Chapter 65: Zejian

Zhao Zejun had just left the Huayang branch office when Zheng Yuan dialed a mobile number from his office.

"Chairman Wang, this is Zheng Yuan. I've already met with Zhao Zejun."

"What do you think of the young man?" came the question from the other end.

Zheng Yuan replied, "He's quite deep, and honestly, I feel there's something about him I can't quite see through. In fact, he was the one who came to me first, wanting to take on the reconstruction project, and managed to persuade me. He also spoke about the future of Huayang Group in terms that closely align with your strategic vision. Chairman, perhaps you should find an opportunity to meet him. I can hardly believe he's just a high school student."

"Geniuses are everywhere. No need for a meeting; handle the donation yourself. Keep an appropriate eye on the young man, but don't be overly enthusiastic," came the calm reply.

"Understood. By the way, Chairman Wang, I've just heard news today—Gaogang Village is likely to be demolished this year. Should we still donate for its reconstruction?"

"Demolition and donation are not mutually exclusive. Donate as planned. Also, we have a warehouse in Gaogang Village, right? Do your best to cooperate with the city's work and deliver the first batch of housing."

...

Meanwhile, after leaving, Zhao Zejun immediately called Yu Jin.

With Huayang Group's sponsorship secured, it was time to formally establish the construction team as a company. This might require Yu Jin's help with the approval process.

Yu Jin laughed heartily and said, "You silly boy, you probably don't realize how well-known you are now! The construction company qualification doesn't even need my intervention. Thanks to your rescue actions in Gaogang Village, no one will cause you trouble—everyone's been praising you."

Zhao Zejun slapped his forehead, realizing he'd become so used to backdoor solutions that he'd forgotten to resolve things through proper channels.

The disaster relief team was already famous throughout the city, even receiving official commendations. Setting up the company now would be a breeze—anyone who tried to obstruct him would be challenging the city itself. There were only minor procedural details to handle.

Business licenses still had to be processed at the Bureau of Industry and Commerce, which in theory required registered capital to pass through the books. But with Yu Jin's help, these theoretical obstacles were easily bypassed.

"Alright, just come directly to the Bureau of Industry and Commerce. I'll have someone guide you through the process," Yu Jin said cheerfully.

"Thank you, Uncle Wang. I'll have the team leader come tomorrow—the same Jiang Xuan who helped me apply for the internet café license," Zhao Zejun replied.

"Oh, Jiang Xuan? Yes, I know him. Tell him to come straight to me," Yu Jin said.

After hanging up, night was already falling. Zhao Zejun returned to Gaogang Village and found Jiang Xuan in the small two-story building.

The storm had passed, and the construction team members, exhausted from their recent efforts, were given leave to rest, with only Jiang Xuan remaining on duty.

When Jiang Xuan heard they'd secured Huayang Group's support, his first reaction was that Zhao Zejun must be joking.

A well-known enterprise across the province, willing to contribute funds, had countless options for large-scale construction companies. No matter how you looked at it, it seemed unlikely that their makeshift team would be chosen.

Zhao Zejun spoke seriously, "That's why we need to get the company established quickly—otherwise, when it comes time to sign contracts, we won't even know who the second party is."

"Are you really not joking?" Jiang Xuan still couldn't quite believe it.

"Should I slap you twice so you know you're not dreaming?" Zhao Zejun said, barely suppressing a smile.

All night long, Zhao Zejun and Jiang Xuan discussed the future construction company.

The first issue was the company name.

They brainstormed, starting from their own names. Jiang Xuan’s "Xuan" character carries a meaning of a refined gentleman, but that was a personal quality. In business, you need speed and precision, and being too modest only leads to money ending up in others' pockets.

They chose the "Ze" character from Zhao Zejun’s name—not "swamp," but "bestowing grace," implying benevolence and benefit to all.

Thus, the company was named "Ze Construction Engineering Limited Liability Company." Zhao Zejun held 60% of the shares, Jiang Xuan 40%, and the company adopted a professional manager model—Jiang Xuan would handle operations while Zhao Zejun set the overall direction.

As for personnel, there were only Zhao Zejun, Jiang Xuan, and another gentleman as official members.

