Zhao Qiang has been relaxed ever since Xu Xiaoya arrived. He enjoys Xu Xiaoya's rule, which is probably something he's gotten used to during his four years of university. In fact, Xu Xiaoya never raises her voice to him now, and she always considers Zhao Qiang's feelings first. She's as gentle as a cat. Girls who truly fall in love with a man are probably all like that.
The premium Tieguanyin tea was brewed, and Zhao Qiang and Wang Meng played chess while drinking. Soon, Zhang Lingfeng joined in, but he had poor sportsmanship. Before long, the three of them started arguing so much that they overturned the chessboard and refused to play anymore. Zhang Lingfeng and Wang Meng, who teamed up, couldn't beat Zhao Qiang, so they started blaming each other.
Xu Xiaoya said, "Alright, you two play one game. Whoever loses will prove who was wrong."
Zhang Lingfeng backed down and said, "I don't have time for that. I'll go to the finance department and make sure those guys don't slack off."
Xu Xiaoya said, "Let's go together. It's been more than three hours. Maybe we can find out something."
Zhao Qiang followed along, and since Luo Wanfeng was free anyway, they all went downstairs together. The finance department had requisitioned several offices next door, and ledgers were laid out on the tables. Everyone had a calculator, a pen, and a notebook. It was impossible to start calculating from scratch, so they could only sort out the general accounts first in order to find the loss points. Otherwise, no matter how much money they invested, it would be a waste.
Sun Junmei looked suspicious, and Xu Xiaoya asked, "Mom, have you made any progress? Is this account correct?"
Sun Junmei said, "If the accounts are correct, there's no need to check. These are the overdue water and electricity bills. You should pay them via bank transfer first. I just received a call from the finance department; they're urging us again. If we don't pay soon, they might cut off the power."
Xu Xiaoya handed the form to Ma Hua and said, "Sister Hua, thank you for your help." Ma Hua took the form and went to handle it. It's convenient to have more people around; otherwise, she would have to do everything herself for even the smallest tasks.
Luo Wanfeng asked, "Minister Sun, tell me about the situation. Is it very serious?"
Sun Junmei said, "These accounts are very chaotic and can only be roughly estimated. It is an absolute fact that Haifeng Group has suffered losses, but it is not enough to have emptied all of its working capital. So far, five large sums of money have been found to have gone missing. The person in charge was Liu Qiheng and the person who signed them was Luo Wanjiang. I think it is necessary to report this to the police, as there are serious economic violations involved."
Zhang Lingfeng said, "We're police officers, Aunt Sun, what do you suggest? I'll go arrest them right now."
Sun Junmei said, "This has to be done according to the procedures of the Economic Crime Investigation Department. I'm not an expert in this area."
Xu Xiaoya said to Zhang Lingfeng, "Send someone to detain Liu Qiheng first, and keep a close eye on the whereabouts of the other people in the finance department. However, Haifeng Group is a privately owned enterprise. If the board of directors doesn't investigate or helps cover it up, what's the use of us finding out the problem? Unless the board of directors calls the police to investigate."
Luo Wanfeng said, "Your reminder has really caused trouble. My father owns 30% of the shares, Luo Wanjiang and the others together own 20%, the outside shareholders also own about 20%, and there are five other major shareholders who control 30% of the shares."
Xu Xiaoya asked incredulously, "Uncle Luo, you don't have any shares at all?"
Luo Wanfeng nodded: "No, I only have management authority over the refrigerator department."
Zhang Lingfeng spoke for everyone: "Uncle Luo, we really feel sorry for you! You've put in so much effort and done so much work for the Luo family, and you won't even get a single share of the stock? What kind of wicked scheme is that old man Luo Xin up to?"
Zhao Qiang said, "On the surface, it seems that Grandpa Luo values Uncle Luo quite a lot."
Xu Xiaoya said, "It seems that this appreciation is only for a short period of time."
Luo Wei said, "Yes, my grandfather actually talked to me. He knows the current situation of the company, but his power is no longer enough for him to change the situation, so he thought of my father."
Yang Shiqi coldly interjected, "They've been used as pawns."
Luo Wanfeng's expression changed, and he said in a solemn tone, "I'm willing to be a pawn for my father, as long as the Luo family doesn't fall." In fact, what Yang Shiqi meant was that everyone was being used as a tool by Old Master Luo.
