Chapter 20: Loan of 400,000 (Part 2)

As Zhou Ming and Lin Muqing walked back to the factory, the night breeze made Zhou Ming hum a tune, "What kind of rhythm is the most swaying, what kind of singing is the most joyful." His mood was clearly lifted after persuading Dai Zhenjiang to help him get the 400,000 yuan loan. Initially, Zhou Ming had only hoped to get 200,000 or 300,000 yuan from the county agricultural bank. Given that his monthly income was below 100 yuan and 100,000 yuan seemed like an astronomical amount, getting 400,000 yuan was already an unexpected surprise.

Lin Muqing, listening to Zhou Ming hum a song she had never heard before, felt like she was dreaming. When Zhou Ming first told her about borrowing money to do business in Nanjiang, she thought he was too unrealistic. In her memory, even the leaders of the city TV station wouldn't find it easy to get such a loan, yet Zhou Ming managed to secure it in just one meal.

"Zhou Ming, what kind of magic trick are you performing?" Lin Muqing asked incredulously.

Hearing Lin Muqing's voice, Zhou Ming turned and smiled slightly, "Sister Muqing, this isn't magic, it's all about grasping opportunities. 400,000 yuan is indeed a large sum, but it's not as huge as you might think for me and Director Dai. When I was doing the government bond business with Director Dai, we often dealt with 100,000 or 200,000 yuan in bonds. Now, borrowing 400,000 yuan isn't such a big deal. Besides, this money isn't his, so why wouldn't he help me out?"

Zhou Ming paused and then continued, "Moreover, I exchanged the government bond business he's been interested in with him. He had no reason not to be tempted."

The banking loan review system of this era was very lax. Even Lin Muqing, who was not financially savvy, could understand that whether a loan could be granted and how much could be borrowed was ultimately up to Dai Zhenjiang's decision.

"Just…" Lin Muqing asked, "Do you regret using the government bond business as leverage?"

"Are you saying that I'm killing the goose that lays the golden eggs?" Zhou Ming asked.

Lin Muqing lowered her head, feeling embarrassed because she did think that way, but Zhou Ming wasn't angry. He said, "Sister Muqing, killing the goose to get the eggs presupposes that the government bond business will be less profitable than my business in Nanjiang."

Lin Muqing then asked, "You mean the business you're going to do in Nanjiang will be much more profitable than government bonds?"

"Much more, to the extent that you can't even imagine," Zhou Ming said.

Lin Muqing was astonished. She couldn't understand Zhou Ming's statement. In her view, Zhou Ming had made nearly 100,000 yuan from reselling government bonds in half a month, which was already an unimaginable speed. Some of the factory's less profitable workshops didn't even produce that much in a month! But Zhou Ming claimed that his future business would be much more profitable. Could he really turn stones into gold?

Zhou Ming could read Lin Muqing's thoughts and said, "Sister Muqing, I don't have the ability to turn stones into gold; I only have the ambition to make a lot of money!"

Lin Muqing stared at Zhou Ming, feeling the unwavering confidence he conveyed through his words. Zhou Ming's confidence pierced Lin Muqing's heart, making her feel an unexpected attraction.

After a moment, Lin Muqing looked away quickly, silently scolding herself for being infatuated with a younger man.

...

The next morning, Zhou Ming received good news from Dai Zhenjiang and immediately went to find Lin Muqing. Together, they went to the county agricultural bank.

In the bank's reception room, Dai Zhenjiang handed Zhou Ming two contracts and said, "Although we have a good personal relationship, we still need to follow the procedures. This is the loan contract for 400,000 yuan, with an annual interest rate of 5%. Are there any issues? If not, you can sign, and I'll have the money deposited into your account immediately."

Zhou Ming shook his head and said there were no issues. As Dai Zhenjiang mentioned, today was just a formality. The terms of the contract had already been discussed and agreed upon by Dai Zhenjiang and Zhou Ming the day before, so there were no problems.

Without hesitation, Zhou Ming signed the contract. According to the agreement, Dai Zhenjiang quickly instructed the bank accountant to deposit the money into Zhou Ming's account.

After Dai Zhenjiang had the contract filed and asked the bank staff to leave the reception room, he turned to Zhou Ming and said, "Xiao Zhou, the contract is signed, the money is deposited, and now that you've fulfilled your end of the bargain, could you share the secret of the government bond business with me?"

Zhou Ming knew that this was what Dai Zhenjiang was most eager to know. He didn't keep him guessing and directly explained, "Director Dai, there's no secret to my government bond business. I just know that the interest rates at banks in Jiangxia City and Binhai City are higher than here. So, I take bonds from your bank there and sell them, earning the difference."

