Just like last year, Tan Jincheng and his family still celebrated Chinese New Year in the countryside this year.
After much consideration, Tan Lihua still decided not to drive the BMW 3 Series back, feeling that it would be too ostentatious.
Last year it was still a Passat; getting an Audi A6 today was already exaggerated enough.
If he drove the BMW back, after his son left, he would probably be the unlucky one.
"Dad, I'll buy you a car after the New Year,"
Tan Jincheng said casually from the back seat, playing with little Jinyue.
Last year, Tan Jincheng got a child safety seat for little Jinyue, but she was too small to sit in it back then.
This year, she could barely sit.
Little Jinyue kept moving in the car, appearing a bit restless, and Tan Jincheng was comforting her.
Tan Lihua, gripping the steering wheel with both hands, was visibly tempted, but he still said reservedly,
"No need, I don't usually go back to the countryside. Riding an electric bike to work in the city is fine; I basically don't need one."
Zhang Suzhi, in the passenger seat, clearly saw Tan Lihua's expression and couldn't help but laugh,
"Your dad wants it but is too embarrassed to say so. But you don't need to buy it; you have quite a lot of money from those Taobao stores of yours. If we want to buy one, we can do it ourselves."
With a child, the family really did need a car.
It would be much more convenient for shopping or going to the hospital, not to mention they had already moved out of the family quarters.
In windy or rainy weather, commuting by car would definitely be much more convenient than by electric bike.
"Keep that money; I still have a lot of money. Dad, what kind of car do you want? Pick anything under 1 million yuan, even an imported one is fine. I'll get it for you after the New Year."
Tan Lihua glanced at his wife in the passenger seat.
Seeing her nod, he then replied,
"It doesn't have to be that expensive. Too expensive would be too showy. A Passat would be good enough."
"That's simple. After the New Year, when we go back to the city, we'll pick one up. Consider it my New Year's gift to you."
"You said you have a lot of money. Where did all this money come from? Logically speaking, shouldn't factory owners always be short on cash?"
Zhang Suzhi asked, a bit curious.
Ever since her son started a factory, Zhang Suzhi had also learned a lot.
Working in a state-owned enterprise herself, she knew much more than the average housewife, not to mention her husband's family had a cousin who also ran a factory, and he was often short of money.
"I was often short of money in the first half of the year too, sometimes racking my brain trying to figure out where to get some cash. But it got better after October. In October, I transferred most of the equity of the company I co-founded with Peng Ya to him. Now he's the boss of that company."
"Later, the Beicang District government also invested in my company. I personally got a lot of money from these two cash-outs, so I'm not short on cash now. I'm even planning to buy a villa; I'm looking at options now. Once it's ready, I'll have you come and stay."
Zhang Suzhi didn't understand these so-called equity transfers or cash-outs, but she did know that her son wasn't short on money now.
What made her curious was exactly how much money her son had.
"How much money do you have now?"
Tan Lihua, by his side, also pricked up his ears.
Zhang Suzhi couldn't help but lecture him,
"Drive carefully, our whole family is in the car."
Tan Lihua pursed his lips but didn't retort.
"Strictly speaking, the company's money can't be considered mine. I probably have over 10 million yuan in my hands right now. Besides that, Peng Ya still owes me 20 million, and there are some stocks and other things I haven't calculated."
"What do you mean Peng Ya owes you 20 million?"
Zhang Suzhi asked, puzzled.
"The company I used to partner with him on, Jinpeng Trading, I was the boss before October, and he was a minority shareholder. In October, I was short on cash, so I sold the company to him. The 20 million yuan he owes is for selling the company."
Jinpeng Trading's final transfer payment to Tan Jincheng was actually sufficient, but since Tan Jincheng wasn't short on money at the moment, there was no need to drain Jinpeng Trading's cash flow.
At the beginning of the venture, whether it was the money on the company's books or Zhang Xupeng's private savings, it was all at Tan Jincheng's disposal.
Simply based on the fact that he didn't buy a house himself and lent the money to Tan Jincheng to buy a house, and the house price increased by several hundred yuan a year later, Tan Jincheng had no reason to press so hard.
"How could there be so much? 20 million yuan is too much, isn't it? You couldn't have asked for too high a price, could you?"
Tan Lihua couldn't help but say.
Neither Tan Jincheng nor Zhang Xupeng had told their family about this.
Their family only knew they were still cooperating on business.
At first, the four of them hadn't even figured out Shanchi Technology's equity structure.
Tan Jincheng said with a smile,
"It's not much. Dad, don't underestimate Jinpeng Trading. Jinpeng Trading's earning capability won't be worse than Shanchi Technology's for at least the next eight years. Foreign trade profits are very high. In 2005, our export value exceeded 22 million US dollars, which is over 180 million yuan, with a net profit of over 70 million yuan."
"Oh, right, I also have an electronics export company. Although it's only been established for a little over half a year, its performance is pretty good, and it also makes a lot of money. However, there are no dividends yet, so it can't be considered my money for now."
