Chapter 423

After leaving the provincial government, Chen Yang again drove back to the Old Hundreds Agricultural Products Trading Company.

Before leaving, Liu Jianghua told him that the province was preparing to strongly support high-tech enterprises. If the Old Hundreds Agricultural Products Trading Company met the relevant conditions, it would receive a ten percent reduction in corporate income tax.

The Old Hundreds Agricultural Products Trading Company currently has a twenty-five percent corporate income tax. To take advantage of this preferential policy, Chen Yang decided to increase recruitment of R&D talent for the e-commerce platform, aiming to transform the Old Hundreds E-commerce Platform from a single agricultural products sales platform into a diversified comprehensive e-commerce platform.

Chen Yang told Shen Anna his plan, and she directly responded with a helpless look.

"Boss, if we shift now to a comprehensive e-commerce platform, the required manpower and material resources could increase severalfold. Even if we obtain that ten percent corporate income tax reduction, the cost would be much higher. Is it worth it?"

Chen Yang nodded and said, "As long as we can seize the e-commerce market early, spending a bit more money is worth it."

Shen Anna asked Chen Yang, "How much more money are you prepared to invest?"

Chen Yang extended one finger.

"Ten million? That's still okay." Shen Anna breathed a sigh of relief; investing an additional ten million, the company could still bear it.

Chen Yang shook his head and said, "Ten million is too little; I'm prepared to invest one hundred million!"

Shen Anna was speechless. She felt Chen Yang was truly capable of burning money. From the New Year to now, he's either spending money or on the way to spend it. In less than half a year, he's already spent several hundred million.

Of course, if the Old Hundreds Agricultural Products Trading Company's e-commerce platform receives an additional investment of one hundred million, to Dongjiang Province it would be like a bombshell, directly attracting the attention of the entire province's populace.

"Boss, if you're really willing, I'll go ahead and post the announcement!" Shen Anna quickly opened her computer; as long as Chen Yang nods, she will directly post the news on the company's official website. Such a major announcement will surely bring another wave of traffic.

Chen Yang hurriedly stopped her. "Anna, investing one hundred million in the e-commerce platform can wait a bit; there's no rush. The urgent priority is to first purchase Xinhe Building. Think about it: we're putting in so much money, yet we let employees work standing up—spreading that would be embarrassing..."

Shen Anna originally thought, when Qian Duo Duo reported to her, that Chen Yang was joking with the company's executives; she didn't expect he actually intended to buy the entire building.

"Manager Qian has already consulted Xinhe Company; their psychological asking price is 120 million, and they do not accept installment payments."

Chen Yang told Shen Anna, "Go call their boss and say 110 million. If they disagree, we'll move the company's main operations to the headquarters."

Shen Anna asked Chen Yang, "Will this purchase be made under your personal name?"

Chen Yang shook his head. "My personal account doesn't have much money left. For purchasing Xinhe Building and increasing capital for the e-commerce platform, I plan to use the funds of the Hong Kong Company to directly invest in the Old Hundreds Agricultural Products Trading Company."

Shen Anna knew Chen Yang's Hong Kong account funds far exceeded those on the mainland. That figure was something even Yexin envied and resented. If we could transfer funds from there, it would indeed be like adding wings to a tiger.

Thus, Shen Anna directly called the person in charge at Xinhe Company; after negotiation, the price was brought down to 105 million.

After hanging up, Shen Anna still felt a bit heartbroken, saying, "If I had known they'd agree so readily, I would have just asked for one hundred million."

Chen Yang smiled and comforted her, "Xinhe Building is in such a great location; in two years, they'll be the ones regretting it."

Shen Anna sighed, "That's hard to say. One hundred million could let them build another new commercial building; they might even do better than Xinhe Building."

Chen Yang said dismissively, "How they use that money is their problem. What matters is that once we obtain the property rights to Xinhe Building, we can expand our company's business without hindrance. When our company grows big and strong, the commercial value of Xinhe Building will also double. We might even recoup the two hundred million we're about to spend."

"I hope your dream comes true!" Shen Anna thought it a bit unrealistic, but seeing Chen Yang full of confidence, she couldn't bear to dampen his enthusiasm. Actually, deep down she also looked forward to that day.

Since the price had already been settled, Chen Yang called Su Mingyue and asked her to bring the relevant documents back to Xingcheng to handle the joint venture procedures with the Old Hundreds Agricultural Products Trading Company.

Because the joint venture was being made with Hong Kong capital, the relevant procedures and fund transfers would take time. Meanwhile, the Xinhe Building side had to pay cash immediately to complete the transaction. After thinking for a while, Chen Yang called Luo Zhikai again and asked him to arrange a meeting with the president of Xingcheng Bank at the Western restaurant downstairs of the Xinhe Building.

The president of Xingcheng Bank surnamed Zeng, in his fifties, wore black-rimmed glasses; compared with the other bank presidents Chen Yang had met, his mental state was not very good.

However, Chen Yang could also understand. They had lent Zhang Group five hundred million, but in the end only recovered one hundred forty million.

After Zhang Group went bankrupt, the assets up for auction were first taken by Zhixin Group, leaving Xingcheng Bank with only some worthless assets.

Such a huge bad debt, and it was he who personally handled it—one can imagine how great the pressure is.

"President Chen, why are you in such a hurry to see me? Is there something important to discuss?" President Zeng now values Chen Yang the most. As long as a long-term cooperative relationship can be established with the Old Hundreds Agricultural Products Trading Company, the bad debt problem from Zhang Group will no longer be an issue.

After all, investment always carries risk. As long as Zhang Group's losses can be made up for by the Old Hundreds Agricultural Products Trading Company, the merits and faults can offset each other.

Chen Yang worried that the other party, because of Zhang Group, would become more cautious about loans, and he spoke politely and carefully: "President Zeng, our company is preparing to purchase the Xinhe Building. We will need a little over one hundred million in funds. However, this money is still overseas, and transferring it domestically will take some time. Could you possibly lend us one hundred million for emergency use? A higher handling fee is fine. I guarantee to repay this amount within one month."

President Zeng's expression shifted from surprise to delight upon hearing this. To make sure he hadn't misheard, he asked Chen Yang again: "President Chen, did you just say that your company is preparing to purchase the Xinhe Building?"

Chen Yang nodded and explained: "Our company plans to expand the e-commerce platform business and also needs to expand its departments. If we expand, the existing office building will no longer meet the demand. Moreover, our company's newly built headquarters is somewhat far from the city center, making office work inconvenient. After discussing it with President Shen, we have decided to purchase the Xinhe Building once and for all."