Although the staff and the size of the branches in various wholesale markets were not sufficient due to the haste, and there were still more than a dozen branches in other cities that had not been fully established, this was not important.
Merchants will not stop shipping because of the closure of Speedy Logistics, and they all know that Jinghui Logistics has recently opened a dedicated transportation line just like Speedy Logistics, so they have no other choice.
More than a dozen large freight trucks transferred from the Fuhe City headquarters by Jinghui Logistics' Beijing branch came in handy at this moment.
Zhan Xiaohui and several staff members from the head office rushed over quickly, while Wu Juan also hired a new group of key personnel who began to work busily.
It doesn't matter if the branch offices in the cities below haven't been established yet. Staff will accompany the trucks and escort them to the destination. Once the trucks arrive at their destination, vehicles will be hired on-site to start transporting the goods. If a warehouse is really needed, a temporary warehouse in the parking lot can be rented for a short period.
A large semi-trailer truck can transport less-than-truckload (LTL) goods between two cities simultaneously. Because the truck cannot accommodate too many staff members, some staff members simply travel by train to each city, set up camp there, and begin delivering LTL goods once they arrive.
However, due to the overwhelming workload in a short period, once the trucks arrive at their destinations and unload their cargo, there is no need to pick up more goods. The empty trucks then return to Beijing.
Time is tight and the task is heavy!
Although increased consumption has reduced profits significantly, in Wu Juan's words, "We don't need to worry about that now. The key is to quickly build up the reputation of Jinghui Logistics Company so that merchants know that Jinghui Logistics Company is efficient and trustworthy!"
While busy with these tasks, Zhan Xiaohui personally drove and arranged for several staff members to continue traveling between more than a dozen cities. Because they had done preliminary research, the branch offices in each city were established in less than half a month.
One month later.
Jinghui Logistics Company's network covering 22 cities in three provinces is taking shape and gradually becoming more complete!
Xu Zhengyang looked at the simple financial statements and was so happy he almost stuck his butt up to the ceiling.
Wow, that's a lot of money!
Admittedly, the investment cannot be recouped in the short term. This is because the company's expenses over the past two weeks have been substantial: staff scheduling and accommodation arrangements, losses from empty return trips, and the costs of renting warehouses and hiring vehicles for delivery—all of which have consumed considerable financial resources. However, from now on, all expenses will decrease several times over, as the company's branches have been established and vehicle and staff arrangements are in place; meanwhile, the company's business volume continues to grow rapidly, and according to Wu Juan, during the peak logistics seasons each year, business volume increases more than tenfold compared to normal days.
Comparing the two, Xu Zhengyang, who was ignorant of the industry but knew numbers, roughly calculated the figures on the financial statements and obtained a result that astonished him.
In less than a month, the company's net profit exceeded 300,000!
According to the detailed calculations from the finance department, future expenses will be much lower than in the past two months. So even without considering the profits from increased business volume, the net profit per month will still exceed 600,000 based on the current situation.
In other words...
Xu Zhengyang turned to Chen Chaojiang and said, "Our company can earn back two semi-trailer trucks in a month."
Even Chen Chaojiang, who was usually as cold as ice, looked somewhat surprised. This was the first time he had encountered something like this. A company with an annual income of nearly ten million... Although he only owned half of the shares, and Xu Zhengyang wouldn't personally receive that much, it was enough to make him rank among the top in the whole village, the whole township, and the whole county.
Moreover, income is still growing.
After sitting there coldly for a long while, Chen Chaojiang finally said, "A lot of money."
"Haha!" Xu Zhengyang laughed heartily, patted Chen Chaojiang on the shoulder and said, "Chaojiang, I keep my word. I said I would give you half of the shares. From now on, you and I both own 25% of Jinghui Logistics Company!"
To be honest, Xu Zhengyang didn't hesitate much when he first said he would give half of his shares to Chen Chaojiang. After all, it was for his brother, and he didn't really care about a few hundred thousand yuan. But now, witnessing the huge profits, Xu Zhengyang hesitated for a while before finally saying it without hesitation.
Thinking about it carefully, it makes sense. For Xu Zhengyang, money is something he likes as much as possible, and he needs it for many purposes. But if you really think about it carefully, he doesn't actually lack money.
There are also plenty of ways to make money.
So he readily kept his promise and gave it to them!
Millions of dollars every year, just like that, are going to be given to Chen Chaojiang with just one sentence.
Chen Chaojiang was stunned for a while before shaking his head and coldly saying, "I don't want to."
"Damn, you think it's not enough?" Xu Zhengyang joked.
"It's too much. I can't repay you in this lifetime. I won't be able to close my eyes in peace even when I'm in my coffin." Chen Chaojiang said very seriously, "Give me a raise, a big raise. It's enough for my family to live a good life. I don't need that much money."
Xu Zhengyang shook his head and said, "Giving you shares isn't about money, it's about saving face."
"I don't care about face," Chen Chaojiang said directly. He understood that the face Xu Zhengyang was referring to was nothing more than his identity as a bodyguard.
