.

Zhou Wei looked at Li Yu-Lan and sneered, “You’re Li Yu-Lan, correct? I’ll remember your name.”

Li Yu-Lan shrugged, “So what if you remember?”

“Wait and see,” said Zhou Wei.

At that moment, the phone on the desk suddenly rang.

Liao De-Sheng was about to pick it up but Zhou Wei got to it first and pressed the speaker button.

A male voice suddenly came from the speakers, “Liao De-Sheng, is there a young man named Xia Lei there?”

When Liao De-Sheng heard the voice, beads of sweat popped out on his forehead again. He spoke nervously, “Ma, Mayor Hu, yes, Xia Lei is over here.”

Li Yu-Lan’s expression also changed in an instant.

“Is Xia Lei registering ‘Thunder Horse Manufacturing’ at the Trade and Commerce Bureau?” said Mayor Hu’s voice.

“Y, Yes.” More sweat popped out on Liao De-Sheng’s forehead.

“Are you hindering him and not letting the application through?”

“I…”

“You bastard! I’ll give you half an hour to approve all the procedures. Expedite it and give the company licence to Xia Lei!”

“I… Yes, yes, I’ll do it right away.”

“Come to my office after you’re done. I’m going to have a good talk with you!” Mayor Hu disconnected the call with a slam after he was done speaking.

Liao De-Sheng wiped his sweat away and said to Xia Lei, “Mr Xia, p,please hold on. I’ll have it done for you immediately. It won’t take half an hour, it won’t.”

Xia Lei said nothing. He just looked at him. From how that Mayor Hu was speaking, the career of Liao De-Sheng would end today.

Liao De-Sheng walked out of the office with large steps. This place used to be where he could boss people around but it had become a place where he could not bear to stay in.

Li Yu-Lan took up her bag and headed for the door.

Xia Lei blocked her way and spoke coldly, “Hold on.”

Li Yu-Lan took a step back nervously, “What do you want?”

“Pass a message on to your husband. He’s camouflaged well but I will catch him. My friend’s death will not pass just like that; him and you shall pay,” said Xia Lei.

“I, I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Facing Xia Lei, Li Yu-Lan felt fear stir unexplainably in her heart.

“Scram,” scolded Xia Lei. He let her go.

“You-” Anger appeared on Li Yu-Lan’s face as she glared at Xia Lei before lifting her bag and walking out of the office.

She had come to hinder and quash Xia Lei’s hope of starting a company under the direction of Huang Yi-Hu and it looked like a simple matter. Xia Lei, however, had turned the tables unexpectedly and not just that – he had slapped her and Huang Yi-Hu in the face!

Xia Lei looked at Zhou Wei and Jiang Xin and smiled as he said, “Thank you so much. I wouldn’t have my company licence if it were not for your help.”

“Don’t stand on ceremony, Mr Xia. It is our honour to be able to help you,” said Zhou Wei.

Jiang Xin smiled, “Mr Xia, you are a very important partner of our company. You yourself are a special talent in our country. Your request was valid and in accordance with the law – that Liao De-Sheng should have no reason to hinder you.”

“You are too kind. I am truly thankful. But I still have to ask the two of you for another favour after I get my licence,” said Xia Lei.

Zhou Wei and Jiang Xin exchanged looks, sending each other messages.

“What would you like us to help you with, Mr Xia? Please, speak your mind,” said Jiang Xin.

“After company registration comes the building. I have my eye on a piece of land which is next to Third Ring Road, plot number 13. I would like to ask for your help to procure that piece of land,” said Xia Lei.

“This…” Zhou Wei and Jiang Xin looked awkward and their eyes were troubled.

“I have just this one request and I will never trouble you or your company again. If you help me with this I will process any part you want me to process,” said Xia Lei.

Zhou Wei smiled wryly, “Mr Xia, it is no problem to help you get your company licence but a piece of land, this…”

Jiang Xin spoke too, “Our company is in Jing-Du. Our influence here is limited. We can help with normal requests but acquiring land is another matter and we have no such pull.”

“You’re too humble. I know how much power you have. You must help me with this,” said Xia Lei.

“Then, Mr Xia, what if we don’t help you?” asked Zhou Wei probingly.

“I will process this order but after I’m done, I will not accept any more purchase orders from your company,” said Xia Lei.

“Mr Xia, you…” Zhou Wei looked anxious, “You’re like a child.”

“That’s right. Mr Xia, how can you be so willful? We have already given you the highest price. How can you refuse our order as a business owner?” said Jiang Xin.

“You say I am like a child – I really am like a child. If someone hits me and I don’t hit back, I will have no mood to go to school, no mood to do my work. You saw how it was just now. That Li Yu-Lan and her husband Huang Yi-Hu bullied me. You think they only did this one thing against me? You’re wrong. She and her husband murdered my friend!” said Xia Lei.