Luo Wei stomped her foot in anger at her father's attitude. Xu Xiaoya said, "If that's the case, I'm afraid calling the police won't do any good, because the key issue is the board's attitude. For example, if five yuan is missing from our house, we initially called the police, but later found out that the child stole it. At that time, the police would also have to ask the parents' opinion. If the parents gave it to the child and then forgot, what can the police say?"
Sun Junmei said, "Then is there any need to check this account?"
Xu Xiaoya said, "Investigate, but first we need to get the list of employees who are owed wages. That's the top priority. Then Zhang Lingfeng will be responsible for investigating the board of directors and finding each of them. I need to know their attitudes."
The night passed quickly, and the next morning, everyone who had been following the developments arrived early at the general manager's office. It was practically like moving the entire repair shop's offices there; Xu Xiaoya really meant what she said, planning to work here for the next few days. Hu Qian, Yang Shiqi, and others were present, only Wang Yidong, being of a lower rank, didn't attend. Even if he had, he wouldn't have been of much help.
Before they could even sit down and speak, a commotion and a fight broke out outside. Luo Wanfeng said to He Guang, "He, go out and see what's going on?"
He Guang rushed back shortly after, "It's terrible, Manager Luo! The workers are on strike demanding their wages and are storming the finance department!"
Yang Shiqi was the first to slam her hand on the table: "I'll go down and take a look!" Zhang Lingfeng also said: "Me too."
The finance department has a lot of ledgers, and if there is any mistake, it will be difficult to handle. It might even be used as an excuse by Luo Wanjiang to attack them. Fortunately, Zhao Qiang had already asked Zhang Lingfeng to send police to guard the area, otherwise someone with premeditation would definitely have succeeded.
When everyone arrived at the sixth floor, the police were arguing with the striking employees demanding their wages. They were outnumbered and clearly no match for the police. The workers were getting closer and closer to the finance department entrance when someone shouted from behind the crowd, "If you don't get your money, we'll smash up the finance department! That bastard Liu Qiheng has pocketed all the benefits and now he's just abandoning us. We have wives and kids at home, are we not going to eat?"
Immediately, someone in the crowd responded: "That's right, when Vice President Luo was in charge, he still paid our wages. But as soon as Luo Wanfeng took office, he started deducting our salaries. Get rid of Luo Wanfeng, otherwise we workers won't have a good life! Luo Wanfeng, get out!...Get out!"
Xu Xiaoya glanced at Yang Shiqi, as if to say whether she could control the situation or not. Yang Shiqi immediately pulled out her gun and fired a shot at the ceiling: "Shut up, all of you! Major Wang!"
The gunshots startled the workers, and even those among them who had ulterior motives dared not speak out. As the saying goes, the nail that sticks out gets hammered down. Even if the transvestite didn't dare to shoot them in the head, it wouldn't hurt if he hit their arms or legs.
Major Wang immediately ran up from behind. Without orders, he didn't dare to do anything to the workers. The soldiers in that platoon also didn't dare to easily get involved in the conflict. A conflict between the military and civilians could be a serious matter, and they couldn't afford to take responsibility without orders.
Volume 2 [285] Strike and Demand for Unpaid Wages
Major Wang saluted: "Young Master Yang."
Yang Shiqi said, "Drag out those two people who were just talking!"
Major Wang, gun in one hand, and two soldiers clearing a path on either side, charged into the crowd of workers and dragged out the two boastful guys. Yang Shiqi stepped forward and slapped them both across the face! Making a scene in front of her, they really didn't know what they were getting themselves into.
"Comrades, this is an evil under socialism!" the beaten employee shouted. "Rise up and resist oppression!"
Seeing that the workers were getting agitated by her, Xu Xiaoya realized that if they became enraged, Yang Shiqi would be in trouble, unless she shot the employees! That would seriously escalate the situation. Xu Xiaoya kicked Zhang Lingfeng, who knew perfectly well that it was time for him, the local bully, to step in. Only in critical moments do you know who can keep the situation under control.
Zhang Lingfeng stepped forward, patted his chest, and said, "Come on! I am Zhang Lingfeng from Donghai City. If you're not afraid of death, come at me! We'll settle accounts later. Anyone who lays a finger on me today, I'll make sure their whole family never has a moment's peace!"
