Climbing the Career Ladder - Chapter 9 - A Difficult Start

After sending the two women home, Li Mengze drove alone to the university. He wanted to visit his alma mater to seek some inspiration. Concerned about his future, his worries had already been pointed out by his partner. As a responsible man, it was not his strength to make the women in his life worry about him. How could he allow that? Of course not!

Li Mengze drove into the campus and went straight to see his good friend Xu Peng. Xu Peng was his classmate and they had a close relationship, sharing almost everything. After graduating from university, Xu Peng had stayed on as a staff member.

It had been a long time since Li Mengze last saw Xu Peng. Recently, with his father falling ill and being hospitalized, Li Mengze had been busy traveling between Beijing and Tianjin. They hadn’t even had time for phone calls, let alone meet in person. This time, Li Mengze didn’t notify him in advance, planning to surprise Xu Peng.

Finding the office door locked, Li Mengze realized it was Sunday and headed straight for Xu Peng’s dormitory. There, he saw a pretty girl about to leave. Through his discerning eyes, he noted she seemed quite charming, especially in terms of her demeanor, though of course, he did not stare.

Xu Peng was pleasantly surprised by his visit, as he had been quite idle lately. After sharing a few jokes, Li Mengze steered the conversation towards his own concerns.

“How have our old classmates been doing lately? Anyone successful?” Li Mengze asked with a smile.

“It’s the same as ever. We only graduated a few years ago; who could have achieved much by now? Though, some have started their own companies, a joint venture among a few classmates. Don’t worry, you just found a stable job, give it a couple of years!” Xu Peng was genuinely concerned about Li Mengze, knowing he had been restless, constantly changing jobs despite previous advice.

Li Mengze had finally secured a good job and had been a permanent employee for six months. Xu Peng was worried he might impulsively quit, so he quickly advised him against any rash decisions.

“How’s everything going at the university? Still managing well?” Li Mengze, not wanting to dwell on the previous topic, changed the subject.

“It’s the same old! I thought about pursuing a master’s degree the first couple of years, but now I’m less and less inclined. I’ve read a lot, but none of it is related to the exams; I’ve also gotten lazier. I’m afraid I might start gaining weight soon. It’s getting harder to exercise every day.”

Xu Peng failed his graduate exams twice, missing the passing grade by just a few points each time. According to university rules, non-graduate employees are not allowed to teach, so he is still working in administration. The treatment of administrative staff is far inferior to that of teachers at the university, which has been increasingly frustrating for him.

“This is quite relaxing, you don’t even have to go to work today, how nice!” Li Mengze said.

“How can I not work? It’s just an excuse to deal with gender issues and skip work,” Xu Peng replied indifferently.

“There’s still some good in that, the school is becoming more humane. Who was that girl just now, what year is she? She seemed quite nice,” Li Mengze asked with a mischievous smile.

“Drop it. She’s also from our university, just a year junior to us. She’s actually quite nice, from the management department. Works in the department office, seems like she has a promising future,” someone felt rather good about it.

“You know, who among our acquaintances has started what company, so I can be less ignorant?”

Li Mengze steered the conversation back to the original topic.

“You don’t know?” Xu Peng glanced at him, “Forget it, you’ve always had little to do with them. I really don’t get you, not caring about our classmates at all, despite them often writing to ask about you. You don’t even use the internet, and you’re not internet-illiterate!”

“Let’s not talk about that. You know, the past couple of years when I was job hunting, sometimes I couldn’t even afford the phone bill, let alone keep in touch with them. I don’t know what’s become of them now!” Li Mengze didn’t argue.

“I’m not very clear about their situations either. A few years ago, I could still play the role of a postman, but now they’ve sidelined me as well. Teacher Jiang knows more about it, you should ask him,” Xu Peng suggested, sensing that the other person had some motive in coming.

“Then I’ll go see our Teacher Jiang, when will you invite me to your wedding banquet? Make sure to invite me,” Li Mengze, finding he couldn’t get any information here, decided to visit Teacher Jiang.

Xu Peng wanted to get in touch with Teacher Jiang, who just happened to be at home and didn’t seem to recognize it was Li Mengze on the other end.

Li Mengze simply said, “I’ll come over to your place in a bit,” hung up his phone, and drove over.

