After his two grandsons left the office, Chen Kezong was furious. He also opposed Chen Guangwei's decision to take out a loan, but he couldn't make a decision right now because the patent wasn't in Chen Guangwei's hands, and his eldest son had been kicked out of the house. He couldn't be too strict with him right now, but the synthetic rubber project was crucial to the Chen family, and he couldn't let the project there stop progressing.
Once outside, Chen Yaohui wiped the cold sweat from his brow. Although he hadn't relaxed at all while talking to his grandfather, he was extremely uneasy inside. He glanced at his younger brother, Chen Yaocan, whose expression was also somewhat unsettled. They were both terrified.
Chen Yaocan said, "Damn it, that damned Chen Guangwei, how can we take it away if he doesn't mortgage the patent to the bank?"
Chen Yaohui said, "Don't rush him. He won't be able to hold on for long. He'll have to pay for the equipment soon. If he runs out of money, he'll think of taking out a loan. Urging him at this time will only make him more wary."
Chen Yaocan said, "I'm afraid that my father won't be able to withstand the pressure from my grandfather. If he has allocated enough funds to Chen Guangwei, then our plan will fall through."
Chen Yaohui said, "Do you think that even if Dad wanted to transfer money, he could conjure it out of thin air?"
Chen Yaocan chuckled and said, "That's true. The accounts are empty right now, so there's nothing Dad can do."
Zhao Qiang turned on the computer and typed for a while, but Chen Xinxin was still fuming and ignoring him. At this moment, Zhao Ling pushed the door open and entered. She was dressed in a professional suit and looked very capable. Her originally foxy appearance had become more dignified.
"Xin Xin, what's wrong? Who are you angry with?" Zhao Ling asked, putting down her bag.
Chen Xinxin said, "What kind of damn chairman am I? I'm almost penniless."
Zhao Ling chuckled: "What are you worried about? You still have Zhao Qiang, don't you?"
Chen Xinxin said, "Even if he can make money from repairs, it won't be enough. The equipment payment is due soon, and money is flowing out of the construction site every day. Even if another hundred million yuan is injected, it might not be enough."
Zhao Ling walked over to Zhao Qiang, placed her hands on his shoulders, and said, "Zhao Qiang, stop keeping me in suspense."
Zhao Qiang said, "I really didn't keep you in suspense, I'm worried about this too."
Zhao Ling said, "It's a pity that all our private savings have been invested in the construction of Lingdong Entertainment, otherwise we could have used it to support the construction of the industrial park."
Zhao Qiang asked, "How's it going with contacting some of the major perfume companies abroad?"
Zhao Ling said, "The letter was sent, but there has been no reply. It seems that people like us have no way to communicate with them directly. By the way, what do you want with them?"
Zhao Qiang said, "Of course I have my reasons for borrowing some money from them."
"Borrow money?" Chen Xinxin jumped up from her office chair. "Borrow money from them? Are you kidding me? Do you think they're a commercial bank? If you need a loan, you should go to a bank, not a perfume company."
Zhao Qiang said, "To ensure security, patents cannot be used as collateral, and we also cannot allow others to invest in us. If outsiders interfere, it will be a major obstacle for us."
Chen Xinxin said, "But you want to raise funds through a perfume company?"
Zhao Qiang said, "Yes, Zhao Ling, since they are not replying, then send another express mail, sending one sample bottle to each of them. Those who are interested should come to China to talk to you in person."
Zhao Ling asked, "What sample?"
Zhao Qiang opened his desk drawer and took out a large bag containing dozens of glass bottles. The bottles were all sealed and contained a clear liquid. Because of the extremely high sealing performance, there was no smell at all.
"Perfume?" Zhao Ling asked.
Zhao Qiang nodded. Chen Xinxin ran over, grabbed a bottle, and brought it to her nose to smell, but couldn't detect any scent. She said, "What perfume is this? It doesn't smell."
Zhao Qiang said, "You can only smell it after you open it, but even if you do open it, what you smell right now won't be a fragrance."
Zhao Ling asked, puzzled, "Why? If it doesn't smell good, why send it to a perfume company? What's the point?"
Zhao Qiang said, "This is just a high-concentration masterbatch, which needs to be mixed with other flavorings using various methods. As for the method, please make a copy of this document for each bottle and leave your office phone number. Ask them to reply within 48 hours of receiving it, otherwise we will not consider it."
Chen Xinxin said in surprise, "So arrogant? You're not too confident, are you?"
Zhao Ling replied, "What can't Zhao Qiang do? People say that expensive perfumes are liquid diamonds, costing hundreds of dollars per ounce. If this is the base material used for blending, the price will be even more expensive. As long as we have the supply, the money will come quickly."
