MLMD -Chapter 295 The World of the Rich Is Something You Just Don’t Understand

“Oh my God…”

Faced with this sudden windfall, the only thing Zhang Xiaoxiao could do was cover her small mouth and let out an uncontrollable gasp of amazement.

Liu Shengnan’s expression, however, was rather strange. Her pretty face flushed red at first, then gradually turned pale. Her slender brows slowly drew together as she glared at Yue Yang and said in a low voice, “Boss, what are you doing? Is this… our upkeep money? Let me make this clear: even though we’re your employees, that doesn’t mean we’ve sold ourselves to you. We’re not going to be your… your… that kind of person…”

As soon as Liu Shengnan said this, Zhang Xiaoxiao was also startled. She hurriedly threw the contract in her hands onto the table and said in panic, “Yes, boss, we’re just working for you. We would never—never be your lovers!”

“You—you two…”

Looking at the two women in front of him, who looked like frightened little rabbits, Yue Yang didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Pointing at them, he said helplessly and amusedly, “What on earth are you thinking? When did I ever say I wanted to keep you? Isn’t your imagination a bit too rich?”

“Then why are you giving us shares?” Liu Shengnan frowned. “I know very well what Xiaoxiao and I are capable of. We just happened to meet you. In any other company, at most we’d be ordinary office clerks. We’d never become assistants or heads of administration and HR, let alone manage a company. Even if the company is small, that still isn’t a reason for you to trust us enough to hand everything over to us.”

Liu Shengnan had thought about why Yue Yang entrusted such a company to the two of them for a long time, but she could never find an answer. Over the past two years, the company had grown from just two people to more than twenty. During that time, their boss, Yue Yang, appeared only once every month or two, handed them a sum of money and a long list of baffling purchase orders, and then disappeared again. In other words, the entire company was run by her and Zhang Xiaoxiao. He wasn’t even afraid that they might empty the company’s accounts and run away. This was what confused Liu Shengnan the most.

“Hm… it does seem suspicious, the way I’ve acted.”

Yue Yang rubbed his nose awkwardly. In a money-worshipping society like this, someone who unconditionally trusted two fresh graduates like him was indeed extremely rare. To be honest, if he hadn’t been lucky enough to run into these two silly girls, his company would probably have been looted clean and gone bankrupt long ago.

“Alright, I admit I was a bit rash,” Yue Yang said helplessly, spreading his hands. “But please believe me, I really had no disrespectful intentions toward you. Giving you shares isn’t about keeping you, even though you are both very pretty and lovely. I simply think that girls like you, who can still keep your principles in a society overflowing with material desires, are truly rare. These shares are just a reward for you. Can you understand that? Besides, over the past two years, have I ever made even the slightest inappropriate demand of you outside of work?”

Liu Shengnan stared straight at Yue Yang for several minutes before finally nodding slowly. “Alright, I’ll take your word for it—for now. But these shares, we…”

“These are from me to you,” Yue Yang interrupted. “They’re also recognition and a reward for your hard work over the past two years. Please don’t refuse.”

Seeing the hesitation on the two women’s faces, Yue Yang smiled. “This ten percent stake might be worth several hundred thousand, but what I value more are your qualities. To be honest, since I’m often not in Mingzhu and have left the company in your hands for so long, I was already prepared for the possibility that someone might embezzle the money and flee. But two years have passed, and nothing like that has happened. This kind of integrity and kindness is almost extinct in today’s society. Compared to that, ten percent of the shares are nothing. Money can be earned again, but this kind of character can’t be bought no matter how much you spend. Do you understand what I mean?”

Listening to Yue Yang’s words, both women felt their faces burning. They lowered their heads. After a long while, Zhang Xiaoxiao finally said in a low, embarrassed voice, “Boss, we’re actually not as good as you say. There were several times when Shengnan and I joked that if you didn’t show up again, we’d just take the company’s money and run away. In the end, we were just too afraid of being wanted by the police, so we didn’t do it.”

“But you never acted on it, did you?” Yue Yang said with a smile. “Everyone has a devil in their heart, constantly tempting them. Many people can’t resist and release that devil at the first chance, while others can restrain it and lock it firmly in a cage. That’s the difference between good people and bad people.”

“Really?” Zhang Xiaoxiao looked at Yue Yang with delight. “Boss, are we really that good?”

“Of course,” Yue Yang nodded with a grin. “Otherwise, with so many college graduates out there, why would I choose you two and not someone else? It’s because I value your professionalism. These shares are a reward for that rare quality.”

