novelonline Chapter 1513 To succeed, one cannot rely on luck.
Chapter 1513 To succeed, one cannot rely on luck.
At the entrance of the government building, Fatty Tang had just come out when he ran into Li Xiaozhen and Grandpa Cui.
He stopped, glanced at Li Xiaozhen with disdain, and smirked: "Oh, isn't this Accountant Li? The old man is so old, why are you dragging him into this? Aren't you afraid something might happen to him?"
Li Xiaozhen stared at him without saying a word.
Fatty Tang stepped closer, lowered his voice, and said with utter contempt, "Let me give you a piece of advice: don't try to fight a rock with an egg. You think you can mess with me? You're still too green!"
Li Xiaozhen's fiery temper flared up immediately, and she raised her hand: "You want to get slapped again, don't you?"
Fatty Tang instinctively shrank back, taking a step back. This wasn't the Dingqinglou office; being slapped in broad daylight by a woman on the street was far too humiliating. He glared at Li Xiaozhen and said, "We'll see!"
After saying that, he got into a black Santana and sped away.
As Li Xiaozhen watched the car drive away, the tough look on her face slowly faded, replaced by a hint of worry. She turned to Grandpa Cui: "Dad, do you think that Fatty Tang might actually have connections in high places?"
Old Master Cui frowned as well. He had worked in the system his entire life and knew all too well the ins and outs of it. Fatty Tang dared to be so arrogant; he must have something to rely on. But he still shook his head and said in a deep voice, "Dingqing Restaurant is related to the livelihoods of dozens of state-owned employees. I believe the higher-ups won't abandon these employees. Besides, we've done everything we can. Let's do our best and leave the rest to fate."
Li Xiaozhen felt that this was too passive.
This time, she staked everything she had, and the employees of Dingqinglou also pulled out their hard-earned savings. Those were all their hard-earned money.
If they can't secure the contract for Dingqinglou, and once Fatty Tang takes over, there's no guarantee he won't make things difficult for them. They might even lose their jobs.
No, we can't just wait like this.
After leaving the government building, Li Xiaozhen did not go straight home, but went to Qin Hao's cake shop.
There weren't many customers in the store, and Qin Hao was tidying up the shelves. When he saw Li Xiaozhen come in, he put down what he was doing and went to greet her.
"Sister-in-law, how is it?" Qin Hao asked.
Li Xiaozhen explained the situation, and then sighed, "Ji Qiang, I'm not sure. If that Fatty Tang really has connections up there, wouldn't we have wasted our time?"
After listening, Qin Hao gave Li Xiaozhen a thumbs up: "Sister-in-law, you did the right thing. If you want to succeed, you can't rely on luck."
Li Xiaozhen's eyes lit up: "But what else can we do?"
Qin Hao led her to the rest area, sat her down, and slowly analyzed: "Sister-in-law, think about it, when Fatty Tang took over Dingqing Restaurant, it was profitable. The higher-ups should know this perfectly well. It's just that no one wants to say it out loud."
The reason they're unwilling to be frank is simple: everyone's got their hands dirty. Whether it's for personal gain or to achieve political success through economic development, everyone has their own ulterior motives. Tang Pangzi's rise to power is undoubtedly due to the protection of a higher-up. But that higher-up doesn't dare to go too far, after all, Dingqinglou is a century-old establishment, and the impact is too great.
Qin Hao changed the subject: "Such methods can't be brought to the table. Once they're out in the open, unless Fatty Tang has extraordinary abilities, he'll only be eliminated."
Li Xiaozhen listened intently, nodding repeatedly.
Of course, the possibility of Fatty Tang having extraordinary connections is extremely low. If his background were truly that powerful, he wouldn't have targeted Dingqinglou, but rather those large state-owned factories. Those factories are far more lucrative; a simple sleight of hand could net millions.
"But how can we bring Fatty Tang's matter to the forefront?" Li Xiaozhen asked.
Qin Hao thought for a moment, then suddenly asked, "Do you know any of the suppliers who have been delivering meat and vegetables to Dingqinglou over the past six months?"
Li Xiaozhen was taken aback, then realized: "You mean...start with him? But he's in cahoots with Fatty Tang, why would he betray Fatty Tang?"