The hundreds of employees immediately fell silent. The name "Zhang Lingfeng" was definitely a good tool to scare children. It was effective in scaring them now. If they started making trouble today, he might ruin their families tomorrow. There were too many rumors about this in Donghai City. Zhang Lingfeng was definitely ruthless, which was more effective than the gun in Yang Shiqi's hand.
Xu Xiaoya laughed. These employees were too easy to deal with. A good beating followed by a sweet treat would do the trick. Now it was time to give them the sweet treat, but of course, the sweet treat should be given by the right people. Xu Xiaoya nudged Luo Wanfeng and whispered, "Uncle Luo, the payslip has been prepared. Let's pay the wages now."
Luo Wanfeng knew that this was a golden opportunity, and he knew that if he didn't take advantage of Zhang Lingfeng's intimidation to win them over, he would miss the chance. Without hesitation, he stepped forward and shouted, "Comrades, listen to me! There's a conspiracy behind this! Don't be misled..."
Before Luo Wanfeng could finish speaking, the workers began to murmur amongst themselves, demonstrating that he had no authority or status in the head office. However, his next sentence immediately calmed them down: "...Please quiet down and line up to collect your back wages by department!"
"Oh!" the workers cheered. They were only able to be manipulated by those with ulterior motives to get money, and now that they had money, they were naturally happy. Their goal had been achieved, and they didn't care about the motives of those behind the scenes.
However, some people asked with ulterior motives: "President Luo, the company's finance department has no money left. How are you going to pay our salaries? Are you kidding us? Don't keep dragging this out until tomorrow, then the day after, and it ends up being a dead end."
Xu Xiaoya chuckled coldly and snapped her fingers behind her. Liu Jia and Zhan Tiannan walked over, each carrying a large box. With a thud, the boxes were placed on the ground. Liu Jia squatted down and opened them. "Wow!" The employees who could see in front exclaimed in surprise. The boxes were full of hundred-yuan bills. The second box was also opened, and it was also full of cash!
Now that Luo Wanfeng felt more confident, since Xu Xiaoya had considered everything for him, he had nothing to worry about. So he shouted loudly again, "Starting from the planning department, employees of other departments, please go back to your offices and wait. Anyone who does not follow the instructions of their department head, please come forward now to collect your salary and then leave!"
There was no need for the department heads to speak; once the employees saw the ample cash, they were relieved. It was just a matter of receiving their money a few minutes earlier or later, so there was no need to push forward any longer. As a result, everyone quickly dispersed, and the area in front of the finance department immediately became quiet.
Luo Wanfeng wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and turned to Xu Xiaoya, saying, "Thank you, Ya. If it weren't for your thorough preparation and everyone's support, we would have been finished today."
Yang Shiqi asked Xu Xiaoya, "What should we do with these two?" To be honest, Yang Shiqi admired Xu Xiaoya's decisiveness and didn't object to Xu Xiaoya's arrangements. She usually carried them out seriously.
Xu Xiaoya said, "Let them go. They're just two lackeys. The situation is clear now. If they continue to be stubborn, they're just courting death. Let them deal with it themselves. They're just insignificant characters."
In the vice president's office, Luo Wanjiang slammed the phone down on the table. Luo Wanhai, who had just returned from the detention center, asked, "What's wrong, Second Brother? What's the situation down there?"
Luo Juanjuan returned unharmed, of course. No matter how arrogant Zhang Lingfeng was, his father was there to keep him in check. If he really did something to Luo Wanhai and Luo Juanjuan, Old Master Luo would not let it go. So, locking them up for one night was just to scare them.
Luo Wanjiang said, "The workers have all left."
Luo Pingping didn't believe it: "They've returned the money? They won't return it if they can't see the money? This move of mine was absolutely desperate, there's no way it wouldn't succeed!"
Luo Wanjiang said, "It's because they saw the money. I heard that the planning department's salaries have already been paid out, and now it's the television department's turn. Someone brought Luo Wanfeng two large boxes of cash, which is enough for two rounds of salaries."
"Ah..." The Luo siblings looked surprised, "Where did Luo Wanfeng get the money?"