Ze Construction was just starting out and couldn't afford to maintain a full-time construction crew with regular salaries regardless of projects—a cost only state-owned giants could bear. Most companies would subcontract or hire teams as needed.

Even state-owned construction groups pay only a basic salary when there's no work.

However, Liang Shi’s group had contributed greatly to both Zhao Zejun and Ze Construction. Zhao Zejun couldn't simply abandon them, and the fledgling company needed a team with experience and loyalty.

The next day, Jiang Xuan went to the Bureau of Industry and Commerce to handle the paperwork, while Zhao Zejun gathered the construction team to settle outstanding wages, handed out small red envelopes, and had a candid conversation.

With the wind at their backs, Zhao Zejun’s reputation in the construction team was sky-high after the disaster relief, and now, having secured Huayang Group’s business, his image was elevated even further—a faint aura seemed to surround him, and the team meeting went smoothly.

Zhao Zejun set the tone: the previous team members weren’t formal Ze Construction employees yet, but would continue working as before with daily wages. If they had other jobs to pursue, they just needed to give notice—no obstacles from the company.

Once the overall reconstruction of Gaogang Village was complete, if Ze Construction had ongoing business and stable revenue, these workers would become the company’s first core staff, enjoying full benefits, with specific salaries to be negotiated.

In this rescue operation, it wasn't just Zhao Zejun and Jiang Xuan who became famous—the entire construction team had appeared on TV, received flowers and applause, and their children proudly told classmates their fathers were in the rescue team, earning respect from teachers.

Working for other bosses meant hard labor, little pay, and frequent wage deductions for dubious reasons. With Boss Zhao, there was money, bonuses, and praise for doing good deeds.

Even a fool would know which choice to make.

Moreover, Ze Construction was newly established and already had Huayang Group’s contract—an enormous boost for everyone. The workers looked at Zhao Zejun differently now.

"Take a few days off at home. Once General Jiang has processed the documents, the company will officially open and start our first big project: Gaogang Village reconstruction. I also have a few houses that need expansion. Given the workload, we’ll need more hands. If you know reliable workers, bring them in," Zhao Zejun said with a smile.

"So we're upgrading to subcontractors?" joked one worker.

"Exactly!" Zhao Zejun nodded, serious. "No joke—whoever brings in skilled workers, becomes a subcontractor, and will be compensated accordingly. Ze Construction is just starting out, so what we need most is human resources!"

This suggestion delighted the workers—all professional engineers, all with contacts.

"I told you, working for Boss Zhao was the right choice!" Old Chen grinned. "He promised we wouldn’t be shortchanged, and look—how quickly that promise came true! Don’t just stand there, let’s go find people!"

Everything proceeded smoothly, and Ze Construction was officially established, with a temporary office in a corner room on the second floor.

On the day of its founding, Ze Construction signed an agreement with Huayang Group’s Yijiang branch. Besides covering material costs for the reconstruction, Huayang Group paid Ze Construction 350,000 yuan for labor.

This was Ze Construction’s first profit.

The groundbreaking ceremony for Gaogang Village’s reconstruction was scheduled for the same day as the contract signing. Zheng Yuan from Huayang Group attended with several local officials for the ribbon-cutting, and many news outlets were present. Ze Construction, however, kept a low profile.

Zhao Zejun and Jiang Xuan played the role of mascots, making a brief speech alongside Zheng Yuan, then quietly left the stage.

Zhao Zejun pulled Jiang Xuan aside and whispered, "There’s something you need to pay attention to. We must guarantee the quality of the rebuilt houses!"

"Hmm?" Jiang Xuan knew the inside story—demolition was imminent, and Ze Construction’s founding was opportunistic. As for the quality of the houses, wasn’t that irrelevant? No matter how well they were built, in a few months, everything would be razed.

“How do you guarantee quality? Slow and steady wins the race!” Zhao Zejun’s eyes widened. “You need to grasp the leadership’s intentions, young man!”

Jiang Xuan pondered but couldn’t quite grasp the meaning. “Just say it.”

Zhao Zejun lowered his voice. “We must ensure that, once the demolition notice is released, most of the elderly—especially those without children—will still be living in my houses!”

Jiang Xuan was taken aback, then nodded. “I understand!”