Chapter 20: Fearing for a Brother’s Hardship, Yet Fearing a Brother’s Success

The company Dongling High-Tech, established by Li Dongling, was nothing more than a shell at this point. Now that Li Dongling had set out on his own, he definitely needed to find an office or headquarters for Dongling High-Tech. Otherwise, it would be impossible to hire staff or conduct any business. Even those swindler companies made sure to have a storefront to appear legitimate before deceiving others.

Li Dongling gazed at the marble building behind Gao Peng. Although it was constructed in the 1970s or 80s, it didn’t look particularly old. The architectural design was grand and still seemed quite modern, clearly reflecting the considerable thought and expense invested in its construction at the time.

The Pingyang Second Machinery Factory originally produced diesel engines, tractors, and similar products. Back then, business was quite prosperous—so much so that their products were sold to other provinces. Because the production base was in a county outside the city, they had built this office building in the urban area to conveniently receive out-of-town clients.

However, those days were long gone. The Pingyang Second Machinery Factory had ceased production many years ago. The workers had either left or transferred to other state-owned factories. Now, only a signboard and some remaining assets of the factory were left to be dealt with.

“I’ve got the keys in hand. We can go in and take a look anytime!” Gao Peng produced a large bunch of keys.

Li Dongling took a step forward but noticed Gao Peng hadn’t moved. Turning back, he gave him a suspicious glance. Then, a knowing smirk crossed Li Dongling’s face as he said, “What, afraid I can’t afford this place?”

“Brother Li, don’t misunderstand. I didn’t mean it like that. It’s just that this building isn’t cheap. It’s currently under the management of the Municipal Industrial Bureau. I do have some connections, but I can’t really bring the price down much. I do have other office spaces that are quite suitable and much cheaper…”

“Let’s look here first. If it’s really this place, don’t worry—you won’t miss out on your cut,” Li Dongling assured him.

Hearing this, Gao Peng fell silent. Li Dongling had been introduced to him by Zhang Ao, with whom Gao Peng shared a good relationship. The two had gotten into plenty of trouble together in the past, so Gao Peng felt obliged to show respect. Though he wasn’t sure if Li Dongling could really afford the building, he wasn’t about to doubt him openly.

The wooden door was pushed open, and Li Dongling stepped inside. The first floor was divided into several offices. Desks, chairs, and other office equipment had been cleared out, and the interior design was nothing special—just the style from many years ago.

Li Dongling mainly examined the building’s main structure, which was remarkably well preserved. Upon reaching the second floor, he noticed the space was much larger—likely reserved for senior managers before.

Entering a large office, Li Dongling saw a few courtyards behind the building and a fairly sizable open area.

“Are those plots behind the building part of this property?”

Gao Peng was momentarily taken aback. He hadn’t expected Li Dongling to ask about the land first. “Yes, they come with this two-story building. The land isn’t worth much, but if you want it, you can buy it all.”

Li Dongling nodded. “How much is this building going for now?”

Gao Peng hadn’t expected Li Dongling to inquire about the price seriously. He had only agreed to accompany him for a look. “Three hundred thousand… no, two hundred eighty thousand. Brother Li, if you’re really interested, I can help negotiate the price down.”

In today’s market, two hundred eighty thousand for a two-story office building in Pingyang wasn’t exactly cheap. But compared to places like Yazhou or Pengcheng, that amount wouldn’t even buy half a small apartment.

In a few decades, given this location, a two-story building like this could easily fetch tens of millions. Demolishing it to build a high-rise would likely yield even greater profits.

But Li Dongling wanted more than just this two-story building. “I’ll offer two hundred fifty thousand for this building. How much you can negotiate it down is up to you. Whatever you save is yours! And as for the land behind, how much you can buy, that depends on your skill. You won’t miss out on your cut.”

Gao Peng took a deep breath. “Brother Li, you’re not joking, right?”

Li Dongling looked at him. “Consider this money a deposit.”

Seeing the fifty-thousand-yuan check Li Dongling handed over, Gao Peng pocketed it without hesitation, no longer doubting him. His face lit up warmly. “Brother, rest assured, I’ll handle this. Within this month—no, at most ten days—I’ll get everything settled!”