Chen Xinxin said, "Then hurry up and send it. International airmail takes time, and we don't know if there will be any restrictions on mailing liquids like this. The sooner the better."
Zhao Qiang had considered other ways to make money, such as the technological achievements he had already researched. However, he couldn't cooperate with Xu Xiaoya at the moment because that would give the Chen family leverage, which would be detrimental to Chen Xinxin's future development. But handing over these technological achievements to the Chen family would feel like helping their enemy. Originally, the Chen family wasn't an enemy, but recently Zhao Qiang discovered that Chen Guangwei had enemies within the Chen family. Therefore, Zhao Qiang couldn't recklessly help the Chen family. After thinking it over, he decided to first raise some funds from abroad. As for the future, these perfumes would be incorporated into the beauty cosmetics series.
(Royal Ancient God Coins reward to thank Idle Person? [2 cards], Night Color, Dugu Yuyue Ticket support)
Volume 2 [507] Funds
What kind of perfume is the most expensive? The answer is perfumes customized to one's personal characteristics, which are incredibly valuable. However, there are not many such clients, so mass-produced perfumes still have an absolute market. Of course, mass-produced perfumes are not worth much, so it's not worth it. It's not worth the effort to modify ordinary perfumes and end up not making much money.
Zhao Qiang went to great lengths to produce this batch of perfume samples, fully utilizing his sense of smell and brain processing abilities. He used his energy transformation capabilities to turn ordinary perfume into a rare and exquisite fragrance. It would be a great injustice if this batch of perfume failed to attract the attention of internationally renowned brands. However, Zhao Qiang was unsure when he would receive the cash from them. The journey would take a considerable amount of time, and negotiations would be necessary. It seemed that the payments from the construction site could be delayed as long as possible.
In the Chen family's villa, the three men were drinking wine. The wind was howling outside. Although the temperature wasn't as cold as in winter, the strong spring breeze made the warm wine feel comforting.
"Dad, you haven't done anything stupid, have you?" Chen Yaohui asked, feeling uneasy about his father.
Chen Guangmin glared at his son: "How dare you talk like that? Do you think I'm that stupid, being your father?"
Chen Yaocan rolled his eyes at his father and said, "You're not stupid, you're just naive. When it comes to speaking manners, my grandfather is still your father, and I've never seen you speak with much respect. I learned this from you."
"Damn it, this is exactly what they mean by 'if the upper beam is crooked, the lower beam will be crooked too,'" Chen Guangmin thought with a sense of relief.
Chen Yaohui said, "As far as I know, my uncle's funds have reached the point of desperation. Today, at least six or seven families went to the construction site to demand payment, and the companies that ordered production equipment are also urging for the down payment. Otherwise, they will not deliver the goods. There is no need for me to stir things up behind the scenes."
Chen Guangmin said, "Is that patent really that important to you? Actually, there are many things you can do. There's no need to keep focusing on your uncle. Although he has some talent, he's been suppressed by you for the past few years. It's not going to be easy for him to turn things around. You're being too wary. Even if you give him funds, he can only make a difference in synthetic rubber. How much impact will that have on us?"
Chen Yaohui said, "Dad, that's why I said my grandfather doesn't approve of you succeeding him. He has no vision. Once my uncle controls the synthetic rubber industry, the downstream heavy industry will also be affected. Then we will be ridden on by my uncle, which is not good."
Chen Guangmin said, "If we control the raw materials, won't your uncle still be subject to us? It's impossible for him to develop and seize power."
Chen Yaocan said, "Dad, don't you know that chemical raw materials aren't exclusive to the South? My uncle can't buy them from us, so he has to source them from the North. Zhao Qiang, who's with him, is the best pawn for connecting with people in the North. So, it's impossible for you to control him at the source."
Chen Guangmin said, “It seems you two brothers are determined. I’m not going to interfere anymore. In my opinion, why don’t we send someone to steal the patent technology and then start a rubber company together?”
Chen Yaohui said, "You think we didn't send anyone? But judging from the feedback, the patented technology is one thing, but the more important thing is the catalyst. Without the catalyst, it's useless. However, only Zhao Qiang knows about the catalyst. It's difficult to get a sample before actual production. So we need to push them into a corner step by step, make them panic, and hastily start production will give us an opportunity. Moreover, the unstable foundation will also help us to strike them."
Chen Guangmin said, "Can you two stop thinking about these despicable and filthy things all day long? No wonder your grandfather has always refused to hand over the Chen family to you two. You have wicked intentions."
