Chapter 220: One Life to Lose—Let's See Who's More Unlucky
"Cousin, sis-in-law, sit tight for a bit. I'm going to make a call."
Li Tang stood up and walked outside the hospital. He took out his phone and dialed the number of Geng Feiran, general manager of Tongdu Nonferrous Metals Group.
Now that he was in Huizhou Province—Geng Feiran's turf—it was only proper to let him know.
Geng answered the call with evident pleasure, and when he heard that Li Tang was in Huizhou, he was even more enthusiastic. As it happened, he was also in the provincial capital on business.
They agreed to meet for lunch that very day.
"When did you arrive?" Geng greeted him with a broad smile and even brought a case of fine liquor.
"Got here yesterday. I wanted to reach out to you this morning," Li Tang replied.
"You came to Huizhou? Then you definitely came to the right person."
Once they sat down and had a few drinks, the mood at the table grew warm and friendly.
"I still have some errands this afternoon, so I'll take it easy on the drinking," Li Tang said, seeing the full case of liquor Geng had placed on the table. "After I take care of business, I'll treat you properly. We'll drink for real then."
"You've got things to do this afternoon?" Geng asked, setting his chopsticks down. "Need help with anything?"
"I'm planning to start a molybdenum project here. But the mineral rights are currently held by the Huizhou Provincial Geological Bureau. I came to talk with them—see if I can secure the rights."
Li Tang didn't know anyone in the bureau except for his aunt.
Given her role as a soon-to-retire deputy in the admin office, her help would be limited to an introduction.
If Geng Feiran could step in, it would basically guarantee success.
"I know everyone at the bureau!"
Geng's voice immediately rose with excitement. "We've got a strategic partnership. They've been providing technical support for our mines for years. You came to the right guy!"
"Is that so?" Li Tang picked up his glass again. "I'll toast to that, Geng."
They clinked glasses, and Geng gave a hearty promise: "After lunch, we'll go to the bureau together. Leave it to me. So, what kind of mining right are you trying to get?"
"It's an exploration license in Shazhai County—no proven deposit, not a particularly valuable site."
Li Tang described the current status honestly. "The bureau did some work there in the past. I reviewed the historical data and saw potential for polymetallic mineralization. That's why I want to acquire the rights and begin exploration."
"If you're the one leading the exploration, there's no doubt it'll succeed. This is great news for Huizhou's entire geological community!"
Geng was excited but also grew more serious. "When Zhongcheng Mining was founded, we only invested a little. We hold just 2% of the shares. Looking back now, I regret it deeply. Is this new project for copper as well?"
"Molybdenum," Li Tang said plainly.
"Molybdenum?" Geng looked troubled. "That's outside our expertise. And as far as I know, Huizhou doesn't have any large molybdenum deposits."
"Exactly why it's time to make a breakthrough."
"You know what? Since you're personally handling this, I'm very interested. Could Tongdu Nonferrous get involved too?"
Clearly, Geng had great faith in Li Tang's technical ability and vision and wanted a seat at the table.
Li Tang hesitated. The project had come together quickly. He hadn't planned to include Tongdu Nonferrous initially.
But now that he thought about it, their involvement could be a huge asset in clearing local hurdles.
"Let's first secure the exploration rights. Then we can talk about partnerships, alright?"
He quickly realized how valuable Tongdu's involvement would be. Worst case, he'd sacrifice a portion of his own equity options to bring them in.
The agreement with Kunshang Group, Hongda Group, and Gaolu Potash was still just an intention—a memorandum, not a binding contract.
"Fantastic!" Geng's smile widened.
Mining companies across China were dying to work with Li Tang. Many had tried and failed.
Yet here he was, showing up on Geng's doorstep.
"Let's get those rights this afternoon. Don't worry—it's in the bag. It's just an unproven exploration site."
"I'm afraid I can't go this afternoon. My cousin was injured in a car accident and is being discharged today. I need to arrange a car and take him home," Li Tang said, almost offhandedly.
"I've got nothing urgent this afternoon, and arranging a car is simple. Let me take care of it!"
Geng didn't hesitate to help. With the lunch going this well, he couldn't ignore a small request like this. That would be unthinkable.
People in business know: understanding what someone needs, and helping when it counts, is the secret to building lasting relationships.
Especially when it comes to helping with personal matters—that's how bonds are really formed.
And for Geng, arranging a vehicle was a trivial task.
"But it's just a personal matter. I wouldn't want to bother you with it," Li Tang said, feeling a little awkward.
"Nonsense. Your business is my business."
Geng leaned forward, his tone caring. "How bad was the accident? Should I find a specialist for him? It's hard to book them these days unless you have the right connections."
"He broke his leg, but he's being discharged today."
"That's good. A real stroke of luck."
Geng glanced at his watch, then raised his glass. "One last toast. After this, we'll head to the hospital together to get your cousin. Then I'll see if the bureau leadership is free this evening so we can all meet."
