Chapter 339: Distinct Boundaries

"Dongling High-Tech and I personally are probably unable to meet the membership requirements of the Taishan Industry Research Association. Even if I join, there will probably be twists and turns in the future. At that time, it will make Duan Zong even more caught in the middle. It's better to be at peace!"

Li Dongling said again, using the excuse that he didn't have time to participate in the gatherings of the Taishan Industry Research Association and "listen" to the teachings of Duan Yongji, Boss Liu, and a host of "godfathers" to refuse Duan Yongji's request.

The Taishan Industry Research Association was a product of an era. To put it plainly, it was huddling together for warmth in this era. Now, companies in various domestic industries had just begun to develop, their ability to resist risks wasn't strong, and they were facing the aggressive attack of foreign brands. A host of domestic companies huddling together for warmth could still win a glimmer of survival.

Giant Group and Shi Laoban were the most obvious examples, and also the first time the Taishan Industry Research Association showed its strength and influence.

Now Giant Group had been completely dragged down by that 72-story skyscraper. Creditors ran to Giant Group to block the gate every day. Shi Laoban, who was once second only to Bill Gates in the hearts of young people, had become a character that everyone shouted to beat.

Giant Group's collapse was only a matter of time. Everyone knew this, so banks were also urging repayment. Now Giant Group was relying on the health supplement business to support it, but health supplements were an industry that required constant money-burning for advertising and hiring a large number of ground-pushing personnel for sales. With Giant's current revenue, how long could it last?

Shi Laoban had already started looking for buyers to resell the equity of Minsheng Bank in his hands. This was Shi Laoban's last capital.

Hearing the wind, there were quite a few buyers who found Shi Laoban wanting to take over the equity of Minsheng Bank. But those who knew the inside story knew that others simply didn't have a chance to take over this equity. In the end, it was probably members of the Taishan Industry Research Association who took over this equity from Shi Laoban.

After Giant went bankrupt and Shi Laoban made a comeback, the media was promoting Shi Laoban's huge personality charm. The group of people at Giant still didn't leave and followed Shi Laoban's lead. This was indeed correct, but the Shi Laoban at that time had no net worth, but his influence remained.

Another thing was that the Taishan Industry Research Association did indeed realize its original promise and supported Shi Laoban with all its strength. Otherwise, where did Shi Laoban get the capital to make a comeback after bankruptcy?

One had to know that putting advertisements all over the place cost money. When Shi Laoban made a comeback, all members of the Taishan Industry Research Association invested money.

Of course, as a return of the favor, in his previous life, Sitong, under Duan Yongji's management, was on the verge of bankruptcy. Shi Laoban and the Taishan Industry Research Association also came out. Finally, they operated the sale of the health supplement brands Brain Gold and Golden Partner, which Shi Laoban used to make a comeback, to Sitong.

It was hard to say who earned and who lost in this transaction. At that time, Sitong suffered huge losses, and its stock price had become junk stock. Duan Yongji and Shi Laoban reached an agreement to acquire the two health supplement brands, allowing Sitong to enter the health supplement industry. Relying on the cash flow brought by health supplements, Sitong "temporarily" overcame the difficulties.

Why was it "temporarily"? Because the health supplement brands that were making money every day in Shi Laoban's hands went out after a few years in Sitong's hands and couldn't be sold.

And buying these two brands cost over 1.2 billion, which was the largest acquisition amount among listed companies on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange that year.

This acquisition also exhausted the last bit of cash flow of Sitong, the former big brother of the domestic tech industry, and also made Sitong completely lose hope, making Sitong have no chance to turn over. It didn't go bankrupt, but it was also forgotten in Zhongguancun, and from then on, there was no such person.

Sitong was finished, but whether Shi Laoban and Duan Yongji lost money, only they themselves knew. Anyway, within two years after the acquisition was completed, Sitong and its subsidiaries' stock prices soared. Whether Duan Yongji cleared the Sitong stocks in his hands, no one knew.

In any case, by that time, he had already handed the position of Sitong President to the next unlucky soul. Sitong did not collapse in his hands; he had already left, having achieved success and fame.

Saving Giant Group and Sitong Group wasn't an isolated case in the Taishan Industry Research Association. As more and more members joined, its influence also grew, once spanning industries like electronics, internet, real estate, banking, machinery, pharmaceuticals, retail, film and television, etc. The total market value and valuation of the member companies of the entire Taishan Industry Research Association exceeded 2 trillion!

Including Boss Wang of Wanda, etc., all had been involved with the Taishan Industry Research Association. The Taishan Industry Research Association once vaguely had the title of "Uncrowned Chamber of Commerce" in the country, which could already influence countless industries, even media public opinion, including the strategies of some industries, etc. Otherwise, where did Boss Liu's title of "Godfather" come from?

If Li Dongling joined the Taishan Industry Research Association, it was estimated that he could immediately become a person in the "circle," immediately raising his influence by a large margin, and there would be countless opportunities to cut leeks. Both strength and influence could increase by a large margin.

But, different paths, no common language. After Boss Ma of Alibaba joined in his previous life, he withdrew because of conflicting views. If it wasn't really incompatible, with Boss Ma's personality, he wouldn't have publicly broken with the Taishan Industry Research Association.

