Chapter 1002: You’ve Got to Be Careful About This Matter
This matter had been publicized widely in the media, helping to reverse the previous decline of the Chu Group’s share price.
But how to put it…
A large corporation like the Jiahe Corporation dealt with tens, even hundreds of billions. The Chu Group did alright in Haicheng, but to do business with the Jiahe Corporation, although the pie was big, the Chu Group wouldn’t be able to swallow it!
Su Huan’s father had some connections and heard some news. Hence, he had some hesitations and decided to ask Fu Huai’an…
“Previously, I heard that President Tang Xi of the Jiahe Corporation and the vice-president of Kaide Corporation, Tang Zheng… the two of them had been meeting up on consecutive days to discuss the new coastal city project in Wei City. I even heard that the desire to cooperate was strong between the Kaide Corporation and the Jiahe Corporation, but somehow, in the end, they signed the contract with the Chu Group.”
Fu Huai’an said nothing, merely lifting the teapot to fill his teacup.
Chu Fangzheng of the Chu Group was going around convincing investors with the Jiahe Corporation’s name, saying they shouldn’t let the Kaide Corporation make the first move, that they could each try to get a share of the pie. The Chu Group wanted to gather more SMEs[1]. They planned to add up the strengths of many small players to go up against the Kaide Corporation.
However, Chu Fangzheng said… the Chu Group had already signed the contract with the Jiahe Corporation. Though, in actual fact, it hadn’t…
Chu Fangzheng went to look for Tang Xi, proposing a collaboration, and they had been in touch many times, making Chu Fangzheng feel that he was about to succeed in making a deal with them. After all, this was as good as the Chu Group opening up its wallet for the Jiahe Corporation to grasp money as they liked!
But, unexpectedly, Tang Xi leisurely replied that he couldn’t deign to look at such a small business deal. Chu Fangzheng then panicked and pestered Tang Xi for a long time, hoping the Jiahe Corporation would invest in the Chu Group, even offering to give the Jiahe Corporation a part of their shares even though the Jiahe Corporation didn’t really pump in money. All the Jiahe Corporation had to do was announce to the public that they were investing. What Chu Fangzheng wanted was the Jiahe Corporation’s name as an investor.
But Tang Xi laughed and said that he really didn’t care for the bit of money the Jiahe Corporation could obtain by investing in the Chu Group, even if only in name. It was just that problems frequently arose with the Chu Group’s real estate projects, resulting in wrangling with the consumers!
If the Jiahe Corporation became a shareholder of the Chu Group this time and there was a problem with the Chu Group, the Jiahe Corporation’s reputation would take a blow as well, and that wouldn’t be a good deal.
Coincidentally, Tang Zheng arrived at this time, saying he wanted to discuss a project with Tang Xi. After the duo left, Chu Fangzheng asked his subordinates to ask around about the project the Jiahe Corporation and the Kaide Corporation were planning to cooperate on.
Later, Chu Fangzheng heard news that the Jiahe Corporation was going to commence a new coastal city project. They had already received approval from the government and were planning to cooperate with the Kaide Corporation.
When Chu Fangzheng heard this, an idea struck him immediately…
Although the Chu Group’s ability was indeed inferior to the Kaide Corporation, he could gather several SMEs!
Hence, Chu Fangzheng went to test the waters with Tang Xi. Tang Xi also said that, deep in his heart, he didn’t wish to collaborate with the Kaide Corporation. This was because the Kaide Corporation had been advancing too strongly these years and had become as powerful as the Jiahe Corporation. Tang Xi selfishly didn’t hope to see the existence of a company that could rival the Jiahe Corporation or even potentially overtake the Jiahe Corporation!
There was also the fact that once the two large corporations collaborated, both parties might want to have a say, and they might reach a disagreement. If the Kaide Corporation wanted to meddle in their management, things might get messy!