"So we'll have to use some tricks." A cold glint flashed in Qin Hao's eyes.
That look sent a chill down Li Xiaozhen's spine. She quickly reminded him, "Ji Qiang, we can't do anything illegal. You can't forget Huo Dongfeng's example."
Qin Hao laughed and waved his hand: "Don't worry, sister-in-law, I don't want to follow in Huo Dongfeng's footsteps. I will definitely focus on persuasion and education, without resorting to violence or breaking the law."
Li Xiaozhen hesitated, wanting to say something but ultimately choosing to believe him.
"This is the supplier's address and contact information. His surname is Li, and he sells meat at the Chengxi Farmers Market."
Qin Hao took the note, glanced at it, and put it in his pocket: "Okay, sister-in-law, you go back and wait for news. Leave this to me."
……
After seeing Li Xiaozhen off, before Qin Hao could even speak, Hongwei, who was standing to the side, was already sharpening his knives, his eyes gleaming: "Brother Qiang, are we going to find that supplier? Or should we kidnap that kid?"
Qin Hao looked at Huo Dongfeng again, and he too seemed eager to try his hand at fighting.
He shook his head helplessly: "Are you two planning to go back in for a few more years? You just got out, and you want to go back in already?"
Hongwei scratched his head, looking confused: "But what you just meant was... to use underhanded methods, didn't it?"
"What do I mean?" Qin Hao glared at him. "Didn't I just say? The main approach should be persuasion and education!"
"Huh?" Hongwei was dumbfounded.
Huo Dongfeng was also stunned: "Persuasion and education? Can that really work?"
Qin Hao was too lazy to explain to them, and waved his hand: "Alright, stop talking nonsense. Come with me tonight. Remember, listen to me and don't do anything reckless."
Huo Dongfeng and Hongwei exchanged a glance, both seeing confusion in each other's eyes. Persuasion and education? Could persuasion and education really work against that kind of person?
……
That evening, at the Chengxi Farmers Market.
Winter days are short and dark. By six o'clock, the market was almost deserted. The stall owners were packing up their goods, preparing to close up shop and go home.
Mr. Li was a middle-aged man in his forties, with a fat head, big ears, and a face full of menacing features. He was squatting behind the stall, loading the remaining meat onto a tricycle.
Just then, two burly men flanked him from the left and right.
Mr. Li was startled, his legs went weak. He looked up and saw two fierce-looking faces, and he was instantly terrified, collapsing to his knees with a thud.
"Mercy, sir! Mercy, sir!" Boss Li clutched his head, his voice trembling. "The money's all in my pocket, take it! Please don't kill me! I have an eighty-year-old mother to support, and a young son crying for food..."
Huo Dongfeng spat on the ground and said irritably, "Who wants your money?"
Upon hearing that the money was free, Mr. Li panicked even more. His mind raced, assuming that he had gotten himself into trouble with his mistresses and their husbands had come knocking on his door. He kept kowtowing and begging for forgiveness: "Brother, I was wrong! I'll never do it again! Please forgive me!"
Huo Dongfeng and Hongwei were both amused and exasperated. They each slapped him, one on each side.
"Crack!" "Crack!"
"Who knows your lovers?" Hongwei asked, glaring at him.
Mr. Li covered his face, looking completely bewildered: "Brothers, I really can't remember where I offended you. Could you... give me a hint?"
Hongwei snorted coldly: "For the past six months, have you been supplying ingredients to Dingqinglou?"
Mr. Li was taken aback for a moment, then breathed a sigh of relief. So it was a business competitor; then he wasn't afraid. He stood up, dusted off his knees, and his demeanor visibly relaxed.
"I get so angry just thinking about it!" Boss Li began to complain as soon as he opened his mouth: "That fat Tang guy, he made it sound so nice at first! He told me to send all the leftover vegetables and meat that I couldn't sell to Dingqinglou, and he'd even pay me the original price, and we'd split the profits! But what happened? This guy has been dragging his feet on paying me for six months, and he just won't settle the bill!"