Li Mengze still remembered where Teacher Jiang lived, though he found the stairs a bit difficult to navigate; he had only brought some fruit, unaware of Teacher Jiang’s preferences, yet he was eager to hear some exciting news from him.

When Li Mengze rang the doorbell at Teacher Jiang’s home, he recognized him immediately, but it took Teacher Jiang a moment to place him, almost treating him like a stranger until he was eventually guided to do otherwise.

Li Mengze didn’t blame Teacher Jiang; among all the students in the class, he was one of the least distinctive. He wasn’t mischievous or prone to failing, nor did he receive scholarships or get acknowledged or reprimanded by the department; even his final thesis was quite ordinary. However, when Teacher Jiang inquired about his life since graduation, Li Mengze found it a bit difficult to explain-not because he had been unproductive, but because he had spent almost all his time in Tianjin and hadn’t visited his alma mater to see his teachers.

Teacher Jiang remembered something that delighted Li Mengze: the year he graduated, he had sent Teacher Jiang an email containing a poem that had impressed him so much he remembered it, even jokingly saying, “I never would have guessed you wrote it,” which left Li Mengze both amused and frustrated.

“Teacher Jiang, everyone from our class is doing quite well, aren’t they!” Li Mengze was not just there to chat, and it was getting late. He wasn’t sure when Teacher Jiang usually had dinner, but he needed to head home soon.

“Ah, your Sister Na is doing quite well now, better than the last two sessions. At the end of last year, Jin Yulong co-founded a technology company using patent technology to secure funding; in May this year, Wang Zhi, Liu Jian, and Wang Junhe partnered to start another technology company. I hear both companies are doing well, especially Yulong Electronics. Chen Qian is still abroad for her studies and hasn’t returned yet, but everyone else seems to be doing fine. How about you?”

Teacher Jiang is very enthusiastic, and it was only at the end that he remembered his student living in the same city. It’s not his fault, really. With so many university graduates these days, only a few make a notable success. When students do well, it naturally reflects well on their teachers.

Li Mengze also knew his classmates would do well. From what he knew early on, more than ten of his classmates had pursued postgraduate studies, and now having graduated, finding jobs shouldn’t be a problem. Most of them have secured stable positions in companies or industries, unlike him, who had been struggling with job hunting in small companies for the past two years, only recently finding some luck.

“Foreign company? That’s great! Salaries in Tianjin are low, but foreign companies are quite decent. Do your best!” Teacher Jiang is not out of touch with the world; he knows quite a bit about society and indeed, foreign companies offer reasonable salaries and relatively shorter working hours.

However, Li Mengze felt disappointed; his classmates weren’t as formidable as he had hoped, and the excitement he expected didn’t materialize. He also experienced some miscalculations; he hadn’t expected that a previously unknown company he heard about today would become a powerful competitor in the future, eventually growing into a significant and influential player in the industry.

“I had heard from a few classmates about starting a company, but then there was no further news. However, these past few days, they asked me to find some students to join them, led by Chen Haisheng. This could be a major highlight for your class,” Teacher Jiang said.

Li Mengze was taken aback. Chen Haisheng, who came from a wealthy family, excelled in his studies and was a standout in other areas as well. He was considered a role model by the male students and a Prince Charming by the female students. Everyone believed he was destined for greatness, and it seemed he was finally ready to make his move.

“Actually, you’re quite good at planning. It’s a pity you went into engineering; you don’t really like it,” Teacher Jiang continued, noticing Li Mengze deep in thought and clearly intending to recruit him.

“Who did you recommend to him then?” Li Mengze feigned confusion, eager to probe for more information.

“Not many, originally I thought of recommending Xu Peng, but Xu Peng mentioned he didn’t get along well with Haisheng at first, so I only contacted Wang Zhaoyun and a few others from different classes,” Teacher Jiang said, knowing he needed to provide some information to pique Li Mengze’s interest.

“How did Zhaoyun respond? Isn’t she in Beijing now?” Li Mengze valued Wang Zhaoyun; they also had a good relationship.

“Zhaoyun isn’t keen on it; she’s doing well in Beijing and doesn’t want to move to Guangdong. What about you?” Teacher Jiang asked directly, deciding for Li Mengze.

Teacher Jiang had high hopes for Li Mengze. Although he wasn’t outstanding in school, everyone has their unique strengths, and given the opportunity, he might soar to great heights.

