Chapter 96: Smoke and Business II
"What exactly is going on?" I asked .
"As I"ve already mentioned, they haven"t been getting paid for two months now . They were waiting for the 500,000 your father promised and for you to save them . "
"What"s with the 500,000?"
"You don"t know?" he asked, eyes wide and disbelieving .
"What am I supposed to know? I only know that these calls are overheating my phone and that I know less about this hopeless factory than you guys . "
"You graduated from Beijing University, right? Marketing? Managed finances in a high-end company, yearly salary of a million?" Gla.s.ses asked .
"Yes, I"m from there but I am still an undergraduate . The rest of what you said is not true . Did my dad tell you that?"
Gla.s.ses shook his head . "He took the last 500,000 from the company . He said it was for you to bring the company back up again . "
"What a joke . Why did you guys let him take it so easily?"
"He said you"re earning a million a year and that the 500,000 is to be placed in suitable investments . Plus, he"s our boss, so why would we doubt him? You"re our last hope now that you"re here," he stated .
"Hold on . Do you not understand? He took the last 500,000 and ran away, leaving me with his position . "
"This . . . can we get it back? That money is for our salary . What should
we do?" Gla.s.ses asked worriedly .
"He"s been gone for almost a day now, do you really think we can still find him? He told me not to look for him and he will do the same," I relayed, looking out of the windows . The workers were striving hard .
"We"re doomed then?" Gla.s.ses plopped down onto a white sofa at the side .
"How long have you been here for, Gla.s.ses?"
"Since 2007, the first year of operation . I"ve been here for about 10 years now . Who would"ve known that the company will fall into such a state . . . " he sobbed spasmodically, wiping his face with his sleeve .
"Things aren"t as bad as they seem . We can continue selling the cars, right?" I asked .
"Yes . You"re a high-performing marketing student, aren"t you? You"ll know what to do, won"t you? You"re our savior!" Gla.s.ses stood up and looked at me hopefully .
"I"ll need to know how big the hole is . . . " I answered .
"You"re saying we need more fundings, right? But your dad"s taken the last bit away and we really have nothing to fork out anymore . There"s no way . . . " he mumbled anxiously .
I fished my phone out and waved it in front of him . "Those calling me . . . what banks are they from and how much does the company owe them? Give me the exact numbers . "
"I have a book . Hold on," he said, rummaging through the cabinets .
He read aloud the contents of a small notebook, "A total of 13,630,000, which is considered little, thanks to the stores and factories that were being put up as collateral . Amidst the total, 10,000,000
10,000,000 are loans from respective banks like Central Bank, China Construction Bank, Field Bank and Industrial, and Commercial Bank of China . 3,000,000 was borrowed from a loan shark . I manage this side really strictly but your father had managed to borrow it somehow from someone called Brother Luan, a mafia boss . If we don"t return it as soon as possible, this factory is going down in a matter of days . "
I turned my phone on, much to Gla.s.ses" surprise . He asked, "Why would you do that? Are you not afraid of those calls?"
I shook my head, frustrated . "I need to settle them before I can think about making money . "
I called each bank up accordingly .
"Hi, this is Central Bank . "
"I"m the legal representative of Roadcat," I greeted .
"Hold on while I transfer your call to my manager . "
Minutes pa.s.sed .
"Hi, sir . Under your company"s name, a loan of an estimated four million is due . Our final warning letter"s been sent out more than ten times and we"ve already taken legal action . . . "
"I understand and I am ready to negotiate . Can you suspend the case for now?" I requested .
"A huge sum of money is involved and your company is in decline . We cannot possibly take such a big risk . Please understand our position . "
"It"s like this . We have an acc.u.mulated debt of over 13,000,000, from four banks in total . I"ve managed to convince the other three banks . Please suspend the case or there"s no way I can make a single cent appear . You banks won"t get much from me by turning it into a court case, but I can guarantee that if you suspend it, I
it, I will return the minimum sum to your bank every month . "
Gla.s.ses grabbed my arm, possibly to chide me, but I made a "shush" gesture to him . He fell silent but his grip on my arm remained tight, he had no intention of letting go .
