Jiang Mengxuan, director of the International News Department, was a little overwhelmed when he saw Zhenzhen's resignation letter. He stood up and poured a cup of tea for Zhenzhen, then asked kindly, "Why do you want to resign when you are doing so well? Is there something wrong with your work? Or do you feel that you can't take care of your family? If there is anything you need, we can resolve it through negotiation. Don't just resign without any reason."
Zhenzhen said quickly, "The company has been very caring to me over the years, and I am always grateful. I also get along well with my colleagues. In fact, resigning is not a rash act. It is a decision I made after considering for a long time." Zhenzhen crossed her fingers and hesitated for a moment before saying, "I heard that someone reported me for my business activities."
Jiang Mengxuan had also heard the president mention this matter, so he said with some confusion: "This report is not valid, and it will not affect your continued work."
"I know that the newspaper hired me because there were too few graduates of journalism in those years. The newspaper was in urgent need of graduates with my major, so I was hired as an exception. With the increasing number of graduates of journalism in recent years, the structural shortage problem of our newspaper has been solved." Zhenzhen said very seriously: "I think when the newspaper has enough choices, I should take the initiative to resign. After all, this report was not only sent to the newspaper, but also reported to the higher authorities. Although everything has been investigated, the impact is still not good."
Seeing that Jiang Mengxuan was still trying to persuade her, Zhen Zhen continued, "This may happen once or twice, so it's better for me to resign. In fact, the newspaper job is more of a sentiment for me. I don't rely on this job to support my family, and I don't want anyone to destroy this beautiful thing, so please agree to my resignation."
Jiang Mengxuan sighed and stood up from his seat: "I can't make the decision on this matter. Please wait a moment, I will go and discuss it with the president. Also, you have to say hello to Director Yu, after all, you are his apprentice."
Zhenzhen nodded, and while Jiang Mengxuan was looking for the president, she went straight to Yu Shoujing's office. Yu Shoujing had just finished reviewing the manuscript, signed it and handed it to Guo Xiaoqiao who was waiting on the side, and then stood up enthusiastically: "Mingzhen is here, have you finished your maternity leave? You look good."
Zhenzhen smiled, shook hands with Yu Shoujing, and said directly: "I am here to resign today."
Yu Shoujing was stunned, but he didn't react as much as Jiang Mengxuan. Instead, he looked as if he had expected it. "It's good to quit. After all, the news industry has its limitations. You should have a broader world."
Zhenzhen smiled and said, "I don't have such lofty ideals. I just want to do more things that I like."
"Very good." Yu Shoujing nodded: "Young people should have some courage to venture out. You should work hard and try to let me interview you in person as soon as possible."
Seeing Yu Shoujing's expectant expression, Zhen Zhen couldn't help but smile: "Okay, I'll work hard as Director Yu said."
The two were talking and laughing when Jiang Mengxuan came in: "Let's go to the president's office."
Yu Shoujing stood up and extended his hand to Zhenzhen: "Then I wish you a bright future."
Hearing Yu Shoujing's sincere blessing, Zhenzhen's eyes reddened: "Thank you, teacher!"
***
The resignation procedures were not complicated. After going through the approval process, Zhenzhen completed her resignation within a few days. On the way back from work, Mingzhen rode her bicycle directly to the Imperial Capital Design Institute to call Li Mingbei out.
Although they were both in the capital, it was the first time that Zhenzhen came to Mingbei's workplace. The siblings found a Sichuan restaurant nearby and ordered a few dishes to talk while eating. Recently, Mingbei has become addicted to spicy food. He can finish a whole bowl of rice with maoxuewang, spicy beef, and boiled fish. Because of breastfeeding, Zhenzhen could only watch Mingbei eat until his mouth was full of oil while she ate the only dish of Kung Pao Chicken that was not very spicy.
"Fourth brother..." Ming Zhen stretched out her voice.
"Yeah, I'm listening, go ahead." Ming Bei stuffed a chopstick full of beef into his mouth without even raising his head. Then he opened his mouth, took two breaths, and shoveled more rice into his mouth.
Zhen Zhen turned her head in annoyance: "Can you be more gentle? Aren't you afraid of choking to death?"
"You're jealous! You can't eat spicy food, but you're upset with me." Mingbei swallowed his food and drank a bottle of soda. "Ha, it feels so good." He put down the bottle and looked at Zhenzhen. "Tell me, what do you want from me?"
"I want to set up a real estate company." Zhenzhen picked up a peanut and put it in her mouth, looking up at Mingbei: "Is there a suitable private construction team that can do a good job?"
Real estate development is not something that Mingbei is unfamiliar with in recent years, but it is indeed a new industry. Mingbei became interested as soon as he heard about it. He even stopped eating and looked up at Li Mingzhen: "Do you really want to do this?"
