Chapter 126: Is It Really This Difficult to Donate Money?

They talked until late into the night before everyone finally left. Although Li Yajun knew that Zhuang Chen was no ordinary man, it was their first meeting, so he simply suggested keeping in touch and looking for opportunities to cooperate in the future.

Zhuang Chen could not quite figure out Old Tan’s intentions. In theory, Li Yajun was doing quite well and should have no reason to leave his current position voluntarily. Besides, Zhuang Chen’s organization was a charitable foundation, where profit—or the lack of it—was not important. He therefore regarded the conversation as nothing more than casual talk and did not take it to heart.

Back at Courtyard No. 7, he personally cleaned and tended the rainforest vivarium. After a month apart, the plants had flourished, and the little turtles were in good condition, clearly enjoying their present ecosystem.

The next morning, after his run, he took the LaFerrari out for a spin. He gave the engine a few loud revs when, all of a sudden, he received a call from Zhang Wei, who hoped to arrange a face-to-face meeting.

At the conference room of Glory International, Zhang Wei produced several documents and explained, “After a rigorous selection process, we have narrowed the field down to two candidates for the time being. These are all the résumés. Please take a look.”

Zhuang Chen picked them up and skimmed through them. The first was practically dazzling: a graduate of the MIT business school, with three years of experience at a Wall Street investment bank and seven or eight successful projects to his name. He was not yet forty—at the prime of his career, vigorous and capable.

Zhuang Chen was quite pleased. But when he opened the second résumé, he looked somewhat surprised.

“This is…”

“Her name is Ding Wei. She’s a friend of mine,” Zhang Wei said frankly. “I’m not going to let personal connections stop me from recommending talent. Her investment experience is not as extensive as the first candidate’s, but she has always been deeply committed to charity. As her friend, I’ve watched her efforts over the years, little by little, so…”

Zhuang Chen nodded and studied the résumé carefully. After a moment of silence, he said, “Arrange a meeting as soon as possible. I’d like to meet Ding Wei.”

A faint smile appeared on Zhang Wei’s face. Just as he had expected. The moment he heard the client’s requirements, Ding Wei’s name had appeared in his mind. She was practically a perfect match.

Still, professional standards demanded that he carefully select another candidate as well—an absolute investment elite, young and accomplished—so he could see which of the two Zhuang Chen preferred.

He immediately made a phone call. She would be able to arrive within an hour. Zhang Wei introduced her by saying, “She was formerly an executive at a listed corporation and graduated from Peking University with outstanding marks. She’s only in her early thirties and had a future of limitless promise.”

“Unfortunately, she lost her son in an accident, and her husband divorced her. From then on, she fell into a deep decline. She resigned from a million-yuan-a-year position and resolutely went to a remote mountain region to teach.”

“These past few years have been extremely difficult for her. She spends every day rushing about on behalf of orphans. She has even sold her house and car, refusing to stop until she had exhausted her entire fortune on charity. As her friend, I can tell you that she has had a very hard time…”

Zhang Wei let out a long sigh and said solemnly, “This may technically violate certain rules, but I still hope you’ll speak with her in person. An opportunity like this is rare, so…”

Zhuang Chen waved his hand and chuckled softly. “I’m very satisfied with your efficiency. I told you from the beginning that making money—or not making money—is not the foremost requirement. Character is what matters. I’ll certainly have a good conversation with her later.”

Zhang Wei breathed a sigh of relief. It was best when a client could understand. Seeing that Zhuang Chen was interested, he continued chatting and describing Ding Wei’s achievements. Before long, the secretary knocked on the door and announced that Ding Wei had arrived.

“Hello. I’m Ding Wei.”

Zhuang Chen rose, shook her hand, and gestured for her to sit down. She looked older than her actual age, dressed plainly and wearing no makeup, but it was still possible to see the grace and beauty she must once have possessed in her youth.

Zhang Wei had the secretary bring in two cups of coffee, then left the conference room so the two of them could speak privately. In effect, it was an interview.

Noticing Ding Wei’s nervousness, Zhuang Chen reassured her. “Relax. We’re only having a casual conversation. To be honest, I was deeply moved by what you’ve done for charity. I’m preparing to establish a foundation for orphans.”

Ding Wei drew a deep breath and brushed a strand of hair aside. In a soft voice, she said, “I am a little nervous, but not because of my own future. I’m nervous for those poor children.”

Had someone else said those words, they might not have understood what she meant. But that simple sentence struck Zhuang Chen’s heart like a bolt of lightning.

Forcing down the tremor in his voice, he said, “Don’t worry. Whatever the outcome, I’ll donate a sum of money to support you.”

