Chapter 129

Chief of the International News Department, Jiang Mengxuan, felt a headache coming on as he held Zhenzhen’s resignation letter. He stood up and poured her a cup of tea, speaking kindly: “You’ve been doing well—why are you suddenly thinking of resigning? Is there something bothering you at work? Or are you having trouble balancing things at home? If there’s anything we can work out, let’s try to resolve it. No need to resign so hastily.”

Zhenzhen quickly replied, “The organization has taken great care of me over the years, and I’ve always been grateful. I get along well with my colleagues too. Actually, this resignation wasn’t a rash decision—I’ve thought about it for a long time.” She intertwined her fingers, hesitated a moment, and then said, “I heard someone reported me for doing business.”

Jiang Mengxuan had heard about this from the president, so he responded in confusion, “That report was unfounded. It has no impact on your job.”

“I know I was originally hired under special circumstances because there were very few journalism graduates at the time. The newspaper urgently needed professionals like me, so I was given a special exception. But in recent years, more and more journalism graduates have joined the workforce, and the structural staff shortage at our paper has been resolved.” Zhenzhen spoke earnestly. “I feel that now the paper has enough options, someone in my situation should take the initiative to resign. After all, the report wasn’t only sent to the paper—it was also sent to higher authorities. Even though everything was cleared up, the impact isn’t great.”

Seeing that Jiang Mengxuan still wanted to persuade her, Zhenzhen continued, “If it happened once, it could happen again. It’s better that I resign. Honestly, this job has always been more of an emotional attachment for me. I don’t rely on it to make a living. And I don’t want anyone to taint that sentiment. So please, just accept my resignation.”

Jiang Mengxuan sighed and stood up. “This isn’t something I can decide. Wait a bit while I talk to the president. Also, you should speak with Department Head Yu—after all, you were his protégé.”

Zhenzhen nodded. While Jiang Mengxuan went to find the president, she went straight to Yu Shoujing’s office. Yu had just finished reviewing an article and handed the signed copy to Guo Xiaoqiao, who was waiting nearby. Then he stood up enthusiastically. “Mingzhen! Done with maternity leave? You look well.”

Zhenzhen smiled, shook hands with him, and got straight to the point: “I’m here today to resign.”

Yu Shoujing was momentarily stunned but didn’t react as strongly as Jiang Mengxuan. Instead, he seemed somewhat unsurprised. “Actually, leaving isn’t a bad idea. The journalism world has its limits. You should explore a wider horizon.”

Zhenzhen smiled. “I don’t have such lofty ambitions. I just want to spend more time doing things I enjoy.”

“That’s great.” Yu Shoujing nodded. “Young people should have that kind of drive. Work hard—one day I hope to personally interview you.”

Seeing the hopeful look on his face, Zhenzhen couldn’t help but laugh. “Alright, I’ll work toward that.”

As the two were chatting and laughing, Jiang Mengxuan returned. “Come on, let’s go to the president’s office.”

Yu Shoujing stood up and extended a hand to Zhenzhen. “Then let me wish you a bright future in advance.”

Hearing his sincere blessing, Zhenzhen’s eyes turned red. “Thank you, teacher!”
—

The resignation process wasn’t complicated. With approval at each level, Zhenzhen completed the procedures within a few days. On her way home from work, she rode her bike straight to the Imperial Capital Design Institute to call out Li Mingbei.

Although both were in the capital, this was the first time Zhenzhen had come to Mingbei’s workplace. The siblings found a Sichuan restaurant nearby, ordered a few dishes, and began chatting while eating. Lately, Mingbei had become obsessed with spicy food. With dishes like mala hot pot, spicy beef, and boiled fish, he could polish off an entire bowl of rice. Because Zhenzhen was still breastfeeding, she could only watch him eat while sadly picking at her only mildly spicy dish—kung pao chicken.

“Fourth Brother…” Zhenzhen drawled out.

“Mm-hmm, I’m listening,” Mingbei replied without looking up, stuffing a chopstick-full of beef into his mouth, then breathing through his open mouth and quickly shoveling in rice.

Zhenzhen turned away in annoyance. “Can you eat smaller bites? Aren’t you afraid of choking?”

“You’re just jealous! Can’t handle spicy food and mad that I can.” Mingbei swallowed and happily downed a soda. “Ah, that hit the spot.” He set down the bottle and looked at her. “So, what did you want to talk to me about?”

