Chapter 102: Traits of a Successful Person

The words were calm, yet brimming with Feng Haodong’s domineering presence.

Chai Jin couldn’t help but fall into a moment of deep thought. In his previous life, there were countless figures who stood atop the clouds, commanding the winds and the storms, but he didn’t recall ever hearing about Feng Haodong. What exactly had Feng Haodong been doing in that past life?

But that was beside the point. Chai Jin raised his glass. “Brother Dong, a toast to you.”

Feng Haodong clinked his glass with a smile. “Still, let me put it this way: your information won’t be much use if you send it south.”

“I need to get it to the capital. That’ll take some time, you understand?”

How could Chai Jin not understand? If Lai Changxing really made a move, all the evidence Chai Jin had painstakingly gathered would be wiped clean by that powerful hand in the shadows, leaving no trace.

And what would follow was certain, relentless revenge.

If you’re going to fight, you fight to the end. A slap across the face might be an insult, but it won’t shake your opponent in the least.

Chai Jin smiled, “I understand.”

After setting down his glass, Feng Haodong seemed to recall something and handed Chai Jin a cigarette. Lighting his own, he stood and gave Chai Jin’s shoulder a pat.

“Come with me.”

Chai Jin stood up, puzzled, and followed.

Feng Haodong walked to the floor-to-ceiling window and pointed. “Do you see that empty lot behind Yangyun Tower?”

“I see it,” Chai Jin replied, still unsure what Feng Haodong was getting at.

Taking a drag on his cigarette, Feng Haodong looked at him and said, “That land covers more than a thousand acres.”

“Are you interested in acquiring it? If you are, I’ll help you operate—at a rock-bottom price.”

Chai Jin’s curiosity grew. “Brother Dong, what do you mean?”

Feng Haodong burst out laughing. “Xiao Li Bai liquor is making waves right now. When the gale comes, you need to seize the wind at the first moment.”

“This is the fast-moving consumer goods sector. If you don’t grab the opportunity, you’ll be replaced before you know it.”

“And, if you secure that land now, from a real estate investment perspective, you can’t go wrong in the future.”

Chai Jin understood what Feng Haodong was getting at. The higher you climb, the colder it gets; once you’ve reached the summit, a single misstep means a deadly fall.

Feng Haodong clearly wanted to push Chai Jin to higher ground—so that he wouldn’t be alone at the top. If trouble came, there would be someone to lend a hand.

Why such trust in Chai Jin?

Because they were both farm boys who’d come out of the same village.

With that, the conversation turned to an in-depth discussion of real estate.

How did this city in the south begin?

After the Special Economic Zone was established, the state tightened its belt to provide thirty million yuan. Turning a small fishing village into an economic powerhouse with that much was impossible.

So the city government resorted to leasing land, attracting a flood of Hong Kong capital for urban development. In this way, they built infrastructure and secured funds for further growth.

This was the cradle of commercial housing.

Feng Haodong predicted that, in the future, land would be the most indispensable resource in this special zone.

That’s why he urged Chai Jin to stockpile land.

Once again, Chai Jin was impressed by Feng Haodong’s foresight.

The times can make a person, but one must have the ability to foresee the future.

Success is never an accident.

Chai Jin, of course, did not refuse. Over a thousand acres—enough to build two factories: one for Xiao Li Bai liquor, and another for the mobile phone factory he’d long planned.

But all this would require massive investment.

His hundred million wasn’t enough to cover it all; he needed to raise money like mad.

…

After leaving Feng Haodong, Chai Jin received a call from Wang Xiaoli. The little girl found another excuse, saying that Xiao Shan missed her brother terribly, and she had no choice but to wait until Xiao Shan’s summer break to bring her to the city.

Even a fool wouldn’t believe such an excuse, but Chai Jin didn’t call her out—he just said to call ahead when the time came.

On the way, he thought of Old Huang and the others, so he made a detour to see them.

Old Huang was about to go mad. The bosses had increased the staffing quota—double the people, but the headhunting fees remained the same.

He was going crazy, but still happy—after all, it was all money.

When Chai Jin arrived, Old Huang, already at his wit’s end, handed everything over to their new recruit and dragged Liu Shan and Su Wenbin to a late-night eatery near Hongchang Electronics.

They ordered a huge table of food.

Old Huang’s face was flushed. “No one’s fighting me for the bill tonight—this meal’s on me!”

Liu Shan teased, “Only Jin gets to eat your food. Never seen you treat anyone else!”

Old Huang was embarrassed. “Eat, eat, before it gets cold.”

Chai Jin felt relaxed, raising his glass to clink with the others. “Wenbin, are you used to this new life?”

Su Wenbin grinned honestly. “I’m used to it, Jin.”

“By the way, Jin, where did you go after leaving the factory? What are you doing now?”

“Why not join us here? Boss Fang is generous and not stingy at all.”

None of the three realized that their real boss was Chai Jin himself.

He smiled. “Thanks, but I’m working on a project outside. It’s going well.”

“By the way, what’s the situation over at Hongchang Electronics?”

That was one of the reasons he’d come today. He was waiting for an opportunity.

At Liu Shan’s answer, Chai Jin’s expression didn’t change, but a keen light flashed in his eyes.

He was waiting for just such a chance.

Old Huang chimed in, “That second-generation rich kid He Kai is no good, bullying a girl like that. The factory’s split into factions, but the young lady has only been here a few months—how could she possibly win against He Kai?”

“What’s more, those who can actually get things done are sidelined, and the key positions are all held by toadies. The young lady is too upright for that game.”

“So the outlook isn’t good.”

They all knew the factory’s situation well, having worked there before and loved gossip about Hongchang Electronics.

Chai Jin remained calm. “Wasn’t He Kai her childhood friend? How did things get so bad between them?”

“Jin, you know the answer—it’s jealousy. If he can’t have her, he’ll destroy her.”

“Now he’s spreading rumors in the factory that she’s degrading herself, throwing away a good life just to have some vague relationship with you, a farm boy.”

Su Wenbin, guileless as always, spoke the truth.

Chai Jin was genuinely speechless. Nothing had actually happened between him and the young lady—just a few sodas together. But because of their “status gap,” jealous tongues had whipped up a storm, and now everyone believed there was something between them.