Chapter 266: A Triumphant Return Home
The journey of less than 900 kilometers turned out to be rather enjoyable.
According to He Runqi, even if they had chosen to fly to the provincial capital, they would still need to rent a car and drive another 300 kilometers. In comparison, simply driving from the start turned out to be the less complicated option.
Once they exited the highway, the asphalt country roads led them straight to the small town where He Runqi's family lived.
But that marked the end of the pleasant part of the trip.
Dai Yingchi, an experienced driver from the northeast, was used to smooth, flat roads. But here, he finally understood the meaning of steep mountains, winding roads, and treacherous terrain.
The vehicle crawled across a bumpy, muddy path. The narrow road often ran alongside cliffs or steep slopes, and glancing out the window to the dozens of meters below made one dizzy and weak at the knees.
Only now did Dai understand why He Runqi had said that most hired cars wouldn't drive beyond the town. This stretch of road was definitely not for the faint of heart.
Not to mention, most vehicles probably couldn't handle it. Thankfully, their company car was a four-wheel drive.
Ten kilometers took more than an hour, but eventually, they made it safely.
"Why would anyone live in such a remote mountain area?" Dai kept asking.
In his mind, people should live in flat, open spaces. This trip was a real eye-opener.
"We all live on hillsides here. There's no flat land," He replied, no longer embarrassed like he might have been in the past. His mindset had changed.
"That's my house up ahead!"
He pointed to a low house near the village entrance. Its walls were stacked from large stones, and its roof was covered in black tiles, exuding a weathered and historical feel.
Compared to neighboring houses—some of which were crudely built with a mix of mud and straw—his family home was in relatively good shape.
As their SUV rumbled to a stop on the gravel lot near the entrance, villagers began to gather.
Most people here had never traveled more than ten kilometers beyond their own town. So the sight of a shiny, modern vehicle stirred curiosity and excitement.
Children sprinted over, chattering and laughing. They touched the smooth paint of the car like it was a rare treasure.
In this rural area, modern vehicles were rare. Two tractors were already considered advanced technology.
"Er Dan! What are you doing?" He Runqi called out to one of the kids nearby.
A group of children immediately shouted in unison.
"Brother Runqi is back!"
"We heard you went to the big city to study and found a great job—it's true!"
"When I grow up, I want to go to college too and move to the city!"
"My mom says going to college is nothing—what really matters is marrying a city girl!"
"Everyone come see! Brother Runqi is back!"
The kids surrounded He, tugging at his clothes and pant legs with their dirty hands. Some had snot running down their faces, but they still laughed and jumped with joy.
Under a big tree nearby, elderly folks and a few bored young men watched from afar. Slowly, they approached, circling the car.
Some peeked inside cautiously, inspecting the interior. Others stared at their reflection in the side mirrors. A few knelt down to look under the chassis.
But most eyes were on He Runqi.
They had watched him grow up—elementary, middle, and high school—he was always the top student. The first college student in the entire village.
It came late, but it inspired many.
"Studying really can change your fate. He's brought honor to the whole family."
"This car must've cost a fortune."
"Definitely more than my tractor. At least thirty grand!"
"You know nothing. My cousin works at the township office. He said the town's crappy little sedan cost over two hundred grand. This car is way nicer—it has to be worth more!"
"Runqi really made money in the big city. If I had known, I would've studied harder."
"Not everyone can make it to college—it's all up to fate."
"His family's ancestral graves must have great feng shui."
"I heard he works for a state-owned company—a real iron rice bowl. Must make good money."
"He's probably a big boss now—just look at that car."
"What's a big boss?"
"Bigger than the village chief, at least!"
People whispered and speculated. Everyone was amazed by He Runqi's success—a walking example of how education changes lives.
He greeted everyone warmly—he had prepared for this moment.
The car's trunk and back seat were piled high with candy.
"Monitor, help me hand these out," he said to Dai Yingchi.
Dai had been sitting in the driver's seat, hesitant to get out. But he soon realized the crowd was simply curious—not hostile.
Hearing He's call, he finally unbuckled and stepped out.
They handed out candy to the kids. He Runqi even brought small gifts to deliver to every household.
When word spread across the hills that He Runqi had returned, his parents dropped their farm tools and came running.
Seeing his parents, shoes caked in mud, made He's nose tingle.
Earlier this year, during the Lunar New Year, he had left on the second day to get back to the molybdenum project at Shazhai. Now, months had passed.
His father's wrinkles had deepened. His mother's calloused hands were tougher than ever.
"This is my college classmate and company colleague," he said, introducing Dai.
"I'm his subordinate now," Dai said, forgetting the exhaustion of the road.
"Come in and sit."
Though the house was old, with dirt floors, it was immaculately clean.
