There will be failed shoes and bad deals, but in the end, only the best remain.
With this, Ding Zhitong witnessed yet another “collapse event” firsthand.
Moreover, this was her first deal since entering the industry. Once again, like countless times before, she began to question the meaning of her work—flying everywhere and putting in over 100 hours per week. Of course, she meant the meaning beyond just earning money.
Coincidentally, LT’s acquisition was also at a critical juncture.
The offer deadline was approaching, but the acceptance rate from minority shareholders still hovered above 9%, not quite reaching 10%. It was frustratingly close to the 12% target but refused to budge.
In the past, Ding Zhitong would have pushed herself to work even longer hours in such situations, even if it proved futile. Gradually, she stopped doing that. Instead, she would go for a run, cook a meal, or simply vacuum, fold clothes, or tidy up her room.
This was similar to the secret technique Gan Yang had taught her—when things reach this point, it’s better to…
This time, she thought the same way. She closed her laptop, went to the kitchen, and braised some pork in a cast-iron pot. Then she sprawled on the sofa, eating ice cream.
Shanghai had entered its plum rain season. A heavy downpour fell outside, with distant thunder rumbling.
Gan Yang walked over and sat down next to her, squeezing in close.
Ding Zhitong asked, “What are you doing?”
Gan Yang said nothing, leaning in to take a bite of her ice cream.
Ding Zhitong said, “Go get your own.”
Gan Yang shook his head, refusing to leave. Every time she licked out a perfect semicircle, he would lean in for a bite. She would lick again, and he would bite again.
Ding Zhitong refused to yield. The two of them, with a combined age of nearly seventy, laughed hysterically as they fought over a single ice cream, ending up kissing each other’s lips. The sweet taste gradually faded, leaving only a smooth, dense sensation.
“You know you can talk to me about anything, right?” Gan Yang looked at her.
“Isn’t it all because of you?” Ding Zhitong blamed him.
After their reunion, he had mentioned this deal to her. She admitted that XP Energy was essentially a Ponzi scheme. They frantically hoarded land, using expected production volumes to drive up stock prices, then leveraged the high stock price for large-scale debt financing. With the money, they continued to hoard land, achieving rapid expansion. Once a crisis hit and the capital chain broke, it would collapse instantly.
This had already happened once in 2008. Afterward, XP Energy remained depressed for several years until 2013, when the CEO who bought islands, planes, and NBA teams resigned. The company readjusted its direction, transitioning from natural gas to oil, but essentially playing the same old game: issuing debt, hoarding land, and expanding. As leeks, the most important self-cultivation is having a short memory. In the following years, their stock had surged several times.
In 2020, another crisis struck. The pandemic suddenly spread, and oil prices plummeted. Since XP Energy had issued debt, they had to repay it. After cutting operating costs and selling off some assets, they still struggled to repay their debts and had to file for bankruptcy. The total market value was down to just over $100 million, even less than the CEO’s bonus in 2008.
After listening to her explanation, Gan Yang said, “I thought about it later. I shouldn’t have talked about your past deals that way…”
Ding Zhitong didn’t understand what he meant.
Gan Yang explained, “There will be failed shoes and bad deals, but in the end, only the best remain.”
“Why is everything about shoes with you?” Ding Zhitong laughed, leaning back against him.
Gan Yang replied matter-of-factly, wrapping his arms around her chest, “Making shoes is my foundation.”
Though the wording was different, Ding Zhitong felt it sounded familiar. Qin Chang had told her something similar—lies will be exposed, and true value will be rewarded.
At this moment, it seemed like a prophecy.
Although she would surely encounter absurd deals in the future, and though Bian Benjamin hadn’t been locked up yet, she knew that each crisis would be a disaster for lies and an opportunity for value.
Just a few days later, when the offer period expired, the acceptance rate from minority shareholders reached 15%. LT finally acquired 53% of the target company’s shares at HK$3.3 per share, perfectly achieving the goal of this acquisition.
In July, Yan Aihua and Ding Yanming quietly remarried. They didn’t hold any ceremony, just had a meal with Ding Zhitong and Gan Yang. They started arguing at the dinner table because Old Ding had cut the shredded potatoes too thick.
