Back to 1958: Creating a Century-Long Family Empire

Chapter 28 – Deal Sealed

Inside a small office building in Tsim Sha Tsui, Wang Zhixian handed a report across the desk to a man in his early forties.

"Boss, this is the proposal from Yang Wendong," Wang explained. "In short, he suggests that we subcontract the extermination work for the warehouses we've secured."

The middle-aged man skimmed the document and nodded. "Hmm, not a bad idea. It would save us the trouble of hiring and managing workers ourselves."

"Exactly," Wang agreed. "We have the government's backing, but most of the warehouses are foreign-owned, operated by British trading firms. The government can only recommend us—they don't control operations. We still have to deliver results."

"Rat extermination sounds simple," Wang continued, "but doing it well and affordably is a whole other matter. I've tried managing teams myself—setting traps, placing poison. The results were disappointing. Based on what I've learned, Yang Wendong and his people are far more effective."

The man looked up. "Yang Wendong? He's not even twenty, is he? And he's that good at catching rats?"

"I don't fully understand it either," Wang admitted. "But yes. He started by selling rat traps made from free bamboo, then somehow got connected with the Jordan warehouse in Tsim Sha Tsui. After that, he gave up vending and went all in on providing pest control services.

"He only had four people, but their effectiveness was better than ten of ours. I suspect he has a strong understanding of rat movement patterns. His traps are placed precisely—and they work."

The man's interest was clearly piqued. "Could we learn his method? If we did, we wouldn't need him."

"It's possible," Wang replied. "But it would take time. He's not going to teach us, and by the time we figure it out ourselves, we might miss the window.

"Don't forget—this whole extermination push is coming from political pressure overseas. A few months from now, the urgency might die down."

The older man nodded thoughtfully. "So you support working with him?"

"I do," Wang said. "I've run the numbers. Hiring and managing our own people will cost more in time and wages than subcontracting to him."

"Thirty a week per warehouse?" the man mused. "That's only a third of what we charge."

Wang smiled. "True, but we still have to grease some palms at the warehouses. Some of those managers are… demanding."

The man raised a brow but remained calm. "Wang, that's the wrong mindset. We want to make money, but so does everyone else. If we can give someone ninety cents so we make one, that's still a win.

"If you always insist on taking the biggest cut, you'll lose in the long run."

"Yes, boss. You're right," Wang quickly replied.

The older man looked at the report again and said, "He's right about one thing—let the professionals do what they do best. Our biggest risk isn't cost—it's time. If we fail to deliver results, government backing means nothing."

"Exactly," Wang said. "And our ties to the government shouldn't be wasted on this."

The boss nodded. "This kid is clever. He saw the competition coming and didn't try to fight it. He went straight to the source and offered a solution. Smart move."

Wang smiled. "He really is. Still just a teenager, but already thinking like a businessman."

"Alright," the man said, "let's work with him. But make sure it's done right. Even if it's outsourced, give him support if he needs it. What matters is that the job gets done well."

"Support him?" Wang asked.

"Yes. I care about results. Everything else is secondary."

"Understood. I'll prepare the documents. He said he'd contact me again soon."

"Good. Negotiate the price if you can—but don't lose the deal over a few dollars."

"Yes, boss."

…

Two days later, just as promised, Yang Wendong arrived at Wang Zhixian's office with Zhao Liming.

The building was eight stories tall—standard for its time. In 1950s Hong Kong, land prices hadn't yet skyrocketed, so most buildings were mid-rise. High-rises were still rare outside of Central.

Yang stood on the sidewalk, gazing up at the building.

"Brother Dong, what is it?" Zhao Liming asked, noticing his expression.

Yang smiled. "Nothing. Just thinking… when I have the money, I'm going to buy a building like this one."

Liming blinked. Then, half-joking, he said, "Brother Dong, you're amazing—but dreams like that are best saved for when we're asleep."

Yang grinned. "Alright. Daytime for business, dreams for night."

For people from the shantytown, owning a building wasn't just a fantasy—it was something you didn't even dare to dream.

They presented Wang's business card at the reception. After a quick confirmation call, they were led upstairs to the office.

After a round of polite greetings and tea, Wang got to the point.

"Mr. Yang, we agree in principle to collaborate. But on the matter of pricing, we'd like you to come down a little."

Yang replied quickly, "Mr. Wang, the rate I've proposed is already quite low. To handle your contracts, I'll need to hire more people."

Inwardly, he felt a hint of relief. If they were discussing price, that meant the deal was essentially done.

Wang leaned forward. "I understand. But you know, some of the warehouse managers require… let's say, attention. That cost comes from our side."

Yang smiled. "I understand. But as you know, we've also had to build those relationships. And in this service industry, our profit margins are already thin. We're not neglecting the 'relationship maintenance' either."

"Hmm. Then perhaps just a slight adjustment," Wang said. "Otherwise, I'll have a hard time justifying it to the team."

Yang thought for a moment, then replied, "Actually, we can't charge a flat thirty per warehouse across the board. Some of your warehouses are significantly larger.

"Once we confirm which ones we'll be handling, I'll work out individual rates—and I'll make a small concession on the final total."

Wang nodded. "Fair enough. I look forward to working together."

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