He grew angrier as he spoke, spitting as he spoke: "Even though it's leftovers, it should still be worth some money, right? I haven't seen a single penny in the past six months! I haven't made a single cent on this deal! If you want to do this business, I'll give it to you right away! Whoever wants to do it can do it!"
Hongwei patted him on the shoulder, a half-smile on his face: "We're not trying to steal your business. Come on, let me introduce you to someone!"
When Boss Li saw that these two big, burly men were no match for him, he could only grimace and follow in their footsteps.
……
A teahouse nearby.
The private room was warm and cozy, filled with the aroma of tea. Qin Hao sat in the main seat, leisurely sipping his tea.
When Mr. Li was brought in, he became even more uneasy upon seeing the scene. He sized up Qin Hao—in his early twenties, with a refined appearance and clean clothes, he didn't look like someone involved in the underworld at all.
"Mr. Li, I've heard so much about you. Please have a seat." Qin Hao gestured to the chair opposite him.
Mr. Li sat down cautiously, forcing a smile: "What's your name, brother?"
"Ji Qiang."
Mr. Li quickly went through the list in his mind, confirming that there was no such person in the underworld. He completely relaxed, even having the leisure to pour himself a cup of tea and cross his legs.
"Brother, just say what you need from me. I hate beating around the bush."
Qin Hao didn't mince words and got straight to the point: "It's simple, go and expose Fatty Tang."
Upon hearing this, Boss Li couldn't help but scoff: "Brother, did I hear that right? You want me to ruin my own livelihood? That Fatty Tang may owe me money, but he makes a good living supplying me. If I expose him, how will I ever be able to work again?"
Hongwei slammed his hand on the table with a loud "bang," making the teacup jump: "You think you're so great, huh?"
Mr. Li was startled, but quickly regained his composure. He glanced at Hongwei, then at Qin Hao, and his attitude became arrogant: "This is a society governed by law, so don't you dare do anything reckless. I'll shout, and the police will be here!"
Hongwei was furious and was about to step forward to give him a good beating when Qin Hao stopped him with a smile.
“You’re right,” Qin Hao said slowly. “We do live in a society governed by law. But if I send a few of my buddies to your stall every day and say they got sick from the vegetables they bought there, do you think the police will care?”
The arrogance on Boss Li's face instantly froze.
Qin Hao continued, "You don't need many people, just three to five a day, standing in front of your stall and shouting. They don't even need to lift a finger, just shout. Do you think those customers would still dare to buy your meat?"
Mr. Li's expression changed.
"And another thing," Qin Hao picked up his teacup and took a sip, "if your suppliers knew that you were supplying Dingqinglou with leftovers, would they still dare to cooperate with you? If word got out, how would you survive in this industry?"
Boss Li completely lost his arrogance. He smiled ingratiatingly, cold sweat beading on his forehead: "Brother, it's not that I don't want to cooperate with you. It's just that... if I really do what you say, how am I supposed to continue working in this industry? This business is all about reputation. If your reputation is ruined, you're finished."
Qin Hao, too lazy to beat around the bush any longer, put down his teacup and said seriously, "Let me tell you the truth. I have a bit of a grudge against Fatty Tang. If you help me ruin his reputation, I'll not only help you get back the money Fatty Tang owes you over the past six months, but you can also continue to be a supplier for Dingqinglou. Of course, the premise is that the goods are genuine and you can't send leftovers anymore!"
Mr. Li's eyes lit up, but then he hesitated: "This..."
"If you don't agree," Qin Hao changed the subject, looking at Huo Dongfeng: "You may have heard of this man next to me, but you've never seen him. His name is Huo Dongfeng, the leader of the Three Heroes of Donglin, and also the elder brother of Ermei."
Huo Dongfeng took a step forward in agreement.
Upon hearing this, Boss Li was startled. He carefully sized up Huo Dongfeng—a man in his early forties, burly, with sharp eyes, clearly no ordinary person. He quickly stood up, took out a cigarette, and offered it to Huo with both hands.
"Oh! If you had said earlier that you were Second Brother's eldest brother, I would have handled this matter for you much faster!" Boss Li said with a beaming smile, his attitude completely changing: "Our area is all under Second Brother's jurisdiction! How could I not give Second Brother face! You should have said so earlier!"