Luo Wanjiang guessed, "It must have been Luo Wei who helped get it. Qimingdeng Electronics is rolling in money. Zhang Lingfeng was also involved. With his slimming tea and cosmetics that cost tens of thousands per set, they've been in short supply these past few days. Making hundreds of millions wouldn't be a problem. We miscalculated and underestimated their power."
Liu Heping sneered: "So what if Pingping's plan failed? Our initial goal was simply to use the workers to delay them. How's your contact with the board of directors going? That's our focus. We need to convene a board meeting immediately to remove Luo Wanfeng from his position!"
Luo Wanjiang quickly came to terms with it; it wouldn't matter if the workers' strike and demand for unpaid wages subsided. He said, "We've contacted all five directors, but it will take them some time to get to Donghai City. They should all arrive around 2 p.m.
Liu Heping said, "Alright, we'll wait."
Luo Juanjuan said rather unwillingly, "I can't swallow this insult after being locked up all night. Brother-in-law, can you find someone else? This time I'll pay for it myself. I want Zhang Lingfeng's seed!"
Liu Heping scolded his sister-in-law, "Don't cause trouble at this time. Even if I can find someone, they won't be here anytime soon. Besides, do you think you can just find anyone to deal with them? If that were the case, Leng Qinghu wouldn't have been hacked to pieces! You need to recognize what kind of people your enemies are, or you'll end up getting yourself killed!"
Luo Juanjuan could only sit down resentfully. They really could only wait. However, the thought that the board of directors would unanimously vote to remove Luo Wanfeng made her feel a little better. Humph, someone who is not recognized by the Luo family at all dares to try to seize power. Doesn't he even know how many shares he holds? Overestimating himself.
With the finance department's crisis resolved, Luo Wanfeng accompanied everyone back to the general manager's office. Zhao Qiang had already handed over the on-site command to Xu Xiaoya, while he went to the side to drink tea and play games. Luo Wanfeng could only ask Xu Xiaoya for instructions on the next step.
Xu Xiaoya said, "Uncle Luo, we can't be too happy yet. We're still not in a good position."
Luo Wanfeng said, "The workers have settled down, and the finance and human resources departments are under our control. Logically speaking, we should be entering a stable phase."
Xu Xiaoya said, "Uncle Luo, don't forget about the board of directors. What can you do if they make things difficult for you?"
Luo Wanfeng said, "Do they want to dismiss me? My father wouldn't agree to that, otherwise what would be the point of him letting me manage the company?"
Xu Xiaoya said, "After all, Grandpa Luo only has 30% of the shares, while your younger siblings have 20%. If they join forces with any shareholder who has more than 10% of the shares, you will be in danger."
Luo Wanfeng remained silent. There were some things that even with his genius business acumen, he couldn't solve. For example, compared to Zhang Lingfeng, he couldn't control those employees, and Zhang Lingfeng's work ability was not as good as his. Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses.
Luo Wei tugged at her father's sleeve to remind him, "Dad, don't worry. I think Xiaoya will definitely have a plan. She's the smartest. Otherwise, why would Zhao Qiang trust her so much?"
Luo Wanfeng looked up at Xu Xiaoya, hoping she could reassure him, but Xu Xiaoya said with a worried expression, "I'm afraid we'll have to disappoint everyone this time. Look, this is the information Zhang Lingfeng has gathered about the five shareholders: Lu Tiannan, Heng Investment, holding 9% of Haifeng Group's shares; Yu Shifeng, Shifeng Vehicle Industry Co., Ltd., holding 3% of Haifeng Group's shares; Gong Linsheng, Jinfeng Mining Co., Ltd., holding 12% of Haifeng Group's shares; Gao Tian, Changtian Electrical Chain Sales, holding 2% of Haifeng Group's shares; and Ning Zichen, Chenzhou Electronic Materials Co., Ltd., holding 4% of Haifeng Group's shares. Each of these five is a shrewd businessman. For them, they would even betray their own father for a benefit. Zhang Lingfeng contacted them last night, but didn't receive a positive response. It seems the situation is not good."
Hu Qian stepped forward and said, "I received information that at least two people have already boarded a plane and are heading to Donghai City."
Zhang Lingfeng cursed, "It's obvious, they were lured by Luo Wanjiang with some offer."
