Chapter 2899

Zhou Andong hung up the phone, and Chen Mingsheng looked at him with eyes blazing: "Zhou Dong, can you really poach R&D experts from Mitsubishi?"

"I don't know!" Zhou Andong finally took a drag of his cigarette, pressed the butt into the ashtray: "Given Japan's current economic situation, there's still hope. Those experts may have tough bones, but once their wives and children starve, even the toughest bones will break."

Chen Mingsheng rubbed his hands and hehe-laughed: "If we can poach them, we can avoid the R&D time needed to circumvent patented technology; it won't take two years—one year is enough."

"Let's go, let's eat!" Zhou Andong stood up and walked out.

Zhang Zuo asked: "Where to eat?"

"I don't know!" Zhou Andong said while walking: "Just stroll around; if we see a decent restaurant, we'll eat there."

"Let's go to Shizi Lou." Chen Mingsheng said: "Opened in 1990, it has Peking opera performances, claims to be the biggest open-air food stall in Southeast Asia, and it's indeed not small."

"Then let's go to Shizi Lou." Zhou Andong said: "I've been to Coconut City twice already; I really ought to try the local specialty cuisine and experience the local ethnic culture."

Chen Mingsheng said: "After eating, we can still go to Chinatown for a drink, sing some songs, dance some dances."

Zhou Andong asked: "Entertainment City?"

"Yes!" Chen Mingsheng said: "Opened last year, it covers nearly 50,000 square meters, with one basement level and four above ground; reportedly, the renovation cost alone is as high as 60 million."

Zhou Andong nodded and said: "After eating, let's go take a look."

Just as Zhou Andong and his group were on their way to Shizi Lou for dinner, a woman's furious roar came from a luxurious suite at the Dongshan Guesthouse in Beidaihe, followed by the crisp sound of a glass cup shattering.

Yin Meihong stood with an ashen face by the room's window, the white wall on her right stained with water seepage; on the thick carpet in the corner, glass shards of various sizes lay quietly scattered. And in the room, there were also over a dozen people, sitting or standing, all of whom had unpleasant expressions.

Not a single hotel in Jiangzhou would let them check in; they were forced to go to the neighboring Hu Yang City. What they hadn't expected was that, as soon as anyone saw their ID cards were from Jingcheng, they were immediately refused lodging.

Some would make up an excuse; others couldn't even be bothered to invent one, directly telling them: Jingcheng people are not allowed to stay. No matter what methods they used—threats or inducements—the other side just wouldn't buy it.

With no other choice, they could only keep heading north, thinking to find a county town or township to settle in. Then they discovered it was useless; even the big inns by the national highway wouldn't let them stay, not even for a group of over a dozen needing bunk beds.

In the end, they were forced into Shanhaiguan, finally finding lodging at the Dongshan Guesthouse in Beidaihe. One could say these past few days have worn this group of people thin, but the fire in their hearts had nowhere to vent.

A youth with eyes full of malice fiercely pressed his cigarette butt into the ashtray: "Damn, I really underestimated Zhou Andong; his influence outside the pass is so great that he's left us with nowhere to stay, forcing us back into the pass."

A middle-aged man's face was grim and terrifying: "What now? Are we really just going to let Zhou Andong do as he pleases, framing our children?"

As his words fell, the gazes of over ten other people all turned toward Yin Meihong. In this situation, if the Yin family doesn't go all out, there's simply no solution.

How could Yin Meihong not know what they're thinking? She let out a cold laugh in her heart: Let the Yin family fight Zhou Andong to the death while you lot reap the benefits like a fisherman—nice dream.

Moreover, judging by the current situation, even if the Yin family disregards consequences and goes all out, victory isn't certain. Even if they win, it will surely be a pyrrhic victory, severely damaging their vitality.

Yin Meihong took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing her inner agitation: "Zhou Andong's influence is too great; if we clash head-on, nobody will come out well—it'll only end in mutual destruction. Do you really want such an outcome?"

The middle-aged man, along with the other over ten people, inwardly cursed up a storm: You Yin family fight Zhou Andong to the death while our kids were arrested by the Jiangzhou police—all because of Yin Mo's senseless meddling; shouldn't it be your Yin family stepping in to resolve this? Yet hearing your tone, you want us to be the ones charging forward?

Yin Meihong glanced over everyone: "Now, if we want to deal with Zhou Andong, the only way is to break his golden body, tarnish his reputation, and topple his enterprise. That way, Zhou Andong will only be at our mercy."

"Wanting to smear Zhou Andong's reputation isn't that easy." The youth frowned: "Besides, there's the Yugong Group—so massive, with foreign backing; trying to topple it is even harder."

Yin Meihong glanced over everyone: "Now, if we want to deal with Zhou Andong, the only way is to break his golden body, tarnish his reputation, and topple his enterprise. That way, Zhou Andong will be a carp on our chopping board—we can chop him however we like."

"Wanting to smear Zhou Andong's reputation isn't that easy." The youth frowned: "Besides, there's the Yugong Group—so massive, with foreign backing; trying to topple it is even harder."

"Hard? I don't think so." Yin Meihong revealed a strange smile on her face: "Zhou Andong calls himself a philanthropist, but this year's nationwide floods saw him donate only two million, and the media is still arguing about it—now everywhere are articles criticizing him.

Besides, the Yugong liquor fake-alcohol case from years ago—we can bring it up again and stir it. As for the official case results released back then, actually that doesn't matter. Because ordinary people look for excitement, they don't care about the truth.

Also, the problem with the iced red tea that surfaced last year—we not only need to dig it up and continue reporting it in the media, but we also need to name names in media reports, letting the relevant authorities reopen the investigation."

"Feasible!" The youth pondered, the malice in his eyes growing stronger: "Still, stirring up old leftovers is a bit weak. We can completely make a bigger fuss—have people leak to the media that someone drank Yugong liquor and got poisoned, now being rushed to the hospital for emergency treatment.

And the iced red tea—someone and the iced red tea, they find foreign objects inside. Insects, nail clippings, hair—all can do. This way, Yugong Group's reputation will collapse, and Zhou Andong's reputation will naturally follow and be destroyed."

Upon hearing this, everyone was energized and echoed in unison. Now their idea is simple: as long as we topple Yugong Group and smear Zhou Andong's reputation, we'll naturally stand on the moral high ground, and we can fabricate Zhou Andong however we want.

Yin Meihong also felt moved, but in the end she shook her head: "No, this won't withstand investigation. Once the central authorities know we're behind this mischief, when accountability comes down, it won't be you—it'll be your family's old man who can't bear it."

Just as that group was still excited, they instantly calmed down. Zhou Guodong donated nearly a hundred billion to the country, and for every bottle of liquor sold, he donates one cent to the state.

Moreover, Yugong Group is still the leader of private enterprises; though I won't say how much tax and profit they pay annually, just saying they provide tens of thousands of jobs—if they dare use such dirty tactics against Zhou Andong and Yugong Group, the superiors will surely be furious, and their family truly can't withstand it.

But stirring up old leftovers is different, after all, the events actually happened; they're merely questioning the initial investigation results, publicly demanding a reinvestigation. By then, they'll muddy the waters, push Zhou Andong into the eye of the storm—even if the superiors are dissatisfied, they'll have plenty of excuses, letting the superiors' anger have nowhere to go.