“I want to start a real estate company,” Zhenzhen said as she popped a peanut into her mouth and looked up at him. “Do you know of any reliable private construction crews?”

In recent years, real estate development wasn’t unfamiliar to Mingbei—it was a relatively new industry, but one he found interesting. His interest was instantly piqued, and he stopped eating to look at her. “You’re seriously planning to do this?”

“Obviously. You think I have money to burn for fun?” Zhenzhen shot him a look and said seriously, “Not only do I want to do this, I want to build a strong and successful real estate company.”

Mingbei put down his chopsticks, his eyes lighting up. “Then let me join you!”

Zhenzhen was stunned, looking at him in confusion. “But you’ve got a great job. Some of your classmates didn’t even get in. If you quit, you’ll be just a freelancer. Won’t you feel bad compared to your peers?”

“This isn’t the old days. Anyone who looks down on freelancers is going to get shown up eventually.” Mingbei snorted and eagerly promoted himself. “I’ve got five years of work experience and connections with reliable construction teams. I can really do this—give it some thought.”

“I know you can.” Zhenzhen smiled. “It’d be great if you joined. But you should talk it over with your wife. Quitting isn’t a small matter.”

Mingbei nodded and scooped himself another bowl of rice. “Got it. I’ll talk to her tonight.”

After parting with him, Zhenzhen biked to the newly established cosmetics factory. All the machines were installed and undergoing testing. Staff were undergoing intensive training.

She went to the Chief’s office, where Ling Xiulan was reviewing product formulas. When she saw Zhenzhen, she was overjoyed. “You’re just in time! Our expert has integrated Mr. Zhang’s beauty formula with modern cosmetics. Take a look!” Currently, Lanjhen Cosmetics focused on two product lines—one centered on medicinal cosmetics for sensitive skin, and the other on purely plant-based skincare.

When it came to skincare, Zhenzhen readily admitted Ling Xiulan knew more. She smiled and shook her head. “This is too technical for me. I don’t really understand. But sticking to plant-based cosmetics is the right direction. When can we do a trial production?”

“We can do a test batch the day after tomorrow.” Ling Xiulan set the formula aside. “If it works, we’ll sign supply agreements with flower farms and herbal suppliers.”

“Raw materials are critical to us. I’m not comfortable outsourcing this. How about we use external plants for the first batch, and I’ll build our own dedicated plant base for cosmetics? It’ll also be part of our branding later.” As she spoke, Zhenzhen used her intuition to scout for locations on the outskirts of the capital. She quickly found a barren mountain and surrounding empty land and took on the task. “Leave this to me.”

Ling Xiulan looked at her with concern. “Can you handle all this? Weren’t you also planning to get into real estate?”

Zhenzhen grinned. “My fourth brother wants to work with me. If he and his wife are on board, I’ll hand off some of the operational work to him.”

“That would be perfect.” Ling Xiulan smiled. “He’s a professional—having him on board will make things easier for you.”

Zhenzhen nodded. “I’m thinking we could eventually build fully furnished and decorated homes—ready to move in.”

Ling Xiulan laughed. “You’re really keeping it all in the family—selling houses and furniture together. But honestly, it’s a smart idea.”

After chatting for a while, Zhenzhen hurried home, worried about her twins. Having not seen their mom all day, the two little ones were fussing. As soon as they smelled her, they started wailing. Zhenzhen quickly washed her hands and picked them up. The twins eagerly nestled in her arms, ready to nurse.

“They drank all the milk you left this morning. Honestly, I think they weren’t even that hungry—they just missed you,” Wang Sufen said with a broad, contented smile as she looked at the twins.

Zhenzhen laughed as she jiggled the two little ones’ chubby bottoms. “They’re already acting spoiled at this age.” Watermelon, the chubby one, didn’t like being moved and gave two grumpy little grunts. Grape, seemingly annoyed by the whining, angrily stretched out her tiny leg and, while still nursing, kicked at Watermelon’s bottom.

“Oh my, our little Grape is really strong,” Grandma Li said with delight. “Look at her, she’s almost kicked her brother off!”