Chen Yaocan said, "Dad, only you would dare to say something like that. Do you know the consequences if someone else said that?"
Chen Guangmin chuckled: "You don't actually want to harm me, do you?"
Chen Yaohui said, "Dad, of course that's impossible. You are our biological father, and we are family."
A series of sinister laughs echoed from the room.
In the morning, the phone on Zhao Ling's desk rang incessantly. Zhao Ling's ears were getting numb from answering so many calls. What was even more infuriating was that most of the callers were speaking foreign languages, which were too difficult for Zhao Ling to understand. Helpless, Zhao Ling had to call Zhao Qiang over. She knew Zhao Qiang's level; he could read foreign language books fluently, so answering phone calls would be no problem for him.
"Hello, is this Miss Zhao?"
Zhao Qiang calmly replied, "I'm her secretary. Please speak." His fluent foreign language made Zhao Ling, who was listening nearby, extremely envious. In fact, she didn't understand a word, but that didn't stop her from looking at Zhao Qiang with admiration.
“Our company values the samples you sent us and hopes to discuss this further with you.”
Zhao Qiang said, "Really? Please come to China. I think you will find what you are looking for. The date is set for the day after tomorrow. We will not wait for you after that, because we are sending samples to at least a dozen companies at the same time."
The other party's breathing was heavy, perhaps angered by Zhao Qiang's 'despicable' tactics—clearly setting them up to compete so he could reap the benefits. However, the perfume created using the samples sent by the other party astonished the company's executives. This perfume was absolutely a first, its fragrance possessing a mesmerizing magic that was irresistible.
Zhao Qiang calmly answered several phone calls, then unplugged the phone line. Zhao Ling asked in confusion, "Why aren't you answering? The more competitors we have, the better for us. We'll sell to whoever offers the highest price."
Zhao Qiang said, "There's no need to take on the rest. We've already received information from the main companies. The other companies will naturally follow their lead. There's no need to explain to each one individually; it's exhausting."
Zhao Ling smiled and said, "I'll make you some tea."
Chen Xinxin came running in, "Zhao Qiang, the construction site is sending people to collect payments again."
Zhao Qiang waved his hand: "Let's go, let's find a place to hide first."
So the three company executives slipped away through the back door. Chen Guangwei moved to a new place of residence because this place had become his office. He hadn't come to work for the past two days, mainly because he didn't dare to face Zhao Qiang and Chen Xinxin. Originally, he was the one who took the initiative to contact Zhao Qiang to cooperate on this project. Although Zhao Qiang took 70% of the shares, all 70% went to his biological daughter, so this should actually be a business of his own family.
The promised funds from Chen Guangwei have not arrived, severely impacting the progress of the entire project. Some construction teams on the site have already gone on strike, and payments for the production lines ordered from abroad have been repeatedly delayed. Chen Guangwei has called Chen Kezong several times, but the response he receives is to wait. The Chen family is also currently facing financial difficulties, and Chen Kezong has hinted that Chen Guangwei should try to resolve the issue himself first.
In the living room, Chen Guangwei listened to his secretary's report with a heavy expression. The secretary closed the door and left. Chen Shuxian said, "Guangwei, how did things come to this? The Chen family can't possibly be without tens of millions of working capital. Do you still have any concerns? Zhao Qiang didn't ask for a single penny of benefit. He even gave us his patent for free."
Chen Guangwei said, "Shuxian, how could I not know this? It's just that my second brother suddenly attacked me at this time. He has a firm grip on the Chen family's finances, and now my father can't come up with cash to get out of this predicament unless he takes out a loan."
Chen Shuxian said, "But Zhao Qiang won't agree to a loan. He won't approve of even finding an investment company. We can't go against his wishes."
Chen Guangwei said, "This is exactly what's giving me a headache. I'll call a friend and borrow some money to tide me over."
After making a round of calls, Chen Guangwei found that some friends were short of money, others had just invested in a big project, and the rest were evasive, saying they would look into it later and call back if they had the funds.
Watching Chen Guangwei hang up the phone in disappointment time and time again, Chen Shuxian rolled her eyes at him and said, "You haven't made many friends these past few years. It seems you've been devoted to the Chen family, but the Chen family hasn't been devoted to you."
Chen Guangwei said awkwardly, "Perhaps they really are in trouble." In fact, Chen Guangwei knew perfectly well that his second brother must have spoken to these people in advance. It would probably be difficult to borrow money from them. Although Chen Guangwei had been his father's right-hand man for the past few years, most of the Chen family's business was still controlled by his second brother. Chen Guangwei was preoccupied with love and had no intention of competing with his brothers for the family fortune. Therefore, he had not cultivated his own power. Otherwise, he would not have fallen to this state.
