Xu Zhengyang didn't react in any particular way.
He continued living his carefree, leisurely life as a do-nothing boss. Perhaps it was because he was making more and more money and had nowhere to spend it? Or perhaps he really was the good person he praised himself for? In any case, the thing Xu Zhengyang had been doing most lately was donating money.
News reports have featured people in need of assistance, such as those suffering from serious illnesses who cannot afford treatment due to their family's financial situation. When the media seeks help from kind-hearted people on their behalf, Xu Zhengyang always lends a helping hand, ranging from a few hundred to several thousand or even tens of thousands of yuan... It's as if he is a money-printing machine, never worrying about money, and able to print out boxes and boxes of whatever amount is needed at any time.
In the past month or so, Xu Zhengyang may not have donated the most money nationwide, but he definitely donated the most times.
Those who know him, including his family, don't understand what he's trying to do. How much money do you have to support such extravagance?
Xu Zhengyang explained: "If we calculate it this way, I can only donate less than 100,000 a month. If we take 100,000 as an example, how much would I donate in a year? Hmm, 1.2 million, let's say 1.5 million. But how much can I earn in a year? A rough estimate is at least four or five million. In that case, I would still have several million left over, which would be enough to spend."
There is probably no one in this world as crazy about money management as Xu Zhengyang.
The old man who had tentatively thrown a punch a little over a month ago found that his punch was like hitting thin air, hitting nothing, or rather, there was no target at all.
But the old man knew this goal existed, and he grew increasingly worried. Although the temple was demolished, people's hearts remained! They couldn't possibly do something like burning books and burying scholars alive, could they? Because according to investigations, within the territory of Fuhe City, those who had previously had extreme faith in the so-called local gods and city gods were still believing in them, and were not affected in any way by the demolition and reconstruction of the temple or some propaganda.
These past few days, whenever Xu Zhengyang thought about these events, he couldn't help but secretly admire the old man's wisdom and courage. "What a shrewd old man, he really dares to lay a hand on a god!" Xu Zhengyang thought to himself with extreme self-satisfaction. "Luckily, this god is me; fortunately, I'm a good person; of course, you were acting out of good intentions, good intentions for the greater good, for the sake of social stability; thankfully, you're Li Bingjie's grandfather..."
If it were another high-ranking official doing this, Xu Zhengyang asked himself honestly, and he hesitated, wondering if he would be ruthless and unstoppable in the face of any obstacle.
Whatever, it doesn't affect my status as a "human being" anyway. As long as no one bothers me, let them do whatever they want.
...
On the second day after the snowfall, Xu Zhengyang accepted an invitation to visit Dong Yuebu's home.
Indeed, given the repeated and enthusiastic invitations from Jia Bubu and his daughter Dong Yuebu, it would be quite presumptuous for Xu Zhengyang not to go.
Dong Yuebu is currently the team leader of the fleet at Jinghui Logistics Company. Today was his day off at home, but his wife kept nagging him, so he had to call Xu Zhengyang. Dong Wenqi, on the other hand, works at Jinghui Logistics Company as Deng Wenjing's secretary and is also responsible for the company's cargo scheduling, statistics, and arrangements. This involves compiling detailed daily shipment lists between the head office and various branches and sending them to each branch via the network. The advantage of this is that the head office keeps a record of every branch's receipt and shipment every day, which serves as a good management tool.
When Xu Zhengyang received Dong Yuebu's call, he was browsing the news online in Zhan Xiaohui's office.
Looking at the time, it's almost midnight.
Xu Zhengyang then called the statistics office and told Dong Wenqi to get ready to leave work and walk with him. He figured he was going to her house anyway, and it would save Dong Wenqi the trouble of taking the bus.
After greeting Dong Wenqi, Xu Zhengyang got up and left.
Dong Wenqi was already waiting downstairs. She was wearing a black knee-length coat, a pink scarf around her neck, and had slightly wavy hair, giving her the air of a white-collar lady. When she saw Xu Zhengyang come downstairs, Dong Wenqi smiled and said, "Chairman Xu, you finally have time to visit our home."
"Ahem, just call me Zhengyang, no need to be so polite," Xu Zhengyang said with an awkward smile.
As the two walked towards the car, Dong Wenqi laughed and said, "I wouldn't dare call you Zhengyang, what would that sound like?"
