“I know.” Chu Lui answered plainly like he usually did. It was as if he did not care if the company was going down—as if it were not his company, but someone else’s.
“Cousin, what are we going to do?” Du Jingtang clawed at his hair. “Wha-what are we going to do…?” This was the first time that the company had encountered something like a crisis of this scale. Seventy percent of their assets were gone, and they had countless penalties of late payment to pay.
“Jingtang, go out first,” Chu Lui said evenly. He wanted to rest and not talk to anyone now.
Du Jingtang still had a lot to say. However, he kept quiet when he saw the state that Chu Lui was in. He opened the door and left, preparing to go back and brainstorm for ways to reduce the losses.
At the negotiation table, Chu Lui toyed with the signature pen that he instinctively held between his fingers.
Sitting across from him was his nemesis from all these years, the vice president of Hao Han Enterprise. They were the one who intercepted the fruits of Chu Enterprise’s three-year labor. All the benefits they were reaping were Chu Lui and the Chu Enterprise’s. The profits from this time were enough for Hao Han Enterprise to solidify its place as the number-one of the trade, next to Chu Enterprise.
Beyond losing the first opportunity, the Chu Enterprise’s assets had shrunk considerably from this blow. This was a deadly blow to a company of these proportions. With the trouble piled on by other companies, a series of negative reactions had started showing. The value of the company’s stocks had dropped drastically, and many stockholders were getting rather restless. Things would only get worse at the rate they were going.
The vice president of Hao Han Enterprise was about the same age as Chu Lui. He was rather capable as well, but he owed it to Chu Lui in some aspects so Hao Han Enterprise was never able to take over the Chu Enterprise, even though it had started off stronger. Its development had been steady but unassuming all these years, but they finally found the chance to deal a deadly blow to Chu Enterprise. The best time to strike was while the enemy was wounded, or else they would recover the first chance they got. That was the only way Hao Han Enterprise could take the seat as the first in the industry.
Min Guocheng picked up the cup and placed it before Chu Lui.
“CEO Chu, please.”
“Thanks, but I don’t drink that.” Instead, Chu Lui asked for a glass of milk and sipped on it slowly.
“CEO Chu doesn’t intend to sit with me here the whole time, right?” Min Guocheng smiled, his cunning eyes filled with calculations as he stroked the mug in his hand. “CEO Chu might have a lot of time now, but I don’t. There’s a bunch of things waiting for me to get done back at the company. Oh, right, I should thank CEO Chu for your generosity in giving me such a great project.
Chu Lui set his cup down. He could tell that Min Guocheng was bragging to him. He straightened out the emotionless corners of his lips. “CEO Min, you sure that’s something you can handle?”
“Of course.” Min Guocheng smiled. “Hao Han has the ability to take such a project. But, CEO Chu, I think the same can’t be said for you. Of course, we’re speaking of business here. I have my ways, and this is my ability. You just lost to me because of a lack of ability.”
With that, he stood up and reached out his hand towards Chu Lui. “CEO Chu, I hope that we can work together again. I hope that the day will come again.”
Chu Lui neither looked nor picked up the man’s hand.
Min Guocheng took his hand back without any sense of embarrassment. The next time they meet, Chu Lui would no longer be the same man. With only thirty percent of his assets, what ability did he have to go against Hao Han?
“Oh, right.” Min Guocheng paused when he was at the door. He turned, with a hand in his pocket.
“CEO Chu, don’t you want to know who sold me the news?”
“It doesn’t matter who it was anymore.” Chu Lui was not interested.
Min Guocheng shrugged. “Since CEO Chu doesn’t appreciate my goodwill, goodbye.” He walked out, beaming. After being under the thumb of Chu Lui all these years, he had finally defeated Chu Lui.
It was great, really good.
Du Jingtang walked in.
“Brother, how was it?” He asked hurriedly without sitting down. “What did that Min fellow say?”
“What do you want him to say?” Chu Lui asked plainly as he looked up at his cousin.
“I…”
He was not sure.
“You wanted to ask him to not take our business? Or share the profits with us since it was our thing?” Chu Lui asked again.
“He would never agree to that.” Du Jingtang pouted.
“So, he would neither say nor agree to anything.” Chu Lui stood up and took the cup that Min Guocheng had used. “Since he won’t, then there’s no point in us saying anything.” Bang! He tossed the mug into the trash can.
“Then…” Du Jingtang struggled. “Did he say who did it?”
“Does it matter?” Chu Lui pulled out a piece of tissue to clean his hand as if he had touched something dirty.
Did it matter? Was it really important?
It did not matter who said it or did it. Things had already happened, and no one could shoulder the responsibility.
The shares of the Chu Enterprise had dropped drastically. After a few meetings, the company was in a state of unrest. Even the employees were worried that they would lose their jobs, or that their CEO might be replaced.
After paying all the penalties and compensation, the company’s assets would be reduced by seventy percent. However, the scariest thing was that the unrest was spreading, and they were losing their orders.
When such a large company cannot reach a certain standard of income, they would not be able to afford the utilities and the maintenance of the building and wages of its employees.
The expenses for each month were rather hefty. Chu Lui’s personal assets and the family villa had been frozen by the bank.
Song Wan could only move into a small condominium under Chu Jiang’s name with Chu Xiang, but they did not know how long they would be able to stay there.