Chapter 19: The Landscaping Project Secured, with a Profit of Three Hundred Thousand

However, once a professional team was established and a solid ecological foundation laid, it would no longer be easy for other companies to surpass them.

The specific tasks were handled by others; Liang Jiyong merely directed remotely, while Di Yutong became his secretary, managing communication and coordination.

Peng Yuan, Huang Zicheng, and Lin Chao—each more spirited than the last.

Su Wanqing’s home became Liang Jiyong’s temporary command center.

Yet, most of his time was spent upstairs reviewing lessons with Su Wanqing.

The two seemed to have returned to the status of good friends, except for the occasional glance exchanged between them.

Su Wanqing’s troubles gradually dissipated, and she regained her calm; this recent upheaval seemed to have matured her considerably.

One day, Su Wanqing received a phone call, then went upstairs and played the piano for half an hour.

Since entering her final year of high school, Su Wanqing rarely played the piano, except when emotional—whether joyful or sorrowful—she would express herself through the music.

But this time, Liang Jiyong couldn’t discern whether she was happy or upset.

He sat nearby, engrossed in his book, only putting it down when her last notes faded away.

“My mother married that man!” Su Wanqing said without turning around.

“Oh!” Liang Jiyong was not surprised.

“They’re coming to work in Yunzhou!”

Liang Jiyong was stunned; he was certain Su Wanqing did not want her mother and stepfather to come to Yunzhou.

“Aunt Lin is doing well at the Pingzhou branch of the Construction Bank, isn’t she?”

“That man, Zhou Jianguo, is a new senior official in Yunzhou!”

Liang Jiyong was shocked—this was truly unexpected.

“My mother and he graduated from the same university. They were lovers back then. After graduation, they parted ways. Five years ago, Zhou Jianguo was transferred from another province to Pingzhou, and it was only after my mother moved there that they met again.”

“Dad always believed Mom might forgive him, so he refused to divorce her!”

Liang Jiyong stood up, walked over, and sat beside Su Wanqing.

She leaned on his shoulder.

“Should I bless my mother?”

“She hasn’t done anything wrong,” Liang Jiyong replied.

Though he said so, recalling the incident in Pingzhou made it hard even for him to remain calm and treat it as nothing—let alone Su Wanqing.

“I will bless them, but I don’t want their lives to intersect with mine! I won’t attend university in Yunzhou!” Su Wanqing was resolute.

“That’s fine. Wherever you go, I’ll follow you, but we definitely won’t be at the same school.”

Liang Jiyong was self-aware enough to know that even gaining admission to Yunzhou University within a year would be challenging.

“No need. They will surely leave Yunzhou in five years, and then I’ll come back!”

Liang Jiyong opened his mouth to speak.

“I won’t casually like other boys. This is a test of our love. If you pass, we’ll marry after graduation. If not, you’ll live a nightmare and never find me!”

“I really don’t feel at ease,” Liang Jiyong said.

“I can protect myself, and I want to learn to live more independently.”

Liang Jiyong exhaled deeply. “I respect your choice, but if anything comes up, you must tell me!”

“Mm,” Su Wanqing nodded.

“Can I apply for three minutes of temporary boyfriend time?” Liang Jiyong asked.

Su Wanqing didn’t answer but turned, wrapped her arms around his neck, and kissed him passionately.

“Thump thump thump...”

Urgent footsteps interrupted their moment.

Su Wanqing immediately stood up, went to the nearby sofa, picked up a book, and calmly began reading.

Liang Jiyong admired her composure in adjusting so well.

“Mr. Liang, good news...” Di Yutong’s excited voice came from the door.

Liang Jiyong turned his head, and Su Wanqing seemed to put down her book and look toward the entrance.

As Di Yutong ran over, her chest heaved with each step because she wore loose loungewear without a bra.

Such casualness.

“Lin Chao just called. We won the landscaping project on Cangyun Road. The contract is worth 500,000 yuan, with an expected profit of about 300,000!”

Though the profit margin was lower than the first project, the amount was much higher.