“But some people care, and I care too.” Xu Zhengyang sighed.
Chen Chaojiang remained silent.
Xu Zhengyang suddenly remembered something and asked with a smile, "Has that girl named Ye Wan sent you any more text messages these past two days?"
"No." Chen Chaojiang shook his head. He, who was usually as cold as ice, actually showed a rare hint of shyness when talking about this.
“You were busy the other day, and someone sent you a text message, but you didn’t even bother to chat with them back. Now that you’re not busy, send them a text message. You should be more proactive in these kinds of things, right?” Xu Zhengyang said with a smile.
Chen Chaojiang lowered his head and thought for a moment, then said, "I replied to her that I was busy."
"Haven't you contacted me recently?"
"No."
"You just wait until the girl comes looking for you... Damn it!" Xu Zhengyang was furious at his son's lack of ambition, but he didn't realize that he himself was just as bad.
Chen Chaojiang hesitated for a moment and said, "I don't think it's going to work, so I'll stop contacting them."
"Well, don't get your hopes up too high, after all, it's only been a brief meeting... But since you've taken a liking to it, you have to give it a try, haha!" Xu Zhengyang laughed it off.
Chen Chaojiang did not speak again.
Xu Zhengyang continued, "From now on, you will be a shareholder of Jinghui Logistics Company, holding the title of deputy general manager. It's much better than being my bodyguard."
"Yes." Chen Chaojiang nodded. "You really don't need me as your bodyguard anymore."
"Chaojiang, can you stop overthinking things..." Xu Zhengyang was getting a little angry.
"You're overthinking it."
“Uh…” Xu Zhengyang paused for a moment, then laughed, a very happy laugh.
Chen Chaojiang gave a rare grin and said, "Five percent, I don't want any more."
"Why?"
Chen Chaojiang shook his head and did not answer.
"Okay." Xu Zhengyang agreed very seriously.
Between brothers, some things don't need to be said outright. As long as you understand each other in your hearts and both sides can maintain appearances, that's enough.
Before leaving Beijing, Xu Zhengyang convened a brief meeting for the first time in his capacity as chairman. Attendees included Xu Zhengyang, Chen Chaojiang, Zhan Xiaohui, Wu Juan, Huang Zhao, and three newly appointed members of the management team.
The meeting was held in the office of Wu Juan, general manager of Jinghui Logistics Beijing branch. There was no spacious meeting room or large conference table. A few people sat around the sofa, and some people even brought chairs from other rooms to sit in. It was a somewhat crowded meeting.
The reason it was simple was because there were only four things: First, Chen Chaojiang was proposed as the new shareholder of Jinghui Logistics Company, temporarily serving as the vice president of Jinghui Logistics headquarters, responsible for the daily work investigation and inquiry of various branches and sub-branches, as well as the personnel arrangements of the executive general manager and chairman; Second, the company's next development plan and the revision of all management plans were discussed in detail by Zhan Xiaohui and Wu Juan, and finally approved by the chairman; Third, the company's employees had made absolute efforts during this period, thank you for your hard work, and you will be given bonuses! Fourth... Xu Zhengyang directly announced the dismissal of one director of the dispatch department and three key business personnel.
Some people were puzzled, worried and dissatisfied. The company had just taken a big step and had not yet fully settled down, but suddenly dismissing employees was not a wise move and was likely to cause confusion and panic among the employees.
Xu Zhengyang was already aware of this, so he had Chen Chaojiang summon all four men to the conference room and confront them, pointing out how they had embezzled funds, abused their power for personal gain, and damaged the company's image. Xu Zhengyang even calmly recounted their exact words.
The four dismissed individuals were shocked and terrified, but they were speechless and could only apologize in shame.
The attendees were all shocked and full of admiration. The chairman looked young and inexperienced, and seemed lazy and didn't pay much attention to company affairs. In fact, he was very perceptive and insightful in the company!
To everyone's surprise, after the four employees who were about to be dismissed made a sincere apology, Xu Zhengyang changed his tune and said that if they could repent and reform, Jinghui Logistics Company would still welcome them to continue working for the company. Xu Zhengyang knew that their mistakes weren't actually that serious; the company had just started operating, and even if they wanted to line their own pockets, they wouldn't dare to skim too much.
Moreover, these four people are truly capable. What Jinghui Logistics Company lacks right now? Talent!
So after Xu Zhengyang swung his big stick, he immediately served up candied dates.
Make an example of someone!
Chairman Xu's prestige at Jinghui Logistics Company has been further enhanced.
Who dares to disagree?
The four men were moved to tears. After handing over the money they had embezzled, they offered to forgo their wages and bonuses for the month as punishment. As for the future... let their actions speak for themselves.
Xu Zhengyang was very satisfied with their attitude, and also satisfied with the deep impression this incident left on other employees in the company, especially the management.
