Chapter 42: Struggle

These people all act as if they don't care.

The company has developed to this point, yet they have no feeling about it. I feel heartbroken.

I cleared my throat,

"Xiao Feng, please brief everyone on the company's financial situation."

Then Xiao Feng took out several financial statements and began reading: all of them are the company's payables,

receivables are very few.

The company's cash is only a few million. Liquidity is extremely poor.

After Xiao Feng finished reading,

I then asked the sales manager Qi,

to talk about the sales situation,

Manager Qi also held a sheet and read,

In short, the housing sales outlook is very bleak.

After they all finished speaking,

I glared at everyone,

then asked Xiao Hua: "What are you planning to do with the company's few hundred million cash?"

Xiao Hua replied: "Summer is coming soon; I intend to distribute the Group Company's heat‑relief allowance."

I said: "Only the internal staff of the Group Company? What about the outside construction laborers?"

Xiao Hua said: "Brother, you really joke. They're all temporary workers; on what basis would they have it? Moreover, even if they did, a few hundred million wouldn't be enough. It's only for the Group Company's internal staff. I've already asked General Manager Kang about this, and she agreed."

"Our books show only a few hundred million left; for a company that large, this is extremely dangerous."

Hmph, the air‑conditioning is on, yet everyone can't get cool, and we still have to pay the heat‑relief allowance; the outside workers are exhausted, not even a watermelon to eat.

Are there companies like this?

Xiao Hua, you also come from construction.

They're temporary workers; what about you in the past?

What does it mean for a person to forget the past,

Xiao Hua, I'll reiterate: the heat‑relief allowance will not be distributed.

The company must now cut costs and increase revenue, otherwise it will truly collapse.

I finished speaking and looked at Xiao Hua.

Xiao Hua replied indifferently: "You're the Chairman; if you say don't distribute, then don't. If you want to give the workers, fine, but where's the money? I, Xiao Hua, have forgotten my roots. In this situation, it seems all the responsibility falls on me. You could donate ten million to some association at once, or donate a few hundred thousand to a patient. The company now lacks funds, and you're anxious."

Begin scheming from the big guy,

Chairman, think about it: when you donate that much money, you're not thinking of keeping it for today's use.

Xiao Hua's words struck me like a whip.

My face trembled in pain.

I was about to lose my temper, but I restrained myself.

I said calmly: "Xiao Hua, you mean that the current situation of the company is all my responsibility. Today I want to tell you that now is not the time to discuss responsibility; now is about how the company gets out of this predicament. Xiao Hua, you always bring up the past to blame me,"

"We are like brothers; I trusted you so much that I handed the company over to you."

"For your convenience in management, I removed Shi Yong, Shi Jinhe, and Qian Director from their posts. I transferred financial authority and personnel appointment and dismissal rights into your hands."

"But over these past few years,"

"look at how the company is being managed: staff are idle and chaotic, morale is low, this damn place looks like what kind of company."

"Look, the people you promoted—none of them aren't connected to your wife's side."

"Today, since the two of us brothers have spoken the truth,"

"then we'll proceed with it broken."

"Regarding responsibility, I do have it; I shouldn't have handed it over to you."

"Today, I must reclaim the authority."

"These middle‑level leaders, I must re‑evaluate."

When I finished speaking, that group immediately began to argue.

Xiao Hua laughed: "Alright, Chairman, this authority was originally given by you, and you can take it back at any time."

"When did you actually delegate authority to me,"

"although I am the company's General Manager, the financial power has always been in my sister‑in‑law's hands. And you, behind the scenes, keep pointing fingers at my management."

"When did I ever loosen my grip on management."

"Anyway, I've had enough of being the suffering General Manager."

"Inside and out there are no decent people, yet we still have to bear responsibility."

"I'm resigning today; you're satisfied now, aren't you?"

Xiao Hua's voice was louder than mine.

At the moment Xiao Hua announced his resignation, the other middle‑level leaders instantly stood up,

"General Manager, if you resign, we'll quit too; what's the point of working for a company like this?"

Watching their uproar, I calmly smoked a cigarette.

Da Jun ran to my side,

"Dad, look at the mess you've made. Instead of staying properly in the hospital, you had to come to the company for a meeting. If everyone resigns, how are we supposed to work?"

"Third Uncle, you can't leave; the whole company is counting on you."

"Dad, I beg you, just let my Third Uncle take over."

Don't get involved in company management anymore.

From the day you arrived, you've made everyone want to quit.

I advise you to go back to the hospital.

Da Jun, your words are basically forcing a palace coup.

He explicitly demanded that I not interfere in the company's management.

As soon as Da Jun finished speaking, Qi, the sales manager, immediately said, "Chairman, you're sick; stop needlessly worrying about the company."

Our company has always been democratic; I suggest the Chairman go to the hospital to rest—please raise your hand.

Qi raised his hand high.

Then everyone else raised their hands.

"Dad, do you see? This is the will of the people, the people's hearts are hard to defy. Dad, you should rest too. I'll send you back to the hospital—don't worry, Third Uncle will surely manage the Da Heng Group well." Da Jun finished speaking and moved to push my wheelchair.

I backhanded a slap onto Da Jun's hand.

"Get lost, I haven't reached that point yet."

You all, raising your hands one by one, want to get rid of me.

This Da Heng Company was founded by me.

Is what I say here just damn nonsense?

You want to drive me out.

From now on, no one will ask how the company should be run.

I reiterate, our company has reached the most dangerous time.

We signed a wager agreement; if we lose, our company will be handed over to the Southern Group for free.

We've come to this point, not thinking about how to save the company, but about seizing power and profit.

Have you all long been hoping for the company to go bankrupt?

I fiercely questioned each person.

But no one answered me.

They all remained silent.

Da Jun, however, walked up behind me again, wanting to push my wheelchair.

Then he said, "My father is old, he's ill, and now needs to go to the hospital to recuperate."

"I will send him back to the hospital. Qi, come help me."

"I'm not leaving; I want to hold a meeting, I want to straighten out the company. Shi Yong, Shi Jinhe, come quickly." I shouted loudly.

But nobody listened at all.

Qi and Da Jun pushed the wheelchair and hurriedly ran toward the meeting room door.

Director Feng also ran over.

He shouted at Qi and Da Jun, "Wait a moment—we still need the Chairman's signature on the meeting minutes so we can pass them down to the subsidiaries."

Qi and Da Jun stopped.

At this time, Director Feng took a paper and a pen and walked up to me.

He bent over, smiling, and said, "Chairman, please sign."

It turned out to be a notice of voluntarily relinquishing the Chairman's authority.

They had it all ready.

I angrily looked at Director Feng.

Director Feng continued to look at me with a smile.

"Chairman, after you sign, you can go back to the hospital; then you can enjoy your twilight years there—how happy."

"Damn it, I won't sign." I shouted.