Mountain River Heavy Industry Group

On the other side, Shen Qing followed Xie Chong through the corridor and into a private room.

As the door pushed open, besides Chen Chen, who was sitting stiffly, there was also a middle-aged man who looked somewhat familiar, as if he had seen him somewhere before.

"Let me make some introductions."

Xie Chong waved his hand nonchalantly. "This is my old man, Comrade Old Xie. He insisted on meeting you to thank you in person. He even wanted to change to a different venue, but luckily I stopped him—the places he picks are all flash and no substance."

As he spoke, he added, "My old man knows about our organization and has even donated to it, so there's no need to hide anything."

Father Xie had already stood up, extending a hand with a gentle smile on his face. "You must be Shen Qing."

"Hello..." Shen Qing hurriedly shook his hand, bowing slightly.

"You two are friends, just call me Uncle Xie," Father Xie said with a smile.

"Uncle Xie." Shen Qing nodded.

"Sit down first, don't just stand there. Let's eat while we talk."

Uncle Xie gestured, and the group took their seats. The dishes began to arrive—it seemed to be Huaiyang cuisine: crab meat lion's head meatballs, crystal pork terrine...

He didn't know how it tasted yet, but the presentation was certainly exquisite; Chen Chen was already struggling to suppress his urge to drool.

Father Xie suddenly stood up, poured a cup of tea, and personally handed it to Shen Qing, his tone earnest.

"I know you have to go on patrol this afternoon, so I'll substitute tea for wine. This time, it was thanks to you that my good-for-nothing son was saved."

He had already learned the details of the incident; if it weren't for the young man before him, his own wayward son's meager strength would have long since been fed to the monsters.

"I heard you even received a First-Class Merit. That is truly for the country and the people."

"Uncle Xie, it wasn't that extraordinary."

Shen Qing hurriedly declined, taking the teacup with both hands. "It was just luck. Without Xie Chong, I would have barely survived myself."

He couldn't accept such praise from an elder.

Upon hearing this, Xie Chong immediately tilted his head back, triumphantly saying, "See? I told you, I'm at least a barely qualified support."

Uncle Xie shot him a glance, then looked at Shen Qing and continued, "Also, regarding that construction site in the suburbs, we were able to take it over smoothly thanks to you as well."

"The construction site?"

Shen Qing was stunned. "You were the one who took it over, Uncle Xie?"

Had he inadvertently helped his big brother out?

He glanced at Xie Chong, who waved his hands repeatedly. "This has nothing to do with me. It's purely a shift in future industry trends."

Chen Chen was busy tackling an abalone, but he swallowed his food and looked up curiously.

"Uncle Xie, isn't everyone saying that civil engineering is on the decline? Most people are avoiding it like the plague. Why would you take over a construction site?"

"That, well..."

Father Xie smiled and raised his teacup. "Perhaps you all know the answer better than I do."

Shen Qing said thoughtfully, "Uncle Xie, is it because of the spiritual energy recovery?"

The world was undergoing a massive change.

In the future, the situation where individual might reigns supreme would likely become more severe, which would inevitably cause destruction. Civil engineering might truly be on the verge of a comeback.

However, for ordinary people, the situation was becoming more dangerous.

Shen Qing's brows furrowed slightly.

Just then, a commotion suddenly erupted from the next room. The sound wasn't loud enough to make out the words, but it was enough to ruin their appetite.

Father Xie frowned and looked at Shen Qing. "Should we change rooms?"

Shen Qing shook his head. "No need, Uncle Xie. The food is already served, and besides, this room is quite soundproof—it's just that the noise next door is too loud."

"I'll go tell the waiter."

Just as Xie Chong finished speaking, the room next door went quiet, so the group didn't pay it any more mind.

They chatted for a while about various topics, even touching upon their families.

Father Xie suddenly stood up.

"My main purpose today was to express my gratitude in person. With me here, you young people probably don't feel at ease. I'll be heading off now. If you need anything in the future, feel free to trouble this good-for-nothing."

He patted Xie Chong on the shoulder.

"Uncle Xie, let us see you out." Shen Qing and Chen Chen stood up as well.

"No need." Father Xie waved his hand, his tone gentle but firm. "Keep eating."

Just then, the room next door, which had been quiet for only a short while, started arguing again.

"I'll go find the waiter and change rooms. You two are the guests, just sit tight."

Xie Chong frowned and followed Father Xie outside, only to find that the neighbors next door were already in the middle of a chaotic scene at the entrance.