“The startup is facing quite a few challenges initially, and I lack experience. I can’t be on the frontline, and just cheering from the sidelines wouldn’t be enough for me to face my classmates,” Li Mengze quickly declined.

Teacher Jiang seemed to agree with Li Mengze’s comment and said nothing further. Indeed, Li Mengze lacked both experience and connections. If he could work behind the scenes and provide advice that was accepted, that would be fine, but what if it wasn’t? Besides, planning was a matter for the shareholders. What could Li Mengze really do?

Li Mengze wasn’t without his gains, though. At least he felt the urgency of time and knew he couldn’t delay his actions. He was reluctant to tell Teacher Jiang that he also intended to start his own company. Teacher Jiang wouldn’t believe him anyway, and there was also the aspect of competing with an old classmate, so he decided to proceed quietly.

Li Mengze had already planned everything. Women were not to be involved in the affairs of his company; they could only offer advice. Before his power was established, he also needed to stay behind the scenes. He had a few people in mind; he believed Li Yudong would join him, and Xu Peng was almost a certainty. He had a good relationship with Wang Zhaoyun, but it wasn’t guaranteed that he could persuade her to come aboard. He couldn’t reveal his full capabilities yet. Since he could refuse an invitation from a well-recognized figure, it meant his position was quite solid. Fortunately, his relationship with Xu Peng was better, so he would let Xu Peng convince him. With that, he would have four people, enough to start a company.

Li Mengze recognized someone he had seen in Guangzhou. He immediately stopped the car, rolled down the window, and waved to the person who had stood by his bed in the hotel.

“Have you already entered my home?” Li Mengze asked angrily.

“Yes,” the person replied crisply, without any emotion.

“How many people are in my house?”

“Five, including two girls. Three of us, and the Boss is also there. Two below, including me.”

“What’s the arrangement of my house?”

“Two bedrooms, one larger, one smaller, a study, a bathroom, and a kitchen.”

“Has anyone been harmed?”

“No, the two young ladies are fine and very composed. The Boss respects them greatly.”

“Send a message.” Li Mengze pulled out a pen, wrote a few lines, folded the paper, and handed it over. Soon, a person walked out from the corner, took the letter without a word, and headed upstairs.

“What’s your last name? Come in and sit.” Li Mengze said simply.

“My last name is Li. I’d rather stand,” the man replied with a smile.

“Cut the chatter. Do you want everyone to see you?” Li Mengze’s voice was low and brooked no refusal.

“Thank , Li Lan.” Li Lan hesitated for a moment, then sat in the passenger seat.

Li Mengze closed his eyes, leaned back in the driver’s seat, and ignored Li Lan, leaving him alone in his thoughts. Fifteen minutes later, five people came out of the residential complex gate one after another. They looked around to make sure no one was watching before two of them walked towards the car, and the others hailed a taxi to follow Li Mengze’s car.

“How long have you been here?” Li Mengze asked the Boss coldly, starting the car.

“Almost two hours now. Where did Li Mengze go, making us wait so long?” The Boss was clearly not pleased, finding neither food nor drink in the room, and having to endure the cold looks from two girls.

“You guys are really bold, don’t you know Tianjin has the best public safety among the major cities in the country? I’m scared for you, all these men coming in and out of the complex without any disguise, aren’t you afraid the security will catch you?”

Li Mengze said coldly, issuing a warning, “What’s your last name, and who’s that sitting across from you?”

The Boss was visibly shocked and a bit scared, replying, “Du Hai, and this is Wang Xueli next to me.” Du Hai was slightly angry, feeling underestimated by Li Mengze.

“One more question, who was the one with the knife that day, and who was by the window? I want to know,” Li Mengze pressed on.

“You don’t need to know, you already know too much,” Du Hai responded.

“Just tell me who had the knife then, Xiaoyu wants to know,” Li Mengze persisted, determined to get an answer.

“What’s your relationship with Xiaoyu?” Du Hai was a bit puzzled, but he stepped aside and said, “His name is Shi Jun.”

“Du Hai, you didn’t harm the two girls in my room, did you?” Li Mengze kept the conversation going to engage him.

“Too much nonsense, just drive your car.” Wang Xueli couldn’t stand his rambling.