Xu Zhengyang shook his head with a wry smile and said nothing more.
The two got into the car, a white Audi A4, and drove out of the company compound. Cao Gangchuan and Liu Bin waved to Xu Zhengyang through the window of the guardhouse, their faces beaming.
Xu Zhengyang honked the horn to signal, but didn't stop.
The guys had dinner and chatted together a few days ago, and Xu Zhengyang had asked them if they had any requests. He also suggested they learn about the relevant business processes in the logistics company; it wasn't complicated, and as long as they were willing to learn and work hard, he would definitely get them jobs. However, Cao Gangchuan and Liu Bin were very satisfied with their current jobs—easy, stress-free, and with high salaries—so why worry about anything? Zhang Hao was also willing to continue working as a driver. In their view, the company's internal management, operations, and business were beyond the reach of uneducated, rough-and-ready guys like them.
Xu Zhengyang didn't say anything more about it. Everyone has their own way of living, as long as they are happy.
The Audi A4 drove onto Xinmin Street. The street was wet, with some snow piled up on the roadside. The plane trees on both sides of the street were covered with snow, and the air was chilly.
We soon arrived at the entrance of Yong'an Community, only to find a large van parked on the side of the street outside. The already narrow street became even narrower, making it inconvenient for vehicles to pass by. Some cyclists, electric bike riders, or pedestrians couldn't help but complain, and several cars would honk their horns to express their dissatisfaction to the driver in the van's cab as they drove by.
The driver's cab was empty.
In front of the truck, a young man in his early twenties wearing a gray down jacket and an elderly man were arguing with two men in their thirties. Xu Zhengyang glanced around and immediately recognized the two men as the truck driver.
The elderly man, who worked at a nearby small supermarket, was scolding the two drivers for parking there without any consideration for others. The young man in the gray down jacket, a resident of Yong'an Community, saw the two drivers arguing with the elderly man and acting arrogantly, so he stepped forward indignantly to argue with them.
This is quite common; many drivers never consider other people's feelings when parking and always park wherever they want. Especially in areas like Xinmin Street, where there are usually few traffic police, random parking is even more commonplace.
However, the car's parking location was quite inappropriate. Parking on the street is unreasonable in itself, and it also protruded forward, blocking the intersection from the Yong'an residential area gate to the street by more than a meter. It's easy to imagine how inconvenient this would be for vehicles entering and exiting the residential area.
Normally, Xu Zhengyang wouldn't have bothered with such a trivial matter. There are plenty of inconsiderate people like this in society; how could he possibly manage them all?
The problem is, he can't be ignored today.
Because on the blue cargo box of that large truck, there were several large white characters and a line of smaller characters painted on it, with a phone number printed below. The large characters read "Jinghui Logistics".
Xu Zhengyang took a long detour, laboriously drove the car into the residential area, pulled over, and said, "I'll go down and take a look." With that, he pushed open the car door and got out with a sullen face.
Dong Wenqi quickly got out of the car and followed. She knew that Xu Zhengyang must have seen that the car belonged to Jinghui Logistics Company, which was why he was angry.
A large crowd had gathered around the car, making it increasingly inconvenient for vehicles to pass through the street.
Seeing that more and more people were gathering, the two drivers decided not to argue any longer and simply got into their car to leave.
Unexpectedly, the old man blocked the front of the car, pointed at them, and shouted, "You can't leave! Didn't you say I'm a busybody? Well, I'll show you what's what today. When the police arrive, don't leave! I'll make sure they fine you!"
The driver, sitting in the driver's seat, leaned out of the car window and sneered, "Hey old man, even if you call the Director of the Transportation Bureau Ali, you can't fine us. See where this car is from? Jinghui Logistics Company!"
"What kind of lousy company is Jinghui Logistics! Is this the kind of driver they employ?" The old man became increasingly angry.
The young man next to him seemed to remember something, and tried to persuade the old man a couple of times, but to no avail.
At this moment, Xu Zhengyang had already walked to the front of the vehicle and said to the driver in the cab, "Aren't Jinghui Logistics Company's vehicles afraid of being fined for violating traffic rules? Who made that rule?"
The two drivers hadn't noticed where Xu Zhengyang came from before; seeing his ordinary attire, they assumed he was a resident of the community.
