Chapter 161: You're Just Trying to Chase Me
Zhenguan Exploration Technology Company had a total of just nine employees, making it a small and seemingly weak outfit.
However, the office was neatly arranged and gave off a well-organized, professional atmosphere.
Li Tang sat at the head of the table, his back straight like an old-school cadre. "Hello, everyone."
"Hello, boss!" the employees replied cheerfully.
They were all quite young, and after working together for a while, they had come to see Li Tang as serious but not distant. Given their similar ages, they occasionally joked with him like friends.
But that "boss" caught Li Tang off guard. He glanced at He Runqi. "Your idea? Calling me 'boss' sounds so tacky, like I'm selling vegetables by the roadside. We need to fix this. From now on, call me 'President!'"
"Good morning, President!" they all chorused again, laughing.
"Alright, alright."
Li Tang smiled slightly, then quickly became serious. "Our company currently has two main lines of business. First, we're providing technical consulting for Zise Mining. We'll need to assign two people to that project for real-time monitoring. Any issues—report to me immediately. Minister He, select two suitable staff."
"No problem," He Runqi replied. He had cut his hair short and wore a suit, looking completely refreshed. In addition to being the deputy general manager, he was also the head of the technical department—the only manager besides Li Tang.
The company would eventually need to standardize operations, and departments like HR and finance would need dedicated personnel. But for now, they still needed time to assess who among the current team was suitable for management.
Even among the first wave of employees, not everyone would necessarily enter management.
The right people for the right roles.
"Our second business is the Gongcun Copper-Gold Mine project. This is our first self-funded exploration, and it must succeed!"
Li Tang looked at He Runqi again. "Go to the bank and wire six million yuan to Geological Team Six. That's the initial exploration fee, and they won't start without it."
"I'll handle it today. It'll be done," He Runqi answered seriously.
"As for project bonuses and end-of-year rewards, we don't have a formal system yet. Once we're on track, that'll be set. For now, since our team is small, I'll make it simple: if both projects succeed, I guarantee everyone a year-end bonus of no less than 20,000 yuan!"
"Great!" everyone cheered.
"Alright, that's all—meeting adjourned."
Li Tang waved them off and left the company. On the way, he bought a necklace for over 3,000 yuan and walked into Gaosheng's China branch.
Alice was surprised to see him. She brought him to the lounge and made him a cup of coffee. "What brings you here?"
"I came to thank you."
Li Tang handed her a small box. "This is for you."
"A gift?"
Alice accepted the box with a hint of delight on her face. Everyone likes receiving gifts. "Can I open it?"
"Of course." Li Tang took a sip of the coffee. It was bitter, so he added some sugar.
Alice opened the box and saw a delicate necklace inside. "It's beautiful!"
She picked it up and held it against her neck, clearly fond of it.
Then she looked up and noticed Li Tang smiling at her. Her expression suddenly tightened.
"Are you trying to pursue me?"
She asked bluntly, with a hint of resistance. She put the necklace back into the box.
Li Tang was taken aback. He set down his coffee and explained, "You misunderstood. I came to thank you."
"Thank me for what?" Alice's eyes were cautious.
"At the Mineral Resources Department, when Parker accused me of assault, you spoke up and explained what actually happened."
In that moment, Li Tang had almost given up.
Hitting someone was the lowest form of conflict—it leaves a terrible impression.
He had feared that, because of that mistake, he might lose the Gongcun exploration rights.
But Alice's honest explanation had turned the tide.
"I'm a truthful person. Hitting someone is wrong, but so is insulting people." Alice didn't feel she deserved special thanks—she had just done what was right. "It was a small matter. Don't overthink it."
"For you it may be small. For me, it was huge," Li Tang said sincerely.
The Gongcun exploration rights were worth over 3 billion yuan—how could it be a small matter?
Had he lost them due to that fight, it would've been a catastrophic loss.
Alice glanced at the necklace on the table. She clearly liked it but still refused. "You should take this back. I don't think I deserve such an expensive gift."
"A fine necklace deserves a fine lady—it's a perfect match," Li Tang chuckled. "I already bought it. If you don't take it, what am I going to do—wear it myself? Just take it. It's not that expensive."
"Alright then. Honestly, I really like it—especially the pendant. It feels very Chinese."
She picked it up again and gently touched the charm.
The necklace was platinum, and the pendant was a small circle with a single character inside—福 (fu, meaning "blessing").
Li Tang wasn't great at choosing gifts. He had asked the sales assistant what would be suitable for a female friend, and she recommended a few designs: one with the character "囍" (double happiness), another with "龙" (dragon), and finally "福," which he chose for its auspicious meaning.
He'd thought the necklace looked a bit tacky—but seeing how much Alice liked it, he felt relieved.
Foreigners did have odd taste sometimes.
"You handle mergers and acquisitions, right?" he asked.
"Yes. Especially M&A in the mining sector—I specialize in that." Alice was still trying to clasp the necklace. "I know all about valuing gold mines, the per-ounce cost of production in different regions, potential profits—everything."
"You know so much about mine economics?" Li Tang was impressed.
"My father was a gold project development director. He taught me a lot."
"No wonder." Li Tang nodded. "You're skilled in mining economics and an M&A expert—you're a true multi-talented professional."