With 300,000 yuan profit, according to prior agreement, 30% belonged to Zhang Ning—that’s 90,000 yuan—while the remaining 210,000 yuan would be split, with Liang Jiyong’s 50% equaling 100,000 yuan.

He had previously asked for 10% for Di Yutong, but she refused the money, saying it was Liang Jiyong’s “meal money”—clearly intending to be his long-term supporter!

“Oh, tell him to do a good job. There won’t be such high-return projects in the future!”

“Hey, 300,000 yuan! Mr. Liang, you didn’t even blink!”

Di Yutong bent down, seemingly to confirm if Liang Jiyong had actually blinked.

But she seemed to have forgotten she wore loose home clothes without underwear.

Thus, a pair of full, pure white curves immediately caught Liang Jiyong’s eyes.

He felt extremely awkward.

Di Yutong noticed his gaze and expression, only then realizing—and with Su Wanqing still sitting nearby, she blushed deeply, clutching her collar, and fled the music room.

Liang Jiyong exhaled, feeling thoroughly tormented.

“Nice, isn’t it?” a gentle voice spoke.

Liang Jiyong jolted—Wanqing had just noticed.

But he was truly innocent.

“What? You mean the piano? Hmm, it’s nice. By the way, how much did you buy it for?”

Liang Jiyong asked.

Su Wanqing gave him a withering look, thinking his interruption was terribly awkward.

“3,600 yuan.”

“Oh, that’s reasonable—not too expensive!” Liang Jiyong nodded.

“That was my fifteenth birthday gift... back then, Mom and Dad still lived in this house.”

But not anymore.

This home would ultimately fall apart.

Liang Jiyong stood, intending to sit beside Su Wanqing, but her calm voice came, “Read your book. Don’t waste time!”

“Ah, okay then!” Liang Jiyong had no choice but to continue reading.

The interrupted moment of warmth was gone, but he didn’t press the matter of Di Yutong’s indiscretion.

Over the past half month, Liang Jiyong spent most of his days at Su Wanqing’s home.

After Su Kui left the Red Flag Factory, his father seemingly ceased interfering in matters concerning Liang Jiyong and Su Wanqing.

Perhaps before, the biggest worry was that if Su Kui were investigated, Liang Jiyong’s relationship with Su Kui’s daughter might cause trouble.

Now that Su Kui had left the factory, this obstacle was removed.

That evening, a group gathered at the Yunzhou Firecloud Barbecue Restaurant for dinner.

Because they had business to discuss, they sat in a private room.

Liang Jiyong, Lin Chao, Peng Yuan, Huang Zicheng, and Di Yutong were all participants in the Chaofan Ecological Landscaping project.

Su Wanqing was the only one not involved, but Liang Jiyong shamelessly borrowed 2,000 yuan cash from her.

Without cash to pay the workers initially in Hualin County, their enthusiasm would have plummeted.

After several rounds of wine and dishes, this meal also signified the imminent disbandment of their team.

Peng Yuan and Di Yutong both attended university in Yunzhou but would no longer have the energy to continue such work.

Huang Zicheng was heading to Fudan University in Shanghai—one of the country’s top schools.

Lin Chao was ambitious; although he hadn’t earned much during this time, the field held great promise.

“Brother Yong, no need for many words of thanks; it’s all in the wine!” Lin Chao raised his glass.

He used to call Liang Jiyong “Ah Yong,” but now addressed him respectfully as “Brother Yong.”

Though his dreams once seemed wild, they had come true.

Moreover, Liang Jiyong’s willingness to let go of this seemingly promising industry deepened Lin Chao’s respect and gratitude.

“Don’t say thanks too soon. This business succeeded mainly because we seized the initiative.

Within three months, competitors will appear; there will be many overt and covert challenges.

Don’t do anything reckless, or you might lose everything.”

“Understood. We’re after profit now, making money peacefully, unlike school fights where it was about face and bravado!”

Liang Jiyong knew Lin Chao’s wild nature was precisely why he could establish himself in Hualin County—something Peng Yuan or Huang Zicheng wouldn’t manage.

Their success stemmed from two factors: first, the quality of Hualin County’s flowers and trees, which were abundant and overlooked locally.

