Chapter 118: No One Is the Most Behind, Only More Behind

Zhang Tianfeng glanced at the man by the doorway and shook his head helplessly.
This fellow had a voyeur’s streak and a hero complex, didn’t he? First he watched quietly from the shadows, then stepped in when others needed a rescuer.
That was how the brawl at the karaoke bar happened last time, and it was the same now.
Realizing he might have overstepped, Xiang Chen gave a genial smile, scratched his head, and said, “This is an old habit from my days as a scout. I can’t seem to get rid of it.”

“Have your family matters been settled?” Zhang asked.
Xiang Chen nodded. “Thanks to the salary you advanced me, my mother’s illness isn’t serious now, and my wife is taking care of her.”
“You’re married?”
“I got married as soon as I got discharged. I have a son and a daughter. Both are three.”
“Do you need me to do anything, boss?”

“Do you know any friends who couldn’t find work after leaving the army? I need people to manage the factory—strict checks on people coming in and out, and security for the factory and the finances.”

“There are a lot of them.”

Xiang had been in service for thirteen years and had many friends—some who retired earlier, some who came home with him.
They all faced the same problem: finding work.
If a state-owned enterprise was doing well, it was manageable, but the layoff wave had already started; many who returned home suddenly had no work.
Most, like Xiang, were scattered across coastal cities doing odd jobs, earning hard-earned wages.

“I need ten people right now. I’ll pay them ten percent more than the market. My only condition is this: strict screening of everyone entering and leaving, so the factory stays safe and the money is controlled. If you can do it, call the ones who can start tonight.”
“If any can’t make it, we’ll deal with it later.”

“Okay, I’ll arrange it. Boss, let me thank you on their behalf first.”
“Don’t thank me yet. To be clear, if they can’t do the job, they leave, and they don’t get a penny.”
“I understand. Leave it to me. We won’t fail.”

Gao Ran spent almost the whole day as if invisible, sprawled on the sofa while Zhang gave orders.
Suddenly she realized how striking he looked when he was serious.
Especially Zhang Tianfeng—he had, with apparent ease, used a few moves and cost Wanxiong one million, then got a cardboard factory at a bargain price.
Ah, if only he weren’t so wayward with women. But there was no if.

Night fell. At a late-night snack house, Zhang Tianfeng, Chu Hongyuan, and his overseas-returned friend Dong Huang ate together.
Within ten minutes, the conversation had moved from the surprise inspection that morning to Dong Huang’s years studying abroad.

“How is it there to study now?”
“Same as always. Kids like us, with no clout and no influence, end up at the bottom of the chain.”
“You must be living very comfortably.”
In these days, families that can send someone overseas are no ordinary people; surely returnees are not struggling either.

“Don’t flatter me, little Zhang. My family is nothing special. My parents did a small business when I was young and earned a little, but they spent it all on my studies abroad.”
“Now they’re getting old. I should go back and take care of the second half of their lives.”

“Any job yet?”

“Not yet. I only came back the other day. I reconnected with Chu Hongyuan yesterday, and today this guy pulled me in as a fresh recruit.”
Dong Huang shot him a helpless smile.

“How about this: come work in my factory and take charge of wastewater treatment. No matter what equipment you need, I’ll find a way to get it, as long as you can solve it.”
“This… this is truly difficult.”

Overseas heavy industry may be advanced, but pollution treatment has always been a stubborn challenge.
Even where it exists, it is treated as core technology and guarded by business people like treasure.

“It’s hard, and that’s exactly why I’m entrusting it to you. To be frank, I want to build the country’s first pollution-control enterprise.”
If you don’t do it, don’t do it at all; if you do, do it best.
The whole country is chasing development and ignoring the environment. If we invest a little now and build a firm for pollution remediation, we can be first.
Once there are results, it will gain trust quickly and then open limitless prospects.

“Little Zhang, if we go ahead, you’ll be putting in a lot of money.”
“I know. Don’t worry about money and equipment. I can handle them. Tell me if you can do the work.”