"Just that simple?" Dai Zhenjiang asked.

Zhou Ming nodded. Dai Zhenjiang then asked, "What are the rates in Jiangxia and Binhai?"

"When I went to Jiangxia City, the rate was 1.8%, and in Binhai it was 2.1%," Zhou Ming said.

"2.1%?" Dai Zhenjiang's eyes widened in disbelief, "How can there be such a high rate? Could it be that our rate in Nanhui County is too low? But we're all part of the banking system. How can their rates be so much higher?"

Zhou Ming understood Dai Zhenjiang's feelings. Even twenty years later, people would find it hard to believe why there was such a large discrepancy in government bond rates between cities. However, whether one could understand or not, this was the reality of that special era.

"Director Dai, this is the reality. If you don't believe it, you can call and ask," Zhou Ming said.

Dai Zhenjiang stared at Zhou Ming for a long time before finally sighing, "You've already made so much money this way. The facts are right before me. What else is there to doubt? I didn't expect it to be so simple, but discovering and daring to do it is not simple. Zhou Ming, I've never admired anyone in my life, but you're definitely one!"

Zhou Ming smiled and thanked him. At this point, Lin Muqing was still stunned. She hadn't expected Dai Zhenjiang, the esteemed head of the county agricultural bank, to so wholeheartedly admire a younger man. More surprising was that the government bond business was so simple. Zhou Ming had made nearly 100,000 yuan just by running between cities with bonds.

Lin Muqing looked at Zhou Ming's profile, thinking: He said that his future business would be even more profitable than government bonds. What kind of business could that be? Could it be even simpler than bonds? I'm really looking forward to going to Nanjiang with him soon…

Suddenly, Lin Muqing scolded herself in her heart: What am I thinking? How could I shamelessly look forward to going to another city with a man, even if he is younger? He's still a man!

...

After leaving the county agricultural bank, Zhou Ming and Lin Muqing returned home. Only Zhou Ming's mother, Wang Fengqin, was at home. When asked where his father was, Wang Fengqin said he had gone to the factory to see the leaders.

Zhou Ming's heart sank. Since his father had been fired from the factory, he had been going there every day to find the leaders, but they either wouldn't see him or would pass him off from one person to another. His father, being honest and straightforward, had no way to deal with them.

"Mom, it doesn't matter if Dad lost his job. It's okay if you both lose your jobs, but please don't clash with the people at the factory! They're unreasonable," Zhou Ming said.

Wang Fengqin said, "Don't worry. Your dad is too passive to cause trouble with the factory leaders."

"That's good," Zhou Ming said, then told his mother about his plan to go to Nanjiang with Lin Muqing to start a business.

Wang Fengqin looked at Lin Muqing and Lin Muqing naturally introduced herself, "Hello, Auntie. I'm Lin Muqing, formerly working at the factory TV station."

Wang Fengqin scrutinized Lin Muqing and then pulled Zhou Ming aside, "Zhou Ming, what's going on? Why are you with this woman now instead of Su Han? Don't you know what people at the factory say about her? She's not a good woman; she's trying to deceive you!"

"Mom, it's not what you think. I'm just going to do business with Sister Muqing in Nanjiang. There's nothing else between us," Zhou Ming explained, "And those things about Sister Muqing are just rumors."

"No smoke without fire," Wang Fengqin said, "How do you know if the rumors are true or not? Zhou Ming, you're still young and don't understand many things. I don't mind you going to Nanjiang to do business with her, but you must not get involved with her in any other way, understand

?"

Zhou Ming didn't know how to respond to his mother's words. A woman like Lin Muqing would make any man want to have a relationship with her. For his mother to impose such restrictions seemed unfair, especially when it felt like his mother thought he was somehow disadvantaged by being involved with her. It seemed that in his mother's eyes, her son was always the best, while the factory's opinion of Lin Muqing must not be very good.

"I understand," Zhou Ming said.

Wang Fengqin repeatedly advised Zhou Ming before feeling reassured. Zhou Ming and Lin Muqing's train to Nanjiang was the next day, with the sleeper tickets arranged by Dai Zhenjiang.

That night, Zhou Ming and his parents had dinner together. Zhou Ming knew that his father still hadn't received any results from his visit to the factory leaders. As he looked at his father's silent expression, he silently vowed: Just wait. Within half a year at most, I will come back and buy out the entire 760 Factory, so that my parents will no longer be bullied by those scoundrels!