When Chu Fangzheng heard this, he got an idea. He suggested that Tang Xi could consider cooperation with his Chu Group. Although his Chu Group wasn’t as big a player as the Kaide Corporation, he could gather some small players. With their powers combined, they would be the Kaide Corporation’s equal!
Furthermore, they were all small players, thus wouldn’t overly meddle in the Jiahe Corporation’s operations and management. The Jiahe Corporation would be fully in charge, as they just wanted a slice of the action!
Tang Xi hesitated for a long while before relenting. He asked Chu Fangzheng to gather the resources. If Chu Fangzheng could reach the Jiahe Corporation’s requirements, then Chu Fangzheng would certainly be his first choice as a cooperation partner.
Hence, Chu Fangzheng went around with the Jiahe Corporation’s flag, trying to convince SMEs…
When Chu Fangzheng felt he was more or less ready, he went to Tang Xi, telling the latter which enterprises he managed to rope in and that he would absolutely be able to raise the required funds.
Tang Xi glanced at the information Chu Fangzheng prepared, then smiled and asked how a grown man like Chu Fangzheng could do things so insincerely…
Chu Fangzheng claimed to have gathered the funds, but who knew if he was telling the truth! This was a ma.s.sive project… a ma.s.sive project that would affect the Jiahe Corporation for the next few years to come! Tang Xi didn’t dare cooperate with Chu Fangzheng just based on his empty claims alone!
Chu Fangzheng was a smart guy too. He said that so long as Tang Xi signed the contract with him… he would immediately get those enterprises to sign the contract.
Tang Xi then stood up with his phone and lighter in hand and said to Chu Fangzheng that the safest course of action for the Jiahe Corporation was to cooperate with the Kaide Corporation. Why should he, for Chu Fangzheng’s interests and profits, bear the risk of signing a contract with a Chu Fangzheng who had nothing? Was he joking or what?
Tang Xi was notorious for having a wicked tongue and thus didn’t bother speaking politely. He directly laughed and asked Chu Fangzheng if he didn’t care about being shameless because he was old or because he felt that his face was as big as the moon and that everyone had to give him face!
Seeing that Tang Xi was about to leave, Chu Fangzheng panicked…
Tang Xi said that Chu Fangzheng had already wasted so much of his time, telling him not to look for him again! The Chu Group could do whatever it wanted, lest the Jiahe Corporation ended up in a mess trying to help a hopeless case like the Chu Group!
Chu Fangzheng gritted his teeth. Wanting to show Tang Xi his sincerity and capability, after he went back, he began signing contracts with the SMEs he was liaising with. In order to get them to do so, he claimed to have signed an agreement with the Jiahe Corporation to rea.s.sure those small enterprises.
This was why Su Huan heard that the Jiahe Corporation had signed a contract with the Chu Group…
Fu Huai’an didn’t want to delve deeper into this topic. It was a trap set by Fu Huai’an and Xie Jingqiu to begin with.
Fu Huai’an looked up and gazed at Su Huan with his deep and unfathomable eyes.
Su Huan laughed open-heartedly and said frankly, “To tell the truth, it’s because Mr. Chu found us and raised this matter with my father. But I feel that there’s no free lunch in this world!”
Fu Huai’an nodded, feeling that Su Huan had a clear mind that was rare to come by…
“Even now, the Jiahe Corporation hasn’t announced to the public that it has signed a contract with the Chu Group. But… its att.i.tude towards the fact that the Chu Group has announced that the Jiahe Corporation signed a contract with them is ambiguous. No matter how the media pressed them, they didn’t stand out to clarify whether it was indeed true, only saying it was a commercial secret. Hence, I have pondered over this and have yet to decide!”
Fu Huai’an had helped Su Huan this time, and Su Huan was a grateful person. He said this because he was afraid that Chu Fangzheng might be up to no good. He was trying to alert Fu Huai’an to this so that he could pay close attention to the matter.
Seeing no reply from Fu Huai’an, Su Huan couldn’t help saying, “Mr. Fu, you’ve got to be careful of this matter…”
[1] Small and medium-sized enterprises