Chapter 37

Part Two: The Allure of Business. Chapter 37: Leave it to me

Wanqing did not want to recall the heartbreaking scene of the car accident. On the drive over, she had specifically told the driver to avoid North Street, but the sight of Zhang Ke rushing under the wheels and gathering Zhitong into his arms had left an indelible impression on her.

Wanqing paused, somewhat surprised by what Zhang Ke said. On reflection, though, there was nothing particularly strange about it. Zhang Ke had always struck her as a very unusual young man.

Zhang Ke had been the first to see that her older cousin Xie Zhan was the source of the company's problems, and he had also devised the way to drive Xie Zhan out of the company. Zhitong's grandfather had said he was bound to accomplish great things when he grew up. On this visit, Xie Wanqing had also hoped to find a chance to discuss the company with him. She always felt that Zhang Ke possessed an intuitive understanding and insight that even ordinary adults lacked.

Xie Wanqing took Zhitong into her arms. Seeing the serious expression on Zhang Ke's face, she asked, "How do you intend to use these resources?"

"Didn't Haiyu Company used to do infrastructure work for the digital network?"

"Let's not get into that. The company is in some disarray right now, and practically all its operations have ground to a halt."

"Wanqing, you should know that the G* digital communications network officially going into service across the province at the end of this year will mark the end of the analog era and herald the arrival of digital communications. I'm not very familiar with the situation in other cities, but in Haizhou, not a single communications equipment dealer has realized this yet. None of them is even actively seeking distribution rights in this field. Without your company's resources, there's no way I-a sixteen-year-old who's only just started high school-could secure the Haizhou distribution rights for any brand of digital mobile phone." Xie Wanqing had spent the past month and more working hard to familiarize herself with Haiyu Company's operations, and she also had access to high-level industry information. Zhang Ke believed she understood something of the business opportunities digital communications offered in China. He looked at her. "As for how to use the company's resources, this is only one small aspect."

"You really have studied foreign material on digital communications carefully," Xie Wanqing said with a smile. "I can never guess what goes on in that head of yours. Is there anything you don't know? But the office is just an empty shell. Haiyu Company is very short of funds, and there's no staff available, either. We don't even know whether the offices elsewhere can keep going. The resources you could actually use are very limited..."

"Channel distribution, not retail sales. As long as the work is done properly, funding won't be a major problem. Staff? Haizhou has no shortage of talent. We can recruit right away. Of course, without Haiyu Company's resources, that wouldn't be possible."

"How do you know so much?" Xie Wanqing rested her chin against little Zhitong's forehead. "Aren't you afraid it'll interfere with your studies?"

During the more than two weeks Zhang Ke had spent keeping Zhitong company in the Provincial Capital, Xie Wanqing had also stayed at the villa in New Plum Garden to lull Xie Zhan's suspicions, spending all day with her daughter Zhitong. She had discussed many questions about Haiyu Company's future management with Zhang Ke as well. Xie Wanqing could be said to be the person who had spent the most time with him since his return to 1994. Zhitong's grandfather had said Zhang Ke was certain to accomplish great things in the future, and Xie Wanqing agreed completely. She even felt there was much about company management she needed to learn from him. She simply had not expected him to be so eager to start doing things, and she was very worried that it would interfere with his studies.

"It won't. In China today, isn't the main purpose of studying to acquire the skills to make a living?" Seeing that Xie Wanqing was somewhat tempted, Zhang Ke continued, "I'll ask other people to handle the actual work. I just want to put the ideas in my head into practice and see what comes of them." Then he added, "Does thinking that way make me too mature?"

"Terrifyingly mature!" Xie Wanqing made an exaggerated face, her smile captivating. "This friend you mentioned is the person who'll handle the actual work for you?"

"Yes. Someone you wouldn't expect..."

"Then let me meet your friend first. Perhaps I really will get another surprise."

A black Buick minivan was parked downstairs. Zhang Ke and Xie Wanqing took Zhitong to the KFC at the front gate by eight, where they discussed many more details of distribution channels for communications equipment.

Zhang Ke thought that as long as he dispelled Wanqing's fear that it would interfere with his studies, there would be no problem. After all, ever since exposing Xie Zhan's scheme, he had deliberately worked on winning Xie Wanqing over. Surely she had some confidence in him.

Xu Si cycled to the front gate and parked her bicycle outside, her cloudlike hair cascading down. Through the floor-to-ceiling window, Wanqing saw Xu Si brush her hair back from her forehead, revealing a flawlessly beautiful face. Without looking inside, she headed straight for the entrance.

Xie Wanqing turned to Zhang Ke in surprise. "Her?"

"You don't know Xu Si, do you, Wanqing?"

"No, but you rarely see a girl that beautiful. I'd heard about what happened with you, and the moment I saw her, it came back to me."

"The Special Investigation Team dropped the charges against her. She only returned to Haizhou the day before yesterday. She doesn't know what I want to do yet. First I'll coax her into joining your company."

"Over here." Seeing Xu Si standing at the entrance and looking around, Zhang Ke stood up so she could see him.

