Chapter 36

Part Two: Lost in the World of Business - Chapter 36: Wanqing's unexpected visit

Zhang Ke had not expected Zhitong to come to Haizhou at this hour. He put down the phone excitedly and said apologetically to Xu Si, "Xu Si, we have visitors at home. I have to go back. I'll come see you tomorrow."

"Go on." Xu Si stood there quietly and smiled. "I have to go out looking for work tomorrow. I'll treat you to a proper meal another time."

Hearing that Xu Si intended to look for work, Zhang Ke knew she had not taken his words seriously. He gave a rueful smile and said little more. "You've only just come back. Why not rest for a few days first? Remember to help me with that social survey." Xu Si gave him a sidelong look. "I'll find time for it." Zhang Ke did not know whether Xu Si would seriously investigate Xinguang Paper Mill. He said goodbye to her father, hailed a taxi, and hurried back to the government residential compound.

After getting out of the taxi, Zhang Ke raced upstairs. The moment he stepped through the door, he scooped up little Zhitong as she threw herself into his arms and planted a firm kiss on her exquisitely delicate little face. Seeing her mother, Xie Wanqing, sitting on the sofa chatting with his mother, he greeted her. "Wanqing, what brings you to Haizhou today?"

"I came to wind up the company's business in Haizhou. When Zhitong heard I was coming here, she climbed into the car and refused to get out, so we came straight to your house as soon as we arrived."

Only after driving her older cousin Xie Zhan out of Haiyu Company had Xie Wanqing discovered that the company was already a hopeless mess, riddled with problems. She had no choice but to scale back its operations and undertake a major overhaul. Since the car accident, the Haizhou office had fallen into even greater chaos, and almost all its business staff had withdrawn. Xie Wanqing therefore wanted to wind up its operations here first. Besides, the accident had happened in Haizhou, and whenever she set foot here, a shadow lingered over her heart.

Zhang Ke naturally knew why Xie Wanqing wanted to close the Haizhou office, but he did not want that to happen. He said with considerable regret, "Oh, I thought that with your office here, you could often bring Zhitong to see me... Still, it's all right. I can find time to visit Zhitong in the Provincial Capital often. The first-year high school workload isn't too heavy."

Xie Wanqing paused slightly at his words. Seeing Zhitong's arms wrapped tightly around Zhang Ke's neck, she thought, If Zhitong is to speak again and completely overcome the psychological fear the accident left her with, Zhang Ke is undoubtedly the person who can help her most. But once he starts high school, he'll be busy studying and won't be able to come to the Provincial Capital often.

Until then, Xie Wanqing had been intent on winding up the Haizhou operations so she would no longer have to come here. Zhang Ke's words made her hesitate again. After all, this was not the best decision for Zhitong. "The office staff have all been recalled. There's no way to keep it going now, even if I wanted to. But I can still bring Zhitong to Haizhou to visit you often."

Seeing that she was not entirely determined to close the office, Zhang Ke followed her lead. "I have a friend who's looking for work. I was going to recommend her to you, but never mind now..."

"What friend?" Liang Gezhen was always anxious about the friends her son made. "Listen to you, talking like a grown-up, even trying to find work for your friends. Get your own studies in order first, and don't go making friends indiscriminately."

"Zhang Ke knows his limits better than anyone. He wouldn't make friends indiscriminately," Xie Wanqing said with a smile. "Judging by how he's handled things over these past few weeks, I'm afraid few of us adults could match him. Zhitong's grandfather even said he's sure to achieve great things when he grows up." She turned to Zhang Ke. "Let me think about it."

Zhang Ke was rather disappointed. Xie Wanqing had only said she would think about it, rather than saying she would meet his friend before deciding. Clearly, she had not changed her mind.

His father had a social engagement that evening, so Zhang Ke and his mother took Xie Wanqing and Zhitong to dinner at the hotel in front of the residential compound, then returned home and chatted for a long time. With his mother there, it was inconvenient to discuss Haiyu Company at length. When it finally came time to leave, Zhitong still refused, and only after much coaxing and a few fibs did she let go. She had clutched Zhang Ke's T-shirt until it was all wrinkled.

Early the next morning, Xie Wanqing brought Zhitong over again and asked Zhang Ke, "Could I meet your friend?" Seeing how dependent Zhitong was on him, she knew she would have to visit Haizhou often if she wanted Zhitong to speak again as soon as possible. Even if she was in no hurry to develop business in Haizhou, keeping the office open with one employee would be good.

Zhang Ke had not expected things to take another turn overnight. It must have been little Zhitong who had made Wanqing waver.

Xu Si had no telephone at home, so he called the convenience store at the entrance to her alley and asked someone to fetch her. Remembering that she had said yesterday she would go looking for work, Zhang Ke worried that she might already have left. In that case, his only option would be to intercept her at the labor market. In 1994, Haizhou City did not yet have a talent market for people seeking to change jobs. There was only a small labor market, mainly serving workers laid off by companies during the past two years of staff cuts.

"What is it this early in the morning?" Xu Si was slightly breathless. Telephone calls were expensive in 1994, and she had rushed from her home to the entrance of the alley. She had not caught her breath before she began speaking.

"I've found a job lead for you. Make some time this morning. If the meeting goes well, it can be settled."

"How is that possible?" Xu Si did not believe him. "I only mentioned it casually yesterday. What sort of work could you find me?"

Finding Xu Si work would, of course, be no problem. His youngest uncle, Zhang Zhifei, had just moved his company into the city and was busy dealing with countless things. Slipping one person in would be no problem at all. The point was that Zhang Ke had other plans.

"Plenty of impossible things have already happened. Trust me one more time." Without saying much more, Zhang Ke arranged to meet Xu Si at the KFC by the front gate at nine, then hung up and carried Zhitong back into the living room.

Liang Gezhen was talking with Wanqing in the living room. Seeing that he had finished his call, she said with a smile, "How old are you, trying to find jobs for your friends already? Is this person reliable? It's Wanqing's company. You can't just recommend anyone you please."

Zhang Ke settled Zhitong on his knees and asked Wanqing, "Do you think I'm reliable?"

"I originally intended to wind everything up here, and I've already given up a lot of the business. There isn't much left to do," Wanqing said with a smile. "Keeping the office open will also give me an excuse to bring Zhitong to see her big brother Zhang Ke often. Liang, you can feel quite reassured about how Zhang Ke handles things."

What a muddle their forms of address were. Xie Wanqing had just turned thirty, graceful and in her prime, at an age when she radiated the allure of a mature woman. Zhang Ke felt that calling her Wanqing rather than Aunt Xie suited her wishes better. He had arranged to meet Xu Si at nine, so it was still early, but there were many ideas he needed to discuss with Wanqing first.

Carrying Zhitong, Zhang Ke went downstairs first. Watching Xie Wanqing follow him, he said, "It wasn't easy to build Haiyu Company to its present size. I know it's having some difficulties at the moment, but they're only temporary. As long as you're determined, Xie Wanqing, I believe you can get the company back in order very soon. Of course, I also understand your reasons for giving up the Haizhou operations. But I still feel it's a shame not to make full use of such good resources. If you trust me..." Zhang Ke paused here. Seeing her gaze wander slightly, he knew such a proposal would come as a surprise to her. "Could I make use of those resources?"