While it's true that you should trust those you employ and not employ those you don't trust, ultimately, everyone is selfish and prone to making mistakes. Once a mistake is made and isn't discovered, corrected, or punished, it's like an addiction—uncontrollable. The company falls into chaos, and Xu Zhengyang's money ends up in other people's pockets.
Xu Zhengyang would absolutely not allow such a thing to happen.
With this incident serving as a cautionary tale, I believe that after I leave the capital, no new corrupt officials will appear in the company in the short term. When things settle down and some people want to do something later, that's fine too. Chen Chaojiang will represent me in enforcing company regulations, and with the help of the ghost messengers, Chen Chaojiang will naturally be competent in this role.
As a result, Xu Zhengyang, the hands-off manager, grew bigger and bigger, and the amount of hand-off work he did increased.
After the meeting, Xu Zhengyang stayed in Beijing for a few more days. He had a meal with his sister and Ouyang Ying, chatted about family matters, and then hosted a banquet at the Minggang Hotel for Huang Chen, Yu Xuan, and Huang Zhicheng. He figured Jinghui Logistics would need the support of acquaintances in Beijing in the future, and these people would definitely be a great help to the company as it continued to grow.
After the recent incident involving Speedy Logistics, Huang Zhicheng no longer dared to underestimate Xu Zhengyang, a young man even younger than his own son.
In mid-April of the lunar calendar, Xu Zhengyang and Chen Chaojiang drove away from Beijing and finally returned to Fuhe City after several months away.
Meanwhile, Xu Zhengyang's new house was already renovated and he was just waiting to move in after the busy farming season in May.
Volume Four, City God Chapter 168: When Nobles are Involved, They Have Many Worries
It was late spring, and the wheat seedlings in the countryside were lush and green. The grass grew tall and the birds flew about; everywhere was vibrant with greenery and looked brand new.
Three months passed quickly in the capital, and Xu Zhengyang really felt a sense of pride, like he hadn't been back to his hometown for many years and was now returning in glory.
Rumors had already spread throughout Shuanghe Village that Xu Zhengyang was now the chairman of a large logistics company, a millionaire with a net worth exceeding ten million yuan. Not only in the village, but in the entire Huaxiang region, it was hard to find someone richer than him. It wasn't Xu Zhengyang telling his family about this over the phone, but rather Cao Gangchuan, Zhang Hao, and Liu Bin, who worked at Jinghui Logistics Company, mentioning it to their families. Naturally, their families wanted to boast about it throughout the village, saying, "It's a real source of pride that our child works at Xu Zhengyang's Jinghui Logistics Company!"
There's no need to elaborate on how happy Yuan Suqin and Xu Neng were. In short, the couple is now the envy of everyone in the village, the kind of people who smile at you whenever they see you. Everyone is hoping that the couple can help them get jobs for their family members at Xu Zhengyang's company. They've heard that the work is easy and the pay is high, making it more worthwhile than working in other places.
Therefore, the villagers already knew that Xu Zhengyang was going back to the village that afternoon.
When the white Audi A4 pulled up at the alley entrance, Xu Zhengyang got out of the car. Standing at the driver's side door, he told Chen Chaojiang through the car window to go home and check on things first. Several village women who were already standing in front of their house in the alley surrounded him, greeting him warmly.
"Zhengyang, you're back?"
"Oh my, it's only been two or three months since I last saw you, look at you, you're so much fairer than before."
"Yes, yes, Zhengyang has really made something of himself now..."
...
Helpless, Xu Zhengyang could only wave Chen Chaojiang away, then turned back to chat politely with the various women as he walked into the alley. At the same time, six or seven relatives from neighboring villages, along with their neighbors and friends, poured out of his house…
More than a dozen bicycles were already parked against the wall in the alley. Xu Zhengyang was a little puzzled, wondering what day it was. Well, he knew today was the day he was coming back, but he didn't know that the day he returned was very important, very important to many people.
Stepping into the courtyard, one sees seven or eight middle-aged women and young wives standing or sitting under the grape trellis on the east side. Some are holding children, while others are doing needlework. The children are playing and the adults are chatting and laughing, creating a lively scene. The red brick ground is covered with colorful candy wrappers and melon seed shells.
The house was bustling with noise and laughter. This made Xu Zhengyang even more puzzled; even on village gathering days, his home had never been this lively.
"Zhengyang is back!"
It's unclear who gave the first shout, but the courtyard and house suddenly fell silent, followed by a loud buzzing sound.
People poured out of the house. Those sitting in the courtyard also stood up.
People greeted her with smiles or warm greetings; everyone was polite and friendly.
Xu Zhengyang was puzzled, but he could only greet everyone with a simple smile and a polite expression, being courteous and polite.
Amidst the murmurs and greetings of the crowd, Xu Zhengyang entered the main room. Yuan Suqin, beaming with joy, walked in to greet him. Seeing her son enter, she quickly grabbed his hand and playfully scolded, "You've been gone for three months, so busy you've forgotten all about home, haven't you? You silly boy, you haven't even called often..."