Chapter 189: The Li Tang Shengshi Family
During the New Year, Li Tang had already told his family that he'd bought an apartment in Yanjing.
He hadn't gone into detail, so his parents assumed it was a small place, like a dorm or a modest residence—just enough to have a roof over his head. They were already pleased by that.
When Li Zaiqiang walked into the new home and the lights came on, the brightness and cleanliness immediately caught his attention.
The living room was spacious, the interior design simple but not bland.
Stepping out onto the balcony, he was greeted by lush gardens and a wide-open view.
"This place isn't small!" Li Zaiqiang exclaimed in amazement.
Compared to the 100-square-meter apartment they'd been assigned back at the Guizhou Geological Bureau, that one suddenly didn't seem all that appealing.
"One hundred and eighty square meters," Li Tang replied. "When I bought it, the developer wasn't doing well, so they offered more than 20 square meters of extra balcony and bonus space. Plus, it's on a lower floor and doesn't have a shared hallway, so the usable space is great."
He gave his father a little tour of the place. "I've already prepared rooms for you and Mom. Beds, linens, everything's ready. Whenever you have time or are on break, you're welcome to come and stay. I already gave Mom a spare key, but I'll have another made for you."
"As long as you're living well, we're happy. No need to prepare rooms for us. What's there to do in Yanjing anyway? We'd only ever come for a few days, at most."
"Still, you can visit whenever you want," Li Tang said, understanding how his parents didn't want to be a burden.
Li Zaiqiang looked around, clearly pleased, but his attention wasn't really on the apartment.
He sat down on the sofa. When Li Tang brought over a fruit platter and tea, turned down the TV volume, and sat with him, he asked, "Now that it's just the two of us, tell me honestly—first you started a project in Tibet, now you're pulling in all these state-owned enterprises to do exploration in Mengguo. Are you really sure nothing will go wrong?"
"What could go wrong?" Li Tang said breezily, picking up a piece of fruit.
He'd had a strong drink earlier, and his throat was dry. Sweet fruit was the perfect remedy.
"All I know is how to bury my head in fieldwork. I don't understand the complexities of capital and project management. But seeing you running such a big operation alone—it worries me. What if something goes wrong? What if the project fails, or you lose money? How will you face those companies?"
As a father, Li Zaiqiang felt proud of his son's achievements. But as Li Tang's business grew—beyond anything he had imagined—it brought more concern than pride.
He didn't care if his son achieved greatness.
All he wanted was for Li Tang to have a stable job, live a peaceful life, and be happy every day. That was enough.
"No need to worry, I've got a good grasp of things." Li Tang still looked relaxed, completely free of stress. "Business is business. There's always risk."
"Just be careful. There are a lot of shady people out there—don't get scammed. These days, the world is full of crooks."
"Petty scammers wouldn't dare come near me. The big ones… well, they better make sure they're up to the challenge."
…
After signing the collaboration agreements and confirming project plans, Han Dexun, Zhou Zhenxing, Li Zaiqiang, and the rest returned to Guizhou to begin organizing personnel and resources. Soon, they'd return to Yanjing to head for Mengguo and formally begin work.
Meanwhile, preparation on all fronts was proceeding smoothly under the coordination of Qin Jianshe, Ren Qingqing, Guo Fengchun, and others.
Li Tang, for once, had a rare moment of peace in the office.
Knock knock!
He Runqi knocked on the door and called out, "Li Tang, there's a foreign woman here to see you. The one who came with that jerk Parker last time."
"Alice?" Li Tang had almost forgotten about her. "Send her in."
Through the glass partition, he could already see the tall blonde standing outside the open workspace.
Today, Alice was dressed in a white blouse and black blazer—pure business style. Her figure, curvaceous and refined, was on full display.
Her long golden hair swayed gently as she walked.
When she entered the general manager's office and saw Li Tang again, she felt as if she were interviewing with a new boss.
"Hello, General Manager."
"No need to be formal. Have a seat," Li Tang said, standing to pour her a cup of tea. He sat down on the sofa across from her and asked, "Did you receive your consulting fee from the license acquisition?"
"I did," Alice said, somewhat nervously.
"So, what brings you here?" Li Tang noticed her flushed face and hesitant demeanor. She didn't seem like her usual straightforward self.
