Chapter 160: Preparation for Construction (Part 1)

Five hundred and fifty thousand in cash was transferred into the bank account. After careful verification, Manager Liu finally breathed a sigh of relief. He shook hands with Zhang Wenhao, exchanged the contracts each held, and the lawyer handed over the other related documents along with the keys to the pharmaceutical factory after the locks had been changed. Only then did Manager Liu say, “Mr. Zhang, it’s been a pleasure working with you.”

Zhang Wenhao nodded, tidied up the documents, placed them into the folder provided by the bank, and then shook hands with the lawyer as well. “Since all the formalities are complete, we shall take our leave,” he said.

Manager Liu smiled faintly. “Then I wish you the best in bringing this pharmaceutical factory back from the brink.”

Deep down, Liu was skeptical that Zhang Wenhao could revive the factory. The bank had assessed the situation multiple times; the brand was utterly worthless, and its previous products paled in comparison to those of larger companies. This was the fundamental reason for the bank’s ongoing worries—no value and difficult to sustain.

Zhang Wenhao understood this and felt no need to keep up appearances. Without further words, he left with Yang Chenshan.

After departing, under Yang Chenshan’s guidance, Zhang Wenhao drove to the pharmaceutical factory. The bank contract detailed all equipment and items inside, so Zhang didn’t bother to look beforehand. With the contract signed, he and Yang hurried to inspect the premises.

The factory was located in a somewhat desolate area on the city outskirts, surrounded sparsely by a few other small, run-down factories. Yang Chenshan sighed with nostalgia, “Back when the other factories nearby were barely surviving, mine was the most profitable. I never thought it would last this long.”

Zhang Wenhao smiled, tearing off the two seals pasted on the main gate. He produced the keys and unlocked the door. Upon entering, the dilapidated state of the factory elicited a deep sigh from Yang Chenshan.

The factory was modest, just a two-story building of about five to six hundred square meters. Beside it stood a sealed shed of roughly a hundred square meters. Apart from the cement roads, the rest was overgrown with weeds reaching thirty to forty centimeters high.

Yang explained, “The main building is the factory itself. Though it looks two stories from the outside, inside it’s just one tall floor to accommodate equipment. The second floor was divided into three rooms: my old office, the finance and cashier’s office, and the workshop manager’s office. The shed next door served as the warehouse.”

Zhang nodded. Yang took the keys from him and approached the factory door. Zhang went to park the car inside. When he returned, Yang had already opened the main gate.

Zhang stepped inside. The equipment, though still present, showed signs of rust. Yang flipped the circuit breaker and turned on the factory lights, laughing wryly, “Luckily, I only owed the bank money, not the electricity company. They were kind enough not to cut off power.”

Zhang chuckled, “Since it’s closed, there’s barely any electricity consumption. They wouldn’t bother cutting it off.”

Yang laughed heartily and switched on the production line. The machines roared to life, operating smoothly. He patted the clattering equipment happily. “The machines run fine. With raw materials, we can get going.”

Excited, Yang took out his phone. “I’ll call my old employees to see what they’re up to. If they’re interested, we can get them back.”

Zhang asked, “What were the wages like here before?”

Yang explained, “Economic development here is behind, prices are low. Workers earned about fifteen hundred yuan a month. With bonuses, that was pretty good locally. Some management roles paid two to three thousand, which was above average.”

Zhang said, “Add five hundred to their original wages and have them prepare to return. We want them back to work as soon as possible.”

“Alright!” Yang nodded eagerly. “With that, I think they’ll be willing.”

Yang made calls to over a dozen former employees, happily explaining the factory’s status. After inviting them back, everyone responded positively. Hanging up, he told Zhang excitedly, “They’re all willing to come back. I told them to be ready and to report within a week.”

Zhang nodded. “Good. Now we need to prepare raw materials quickly. Tomorrow, let’s register a new company, then start production, get approvals, and apply for patents.”

Yang suggested, “Since that’s the plan, let’s not return tonight. The round trip would waste six or seven hours. We can stay here overnight and handle company registration first thing tomorrow. I know some contacts at the administration office; a little favor will speed things up.”

After a moment’s thought, Zhang agreed, “Alright, we’ll find a hotel nearby tonight and get started tomorrow.” He added, “Uncle Yang, gather your old team in the city tomorrow. I’ll invite everyone to dinner. It’ll be a good chance to meet.”

“Sounds good!”

Since the factory now belonged to Zhang personally, he couldn’t let Yang work for nothing. He said, “Uncle Yang, I’ll need you to manage the factory carefully. Your base salary will be ten thousand yuan a month, plus a ten percent stake in the company’s profits as dividends annually.”

Yang quickly protested, “No, no, that’s too much. Just being factory manager here for three or four thousand a month is enough. I can’t accept ten thousand, nor the equity. I’m not worthy.”

Zhang was firm, “Uncle Yang, this isn’t up for discussion. I want you fully committed to making this factory succeed. I’ll have Xiaoyue come to assist you. She’s educated and understands the market and operations better than you do. You’ll handle internal affairs, she’ll manage external ones. I believe together you can make this work.”

Yang smiled joyfully, “Great! Xiaoyue is very smart, a top graduate. I’ll feel much better with her on board. I’m just a country bumpkin; I don’t understand market operations.”

Zhang laughed, “I’ll be leaving soon and probably won’t be able to visit often. The factory’s future is in your hands.”

Early the next morning, Zhang and Yang went to a tobacco and alcohol store to buy premium cigarettes and liquor, placing several packages in black plastic bags. Zhang also prepared several red envelopes containing five thousand yuan each to grease the wheels with the industry and health departments.

Yang was familiar with the process and knew the officials. Once contacted, the authorities were eager to support the new venture, treating Zhang and Yang with great courtesy.

Zhang decided to register the company under the name Century Dongchen, branding it Dongchen Pharmaceuticals. Once the licenses were approved, they would submit the logo, making the brand official.

Zhang was fond of the name Dongchen. His hometown Jiangcheng lay in East China, and “Chen” refers to the early hours of the day, symbolizing a fresh start—a reflection of his hopes for both the company and himself.

With gifts and bribes delivered, the officials promised swift approvals. Zhang decided to start production immediately—not only to test the efficacy of converting the dampness-eliminating decoction into a plaster but also to expedite product submission for patent approval. Once patented, they could begin preparations for market launch.

That afternoon, Yang gathered his old team at the city’s finest restaurant. Zhang knew a grand event would rekindle their confidence in the factory, so he spared no expense. The two tables were the best the city could offer, with plentiful fine liquor and cigarettes—not only consumed at the table but also sent home with the employees.

The old workers were amazed and impressed by their young new boss. To them, a youthful man investing hundreds of thousands to revive the factory and generously promising a five hundred yuan raise was extraordinary. In this area, sanitation workers earned only four to five hundred yuan monthly, so this raise was significant. Moreover, the new boss’s generosity, including future bonuses potentially surpassing base salaries, filled everyone with eager anticipation for the factory’s reopening.

After the meal, Zhang planned to purchase raw materials for the dampness-eliminating decoction and begin trial production on the line. This formula was crucial—a key foundation for the factory. The biggest concern was how to keep the recipe confidential.

Zhang was somewhat troubled. Having no prior experience in this industry, he was unsure how such companies protected their formulas. Nonetheless, he resolved to establish a robust secrecy mechanism. Only then could their product become unique in the market and stand firm on its superior efficacy. Otherwise, if the formula leaked and was seized by a major company, they would use their channels and marketing power to swiftly dominate the market.

[Remember the source website: Sanwu Chinese Novel Network]