Chapter 5: The One I Believe in Most
Back at the lunch table, the heavy atmosphere had made everyone too nervous to speak.
Now that they had returned to the conference room to tidy up the scattered materials—and with no leaders present—the discussions started buzzing again.
"Damn, that was intense! A project claiming ten billion tons of coal reserves—completely fake!"
"Fake, but it looked real enough!"
"We spent two whole months analyzing this thing—did anyone notice a problem? Not a soul!"
"I'm telling you, the people from Jiajia Coal Mining are either lunatics or absolute desperados. That kind of courage is insane!"
"I heard the company had basically agreed to a 20 million yuan acquisition. That's a massive amount of money. If the fraud had gone through, someone would've ended up in prison for sure."
"Prison? Hell, they'd just take the money and disappear. In a country this big, who could find them?"
...
As they sorted through documents, the team couldn't help but chatter excitedly. But when Li Tang entered the room, the discussion stopped cold.
Everyone stared at him like he was a rare creature.
"Li Tang, over here—sit here," someone called, pulling over a chair for him.
"We're all brothers here. Just tell us the truth—how the hell did you see through the whole thing?"
"We were all convinced this project was gold. No one suspected anything."
"Director Qin was so worried it would get snatched by someone else, he wanted to close the deal fast."
Everyone crowded around Li Tang, firing off questions one after another. Every person was visibly thrilled.
The entire project had been like a rollercoaster ride—intense, exhilarating, and more dramatic than any novel.
Li Tang looked at their eager faces. Though some of them seemed familiar, he couldn't recall most of their names. For a moment, he didn't even know how to respond.
"What are you all doing?!"
A stern shout silenced the room.
Everyone turned and saw Liu Kaisheng standing in the doorway. At once, they straightened up and scattered, returning to their tasks.
"Li Tang, come with me," Liu said.
The two of them walked to the entrance of the guesthouse. Liu Kaisheng looked at Li Tang with a completely different expression—this was the first time he'd found the young man truly pleasant to look at.
"I've been a bit harsh with you. I hope you didn't take it personally. You young people are the company's future. I want all of you to succeed."
"I understand, sir. Your intentions are appreciated."
In Li Tang's impression, Liu Kaisheng had never been a particularly memorable figure. He was capable, but not outstanding—a textbook example of mediocrity.
Li Tang didn't know why Liu had pulled him aside, nor whether he had been offended by the confrontation during the earlier meeting.
"This year's batch of recruits—I believe in you the most. Once things settle down and we return to headquarters, I'll personally recommend you to the higher-ups. When your three-month probation ends, you will get a formal contract!"
He patted Li Tang on the shoulder with an encouraging smile. "I don't care what Director Qin thinks—you're the kind of person we need in the Resource Evaluation Department!"
Clearly, he'd grown fond of the young man's talent.
Li Tang smiled slightly. "Then I'll thank you in advance, Director Liu. If you have any tasks for me, I'll give it my all."
In a massive state-owned enterprise like Wukuang Group, young employees who earned the favor of their superiors could avoid years of detours—perhaps even leapfrog ahead.
Sometimes, a few good words from a direct supervisor could accomplish more than half a year of hard work.
The corporate world was full of politics and human connections.
This was something Li Tang, who had now lived an extra twenty years, understood very well. His attitude was mature and composed.
Liu Kaisheng was pleased with his response. "Work hard. And make sure to get along with your colleagues."
"Of course."
Li Tang returned to the conference room, tidied up the supervisory documents he was responsible for, then headed upstairs to Director Qin's room.
Knock knock knock!
The door opened, revealing Qin Jianshe's face—young, but still bearing two stubborn pimples.
"Do you have a moment?" Li Tang asked.
Seeing Li Tang take the initiative, Qin Jianshe looked a little surprised but stepped aside. "Come in."
He grabbed a kettle and poured two cups of tea before sitting down. "I assume you came because you have something to say?"
"Everyone else didn't know there was a problem with the Qianshan project. Yet I knew. Don't you find that odd, Director Qin?" Li Tang sat upright, a hint of amusement in his expression.
Facing the deputy general manager, he was neither arrogant nor servile. His tone was measured, his demeanor steady—a young man with the poise of someone twice his age.
"I must thank you in person. If it weren't for your courageous honesty, the company would've suffered a major financial disaster. The consequences would've been unimaginable."
Qin Jianshe composed himself quickly and took on a more formal tone. "Once we're back at headquarters, I'll report your contribution to the higher-ups."
"This wasn't exactly a good thing. I'm a new employee—still on probation. If word spreads that I uncovered such a scandal, I'm more likely to become a target than a hero."
"You don't act like a typical young man—not greedy for credit."
Qin Jianshe crossed one leg over the other and tapped the armrest of his chair. "Alright then. No matter what you say, I believe your father played a crucial role in this. I'll find a solid project and assign it to him. Consider it a small token of appreciation from me to both of you."
Strangely, Li Tang didn't seem pleased. On the contrary, he grew more guarded.
He lifted the teacup and found the tea scalding hot. After blowing on it and sniffing the aroma, he set it back down without drinking.
"This has nothing to do with my father," he said plainly.
"Well, either way, I need to show some form of gratitude," Qin replied with a chuckle.
But Li Tang wasn't one to be manipulated so easily. "Let's keep things separate. A clean line between personal and professional matters avoids unnecessary misunderstandings."
"You're pretty stubborn, aren't you?"
"I know what you're really thinking, Director Qin."
Li Tang knew the tea was from the guesthouse—cheap stuff. He'd already lost interest in the conversation. "Earlier, my dad invited you over for dinner, right? He's a warm person and very nostalgic. You two haven't seen each other in years—he definitely wants to share a drink with you."
The mention of alcohol triggered something in Qin Jianshe. He had already decided not to go.
"If you have doubts, why not talk things out face to face?"
This kid was dangerously perceptive—he always hit the nail on the head.
(End of Chapter 5)
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