Chapter 74: Troublemakers Among Us, Wang Fugui’s Request

At ten o’clock the next morning, Zhang Tianfeng met Wang Tiancai in his office.

The man was as thin as a bamboo pole, his hair somewhat long, and wore gold-rimmed glasses. At that moment, he was devouring the breakfast Zhang Tianfeng had bought, eating as if he’d just returned from a famine.

“Don’t rush, take your time. If it’s not enough, there’s more,” Zhang Tianfeng reassured him.

This wasn’t an interview at all—it felt more like poverty relief. Even Qin Yuelan, watching from the side, found it difficult to continue witnessing the scene.

After all, this was the first task Zhang Tianfeng had assigned to her, so she brought the candidate herself. She had expected a good start, but instead nearly suffered a social catastrophe.

“Lan, I heard you’ve compiled some more files on salespeople. Let me see them,” Zhang Tianfeng said.

“Boss, here they are.” Qin Yuelan placed a file folder on the desk. “These are the candidates I screened overnight. Each has at least a year of sales experience. They’ve all been notified and are waiting outside.”

“Very good. I’ll look them over. You can go back.”

“Boss, I…” Qin Yuelan tugged at her sleeve, hesitating. “Can I come along this time?”

“You chose the job placement sector yourself, and I’ve entrusted you with full authority. If you leave your post to follow me, aren’t you being irresponsible to your team? They depend on you for their livelihood.”

“I know, but I… I… I want to learn from you.”

“You’ll have plenty to learn, but you can’t have your cake and eat it too. First, get those shops established and sort out the factory collaborations. If you give them time to react, some bosses might really start hiring outsiders.”

“This is your first warning. There will not be a third, understood?”

“Understood. I’ll head back now.”

She arrived full of hope and left in disappointment. Qin Yizhu’s conflicted feelings were written all over her face, which displeased Wang Tiancai, who admired her.

Yesterday during recruitment, when he revealed his academic credentials, he frightened Chen Jiaqi, the young girl assisting. Later, Qin Yuelan personally interviewed him, engaging in several rounds of debate over commerce and sales. Ultimately, Wang Tiancai was bested by her sales proposal.

He found her truly impressive, but why should a young, inexperienced person bow to someone so much younger? Second-generation factory owner? Hmph—let’s see how I handle you!

“Thank you, boss. I’ve finished eating. May we begin the interview?” Wang Tiancai said.

“Go ahead. Introduce yourself first.” Zhang Tianfeng glanced up, then continued leafing through the files.

“My name is Wang Tiancai…”

Zhang Tianfeng already had his personal information memorized. What interested him were the practical strategies and ideas Wang Tiancai had used in his career.

As he explained, he’d worked for five years at a real estate firm on South Island, managing over a hundred staff. Each member, on average, closed more than ten deals per month.

“Not to boast, but over the years, the total transaction volume I’ve overseen has reached thirty billion yuan. I believe…”

“That’s enough!” Zhang Tianfeng impatiently waved him off.

He claimed not to boast, yet for several minutes he’d done nothing but brag, offering not a single nugget of useful information Zhang Tianfeng sought.

Wang Tiancai was displeased. “Boss, I feel you’re being disrespectful. I’m a university graduate, a few years older than you, with more work experience.”

“And? What’s your point?”

Faced with Zhang Tianfeng’s clear gaze, Wang Tiancai suddenly couldn’t speak.

After a long pause, he managed to say, “I… at least I rely on my own abilities—not family connections.”

“Oh? You think I run this factory thanks to family help?”

Zhang Tianfeng arched an eyebrow and smiled. “How you think is your affair. But if you want to work under me, you’ll have to show some respect.”

“Firstly, your career highlights aren’t so impressive. Since the establishment of the Special Economic Zone, South Island has become a paradise for real estate agents. Talent like you? You can find several with a single swing of a stick.”

