Chapter 488

In the last week of February, Chen Yang was awakened from his sleep by Yexin's phone call.

"You little brat, I've got good news for you: Wang Haifeng fled overnight to Hong Kong last night."

"Big sis, you're not joking, are you?" He could hardly believe his ears.

Even if Wang Haifeng really misappropriated the bank's loan to play stocks, with his positions as chairman of Worryfree Residence and president of the Xingcheng Chamber of Commerce, as long as he makes up the several hundred million yuan shortfall, the problem should be easily resolved; at worst he'd be banned from stock trading for a while.

Having suffered such a huge loss on the Jiangshan Automobile stock, Wang Haifeng might not be interested in stock trading anymore.

However, Wang Haifeng chose to flee!

"Big sis, Wang Haifeng has run Worryfree Residence for so many years; surely he can come up with a few hundred million yuan?"

"This guy has moved all his assets overseas. The Dongjiang Second Bridge project, he purely wanted to get something for nothing. He didn't put a single cent of the startup funds; it was all contributed by the other shareholders."

Chen Yang admired Wang Haifeng's shamelessness to the point of prostrating himself. A project with a total investment of over ten billion yuan, he contributed nothing, yet privately took the shareholders' pooled money to play stocks. If Zheng Weimin hadn't been sent to the ICU, those shareholders would likely have continued to endure it.

However, Chen Yang still couldn't understand. Aren't these people afraid that the full-time deputy secretary will give them trouble for collectively reporting Wang Haifeng?

"Sister Yexin, did anything else big happen in Xingcheng last night?"

"Yes, Deputy Mayor Zheng went to Deputy Secretary Wang's house, came out looking grim, and then went to Governor Liu's house."

Chen Yang immediately understood the meaning. It turned out that Deputy Mayor Zheng had gone to Deputy Secretary Wang to seek justice for his son, only to suffer a setback. In anger, he then went to see Liu Jianghua.

Chen Yang suddenly felt a bit confused. Deputy Mayor Zheng's move directly blocked his path to advancement.

Deputy Secretary Wang would spare no expense to suppress him in order to protect his authority.

On Governor Liu's side, it was also impossible to truly trust him.

This meant that Deputy Mayor Zheng's official career was basically at an end.

Just as Chen Yang was puzzling over this, his other private phone rang—it was Liu Jianghua calling!

Chen Yang immediately ended his call with Yexin, then answered Liu Jianghua's phone.

"Governor Liu, what are your instructions?"

"Chen Yang, you little brat really stirred up a big mess for me."

"Governor Liu, are there other problems with the Old Hundred Food Ltd.?"

"That's not it. Comrade Zheng Zhenhua reported to me, saying you teamed up with Zhu Junhao to set a trap for Zheng Weimin and Wang Haifeng in the stock market—is that true?"

Chen Yang didn't expect that Deputy Mayor Zheng's meeting with Governor Liu was actually about this. He calmly said, "Governor Liu, the Zheng Weimin and Wang Haifeng I told you about have never met in person. Deputy Mayor Zheng, could you be mistaken?"

Governor Liu snorted coldly and said, "People say you spent one hundred million yuan to bribe Zhu Junhao, getting him to lure Zheng Weimin and Wang Haifeng into taking over the Jiangshan Automobile stock at a high price. How do you explain this?"

Chen Yang immediately protested: "Governor Liu, Zhu Junhao indeed forcibly bought some shares from me earlier. He is a material supplier for Dongjiang New City and also the brother-in-law of Mayor Sun Changqing; I dare not offend him. Of course, he did make a little money from it. As for the other matters, I really know nothing."

Governor Liu questioned him skeptically: "Don't spout nonsense, I know Mayor Sun Changqing's character well—he would never cover up Zhu Junhao's lawless deeds. Besides, you little brat dared to scheme against Deputy Secretary Wang's nephew; would you fear Mayor Sun's brother-in-law?"

Chen Yang directly replied: "Governor Liu, if you don't believe me, you can summon Zhu Junhao, Zheng Weimin, and Wang Haifeng for a confrontation. If I had actively lured them into stock trading, you may punish me however you like—I have no objections."

Hearing Chen Yang's refusal to admit fault, Governor Liu snapped, "I was actually going to find someone for you. That brat Wang Haifeng took a flight to Hong Kong last night; Zheng Weimin is still lying in the ICU; Zhu Junhao fled to the south a week ago. Your little scheme has turned the Xingcheng business world upside down."

Chen Yang hadn't expected Wang Haifeng to really flee; he was delighted inside. However, to avoid arousing Governor Liu's suspicion, he tried his best to conceal his emotions.

"Governor Liu, I don't have the ability to drive Wang Haifeng to Hong Kong. Zheng Weimin's hospitalization has nothing to do with me. As for Zhu Junhao, you should ask his family directly; aside from work, I hardly keep in touch with him privately."

Governor Liu impatiently said, "I don't want to get involved in your grudges. The problem now is that the funds for the Dongjiang Second Bridge urban renewal project have been misappropriated by Wang Haifeng into the stock market, causing all work there to stall. You need to help me solve this!"

Upon hearing that he was expected to clean up Wang Haifeng's mess, Chen Yang immediately shook his head and refused: "Governor Liu, for other matters I would go through fire and water for you, but the Dongjiang Second Bridge project—I will definitely not touch it."

Governor Liu hadn't expected Chen Yang to refuse him outright; he fell silent for a moment. About a minute later, he said earnestly, "Chen Yang, the Dongjiang Second Bridge site is even better than the First Bridge's. If developed, the profits would be no less than those of Dongjiang New City. I entrusted you with this fine project because I trust you—others would beg for it and still not get it."

Chen Yang said, "Governor Liu, let someone else take it! If I took this project, wouldn't that just confirm the accusation that I dug a pit for Wang Haifeng and his gang? Could Deputy Secretary Wang spare me?"

Governor Liu thought Chen Yang feared retaliation from Deputy Secretary Wang, so he immediately reassured him: "You needn't worry about Deputy Secretary Wang's side. I've already communicated with him; he also hopes this project can proceed smoothly."

Chen Yang was well aware of how deep the waters of the Dongjiang Second Bridge urban renewal project were. Even if Wang Haifeng didn't flee, it might not be solvable; why would he invite that ill omen?

"Governor Liu, even if Deputy Secretary Wang doesn't mind, I still don't want to take this project! I already have too many projects on my plate—I'm willing but unable."

Liu Jianghua's side again fell silent for a while, then he said: "Chen Yang, if you have concerns, we can sit down and discuss a solution. The old city renovation project of Dongjiang Second Bridge is highly valued by the province; it really cannot be halted."

Chen Yang frankly said: "Governor Liu, I am not optimistic about the old city renovation project of Dongjiang Second Bridge. According to our company's investigation, the social relations there are more complicated than those on the Dongjiang New City side, and the demolition and relocation progress will be very slow. I have a lot of enterprises and projects to manage; I really don't have much energy to spare there."

Moreover, I also do not intend to make real estate the main business of the company. The future focus of Laobaixing Agricultural Products Trading Company remains the e-commerce industry.

Liu Jianghua, upon hearing this, weighed it in his mind and finally gave up the idea of letting Chen Yang take over the Dongjiang Second Bridge project.