Chapter 97

·

·

·

Protagonist:

Jiang Wenyu

Ever since the cooperation news spread, the employees were full of vigor; daily output rose day by day, and quality was supervised by Jiang Wenyu and Bai Mulin.

Besides that, construction of the new workshop was also underway, projected to add three massive workshops with total capacity for over several hundred employees!

And after the cooperation news spread, more and more people wanted to work at Jiang Wenyu's company; considering current capacity was still sufficient, Jiang Wenyu decided to keep future applicants on hold for now, train them first, and those who passed training could start work directly.

All work proceeded in an orderly fashion; Miles had only left a few days ago and hadn't returned home that quickly, but the products they had already repaired were already fully boxed and ready for shipment — repair and sell simultaneously, that was the process Jiang Wenyu had set.

The company thrived, their work became relatively easier, and during this period quite a few capable hands were selected from these employees and all promoted to management; the company would certainly grow larger and larger.

However, on this day Li Chen discovered Jiang Wenyu was unusually silent; he arrived at the company in the morning and started working without a word, remained mute throughout, looking dazed as if pondering something else; Li Chen curiously asked, only to receive an even more puzzled expression from Jiang Wenyu, which was quite baffling.

So at lunchtime Li Chen didn't disturb Jiang Wenyu, but went out to eat at a small restaurant with Bai Mulin, and during the meal they couldn't help but talk about it.

"What's wrong with Brother Jiang?" Bai Mulin asked.

Li Chen shrugged: "Don't know, the whole person seems possessed, sigh."

The two walked and chatted, growing somewhat worried about Jiang Wenyu's condition; as they walked, Bai Mulin suddenly stopped curiously in front of a utility pole, Li Chen also stopped and looked over — a notice was pasted there, large characters written very clearly; Li Chen couldn't help reading it aloud.

"Be vigilant: recently a fraud gang has appeared in nearby cities; people of Chema City please stay alert; if you encounter suspicious persons go immediately to the Police Bureau to report — Chema City Police Bureau Chief Lu Biao."

Li Chen couldn't help a wry smile: "Looks like police work isn't easy either; all sorts of people exist these days; come on, let's go eat!"

This day, Wang Tao, who had long made all mental preparations, changed clothes and shaved off his beard, yet still looked utterly down-and-out; asking Jiang Wenyu and Li Chen for help was naturally unwilling, but what choice did he have? Thinking of how he had made things difficult for them in every way at the start, he felt even more dread about the outcome of seeking them now.

But besides them, no one in Chema City would have any reason to acquire this Mall; that was what made Wang Tao most helpless.

He had steeled himself and was about to go out, but a strange man stood outside.

The man was thin and tall, wearing a very odd smile; seeing Wang Tao come out he hurried over, very politely saying: "You are Mr. Wang Tao, right?"

The man's eyes were very small, making his smile not too pleasant; Wang Tao had never seen him, and while locking the door said without looking back: "The Mall is closed, temporarily not doing business."

"Hehe." The man chuckled: "Not so, Mr. Wang; I heard you've been looking everywhere for someone to buy this Mall, correct?"

Wang Tao replied indifferently: "Correct."

The man immediately cleared his throat, straightened his back, and said: "Mr. Wang, I came all this way precisely because I heard this news; tell me how much you want for the Mall, if the price is right I'll buy it!"

Wang Tao, who had just locked the door, froze, turned back curiously: "You want to buy?"

The man nodded at once, smiling ugly: "Yes!"

At this moment Wang Tao's head was already heated with excitement; someone wanted to buy, so he wouldn't have to go cap-in-hand to Jiang Wenyu and the others — this was a great thing!

He immediately reopened the door without a word and invited the man in; the latter was instantly delighted, rubbed his hands, looked around, and followed inside.

"Mr. Wang, although I intend to acquire, your price mustn't be too high." The man said his name was Li Gen, from out of town; he didn't say exactly where, only that he wanted to do some business so he found Wang Tao.

Wang Tao behaved very politely, saying: "As long as you intend to acquire, price and such are all negotiable!"

Wang Tao, already going all out, was satisfied just to have a buyer; he said: "This is a complete sale; although many places are unusable, the deed is still here, such a large piece of land can be used for anything, can also continue operating a Mall, so my asking price is…"

After hearing the price, Li Gen immediately looked troubled, sighed: "Ah, Mr. Wang, this price is really a bit high, and look at this place — dilapidated; at most only this land is usable; in the end I'd still have to renovate and rebuild myself, how much would that cost? So your price puts me in a bit of a bind…"

Wang Tao was also a businessman; he had long seen the other party wouldn't yield on price, so his opening offer was actually somewhat higher than expected; Wang Tao hesitated a moment, then said: "Then reduce by one-tenth."

