The old Party Secretary stood up, leaning on his cane, and coughed twice.

"Let me say a few words. Money is important, but we can't lose our integrity for it. Our cooperative has achieved what it is today through unity and cooperation. If we let foreign capital take control, who will call the shots in the future?"

Just as the argument reached a stalemate, an unexpected voice broke the deadlock.

"I support attracting foreign investment."

Everyone turned around and saw that it was Su Mingqiang who was speaking.

This usually taciturn man stood ramrod straight, his voice clear.

"But not on the condition of controlling stake. We can allow Greengrass to take a stake, say 20%, and sign a technology transfer agreement at the same time. This way, we can obtain both capital and technology without losing control."

This compromise silenced the crowd.

Su Jianguo's eyes lit up; his son's suggestion was indeed brilliant.

After a full day of intense discussion, a vote was finally taken.

The resolution to conditionally allow foreign investment was passed by a majority of 65%.

Su Jianguo will represent the cooperative in further negotiations with Green Harvest Group, with the bottom line being that foreign ownership will not exceed 20% and that foreign companies will not interfere with the operation and management.

After the meeting, Su Jianjun was still somewhat sullen.

"Brother, I'm still worried..."

Su Jianguo patted his younger brother on the shoulder.

"Building an army and reform and opening up are inevitable trends. But remember, regardless of whether foreign capital comes or not, we cannot lose our roots in Sujiatun. This 20% share is a reassurance for the villagers."

A week later, Lin Shirong returned to Sujiatun with his legal team.

When he heard the conditions proposed by Su Jianguo, his expression immediately changed.

"20%? Mr. Su, that's too low. Our board of directors cannot accept it!"

Su Jianguo remained calm and composed.

"This is a conclusion we reached at a major meeting, and it will not be changed."

As soon as Su Jianguo finished speaking, the air in the conference room seemed to freeze.

Lin Shirong's professional smile froze.

He slowly took off his gold-rimmed glasses and wiped the lenses with a silk handkerchief, a gesture clearly intended to conceal his inner turmoil.

"Mr. Su."

Lin Shirong put his glasses back on, his voice still gentle, but with a hint of coldness.

"You may not be familiar with international investment practices. A $5 million investment for only a 20% stake... that valuation is probably..."

"Mr. Lin."

Su Jianguo interrupted him neither humbly nor arrogantly.

"Our cooperative's valuation isn't fabricated out of thin air. Last year's net profit was 800,000 yuan, which, based on a PE ratio of 20, would be 16 million yuan. 20% would be exactly 3.2 million yuan. Considering our long-term military orders and the brand value of 'military-civilian co-construction,' 5 million yuan for a 20% stake is already a very favorable condition."

The two young assistants behind Lin Shirong exchanged surprised glances.

Obviously, no one expected this "countryside entrepreneur" to be so knowledgeable about capital operations.

A brief silence fell over the meeting room.

Lin Shirong tapped his fingers lightly on the solid wood table, the rhythm becoming faster and faster.

"Mr. Su."

He suddenly smiled, and a few fine lines appeared at the corners of his eyes.

"The business world is like a battlefield, and at the negotiating table, everyone is fighting for their own interests. How about this: we each compromise. Green Harvest will invest $5 million, taking a 30% stake, while we promise not to interfere in operations and management for three years, only sending one financial supervisor. What do you think of these terms?"

Su Jianguo did not answer immediately, but turned to look at the accountant Lao Wang sitting in the corner.

Old Wang understood, quickly pressed a few buttons on the calculator, and then nodded to Su Jianguo.

"Mr. Lin."

Su Jianguo pondered for a moment.

"This concerns the interests of all members, and I need to convene another members' meeting to discuss it. I will give you an answer in three days, how about that?"

Lin Shirong's smile froze for a moment, but quickly returned to normal.

"Of course, caution is warranted. However..."

He stood up and straightened his suit cuffs.

"Time is money, Mr. Su. Our investment plan has a time window, and we hope you won't miss the opportunity."

After seeing Lin Shirong and his entourage off, Su Jianguo immediately convened a meeting of the core management team.

Su Jianjun couldn't help but complain as soon as he entered the door.

"Brother, this guy surnamed Lin is talking in a sarcastic and unfriendly way. I don't think he's up to any good!"

Technician Xiao Li, however, held a different opinion.

"Factory manager, five million US dollars! With this money, we can import a fully automated greenhouse system from the Netherlands, and our output will at least double!"

"Money, money, money! All you ever think about is money!"

Su Jianjun slammed his fist on the table and stood up.

"Do you know what a 30% stake means? Two more rounds of financing and we'll lose control!"

Seeing that another argument was about to erupt, Su Jianguo raised his hand to stop it.

"Stop arguing, everyone. Lao Wang, have your men recalculate our assets and future cash flow. Jianjun, go and research Greengrass Group's other investment projects in China, and see what their usual operating methods are."

Everyone obeyed and left, leaving only Su Jianguo in the office.

He walked to the window, gazing at the neatly arranged greenhouses in the distance, his brow furrowed.

Years of experience in the business world have made him wary of "windfall gains," but the cooperative does indeed need financial and technical support to develop.

This dilemma kept him awake all night.

The next morning, Su Jianjun brought unsettling news.

"Brother, I asked around and found out that Green Harvest acquired a vegetable base in Shandong. They initially promised not to interfere in its operations, but after only six months of investment, they forcibly took over the entire company, citing 'mismanagement.' The original owner is now just a consultant!"

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