Chapter 48: Talent That Astonishes the Chief! Old Li, Why Hide Your Brilliance?

Section Chief Zhou was a little displeased. According to what Li Junsheng had said earlier, all he needed to do was hand over that batch of scrap material. Everything else afterward had nothing to do with him. Yet now Li Junsheng had come to him again. Even if he was in trouble or under watch, he shouldn’t be involving Zhou!

Li Junsheng noticed the misunderstanding and calmly explained, “Don’t get me wrong, Section Chief Zhou. I’m here today to ask if the factory still has any defective products or leftover materials that you need help moving.”

Zhou was taken aback, finally understanding Li Junsheng’s meaning. He’d made a tidy profit last time, and now he wanted to make another deal, reselling the materials for a cut.

Returning to his chair, Zhou fixed his gaze on Li Junsheng, then burst out laughing. Pointing at him, he teased, “Well, well, Old Li. Didn’t know you had such an appetite! Wasn’t the last batch of leftovers enough for you? You’re really coming back for more!”

Li Junsheng replied earnestly, “Section Chief Zhou, who in this world complains about having too much money? Besides, I think this business is viable. We can keep it going without you getting directly involved. It’s mutually beneficial—why not continue?”

His words revealed a powerful ambition and daring. Zhou stared at him, feeling as though he was meeting Li Junsheng for the first time. Back at the factory, he’d always seemed so honest and unassuming, yet privately, he was bold to the point of recklessness. Sitting there, his presence even surpassed the factory director’s, making Zhou click his tongue in amazement. Truly, appearances could be deceiving.

Still, Li Junsheng had a point. If Zhou didn’t have to show his face and could earn easy money, why refuse? Zhou was tempted.

“As long as you don’t drag me down with you if trouble arises, I’m open to it. But the batch you want this time is much bigger than before. I might be able to get it for you, but are you sure you can handle it?” Zhou looked at Li Junsheng with a half-smile, waiting to see if he’d back down.

To his surprise, Li Junsheng didn’t hesitate. “How much bigger are we talking? I need an exact number.”

“As for problems, you don’t need to worry. I wouldn’t be here discussing business again if I wasn’t fully prepared.”

Zhou sized him up, not taking his claim seriously. What could an ordinary worker possibly have prepared? Still, he raised six fingers. “Six times! This batch is six times larger than the last. Can you handle that?”

Li Junsheng pondered—six times more than before was indeed a lot.

But there was no denying this was a big opportunity. If it worked out, he could make a fortune overnight, becoming a ten-thousand-yuan household. The question was whether Old Dao could absorb so much. Even if not, he could use the workshop contracted from the agricultural machinery plant to reprocess and sell the goods legitimately. Though not as profitable as a direct sale to Old Dao, there was still profit to be had.

With this in mind, Li Junsheng was tempted.

Zhou saw his interest and assumed he’d gotten greedy after his last windfall, losing sight of himself. So he tried to dampen his enthusiasm. “I think you should forget it. If you’re crazy enough to try, I’m not! I’m not about to risk my life for money. Incidents like this have been happening a lot lately, and it’s easy to get noticed. I’m not taking the risk this time.”

It hadn’t been easy for Zhou to reach his current position. He was well-fed and comfortable. Why risk it?

He’d thought Li Junsheng would be satisfied after last time and not seek him out again. This visit was truly unexpected.

“Section Chief Zhou, to be honest, I’m willing to take on this batch, even if it’s six times larger. I’m confident nothing will go wrong. It’s just a matter of whether you trust me.”

Li Junsheng spoke with composure and assurance.

Zhou glanced at him sideways, suspecting he was bluffing, and looked down on him a little. “What makes you so sure? Even I can’t guarantee we won’t get caught!”

Zhou worried that Li Junsheng might be up to no good, ready to turn him in if something happened. The thought made him increasingly cautious.

Li Junsheng, seeing Zhou’s suspicions, decided not to play games. He smiled, then pulled an introduction letter from the agricultural machinery plant out of his pocket and handed it over.

“Take a look at this, Section Chief Zhou. Then you’ll understand.”

Zhou took the letter and examined it for a long time, still puzzled. He even scoffed, “Isn’t this just an introduction letter from a township enterprise? What’s so—”

His words broke off abruptly. Suddenly, as if realizing something, he stared at Li Junsheng in disbelief.

“A letter with an official seal! From a public unit! Is it genuine?”

Li Junsheng nodded, seeing that Zhou had grasped the significance of the letter.

Zhou sat in his chair, unable to shake his astonishment. He hadn’t expected Li Junsheng to be so capable, securing an official introduction letter from a township enterprise and providing himself with a suitable identity to take over the goods. He had to admit, the man was clever—extremely clever.

Why hadn’t he noticed this before? If he’d known Li Junsheng had such a mind, he would have promoted him long ago instead of letting him languish as an ordinary worker. What a waste of talent.

With a complicated look, Zhou stared at Li Junsheng and sighed, “Old Li, you really know how to hide your strengths! If you’d shown this side of yourself sooner, you wouldn’t have spent all these years as just an ordinary worker.”

Li Junsheng merely smiled. If he hadn’t lived his life over again, he would surely still be that honest, humble man.

Zhou thought he’d been hiding his abilities, but in fact, Li Junsheng was no longer the person he once was.

He didn’t bother with empty pleasantries. He had the ability and wouldn’t be subordinate to Zhou. As partners, they would stand as equals—neither above the other.

He lowered his voice to Zhou, “So, Section Chief Zhou, do you believe now that I can handle this without trouble?”

Zhou nodded, slowly placing the introduction letter on his desk. With such a legitimate identity, there was no fear of investigation.

“The seal on the letter is authentic, right?” Zhou still asked cautiously.

Li Junsheng nodded, replying in a low voice, “The official stamp is genuine. I came to you the moment I got the letter, thinking we could make money together since we’ve already worked together once.”

But Li Junsheng was uneasy—if Zhou lost his nerve, this introduction letter would be useless, and his efforts wasted.

No matter what, he had to persuade Zhou today.