“I already told you not to call me boss, Peng Fei. You’re a few months younger than me, so call me Brother Zhuang from now on.”
Zhuang Rui waved his hand, gesturing for the two to sit down, and then said, "Is the accommodation all arranged? What about Ya Ya? I'll help her with her school enrollment later. I'm going on a long trip in a few days, so I won't have time..."
"It's all arranged, thank you boss... Brother Zhuang..."
Upon hearing Zhuang Rui's words, a look of gratitude flashed in Peng Fei's eyes. He didn't really care about the quality of food and lodging; what mattered most was that his younger sister had a good learning and living environment. Moreover, Zhuang Rui had instructed Zhang Ma to take all of Xiao Nannan's toys to Ya Ya's room, which delighted the girl, who was currently in her room changing clothes for her Barbie doll.
When Peng Fei worked as a security guard, he earned only a few hundred yuan a month and was often bossed around by the owner of the nightclub. They were treated like dirt and were always swearing. But Zhuang Rui was a completely different person. He respected him and treated him as an equal.
This made Peng Fei secretly grateful. He was not good with words and didn't like to say nice things, but at this moment, he resolved to work hard to repay Zhuang Rui for what he and his sister had done for him.
Zhuang Rui was in Beijing and naturally didn't know anyone except his family. Although enrolling his child in school was a very small matter, he was too embarrassed to ask Ouyang Jun for help.
After thinking for a long time, Zhuang Rui really didn't know where to start. After searching through his phone book for a while, he saw a name and his eyes lit up. This matter would be more suitable to be handled by Director Zheng... no, it should be Deputy Secretary Zheng. A few days ago, when Zhuang Rui ran into him, he received a new business card with the title of office director changed to deputy secretary of the district party committee.
Yes, it's Deputy Secretary Zheng. Although the name is a bit hard to pronounce, Deputy Secretary Zheng is feeling very good right now. He has reached the threshold of deputy director-general, a threshold that many people never cross in their entire lives, and he accomplished it at the age of forty. At this rate, it seems that he will be promoted to the provincial or ministerial level in the future.
Of course, choosing the right side is the most crucial thing. A few days ago, Deputy Secretary Zheng accompanied the district party secretary to the residence of the old man in Yuquan Mountain. All he saw were people he could look up to. Although he didn't get to meet the old man and receive his teachings, Deputy Secretary Zheng made up his mind that he must get along more with the Ouyang brothers in the future. That would be a shortcut to success.
So when he received Zhuang Rui's call, Deputy Secretary Zheng was so happy he almost laughed out loud. After visiting Yuquan Mountain, he also learned Zhuang Rui's identity—he was the old man's only grandson.
What? Not as close as his own grandson? That's not how it works. The old man has four grandsons, but his only grandson by marriage is Zhuang Rui, who is also the youngest. Needless to say, he's definitely the most favored.
After learning Zhuang Rui's identity, Deputy Secretary Zheng has been regretting for the past few days. When Zhuang Rui bought that house, he regretted not putting in more effort to help him lower the price. Anyway, whether the price was high or low, he wouldn't have made a profit, but the favor would have been wasted, and he hadn't given enough.
For Deputy Secretary Zheng, handling a student's enrollment was a piece of cake, especially since the student had a Beijing hukou (household registration). He immediately made a phone call. As a newly appointed deputy secretary, he held the title of district standing committee member. With just one phone call, the matter was settled.
Thinking that it would be insincere to tell Zhuang Rui about this over the phone, Deputy Secretary Zheng simply went directly to Zhuang Rui's courtyard house. He also wanted to see who Zhuang Rui was handling this matter for. As the saying goes, to do great things, you must start with small things.
"So fast? Secretary Zheng, I really have to thank you for this. I'm going to Myanmar in a few days, could you take Ya Ya with you then?"
Zhuang Rui hadn't expected that the matter would be resolved in just over an hour after the phone call. Looking at Secretary Zheng, who was sweating profusely in the cold weather, he was at a loss for words. Power, it really is a damn good thing!
"Okay, Mr. Zhuang, don't worry, I'll definitely get this done for you..."