Luo Wanfeng stroked his chin and said, "Father once wanted to take back the shares of these five people, but he didn't succeed in the end. It's a pity that the company is short of funds, otherwise we could have considered it."
Hu Qian glanced at Xu Xiaoya, who blinked. Hu Qian nodded secretly and said to Luo Wanfeng, "Even if Haifeng Group's funds are not tight, I'm afraid these five people may not be willing to sell their shares."
Luo Wanfeng said, "You're right. Even if we buy back 20% of the shares circulating in the market, I'm afraid it won't change the board's decision."
Hu Qian said, "They probably won't agree to sell the shares to the Luo family, but if we sell them to someone else, I think they might consider it. Anyway, they don't want to lose money; they just want to make a bigger profit."
Volume 2 [286] Exorbitant Prices
Luo Wanfeng said, "But who can come up with such a large sum of money to buy shares in an old, failing company that is on the verge of collapse?"
Xu Xiaoya said, "Actually, established companies aren't without potential profit potential; they just need a complete overhaul."
Luo Wei and Xu Xiaoya were best friends who had slept together for several nights. If she couldn't understand what Xu Xiaoya meant, she would be a fool. Moreover, Xu Xiaoya had given her a heads-up beforehand. Luo Wei was afraid that even if she reminded her father, he might not understand. So she said directly, "Sister Xiaoya, isn't Jiayuan Investment in dire need of expansion? I think it should be used to acquire Haifeng Group's shares. We can't let outsiders benefit from it."
Luo Wanfeng was taken aback. It turned out that everything before was just a prelude, and this was the real topic. Xu Xiaoya was afraid that he wouldn't be able to accept it, so she was being tactful. After a little consideration, Luo Wanfeng made a decision and immediately agreed with his daughter, saying, "Yes, if Xiaoya is interested in Haifeng Group, I welcome your investment."
Xu Xiaoya nudged Zhao Qiang behind her. The final decision rested with Zhao Qiang; she was merely throwing out an idea. Zhao Qiang naturally knew what Xu Xiaoya was thinking: this was an inevitable aggression in the process of external expansion. However, he couldn't openly discuss it in front of Luo Wanfeng, as it involved plundering his family's ancestral property.
Zhao Qiang said, "Uncle Luo, you don't have any shares right now, which isn't a long-term solution. We can only help you for a day, not for the future management. So I think Xiaoya's approach is reasonable. At the very least, get that shareholder's 20% stake first, so you won't lose your advantage in front of Luo Wanjiang."
Luo Wanfeng said, "Zhao, I know you're worried I might have concerns, but I'm actually all for it. It would be best if we bought back some of the shares on the market, so we'd be more confident in doing things in the future."
Zhao Qiang chuckled and said, "Let Xiaoya arrange this. I don't know much about economic matters, so you two can discuss and decide."
In the afternoon, at the Donghai Hotel, in a large conference room filled with smoke, Lu Tiannan, Yu Shifeng, Gong Linsheng, Gao Tian, and Ning Zichen gathered together. This was a grand occasion that even the board of directors of Haifeng Group might not be able to achieve, which shows that Luo Wanjiang does have certain abilities, although these abilities are not always used for the right purposes.
Because of their impulsiveness, Luo Wanhai and Luo Juanjuan were not allowed to attend the temporary board meeting. Instead, Luo Wanjiang, Luo Pingping, and Liu Heping represented them. These eight people controlled almost 50% of Haifeng Group's shares. The fact that Haifeng Group had released so many shares back then showed that it was already facing financial difficulties and impending collapse several years ago. Otherwise, Luo Xin would not have allowed so many outsiders to control the company. Some of his decisions at the time were out of necessity, and now he regrets them, but even an old general like Lian Po is powerless to reverse the situation.
Luo Wanjiang threw away his cigarette butt and broke the silence, saying, "Gentlemen, I've laid out my terms for you. If you help me ascend to the position of chairman, I can give each of you an additional 5% of your existing shares." Luo Wanjiang dared to say this because he had the 30% held by the old man; otherwise, where would he get so many shares?
Lu Tiannan flicked his cigarette ash and said casually, "Vice President Luo, to be honest, a few of us aren't very optimistic about Haifeng Group, so we're not very interested in increasing our shareholding." This was the truth. Did others not know about Haifeng Group's situation? Were they, the board members, blind?