"You"re saying that if we suspend the case, you"ll repay the minimum sum? That would be 60,000 a month . I"ll help you make an appeal if you can guarantee that . "
"Thank you for your hard work . I"ll make sure that the money gets to you on the first of each month . " I hang up .
Gla.s.ses exploded . He let go of my arm and shouted, "No, you"re lying to them! How are we supposed to gather 60,000 a month? And the other companies . . . they never agreed to suspend the case!"
I called up the second bank, China Construction Bank .
Before the line connected, I said, "Am I not calling them up now? Shut it if you want the company to live . "
As if understanding something, he took out a pen and paper to jot down the sum to be returned each month .
After conversing with all four banks, Gla.s.ses raised his list . "We"ll need 150,000 by the next month to save the company . "
"Isn"t this a lot simpler now? And the loan shark, Brother Luan . Do you have his number?"
Gla.s.ses fiddled with his phone for a few seconds before handing it over to me .
"What"s up?"
"Hi, Brother Luan, I"m Lu Ba"s son, Lu Qiao . I"m here to repay Roadcat"s debt so can you please ask your men to stop calling me?"
"You"re willing to pay 3,400,000?"
"I don"t have it now but I can return it on the first of the next month . How about that?"
"Have you gone silly? Or are you planning to sell away your last factory and two stores?"
"I can manage it without selling anything . I just hope you can give me until the next month . "
"You said you"re Lu Ba"s son? Are you that remarkable?"
"I have no other choice . I can"t produce anything if you rush me like that," I responded .
"3,500,000 next month, then . Miss a 100,000 and you"ll be missing a finger . I"ll have your right arm if you can"t keep your end of the bargain . I"ll keep my promise and I won"t call you until then . "
"Thanks . Oh right, my dad"s fingers . . . you chopped them?" I asked .
"Glad you know . I"ll see you in your factory in a month"s time . " He hung up .
Gla.s.ses echoed fearfully, "3,650,000 in 20 days?"
"It"s not that bad," I said with a bitter smile .
What exactly is going on I asked . As I 39 ve already mentioned, they haven 39 t been getting paid for two months now . They were waiting for the 500,000 your father promised and for you to save them . What 39 s with the 500,000 You don 39 t know he asked, eyes wide and disbelieving . What am I supposed to know I only know that these calls are overheating my phone and that I know less about this hopeless factory than you guys . You graduated from Beijing University, right Marketing Managed finances in a high end company, yearly salary of a million Gla.s.ses asked . Yes, I 39 m from there but I am still an undergraduate . The rest of what you said is not true . Did my dad tell you that Gla.s.ses shook his head . He took the last 500,000 from the company . He said it was for you to bring the company back up again . What a joke . Why did you guys let him take it so easily He said you 39 re earning a million a year and that the 500,000 is to be placed in suitable investments . Plus, he 39 s our boss, so why would we doubt him You 39 re our last hope now that you 39 re here, he stated . Hold on . Do you not understand He took the last 500,000 and ran away, leaving me with his position . This . . . can we get it back That money is for our salary . What should we do Gla.s.ses asked worriedly . He 39 s been gone for almost a day now, do you really think we can still find him He told me not to look for him and he will do the same, I relayed, looking out of the windows . The workers were striving hard . We 39 re doomed then Gla.s.ses plopped down onto a white sofa at the side . How long have you been here for, Gla.s.ses Since 2007, the first year of operation . I 39 ve been here for about 10 years now . Who would 39 ve known that the company will fall into such a state . . . he sobbed spasmodically, wiping his face with his sleeve . Things aren 39 t as bad as they seem . We can continue selling the cars, right I asked . Yes . You 39 re a high performing marketing student, aren 39 t you You 39 ll know what to do, won 39 t you You 39 re our savior Gla.s.ses stood up and looked at me hopefully . I 39 ll need to know how big the hole is . . . I answered . You 39 re saying we need more fundings, right But your dad 39 s taken the last bit away and we really have nothing to fork out anymore . There 39 s no way . . . he mumbled anxiously . I fished my phone out and waved it in front of him . Those calling me . . . what banks are they from and how much does the company owe them Give me the exact numbers . I have a book . Hold on, he said, rummaging through the cabinets . He read aloud the contents of a small notebook, A total of 13,630,000, which is considered little, thanks to the stores and factories that were being put up as collateral . Amidst the total, 10,000,000 are loans from respective banks like Central Bank, China Construction Bank, Field Bank and Industrial, and Commercial Bank of China . 