“Wang Xueli, don’t lose your temper. Your boss hasn’t even spoken yet; what are you getting angry about? It’s not easy following a good leader; watch your timing when you speak, and don’t compete with your own boss. Don’t be mad at me; I’m looking out for you. Du Hai won’t be mad at you this time; it’s his fault for not guiding you properly,” Li Mengze responded without overreacting, seemingly agreeing with his suggestion, which reassured him greatly.

Everyone got out of the car smoothly, and Li Mengze booked two private rooms, ordering food and drinks from the server, while Du Hai and his group quietly let him arrange everything.

Du Hai and his companions found it a bit unbelievable; they were frightened by their unconscious compliance with Li Mengze’s arrangements, and his friendliness left them at a loss, knowing that he hadn’t played any tricks in the hotel. They were indeed a bit disoriented, but they were now in too deep and had to take a gamble.

“Xueli, go join the other brothers at a table, let Shi Jun come over here. Remember, don’t drink too much and keep your words to a minimum; your southern accent is strong,” Li Mengze directed, taking on the role of their leader.

Wang Xueli glanced at Du Hai, who nodded in agreement. For a moment, the atmosphere in the room grew tense.

“You guys really went too far, targeting Tianjin. Haven’t you considered the consequences? Tianjin is among the safest cities in China, with countless cases solved every year, and many have fallen because of it. I don’t know how you mix in such circles, Boss Du, but from the moment I saw you, I’ve had numerous chances to put you in grave danger!” While eating, Li Mengze struck at their confidence, adhering to the military strategy of “conquering the heart is supreme.”

“Not necessarily. If you dare make a move, do you think you could escape our grasp?” Du Hai clearly did not want to admit his disadvantage.

“Hmph, not to mention far away, even in this hotel, if I were to leave disguised as a staff member, you wouldn’t be able to do anything. All I need to do is shout, and I bet you wouldn’t even be able to leave this hotel. I wouldn’t dare say this in other cities, but in Tianjin, if a hotel doesn’t have the guts to nab a few petty thieves, it can forget about retaining its guests.”

Li Mengze continued to apply pressure. Although he was exaggerating, the security in Tianjin was indeed excellent, with plainclothes police everywhere and people daring to confront criminals.

“Oh, thanks for that. Then why don’t you take action?” Du Hai said flatly.

“Why, perhaps I find you guys interesting,” Li Mengze said with a cold laugh.

“Ha, that’s rare, I’m flattered,” Du Hai said, clearly surprised and disbelieving his own ears.

“After returning from Guangzhou, I consulted an old Zen master,” Li Mengze spoke, ignoring Du Hai.

“Oh, Li Mengze believes in this? What did the divination say?”

“I asked about my life’s destiny, but the old Zen master told me the present is crucial, saying that this hurdle is very important to me. Whether I can achieve anything in life depends on whether I can overcome this hurdle.”

“And how do you plan to overcome it?” Du Hai stared at him, while the other two showed a wary demeanor.

“It seemed simple to me. In a modern legal society, just catching you and handing you over to the police would do; but the old Zen master shook his head and gave me two words,” Li Mengze said, appearing to reminisce and ponder, but he was actually deceiving.

“Which two words?” Du Hai now found himself caught in someone’s scheme.

“Early, good,” Li Mengze uttered the words.

“Early, good?” Shi Jun repeated, somewhat involuntarily.

“Yes, act early rather than late, spare those who can be spared, and take goodness as the foundation,” Li Mengze said expressionlessly.

The room fell silent, everyone deep in thought, creating a somewhat eerie atmosphere.

“Today, I have invited you all here because there are a few issues I need to address.

First, how did you find out about our negotiation with Wansheng Corporation? Who told you?

Second, how did you find my house? Don’t tell me you found it on your own.”

Li Mengze raised his concerns. “I’m not very familiar with the rules of the underworld, but I understand that interests are mutual. You benefit from me, and I compensate you accordingly. Although everyone has their own agenda, priorities differ in size and significance. I don’t like guessing. In fact, not many people know about the Wansheng issue, so don’t try to fool me.”

“Knowing that there are rules in the underworld, you should understand our difficulties. Why make things harder?” Du Hai said, his tone somewhat conciliatory.

“Rules are one thing, interests are another. I need to clear this up. Actually, it’s not hard to figure out. Not many have seen us at Wansheng Corporation. Do you want me to cast a wider net, implicating more people? You came to me, which is just what I needed-a timely approach. Now, don’t make this difficult,” Li Mengze spoke firmly, leaving no room for easing the situation, aware that Du Hai and his group were key to resolving these issues.