After Deputy Secretary Zheng understood the relationship between Zhuang Rui and Ya Ya, he was pleasantly surprised. Zhuang Rui was so protective and caring about a mere security guard he had hired. If he could get along well with him in the future, it would be hard for him not to rise to prominence.
Chapter 433 Trip to Myanmar (Part 1)
"Mr. Zhuang, please go back. No need to see me off, my car is at the intersection..."
After agreeing with Zhuang Rui that he would take Ya Ya to complete the school registration procedures the next day, Deputy Secretary Zheng bid farewell with satisfaction. He had made a great trip today, and it was worth the trip in this cold weather.
If someone who knows him well saw this, they would definitely think they were seeing things. How could a deputy director-level official be so respectful to someone outside the system? This is the only way to be an official: if you want to be a leader, you must first learn to act like a grandson.
"Big brother, can I really go to school now?"
After Deputy Secretary Zheng left, Ya Ya's little face was full of anticipation as she asked Zhuang Rui.
"Of course, that uncle will take you tomorrow. Yaya, you must study hard from now on..."
Zhuang Rui smiled and ruffled Ya Ya's hair. Deputy Secretary Zheng was very capable; the school he chose was not far from the courtyard house. From now on, Aunt Li could just pick her up and drop her off morning and evening. Once Ya Ya got to know her classmates, she could go to school with them.
"Yaya will study hard, thank you big brother..."
The little girl nodded seriously. Children are very sensitive, and she could feel Zhuang Rui's love and care for her. Therefore, she was also willing to be close to Zhuang Rui. Now, in Ya Ya's heart, besides her brother, Zhuang Rui was the closest and best person to her.
"Alright, go play with the white lion..."
Strangely enough, as soon as Ya Ya came to this yard, she took a special liking to the white lion. The white lion, which was usually aloof from strangers, actually allowed Ya Ya to touch its head. However, this scared Peng Fei quite a bit, and a fight between man and dog almost broke out. If Hao Long hadn't stopped her, it was hard to say who would have won between Peng Fei and the white lion.
"Brother Hao, Peng Fei, I'll be gone for about seven or eight days. I'll leave this yard to you then. Oh, and I'll leave the car with you too. If my mom needs anything, please help her get there..."
Zhuang Rui knew his mother frequently traveled between Yuquan Mountain and this courtyard, and his brother-in-law had been driving her around these past few days. However, Zhao Guodong was about to return to Pengcheng. This matter could only be left to Hao Long and his companion; they had even flown helicopters, so driving a car would be no problem for them.
After Ya Ya left, Peng Fei asked Zhuang Rui, "Brother Zhuang, are you going to Myanmar?"
"Yes, I'm going to attend a jade auction. I'm leaving the day after tomorrow and should be back in about a week. What's up?"
Zhuang Rui noticed that Peng Fei's expression was somewhat serious and felt a little strange.
Peng Fei gave a wry smile and said, "Brother Zhuang, Myanmar is not a good place. It's very complicated there..."
"Oh? Tell me about it..."
Zhuang Rui became interested upon hearing this. He had almost forgotten that Hao Long and Peng Fei had both lived in border areas like Myanmar, albeit in shady ways, but they were still more familiar with the situation than he was.
"Brother Zhuang, Myanmar is a federal country with an extremely complex social structure..."
"A federal state? How is it different from us?"
Zhuang Rui interrupted Peng Fei. He had heard about the United States and the Commonwealth of Nations all the time, but Zhuang Rui really didn't know what a federal country meant.
"Of course they are different. The federal government takes the form of a treaty, under which several small states unite to establish a larger nation and agree to be members of that nation. You could say that a federal republic is a new society formed by the union of several societies, and this new society can expand by the addition of other new members."
This is why the various small states in Myanmar are highly autonomous, each possessing its own army and autonomy. If they have any dissatisfaction with the federal government, they are prone to fighting.
Although Myanmar has a population of just over 50 million, it has 135 ethnic groups, mainly the Burmese, Karen, Shan, Kachin, Chin, Kayah, Mon, and Rakhine. The government in Myanmar is controlled by these major ethnic groups.
Because of the conflicts and contradictions between various ethnic groups, Myanmar implements a military regime. Their highest leader is a general. However, the administrative orders of the Myanmar government are not very effective for the smaller states below.