"Heh heh, another busybody here." The driver in the passenger seat got out of the car and pushed Xu Zhengyang and the young man aside, saying, "Get out of the way. You found a bug while eating sunflower seeds, what are you trying to prove here?"
Xu Zhengyang grabbed his wrist and kicked him under the car wheel, then coldly said to the driver who was still sitting in the car, "Get out! Apologize to this old man!"
Is the 200th chapter of Volume Four, City God, still unfinished?
It's no wonder the two drivers didn't recognize Xu Zhengyang. After all, this hands-off boss rarely went to the company, and the drivers spent little time there, mostly on the road.
So when the two drivers saw someone meddling in their business and even resorting to violence, they were instantly enraged.
When they first joined the company a few months ago, the then-fleet captain, Cheng Jinxiang, said: "Jinghui Logistics Company doesn't bully people, but you absolutely don't need to be afraid of being bullied! Do you know who our chairman is? If you don't, it doesn't matter, he rarely comes to the company, but you just need to remember that our chairman has connections above him..."
Later, they heard some rumors circulating within the company: when the Beijing branch first opened, it was bullied by local thugs. The chairman led a group of people who beat up the other side's men and sent them all to jail, while none of their company's employees were harmed. Over the past few months, the driver had been stopped by traffic police in Fuhe City several times for traffic violations or overloading. When the vehicle was impounded, he would simply make a phone call to the company, and the local traffic police would release the vehicle shortly afterward.
This emboldened the drivers, who felt that as employees of Jinghui Logistics Company, they had nothing to fear in Fuhe City.
Xu Zhengyang was, of course, unaware of these circumstances. He was even less aware that because of him, Zhan Xiaohui found dealing with certain transportation and road administration departments much easier. Actually, this was quite normal; if a large logistics company didn't have connections with transportation and road administration departments, it meant the company's boss was truly incompetent.
The problem is that Xu Zhengyang cannot accept that his subordinates have become like this.
Although it was just a very small incident, Xu Zhengyang knew that petty theft could eventually lead to becoming a major thief or even a robber.
"You're drivers too. When you encounter cars parked haphazardly like this, affecting your driving, you'd probably curse them inwardly too, wouldn't you?" Xu Zhengyang asked coldly, his face grim.
That's true. Xu Zhengyang has encountered similar situations while driving quite a bit, but he never bothers to make a fuss about it.
The two drivers paused slightly, intending to explode, but then they saw Dong Wenqi approaching. They recognized her immediately; she was the daughter of the fleet captain at Jinghui Logistics Company and the secretary to the company's CFO. They quickly put on smiles and said, "Secretary Dong, hello, hello."
Dong Wenqi said sternly, "Is the name of Jinghui Logistics Company something you're going to use to tarnish its reputation like this?"
"this……"
"Oh, Secretary Dong, it's just a small matter."
The two drivers were quite embarrassed. Thinking about what the young man next to them had said, they realized that he was right and felt guilty.
"Apologize to the elderly person. Wait for the traffic police to arrive and accept the fine!" After saying this, Xu Zhengyang turned and walked into the residential area with a cold face.
The two drivers looked at each other in bewilderment. If Secretary Dong hadn't been there, they would have really wanted to ask, "Who are you, kid? What are you trying to prove?"
Dong Wenqi snorted and said, "This is the chairman of our Jinghui Logistics. You guys... sigh."
"Huh?" The two drivers were dumbfounded. Oh no, they were going to lose their high-paying jobs.
"Do as the chairman says. Write a self-criticism and a self-examination later." Dong Wenqi thought that since Xu Zhengyang had just instructed the driver on what to do, he shouldn't fire the two of them. Besides, the two of them were usually quite polite to her. Dong Wenqi gave them a few instructions and then turned and left.
Even at lunchtime, Xu Zhengyang was still thinking about the insights and reminders that the incident he had encountered that day had given him.
He frequently browses social news and social observation sections online, where he often sees comments on seemingly minor issues that reveal a decline in morality and overall quality in society. Reflecting on his daily observations, he sees many cultured and self-proclaimed civilized individuals whose superficial civility is merely a selfish attempt to label themselves. In real life, who truly cares whether their actions affect others?
