Chapter 260: The Bank's Power to Print Money
After dinner, Li Tang didn't worry too much about what Deng Chengpeng thought.
He called He Runqi to let him know he wouldn't be coming into the office for the next few days, then took his parents around to all the major tourist sites in Yanjing.
His parents had never really had the chance to enjoy the capital before, so everything was fresh and novel to them.
Li Tang followed them everywhere, a camera slung around his neck, ready to capture every moment. Whenever money was needed, he stepped up to pay.
The family of three happily ate, strolled, and enjoyed themselves for several days.
That kind of relaxed, carefree life could make a person forget everything else.
Until a call from Li Xinqi pulled him back to reality.
He had no choice but to return to the office. When he finally saw Li Xinqi again, an entire week had passed.
"These documents all need your signature," she said while pointing out where to sign, her tone suspicious. "I've been at your company every day for the past week, handling paperwork, and I never once saw you. Are you trying to be a hands-off boss now?"
"My parents came to Yanjing for a visit, so I took them around," Li Tang explained as he signed.
"Uncle and Auntie came to Yanjing?"
Li Xinqi lit up. "My parents are planning a weekend barbecue at our place. We were going to invite you anyway—now that your folks are here, bring them too!"
"That might not be appropriate…"
Li Tang felt it was fine if he went, but his parents weren't exactly comfortable around strangers. It might be awkward.
"What's inappropriate about it?" Li Xinqi made the decision for him on the spot. "It's settled then. Weekend barbecue at my house!"
"I'll have to talk to my parents first," Li Tang replied, a little hesitant. It felt almost like their parents were meeting each other. That could easily be misunderstood.
Still, seeing the hopeful look in Li Xinqi's eyes, he nodded. "Okay, but you better prepare a feast. I love barbecue!"
"Of course! A lot of the food is flown in from overseas—it'll be delicious!"
With that, the loan repayment of fifty million yuan to Huajin Group and Shenxia Group was officially settled.
Everyone involved was familiar with each other, and the cooperation was solid. For those two large enterprises, 50 million wasn't even a big amount. Their top executives didn't even get involved.
After Li Xinqi left, Dai Yingchi entered the office. "Director Li, there's someone here to see you."
"Who?"
"Deng Chengpeng."
Dai Yingchi, head of HR, had recently returned from managing the Huizhou business unit, where he'd done excellent work.
Now, with the company expanding its recruitment efforts in Yanjing, he was back at headquarters.
"Oh, he's from my hometown."
Li Tang stood up. "Where is he now?"
"He came by a couple of days ago, but you weren't in. Since I knew you were back today, I called and told him to come over."
Dai explained, then brought Deng in. "Director Li has time now. Whatever you want to discuss, just talk to him directly."
Deng Chengpeng adjusted his thick glasses, looking somewhat anxious as he stepped into the bright, spacious office.
Seeing Li Tang again, he was visibly more nervous than he had been during their first meeting at the restaurant. "Li Tang, um…"
"Sit down, let's talk."
Li Tang gestured to the seat beside him.
Deng obeyed, nervously glancing around. "After you gave me your business card, I didn't really look at it—I just shoved it in my pocket. Later, when I was doing laundry and checked my pants, I saw it and realized… you're the company's general manager."
He looked through the glass wall toward the open-plan office outside. "Your company looks pretty big—must be dozens of employees."
"We're still growing. We're hiring now, and there will be even more people in the future."
Li Tang tried to keep things casual. "You're here to talk about a job, right?"
"Yes." Deng nodded, still looking sheepish.
"Planning to work here for a while before deciding whether to join a state-owned firm? Or have you already found a good position?"
"State-owned companies don't suit me. And they rarely recruit computer science majors."
"You can work here for a few months first. After the trial period, if you still want to leave, we'll talk then."
"Would that be okay?" Deng still seemed unsure.
"We've already posted job listings for computer science roles!"
Dai Yingchi chimed in. Seeing Deng so hesitant, it was clear he lacked social experience. "Most of our staff are young. We even play basketball together sometimes."
He glanced at Li Tang. "Director Li once said that once we buy this building, we're going to dedicate a whole floor to recreation—ping pong, billiards, maybe even a gym. What sports do you like?"
"I used to play ping pong all the time in school."
"Really? I love ping pong too. We should have a match sometime!"
"Sure. How good are you?" Deng asked, finally smiling.