"Isn't that nonsense? I have so much money that I want to throw it away?" Zhenzhen glanced at him and said seriously, "Not only do I want to do this business, I also want to make this real estate company stronger and bigger."
Mingbei put down his chopsticks and looked at Zhenzhen with shining eyes: "Then you can take me with you?"
Zhenzhen was stunned, looking at Mingbei in confusion: "Your company is a good one, there were some people in your class who didn't get in. If you give up this job, you will be a self-employed person. Don't you feel uncomfortable compared to your classmates?"
"What era is this? Anyone who looks down on self-employed people will be slapped in the face by them sooner or later." Mingbei snorted coldly, and enthusiastically recommended himself to Zhenzhen: "I already have five years of work experience, and I am also familiar with the construction team. I am really capable, please consider it."
"I know you can." Zhen Zhen smiled and said, "It would be great if you could join, but you'd better go back and discuss it with Fourth Sister-in-law. After all, resigning from a company is not a trivial matter."
Mingbei nodded and served himself another bowl of rice: "Okay, I'll tell your sister-in-law when I get back."
After separating from Mingbei, Zhenzhen rode her bicycle to the newly established cosmetics factory. At this time, all the machines had been installed, the equipment was being debugged, and the staff were undergoing intensive training.
Zhenzhen went to the factory director's office where Ling Xiulan was looking at cosmetic recipes. She was overjoyed when she saw Zhenzhen coming: "You came at the right time. Our experts combined the beauty recipes given by Mr. Zhang with modern cosmetics. What do you think?" The products currently designed by Lanzhen Cosmetics Factory are mainly in two aspects. One is the anti-allergic and soothing series based on pharmaceutical cosmetics, and the other is a pure plant skin care series.
Zhenzhen really didn't know as much as Ling Xiulan about skin care products. She smiled and shook her head: "This is too professional. I don't understand it very well. But we are right to insist on the concept of creating plant-based cosmetics. When can we start trial production?"
"We can produce a batch for testing the day after tomorrow." Ling Xiulan put the recipe aside: "If it succeeds, we can sign supply agreements with several flower bases and drug stores."
"Raw materials are extremely important to us. I always feel uneasy leaving this stage to outsiders. Why don't we use plants from outside for the first batch? I will build a plant base exclusively for the cosmetics factory. This will also be part of our publicity in the future." Zhenzhen said as she used her consciousness to look for a place in the suburbs of the imperial capital. She soon found a barren mountain and a large piece of wasteland nearby, and took over the matter: "Leave it to me."
Ling Xiulan looked at her with some concern: "Can you handle it? Didn't you want to get involved in the real estate industry before?"
Zhenzhen smiled with her eyes curved: "My fourth brother also wants to work with me. If he and my sister-in-law have no problem discussing this, we can let him do these administrative matters for the time being."
"That would be great if that's the case." Ling Xiulan said with a smile, "After all, your brother is a professional. You'll have less worries with him around."
Zhen Zhen nodded: "I think I can also build a number of buildings with decoration and furniture in the future, so that people can move in directly with their luggage."
Ling Xiulan smiled: "You are keeping the wealth within the family and selling the house and furniture together directly. This is a very good idea."
After sitting for a while with Ling Xiulan, Zhenzhen hurried back home because she missed her twins. The two little ones felt wronged after not seeing their mother for a long time. When they smelled Zhenzhen's scent, they started crying. Zhenzhen quickly washed her hands and took the twins over. The two little ones couldn't wait to lie in Zhenzhen's arms and feed.
"They both drank up the milk you left this morning. Actually, I don't think they are hungry, they just missed you." Wang Sufen smiled happily as she looked at the twins.
Zhenzhen smiled and shook the two little guys' fat buttocks: "How old are they? They already act like spoiled brats." Watermelon didn't like to move, and when Zhenzhen shook him, he hummed twice in dissatisfaction. Grape didn't seem to like the humming sound, and stretched out his little feet angrily, kicking Watermelon's buttocks while sucking milk.
"Oh my, my Grape is really strong." Old Mrs. Li looked at her happily: "Look, she almost kicked her brother down."
It was difficult for Zhenzhen to adjust her posture while holding one in each hand, so she could only ask for help from Grandma Li with a helpless look: "Grandma, please stop watching the fun and help me move Watermelon. I think I can't hold him anymore." Grandma Li reached out and put Watermelon back into Zhenzhen's arms. Grape became energetic again and kicked Grape one after another until he fell asleep. Then he stopped.
"This little girl is quite troublesome." Zhenzhen put the twins back on the bed and rubbed their arms: "She can't even stop when she's feeding."
Old Lady Li looked at the three people who were dear to her heart and said with a smile, "You have been running all day, why don't you lie down and take a nap?"