"Brother Zhuang, the jade auction you mentioned is the same as gambling on rough stones, right? I've heard a bit about it. There were times when people from China went to Myanmar to gamble on rough stones, but they were kidnapped by local forces who demanded ransom from China. If they were lucky, they paid the ransom and came back; if they were unlucky, they never even found their bodies..."
Peng Fei had previously rescued a person who had been kidnapped while on a mission in Myanmar to gamble on jade, so he was very knowledgeable about these kinds of things.
Is Myanmar really that chaotic?
Zhuang Rui was speechless at what Peng Fei said. In Zhuang Rui's memory, Myanmar used to be a tributary state of China, which had to pay tribute every year. Later, it became a British colony. In addition, Myanmar was rich in jade. As for other things, Zhuang Rui really didn't know anything.
"How can things not get chaotic, Brother Zhuang? Myanmar is where the Golden Triangle is located, and Myanmar has the largest area of poppy cultivation and the highest production in the Golden Triangle region."
The area is mainly inhabited by ethnic minorities in Myanmar who have relied on poppy cultivation for generations. In order to fight against the government and protect their opium industry, the local residents have armed themselves. For example, the former Khun Sa group had a powerful armed force of nearly 3,000 people who were well-trained and could hold their own against the government.
There were poppies all over the mountains there, it was really beautiful…
As Peng Fei was speaking, he suddenly changed the subject, as if he had thought of something. A thoughtful expression appeared on his face.
Seeing Zhuang Rui's expression turn somewhat grim, Hao Long quickly said, "Boss, those places are indeed quite dangerous, but what Peng Fei mentioned are all in remote areas, places where the government's influence doesn't reach. If you're just going to gamble on stones, then nothing will happen. Yangon's security is quite good..."
After hearing Peng Fei's words, Zhuang Rui's heart started pounding. As the saying goes, a wise man does not stand under a crumbling wall. If what Peng Fei said was true, then he would have to think carefully about this trip to Myanmar. Zhuang Rui was unwilling to go to the drug traffickers' den. These days, even tomb raiders dare to strap explosives to themselves, let alone drug traffickers; they could probably even bring out guns and cannons.
"I went with a group of people from China, so there shouldn't be any problems, right?"
Zhuang Rui thought for a moment. He had only gone as far as Yangon, which was the capital of Myanmar. He figured that the things Peng Fei had mentioned wouldn't happen there.
“Brother Zhuang, why don’t I go with you? I’m familiar with that place and I can speak Burmese, so it’ll be easier to handle if anything happens…”
To be honest, Peng Fei really didn't want to go back to that place. The memories it brought him were nothing but fighting and bloodshed, death and survival. But having just found a good boss, Peng Fei was genuinely worried that something might happen to Zhuang Rui there, which is why he took the initiative to bring it up.
"Yes, boss, let Peng Fei go with you. I'll take care of things at home, so don't worry..."
Hao Long also spoke up from the side.
"Okay, Peng Fei, you'll be my assistant for now. Give me your ID card, I'll go and take care of the formalities..."
Although Peng Fei went along to work as a bodyguard, Zhuang Rui didn't really like the word "bodyguard," so he gave Peng Fei a different identity.
"ID card?"
Peng Fei's expression turned somewhat strange upon hearing Zhuang Rui's words. He recalled that when he traveled to Thailand, Myanmar, and Laos, he never went through any formalities; he didn't even have a single piece of paper to prove his identity. This was to avoid causing diplomatic disputes between countries.
However, Peng Fei still handed his ID card to Zhuang Rui. For him, being able to enter Myanmar as a businessman was quite novel; it was something he had never even dreamed of before. ...
The next day, Zhuang Rui took Peng Fei to the Jade Association, a place he had never been before. He handed his ID card and Peng Fei's ID card to the staff there, took photos, and then asked them to process passports. Of course, all expenses were to be borne by themselves, as the Jade Association only served as a platform.
Zhuang Rui discovered that his nominal directorship was quite effective. After he gave his name, the permanent director, who was over fifty years old, kept Zhuang Rui company for a long time before letting him leave.
"Hey, Brother Ma, it's only been a few months, and you've gotten even more prosperous..."
