Although Xu Pingsheng's wealth couldn't compare to Yu Shiting's, he was still a giant in the local shipping industry, having handled countless sums of money throughout his life. His temperament and vision were beyond the reach of ordinary people. Even if Tan Jingwei presented him with some rare treasures, it wouldn't move him. However, these contracts and licenses made it impossible for this business tycoon to remain calm. Although he didn't lose his composure, he couldn't help but breathe erratically, his forehead was covered in sweat, and the muscles in his face were trembling slightly.
It's not entirely Xu Pingsheng's fault; probably no other tycoon in the world has ever received such a lavish gift. Zeng Chunsheng is considered a second-tier to upper-tier figure in Shanghai's business circles. Otherwise, how could he dare to ask for a ministerial position? His movable and immovable assets total no less than ten million, and he owns five ships of various sizes. For those who make a living in shipping, ships are like gold mines; their value cannot be measured simply in monetary terms. With these five ships in hand, Xu Pingsheng's shipping empire can expand its territory and reach a new level, so it's natural that he would find it difficult to remain calm.
Fortunately, Xu Pingsheng wasn't the naive young man he once was, and he wasn't so foolish as to do something driven by greed. After the initial excitement and tension, he took a few deep breaths and forced himself to calm down. The fact that the other party offered such a generous gift so readily made Xu Pingsheng suspicious and hesitant to accept it. Besides, Tan Jingwei had risked everything to kill and seize property, and then turned around and gave it to him—what did that mean?
He forced himself to remain calm and asked, "What does Mr. Tam mean by this?"
Tan Jingwei, on the other hand, was very relaxed, as if he were giving away ordinary pastries and snacks instead of a vast fortune. "I've heard people say, 'Don't do business with people you don't know well.' I'm a soldier, not a businessman. Shipping isn't for me, and keeping it would be a waste. It's better to give it to the right people and let good steel be used where it's needed most."
"Mr. Tam, you are very kind. However, I am known to be a coward, and I dare not accept such a generous gift. I am a businessman, and making money in business is no problem, but I don't have the guts to take windfall gains. What if someone doesn't know the truth and says that I was the mastermind behind Old Zeng's incident? Who would want to do business with me in the future?"
"Boss Xu, you're overthinking it. Zeng Chunsheng voluntarily donated his wealth to the Free China Relief Association, and there's verifiable evidence of that. Moreover, the donation took place a little over a month before his incident. What does his troubles have to do with this wealth? If anyone dares to speak recklessly, we will provide relevant evidence to prove your innocence."
Xu Enbo, standing to the side, knew perfectly well that this was definitely fabricated by the Taiwan authorities, using tricks like "backdating" to create false evidence. Given their official status, they could easily produce countless such documents. In fact, not only Zeng Chunsheng, but all the merchants transporting goods to the mainland were persecuted, and their assets were almost all "voluntarily" donated using similar methods. Repeating the same old tricks wasn't exactly a sophisticated tactic.
If the fact that his ship was hiding airplane engines were exposed, the Xu Family's wealth would likely be "donated" away, and no one knew who would benefit from it. Just thinking about those engines made Xu Enbo feel flustered and anxious. He wished he could get rid of Tan Jingwei, this jinx, as soon as possible, so his tone was particularly aggressive.
"What's going on? My Xu Family are honest business people, not robbers. We won't take this kind of blood-stained money! I think you're sending this to frame Jiangdong and make us take the blame. We're not fools, we won't fall for this. Get lost!"
Tan Jingwei looked at Xu Enbo: "Mr. Xu, you had a passionate night with a beautiful woman, yet you're still so irritable? That's unusual. Perhaps this woman is too unappealing, failing to arouse your interest? If so, no problem. I know many beautiful women; I'll introduce one to you another day, guaranteeing you'll feel refreshed and not like this, with your internal heat."
"Enbo, don't be so insolent! Get out of here!" Xu Pingsheng scolded his son, then glared at him. Xu Enbo quickly apologized and hurried out of the room as if fleeing.
After watching his son walk away, Xu Pingsheng said to Tan Jingwei, "Young people are ignorant, but he's right about one thing: I can't accept this gift. I've been in business for so many years, and although I haven't made a lot of money, I've at least earned a good reputation. People give me face and call me Boss Xu. Every day when I go out, people are willing to greet me, and when I want to have tea, there are people to accompany me. To me, these things are more important than money, and I hope Mr. Tam understands."
"Boss Xu is wealthy and naturally wouldn't be interested in such a small amount. I also trust Boss Xu's character. This money isn't for you to spend, but for Boss Xu to do good deeds."
"Oh? What do you mean?"
"Sailing and riding are fraught with danger. Every year, many people perish at sea in Hong Kong, leaving behind orphans and widows with no one to care for them, either reduced to begging or starving to death. Boss Xu has made a fortune in shipping, so it's only natural that he would help these poor Boss Xu's favor. Everyone in Hong Kong who makes their living on the water would also be grateful for Boss Xu's great kindness. I don't think anyone would question Boss Xu's connection to Zeng Chunsheng's disappearance; otherwise, he would become a target of public criticism and bring about his own downfall!"
Xu Pingsheng fell silent.
Everyone has desires, and with desires come weaknesses. The shackles of fame and fortune bind the masses, and even a big boss like Xu Pingsheng is no exception. In fact, the fact that he was able to fight his way up in the business world to achieve his current status and wealth means that he was not without desires. On the contrary, his desires were stronger than those of ordinary people, and it was precisely because of these strong desires that he achieved success.
Don't be fooled by his current composed and self-possessed demeanor. In reality, just like Chu Yaozong, he still harbors a strong ambition. He's merely using this image to deceive outsiders and inflate his own value. He doesn't care about small sums of money, nor would he risk his life for a windfall. Simple profit is unlikely to sway him, but when "fame" is involved, it's a different story.
The conditions and prospects proposed by Tan Jingwei hit the nail on the head. Although Hong Kong has official charitable organizations, they are so poor that they can barely support their own workers, let alone help others. Relying on those meager relief funds would likely have led to starvation long ago. If he could launch a special fund at this time, he would surely be a benefactor to all the families in Hong Kong.