3,000,000 was borrowed from a loan shark . I manage this side really strictly but your father had managed to borrow it somehow from someone called Brother Luan, a mafia boss . If we don 39 t return it as soon as possible, this factory is going down in a matter of days . I turned my phone on, much to Gla.s.ses 39 surprise . He asked, Why would you do that Are you not afraid of those calls I shook my head, frustrated . I need to settle them before I can think about making money . I called each bank up accordingly . Hi, this is Central Bank . I 39 m the legal representative of Roadcat, I greeted . Hold on while I transfer your call to my manager . Minutes pa.s.sed . Hi, sir . Under your company 39 s name, a loan of an estimated four million is due . Our final warning letter 39 s been sent out more than ten times and we 39 ve already taken legal action . . . I understand and I am ready to negotiate . Can you suspend the case for now I requested . A huge sum of money is involved and your company is in decline . We cannot possibly take such a big risk . Please understand our position . It 39 s like this . We have an acc.u.mulated debt of over 13,000,000, from four banks in total . I 39 ve managed to convince the other three banks . Please suspend the case or there 39 s no way I can make a single cent appear . You banks won 39 t get much from me by turning it into a court case, but I can guarantee that if you suspend it, I will return the minimum sum to your bank every month . Gla.s.ses grabbed my arm, possibly to chide me, but I made a 39 shush 39 gesture to him . He fell silent but his grip on my arm remained tight, he had no intention of letting go . You 39 re saying that if we suspend the case, you 39 ll repay the minimum sum That would be 60,000 a month . I 39 ll help you make an appeal if you can guarantee that . Thank you for your hard work . I 39 ll make sure that the money gets to you on the first of each month . I hang up . Gla.s.ses exploded . He let go of my arm and shouted, No, you 39 re lying to them How are we supposed to gather 60,000 a month And the other companies . . . they never agreed to suspend the case I called up the second bank, China Construction Bank . Before the line connected, I said, Am I not calling them up now Shut it if you want the company to live . As if understanding something, he took out a pen and paper to jot down the sum to be returned each month . . . . After conversing with all four banks, Gla.s.ses raised his list . We 39 ll need 150,000 by the next month to save the company . Isn 39 t this a lot simpler now And the loan shark, Brother Luan . Do you have his number Gla.s.ses fiddled with his phone for a few seconds before handing it over to me . What 39 s up Hi, Brother Luan, I 39 m Lu Ba 39 s son, Lu Qiao . I 39 m here to repay Roadcat 39 s debt so can you please ask your men to stop calling me You 39 re willing to pay 3,400,000 I don 39 t have it now but I can return it on the first of the next month . How about that Have you gone silly Or are you planning to sell away your last factory and two stores I can manage it without selling anything . I just hope you can give me until the next month . You said you 39 re Lu Ba 39 s son Are you that remarkable I have no other choice . I can 39 t produce anything if you rush me like that, I responded . 3,500,000 next month, then . Miss a 100,000 and you 39 ll be missing a finger . I 39 ll have your right arm if you can 39 t keep your end of the bargain . I 39 ll keep my promise and I won 39 t call you until then . Thanks . Oh right, my dad 39 s fingers . . . you chopped them I asked . Glad you know . I 39 ll see you in your factory in a month 39 s time . He hung up . Gla.s.ses echoed fearfully, 3,650,000 in 20 days It 39 s not that bad, I said with a bitter smile .