"I came in seventh in the university's freshman tournament!" Dai said proudly.
Li Tang teased, "Wasn't that out of seven players total?"
Ignoring the jab, Dai asked, "How about you? What's your level?"
"I won the singles title in our college every year," Deng said, eyes lighting up with confidence for the first time.
"Impressive!" Dai said, now genuinely respectful. "I'm planning a company-wide sports day this year. You better bring your A-game to the ping pong event!"
"Definitely." Deng grinned.
Seeing the two of them get along, Li Tang could tell Deng was genuinely interested in joining.
He turned to Dai. "Minister Dai, Deng Chengpeng holds a master's degree in computer science. He's top talent. Please make sure he's well taken care of—both in work and daily life."
"No problem, Director Li. You can count on me!"
Dai gestured to Deng. "Let's go to my office and get you started. I promise, our salary and benefits are among the best in the industry!"
"Um, Director Li, I'll head over now."
Deng, more relaxed now, still looked slightly awkward around Li Tang.
"Call me anytime if you need anything."
Li Tang saw them to the door, then suddenly remembered something. "Is Aunt Liu still in Yanjing? If she is, my mom's here too. They could go sightseeing together."
"My mom already went home," Deng replied quickly.
"Well, maybe next time."
Li Tang waved them off, tidied up his desk, and headed home.
With the company calm for now, it was the perfect window of free time.
Once Alice wrapped up the acquisition prep for Lianying Mining, he would have to travel to Australia himself.
That weekend, Li Tang drove a company car, taking his parents to a high-end villa community.
Each home had its own gate and courtyard. The roadside planters were neatly arranged. Everywhere you looked, it was picture-perfect.
"These houses are beautiful!" Tang Chuqiu marveled at the manicured landscaping and animal-shaped topiaries.
"Want to live here?" Li Tang asked casually. He didn't know the exact prices, but real estate here was probably under 10,000 yuan per square meter. "If you'd like to stay long-term, I'll buy a villa here. Last time I bought a place, it was for the location. And I didn't have much money back then."
"I'm only here for summer break. I can't stay long."
She said that, but it was obvious she liked the place. "Who do you think lives in houses like this?"
"You'll find out soon," Li Tang said, grinning.
"Who are we seeing today?" Li Zaiqiang asked curiously.
Li Tang had only mentioned it was a gathering with friends. He hadn't given specifics.
If it were work friends, there'd be no reason to bring the parents along—it wouldn't be appropriate.
"It's a colleague's home," Li Tang said vaguely.
Just then, Li Xinqi appeared, running lightly toward them in a green dress, her hair flowing.
She spotted the black sedan at the gate and immediately recognized Li Tang in the driver's seat. She leaned in to peer at the back seat and saw his parents.
"Hello, Uncle and Auntie! I'm Li Xinqi," she said cheerfully.
"Hello."
"Nice to meet you."
Li Zaiqiang and Tang Chuqiu looked at the radiant, elegant young woman with clear admiration and warmth in their eyes.
Li Xinqi opened the car door and sat in the front passenger seat, giving directions as Li Tang drove into the neighborhood.
"You work at the same company as Li Tang?" Tang Chuqiu eagerly asked about her background.
"I'm with Shenxia Group. Our company works closely with Li Tang's, so I visit his office a lot," Li Xinqi replied, turning back with a warm smile. "Li Tang mentioned you're a respected middle school teacher?"
"That's right. I teach Chinese."
"I used to be the top student in Chinese class and even served as the class representative!" Li Xinqi shared proudly.
"Really?" Tang Chuqiu looked at her fair and graceful face, liking her more with every glance. "Girls often do better in the humanities—especially the pretty ones."
Their friendly chatter filled the drive, and before they knew it, Li Tang had parked the car.
Li Xingchao and Zhou Muyun were already waiting at the door.
"Brother Li!" Li Xingchao recognized Li Zaiqiang immediately. "You've made incredible contributions to our mineral industry—Qinglong Copper Mine, Qu Long Copper Mine, and Talego Copper-Gold—each one a testament to your expertise as a lead exploration technician!"
"Hello, hello." Li Zaiqiang felt a little out of place but responded politely. "Actually, we've met once before."
"Yes, during the celebration banquet for Talego Copper-Gold!" Li Xingchao remembered clearly.
"This is your home?"