After leaving the Jade Association office, Zhuang Rui took Peng Fei to a hotel where he had arranged to meet Song Jun. Today, Fatty Ma was coming to Beijing, and Boss Song was hosting a welcome dinner for him. It has to be said that these two brothers, who initially looked down on each other, are now getting along quite well.
"You little brat, are you indirectly insulting me? So what if you're fat? I, Brother Ma, don't care what people say. Hey bro, who's this...?"
When Fatty Ma saw Zhuang Rui enter, he struggled to lift his massive body from the chair. He was a shrewd and cunning man, and even though he realized Peng Fei was Zhuang Rui's follower, he still asked him a question.
"This is my assistant, Peng Fei. He speaks Burmese very well and is coming with me this time. Peng Fei, please have a seat. Brother Ma is an old friend, so don't be shy here..."
"Yes, everyone, please sit down. Brother Song is really something. He said he would host a welcome party for me, but I haven't seen him at all."
After gesturing for Zhuang Rui and Peng Fei to sit down, Fatty Ma waved for the two men behind him to sit down as well.
He didn't bring a woman this time, which relieved Zhuang Rui. To be honest, every time Zhuang Rui saw Fatty Ma with a young woman, he couldn't help but think that Fatty Ma definitely wouldn't use the male-on-top position when they did *that*.
Chapter 434 Trip to Myanmar (Part 2)
"Fatty Ma, why are you acting like an old woman, always gossiping behind people's backs?"
As soon as Fatty Ma finished speaking, Song Jun pushed open the door of the private room and walked in. As if they had made an appointment, Song Jun also had two followers behind him. Judging from their age and build, they were probably the bodyguards he was taking to Myanmar.
Song Jun was a man of great pomp and circumstance and disliked having outsiders present when discussing matters. After sitting down, he said to Zhuang Rui, "Brother, these are the people you brought, right? Let them go to the private room next door; I've already booked it..."
"Oh, this is my assistant..."
"Brother Zhuang, you two talk. Just let me know if anything happens..."
Just as Zhuang Rui was about to ask Peng Fei to stay, Peng Fei stood up and walked out of the private room with several other people.
"You little rascal, I called you a few months ago and you kept making excuses, but now you've even found an assistant. Are you trying to hog all the benefits yourself...?"
After Peng Fei and the others left, Song Jun gave Zhuang Rui a dissatisfied look. In his eyes, Peng Fei was just a recent college graduate and probably a translator hired by Zhuang Rui.
"Hey, Brother Song, you've misjudged him. That young man is no ordinary person..."
Fatty Ma chuckled. He had noticed it earlier; Peng Fei exuded an indescribable sense of vicissitude, suggesting he was not as simple as he appeared.
Zhuang Rui smiled, not explaining Peng Fei's identity, and said, "Brother Song, I'm afraid I won't be able to partner with you in jade gambling this time..."
"Oh? Why? Brother Zhuang, I only went to Myanmar because of you. What's the point of us going if you don't help?"
Fatty Ma was convinced that Zhuang Rui was the right person for gambling on stones. In his opinion, Zhuang Rui had an inexplicable intuition about gambling on stones, just like he rarely misjudged people.
“I’m definitely going to buy it, but Brother Ma, you don’t know, I have a jewelry store in Beijing that’s short of jadeite raw materials. Even if I gamble on a rough stone, I definitely won’t sell it. You two are both going there to make money, so let’s go together and each of us can buy our own…”
Zhuang Rui explained the reason, and Song Jun and Fatty Ma looked at each other, somewhat dumbfounded. With their level of jade appraisal, they were far from qualified to try their luck at the Myanmar jade auction. Even many veteran jade gamblers had failed there.
"This...this..."
Fatty Ma's clever tongue moved for a long time, but he couldn't come up with a coherent answer. This matter was not easy to handle. His and Song Jun's purpose was twofold: first, to stockpile some jadeite raw materials, and second, to cut and sell stones on the spot, partly for excitement and partly to make money. This was completely contrary to Zhuang Rui's purpose for this trip.
"How about this, if there's any food I can't finish, the three of us brothers will team up. You can sell your share if you want, but I'll definitely bring mine back..."