Even with the global financial crisis of 2008, the appreciation of the RMB, and other factors, as long as it's still in a globalized market, our products, being inexpensive, have a natural advantage.
Therefore, export business won't be too difficult.
Telling his parents all this was simply to let them gradually accept his wealth, which was much better than telling them all at once how much money he had.
"So you're a proper millionaire now?"
Zhang Suzhi asked, wide-eyed.
She didn't quite understand company valuations and such, but she could definitely understand the concrete figures of how much money was in the bank card.
"Yes, a proper millionaire. So you should spend when you need to, don't be too frugal. If you want to live in a villa, you can buy one in Yicheng, and I'll pay for it."
"As for Jinyue, you don't need to worry. When she's a little older, I'll take her to Yongcheng, and she can live the life of a pampered young lady there,"
Tan Jincheng said, pinching little Jinyue's cheek.
After Tan Jincheng's comforting, little Jinyue was no longer as restless as when she first got in the car.
She was now playing with the parts on her child seat.
If in his previous life Tan Jincheng was more like a brother to Jinyue, then in this life, psychologically, Tan Jincheng viewed Jinyue somewhat like a daughter, after all, he had had children in his previous life.
"She certainly has good fortune, living a good life right from birth,"
Zhang Suzhi said with a sigh, looking back at the harmonious brother and sister in the back seat.
"Maybe Jinyue is a lucky star, bringing good fortune to our family, which is why my business has been so smooth."
"Now that you mention it, it really seems that way. Our family has been much smoother since Jinyue was born,"
Tan Lihua nodded.
"Right? So we need to take good care of our little darling. In a couple of years, you can take her to Beicang. By then, Dad, you can figure out a way to take early retirement and go there to enjoy your retirement too."
It wasn't impossible, when you really thought about it.
In his previous life, selling bento boxes was hard work, but he earned a decent amount and didn't encounter any major troubles.
Even after his divorce later on, Tan Jincheng was still someone with a car, a house, and savings.
Perhaps Jinyue's birth was indeed a lucky star for Tan Lihua's family, especially for Tan Jincheng? ——
"Not bad, not bad, just got lucky and made a little money,"
Zhang Xupeng replied, suppressing a smile, to the relatives gathered around him.
Awesome, so awesome! It was simply too awesome.
For you guys to laugh at me for the past two years, I finally got a chance to show off.
No wonder little Tan likes to show off in front of me; this feeling is so damn satisfying!
The relatives who were still pointing fingers at him during New Year visits last year, this year, seeing him drive home in an Audi A6, dressed smartly, their subtle glances were completely different.
Unlike Tan Jincheng, his family had returned to the countryside yesterday.
Many employees at the petrochemical plant actually had relatives in the countryside, or were themselves from rural backgrounds, who had moved to the city through schooling and job assignments, shedding their farmer identity.
Tan Lihua was like this, and so was Zhang Guolong; both had changed their fates through education.
Last year, Zhang Guolong's family didn't return home for the New Year.
This year, at Zhang Xupeng's instigation, they also returned to the countryside.
"There's no atmosphere celebrating New Year in the city; the countryside is more fun."
Actually, he mainly wanted to come back and show off a bit.
Although he made money last year, firstly, the family hadn't acquired new things, and secondly, he had no valuables and, to be honest, barely any money in his pocket.
At that time, the 60,000 yuan renovation fee Tan Jincheng gave Zhang Qingliang was even paid in installments.
Regarding what happened the year he graduated from high school, just like Tan Jincheng, Zhang Xupeng also endured a lot of criticism.
To some extent, the criticism he received was even greater than Tan Jincheng's.
His academic performance wasn't as good as Tan Jincheng's, and he usually led the way in mischief.
Having been naughty and mischievous since childhood, Zhang Xupeng also wanted to find an opportunity to prove himself.
This year was the best opportunity.
He had a car and a house, and more money in his pocket.
It was time to go back to his hometown and shut his relatives up.
Although not entirely comprehensive, most of the time, once you have money, those who previously criticized you will change their opinions of you.
Zhang Xupeng, having mingled in the business world for over a year, understood this principle very well.
In Yongcheng, Zhang Xupeng largely lived under Tan Jincheng's halo.
Even though he was very rich now and had become the de facto boss of Jinpeng Trading, in many people's eyes, he was still the Zhang Xupeng who was brought up by Tan Jincheng, so lucky it made people jealous.
Zhang Xupeng never denied these facts, but that didn't mean he didn't want to prove himself.
He also wanted to show off his capabilities, earnestly develop the children's clothing market, and strive to become a genuine boss, making the company's business more comprehensive.
He instigated the trip back to his hometown for New Year this year because he wanted to enjoy himself and, while establishing his reputation, also relieve his parents from worrying about various rumors concerning him.
Judging by his parents' attitude, the suggestion to return to the countryside for New Year truly resonated with them.
"The essence of human nature is the same."
Zhang Xupeng couldn't help but recall this sentence that little Tan had once said.
(End of Chapter)