Only then did Li Zaiqiang realize it. As general manager of Shenxia Group, it was no surprise that Li Xingchao lived in such a place.
"Come on in." Li Xingchao welcomed them warmly.
In the front yard, a white canopy was set up for shade and rain cover. Under it was a long table already laid out with fruits and tableware.
Li Xingchao and Li Zaiqiang sat down for tea, easily falling into a deep conversation about mining projects—they had plenty in common.
Meanwhile, Zhou Muyun took Tang Chuqiu into the kitchen to help the housekeeper with the barbecue preparations.
Under the setting sun, the two families gathered for the first time in a peaceful and happy atmosphere.
"My younger brother took his kids to the amusement park—they won't be joining us today," said Li Xinqi as she led Li Tang to the living room.
Li Tang took a seat and noticed two elderly people also sitting nearby.
"These are my grandparents," Li Xinqi explained simply, not thinking too much of it.
"You're Li Tang?"
The older gentleman clearly knew who their guest was. "You're quite impressive! I've heard all about you from Xingchao—you've accomplished remarkable things!"
"Just doing what I can," Li Tang replied modestly.
"My name is Zhou Zhihan," the elder introduced himself. "My parents named me 'Zhihan' from the old phrase 'Wei shen ji fu, wei Zhou zhi han'—hoping I'd grow up to serve the nation."
"You're retired now?" Li Tang asked.
"Yes, many years ago. I spend my days raising birds," Zhou Zhihan replied with a chuckle. Though his face was lined with age, his voice was full of strength. "I used to work at Huaxia Bank. I served as general manager of the Capital Markets Department and later the New York branch."
"With that resume, you definitely lived up to your name."
"A hero doesn't boast of past glory. Now, the future belongs to your generation."
At that moment, Li Xingchao came in from the restroom and saw Li Tang and his father-in-law chatting energetically. He patted Li Tang's shoulder. "My father-in-law used to be in banking—he knows a lot of people. If you're ever looking for a loan, honestly, he's more useful than I am."
"You need a loan?" Zhou Zhihan asked.
"We're starting a new project and really need funds," Li Tang admitted. He had actually planned to talk to Li Xingchao about this during the gathering.
"How much debt does your company currently have?" Zhou asked, probing a bit.
"None."
"No debt?" Zhou was surprised. "That's not a healthy financial model. Without leverage, how do you grow fast and expand your business?"
"We're in mineral exploration. We haven't moved into production yet," Li Tang explained. He knew that sooner or later, to get into mining operations, he'd need loans—lots of them.
Especially for large-scale mining. He lacked experience and timing wasn't yet ideal.
"Our company is still an early-stage explorer. We haven't transitioned to a heavy-asset model yet," he smiled. "So our capital needs are relatively small. Most of it we can handle internally."
"Then you must have cash!" Zhou laughed.
"He just sold off part of the Shazhai Molybdenum stake—brought in 200 million," Li Xingchao added. "Honestly, if he wanted to quit right now, that money would last a lifetime."
"200 million?" Zhou didn't flinch. After years in banking, a few hundred million didn't faze him.
"Still not enough," Li Tang said frankly. "We plan to expand into Australia's iron ore sector. Just acquiring a local listed company could cost nearly 100 million. Add in exploration expenses—it'll run into the hundreds of millions. I was hoping to ask if Shenxia Group might be able to help."
"How much do you need?" asked Li Xingchao.
Li Tang hadn't crunched the numbers yet, but acquiring Lianying Mining would be close to 100 million. Exploration costs could run two to three hundred million, especially with Australia's high labor and regulatory costs.
"If I had 500 million on hand, I could execute freely."
"500 million?"
Li Xingchao froze. He'd expected Li Tang to ask for maybe 100 million—certainly not five times that.
Even for Shenxia Group, freeing up that kind of capital wasn't easy in the short term.
"That much money… only a bank can write that kind of check," Zhou Zhihan said.
"Looks like I really do need a bank loan," Li Tang nodded. He'd already been thinking along those lines.
Given his ambitions to enter iron ore and challenge giants like BHP and Lito, he knew he couldn't do it alone.
To bring iron ore to market, every step required massive capital.
Even teaming up with groups like Wukuang and Shenxia might not be enough.
Sooner or later, he'd need to tap into the banking system's printing power.
"Tomorrow I'll take you to meet the president of Huaxia Bank. He lives in this very neighborhood. If you're staying here tonight…" Zhou began.