Soon, other villagers came as well.
Relatives entered the house. Everyone else waited at the door—three or four rows deep.
Almost the entire village showed up.
Word had spread that He had returned in a car and was now a big boss—everyone wanted to catch a glimpse or maybe get lucky.
Even the village chief arrived, a cigarette pipe clamped in his mouth.
In his seventies now, the walk had tired him out. He sat on a small stool and solemnly declared:
"He Runqi has made us all proud. This is an honor for our whole village!"
He and Dai had just sat down and taken a sip of water when He decided not to waste time.
He placed his bowl on the ground and spoke to the chief and his parents.
"I've come back for something important and want to discuss it with everyone."
"You're our only college graduate. Whatever you say is the village's top priority," the chief said, lighting his pipe and nodding with respect.
"Our company has a project overseas. We need to recruit thirty to fifty healthy, hardworking laborers."
As soon as he finished, the room erupted.
"Being a laborer is great! You get paid!"
"But it's overseas—we can't handle that."
"Where is overseas? How far is it?"
"I heard a guy from the next village went south and made a ton—hundreds a month!"
"Without connections, you can't find work."
The village chief slammed his pipe on the stool. "Quiet! Let the boy finish!"
Instant silence. All eyes turned to He.
"Australia is far. We'll go to Yanjing first, then fly overseas."
He knew many villagers lacked education, especially the elders, so he kept it simple.
"I want to know who's willing to go with us."
"We have to fly?"
"Do we earn a few hundred a month?"
"What about food and housing?"
"In the south, we just bring a blanket and find a corner to sleep in."
The murmurs began again.
He raised both hands. "Work lasts about six months to a year. Pay is ten thousand yuan per month. Food and housing included. We'll even provide bedding and clothes."
"How much?!"
People heard him, but they couldn't believe it.
"Ten thousand yuan a month!" He smiled.
"The township officials don't even make that much!"
"That's more than I've saved my whole life!"
"You saved ten grand? You're a millionaire!"
"Is this real?!"
The place exploded.
They weren't unfamiliar with money—but that number stunned them.
In daily conversations, they'd be envious of someone earning 500–600 a month down south.
They all wanted to work, but had no education and no guidance.
Those who did find jobs only made 10–20 yuan a day.
Ten thousand a month? Unimaginable.
The village chief thought for a long time, then knocked his pipe again.
"You say ten thousand. We can't even dream of that. Our families farm all year and barely make a few hundred. It's hard enough to cover school fees."
The village's financial struggles were real. When He went to university, his family had borrowed money from nearly every household.
"I also heard," the chief continued, "some people trick villagers into mining overseas, and they never come back."
"It's a legitimate company," Dai interjected, accent heavy but understandable. "We'll register with the township and complete all legal exit procedures."
"That's right. Everything is supervised," He added. "You all know me. I'd never deceive anyone."
"We've already spoken with the township chief," Dai said, pulling out documents. "Here are the job offers from Li Tang Shengshi Holdings, plus our business license. And this—an introduction letter from Wukuang Group."
Wukuang was a famous state enterprise in Yanjing. Once the township chief saw that letter, his attitude had turned warm.
He handed the letter to the village chief.
The old man studied the red seal.
He didn't know what Wukuang was—but the stamp looked trustworthy.
Suddenly, the pipe fell from his lips.
Looking up, he asked, "Can an old man like me apply? I eat two big bowls of rice a day and can carry 200 pounds of corn on my shoulder, no problem."
He Runqi chuckled, "Village Chief, let the younger folks do this. You enjoy your retirement."
"Then send my two grandsons. They've got strength, if not education. And my granddaughter—she's stronger than most boys!"
That sparked loud objections.
"You're hogging all the slots!"
"You've been fair your whole life—don't mess it up now!"
"My kids can work hard too—let them go!"
"I have no sons. You can't take everything for yourself!"
The louder the voices, the more it proved how much this opportunity meant to them.
Despite the enthusiasm, there was still nervousness about working overseas. After all, going so far from home meant being completely out of one's element. If something went wrong, no one would be around to help.
But since an entire village was involved—dozens of people—the fear wasn't overwhelming.
And with the township government's support, including the mayor personally verifying the legitimacy of the job recruitment, trust was high.
The village was in uproar all night. No one had the appetite for dinner.
Knowing their son had made something of himself, He Runqi
Although everyone was excited about working overseas, they still felt uneasy deep down. After all, being far from home meant that even if they shouted to the heavens, no one would hear, and if they called to the earth, it wouldn't respond.
But since nearly the whole village was involved—dozens of people—there was strength in numbers, and that eased some of the worry.
Besides, the town government had already vetted the legitimacy of the recruitment, with the town mayor personally verifying it.