Zhenzhen was holding one baby in each arm and couldn’t adjust her position, so she turned to Grandma Li with a helpless smile. “Grandma, stop enjoying the show and help me move Watermelon. I can’t hold him anymore.” Grandma Li reached out and repositioned Watermelon in Zhenzhen’s arms. Grape, full of energy again, kept kicking until she eventually kicked herself to sleep and finally quieted down.

“This little girl is quite something.” Zhenzhen placed the twins back in their bed and rubbed her arms. “Even feeding time is a workout.”

Grandma Li looked at the three people dearest to her and said warmly, “You’ve been running around all day. Lie down and rest a bit.”

Zhenzhen lay down between the two children, but her mind wandered back to the mountains of Beicha. Due to excessive logging and lack of protection, in just a few years, half the wildlife in those mountains had disappeared, and the forest’s edge was receding rapidly. At the same time, vast quantities of trees were being chopped down and shipped across the country by train.

To maintain local revenue, not just century-old trees but even thriving young forests were being marked for logging. Zhenzhen sighed. This exploitative harvesting would eventually cause China’s largest Korean pine forest to vanish from the Earth. Then the endless pine woods would exist only in the memories of the older generations.

Zhenzhen remembered reading in her previous life that the Yidong forest had eventually run out of trees to cut. By the time the government realized the damage, less than 50,000 hectares remained of the original 1.2 million. Even now, less than half of the original forest was intact. Wild pheasants and rabbits that once roamed freely had become rare delicacies.

When Zhenzhen was reborn at the foot of that pine forest, she developed a deep emotional attachment to it. She foresaw its fate and knew she had to gain enough status, power, and money to rebuild it. But for now, the small forestry town that relied on the forest to support tens of thousands of workers wasn’t about to lease it to her. She would have to wait.

Wiping her face, Zhenzhen sighed heavily. Even though she could restore the forest in minutes with her ability, she wasn’t planning to do that. Only when people tasted the consequences of their actions would they understand the forest’s value. If she stepped in now, the logging would only continue.

She snapped out of her thoughts and sat up in bed. The weight on her mind made it impossible to relax during the day. After washing her hands, she filled a few bottles with milk and put them in the fridge. Then, walking quietly into the outer room, she gently woke Wang Sufen from her nap. “Mom, I need to head out. The milk’s in the fridge.”

Wang Sufen yawned and, feeling sorry for her, grabbed two apples from the table and shoved them into Zhenzhen’s hands. “You’re so busy you don’t even get to eat fruit. Take these for the road.”

Zhenzhen responded with a “Got it,” tucked the apples away, and left to discuss land lease matters. The barren lands and hills in the suburbs of the Imperial Capital had long been left undeveloped. When Zhenzhen proposed leasing land to grow crops, the land administration department immediately agreed—likely because she made a personal appearance. An ordinary person probably wouldn’t have secured such a large tract so easily.

She spent half a month measuring land with officials, paying fees, and securing licenses. Before she could even enjoy the feeling of being a landowner, Mingbei came running over, excited. “Zhenzhen, I quit my job!”

Zhenzhen looked at him in surprise. “Your wife agreed?”

“She did!” Mingbei grinned and motioned to the group behind him. “I even brought a few classmates and colleagues.”

Zhenzhen was stunned as she watched a line of people file in. “You all quit?”

“Yep,” one of them, about Mingbei’s age, replied with a smile. “He said he’d lead us to glory.”

Another one added, “Actually, we’re not following him—we trust you. Working with you can’t go wrong.”

“Yeah, totally!” said the youngest-looking one, eyes full of admiration for Zhenzhen. “We believe in you, Li Mingzhen.”

Seeing this group of elite graduates from China’s top architecture school who had worked at the Imperial Capital Design Institute all vying to follow her, Zhenzhen felt deeply touched and smiled at them. “You’re all pretty bold. This is my first time in real estate—I’m crossing the river by feeling the stones.”

“It’s okay. We’ve got a few years of experience. We won’t let you stumble,” Mingbei said with a hearty laugh.

With such a professional and seasoned team at the very start of her business, Zhenzhen was filled with confidence. She registered a company, cleared out a two-story commercial space to serve as a temporary office, and counted the personnel: besides Mingbei and his seven classmates, the two construction teams they brought made up all of Mingzhen Real Estate’s staff. But despite the technical talent, no one knew anything about management—so Zhenzhen simply appointed herself general manager.