"Grandpa, what are you saying?!" Li Xinqi blurted out. She'd been listening silently, frustrated by all the work talk. Now her grandfather was suggesting that Li Tang spend the night—she was mortified.
"I didn't say he'd sleep in your room," Zhou said with a chuckle. "Besides, it's about time your room had a man in it."
"When I was your age, your mother was already running wild with you in her arms," Grandma chimed in.
"You two are unbearable! Li Tang's right here!"
Blushing furiously, Xinqi bolted for the kitchen to check on the barbecue.
Zhou laughed heartily and took Li Tang's hand. "Stay here tonight. We have guest rooms. Tomorrow, we'll go walk the birds, have breakfast, and then I'll take you to meet the bank president."
Li Tang knew Zhou was offering him a leg up.
And sometimes, that's all you needed to take off.
"Thank you, sir. Truly," he said sincerely.
"We're family. No need for thanks."
Zhou waved it off. "With your company's assets—Shazhai, Talego—even Huaxia Bank would be eager to lend. You've got national-level resources. You'll have no trouble securing funding."
As night fell, the garden lit up with colorful lights.
The marbled beef, seared to perfection, was crispy on the outside and tender within.
Seafood flown in from overseas sizzled on the grill, drizzled with secret garlic sauce and sweet-sour glaze—a true delicacy.
Under the moonlight, the two families sipped red wine, ate heartily, and chatted casually.
No more talk of work. Just life, shared stories, laughter.
When Zhou heard that Li Tang's grandparents still lived simply in the countryside, he looked impressed.
"When you and Xinqi get married and visit for the New Year, take me with you," he joked. "I walk birds every morning—but nothing beats the sound of birdsong in the countryside."
"I'd love to live in the countryside for a while too. I've never grown vegetables—eating what you grow yourself must be real happiness," said Grandma with a hint of yearning.
After spending so long in the city, people naturally begin to long for the simplicity and serenity of nature.
After the barbecue, Li Xingchao pulled Li Zaiqiang aside to share tea and demonstrate his tea brewing techniques.
Meanwhile, Zhou Muyun and Tang Chuqiu chatted in hushed tones in the kitchen, sharing childhood stories of their children's mischief and embarrassing memories.
"Li Tang was such a troublemaker when he was little. Especially when we went back to the village—once, he rode a bull, which got spooked and ran wild, taking him over a mountain ridge. Luckily he didn't fall off a cliff. We searched for hours before we finally found him."
"Xinqi used to wet the bed even at ten years old. I've kept that secret for more than a decade and never told anyone until now."
"That's normal—kids wet the bed sometimes."
"She once hid in the back of the wardrobe during a game of hide-and-seek, pulled a coat over herself and fell asleep from exhaustion. We searched all night and were worried sick. She only woke up hungry and crying her eyes out."
Listening to their elders reveal their childhood secrets, both young people wanted to crawl under the table.
Li Xinqi slipped over to Li Tang and whispered, "It's such a beautiful night, and I'm stuffed. Let's take a walk."
"Sure."
Li Tang followed her along the clean asphalt streets of the villa complex.
Moonlight shimmered off the pavement like stars on a black sea.
There weren't many people around—only an occasional jogger passed by.
It was a quiet, serene night, and the surrounding environment was lovely.
They walked for a long time without saying a word. Occasionally, their shoulders bumped, their hands brushed, warm to the touch.
Suddenly, Li Tang felt his fingers being gripped gently. He looked down and saw Xinqi lightly holding two of his fingers.
He glanced sideways—she was looking straight ahead, eyes calm.
He smiled and slowly held her hand in return—soft, smooth, warm.
Their hands swayed gently together, casting a silhouette on the ground that danced like a swing under the moonlight.
Li Tang wasn't a talkative man, and seeing that she didn't speak, he simply accompanied her in silence.
Xinqi, for her part, was filled with joy. The warmth of his hand and the happiness in the air completely enveloped her.
They walked laps around the neighborhood without a word.
When they finally returned to the house, they let go of each other's hands.
Despite Grandpa Zhou's enthusiastic invitation, Li Tang didn't stay the night. He returned home, but promised to meet Zhou in the morning to walk birds and then visit the president of Huaxia Bank.
At home, Li Zaiqiang and Tang Chuqiu didn't bring up anything about their son's love life.
But that night's barbecue had said enough.