Ding Zhitong was used to this. She exchanged a glance with Gan Yang, signaling not to intervene.
Sure enough, the esteemed couple reconciled by the end of the meal and even discussed traveling together to the mountains where they had once been sent to work.
In August, Song Mingmei finalized her divorce. She had withdrawn her previous lawsuit, and Deng Baiting had signed an agreement for an amicable separation.
When Ding Zhitong heard about it, she was surprised and asked Song Mingmei, “How did he come around?”
Song Mingmei smiled and said, “The other woman is pregnant.”
Ding Zhitong was taken aback, thinking this must be a common phenomenon during the pandemic.
“Are you okay?” she asked, worried Song Mingmei might be upset.
But Song Mingmei genuinely wished him happiness and even thanked Mr. Deng’s girlfriend for her inadvertent help in resolving the matter so smoothly.
Perhaps out of impatience, or maybe because Deng Baiting hadn’t explained things clearly, the girl felt insecure. She kept liking posts on “Flower Street Mingmei,” finally catching Song Mingmei’s attention. Song discovered her Weibo account and saw her showing off her house, her husband, and a positive pregnancy test.
However, Song Mingmei’s reaction was completely different from what the girl had expected. She didn’t argue or rush but waited until the pandemic eased. Then she sent a lawyer to investigate their neighborhood, asking the property management and neighbors if Deng Baiting and the girl were living together as a married couple and for how long.
Mr. Deng finally realized something was wrong. He worried Song Mingmei might sue him for bigamy but also felt there was no point in dragging things out. He quickly agreed to a divorce by mutual consent. Song Mingmei got custody of their two children, and they split their assets equally.
In September, newly single Song Mingmei moved to a different apartment and held a housewarming party.
That evening, not many people were invited. Ding Zhitong only discovered after arriving that Qin Chang was also there.
“What’s going on?” she sidled up to Song Mingmei, asking knowingly.
“What do you mean, what’s going on?” Song Mingmei played dumb.
Ding Zhitong didn’t press further, but she noticed that Song Mingmei looked particularly beautiful that day, and even Qin Chang had moments when he didn’t look depressed.
In October, it was confirmed that the Shanghai Marathon would be held as scheduled, becoming the only Platinum Label marathon in the world that year.
On registration day, as Ding Zhitong was filling out the entry form, she suddenly realized something and said to Gan Yang, “Did you know we’re in different age groups? You’re 30-34, and I’m 35-39.”
Gan Yang glanced at it and scoffed, “What kind of ridiculous classification is that? Just run with me. I’ll get you under 3:30.”
For the women’s division, finishing under 3:30 was already at the seven-star runner level. Ding Zhitong thought this goal was too high. Her best time was 3:50, and she had been cooped up at home for most of the year, only running on a treadmill. But in the month between registration and the official race, Gan Yang took her road running every day, acting like a ruthless PE teacher. Was he determined to get her under 3:30?
November arrived, and the night before the race, they were preparing their gear for the next day.
Ding Zhitong picked up a palm-sized pack of medical patches from Gan Yang’s pile and asked, “What are these for?”
Gan Yang was too embarrassed to say and just looked down at his chest.
Ding Zhitong immediately understood and burst out laughing. “Do you have to be so extra?”
Gan Yang had to explain, “You don’t understand. I’ve tried many types, and these are the most effective and won’t fall off.”
Ding Zhitong immediately took one out to look at it, imagining how he would look with it on, laughing uncontrollably.
Gan Yang got annoyed and said, “What’s wrong with you?” He leaned in to cover her mouth.
Ding Zhitong continued to tease him, saying through his hand, “You’re over thirty. Are you still that delicate?”
“You’re asking me?” Gan Yang pressed closer, then removed his hand and kissed her lips.
“We still have to run 42 kilometers tomorrow…” Ding Zhitong reminded him.
Gan Yang was generous, saying, “It’s fine. My main task this time is to get you under 3:30. I’m not trying to improve my own time.”
Ding Zhitong was about to say, “What about me? And aren’t you being a bit arrogant?” But Gan Yang had already kicked off his pants and pulled off his T-shirt in one swift motion.