Chapter 2898: This Money Was Well Spent

Afterwards, Zhou Andong gave Shen Mingsheng some more instructions, then turned to Wang Hui: "Wang Hui, you've been doing a great job, I don't have much to tell you. But the negotiations need to be wrapped up quickly—don't hold too rigidly on price, make concessions where you can, and don't delay the opening of Jinghua."

"I understand!" Wang Hui nodded seriously, then glanced at her watch: "Tonight's negotiation is set for 6:30 PM. It's already 5:00 now—I need to hurry back and prepare. If nothing unexpected happens, we should be able to sign the contract tomorrow."

"Good!" Zhou Andong then turned to Shen Mingsheng: "Old Shen, those Mitsubishi documents must not have any issues. If anything happens on the road, even if we have to abandon those dozen or so sports cars, we must ensure the safety of those documents."

Shen Mingsheng took a drag of his cigarette, then fiercely crushed the remaining half into the ashtray: "Don't worry—I'll personally escort the vehicle. Anyone who dares to touch those documents, I guarantee they won't see tomorrow's sun."

Zhou Andong said to Wang Hui: "You're in a hurry—go ahead and leave first. The negotiations are urgent."

"Okay!" Wang Hui stood up: "What time is your flight tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow morning at 10:30." Seeing Jian Qiu said with a smile: "You're busy here—no need to see us off."

"Let me see." Wang Hui said: "If I can free up time, I'll come over. If I can't, then I won't."

"Alright!" Seeing Jian Qiu stood up to see Wang Hui out of the room: "Nowadays, everywhere in the country is chaotic, and I feel this place isn't very safe either. If you need to go out at night, be sure to bring several people with you."

Wang Hui nodded: "Don't worry—Shen Zong has hired over thirty security guards at Jin Dun, and I have the same. After all, transporting over a million appliances back to the capital—this route definitely won't be peaceful. Without security, it's simply not possible."

"Then that's good!" Seeing Jian Qiu relaxed: "Go back now!"

Wang Hui left, and Zhou Andong also glanced at the time—it was now 5:00 PM. In Britain, it should be around 9:00 AM, so Alice is likely in her office.

"I don't know—has Coconut City activated international direct dialing?"

"It has!" Shen Mingsheng said: "In 1991, our country independently developed the first set of ten-thousand-line digital program-controlled telephone exchange. The following year, Coconut City activated program-controlled telephone service. After all, Coconut City port is an international hub—installing program-controlled telephone exchanges would be very convenient."

Zhou Andong said: "You know all this?"

Shen Mingsheng laughed: "I'm in the imported car business—I often have to go to Coconut City port to pick up goods. So I'm quite familiar with this place. And the route from Coconut City to the capital? I've traveled it more than once or twice."

Zhou Andong suddenly understood, then pressed the hands-free button and dialed Alice's office. The phone rang five or six times before being answered, and a fluent English greeting came through.

A faint smile appeared on Zhou Andong's face: "Alice, this is Zhou Andong."

"Boss!" Alice's somewhat unprepared Chinese rang out: "Did you receive the wedding gift I sent you?"

"I did." Zhou Andong said sincerely: "Thank you so much—I really like your gift."

Alice was very happy: "I can't attend your wedding, but as long as you like the gift, that's good."

"I really like it." Zhou Andong laughed: "But I'm curious—how did you manage to get it?"

Alice's proud laughter came through: "The aftershocks of the Japanese financial crisis haven't faded yet—many manufacturing companies have already gone bankrupt. Even giants like Sony, Hitachi, Panasonic, Nissan, and Mitsubishi are severely weakened.

Let alone the Japanese people—countless families have gone bankrupt, and suicide by jumping happens every day. Earlier, I arranged for someone in Japan to collect counterfeit evidence, and that person is now in Korea, preparing to return to the UK. By chance, he learned that Koreans had obtained this batch of books in Japan.

Then, through an intermediary, he spent two million USD to buy them. After that, he spent three million USD bribing Korean government officials, another one million USD bribing Korean customs, and got the books shipped to Thailand. He then spent another one million USD bribing Thai customs."

Zhou Andong asked: "Why not ship them directly from Korea?"

Alice explained: "Because there are no direct flights between Korea and China."

Zhou Andong understood: "So the total was two and a half million USD?"

"No!" Alice said: "The total was three million USD, with a commission of five hundred thousand."