The entire village buzzed through the night; no one even felt like eating dinner.
He Runqi's parents, knowing their son had become successful and were now willing to spend money freely, decided to invite a few strong relatives and slaughter a mid-sized pig from their pen.
They worked late into the night. When the aroma of pork began to drift through the village, the arguments finally stopped, and everyone sat down to eat.
He Runqi, familiar with the local young and strong labor force, registered people one by one with Dai Yingchi. Nearly every household contributed at least one person.
When they counted, they realized there were more than sixty people—far exceeding the number of recruits Li Tang had initially requested.
With no choice, they hiked up to the town where there was mobile signal and called Li Tang to get approval.
When it came time to leave, the whole village pitched in, bringing along eggs, peanuts, and other farm produce. Some mothers, worried their children might go hungry abroad, insisted on sending along live hens from home.
Hundreds of villagers walked together to the town to send them off, forming a massive farewell procession.
As the minivans sped up, gradually disappearing into the distance, people watched until the last taillight vanished.
Some couldn't hold back their emotions and began to cry.
Tears are contagious. More and more people were crying.
Some sobbed loudly, others wiped their tears quietly. Even men who never cried had glassy eyes as they watched their children leave.
After all, this was going overseas. No one knew what to expect.
The town mayor came along with several staff members to see them off.
To ensure the legitimacy of He Runqi and Dai Yingchi's identities, he had even contacted Wukuang Group directly and confirmed everything.
This resolved a major employment issue in the village. Dozens of jobs created, and the economy stimulated!
It saved the local government a lot of headaches.
When he heard the wages were 10,000 yuan a month, he admitted that if he didn't already have a decent job, he would have been tempted to go himself.
Working for a year at that rate would earn more than ten years of his salary.
As the vehicles disappeared over the horizon and the crowd turned back, he couldn't help but sigh, "He Runqi really made something of himself!"
He even invited He's parents to have dinner with him and started thinking about how to leverage this relationship to solve more local employment issues in the future.
...
Li Tang arrived at Wukuang Group's headquarters.
When Niu Fu saw him, he immediately scolded, "The mining rights for the Tallego Copper-Gold Mine were approved. All the shareholders were thrilled and had been waiting for you to call a celebration meeting or something. But when nothing happened, Chen Jinghe and I decided to organize a dinner on our own."
"I wasn't aware," Li Tang said, helplessly.
"Everyone's a bit disappointed with you," Niu Fu said sternly.
Li Tang knew the discontent wasn't serious, but still apologized, "I've been in Australia this whole time—you know that."
"They say you're not focused. Too many irons in the fire."
Niu Fu didn't dwell on it. "You're here because of the iron ore project in Australia, right?"
"Yes," Li Tang nodded.
"I saw some reports. The media didn't make much noise, but I noticed."
Niu Fu recalled, "You acquired a listed company, right? Lianying Mining?"
"That's right."
"How much did it cost?"
Although Wukuang Group had known about the acquisition beforehand, they hadn't participated.
Li Tang did a quick calculation. Including the 5 million AUD loan to Lianying and the investment bank's commission, the total came to about 20 million AUD—roughly 100 million yuan.
"About 100 million," he replied.
"For that price, it's actually not that expensive overseas," Niu Fu commented thoughtfully. "But for a domestic mining company, it's a successful attempt. How's the internal integration going?"
"I didn't change a single employee. Just demoted the previous CEO Kent. Everyone else stayed the same."
Li Tang explained his approach. "I didn't shake up the management."
"They're following your instructions?" Niu Fu was surprised.
"It's a technical company. The employees are highly educated, professional. No conflicts so far," Li Tang said, relieved. "Honestly, we got lucky."
"You came to me because you want something else, right?" Niu Fu asked directly, skipping the pleasantries.
"Lianying is listed. We're preparing to raise 100 million AUD. We hold 75%, so we have the option to buy most of the new shares."
Li Tang was here to invite Wukuang to invest. "I wanted to see if you'd be interested."
"Of course we're interested!"
Niu Fu smiled. "We've always wanted to expand abroad, especially in iron ore. Remember our failed bid for Coastal Resources? That showed we're serious about it."
"These are some drill results from Pilbara," Li Tang handed over documents.
Niu took them and passed them to Zhao Hepu, who glanced at them and gave them to Qin Jianshe.
"There's ore, and the quality's decent," Qin commented.
"I've said before—I believe the iron ore market has great long-term potential," Li Tang said. "And instead of buying Lianying's shares on the market, I suggest you invest in Nanyang Investment Company—our new overseas holding entity. Currently, it's fully owned by us."
"I support that," Niu nodded.