“We have someone in Wansheng Corporation,” Shi Jun said, glancing at Du Hai, who did not object.

“How powerful are you, and which top executive at Wansheng Corporation is connected to you? Is it Liu Fangsi, or Chen Xiaochong? Don’t tell me it’s the chairman, Ye Mingwen,” Li Mengze said skeptically, scoffing, “Don’t make me investigate.”

“How could we possibly reach them?” Li Lan said with a laugh.

“Reach them? What’s so great about them that you still try to deceive me?” Li Mengze scoffed.

“It was Chen Haili who told us,” Shi Jun said through clenched teeth, then lowered his head.

“Chen Xiaochong’s daughter? I wouldn’t have guessed you had a connection with her! No, there’s something you’re still hiding,” Li Mengze expressed in surprise.

“There’s nothing left to tell you,” Du Hai said with a bitter smile.

“There’s nothing? What is the relationship between Chen Haisheng and Chen Xiaochong?” Li Mengze said indifferently.

Li Mengze should have thought of Chen Haisheng earlier. He didn’t know how significant Li Mengze’s family background was, only that they were wealthy, which he hadn’t paid much attention to. However, Teacher Jiang’s words in the afternoon struck him as odd-Chen Haisheng’s family had money, so why didn’t he start a company immediately after graduation? Why wait until now? Of course, he hadn’t considered connecting this to the Wansheng company; now, Shi Jun’s mention of Chen Haili suddenly sparked his imagination.

“Do you know Chen Haisheng?” Shi Jun looked up in surprise.

“Classmates for four years, both virtuous and talented, generous and easygoing. Answer the two questions I raised, don’t leave me to speculate, I’m really asking you all here,” Li Mengze was somewhat reluctant to answer Shi Jun’s questions.

Originally, Du Hai and the others approached Li Mengze because Chen Haili had contacted Shi Jun, who knew her.

Chen Haili somehow found out from Chen Xiaochong that Li Mengze was coming to Tianjin for negotiations, and she happened to know a classmate of Chen Haisheng’s named Li Mengze, so she had Shi Jun and the others check him out, mainly out of curiosity.

However, it was Chen Haisheng’s doing that Du Hai and the others could so easily locate Li Mengze’s home in Tianjin; otherwise, they would have never come to Tianjin.

Li Mengze poured each person a glass of wine and then, substituting tea for wine, he said, “Thank you all for your honesty, which has spared me a lot of worries. I can’t drink alcohol, so I substitute tea for wine. Cheers to you all, you’ve come from far away, and it has been hard on you. I hope we have an opportunity to cooperate in the future.”

Du Hai and the others looked at each other, at a loss. They were completely confused by Li Mengze and had already prepared for the worst, but they did not expect such an outcome. They were momentarily stunned.

“Everyone, since today is quite special, I can’t stay with you long. Brothers, you can head back to Guangzhou now, or take a look around Tianjin if you like. Give me your account number; I’ll transfer 400000 yuan. When I visit Guangzhou next week, let’s continue our cooperation,” Li Mengze stood up and addressed the bewildered gangsters. He decided to win them over, support them, and establish his own underworld influence.

Li Mengze then hurried home, as today was indeed a special day. Two women were waiting for him at home, and he felt a twinge of regret for not telling them sooner that he was safe, for having made them worry!

Indeed, the two women were waiting for him at home. As soon as they saw him return, they almost simultaneously stood up and nestled in his embrace. Though no words were spoken, the silence was more telling than speech. “Liu Yun, you’ve been really good today. Quickly call Jing Wen, tell them that everything in Guangzhou has been smoothly resolved.”

These words laid the foundation of Li’s underworld influence, forming a critical part of the vast power that the Li family would wield. At that time, none of the parties involved realized the impact this would have on them. Meanwhile, Li Mengze was hurrying home; today was indeed a special day. There were two women waiting for him at home, and he was beginning to regret not telling them sooner that he was safe, regretting letting them worry about him!

Sure enough, the two women were waiting for him at home. As soon as they saw him return, they almost simultaneously stood up and nestled into his embrace. Though no words were exchanged, the silence was more eloquent than speech. “Liu Yun, you’ve been really good today. Quickly, call Jing Wen and tell her that everything in Guangzhou has been smoothly resolved.”