"That would be a huge favor," Li Tang said sincerely.
"It's what friends do."
Geng quickly instructed his staff to bring more vehicles. Usually, when someone is discharged, friends and family show up in numbers, so it's best to be prepared.
Since they'd lingered over lunch to talk business, by the time they arrived at the hospital, it was already past two in the afternoon.
As Li Tang walked into the ward, he saw that it was full of people—two distinct groups.
One side was made up of Lin Feiming's family and friends. The other was Tao Jing Shen and his men.
No one was speaking, but the looks exchanged between the two sides said plenty.
"I really consider Feiming a brother. I came today just to take him home. I've already arranged everything," Tao said, voice smooth and full of concern.
But the men behind him—young, tattooed, and muscular—clearly weren't there to sing Kumbaya.
Feiming's relatives were visibly uneasy. They avoided eye contact, intimidated by Tao's entourage.
Everyone knew: messing with people like that rarely ends well.
"Don't pretend to be so kind," Feiming shot back. He had changed out of his hospital gown, though his leg was still in a cast and he couldn't stand.
"I really mean well," Tao said, still polite on the surface.
"Keep your goodwill."
Feiming pulled out the envelope Tao had left that morning. "I'm taking this as partial compensation. Like I said—you owe me eighty thousand. This is just five. That leaves seventy-five."
"You're being unreasonable. This wasn't even my fault," Tao replied, trying to stay calm.
Eighty thousand yuan was no small sum. In some rural areas, that was enough to build a house.
"I don't care. You wrecked my truck, and I'm not letting it go. You make hundreds of thousands a year while I've got nothing. You think you're getting away without paying a cent? Not a chance!"
"Brother, you don't need to threaten me."
The tension was mounting. Everyone in the room was watching.
Tao's smile began to fade. "I came here with goodwill, but you're twisting my intentions. If you want to make a scene, be sure you can handle the consequences."
His tone carried a chilling warning.
Feiming flinched, but held his ground. "One life to lose—let's see who ends up worse!"
Tao stared at him like a predator sizing up prey—his eyes cold and sharp.
His gaze was more frightening than any words.
Suddenly—
"Brand new wheelchair! Come on, tear off the plastic, let's see if it fits!"
Geng Feiran had arrived with the wheelchair, intending it as a gift. From the hallway, he gestured for his staff to bring it in.
He hadn't seen the tense standoff that had just taken place. As he entered, he noticed the awkward silence and turned to Li Tang with a puzzled look.
Then, smiling, he addressed the room: "Hello everyone. I'm a friend of Li Tang's. He told me his cousin had a leg injury and was being discharged today. So I brought a wheelchair as a small token—just something to help out before the leg heals."
He was cheerful, unaware of the dark cloud hanging over the ward. He just thought there were a lot of visitors.
"Try it out—see if it's comfortable," he said with a grin.
Li Tang had been standing by the door, observing. He hadn't stepped in because nothing had crossed the line—yet.
Now that things had settled down, he stepped forward and introduced Geng.
"This is my friend, Geng Feiran, General Manager of Tongdu Nonferrous Metals Group."
He extended his hand and gave Geng a firm shake. "Thank you, Geng, for taking the time to come."
"It's nothing. Just want to make sure your cousin recovers quickly."
Geng's secretary handed him a thick envelope. He took it and walked over to the bedside.
Seeing the cast, he gently handed over the envelope. "Accidents like this are really unfortunate. But you seem to be recovering well. This is a small token from Tongdu Nonferrous. Please accept it."
Lin Feiming stared at Li Tang in disbelief as he took the envelope.
It was noticeably thicker than the one Tao had given.
And it wasn't the cash that shocked him.
It was Geng's identity.
Tongdu Nonferrous Metals Group.
Feiming had hauled ore at Tongdu's mines for years. He knew full well what kind of powerhouse it was.
To him, Tao was already someone to envy—connected, making hundreds of thousands a year.
But above Tao were the managers at Tongdu. They were the real players—people who could change lives with a word.
And at the top?
Tongdu Nonferrous Metals Group.
A state-owned titan that sold ore worth billions a year. The general manager's power was beyond imagining.
With that kind of backing, Li Tang could walk into Tongdu anytime and become an executive—no more driving trucks. He could sit in an office and let others come to him, begging for favors.
"You're really the general manager of Tongdu?" Feiming asked, still stunned.
"I am," Geng replied with a warm smile. "I'm Geng Feiran. If you ever need help, feel free to reach out—either directly or through Li Tang."
"First time I've seen a real GM," Feiming murmured.
"I am, indeed, alive," Geng chuckled awkwardly.
He motioned for the wheelchair to be brought over. "Using crutches is risky. Better to use this."
The wheelchair rolled forward, and everyone helped ease Feiming into it.
The mood in the room shifted completely—now warm, now cheerful.
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