“This…” Jiang Xin’s face was pained, “Mr Xia, we are a company, not the police. What you’re saying is out of our jurisdiction. This request for help is really…”

Xia Lei cut him off, and spoke slowly, “I’d originally planned to find an opportunity to go overseas. Maybe America or Germany, to see their most advanced lathes and upgrade my own company’s lathes to the same standards as theirs. It looks like I won’t need to anymore.”

“Wait,” Zhou Wei said excitedly, “What did you just say? You can upgrade an ordinary lathe to the same standards as those in America and Europe?”

“How difficult is it? I just have to see the blueprints and the real thing to upgrade my lathes. When I upgrade my lathes, I can process as many parts as you need,” said Xia Lei.

“Can you really do that?” Jiang Xin also looked very excited.

Xia Lei held his palms out, “Would you come looking for me if I did not have the ability? Would you have helped me get my company licence?”

“That…” Jiang Xin said, “We will arrange for you to go overseas right away. You can choose Europe or America, whichever you prefer. We have channels which can arrange for you to see all the needed blueprints and machines. Once you come back and upgrade a lathe, we will procure that piece of land for you.”

Xia Lei shook his head, “Land first, then overseas.”

“How are we to help you like this, Mr Xia?” said Zhou Wei.

“Land first, then overseas,” repeated Xia Lei.

Jiang Xin smiled wryly, “You really are a child, Mr Xia. Fine. Zhou Wei and myself cannot make a decision like this. We shall fly back to Jing-Du City. We need to talk to our director and he will decide. We will contact you immediately once we have news.”

A smile appeared in the corners of Xia Lei’s lips, “Thank you. I’ll wait for your good news.”

“All right. The matter should not be delayed. We’ll go to the airport now. Goodbye, Mr Xia.” Zhou Wei shook hands with Xia Lei.

Jiang Xin also shook hands with Xia Lei, “Mr Xia, remember what you have promised to undertake. Upgrade your lathes to the latest and most advanced global standards.”

“I can guarantee that if you help me you will see lathes like that,” said Xia Lei.

Jiang Xin and Zhou Wei left in a hurry.

The greatest allure of Xia Lei for China Industrial Group was not his ability to process the high precision parts which only Europe and America could process since they could obtain the parts they needed from other channels, like Israel. However, if Xia Lei could really upgrade an ordinary lathe to the same standards as those most advanced machines – this was irresistible to China Industrial Group.

Xia Lei dared demand for so much because he was relying on this. He had something that China Industrial Group could not refuse!

Liang Si-Yao looked at Xia Lei, her gaze odd, “Mr Xia, how are you so sure that they will fulfil your request?”

Xia Lei laughed, “You studied business. You know what a ‘valuable commodity’ is, right? I am the only one who has the thing they want. They have to give me what I want.”

“I know the concept of a valuable commodity but that’s a piece of land. Even if they help you get the deed title, you… Do you have so much money?” said Liang Si-Yao.

The land around Third Ring Road easily cost tens of millions and up. It wasn’t strange to see a price tag of over a billion if it was near the port. She knew Xia Lei was just an owner of a workshop and he was still in the process of registering a company – how could he have enough money to buy land?

Xia Lei smiled, “Miss Liang, China Industrial Group is a government-owned enterprise. This business belongs to the country and is very important to the country. It is easy for China Industrial Group to procure a piece of land if it wants to. I honestly have no money but I would only give one or two million even if the land is worth fifty million.”

“Huh?” Liang Si-Yao goggled at Xia Lei, “Aren’t you…”

“Acting shamelessly?” said Xia Lei, “I am. Didn’t they say so already? I am like a child. Doesn’t it suit this child to act this way?”

Liang Si-Yao gave Xia Lei a thumbs-up and giggled, “Mr Xia, I studied business but I have found that I am just a little student before you today. You’re the real top business student.”

“Enough with the praise. I was forced into doing this. I want to seek justice for my friend and if I tried doing it the lawful way I would never have my justice, not in fifty years. Okay, let’s go downstairs and see how it’s going, then go take a look at the piece of land. How about it?” said Xia Lei.

“Sure. I want to take a look at that piece of land too,” said Liang Si-Yao.

They left the office and had not yet arrived in the hall when Liao De-Sheng came up to them, holding a stack of documents.

“It’s done, Mr Xia.” Liao De-Sheng had a gratuitous smile on his face, “Let’s go to the office and talk. I’ll make tea for you.”

Xia Lei took the documents from Liao De-Sheng’s hands and glanced at them, then spoke lightly, “Chief Liao, your tea is too good for me. I am not used to it. You should serve it to respectable people like Huang Yi-Hu or Li Yu-Lan.”

“Mr Xia…” Liao De-Sheng looked pitifully at him, “Could you put in a good word for me in front of your two friends? Look, I’ve done what you asked.”

“No, I can’t. I’m actually not so close with them,” said Xia Lei.

“You…” Liao De-Sheng was beside himself with anger.

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