It had to be said that Yue Yang’s words were extremely effective on the two girls. Zhang Xiaoxiao, who had a gentle personality, was already over the moon, and even Liu Shengnan, who was usually forthright and tough, was blushing. In the end, they accepted the gift in a daze.

When he saw the two of them sign their names on the contracts, Yue Yang clapped his hands and said, “From now on, you’re shareholders of the company. I hope you’ll work even harder and make greater contributions. I’ll also entrust you with more important tasks.”

His words earned him two glares. Zhang Xiaoxiao complained unhappily, “I bet that’s your real purpose.”

Yue Yang laughed heartily. “Of course. Do you think that ten percent of the shares would be so easy to get?”

The three chatted happily in the restaurant, which made Yue Yang feel especially relaxed. In the Ming Dynasty timeline, although he wielded immense power and held the lives and fortunes of tens of thousands of soldiers and millions of civilians in his hands, the higher his status rose, the fewer people there were who could speak to him as equals. Most people only felt awe toward him—fear of the power he held—which made the loneliness of standing at the peak even more intense. Being able to chat so casually, like friends, with two girls who didn’t treat him as some untouchable authority was a rare opportunity for him, and one he cherished deeply.

As for the two women, a successful man like Yue Yang—still young, yet radiating a strong masculine presence—was extremely attractive to them. By the end of the meal, they felt much closer to him. If Yue Yang were to pursue them now, it probably wouldn’t be too difficult.

The lunch ended in a cheerful atmosphere. It was already two in the afternoon. After dropping the two women off at the company, Yue Yang drove to the steel factory in the suburbs.

As soon as he entered the workshop, Yue Yang saw Jia Wenmao standing in front of a lathe, talking animatedly to several workers, completely unaware of Yue Yang’s arrival.

It wasn’t until Yue Yang walked up beside him that Jia Wenmao noticed him. His face immediately lit up with joy. “Boss, you’re finally here! If you hadn’t come soon, I really wouldn’t know what to do.”

Seeing the anxious look on Jia Wenmao’s honest face, Yue Yang smiled. “What’s wrong? Ran into some trouble?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” Jia Wenmao said with a bitter smile. “Our warehouse is already packed full. I don’t even know where to put everything anymore. And the orders you placed are almost finished. If you don’t come back soon, I’ll have to give the workers time off.”

“Don’t worry,” Yue Yang reassured him. “I’m here today to place more orders. But this time, I want to discuss the details with you. Let’s talk in your office.”

The two went into Jia Wenmao’s office. Yue Yang took out a list and handed it to him. “Take a look. This is what we’ll be producing over the next few months.”

Jia Wenmao glanced at the list and cried out in shock. “What? You want to make twelve-pound steel muzzle-loading cannons, with rifled barrels—and sixty of them at once?”

“Yes,” Yue Yang replied firmly. “And the weight can’t exceed one thousand jin. It has to be light enough to be pulled by four horses to qualify.”

“My God!” Jia Wenmao couldn’t help slapping his forehead. “Boss, are you really planning to start a war?”

“Of course,” Yue Yang said jokingly. “I’m planning to carve out a piece of Africa and become a king.”

“Oh, come on,” Jia Wenmao curled his lips. “This kind of antique wouldn’t stand a chance in a real war. You couldn’t even sell it as scrap metal—no one would want it. I really don’t get who would like this sort of relic these days. Even if you used it to guard the house, you wouldn’t need that many. I’ve never heard of anyone using muzzle-loading cannons as household decorations.”

Seeing Jia Wenmao deep in thought, Yue Yang urged him, “Old Jia, tell me honestly—can you make this kind of cannon or not?”

Jia Wenmao snorted. “Boss, you’re really underestimating me. I can’t make modern artillery, that’s true, but if I couldn’t even make cannons from four hundred years ago, I might as well buy a block of tofu and smash my head into it. What I’m worried about is whether you’ll be able to sell them once they’re made.”

“Whether they sell or not is my problem,” Yue Yang said, patting him on the shoulder. “Your job is to produce them. And one more thing—you also need to make a batch of shells specifically for six-pound cannons. Of course, unfilled—no gunpowder. Let’s start with five thousand rounds.”

Hearing this, Jia Wenmao nearly fainted. The cannons could at least be sold, but what were so many cannonballs for? To use as paperweights? Or maybe the world of the rich really was something ordinary people could never understand.