Now the Taishan Industry Research Association was huddling together for warmth, but after a few years, after the members were fully fledged, this chamber of commerce completely changed its flavor and started doing things itself.

Everything had a price. Joining the Taishan Industry Research Association now could indeed eat dividends, but when the thunder struck, one had to bear it the same way.

Look at those companies that joined the Taishan Industry Research Association. How many could end well? Even those that were still alive had their reputations completely rotten. Or like Zhang Yue next door, squatting in the old nest in Xiangnan, never appearing in the media again, wishing everyone couldn't see him.

Li Dongling didn't want to end up like some godfathers, becoming a street rat, with his ancestors being dug out and poked in the spine, and even the money earned from cutting leeks could only be watched but not spent.

Those money, he didn't dare to spend in the country, afraid of being caught by the pigtail, and putting it in foreign banks was also being cut by Anglo-Saxon and Hebrew people. America directly closed the bank, and the people who deposited money could only be angry but didn't dare to sue, fearing that the American bank would expose the deposit list, so they could only watch helplessly as they were cut, biting their teeth and swallowing them into their stomachs.

Li Dongling's second refusal was heard clearly by Duan Yongji. He had thought of countless possibilities, such as Li Dongling joining the Taishan Industry Research Association and then competing with him and Boss Liu for the right to speak, or Dongling High-Tech relying on its strength to make other members of the Taishan Industry Research Association follow Dongling High-Tech, etc.

But he simply hadn't thought that Li Dongling would refuse decisively. Duan Yongji really couldn't figure it out. Joining the Taishan Industry Research Association was all benefits and no harm for Li Dongling. How many companies begged to join but didn't have the chance, yet it was treated like discarded shoes by Li Dongling.

Even if Dongling High-Tech's current strength was stronger than the companies of individual members of the Taishan Industry Research Association, one had to know that now the members of the Taishan Industry Research Association were, without exception, giant companies in their respective places, all having their own connections, resources, channels, and relationship networks. They didn't represent themselves alone, but the power network behind them.

If Dongling High-Tech joined in and got the support of the Taishan Industry Research Association, it could almost leap to become the most influential and strongest company in the country.

Dongling High-Tech, which could be treated favorably in major domestic cities and supported by countless powerful figures, could reach a level that no domestic company had reached before. Li Dongling gave it up so easily, which made Duan Yongji really unable to figure it out.

Of course, Duan Yongji also had his own selfishness. Dongling High-Tech now wasn't something that Duan Yongji and Sitong could easily invest in just because they wanted to. Not to mention him, how many eyes from the NDRC, SDIC, local city investment, etc., wanted to get on Dongling High-Tech's bandwagon.

So, Duan Yongji thought of this curve entry. If Li Dongling joined the Taishan Industry Research Association, then everyone would be "their own people."

Members of the Taishan Industry Research Association had to communicate with each other, which meant cross-shareholding or jointly investing in new projects. In this way, Sitong would have a chance to get Dongling High-Tech's equity or invest in Dongling High-Tech's new projects!

But now, everything Duan Yongji envisioned hadn't had time to be implemented before it was shattered. Li Dongling simply didn't give him any chance!

Now Duan Yongji finally understood why, a few years ago, when Sitong Vice President Li Wenjun went to Hanxi on behalf of Sitong to discuss investment with Dongling High-Tech, he broke his defense in the end.

This kind of scene where he "carefully" prepared a table of food, considered everything for the other party, and was even willing to make huge "concessions," just to let the other party "discuss the great plan together," but the result was that the other party directly staged a scene of Crow Brother eating. Not a bite of food was eaten, and the table was even flipped. All the hard work was wasted. Could he not break his defense?

Duan Yongji considered himself to have been full of sincerity. When had he ever shown such an attitude? But everything became useless work. Li Dongling's refusal made him feel that his face had been thrown on the ground and stepped on.

The smile on his face had long since disappeared, and his eyes were fixed on Li Dongling. "Li Zong, do you have any opinions about me or a certain member of the Taishan Industry Research Association now?"

"I wouldn't dare. I have never met the members of your chamber of commerce, so how can there be any grievances?"

Duan Yongji nodded and suddenly said, "That is to say, you are ashamed to be with us?"

The subtext of this sentence was already very clear. If you are unwilling to join the Taishan Industry Research Association, then you are their opponent!

"Duan Zong, why bother? The weather is so good today, why not hit a few more golf balls? Talking about these things, wouldn't it spoil the mood?"

Li Dongling still gently swung the golf club, then suddenly exerted force, and a golf ball flew high and headed straight for the hole. Li Dongling's ball actually went into the hole in one shot!

"Good shot!"

"I understand Li Zong's meaning. Don't take today's matter to heart. Let's continue playing!"

Duan Yongji looked deeply at Li Dongling and suddenly laughed, as if the matter just now didn't exist at all.

But Zhang Yue, who was familiar with Duan Yongji, knew that Duan Yongji was already very angry at this moment. He hesitated for a moment but still stood by Duan Yongji's side. For a time, there was a sense of distinct boundaries between Li Dongling and Duan Yongji.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 340 =====