Chapter 011: Who Is Truly Reaching Above Their Station?
Qin Lin's background was bleak—his mother ran away with another man when he was just three years old. At fifteen, he ventured out into the world, starting as a factory worker in a machinery plant. Later, he married the supervisor's daughter, and from then on, his career soared.
He made use of the factory for his own ends, assembled a transport fleet to run his own side business, and eventually established supply routes along the coast to reap enormous profits.
Now, at forty-five, he was worth tens of millions. At home, his legitimate wife held her place, while outside, his many affairs were an open secret.
Despite his numerous lovers, he had only three children. Gao Ran was his eldest daughter and his only illegitimate child.
Just that morning, he was dining in an upscale restaurant in the provincial capital when he received a call from Zhou Runbo, which immediately put him on alert.
He thought rival bootleggers from other provinces had encroached on his territory, but after a round of investigation, he discovered it was an obscure young man.
On top of that, his daughter Gao Ran had her things snatched by Niu Li, so he decided to come to Xiyan City to see for himself.
“Boss, this really has nothing to do with me. I just had some employees buy from your daughter, they…”
“I generally don’t act until I’ve investigated thoroughly,” Qin Lin replied in his unhurried, measured way, which made Niu Li feel as though he’d fallen into an icehouse.
People whose emotions were unreadable like this were the most terrifying—no one could tell if he would kill someone the next second.
“Boss Qin, I... I was wrong!”
Wiping the moisture from his hands with a napkin, Qin Lin said calmly, “Sorry to trouble you by having you come over. You probably haven't eaten yet.”
“Take Boss Niu down to eat. Once he’s had his fill, we’ll discuss business.”
The black-suited bodyguards on either side immediately seized Niu Li, covering his mouth to prevent him from speaking as they led him away.
“Boss, all the information on Zhang Tianfeng has been gathered. Please take a look.”
An elderly man wearing glasses approached from behind, placing a notebook and several sheets of paper on the table.
The notebook belonged to Zhang Tianfeng; the papers contained detailed information tracing the Zhang family back three generations, each member’s background meticulously recorded.
“This young man is interesting,” Qin Lin mused.
The Zhang family wasn’t influential—three generations of honest, law-abiding farmers. Yet, how did a young man who’d never set foot in a coastal city know the entire contents of “The Story of Liang Kun”? The only explanation was that he’d had contact with bootleggers from other provinces.
That wasn't important. What truly drew Qin Lin’s attention were Zhang Tianfeng’s business tactics.
Many of the methods Zhang used were ones Qin Lin had never seen or fully understood.
“Boss, shall I bring him in?”
“No need. If he wants to do business with me, let’s first see what he’s capable of,” Qin Lin said after a moment’s thought. “Let Niu Li compete with him. Two days.”
If Niu Li won, he’d be safe and sound. If he lost, retribution would come as it must.
Qin Lin continued, “Assign someone to keep a close eye on that Zhang kid. Record all his profit-making methods and have them tested by someone in the provincial capital. I want results by tonight. I’ll review them in two days.”
“Yes, boss.”
“That’s all. I’m heading back. Eat on your own.”
“Boss, Pei Guan has asked to invite you for a meal.”
“That sniveling fence wants to dine with me?”
“I’ve already refused, but he said if you decline, he’ll go talk to Miss Ranran directly.”
“That bastard dares threaten me!” Qin Lin’s jaw tensed, but he soon returned to his usual composure: “Forget the meal. Let him come to the sixth floor for tea.”
“Alright, I’ll inform him.”
...
Night passed in the blink of an eye. After catching up on sleep, Zhang Tianfeng ate breakfast downstairs and took a cab straight to the bank.
When a mountain of cash appeared in the banking hall, the previously dismissive staff instantly transformed into the most attentive of servants, eager to please him.
He kept a thousand on hand, deposited the rest, and headed straight for the wholesale market.
“I thought you’d come at noon,” Qin Yuelan said, already waiting at the entrance, serving shaved ice to customers while she spoke.
“For the next half-year or more, I won’t be able to sleep in,” Zhang Tianfeng replied, opening the shop and organizing things for business.
Before long, customers began to arrive—group after group, even more than the day before, and all with money to spend.
It was only then that Qin Yuelan understood Zhang Tianfeng’s intentions, and her curiosity about the young man deepened.
Half a day passed in a flash. By afternoon, the sun blazed fiercely, sending customers off to rest in the shade.
With time to spare, Zhang Tianfeng sat in the corridor, chatting with Qin Yuelan and observing the vendors below.
Every wholesaler’s stall was piled with booklets, as well as simply packaged bracelets and brooches.
After the last customers left, Qin Yuelan leaned on the railing and remarked, “I heard several printing factories worked through the night, churning out nearly a million copies of ‘Summer Romance.’”
“Niu Li is dead set on crushing you with price wars. Will your strategy work?”
“It will,” Zhang Tianfeng answered with certainty.
The market’s response was the best test. Niu Li was clever, attacking from the low-end market to avoid a head-on clash—yet everything was unfolding according to Zhang Tianfeng’s plan.
After a while, Zhang Tianfeng said, “I’m going to nap for a few minutes. You keep busy.”
Just as he was about to step inside, a sudden shout erupted from downstairs.
“Zhang Jincai, you and your wife—where are you running off to? Stand right there!”
Zhang Tianfeng spun around, looking toward the entrance of the wholesale market. He saw his parents being accosted by a fat, middle-aged man—Li Li’s father, Li Cheng.
He hesitated for a moment. “Sister Lan, please watch the shop for me. I need to go down.”
Li Cheng’s voice echoed through the market, snapping the drowsy vendors to full attention.
“The Zhang family really has some nerve. In this day and age, you still try to ruin someone’s reputation with gossip?”
“And to think your family produced a college student, yet you stoop to such despicable behavior!”
Zhang Tianfeng hurried to the entrance. “Mom, Dad, what happened?”
“I don’t know, son. Your mother and I just came to buy stock for the stall, and suddenly he started cursing us,” Zhang Jincai said, bewildered.
He had thought that since they were soon to be in-laws, it was best to endure this for their son’s sake. But now it seemed things were more complicated.
“Don’t play innocent. Who else but your family would spread rumors about you sleeping with my daughter?”
“Take a good look at yourself—what kind of people are the Zhangs?”
“I run a deli in Xiyan, earning four or five hundred a day. Your whole family could break their backs for a month and still not make half of what I earn in two weeks.”
“Toads lusting after swans! You’d better clear this up, or you’ll regret it!”
“Are you done shouting? Then it’s my turn.”
Zhang Tianfeng stepped forward, placing himself in front of his parents. “First, I have nothing to do with your daughter. Believe it or not, I don’t need to explain myself to you.”
“Second, who the hell told you we spread those rumors? You barged in here without knowing the facts, biting at us like a mad dog. Since you’ve slandered me, I’ll let it slide for the sake of being classmates with Li Li for nine years. But insult my parents, and I won’t stand for it.”
“And who do you think you are, Li Cheng? You run a deli, make four or five hundred a day, and that makes you proud?”
Zhang Tianfeng pulled out his bankbook and threw it hard at Li Cheng’s face, sending his jowls quivering.
“Pick it up and take a good look at the numbers inside. That’s what I earned yesterday.”
“And you say we’re beneath your family? Who’s reaching up to whom now?”