Li Gen still shook his head, looking very troubled: "Reducing one-tenth is still too much…" After that Li Gen kept saying this won't work, that won't work, acting troubled the whole time; before long Wang Tao's momentum was gone.

Finally, Li Gen said: "Mr. Wang, how about this: reduce by half, what do you think?"

Half!?

Wang Tao's mouth corner and face twitched together; that was equivalent to a direct half cut! He immediately said without hesitation: "That's too much of a cut, no!"

However you put it, Wang Tao couldn't sell at such a low price; he had already made huge concessions, yet the pressure remained entirely on him.

Li Gen stood up without hesitation, shook his head disappointedly: "Then no way, Mr. Wang; I can only wish you find another buyer; I won't disturb further, leaving first."

Finished, he actually turned to leave without hesitation; Wang Tao's face changed drastically, he gritted his teeth, even more conflicted.

Finding a buyer isn't easy; if he missed this he'd really have to go cap-in-hand to Jiang Wenyu and Li Chen; his pride wouldn't allow that.

When his thoughts reached here, this price-negotiation game Wang Tao had already lost.

"Reduce by four-tenths!" Wang Tao shouted at once; seeing the other stop, he continued: "This is the maximum concession I can make!"

Li Gen stopped, turned back smiling, looking very happy: "Mr. Wang is indeed straightforward; good, reduce by four-tenths!"

Seeing the other agree, Wang Tao felt no joy; a full four-tenths off the original price — in normal business he'd have lost his shirt long ago; but what could he do now? He was down-and-out, his subordinates all gone; thick helplessness made Wang Tao sigh, then say: "Mr. Li, come find me tomorrow; I need to organize the paperwork and things."

Li Gen readily said: "Fine, no problem; I'll come tomorrow!"

Finished, Li Gen left happily; Wang Tao sat powerless in the chair, face pale, self-mocking bitter smile.

"Wang Tao, oh Wang Tao, what karma have you created…"

…

Li Gen walked on the broad road, put on a hat to cover his head, and a treacherous grin spread across his face.

A day passed quickly; early next morning Wang Tao welcomed Li Gen.

The latter asked as soon as he arrived: "Mr. Wang, have you packed everything?"

Wang Tao had nothing much to prepare; just took his personal belongings out, glanced at the empty office, felt even more desolate inside, finally turned back with a hint of weariness: "All done; how does Mr. Li plan to pay?"

Li Gen didn't hesitate, directly took out a bag, opened it — full of banknotes; he continued: "Mr. Wang, here is thirty thousand yuan total."

"Thirty thousand?" Wang Tao was puzzled; the agreed price was far more than that.

Li Gen hurriedly said: "I know; this is just part of the deposit; the rest of my money is all in the passbook." Saying so, he took out his passbook, opened it for Wang Tao to see; the balance on the first page showed a full six-digit figure.

Li Gen then looked troubled, saying: "Actually, I can't withdraw this money for now; mainly because I partnered with someone on a deal, that guy ran off and even engaged in illegal activities, which dragged me in too; I owe a debt outside, and my passbook was frozen because of it; they said only when that debt is repaid can the money in the passbook be withdrawn normally."

After that Li Gen said a lot more, even sighing and shaking his head at the end, gnashing his teeth cursing: "All that bastard's fault! Otherwise I wouldn't be so desperate to buy your Mall at a low price."

Hearing this, Wang Tao was actually half-believing, half-doubting; finally he asked: "Then this money…"

Li Gen said, "Mr. Wang, I hope you can lend me a sum of money. After I repay them principal and interest, this passbook will be unfrozen, and at that time it will only take half a day to withdraw all the money."

Wang Tao was slightly stunned upon hearing this, but before he could say anything Li Gen continued, "I know, we're meeting for the first time and Mr. Wang doesn't trust me. How about this: this passbook, and my ID card, I'll leave them all here with you as collateral." As he spoke he also took out his ID card; passbooks of that era didn't have the habit of setting passwords, and the photo on the ID was exactly the same as him in person.

Wang Tao still had no chance to speak, when Li Gen suddenly produced another old, worn piece of paper, slapped it on the table, and magnanimously said, "And this, this is the deed to my hometown house, about a hundred square meters, an old residence, not large in scale but worth some money. I'll sign and press my fingerprint right now to temporarily pledge this deed to you as well."

As he spoke he directly wrote his name and some other content on that deed.

A whole string of mumbo-jumbo; Wang Tao couldn't tell true from false, but looking at that deed, passbook, and ID card he was genuinely swayed, and said, "Then roughly when will Mr. Li be able to return?"

Li Gen replied without the slightest hesitation, "Once I get there it's just a day's work; unfreezing the passbook is half a day. But if I haven't rushed back by then you can just take the unfrozen passbook and withdraw the money. Rest assured, I trust Mr. Wang's character!"