Beautiful Leg Attack
Early the next morning, Xia Lei and Liang Si-Yao went to plot number thirteen after breakfast. In the car, Liang Si-Yao phoned to call the workers she had recruited from technical schools to gather.
“Si-Yao, our machining plant has not been built yet. Why are you telling them to gather?” said Xia Lei.
“They are your employees so you’ll have to meet them, of course. And, there should be a building plan for the machining plant, right? It’ll cost us money to get a design company to do it for us. The workers have nothing to do anyway. Let them come up with a building plan and we can save on costs.”
Xia Lei laughed, “They’re Science and Engineering students, not Architecture. Can they design a blueprint for a machining plant?”
“They definitely can’t do anything too complicated but we’re not asking for much. According to our company’s nature, I feel we’ll only need workshops, dormitories, a canteen and an office building. These are all simple constructions. I think they can do it,” said Liang Si-Yao.
Xia Lei thought for a bit and said, “I actually have an idea I’ve been thinking about for a while and that’s to not build a brick structure; it would take too long to build. We can use new building materials to build the the office and dormitories, and steel and galvanised iron sheets for the workshops. The construction won’t take over a month if we do this.”
Liang Si-Yao smiled as she said, “So you already have a plan. We’re on the same page then. Let’s do it like you said and have everything built as quickly as possible.”
They talked and chatted and arrived at plot number thirteen before they knew it.
Xia Lei saw over ten youths before he got out of the car. The group consisted of boys and girls and several electric scooters were parked next to them. It looked like they had come on those electric scooters. In the city, electric scooters would always manage to reach their destination before a car would.
“Are they the students you recruited from the technical institute?” asked Xia Lei.
“Mm. They are all the latest graduating students and classmates. It’ll be very lively to have them all working together,” said Liang Si-Yao.
“Let’s go take a look.” Xia Lei alighted and walked over to the group of youths with Liang Si-Yao.
Someone spotted Xia Lei and Liang Si-Yao and said, “Big Sister Liang is here.”
The group of youths stopped their chatter and came forward. They greeted Liang Si-Yao one by one and were all very amiable. Some made to greet Xia Lei too but gave up because they didn’t know who he was. Quite a few were also quietly looking Xia Lei up and down, trying to guess his identity.
“Friends, let me introduce you. This man next to me is Thunder Horse Manufacturing’s Chairman, Chairman Xia Lei. Our Chairman Xia is also the best machinist and welding engineer in our country. He can use normal lathes to process high precision parts which could only be imported from Europe and America otherwise. He is unparalleled in this in China.”
The youths were excited upon hearing that and called out ‘Chairman! Chairman!’ over and over. They did not hide their adoration for him and they all behaved like they were meeting a celebrity.
“Wow, our Chairman Xia is so young and handsome!” A girl said quietly to her friend.
“Manual processing for high precision parts? Holy shit, that’s bomb. I wish I could be as amazing as Chairman Xia,” said a guy.
Xia Lei did not seem outwardly moved by their words and he smiled as he greeted them, shaking hands one by one.
Xia Lei knew well that one of the reasons these people were willing to join the yet-to-be-constructed Thunder Horse Manufacturing because of their admiration for his skill. Another reason could possibly have been Liang Si-Yao’s beauty. Many young men were willing to go to work at a company because they could see their goddess there.
“When do we officially start work, Chairman Xia?” A bookish, bespectacled girl stood in front of Xia Lei. She looked a little nervous and her pale face had a faint blush.
“After a month, at most. We gathered you all today to get you involved in the construction process. I would like you guys to design a blueprint for the workshop. Can you guys do it?” said Xia Lei.
“We’re…” The bespectacled girl looked like she was about to say ‘We’re Science and Engineering students’ but she did not say it in the end.
The others also shut their mouths and didn’t dare to speak out.
Xia Lei smiled as he said, “I know what you guys studied but machine design and the construction industry is not that different. We are constructing a building for manufacturing machinery and parts processing and we don’t need complex building designs like those in the chemical industries. We only need a simple workshop, dormitories, office building and canteen. I plan to use new building materials and galvanised iron sheets. I believe you guys can do it.”
Liang Si-Yao added, “You guys will also be doing paperwork in the office building and live in the dormitories. Don’t you want to be able to design your own office and dormitories?”
The bespectacled girl gathered her courage and said, “I’ll try.”
“I’m in too,” came a wave of agreement.
Xia Lei looked at the bookish, bespectacled girl and asked kindly, “What’s your name?”
“I’m Guan Ling-Shan,” said the bespectacled girl. She seemed to be perpetually shy for some reason.
“You’ll be in charge of this matter, then,” said Xia Lei.
“Me?” Guan Ling-Shan’s small mouth gaped open unbelievingly.
“Yes, you. Do you have confidence that you’ll do well?” said Xia Lei.
Guan Ling-Shan nodded her head hard, “Yes, Chairman Xia, I’ll definitely do this well.”
Xia Lei looked at a boy next and smiled, “What’s your name? What are you good at?”
The boy was rather spritely and smiled as he said, “My name’s Yin Hao, Chairman Xia. I’m good at electrical design.”