After a thoughtful pause, Dong Huang nodded firmly.
Since he had reconnected with Chu Hongyuan yesterday, they had talked at length, and Dong had heard most of it from Chu: how formidable and mysterious this young owner was.
Even meeting him in person, it was indeed extraordinary.
It confirmed the saying he had heard since childhood: in the face of talent, all rules collapse. Age is only a number.

“Do what you can. Zhongcai Cardboard Factory will be your testing base. Once the technology matures, I’ll set up a separate company and we’ll partner by equity.”
“Boss… isn’t this almost a free gift to me?”

“I’ve always been generous toward talent,” Zhang said, “but I’ll say the hard truth up front: your salary at Zhongcai will not be generous.”
“It’s fine. I just need a place to run experiments.”

Dong Huang thought he had found a bargain, and Zhang Tianfeng also felt he had not been disadvantaged.
People are naturally greedy. At this stage, Dong’s salary would probably satisfy him; but once he developed a complete pollution-treatment method, he would feel he had truly proven himself and would expect better terms. If he opened his mouth wide, Zhang would refuse.
The most likely outcome would be an unpleasant split—and then what about the formula?

Zhang Tianfeng was no expert in this field. Dong could very likely deceive him with fake formulas and walk away with both profit and advantage.
So it was better to settle this from the start: if a formula is developed, the venture will be funded and run as a partnership, with no one claiming exclusive rights. That way Dong keeps his drive and their relationship stays intact.
Most importantly, it means he can have a top overseas returnee working for him without paying a high salary.
As for a pollution-treatment solution, nothing is easy to crack. If it truly comes together, what does the cost of one employee mean?

Over clinking glasses, the three agreed on the pollution-treatment arrangement.

Early the next morning Zhang Tianfeng went to inspect the cardboard factory. Once he confirmed all handover items were complete, he immediately asked Wang Tiancai to run the factory temporarily. Then, using Dong Huang’s equipment list, he got in touch with Huitian Yilanfang by phone.
Only after asking did he realize that even the cheapest of those machines cost tens of thousands.
Fortunately, since he was now Yilanfang’s lifesaving debtor, a portion of the pollution-treatment equipment—and all the latest machinery the factory needed—was sent over at cost.

After sorting out the cardboard factory business, Zhang returned to the toy factory to review gate security.
The ten men Xiang had brought were reliable and muscular, with the unmistakable look of men who could fight.
If such men sat at the gate, troublemakers would think twice before making trouble.

Then he contacted Yun Tianhe. After fixing the meeting point, Zhang went home to gather things, took Gao Ran with him, rented an off-road vehicle, and had Xiang drive.
He loaded Yun Tianhe and his daughter and headed for Shuangshen Village.

Zhang Tianfeng was a child of the countryside and had seen too much hardship; he had believed his hometown was backward enough.
When he reached Shuangshen, he discovered there was no absolute backward place—there was only one even more forgotten.

Shuangshen Village sat inside dense primeval forest, with sheer cliffs rising to the clouds on both sides.
Those cliffs, which shielded it from the coastal storms and gales like guardian gods, gave the village its name.
Only in summer and autumn, when the weather cleared, could one enter; after rain, leaving became impossible.
Vehicles could not go all the way, and after getting out one still had to walk thirty li up a mountain path to reach the village.
The drive had taken only half a day, but from departure to arrival, Zhang’s group spent two full days.

At last, by noon on the fourth day, when smoke rose on the horizon, Zhang Tianfeng finally felt a little relief.
He turned and saw Gao Ran, face and hands caked with dust and soil, leaning on her hips and breathing hard.
“I’m truly surprised you’ve lasted this long,” he said.

“Don’t underestimate me,” she replied. “I’m still good at more than one thing. You’ll see.”

She turned back and tugged Yun Qian by the hand. “Xiqi, when we stop, you must take your sister up the mountain later and pick wild fruit. Don’t forget.”
“Can it be tomorrow? I want to go home first and see Mother.”
On this trip back Yun Tianhe had brought plenty of medicines for treatment, and after being away so long, Yun Qian missed her mother terribly.

“Fine, then tomorrow. Hurry up. Once we reach the village, leave everything else to them—let the ones arriving later handle the laundry, cooking, and odd chores.”
“Okay. Sister, hold my hand and follow my footprints. Be careful.”