Chapter 52: with translation of chapter title

"I don't know either, when I'll be able to quit smoking. Sigh, I'll just smoke until I die," I said helplessly.

"Jianqiang, with your condition, shouldn't you be resting in a hospital? The company really can't do without you, can it? How is Xiao Hua, the General Manager, handling things? Still needs you to step in," Kong Shi said, looking at me.

"Kong Shi, if Xiao Hua can shoulder the burden, the company won't go bust and won't owe so much money. The Group Company's problems are much more serious than I thought," I said, taking a drag.

"Yes, mainly because you've been too permissive. At present, tell me what difficulties you have. Let's see what I can do to help you solve them," Kong Shi said.

"Kong Shi, the Group Company is currently short on cash. Sigh, liquidity is terrible, expenses are high, revenue is low," I said.

"I've already notified Li Xingzhang. As soon as the time comes, we'll release funds to your Group Company immediately. Moreover, he has set aside ten million for you as emergency cash. During this period, you must find a way to get through. Jianqiang, I know the pressure on you is great, so I've come to give you encouragement and support,

We should go boldly; there's no Flaming Mountain we can't get past," Kong Shi raised his voice and said.

"Thank you for your support, Kong Shi. Our Group Company will definitely get out of the current predicament. As long as Zaocheng Bank grants us a loan, we won't be in such trouble," I said happily.

At that moment, Kong Shi signaled Secretary Li to step out.

It seemed Kong Shi had something important to tell me.

Secretary Li quickly packed away the notebook and then stood up,

"Kong Shi, Chairman Zhao, you two talk; I'll step out for a moment,"

Kong Shi nodded.

Secretary Li opened the door and hurried away.

Only Kong Shi and I remained in the room,

"Jianqiang, give me a cigarette; seeing you smoke, I can't stand it either," Kong Shi said.

I smiled.

Kong Shi apparently couldn't keep it together any longer, so he sent Secretary Li out.

I took out a cigarette for Kong Shi,

Kong Shi lit it and began smoking,

After two puffs, he said, "Jianqiang, how are those residential complexes coming along?"

"Kong Shi, I was just about to report this to you. Our Guanghua Garden has already been Cap. Can we start selling early? This wouldn't be a pre‑sale," I said, looking at Kong Shi.

Kong Shi took another drag,

"Jianqiang, if this were earlier, you could have boldly sold them. You also know Lin Shan Gong Guan went bust; they were selling pre‑sale units, and the buyers kept going to the city every day with no solution. The city issued a notice strictly prohibiting the sale of pre‑sale units.

If your building's main structure is already completed, I'll have Director Guan of the Municipal Construction Bureau go to the site, have him give his opinion.

You can sell; just sell directly to ease the pressure on you. Jianqiang, you don't realize that if you speak up first, other developers will follow suit; everyone knows the connection between us. All eyes are on you. Those developers also have all sorts of connections behind them. I'm also in a tough spot; my pressure isn't any less than yours," Kong Shi said, half‑reclining on the sofa, smoking.

After hearing Kong Shi's words, I truly felt the enormity of his pressure.

If I open the door here, other developers will act the same way; if another unfinished building appears, how will Kong Shi deal with it?

This intangible factor also adds pressure to Kong Shi.

I said, "Kong Shi, don't make it hard. Our community's main structure is already finished; you can have Director Guan of the Housing and Urban‑Rural Development Bureau inspect it, then we can talk.

Others looking at me also think that the main construction must be finished before selling the houses.

As long as the main structure is done, the remaining finishing work can be completed in two or three months. Kong Shi, rest assured, I won't add pressure on you."

In truth, although the main structure is finished, the auxiliary works will take over a year to complete. I said that on purpose, just to sell the houses quickly.

Kong Shi took a puff, nodded,

"Jianqiang, this matter is easy to handle. It's a minor issue, after all, it's within our city. There's another matter I must tell you; this one is difficult. I came today specifically for that,"

I saw Kong Shi's brows furrowed and his expression uneasy; it must be something significant,

Then I inched as close as possible toward Kong Shi,

"Kong Shi, what exactly is it? Tell me, I'm listening,"

Kong Shi took a hard drag,

then said, "Do you know? Zhu Sheng has gotten into trouble,"

Kong Shi's few words were, for me, like a bolt from the blue,

"Zhu Sheng got into trouble? What could have happened to him?" I asked, puzzled.

"Someone sued him. Sigh! He's now under suspension and investigation," Kong Shi said.

"He was sued again; Zhu Sheng is a very cautious person and clean with money. Who could sue him, and what result could they get?" I said.

"Jianqiang, you don't understand politics; it's different from working in a company. In the political arena, there's scheming and backstabbing everywhere, people constantly set traps. At Zhu Sheng's level, he has more enemies. More people want to bring him down. It's not about how well you work or how important your innocence is; the key is whether anyone behind the scenes wants to target you."

Zhu Sheng may have offended some powerful figures over something, so he got sued.

Jianqiang, after telling you all this,

what I want to say is that we are treading on thin ice in this position.

"I look forward to retiring every day, to retire earlier so I can rest; I'm too tired," Kong Shi said, then took another drag, staring weakly at the ceiling.

"I understand now; Zhu Sheng offended someone, and not just an ordinary person. That's why they moved against him," I said.

"I was saying, after Zhu Sheng finished that call, he said he would come to inspect our company, but there was no news; it turned out something had happened," I said.

"Having this happen now is certainly not good news for me,"

"Zhu Sheng is my biggest backer; if he gets into trouble, the future development of our Group is easy to imagine,"

"I also lay helplessly on the sofa, smoking, saying nothing,"

Kong Shi and I smoked half a pack of cigarettes,

At this point, Kong Shi said to me, "Jianqiang, to put it bluntly, we must cut ties with Zhu Sheng,"

"It's unavoidable,"

"If we don't cut ties, we'll both be implicated,"

"Our dealings with Zhu Sheng are too deep; we've been involved in every place from Lanling to Zaocheng. If Zhu Sheng gets into trouble, the matters behind us will all be exposed,"

"By then, I won't even talk about keeping this position; we might be taken in directly,"

And your Group Company, the development over these years, definitely also couldn't do without Zhu Sheng's protection.

Everyone's body is also not clean.

"Think about it, how terrifying." Kong Shi finished speaking, then smoked heavily.

I listened to Kong Shi's words,

I didn't know what to do,

Our involvement with Zhu Sheng is really too deep—from when Da Heng Company was just founded, Zhu Sheng was still the County Magistrate, we jointly developed the Cotton Mill, and also the acquisition of Qi He Kuang.

If we dig up the past, nobody will feel good.

What's going on this year? All the bad things have piled up together.

I then also smoked heavily,

"Kong Shi, I believe Zhu Sheng is innocent; they couldn't possibly casually wrong a good person. Between me, Zhao Jianqiang, and Zhu Sheng, it's a gentleman's friendship; I fear nothing. I support Zhu Sheng. Anyone who comes to investigate, I, Zhao Jianqiang, will face it boldly."