Huo Dongfeng was somewhat surprised and took the cigarette: "Ermei is also useful in your area?"
"It works! It works!" Boss Li nodded repeatedly, eagerly lighting a cigarette for Huo Dongfeng: "Second Brother is a big shot in the entire Donglin! If there's anything that can't be resolved, as long as you can get Second Brother to step in, everyone will give you face!"
Huo Dongfeng took a drag of his cigarette, his heart filled with mixed emotions. He patted Boss Li on the shoulder: "Since that's the case, you know what to do, right?"
"Don't worry!" Boss Li patted his chest and assured him, "Leave it to me, brother! I'll make sure you're satisfied! I'll go to the government building first thing tomorrow morning and expose everything about that fat Tang!"
……
Stepping out of the teahouse, a cold wind hit my face.
Huo Dongfeng couldn't help but look back several times, then shook his head self-deprecatingly. He said with a wry smile, "It really is true that fortunes change every thirty years. I, Huo Dongfeng, actually have a day when I can rely on that brat Ermei to bully others."
Qin Hao joked, "So you're planning to make a comeback?"
Huo Dongfeng paused for a moment, then waved his hand, his smile becoming even more bitter: "Come on. At my age, what's the point of returning to the martial world? Right now, all I want to do is raise Erpang properly and give him a stable home. I don't want anything else."
Qin Hao looked at him and said seriously, "Old Huo, it's right that you think this way."
Huo Dongfeng nodded, took a deep breath, and strode forward.
The night was deep, and the streetlights cast a dim yellow glow. The figures of the three people gradually disappeared into the cold winter wind.
……
To be honest, Mr. Li is really efficient.
The next morning, he took the IOU signed by Fatty Tang to the government building.
It was a thick stack of IOUs, each bearing Tang Pangzi's signature and fingerprint. In total, he owed him over 20,000 yuan.
Mr. Li stormed into the office building, shouting, "Fatty Tang owes me money! Make him come out here!"
The security guards rushed over to stop him and pushed him out. Mr. Li was pushed out the door, but he wasn't discouraged. He stood at the entrance of the government building, chasing after anyone who came in, talking to them.
"Comrade, you be the judge! Fatty Tang asked me to deliver vegetables to him, promising to pay me, but he hasn't paid a single penny in six months! Here's the IOU!"
"Boss! I want to report this! Fatty Tang and I are in cahoots to sell inferior food and take kickbacks! He's withholding the good dishes and meat and making me deliver the leftovers to Dingqinglou! We split the profits 50/50!"
He had a loud, powerful voice; when he shouted, the whole street could hear him. Passersby stopped to watch the spectacle, pointing and gossiping.
Soon, the news reached Fatty Tang's ears.
"Mr. Li! Mr. Li!" He ran over and grabbed Mr. Li's arm. "What are you doing? Let's talk this out! I'll pay you back the money I owe you! Right now!"
Boss Li shook off his hand and continued shouting, "Still? You've been dragging this out for half a year! Today I'm going to expose your true colors in front of everyone!"
Fatty Tang was sweating profusely with anxiety. No matter how much he pleaded, Boss Li wouldn't listen. He even grabbed Tang's arm and demanded that Tang return the money on the spot.
More and more people gathered around, pointing and whispering, and Fatty Tang wished he could disappear into the ground.
"Pay back the money! Pay it back right now!" Boss Li slapped the IOU on his face: "Pay it back in front of everyone!"
Fatty Tang was speechless. He took out his wallet, counted out a wad of cash, and shoved it into Boss Li's hand: "Alright, alright, here you go! Hurry up and get out of here!"
Mr. Li took the money, counted it, and then continued to shout, "Not enough! There's interest too! Six months' interest!"
Fatty Tang was trembling with anger, but there was nothing he could do. Everyone around him was staring at him with disdain in their eyes. He could only take out another wad of money and stuff it into Boss Li's hand.
Mr. Li was finally satisfied. He put away the money, dusted himself off, and left.
Before leaving, he turned back and shouted at Fatty Tang, "Don't even think about doing business with me again! I can't afford to lose face like this!"
