Chapter 183: Heading to Fengtian
Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
Zhou Chao hung up the phone and tossed it onto the table, stretching and taking a deep breath.
At this moment, Lin Wu had also finished his call and emerged from his bedroom.
“flow’s Xiao Wu’s reaction?”
“He’s overjoyed; he’s already eager to head to the northeast!” Lin Wu shook his head, thinking about how excited Xiao Wu had sounded during their phone call.
“While it’s great that he’s excited, he needs to be diligent and not let pride get in the way when he gets into the thick of things. As the big brother, you should give him some guidance on that.” Lin Wu nodded silently in response.
“By the way, what about Da Wu?” It was then that Zhou Chao remembered Big Wu, who was in charge of security. He hadn’t seen him around.
“He’s been arranged for a blind date at home. I gave him a few more days off to focus on that.”
“Hmm, you guys are getting married early. When the time comes and you want to get married, don’t blame me for not giving you a long vacation!”
“Don’t worry, boss! We won’t let our work suffer!” Zhou Chao nodded, and then he heard Lin Wu’s stomach growl.
“Oh, your stomach is protesting! It’s almost time for a meal. Let’s go eat something.” Lin Wu scratched his head, feeling a bit embarrassed.
Zhou Chao got up, changed his clothes, and then took Lin Wu to the restaurant on the second floor.
“Boss, how long are you planning to stay in Peng City?” Lin Wu carefully cut a piece of steak and glanced at Zhou Chao, asking cautiously.
“I don’t know. It depends on Li Wei’s efficiency. Why? Missing your girlfriend?” Zhou Chao’s words hit the bullseye, revealing Lin Wu’s hidden thoughts.
“Not really, just a little bit.”
“After we return to Modu, you’ll have ample opportunities to spend quality time with her!” Lin Wu nodded and spoke no more, knowing that Zhou Chao preferred quiet meals but enjoyed lively conversations over drinks.
After finishing their meal, Zhou Chao and Lin Wu returned to their room without going out. They lay on the bed to rest.
The following day came quickly, and it was not even 9:30 in the morning when Zhou Chao, still in bed, was awakened by the ringing of his phone, which was placed nearby.
“Who is it?” Zhou Chao, awakened from his dream, reached out and answered the call without checking the caller ID.
“Boss, sorry to disturb your rest with an early morning call!” Zhou Chao instantly recognized the voice on the other end as Wang Lan from the Jingdu Theater.
“Wang Lan, what’s going on?”
“Boss, I’ve used some of my connections and reached out to friends to gather information about the steel mill in the northeast where you’re going. It’s currently closed for reorganization, and the employees are at home waiting for it to reopen. Many of them are not local, and I’m concerned that a prolonged closure might affect our future operations. I’d like to go there in person to assess the situation.”
Upon hearing this, Zhou Chao remained silent for a moment, deep in thought. After a while, he spoke, “Alright, you go ahead and gather all the necessary information. 1’11 arrange for the person in charge to come as soon as possible. When the time comes, the two of you can communicate thoroughly. I hope you can cooperate sincerely to get the steel mill up and running as soon as possible.”
Wang Lan was also a smart person and understood the balance she needed to strike. She knew that the boss encouraged competition but within reasonable bounds. She had taken the initiative, and it could work to her advantage.
“I understand, boss! I’ll give it my all.”
“Sure, don’t hesitate to give me a call if there are any developments.” Zhou Chao concluded the call and ended up pondering Wang Lan’s remarkable capabilities. He began to wonder if Li Wei could effectively manage her in their upcoming collaboration.
“Li Wei, don’t embarrass me and Uncle Ye!” Zhou Chao didn’t dwell on it further and lay back down to play with his phone, as boredom struck without warning.
“Hmm, Ghost City Complex?” Zhou Chao watched a short video notification with a slight frown. The location was the same city where his steel mill was situated, and it wasn’t too far away.
Zhou Chao opened a search app and started looking into it. The more he delved into it, the more surprised he became.
“Why are property prices so low? You can buy a house for just twenty thousand?” Zhou Chao continued to research and quickly discovered the reason.
Fuxing was a typical resource-based city, once known for its coal industry. With resources depleting, companies relocating, and a drain of talent, it had lost its former glory. Zhou Chao now realized the significance of the decision to place his steel mill in Fuxing.
He sat up from the bed, dialed Li Wei’s number, and waited for a response.
In less than 5 seconds, Li Wei’s voice came through the phone.
“Boss!”
“Li Wei, have you arranged the employees for the steel mill? How many are willing to go to the northeast?”
“Boss, it’s all set. 1 was just about to call you, and you beat me to it!
Currently, all the employees in the factory are willing to go to the northeast. Some are concerned about adapting to the new environment and the lack of guarantees.” Li Wei raised some concerns.
“Hmm, these are not major issues. When the time comes, we’ll provide each person with a house. I understand that many of them are migrant workers and might want to bring their families. The company will take care of that. Make sure to convey this message to them. Also, this afternoon, make the necessary arrangements and fly with me to the northeast.
Additionally, I’ve arranged an assistant for you, so be cautious. She’s a strong-willed woman. 1 hope you won’t lag behind in your work. Your position may become unstable if you do. You’ll be letting down Uncle Ye. I hope you won’t disappoint us.”
Upon hearing Zhou Chao’s words, Li Wei couldn’t help but feel a bit nervous. Knowing that Zhou Chao referred to her as a strong-willed woman meant she had a formidable presence. However, Li Wei was also confident.
“Boss, rest assured, I won’t disappoint you or Secretary Ye.”
Hearing Li Wei’s enthusiastic tone, Zhou Chao nodded. “Alright, hand over your current tasks to Zhou Jilong. This afternoon, come with me to take care of some business.”
“Understood, boss!” After hanging up the phone, Zhou Chao left the bedroom and found Lin Wu sitting on the sofa.
“Lin Wu, book three tickets for the flight to Fengtian this afternoon.”
“Three tickets? Who else is going with you, boss?” Lin Wu looked puzzled.
“Li Wei.”
“Alright, boss!” Lin Wu moved to the side to message Li Wei, asking for his ID information.
Zhou Chao, on the other hand, stretched out on the sofa and began to outline his plans for the upcoming trip to Fuxing. He had a rough plan forming in his mind.
He also sent a message to Wang Lan, informing her that he and his team were planning to go to Fuxing and suggesting a meeting at Fengtian Airport.
Given the time it would take to reach there, it might already be evening when they arrived, and they would need to buy a car for convenience.
“Boss, I’ve booked the flight for 1:30 PM. Would you like to have lunch before we leave?” Zhou Chao checked the time; it was almost 11 AM. He nodded, and Lin Wu arranged for hotel room service to bring food to their room..