In the Chen family villa, Chen Guangmin's house, Chen Yaohui chuckled coldly: "Dad, just you wait and see. Uncle will be coming to beg you in a few days. Otherwise, he'll only have one option: a loan. If he dares to use his patent as collateral for a loan, I have ways to make him lose everything."
Chen Guangmin said, "Why didn't we see Zhao Qiang make a move? Could he only have this many tricks up his sleeve?" As the saying goes, experience is the best teacher. Although Chen Guangmin wasn't the quickest-witted one, he wasn't one to sit idly by when it mattered.
Chen Yaocan said, "Unless Zhao Qiang asks the women in the north for help, what other options does he have? He can't possibly make that little money from repairs to tide him over. But if he asks the people in the north for help, will Father still support Chen Guangwei?"
Chen Guangmin said, "I heard that Zhao Qiang has recently been doing business with foreign perfume companies?"
Chen Yaohui stood up and said, "We have to be careful about this news. Just think about the profitable projects of the youth health product company. Second brother, go and investigate. If any of the company representatives who have recently entered the country are detained, don't let them contact Zhao Qiang. I'm afraid Zhao Qiang is trying to take advantage of them."
The next day, in Zhao Qiang's office, Zhao Ling looked worried. She said, "The situation is not good. Why didn't any of the foreign companies send representatives? Does that mean our products are not of interest to them?"
Zhao Qiang said, "No, no cat would refuse to come if it smelled fish. There must have been a problem in the middle. You should call the foreign company again... Oh, sorry, let me make the call myself."
Zhao Ling felt a little embarrassed; she had only finished high school, and her English had long since been absorbed into her body. Zhao Qiang made two international calls in a row, and Zhao Ling sensed that his tone wasn't good. She asked anxiously, "How did it go? What did they say?"
Zhao Qiang said, "The person has already gone abroad, but we haven't received any follow-up news. They told us to wait, and they are currently contacting the representative."
Zhao Ling asked in confusion, "What's going on? Could someone just suddenly disappear?"
Zhao Qiang said, "If it were just one representative who lost contact, that would be one thing, but the fact that so many representatives haven't arrived in Baiyuan City can only mean one thing."
Zhao Ling asked, "What's the problem?"
Zhao Qiang said, "Someone is involved. If it's not a hostile force hiding behind the scenes, then it's someone from the Chen family."
Zhao Ling remained silent for a long time. Although she didn't know how terrifying Zhao Qiang's so-called hostile forces were, anyone who could make Zhao Qiang take things so seriously must be no ordinary person. In addition, the only person in the Chen family who was against Chen Guangwei was Chen Guangmin. Chen Guangmin was not very successful, but his sons were all as clever as monkeys and controlled most of the Chen family's businesses. Their strength should not be underestimated.
"What do we do?" Zhao Ling finally asked.
Zhao Qiang said, "There's no other way, let's go to Xianshui City, the provincial capital."
"Go to the Immortal Water?"
Zhao Qiang said, "Yes, send new letters to the foreign companies and ask them to send other representatives. Xianshui City is not under the control of the South, so the Chen family's influence cannot interfere. Otherwise, no matter how many representatives the foreign companies send, it will be useless, and they will still disappear."
Zhao Ling said, "This is the only way we can try, but we don't know if the construction site can be delayed any longer."
Zhao Qiang said, "If we can't keep going, we'll stop work. The ordered equipment can also be delayed. If the funding problem isn't resolved, then we can't talk about anything else."
Zhao Ling said, "Okay, I'll go and inform Xin Xin so she can make preparations. As soon as the overseas company agrees, we'll head to Xianshui City to wait."
Xianshui City is an inland city. The reason it is named "Xianshui" is actually related to the many fountains in the city. The water flows all year round, and the water is sweet and clear. The whole city is surrounded by springs, hence the name. There are many beverage factories in the city, and the food and light industry is very developed. It is one of the large cities in the province.
After a few more days of waiting, Zhao Qiang finally welcomed representatives from six companies. Originally, more representatives were expected to arrive, but because news broke that the previous group of representatives had been detained without cause at the airport, several companies gave up on negotiations.
The first day's meeting went smoothly, with everyone getting a comprehensive look at the series of perfume masterbatches Zhao Qiang had created, marveling at these amazing fragrances. However, on the second day, disagreements arose when discussing prices, and the meeting ended unhappily, with the foreign representatives expressing their inability to accept Zhao Qiang's price demands.