"When I came here last time, there were only a few people in the office. Now it's clearly gotten busy and well-organized."
Alice seemed surprised. She had come expecting to rescue a struggling startup—to offer her services out of professional goodwill.
But what she found told a different story. Even without her, things were progressing just fine.
"We're preparing to start the Mengguo project, so things are hectic," Li Tang explained.
"You…"
Alice clearly had something to say but didn't know how to begin.
"What is it?" Li Tang asked curiously.
Alice bit her lip and finally asked, "The last time you said you wanted me to join your company—did you mean it?"
"Of course!" Li Tang grinned. "We had a bet, remember? You lost, so you have to fulfill your end."
"Were you serious, or just joking?"
Li Tang straightened up and replied seriously, "I meant every word. To be honest, most of the people you see out there aren't actually employees of our company. They're from Wukuang Group, temporarily helping with the Taluge project. Once the project ends, they'll return to their original posts."
He pointed at He Runqi and a few others, "Only those few scrambling around are really my staff. They're from the Tibet projects—I called them back."
"I'm here to fulfill the bet," Alice said, as if that were a convenient excuse. "But what kind of salary can you offer me? You didn't specify last time."
"You really want to leave HighGain?"
Li Tang looked at her with a smile. "Honestly, that bet wasn't binding. You could walk away and I wouldn't hold it against you."
"But I took it seriously," Alice said firmly.
"Alright then, welcome aboard!" Li Tang was genuinely pleased. He felt her knowledge of foreign enterprises and Western business culture would be a major asset.
The company needed people like her badly.
"As for salary…"
He hesitated.
Alice's previous job at a foreign firm paid her at the top end of the market. Right now, his tiny team barely earned more than ¥1,000 a month—with some earning around ¥2,000 after fieldwork bonuses.
That was decent, above the national average.
But if he matched Alice's previous salary—over ¥800,000 a year—it would shatter the company's salary structure.
Even with a small staff, management needed to be standardized.
"I'm willing to accept a lower salary," Alice said, clearly having thought this through. She wouldn't have come otherwise.
Li Tang looked at her and calculated in his head.
Besides himself, the highest-paid person in the company was He Runqi, earning nearly ¥4,000 a month.
If he offered Alice the same, it would still be a huge drop for her.
After a moment, he made a decision.
"I can't offer a high salary—only ¥50,000 a year," he said frankly.
"That's it?" Alice looked surprised.
"But salary isn't everything," Li Tang said calmly. "I was planning to establish a stock option pool anyway. Our company hasn't taken on any venture capital yet, so the equity structure is simple. But I want every person who joins us to share in the rewards of our growth. This is a joint effort, and everyone should benefit."
"You're offering me shares?" Alice was stunned—and thrilled.
"I'm setting aside 20% of the equity for employee options. I'll retain 80% myself," Li Tang explained.
He hadn't planned to do this so soon. But with Alice arriving, it felt like the right time to gather the team under one shared vision.
He looked at her and said solemnly, "I can give you 1% of the equity, with a four-year vesting period."
"1%?" Alice wasn't sure how to interpret that.
In a big company, 1% was a fortune.
In a startup, it might be meaningless.
Li Tang Shengshi Holdings was still new. Its only asset was 34% ownership of Zhongcheng Mining, whose only asset was the Taluge exploration license.
Still, Li Tang never underestimated the value of what he was offering.
Seeing the uncertainty in her eyes, he said with conviction, "Right now, our shares don't look like much. But I believe that in a year or two, that 1% could be worth ten million—or more!"
"Okay," Alice nodded.
"You don't believe me?"
"Of course I do. Otherwise, I wouldn't be here."
She'd gotten the confirmation she needed—but some hesitation lingered. Not because of Li Tang, nor because of HighGain's good conditions.
Still, her hesitation didn't last long.
Just like the day she defied all advice and flew to China alone—she made her decision with courage and resolve.
"I'm going to resign from HighGain today and join your company."
After saying it, it was as if she'd been holding her breath underwater and finally burst to the surface—anxious, excited, and relieved.
Li Tang couldn't hide his joy. He stood up and extended his hand. "Welcome to the Li Tang Shengshi family!"
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