Fatty Tang stood there, his face turning red and white in turns.
At this moment, a staff member walked over and said expressionlessly, "Manager Tang, the boss wants you to go upstairs."
Fatty Tang's heart skipped a beat.
The atmosphere in the leader's office was serious.
The leader sat behind his desk, looking at Fatty Tang without saying a word. That gaze made Fatty Tang feel uneasy.
"Boss, please let me explain..." Fatty Tang quickly began.
"Explain what?" the leader interrupted him. "Explain that you had leftover food delivered to you? Explain that you took kickbacks? Explain that you didn't settle accounts with your clients for six months?"
Fatty Tang opened his mouth, but couldn't say a word.
The leader sighed, his tone softening slightly: "Manager Tang, it's not that I don't want to help you. Look at the state this has become! There are so many people watching at the main gate, how can I speak up for you?"
Fatty Tang panicked: "But Uncle..."
"What uncle?!" The boss slammed his hand on the table, his face turning ashen. "How many times have I told you to address people by their titles in the workplace! Do you want everyone to know about our relationship?"
Fatty Tang shuddered in fright and quickly corrected himself, "Yes, sir. I was wrong."
The leader waved his hand, his voice weary: "Alright, you can go back now. Forget about that contract. Master Cui's side is better prepared than yours, has a more respectful attitude, and is a more honest person. This matter is settled."
Fatty Tang was stunned: "But..."
"But what 'but'?!" the leader glared at him. "Do you know what the higher-ups will think of me if word gets out about this? They'll say I'm protecting my relatives and abusing my power for personal gain? I want to work here for a few more years!"
He stood up, took an envelope from the drawer, and handed it to Fatty Tang: "This is your contract payment. Take it back. Don't loiter around here anymore. I'll contact you if I need anything."
Fatty Tang took the envelope and was completely dumbfounded.
He never imagined that his carefully planned scheme of six months would fall apart like this. All because of a vegetable vendor, causing a scene at the gate?
Stepping out of the leader's office, Fatty Tang stood in the corridor, looking at the envelope in his hand, on the verge of tears.
……
Three days later, a notice was posted at the entrance of Dingqinglou.
"Comrade Huo Dongfeng is hereby appointed as the manager of Dingqinglou, effective immediately."
The signature is the red seal of the superior authority.
The news caused an uproar throughout Dingqinglou.
The veteran employees spread the news excitedly, tears welling in their eyes. Sister Zhou, holding Li Xiaozhen's hand, kept saying, "Great! Great! We finally got rid of that bastard!"
The head chef also returned. Upon hearing the news, he quit his current job without hesitation and returned to Dingqinglou. He said, "I've been waiting for this day! As long as it's not that guy surnamed Tang in charge, I'll be back anytime!"
Huo Dongfeng stood at the entrance of Dingqing Tower, looking at the old plaque, his feelings complicated.
He was initially somewhat resistant to Qin Hao's arrangement. After all, he was already very skilled at running the cake shop, earning a steady income every month without much trouble. Suddenly being asked to be the manager of Dingqinglou, managing dozens of people and dealing with all sorts of things, made him a little apprehensive.
"Brother," he pulled Qin Hao aside and lowered his voice, "shouldn't we let someone else do the manager's job? I'm really not cut out for it. I'm just a rough guy, how would I know how to manage a restaurant?"
Qin Hao looked at him and asked seriously, "Old Huo, do you want to gain the old man's approval?"
Huo Dongfeng was stunned for a moment.
The old man... Old Master Cui.
Of course he wanted to. He dreamed about it. That was the person he had wronged the most in his life. He wanted the old man to know that he, Huo Dongfeng, wasn't just a troublemaker; he could do serious things and be successful.
"Yes, I do." He nodded emphatically.
Qin Hao said, "Then do a good job running Dingqing Tower. The old man will be watching you."
Huo Dongfeng thought about it and realized, "That's right. Dingqinglou is Old Master Cui's darling. As long as I manage Dingqinglou well and let the old master see my efforts and achievements, maybe... maybe the old master will forgive me and accept me."
He took a deep breath and clenched his fist: "Okay! I'll do it!" (End of Chapter)