Chapter 3

"Speaking of this, I have to admire Brother Wenren's good fortune. A-Yan had excelled in both character and academics since childhood and had never given the old chairman and his wife anything to worry about. He got into Stanford at such a young age and even founded his own investment company on Wall Street. His business talent and eye for investments must have come from inheriting Brother Wenren's fine genes."

"If you ask me, he had surpassed his teacher. Brother Wenren's eye for investment still couldn't compare to A-Yan's..."

Wenren Yan had heard such praise since childhood, so often that his ears had practically grown calluses. His expression did not so much as flicker. After politely greeting the old shareholders around him, he entered the building surrounded by a crowd. Zhao Mingli, the head of Wenren Heavy Industry, said with a smile, "The chairman came early this morning and is waiting in the conference room. He said that President Yan dragged you off for a welcome banquet last night, so you might have stayed out very late. He wasn't sure you'd make it this morning."

No one had expected Wenren Yan to arrive at Wenren Group promptly at nine thirty in the morning.

Steven smiled and chimed in, "The meeting was scheduled for nine thirty. Naturally, we couldn't keep everyone waiting."

Zhao Mingli had not expected a blond, blue-eyed foreigner like Steven to speak with such an authentic Yanjing accent. Slightly surprised, he said, "Your Chinese is very good."

Steven glanced at Wenren Yan and smiled. "All employees at Yan Feng Capital speak Chinese."

Zhao Mingli nodded, then asked suspiciously, "Why didn't Zhao Zhao come?"

Zhao Zhao was Jack. He had been the one who previously conducted due diligence for Wenren Heavy Industry. He was also Zhao Mingli's nephew. Before his death, his father had been Wenren Jing's driver, but he had died in a traffic accident. Zhao Zhao had only been seven at the time. Less than half a year after his father's death, Zhao Zhao's mother remarried, leaving him with his elderly grandparents. When Wenren Jing learned of this, he felt guilty and took Zhao Zhao in, raising him at his side and even acknowledging him as his godson. Zhao Mingli had also received Wenren Jing's patronage because of this connection. Coupled with his own abilities, he had become the head of Wenren Heavy Industry several years ago. With all these ties between them, Steven fully understood why Jack had reacted so fiercely against Wenren Yan's decision to sell Wenren Heavy Industry.

Unfortunately, an arm could never twist a thigh. Steven sighed inwardly and said, "Since the boss returned to China, Yan Feng Capital will shift its future investment focus to the domestic market as well. The core members of our team all came to Yanjing this time, and we rented an office building on Financial Street. Jack is busy helping everyone get settled, so the boss brought me here instead."

That was just an excuse. The truth was that Zhao Zhao had been so furious upon learning that Wenren Yan was determined to sell Wenren Heavy Industry that he did not want to come. He also felt too ashamed to face Wenren Jing and Zhao Mingli, so he had volunteered to work as a mover at Yan Feng Capital's headquarters.

Hearing Steven's explanation, Zhao Mingli said with a beaming smile, "Why didn't you say so earlier? The real estate market was booming a few years ago, and Wenren Group developed quite a few properties. Why rent an office building? Just tell the chairman and pick any building you like to move into."

Steven was secretly stunned by that casually extravagant tone. He turned to look at Wenren Yan. Wenren Yan remained as calm and composed as a mountain, but after hearing Zhao Mingli's words, his expression softened slightly. "Even family should settle accounts clearly. I'm doing business. Why would I take advantage of my father?"

Zhao Mingli disagreed. "How is that taking advantage? The chairman only has you as a son. Won't all his assets be yours someday anyway? Why be so formal with family?"

Steven understood his boss's unspoken meaning. He did not want to take advantage of Wenren Group, which naturally meant he would not sacrifice Yan Feng Capital's interests to plug Wenren Group's holes either.

Steven shook his head. The more enthusiastic and excited these shareholders were now, the more awkward the situation would become later.

Sure enough, when Wenren Yan entered the conference room, embraced Chairman Wenren Jing, who had been waiting there early, exchanged a few pleasantries, then sat down and personally announced his decision to sell Wenren Heavy Industry, the entire room fell silent. Every shareholder and senior executive, including Chairman Wenren Jing, stared in stunned disbelief. After looking at one another for quite some time, they finally came back to their senses, and the room erupted into an uproar.

Author's note:

This was a story of mutual influence and growth~~ Thank you to all the little angels who cast premium votes or donated nutrient solution between 2020-04-29 19:00:29 and 2020-05-12 10:06:31~

Thank you to the little angels who donated nutrient solution: Hua Xia District Three Stowaway Wang Zaiye, 10 bottles; Miwu Ao, 3 bottles;

Thank you all so much for your support. I will continue working hard!

Chapter 3

"Dear nephew, you can't joke about something like this!" Zhao Mingli, who was in charge of managing Wenren Heavy Industry, was the first to lose his composure. His face flushed as he said excitedly, "Wenren Heavy Industry cannot be sold! It absolutely cannot be sold! It is the pillar of Wenren Group, the very foundation of Wenren Group!"

"Exactly! No matter how difficult things are for Wenren Group, it hasn't reached the point of selling off the family assets. What would people think if word got out?"

"People who didn't know better would think Wenren Group was about to collapse. Even Wenren Heavy Industry is being sold!"

"We asked you to come back to save the company, not sell it!"

"Chairman, say something!"

The shareholders protested all at once. Seeing that Wenren Yan remained unmoved, they could not help turning to Wenren Jing.

Wenren Jing had not expected his son to make such a decision either. After a long silence, he slowly asked, "Have you thought this through?"

Wenren Yan looked at Steven. Steven immediately took several documents from his briefcase—copies of Yan Feng Capital's due diligence report on Wenren Heavy Industry. He motioned for the clerical staff in the conference room to distribute them. Wenren Yan said in a low voice, "According to Yan Feng Capital's findings, Wenren Heavy Industry's operating profit fell by more than twenty percent in the first half of this year, while its operating revenue is only one-sixth of what it was at its peak. Yet it still employs fifty thousand workers, with an average age ranging from thirty to fifty. Every industry around the world is now pursuing technological innovation and industrial upgrading, but fewer than one-tenth of the workers on Wenren Heavy Industry's front-line production lines have mastered emerging computer-based management technologies. Its workforce is aging, its structure is fractured, its knowledge base is narrow, and its personnel are bloated. I do not understand why Wenren Heavy Industry did not promptly lay off staff and cut expenses the moment its revenue problems emerged. But the reality Wenren Heavy Industry faces now is an outdated structure and expenses exceeding income. Coupled with the industry slump caused by cooling domestic infrastructure investment, I believe Wenren Heavy Industry's investment prospects will remain unfavorable for at least the next two years."