"Nanyang's assets, including the upcoming 75 million AUD investment, total around 500 million yuan," Li Tang explained. "We'll use that to determine equity percentages. You invest more, we invest less—simple. If you want control, say by putting in over 250 million, that's fine with me."
"I heard you recently secured a 500 million loan, so I know you're liquid," Niu noted.
After reviewing the group's finances, Niu said, "We can probably mobilize 100 to 200 million yuan, but we'll need board approval."
"Let's work out the details later and formalize it with a contract," Li Tang said professionally.
This project carried both massive opportunity and massive risk.
After meeting Governor Zachary, Li Tang felt it was wise to share some of that risk.
If they funded it all themselves, it would mean betting the entire house.
Exploration was still manageable. But mining would require enormous capital.
Better to plan early.
Besides Wukuang, the real ideal partners were the major domestic steel companies.
Unfortunately, after reaching out to several big names, none showed strong interest.
At this stage in the iron ore supply chain, profits weren't yet tempting enough.
After leaving Wukuang's headquarters, Li Tang visited the offices of Shenxia Group.
It was his first time there.
Most people didn't recognize him, but as soon as he approached the finance office, Xiao Xi spotted him.
"Qi-jie, Li Tang's here!" she ran excitedly to Li Xinqi.
Li Xinqi turned, her eyes lighting up in surprise and shyness when she saw Li Tang in a sharp suit standing at the door.
"When did you get back?" she asked, trying to keep her composure in the workplace.
"Who's that?"
Most of the finance team were women. Seeing her approach Li Tang, everyone paused their work to watch.
"You all carry on, I'm stepping out for a bit," she said, grabbing Li Tang's hand and guiding him to the lounge.
The office lost all focus. One by one, people wandered to the door to peek.
"Who was that guy?" they whispered. Clearly, Xiao Xi knew.
"That's Qi-jie's boyfriend!" she declared, not trying to hide it.
"No way! Since when?"
"If this is true, so many guys in the office are going to be heartbroken. I know a bunch who like her."
"Liking someone isn't enough—you have to act. Guess the water didn't stay in our pond after all."
"He's not even that good-looking."
"He's got good posture, neat clothes—probably has a great job."
"Let's stop speculating. Xiao Xi, tell us more!"
Xiao Xi grinned and whispered, "You haven't heard? That was Li Tang. The CEO of Li Tang Shengshi Holdings and the real owner behind Zhongcheng Mining."
"Li Tang?!"
"You mean that Li Tang? The mining tycoon?"
"He's loaded!"
"He's on the same level as our boss!"
"I thought she was dating some random guy. But now it seems they're a perfect match."
"An actual self-made billionaire…"
"Xiao Xi, how serious are they?"
"I'm not totally sure," she admitted. "But I've seen them talk on the phone after work a lot lately."
"Definitely dating then. No doubt."
"A perfect pair, if I've ever seen one."
"No wonder she was assigned to Zhongcheng Mining—it all makes sense now."
...
Li Tang didn't expect Li Xinqi to throw herself into his arms like that. Feeling her close, her breath on his skin, all the stress of work melted away.
He gently wrapped his arms around her.
They only separated when footsteps passed by the door.
"I heard it's really hot in Western Australia. Was it tough?" she asked.
"Very hot. And dry. But you get used to it."
They chatted casually for a bit before Li Tang asked, "Is your dad in the office?"
"He should be. Are you here to see him?"
"I came to see you," he smiled, "but yes, I also need to talk to him about work."
He pulled a box of fine chocolates from his pocket. "Brought these from Australia for you."
"Thank you!" she beamed and led him to her father's office.
Li Xingchao looked up from his desk as they entered, his expression brightening.
"Li Tang! You've been gone for over a month!"
"Wrapped up the acquisition, and rushed back," Li Tang said.
"I'll leave you two to talk," Xinqi said, exiting tactfully.
"I'll borrow him for a moment. You two catch up later," her father said with a smile.
"So, what brings you here?" he asked once they were alone.
"Would you be interested in investing in iron ore?" Li Tang recapped his earlier conversation with Niu Fu.
The response was similar—strong interest, but any investment over 100 million would need board approval.
After leaving Shenxia Group, Li Tang took Li Xinqi out for spicy hot pot—a well-earned treat.
Aside from Wukuang and Shenxia, he didn't approach other companies.
While waiting on their decisions, He Runqi and Dai Yingchi brought over 60 workers to Yanjing.
They needed visas, and even with special arrangements, it would take some time.
Meanwhile, Li Tang arranged for them to attend a training school for pre-departure safety orientation.
In construction, safety always comes first.
Most of them had never worked formally. Aside from strength and energy, they didn't yet understand what responsibilities came with the job.
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