“Secondly, if you really were a sales genius, you’d already be in a state-owned or foreign enterprise, not here interviewing for me and enduring my disrespect.”

This was a harsh reality. The economic reforms had only begun a year or so ago. Though slogans claimed private and state enterprises were equal, in the eyes of many intellectuals, state-owned firms were always the most reliable; private businesses were mere workshops, untrustworthy.

Over time, this led to rumors about poor sanitation, chaotic management, and wage delays in private firms. Those with high education would rather work for loss-making state enterprises or foreign firms unable to pay wages than join a private company.

“Fine, not about me—but you should at least care about your subordinates. Do you realize how talented Miss Qin is? Yesterday, she and I debated sales strategies on paper.”

“She proposed bundled sales, cross-selling, and publicity plans—things I’ve never seen. She’s the true business genius!”

Seeing Wang Tiancai so lavishly praise Qin Yuelan, Zhang Tianfeng was taken aback.

When did she learn his tactics—and even manage to intimidate Wang Tiancai?

“Now you see? She’s the real goddess of commerce. You ought to treat her with more courtesy.”

“Pack your things. We’re leaving.”

“Where to?” Wang Tiancai asked.

“To sell goods with me.”

Was this acceptance? Wang Fugui was overcome with joy. “Alright, I…”

“You can keep quiet. You still haven’t satisfied me. So I’ll test your abilities through real practice. If you fail, you’re out.”

Time was running short for Zhang Tianfeng; he needed to resolve the crisis quickly and deliver a decisive blow to his opponents.

Training the sales team would still take time; it couldn’t be rushed.

“One more thing. The innovative sales ideas you idolize, which you’ve never heard of before, were invented by me. Qin Yuelan was merely a helper at my side then.”

Impossible! How old are you anyway?

There were eighteen candidates for sales, a mix of men and women, young and old, all waiting outside the factory.

Qin Lin’s fleet was ready as well; he’d sent five trucks, with fuel costs and equipment maintenance covered by Zhang Tianfeng.

Next, he would head to Port City first. Once he’d established a stable channel there, he could bring over all the remaining toys to sell.

Just as the fleet departed, the duo hiding in the Zhucheng Hotel, enjoying the air conditioning, received word.

“What? He’s personally taking the trucks to Port City—five vehicles, about ten thousand toys… Alright, I got it.”

After hanging up, Chen Yuanhua looked across at Xu Kuangdao. “We predicted that the brat would personally lead the team to open new sales channels, but didn’t expect he’d choose Port City.”

“I’ve always suspected he’s someone sent by the Huo family, but…”

“We’ve already checked his background thoroughly—he’s not from the Huo family, nor a frontman,” Chen Yuanhua said. “But that’s not our main concern. We need to plan for what comes next.”

“Easy. Just burn down his factory! The warehouse and security are all our people,” Xu Kuangdao said.

He believed in ruthless tactics, leaving no escape for the enemy.

If Zhang Tianfeng hadn’t earned the title of Zhucheng Honorary Citizen and donated to the Tangwan Town police, Xu Kuangdao would’ve used dirty tricks to erase him from the world long ago.

“If you want to die, don’t drag me along! You suspect he’s with the Huo family—even if he’s not, he’s at least connected to them.”

“In normal business competition, the Huo family won’t intervene. But if you play dirty, the Xu family won’t survive tomorrow.”

“Then you suggest something,” Xu Kuangdao said, irritated.

Chen Yuanhua remained calm; after several days together, he understood Xu Kuangdao’s temperament well.

“We’ll do whatever he does! I’ll make sure he doesn’t sell a single item.”

“If he buys a shop, you’ll buy one too? That’s a costly move.”

“Not just me—we both will!” Chen Yuanhua smiled. “Don’t you want your son freed sooner?”

The current environment forced their hand; neither dared use underhanded tricks against Zhang Tianfeng, but they still had to find a way to defeat him.

Only by crushing him could they fulfill their respective wishes.

“Let’s keep watching him!”