Second, Yunzhou people rarely ventured eighty kilometers to appreciate that soil; the severe information imbalance gave Liang Jiyong the edge.

As their business grew, within three months, other ecological landscaping companies would undoubtedly enter Hualin County, leveraging various connections.

Future projects would bear invisible costs, thinning profits.

Though challenges loomed, the prospects were vast, and Liang Jiyong’s guidance kept Lin Chao from losing focus.

What lay ahead was no longer Liang Jiyong’s concern.

Once this business closed with a profit of 100,000 yuan, he would completely step away.

He sensed Peng Yuan and Huang Zicheng were somewhat reluctant.

Over three months, each had earned at least 40,000 yuan—more than their families probably had.

Yet, neither was suited to the Hualin landscaping business.

Huang Zicheng was leaving for Shanghai, and Peng Yuan’s personality wasn’t fit for independent leadership.

After dinner, Lin Chao planned to return to the Red Flag Factory to recruit trustworthy managers.

Though factory workers still received wages, Lin Chao’s offered pay would be much higher.

The once-coveted “iron rice bowl” lost its appeal after the Hongxing and Guomian factories shut down.

With the semester approaching, Liang Jiyong and Su Wanqing had already moved their belongings to the dormitory.

After Lin Chao left, Liang Jiyong spoke again to Peng Yuan and Huang Zicheng.

“I know letting go of the landscaping business isn’t easy for you.”

Both smiled sheepishly; it would be strange if they felt nothing, given that a house could have been bought in three months.

“It would be a lie to say I’m not attached. This money came too easily—I didn’t even dare tell my dad. He’s worked twenty years, yet I made more in a few weeks. Who can argue with that?” Peng Yuan chuckled.

Huang Zicheng sighed, then said, “I’m not afraid of being laughed at, but the last 500 yuan I brought home, I cried under the covers—I was that scared of poverty.

My eldest brother is 26, healthy, but no one wants to date him. It’s just money.

I know Hualin County is insular and hard to settle in—I wouldn’t succeed even if I tried.

But letting go like this still feels strange. I guess I’m just inexperienced.”

Liang Jiyong understood their words well; from his perspective, thirty years apart, their mindset was already quite mature.

“Peng Yuan, Zicheng, we live in an era of rapid development and endless opportunities.

Lin Chao’s temperament suits Hualin County’s growth.

But for you two, such chances will come and go while your knowledge and skills are still developing.

Knowledge changes destiny. When you graduate, I doubt you’ll want to return to Hualin County; the world outside is far more exciting!”

“Brother Yong, I feel like you’ve become a different person, enlightened!” Peng Yuan and Huang Zicheng agreed.

Liang Jiyong smiled silently; this was a truth he couldn’t share.

“Maybe enlightened—I was knocked awake by that blow from Zhang the Bald.

Soon, there will be a great investment opportunity. If you’re willing to take risks, you can put your money in. It won’t take more than a year, and the returns won’t be less than Lin Chao’s Hualin business.”

“What is it?” Peng Yuan and Huang Zicheng asked in surprise.

“Don’t ask now; you’ll know in due time.

I told Zhang Ning we’d receive a portion of the project payment within a month, so we can access funds early.

I’ll contact you then.

By the way, Zicheng, since you’re in Shanghai, learn about the stock market there.

Though the market is still unregulated, if you can master it, you’ll never worry about money.”

“Yeah, you’re right. I’ll study it carefully!”

“Remember: the stock market is risky, invest cautiously, be content, and know when to stop.

Follow these, and you won’t lose money in the next decade!”

After they left, Liang Jiyong exhaled deeply—time to focus.

Su Wanqing and Di Yutong read at home; Su Wanqing with her tutoring books, Di Yutong still on The Count of Monte Cristo.

“Mr. Liang, are you done with your work?” Di Yutong asked.

“Mr. Liang is a thing of the past. From now on, I’m just repeat student Liang Jiyong!”

“Oh, so I’m unemployed?” Di Yutong felt a twinge of disappointment. Though her work these past weeks was odd jobs, it was interesting.