“Really?” A light shone in Ding Wei’s eyes, and delight appeared on her face. She quickly composed herself and said, “Then let me thank you on behalf of the children for your kindness. I’m sorry. You may begin asking your questions.”

Zhuang Chen took a sip of coffee. Its bitterness lingered faintly on his tongue.

“What are your views on charity? Especially when it comes to orphans?”

Ding Wei was taken aback. The question was extremely broad. Seeing how serious he was, she thought for a moment before carefully organizing her thoughts.

“I can only offer my personal understanding, much of it based on what I’ve experienced firsthand over the years. Whether it is correct or not…”

Zhuang Chen nodded.

She continued calmly, “Based on my practical experience, I would say that people engage in charity today for several different reasons. The first is black-money philanthropy.”

“Certain public-welfare projects consume enormous sums of money. A considerable portion of their funding becomes intermediary expenses, or is simply treated as tuition. By ‘tuition,’ I mean money deliberately and systematically paid into certain links of the process, eventually becoming the private property of a small group—or even a single individual.”

She paused and saw that Zhuang Chen’s expression remained unchanged, so she continued.

“Of course, many recipients do receive free, and sometimes high-quality, services through these projects. But if you analyze the overall efficiency with which the funds are used, all you can say is that it is a black-money operation masquerading as public welfare.”

“Online charity provides offline black-money operations with a respectable channel and a layer of light to conceal them. Many charity workers caught up in such activities do not even realize that they are participating in black-money schemes. Even if they sense that something is wrong, they are powerless to change anything. That is the most frightening aspect of charity.”

Zhuang Chen drew a deep breath and nodded. “Very insightful. Please continue.”

Now that the subject had been broached, Ding Wei relaxed as well. She said earnestly, “In recent years, society has paid increasing attention to charitable causes, and the government has introduced various preferential policies to encourage them. Many companies have begun investing in public welfare, primarily because of the innate impulse toward goodness in their entrepreneurs—though sometimes it may also be due to pressure from public opinion.”

“I once encountered a biotechnology company whose main business was producing recycled cooking oil. During an earthquake, it made a generous donation and hung the plaque presented by the local charity association in the lobby of its headquarters. When someone reported that the company was producing recycled cooking oil, the market regulators actually seemed reluctant to investigate it.”

“When a company like that donates to earthquake relief, is it really acting for the public good, or is it simply trying to cover up its crimes?”

Ding Wei was growing agitated. She lifted her coffee and took a sip, then said helplessly, “Perhaps that example is too extreme. After all, there are very few companies producing recycled cooking oil. What I mean is this: a socially responsible company, and an entrepreneur with compassion, should devote themselves wholeheartedly to producing quality products and providing quality services to society.”

“They should spend generously on employee development and improve their benefits. Once those two responsibilities have been fulfilled, it is certainly wonderful if they have the ability to engage in charitable work as well. But if they do not, that is fine too, because they have already completed their most important duties. No one’s money falls from the sky.”

“After graduating from university, I briefly worked for a well-known company that is still ranked among the Fortune 500 in the service sector. When I joined, the company was preparing its tenth-anniversary celebration and announced some thrilling news: that year, it had decided to purchase social insurance for its employees.”

“In other words, it had not provided social insurance for its employees during the previous ten years. Although this seriously violated its employees’ basic rights, the company was always extremely enthusiastic whenever the relevant authorities organized charitable donations. Rankings in the fields of public welfare and charity helped the owner communicate with the commerce authorities, tax authorities, urban-management officers, police, labor-arbitration bodies, and many other departments. They also helped him make friends among philanthropists and expand his business.”

“This is the most common type of public welfare. People form a circle in the name of charity, then contribute money according to the number of members to create an activity fund. Suppose they raise one million yuan for activities in a given year. Ninety percent of it may be spent on parties, or on visiting children in impoverished mountain regions while taking the opportunity to enjoy an eco-tour. In the end, perhaps only one hundred thousand yuan is actually used to serve the intended beneficiaries.”

“Through these activities, members of the circle strengthen their connections, deepen their friendships, broaden their horizons, and experience life. In the end, they are all transformed into compassionate individuals, philanthropists, and influential figures in the charity world.”

“When many real-estate developments open for sale, they like to organize charitable events. They find several children with disabilities to perform, then encourage prospective homebuyers to donate. Anyone who sees those pitiful children will naturally want to contribute something. Besides, if you can afford to buy a home, wouldn’t refusing to donate make you look heartless? Who would willingly endure the pressure of having people point fingers behind their back?”

“The donations are eventually handed over to the children who performed, while the property developer gives them some snacks and toys. The host then reaches the following conclusion: this is a compassionate developer with a strong sense of social responsibility; these are compassionate homebuyers with a spirit of self-sacrifice; and this housing development will inevitably become a community filled with love and charity.”

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