When quality and morality become like clothing, used to adorn one's appearance, what is that if not a regression?
From childhood to adulthood, the cultural knowledge I've acquired, including the history books I've read over the past year, all reveal that our nation and country boast a magnificent 5,000-year history of civilization. We call ourselves a land of etiquette, and several ancient dynasties were renowned worldwide for their enlightenment, high moral character, and the polite, humble, friendly, and helpful nature of our people.
However, in today's society, how many people can achieve even the most basic qualities?
During the casual conversation at the dinner table, Dong Wenqi and her parents could tell that Xu Zhengyang seemed to be in a bad mood and was deep in thought.
“Zhengyang, it’s just a small matter. I’ll give them a good scolding when we get back, and if that doesn’t work, I’ll fire them! Don’t be angry,” Dong Yuebu advised.
Dong Wenqi and her mother echoed and advised her.
"Oh, it's nothing." Xu Zhengyang shook his head with a wry smile. He really was being too stubborn. Nobody's perfect, and everyone has their flaws. Was he really that well-mannered? Xu Zhengyang picked up his glass and took a sip of his drink. He had originally said he couldn't drink because he was driving, but Dong Yuebu insisted he drink, and Dong Wenqi added that she would drive him later, so Xu Zhengyang had no choice but to agree.
After chatting for a while, Xu Zhengyang said, "Our company should set more rules to make employees pay more attention to their personal image when they are out in public. Personal image is one thing, but the company's image and reputation are another. It would be bad if we ended up with a bad reputation in society... We are not a criminal organization."
"Yes, I think our company should hold a special meeting, and the managers and supervisors of each department should go back and discuss this issue in detail with their employees. The company's complaints should also cover this aspect," Dong Wenqi said.
Xu Zhengyang nodded.
Yu Shuhua laughed and said, "Is it really necessary?"
Dong Yuebu quickly scolded his wife, "Don't talk nonsense."
"Hehe, that's indeed making a mountain out of a molehill." Xu Zhengyang nodded, then smiled and said, "Let's not talk about that anymore, let's chat about something else..."
Xu Zhengyang was thinking to himself that this was a reminder that if he wanted to be a good person, he had to think things through in every aspect. Today's incident was relatively minor, but if it turned out to be like those news stories he had read before, where an employee, relying on the company's powerful connections, angrily hit someone, or something else serious happened, then he would be in big trouble.
It's inevitable that Xu Zhengyang will be involved. You're the company boss, you're the backer, you're the protector!
After dinner, they chatted for a while. Xu Zhengyang and Dong Wenqi returned to the company together, this time with Dong Wenqi driving.
Along the way, I saw some bicycles and electric bikes not using the non-motorized vehicle lanes, but instead driving onto the motorized vehicle lanes, acting arrogantly and without any regard for the rules. Some even ignored the honking of the cars behind them and didn't bother to pull over, just continuing to drive slowly. When the cars passed by, they would give each other dissatisfying looks and mutter a few curses.
What's most infuriating is that a young woman was riding her bicycle with a child on the back rack. She was also riding in the traffic lane, but instead of riding close to the side, she was blocking half the lane.
What's wrong with people's hearts? Xu Zhengyang frowned and remained silent.
Dong Wenqi noticed Xu Zhengyang's gloomy expression out of the corner of her eye. After a moment's thought, she roughly guessed why Xu Zhengyang was unhappy. She couldn't help but sigh and say, "People have different mindsets. They think cars will always avoid people..."
"Once something goes wrong, it'll be too late to regret it." Xu Zhengyang squinted, leaned back in his chair, and sighed, "It's not just yourself who gets hurt; the perpetrators get hurt too!"
Dong Wenqi was stunned for a while before finally saying, "I never expected that these things would cause you so much worry and emotion. You really are a good person."
"Thank you." Xu Zhengyang seemed not to have paid much attention to Dong Wenqi's words, and said thank you very casually and without any modesty. Then he realized that it was a little inappropriate, scratched his head, and smiled awkwardly.
Dong Wenqi smiled and said, "Why are you so sentimental and worried? Even a Bodhisattva wouldn't make yourself so troubled."
Xu Zhengyang chuckled self-deprecatingly and said nothing more.
...
The chairman's office on the second floor of Jinghui Logistics Company.