After signing contracts with everyone, Zhenzhen and Mingbei took their newly minted credentials to bid on a public housing project. At the time, there weren’t many real estate companies. Aside from theirs, the rest were all state-owned and familiar with one another. Just as they handed over their prepared bid, two young people walked in.

“That girl looks familiar,” someone whispered.

“You didn’t recognize her?” The other scoffed. “That’s Li Mingzhen!”

Everyone looked surprised and exchanged glances. “What’s she doing here?”

To the state-owned company heads, Li Mingzhen wasn’t just known for donating cultural relics—what really scared them was how fast she acquired companies. In just a few years, she had taken over a furniture factory and a clothing factory. The recently established cosmetics company was reportedly expanded from an acquired chemical plant. They had thought she had no interest in the rough world of construction, but now here she was at the bidding site.

A few managers exchanged looks and turned their gaze to Wang Yufu, the head of the least profitable company. Cold sweat broke out on his forehead as he forced a smile at Li Mingzhen. “Chief Li, are you planning to acquire our construction company too?”

Her eyes lit up. “Is it for sale? If the government sells it, I’ll buy!”

Only then did Wang Yufu realize how his words could be misunderstood. He immediately wanted to slap himself. “No, no, that’s not what I meant! Our factory hasn’t gone bankrupt yet.”

Li Mingzhen clicked her tongue, half-joking. “So you’re just messing with me?”

Wang Yufu gave a sheepish smile. “I wouldn’t dare! I’m just scared, that’s all.”

Everyone laughed. Zhenzhen couldn’t help chuckling as well. “Jokes aside, if any of your units go private, don’t forget to let me know.”

Wang Yufu said bitterly, “I feel like every industry you step into ends up being bought out by you.”

Zhenzhen laughed. “So you’re saying I’m a curse?”

Although Wang Yufu silently agreed, he didn’t dare nod. Just then, the bidding officials came in, and everyone returned to their seats. Wang Yufu finally let out a sigh of relief.

After submitting their bid bond, the officials went to review the documents and qualifications. The rest gathered in small groups to chat. This was the only public housing bid for the entire year, and if they could win a few lots, their annual performance would be secure—hence why all the company heads had shown up.

Cheng Naitian, Chief of the Imperial Capital’s First Construction Company, sat down beside Zhenzhen and asked curiously, “Miss Li, why did you decide to enter this field? I thought your focus would be on the cosmetics company.”

Zhenzhen smiled. “Maybe I’m just greedy. I want a piece of every booming industry.”

It was hard to tell if that statement was true or not, but it clearly showed how much Li Mingzhen valued this company. Previously, whether it was the furniture factory, clothing factory, or beauty salon, Li Mingzhen had always handed them over to others to manage. But this newly established real estate company was not only managed by her personally, it was even named after her. The heads of the other construction units exchanged looks, all feeling a great deal of pressure.

After waiting three hours, the government finally opened the bids. This year’s public housing construction volume was quite large, and basically every construction company received a few project lots. Mingzhen Real Estate Company also secured two public housing construction projects for factory units, which was already a great start for a newly established real estate company. After all, even Wang Yufu’s Third Construction Company only got one. Mingbei returned to the company beaming, showing off, “We definitely got the bid because of the name!”

Zhenzhen smacked the back of his head speechlessly. “What nonsense are you talking about? Without a construction license, it doesn’t matter if it’s the name or even the face, it still wouldn’t work.”

Everyone burst into laughter. Zhenzhen put the documents on the table. “Alright, cut the jokes. Let’s get down to business. We’ve won two public housing construction projects today. I’ve already signed the contracts, and the project funds will be transferred to our account within five working days. Now, divide into two project teams. Aside from our own construction crews, we’ll also need to hire a few external teams, but the construction quality must be guaranteed.”

Mingbei immediately said, “We know all the construction crews around Imperial Capital, and we’ve worked with quite a few. Don’t worry—we’ll definitely pick the best.”

Zhenzhen nodded. “This is the first job our company has ever received. Even if we earn less or nothing at all, we must ensure the quality and build our reputation.”

The eight of them already had five years of work experience and had collaborated many times before. They quickly split into teams based on their usual workflow and began preparing to conduct on-site surveys for the public housing projects.

The small company instantly emptied out. Zhenzhen stretched lazily, then drove the company car straight to the suburbs. Compared to building houses, Zhenzhen felt she preferred farming!