A young girl in a hotel uniform was being blocked at the door of a private room by a somewhat plump middle-aged woman, who was pointing a finger at her nose and cursing.

"You little brat, how dare you try to manage me?"

"If we aren't satisfied with the food, can't we even complain? Get your manager here!"

A young man was standing to the side filming a video, clearly enjoying the chaos.

"Mother-in-law, that's enough, the food is fine..."

Another sturdy young man tried to intervene, and the woman beside him was tugging at the middle-aged woman's sleeve.

"Mom, I'm begging you, stop making a scene!"

The middle-aged woman backhanded her daughter's hand away and turned her fire toward her, shouting:

"And you, you with the surname Jiang! You're just a stinking foreman who plays with mud... and you're even dragging along that dead weight, what's his name, Shen Qing?"

"Do you have any idea how little you're worth?"

The woman finally grew angry at these words, "Mom, you've gone too far!"

Father Xie had originally intended to turn around and leave to find the hotel management, but Xie Chong pulled him back, "Wait, Dad."

The young man filming the video also noticed the situation.

"President Xie?!"

He was stunned for a moment, then immediately hurried over with a fawning expression, "I didn't expect you to be dining here too, what a coincidence."

"Who are you?"

"I'm an employee at Mountain River Heavy Industry; I've seen your photo."

Father Xie ignored him; the young man's lack of class just now had already displeased him, and he was shocked that such an unrefined employee existed within his own group.

If a client were to see this... he shook his head and noticed the other, sturdier young man, a smile appearing on his face.

"Jiang Cheng, Mr. Jiang, right?"

Jiang Cheng was stunned, not knowing why this middle-aged man with such an obviously extraordinary air would know him.

"Big Brother, this is my father."

Xie Chong stepped up from behind, "I didn't introduce myself last time; my name is Xie Chong."

Jiang Cheng recognized him, "You're that colleague of Qingzi's?"

Father Xie nodded and took over the conversation, "Mr. Jiang's younger brother is a very outstanding young man.

But Mr. Jiang is also quite excellent; I've heard about that construction site in the suburbs that I took over, and I've heard of your team being the most responsible and diligent."

"You are the Chairman of Mountain River Heavy Industry?"

Jiang Cheng realized who he was, his eyes widening instantly before he glanced at Xie Chong.

The son of a major conglomerate works as a food delivery driver?

Zhang Cuifang and Su Yao were also stunned, their earlier aggressive posturing completely gone; they had just finished calling someone a dead weight.

Su Yao's mouth twitched as he tried to interject, "President Xie, so you know my brother-in-law?"

Father Xie had no intention of acknowledging him, looking at Jiang Cheng as he continued, "So, Mr. Jiang, are you interested in bringing your team to join our company for real?"

"Of course, let's be clear about the benefits.

All employees will receive a 20% salary increase and have access to staff dormitories.

As for you, as the team leader, you will be allocated a separate apartment in a residential complex, two bedrooms and a living room—though, of course, the property rights remain with the company. How does that sound?"

"Huh?"

Jiang Cheng was a bit dazed; this was practically a pie falling from the sky.

Although it certainly wouldn't be as free as working for himself, he would no longer need to find large companies to register under, nor would he be subjected to layers of subcontracting.

Especially now that many companies were starting to refuse outsourcing, finding projects was becoming difficult.

But why? Was it really just because of his diligent work?

A chairman of a major company knows his little brother? Is it because his son is a colleague of Qingzi, or is there something else?

"Um, Mr. Xie... let me consider it."

The situation was too sudden, too absurd.

"Of course, here is my business card."

Xie Chong pulled a card from his chest pocket and handed it over, "You can contact me whenever you've made up your mind."

Su Yao was even more bewildered; the chairman of a key enterprise—if not national, then at least provincial—was giving a business card to a construction contractor he looked down upon?

His palms were unknowingly covered in sweat; what on earth was going on?

"President Xie..."

He opened his mouth, just about to say something, when the crisp sound of high heels echoed from the direction of the lobby.

A tall woman with striking red hair walked over, perhaps drawn by the commotion.

"Uncle Xie?"

She greeted Father Xie, her voice indifferent.

Father Xie nodded. "Little girl of the Gu Family, are you dining here as well?"

Gu Jingshi nodded, then walked over to Jiang Cheng and Su Wan, her demeanor softening. "Big Brother, Sister-in-law."