They didn't speak to Li Tang directly about it, but once in their room, they had a long private chat.
They both agreed: if Xinqi could become their daughter-in-law, it would be perfect.
After washing up, Li Tang went to bed early.
At 6 a.m. sharp, he got up to walk birds with Grandpa Zhou.
A few elderly men hung their cages from the trees and listened to the chirping and singing.
Li Tang didn't quite get the appeal, but he watched quietly.
Zhou introduced him directly to his buddies: "This is my granddaughter's boyfriend, Li Tang. Take good care of him in the future!"
The old men all nodded and offered friendly greetings.
Li Tang had no idea who any of them were and had no plans to join their morning routines.
After bird-walking, they returned for breakfast.
When Xinqi saw Li Tang again, her cheeks flushed. "You're working on a Sunday?"
"Your grandpa is introducing me to someone. I have to go."
Her bashful look stirred something in his heart.
"Go ahead then. I'll wait here for you. Let's eat lunch at home."
"Let's go."
Zhou picked up two bottles of wine. "These are gifts. When you visit, you don't show up empty-handed."
Li Tang had prepared wine in his car, but Zhou waved it off. "Yours is too expensive. People won't accept it."
He handed over the bottles. "This one's not pricey, but it's aged. You carry it."
They hadn't walked far before reaching a house.
They rang the bell, and a middle-aged man rushed out. "Old Chief, you didn't need to bring anything. We should open a bottle now and have a morning drink!"
He took the wine from Li Tang, assuming he was Zhou's assistant.
"That's from Li Tang, not me," Zhou corrected.
"Who's this?" the man asked, finally noticing the young man beside Zhou.
"My granddaughter's boyfriend—Li Tang."
Zhou gestured toward him. "And this is Jiang Sizhe, current president of Huaxia Bank. A financial powerhouse."
Jiang shook Li Tang's hand politely. "So we're neighbors now. Come by any time!"
"Of course." Li Tang nodded and smiled.
As soon as they sat down, Zhou got straight to the point. "Li Tang came here today to ask for a five-hundred-million-yuan loan."
"What?"
Jiang nearly choked.
"His company needs funding. Not a huge sum—just 500 million," Zhou said breezily.
Jiang had assumed Zhou just wanted to help a young man network.
But this wasn't about making connections. It was a serious business proposal.
Anyone who negotiated deals like this had to be a heavyweight.
He took another look at Li Tang. "Forgive me, I think I need to properly understand—who exactly are you?"
"He's the owner of Li Tang Shengshi Holdings and the actual controller of Zhongcheng Mining," Zhou explained.
"Li Tang Shengshi Holdings…" Jiang searched his memory. The name sounded familiar but hazy.
"You know Talego Copper-Gold, Qinglong Copper Mine, Shazhai Molybdenum, right?"
Zhou had even made a cheat sheet with Li Xingchao before this meeting.
"Oh!"
Jiang's face lit up in recognition. "You're that Li Tang?"
"I am."
"Ah, my apologies—I didn't realize!"
Jiang was visibly taken aback. This name had been all over the news.
Especially among mining executives—it was a hot topic.
At Huaxia Bank, they stayed connected to major SOEs and knew all the industry buzz.
"I've definitely heard of Talego Copper-Gold!"
Even Jiang, not from the mining sector, had read about it in recent headlines. "It's been covered worldwide!"
He looked at Li Tang and marveled, "I never imagined such iconic projects and companies were controlled by someone so young."
"You flatter me," Li Tang said calmly.
"Zhongcheng plans to develop Talego?" Jiang asked, already anticipating funding requests.
"No. Mining development is difficult. We're still in the planning phase."
Li Tang didn't beat around the bush. "Our next move is to develop an iron ore project in Australia. We'll need a large amount of capital—about 500 million yuan."
"I've heard of your company, and with those high-quality mining rights, your loan application shouldn't be difficult to approve," Jiang said without hesitation.
Five hundred million wasn't a small sum, but it also wasn't outrageous.
And lending to a strong company with solid assets was exactly what banks wanted.
"Come to my office tomorrow during business hours with your documents. We'll talk details."
"Thank you so much, President Jiang." Li Tang stood and bowed slightly.
"You're helping us too," Jiang replied warmly, shaking his hand again. "Honestly, companies like yours—with core competitiveness and valuable assets—we need more of them. Helping you grow is what our bank is here for."
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