Chapter 90: Contracting for an Iron Factory

  Another year has passed, and everything is still the same. Although Hei Zi and Zhu Xiao Fei's assets have grown several times, their feelings about the new year are still the same as before. However, other people's perceptions have changed. Villagers of the same age no longer just envy them; they also want to work with Hei Zi together.

  Hei Zi doesn't want to recruit a bunch of familiar people. Except for the few brothers who hang out with Hei Zi, the people he uses are not very familiar with him. People like this are easier to manage.

  After the New Year, Hei Zi and Zhu Xiao Fei stayed in their hometown until after the 15th before returning to the small town. During the New Year period, Hei Zi received several calls from Yin Le, who told him that Mayor Yue Jin was looking for him. Hei Zi wasn't interested in Yue Jin and wouldn't let him ruin his good mood just because he was looking for him. He told Yin Le to wait until after the 15th to discuss anything.

  After passing fifteen everything gradually returned to normal. Hei Zi had just arrived at the farmhouse when he received a call from Village Chief Zhao Yongqing, saying that he wanted to invite Hei Zi for a drink.

  Hei Zi and Zhao Yong Qing had a very good relationship, so he didn't think much of it and brought Wang Peng Cheng to find Zhao's house with wine. Unexpectedly, as soon as they entered Zhao Yong Qing's house, they saw Yue Jin sitting on the sofa. Hei Zi turned around and wanted to leave, but Yue Jin stood up and said: "Hei Zi, do you dislike me so much?"

  "Heizi saw Yue Jin speaking and turned around with a smile, saying: 'It's not that, I just saw the town head coming to find the village head for something, we're just small citizens, let's hide first.'"

  "Stop your nonsense and come in quickly!" Zhao Yongqing said, jumping down from the kang.

  "Heizi glanced at Yue Jin and then looked at Zhao Yongqing, saying: 'I won't disturb you anymore.'"

  Zhao Yongqing came over and dragged Hei Zi into the inner room, pressing him onto the kang and saying: "Don't waste words, sit down, your sister-in-law will finish cooking soon."

  The words had reached this point and Hei Zi couldn't leave, so he had no choice but to take off his shoes and get into the pit.

  Heizi and Yue Jin had nothing to say, he and Wang Pengcheng sat there drinking gloomily, Yue Jin poured wine for Heizi and said: "Heizi, I know you have a prejudice against me, I'm a bit powerful, but I'm also a man, can't you give me some face?"

  "Hei Zi Duan stood up and took a sip of wine before saying: 'Mayor, let's get straight to the point, no beating around the bush.'"

  Yue Jin awkwardly poured another glass of wine for Hei Zi and said: "Hei Zi, what about that public transportation company?"

  Hei Zi burst out laughing and said: "Haha, what's the big deal? I just wanted everyone to take a few days off. Who would have thought that after the New Year's celebration, this matter would be forgotten? It's foolish not to make money when you can. Don't worry about it, Director of the Bus Company, tomorrow they'll operate as usual."

  The town mayor smiled and said: "That's good, Peng Fei, I think that's enough."

  As soon as Li Pengfei mentioned Hei Zi, Ma's smile disappeared: "Isn't he looking for trouble? Let him look then. It's just a public transportation company, I don't care, even if it stops operating for a year."

  Yue Jin hastily said: "Heizi, you've also helped the town government a lot, this time just consider it as helping again, don't bother with him."

  "Hei Zi coldly snorted and said, 'Director Yue, let's settle our own scores. Don't interfere in his business. Besides, he's a head of the criminal police team, what can I do to him? Do I dare to argue with him?'"

  Yue Jin wanted to ask Hei Zi if he knew the people from the Provincial Discipline Inspection Commission, but after thinking twice, he didn't dare to ask. Matters related to Ouyang Shou were very sensitive now, and he was worried that he would get himself involved by accident.

  Zhao Yongqing had been silent all along, and only started talking more after Hei Zi and Yue Jin finished discussing their business and moved on to other topics.