"I believe in the future of China's mining sector. There are many companies here, and they'll definitely grow. And mining development always involves M&A." Alice spoke confidently. "I believe that in a few years, Chinese mining firms will start making large international acquisitions—and we'll be able to help them."
Li Tang was astonished. Alice had basically predicted China's explosive mining growth in the coming years.
As someone from the future, he knew how rapidly Chinese mining firms would expand.
But few people now dared to be that optimistic.
All the so-called "experts" were pessimistic, predicting the downfall of mining.
At present, China's total annual cross-border mining M&A volume was barely one or two hundred million USD.
In just a few years, that would grow to over ten billion USD per year!
"Why are you so confident about China's mining future?" he asked. "China's economy and its mining firms can't really compete with global giants. They don't have much capital."
Many top international mining firms were worth over 100 billion USD—trillions in RMB.
Chinese leaders in the industry still had assets in the low billions—nowhere close.
Seeing Alice struggling with the clasp, he offered, "Want me to help?"
He gently moved her blonde hair to one side, revealing a slender neck as pale as ivory—like that of a swan.
In that moment, he couldn't help but marvel: Damn, this foreign girl's gorgeous.
"Is it done?" Alice asked, feeling him fumbling.
"Almost."
He tried again and again to fasten it. His fingers kept brushing against her soft neck. Her skin was incredibly smooth and elastic—youth at its finest.
"If you can't get it, just leave it for now," Alice said awkwardly.
"Got it!" he finally declared.
Fastening a necklace was like threading a needle—not his strong suit—but persistence paid off.
Alice walked to the mirror and admired the pendant. "I love it! It has such a strong Chinese cultural vibe."
Li Tang looked at her reflection in the mirror, admiring… the necklace's background scenery. Let's just say, foreign women were built different.
His body betrayed him as youthful hormones surged.
Alice's gaze met his in the mirror. Embarrassed, he quickly looked away. "Glad you like it."
Alice turned back and, undistracted by the necklace, picked up their earlier conversation. "Since the 1990s, international mining firms have been aggressively acquiring others. Just look at Glencore, Strata, Eagle Mag, Barrick Gold—they all grew by swallowing competitors!"
"What does that have to do with us?" Li Tang asked.
"China has remained calm—hardly participating in M&A."
"Because we don't have the money."
"China will have money. Especially your state-owned enterprises." Alice's confidence in Chinese SOEs was striking. "More and more Chinese mining companies will join global M&A battles. But they don't know the rules. That's where we at Gaosheng come in! International M&A is crowded—no room for me. But China's mining market is untouched ground—full of opportunity."
"You've got a unique perspective," Li Tang said, impressed. "You've basically mapped out the future of our mining industry. I agree with you."
"Really?" Alice smiled. "My family thinks I'm crazy. You're one of the few who gets me."
"Even among Chinese miners, few are so optimistic. Most are pessimistic."
"They're too narrow-minded."
"Are you interested in joining my company?" Li Tang asked on a whim.
"Huh?" Alice blinked, confused.
Strictly speaking, they barely knew each other.
"You know I left Wukuang and started Zhenguan Exploration Tech. We do mineral exploration and consulting," he said sincerely. "We really need talent—especially people with global vision like you. We're going international soon."
"I'd never even heard of your company until that day at the Resource Department."
"We're new."
"Why would I leave Gaosheng to join a startup?" she asked bluntly.
That stung a little. Li Tang smiled bitterly. "Our company has huge potential. You'd have total freedom to unleash your talents."
"You're just trying to chase me," Alice said, her guard going up again. She tried to take off the necklace but gave up.
"Okay, I was being too forward." Li Tang stood and raised a hand in farewell. "If someday you want to join us and build something together, come to Yunding Tower. Salary, stock—everything's negotiable."
"You can't afford me." Alice lifted her chin proudly.
She wasn't wrong. Most Chinese workers earned just over 10,000 yuan a year, while Americans averaged $90,000.
Gaosheng paid well above that.
She wasn't being arrogant—just factual.
"You underestimate me," Li Tang said with a grin, suddenly determined. "Time will prove you passed up a great opportunity."
"Opportunity?" Alice didn't quite grasp the term, but she understood the intent. "If you grow your company, maybe I'll consider it."
"How big do I need to be?"
"When you're acquiring foreign mining companies. That's when I can really contribute."
"Let's make a bet."
"On what?"
"In a year, I'll acquire a foreign mining company!" Li Tang declared.
"You're full of it," Alice said, annoyed.
"That's the bet," he said seriously. "If I win, you join Zhenguan—unpaid. That means you'll work for me for three years for free!"
"And if you lose?" she shot back.
"That's not going to happen. But if I do—name your terms."
"Alright," she said with a mischievous twinkle. "I know you've got deep ties in Wukuang. If you lose, you go to their senior leadership and tell them: the next acquisition project must be led by me."
"What?" Li Tang hesitated.
"You're already thinking of backing out," Alice smirked. "I bet you'd vanish and I'd never find you again."
"A real man keeps his word!" Li Tang slapped his chest. "If I lose, I'll beg Wukuang for you—even if it means losing face."
"Deal!" Alice said gleefully.
"I'm off," Li Tang waved with a smile, leaving Gaosheng Investment's China branch.
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