Zhenzhen slept between the two children, but her consciousness could not help but return to the mountain in Beicha. Due to the over-exploitation of the forest and the failure to protect it in time, in just a few years, the wild animals on the mountain have been reduced by half, and the edge of the forest has shrunk dramatically. At the same time, a large number of trees have been cut down and transported to all parts of the country by train.
In order to maintain local fiscal revenue, not only century-old trees, but even some forests in their prime growth period were included in the logging targets. Zhenzhen sighed. This kind of logging that drains the pond to catch fish will sooner or later make this largest red pine virgin forest in China disappear from the earth. By then, the endless red pine forest will only exist in the memory of the older generation.
Zhenzhen remembered reading about the news in her previous life that there were no more trees left to cut in the red pine forest in Yidong. When the government realized the harm of this destructive logging, the original 1.2 million hectares of original red pine forest had been reduced to less than 50,000 hectares. In fact, less than half of the original forest is left now, and even the pheasants and rabbits that were once everywhere have become rare food for the locals.
When Zhenzhen was reborn at the foot of the red pine forest, she had an inseparable feeling for the forest, and she also anticipated the future of the forest. So she had to make herself powerful and wealthy so that she could rebuild the original forest. Unfortunately, the small forest town that still relied on the forest to support tens of thousands of employees would not contract the forest to her, so she had to wait.
After wiping her face, Zhen Zhen sighed heavily. Although she could restore the original forest to its original state in a few minutes, she was not prepared to do so. Only by letting people taste the bitter fruit of their own making could they know the importance of the forest. If she helped to restore the forest now, it would only allow the deforestation to continue.
After regaining consciousness, Zhenzhen sat up from the bed. She had too many things on her mind, so she couldn't relax and sleep during the day. After getting up and washing her hands, Zhenzhen squeezed out a few bottles of milk and put them in the refrigerator. Then she tiptoed to the outer room and gently woke up Wang Sufen who was taking a nap: "Mom, I have to go out for something. The milk is in the refrigerator."
Wang Sufen yawned, took two apples from the plate on the coffee table and stuffed them into Zhenzhen's hands with a distressed look: "I'm so busy all day that I don't have time to eat fruit. I'll take two with me on the way."
Zhenzhen responded, took the apple and went out to discuss the contracting of wasteland with the relevant departments. The wasteland and mountains in the suburbs of the imperial capital had been undeveloped for a long time. As soon as Zhenzhen said that she wanted to contract them and plant crops, the land management department agreed immediately. It must be said that this was also because Zhenzhen went to show her face in person. If it were an ordinary citizen, it might not be so easy to approve such a large area.
Zhenzhen followed the government staff to measure the land, pay the contract fee, and apply for the qualification certificate. It took Zhenzhen half a month to complete all the procedures. Before Zhenzhen had time to savor the joy of being a landlord, Mingbei came running over with an excited look on his face: "Zhenzhen, I quit."
Zhen Zhen looked at him in surprise: "Sister-in-law agreed?"
"Yeah!" Mingbei nodded happily, and brought up seven or eight more people: "I also brought a few classmates and colleagues."
Zhen Zhen looked at the group of people coming in from behind and was really stunned this time: "Did you all resign?"
"Yeah." One of them looked at Mingbei, who was about the same age, and smiled: "He said he would lead us to glory."
Another one laughed and said, "Actually, we don't trust him, we trust you. It's definitely right to follow you."
"Yes, yes!" The youngest one at the back looked at Zhenzhen with admiration in his eyes: "We believe in you, Li Mingzhen."
Seeing this group of elites who graduated from the Department of Architecture of Huaguo University and worked in the Imperial Capital Design Institute for many years vying to follow her, Zhenzhen felt warm in her heart and couldn't help but smile at them: "You are really brave. This is my first time to get involved in the real estate industry, but I am crossing the river by feeling the stones."
"It's okay, we have at least a few years of experience and we won't lead you astray." Mingbei laughed loudly.
Zhenzhen was immediately full of confidence when she had such an experienced and professional team at the beginning of the company. After registering the company, Zhenzhen vacated a second-floor shop to temporarily use as an office building. In addition to Mingbei and his seven classmates, the two construction teams they brought were all the current staff of Mingzhen Real Estate Company. However, this newly established company had a group of people who could design and work, but no one who knew how to manage, so Zhenzhen simply became the general manager herself.
After signing contracts with all the staff, Zhenzhen and Mingbei took their newly-minted qualifications to participate in a public housing construction bidding. At this time, there were not too many real estate companies. Except for Mingzhen Real Estate Company, the remaining bidding companies were all state-owned and familiar with each other. They had just handed in their prepared bids when they suddenly saw two young men walk in.