"This is..." Xu Si saw Xie Wanqing beside Zhang Ke. She was plainly dressed, with a sweet, serene face. She wore little makeup, but that did nothing to obscure her elegance. Did Zhang Ke ask this woman to help arrange a job for me? Seeing little Zhitong sitting between Xie Wanqing and Zhang Ke, holding an ice cream and licking it with relish, she felt this did not look like a formal meeting.

"Xu Si, this is Wanqing, and this is little Zhitong, her daughter..."

Zhitong lowered the ice cream in her hand and stared at Xu Si without blinking.

"Zhitong, do you know Xu Si?" Xie Wanqing asked, looking down at her.

Little Zhitong shook her head, but still refused to take her eyes off Xu Si.

"Even my Zhitong thinks you're beautiful. She can't take her eyes off you." Wanqing stood up and invited Xu Si to sit beside her.

Xu Si's lovely face flushed slightly. She had no idea what was going on or what to say.

Zhang Ke drew little Zhitong into his arms and kissed her rosy cheek. "Little Zhitong will be a beauty when she grows up, too. Then other people will stare at her..." Embarrassed, little Zhitong buried her head in Zhang Ke's chest, but still stole peeks at Xu Si from his arms.

Little Zhitong's innocent gaze left Xu Si a little embarrassed. Zhang Ke pushed a Coke toward her. "Right on time. It's still three minutes to nine."

"Cycling makes it easy to time the trip. Have you and Wanqing been here long?"

"Only a little while." Wanqing had been studying Xu Si ever since she came in. She was enviably beautiful, enough to make even Zhitong stare without blinking. Children's eyes were the most honest of all. Wanqing tilted her head to glance at Zhang Ke and saw nothing unusual in his expression toward Xu Si. Zhang Ke is right on the threshold of adulthood, and mentally he's more mature than the average adult. I really am afraid this woman might entrance him. "Zhang Ke didn't say it was you. Seeing you really gave me a surprise. You only returned to Haizhou the day before yesterday, didn't you?"

"Do you know me, Wanqing?" Xu Si heard her say that Zhang Ke had not mentioned her beforehand, yet she seemed to know a great deal about her situation.

"Zhitong's grandfather is a provincial official. I know about your case, but this is the first time I've met you."

Throughout the whole affair, Xu Si had only dealt with the investigators on the Special Investigation Team. She did not know that Xu Xueping, deputy secretary of the Provincial Party Committee and secretary of the Political and Legal Affairs Commission, had personally pushed for the case to be examined, and she could not guess Xie Wanqing's identity.

"My company has an office in Haizhou. I originally intended to give up our business here and close it, but later I thought it would be better to retain a presence in Haizhou. As it happened, Zhang Ke recommended you." Xie Wanqing took a business card from her handbag and handed it to Xu Si.

"Wanqing, you're saying yes?"

Seeing the delight on Zhang Ke's face, Xie Wanqing could not resist reaching out to rub his forehead. "I really don't know what goes on in that head of yours." Then it occurred to her that the gesture might look a little intimate in front of Xu Si, and she withdrew her hand. She said seriously, "Whether it's practical experience or whether that little head of yours really wants to accomplish something, I can help you this once. But you mustn't neglect your studies, or I won't be able to answer to your parents."

"I promise it won't interfere with my studies."

Xu Si looked at the name "Haiyu Trading Co., Ltd." printed on the business card. The woman before her looked under thirty, yet she was actually the company's president.

Zhang Ke was clearly the one helping her find a job, yet Xie Wanqing was solemnly giving him instructions. Xu Si was puzzled.

Seeing the confusion on Xu Si's face, Xie Wanqing said, "Zhang Ke has some ideas he wants to put into practice, so I'll keep the office open for now. There are also some resources that can help him realize those ideas. In addition, I'd like to ask you to help him, so he doesn't get too distracted from his studies." Seeing Xu Si's astonishment, she continued, "Of course, the company also has some miscellaneous business in Haizhou that you'll need to handle. I'll pay you a regular employee's salary for that."

At that moment, Xu Si plainly could not take in what Xie Wanqing had said.

Since Zhang Ke was the one running circles around Xu Si, Xie Wanqing felt reassured instead. By now, she was also eager to know just what ideas he had in his head. "You want to use Haiyu Company's resources for more than what we were just discussing, don't you?"

"With many things, you can't predict in advance how they'll develop, and it's hard to explain them in detail. There's a Xinguang Paper Mill in Haizhou City. Have you heard of it, Wanqing?"

"I'm not very familiar with Haizhou City. I really never paid attention to the company's affairs before. I'm an idiot when it comes to this, though I'm slowly improving."

Seeing that Wanqing did not know about the connection between Xinguang Paper Mill and her husband's car accident, Zhang Ke did not want to explain further, lest it give her other thoughts. "I can't explain it clearly right now. There are a lot of things we need to negotiate, and we'll need to use your company's name. If necessary, we may even need you to come forward in support. We'll work hard to move the preliminary work forward, and when the time comes, we'll show you our results."