  Wang Pengcheng sat beside him listening, without saying a word, as if he were listening to a story.

  After chatting for a while, the atmosphere became more harmonious. Yue Jin talked about some trivial matters in the town and mentioned that the iron ore price had risen recently, causing the town's iron factory to lose money. Wang Pengcheng interrupted, saying: "It's not easy for the iron factory to lose money, just give it to Hei Ge, and it will make a profit in less than a few months."

  Yue Jin looked at Hei Zi and said: "You really can make money by taking on a contract?"

  "Hei Zi said faintly: 'Of course we can, as long as you relax your policies, making money is easy.'"

  "How can we widen it?" Yue Jin asked.

  "Hei Zi thought for a moment and said: 'If I take over the contract, no one in our town can interfere arbitrarily. Only keep a portion of the workers, don't need any leaders, from now on, only I have the final say in how to operate.'"

  Yue Jin listened to Hei Zi's words and nodded: "This is easy, what else?"

  "You have to help solve the funding problem, a 100 million loan, and the blast furnace needs to be rebuilt."

  Hei Zi's request put Yue Jin in a difficult position. Everything else was easy to handle, but this one billion loan had him stumped. He didn't have any connections at the bank.

  "Heizi saw Yue Jin in a difficult situation and said: 'Forget it, let's not talk about this anymore.'"

  Yue Jin's heart was filled with anxiety after a drink, he didn't know how great Hei Zi's abilities were, in his eyes Hei Zi seemed mysterious.

  The next day, Hei Zi let Yin Le gather drivers and ticket sellers, and the bus company resumed normal operations that afternoon.

  In the following days, Hei Zi's mine and selection plant also started production. After everything was normal, Hei Zi took Zhu Xiao Fei and the hired ball factory manager to buy equipment. They planned to build and put the ball factory into operation in May.

  Busy days pass quickly, winter is gradually passing away, spring is getting closer and closer, snow is melting, mountain flowers are also budding, trees and grass on the mountain have turned green.

  Hei Zi's ball factory has finally started production. After the Spring Festival, Hei Zi invested a lot of energy into the construction of the ball factory. After the opening ceremony, the first batch of balls was produced and Hei Zi sent someone to contact buyers. After more than a month of hard work, Hei Zi found that it was safest to sell these balls to the steel company in the county town. Although the steel company had always owed Hei Zi money, he could settle 80% of it every year.

  As spring arrived, the losses of the town's iron factory became even more severe. Yue Jin completely lost hope for the factory and went to the district to ask for instructions. After discussing with several deputy town heads, they decided to contract out the factory.

  Ou Yang Shou's case has also been settled, he himself and more than a dozen leaders at all levels who were implicated by him have been handed over to the inspection authorities. Feng Hongfu and Zhao Zhongcheng left Xuan Cheng County. Fei was removed from his post, and Lu He became the head of the criminal police team.

  Liu Deputy Director learned that the town's iron factory was going to be contracted out and gave Heizi a call, he wanted Heizi to contract the iron factory.

  Actually, he has his own private motives for doing so. He is in charge of municipal construction, and the development of real estate is a key point. None of the major developers in the district are his own people, they all have connections with Ouyang Shou. Now these people all have unclear relationships with the current district head, and they don't take him seriously at all. If he wants to achieve political results, he must have supporters.

  Hei Zi hesitated when he received the phone call. The last time Yue Jin mentioned taking over the contract for the iron factory, he had considered it. Now, the iron factory must undergo large-scale renovations, and without a few hundred million yuan in funding, it's simply impossible.

  Liu Deputy Director listened to Hei Zi's difficulties and chuckled, saying: "If you don't want to take over the iron factory, come to the county town. I'll get a plot of land for you to develop into a building."

  Hei Zi smiled and said, "Forget it, if you can get me a loan or subcontract the iron factory first, I'll recognize you in the county town, otherwise let's wait for another chance."