“Not bad. The company will make use of your speciality in the future and you will have your chance to show your skill,” said Xia Lei.
Yin Hao nodded, “Thank you, Chairman Xia.”
Xia Lei went one by one and asked for their names and specialities. He was nice and easy-going – not like a traditional boss at all.
After chatting for a bit with the last youth named Han Bo, Xia Lei spoke again, “I believe you guys can see that I am not that much older than you. We are a very young group and our company is also an up-and-coming company. Believe in me and believe in yourselves. We will surely build a large enterprise on this piece of land!”
Smiles were on the faces of the youths and their eyes were also full of hope and expectation.
Indeed, the ragtag group of Thunder Horse Manufacturing employees before him most probably did not have an average age above 24. This was a very young group and it was full of youthful vigor and energy, as well as passion and enthusiasm for the future. Nobody could predict what sort of enterprise Xia Lei would build with this young group but their future was one which carried a lot of expectations.
“Chairman Xia, I’ll look for measuring tools to measure our land now, then start drawing up the designs. I’ll hand it in to you after three days.” Guan Ling-Shan looked eager to begin.
“Sure. Feel free to give me a call if you need anything,” said Xia Lei.
“We’ll go help too,” said Yin Hao.
“Go, go,” said Xia Lei.
The youths left on their electric scooters.
They were all fresh graduates and full of anticipation for the future. Xia Lei had given them an avenue to show off their creativity and a lot of room for imagination and that was enough for them. They did not care that Xia Lei drove a 10,000-something yuan local-made car and didn’t mind that they temporarily had just 500 a month in living expenses. Only young fresh graduates like them who haven’t entered society yet would be like this. If they were old hands who’d been in the workplace for years, they wouldn’t even so much as look at a small company like Thunder Horse Manufacturing and even if they joined, they would have requirements for this and that.
Xia Lei watched the youths ride off on their electric scooters and sighed with feeling, “They’re great.”
“I deliberately avoided going to recruitment companies to find the people we needed. Those people only think of the best profit margin for themselves and not for the company. These fresh graduates may have no experience but who has work experience from the get go? Giving them a chance is also giving ourselves a chance,” said Liang Si-Yao.
Xia Lei smiled, “Well said. Thank you for all that you’ve done.”
“Just a line of thanks?” Liang Si-Yao looked playfully at Xia Lei, “You need to show me your thanks too, y’know?”
“What would you like?” asked Xia Lei.
“Let’s first go to the building materials company and order our materials. You can invite me to your home later and treat me to a nice meal, okay?” said Liang Si-Yao. She wanted very much to see what Xia Lei’s flat was like. She’d been interrupted by Jiang Ru-Yi the last time – she wanted a personal invitation from Xia Lei this time.
Xia Lei laughed, “What’s up with that? Sure, let’s do this. We’ll go to the building materials company first.”
“Mm, then to the supermarket to get groceries. I want to eat your sweet-sour pork ribs, honeyed corn, fish and eggplants… Oh, and seafood.” Liang Si-Yao had already started ordering dishes.
Xia Lei smiled wryly, “Aren’t you afraid of getting fat after eating so much?”
Liang Si-Yao shrugged, “Why are your dishes so delicious then?”
“Fine, fine, I’ll cook whatever you want. Satisfied now?” Xia Lei turned and walked towards the roadside.
Liang Si-Yao suddenly swung her hand in a slap at the back of Xia Lei’s neck.
Feeling a breeze at the back of his neck, Xia Lei moved forward and dodged Liang Si-Yao’s sneak attack just in time.
Liang Si-Yao took a step forward and her white, jade-like leg flashed from under her short skirt, executing a kick aimed at Xia Lei’s crotch.
Xia Lei pulled his knees together and pressed them to the centre, trapping Liang Si-Yao’s beautiful leg.
Liang Si-Yao tried to pull her leg out but couldn’t. Her pale calf, pale thigh and black lace side-tie panties were visible under her short office skirt; this position was as sexy as it got.
A man with his legs together and a woman with her leg extended in a kick – this made for a peculiar yet titillating scene.
Xia Lei’s vision was normal but the sudden sight of the black lace side-tie panties made it change. His eye twitched uncontrollably and a beautiful and mature landscape entered his vision. He was immediately stupefied – not good.
“Ha!” Liang Si-Yao let out a clear shout and her punch landed on Xia Lei’s chest.
A thump sounded and Xia Lei was hit several steps backwards. Intense pain came in jolts and he coughed with the pain.
Liang Si-Yao went forward to help him up as she asked in concern, “Are you all right? You could have avoided that completely. Why didn’t you?”
Xia Lei replied a little nervously, “Uh… You moved too quickly.” After a pause, he diverted Liang Si-Yao’s attention, “I say, can you not do these sort of sneak attacks in the future?”
Liang Si-Yao shook her head stubbornly, “No can do. You haven’t been practicing martial arts for long. If I don’t supervise you and train you, when will you defeat me and my dad?”
“Why do I have to defeat you and your father?”
“Because this is your task.”
Xia Lei was speechless.