"That woman looks familiar." A person whispered to the person next to him.
"You didn't recognize her?" The man said with a look of "what are you looking at?" "Isn't that Li Mingzhen?"
Suddenly everyone was a little surprised and looked at each other: "Why is she here too?"
For the heads of these state-owned units, what they fear more than Li Mingzhen's contribution to cultural relics is her speed in acquiring units. In just a few years, she has acquired a furniture factory and a clothing factory. It is said that the cosmetics factory established a while ago was also expanded on the basis of the acquisition of the original detergent factory. They were originally glad that Li Mingzhen had no interest in such a rough industry as construction. Unexpectedly, after just a few days of happiness, Li Mingzhen actually showed up at the bidding site.
The heads of several construction companies looked at each other and their eyes fell on Wang Yufu, the director of the factory with the worst performance. Wang Yufu was sweating and tried to force a smile at Li Mingzhen: "Director Li, do you have any plans to acquire our construction company?"
Li Mingzhen's eyes suddenly lit up: "Sell it? If the government sells it, I'll buy it!"
Wang Yufu then realized that his words were ambiguous, and he wanted to slap himself: "Hey, hey, hey, that's not what I meant. Our factory hasn't closed down yet."
Li Mingzhen groaned and said half-jokingly, "Aren't you making fun of me?"
Wang Yufu laughed awkwardly and said, "I don't dare to joke with you. I'm just scared."
Everyone started laughing, and Zhen Zhen couldn't help laughing: "We are just joking, but if any of your units want to restructure, don't forget to notify me."
Wang Yufu said bitterly: "I always feel that whenever you enter a business, you will buy out the bankrupt ones."
Zhenzhen smiled and asked, "According to what you said, I am a bad luck star."
Although Wang Yufu agreed in his heart, he did not dare to nod outwardly. Just at this moment, the bidder came in and everyone returned to their seats. Wang Yufu then breathed a sigh of relief.
After paying the bid deposit, the tenderer went to review the bid documents and qualifications, and the others gathered in twos and threes to talk. This project was the only public housing tender in the whole year. If more bids could be selected this time, the performance for the whole year would be complete, so the people who came were all company leaders.
Cheng Naitian, the factory director of the Imperial Capital First Construction Company, walked over to sit next to Zhenzhen and asked curiously, "Why do you want to do this business, Director Li? I thought you would focus on the cosmetics factory."
Zhenzhen smiled and said, "Maybe I'm just greedy. I want to get involved in any industry that's booming."
It is hard to tell whether this sentence is true or not, but it can also show how much importance Li Mingzhen attaches to this enterprise. Because before, Li Mingzhen handed over the management of the furniture factory, clothing factory and beauty salon to others. This newly established real estate company is not only managed by Li Mingzhen herself, but also named after her. The heads of several construction units looked at each other and felt a lot of pressure.
After waiting for three hours, the government finally opened the bidding. This year, the construction volume of this batch of public housing is very large. Basically, each construction company has obtained several bid sections. Mingzhen Real Estate Company also obtained the construction projects of two factory public housing. This is a good start for a newly established real estate company. After all, even Wang Yufu's third construction company only got a construction project of public housing for a unit. Mingbei was so happy that he went back to the company to show off: "We definitely won the bid based on the name."
Zhen Zhen slapped him on the back of the head speechlessly: "What nonsense are you talking about? If you don't have construction qualifications, you won't be accepted even if you look at your face, let alone your name."
Several people laughed at once. Zhenzhen put the documents in her hand on the table: "Okay, let's stop joking and get down to business. Today we won the bid for the public housing construction of two units. I have signed the contract. The project payment will be deposited into our account within five working days. Now you will be divided into two project departments. In addition to our company's own construction team, we also need to find a few teams from outside, but the construction quality must be guaranteed."
Mingbei immediately said: "We are familiar with these individual construction teams in the imperial capital, and we have cooperated with many of them. Don't worry, we will definitely choose the best one."
Zhenzhen nodded: "This is the first business we have received since the establishment of our company. We would rather make less profit or even no profit as long as we can ensure the quality and spread our reputation."
The eight people have five years of work experience and have collaborated with each other many times. They were divided into groups according to their previous work habits, and then prepared to go to the public housing construction unit to conduct on-site surveys.
The company, which was not big to begin with, was suddenly empty-handed. Zhenzhen stretched herself and drove the company car straight to the suburbs. Compared to building houses, Zhenzhen said she preferred farming!
The author has something to say: Tomorrow I will go to Beijing to meet some friends, and we will go out together in the evening. I will try my best to catch up on the update on the train in the morning. The update is expected to be late in the evening. My little angels who don’t stay up late can wait and see it the next morning. Xoxo!