“It’s getting late. Shall we head to Pingyang Grand Hotel for a meal? Tonight’s dinner is on me!”

Gao Peng was now extremely attentive to Li Dongling, no longer just out of respect for Zhang Ao. If this deal went well, Gao Peng stood to make a few thousand yuan. Without needing to grease the wheels for others, he could have earned even more.

Li Dongling thought it over and agreed. He had other matters he needed Gao Peng to handle; he needed reliable people in Pingyang to get things done.

Pingyang Grand Hotel might not have been the best restaurant in town, but it was the most prestigious place for hosting guests—much like how young people in Yanjing took pride in dining at Lao Mo’s Restaurant, which symbolized status and identity. Hosting friends there wasn’t just about the food but about the elegance, grandeur, and high-class service, with attractive waitresses adding to the prestige.

Though Pingyang Grand Hotel wasn’t as elaborate as Lao Mo’s, it was still the best place locally for entertaining guests.

Upon entering, Li Dongling saw that while it couldn’t compare to the top-tier restaurants of later years, the decor was still quite splendid for the time. Considering Pingyang’s average wages, the prices here weren’t cheap. The dining hall was already mostly full.

Gao Peng immediately requested a private room, which required an extra fee. Previously, even when he dined here, he had only sat in the main hall.

After ordering several substantial dishes, Gao Peng told the waiter, “Bring another bottle of Maotai!”

Li Dongling glanced at him. Gao Peng was clearly looking to build connections. Li Dongling could see through this but didn’t refuse. Every snake has its path, and every rat has its route. The world wasn’t simply black or white. Sometimes, people like Gao Peng made things easier.

“Brother Li, I’ll toast you. Drink as you please. I’ll go first!” Gao Peng poured Li Dongling a glass and downed his own in one gulp.

After several rounds of drinking, Gao Peng tentatively asked, “Brother Li, what line of business are you in? If you ever need anything done, just say the word!”

Li Dongling looked at him, thought for a moment, and replied, “I’m working on some small projects in cooperation with the Shangguan Town Components Factory. Nothing worth mentioning.”

“Satellite dishes?!” Gao Peng’s voice rose in surprise.

“Your company, Brother Li, is cooperating with the Shangguan Town Components Factory on satellite dishes?!” His tone was rough with excitement.

“You know about this?” Li Dongling raised an eyebrow.

Gao Peng slapped his thigh. “How could I not? That kid Zhang Ao has been making two or three thousand yuan in commissions from those satellite dishes!”

Mentioning this made Gao Peng grind his teeth. It was a classic case of being torn between brotherly concern and envy—he feared his friends working hard, yet resented seeing them drive cars and bring home beautiful wives. It was almost more painful than being killed.

His gaze toward Li Dongling grew even more fervent, almost overwhelming him.

After several more toasts, Li Dongling only drank one glass, while Gao Peng emptied his each time. Gao Peng repeatedly tried to broach the subject of asking Li Dongling for a few satellite dish quotas. These quotas had quietly become a hot commodity. A quota for a batch of a thousand satellite dishes, bought at a factory price of 300 yuan each, could be resold for an extra 30 to 50 yuan per unit to out-of-town dealers. Selling a thousand-unit quota could net two to three thousand yuan in profit.

This was faster than theft, and insiders had even approached local government officials in Shangguan Town and Pingyang City, hoping to get orders from factory or municipal leaders to obtain satellite dish quotas for resale, illustrating just how lucrative the business had become.

Li Dongling enjoyed the food; Pingyang Grand Hotel’s cuisine was quite good. The key was the chef, who generously used oil, seasonings, and fresh ingredients. There was no frozen meat, and as long as the chef didn’t slack off, the flavors were excellent compared to homemade meals.

Watching the shifting expressions on Gao Peng’s face, Li Dongling guessed what he wanted. If Gao Peng asked outright for the satellite dish quotas, Li Dongling would give them but would avoid forming a deeper connection or entrusting him with important matters in the future.

After some thought, Gao Peng never mentioned the quotas. Instead, he raised his glass and said, “Brother Li, whatever you need in the future, just leave it to me!”

With that, Gao Peng downed his drink again. Li Dongling raised his glass in return and drank it down in one go.