They didn't sell me this 20% stake; they begged me to take it, shutting up a mouth that could cause even greater panic! Mr. Gao Qiao, this is retreating to advance, this is turning the tables!
The doubts on Gao Qiaohao's face had long since disappeared, leaving only admiration and excitement of sudden enlightenment.
He instantly understood the deeper meaning behind his boss's affected refusal, and even more so the tremendous power contained in his decisive act of hanging up the phone and even unplugging the phone line.
The boss was not just rejecting the deal; he was also sowing a seed of fear into the hearts of HSBC and Jardine Matheson, forcing them to voluntarily give away their most valuable things in panic.
"So, what we are waiting for now..." Gao Qiaohao's voice was calm after a hint of excitement.
"So," Lin Huowang said in a very firm tone, "what we have to do now is to wait quietly. Wait for the stock market to open tomorrow and let the huge rock of the Hong Kong Land Group sink completely, sinking to the point where Newbijian and Shen Bi are completely suffocated.
By then, Sir Newbigin wouldn't be in a position to negotiate. HSBC's boss, Shen Bi, would naturally call us personally, offering us a price we couldn't refuse, begging us to take over that 20% stake... firmly.
Go back to sleep, Mr. Gaucho. Tomorrow is the time to truly reap the rewards.”
Gao Qiaohao bowed deeply and left the living room with an unprecedented sense of security.
Late at night in Central, the office of the Jardine Matheson manager.
Newbijian listened to the urgent busy tone in the receiver and dialed again. The number rang a few times before being disconnected completely, with no response at all.
He stood there as if under a spell, frozen in place, not even noticing the long ash hanging from his expensive cigar.
The telephone line... was unplugged!
Lin Huowang's last words echoed repeatedly in his mind: "I treated you as a close friend, but you pushed me into the fire. You must have received inside information. Is the mainland about to attack? If so, I will quickly sell off my 7.5% stake in my own group tomorrow morning. Otherwise, it will become worthless sooner or later."
Mainland China? Waste paper?
"Damn it!" Newbijian slammed the microphone hard on the mahogany phone! A huge noise exploded in the empty office!
He finally understood the key to Lin Huowang’s last sentence—it was not that he didn’t want the shares, but that he mistakenly believed that Jardine Matheson had obtained top-secret information, and that the eagerness to sell off the shares was a huge trap!
Not only did Lin Huowang not want the 20%, he even wanted to dump the market and sell off the 7.5% in his hands!
This thought was like a bucket of ice water, instantly pouring through Newbijian's head and making his limbs cold!
When the market opens tomorrow, if Lin Huowang really takes the lead in selling, coupled with the fear of Hong Kong residents about the rumors of "mainland taking back"... the 20% shares pledged by HSBC may not only not be able to maintain the liquidation line of HK$60, but may even fall to HK$30 or HK$20!
Once the liquidation is triggered, control of Hong Kong Land Group will instantly pass to the Fok family, and all the capital will be lost. The reputation of the Jardine Matheson Empire in the Far East will be completely destroyed! He, Newbijian, will become the biggest sinner in Jardine Matheson's century-long history!
Fear and regret gnawed at his heart like poisonous snakes.
He no longer cared about his reserved manners, picked up the phone again and dialed directly to the private line on the top floor of the HSBC building.
The phone was picked up after barely one ring.
"Peter!" Niubijian's voice was filled with uncontrollable haste and panic, even a little out of control. "Something happened! I just called Xiaolin Tianwang! The situation... the situation is completely out of control!"
"Hmm?" Shen Bi on the other end of the phone seemed to be just about to take a break. His voice was calm with a hint of being disturbed, without any panic.
Newbijian rambled on about the entire conversation, especially how Lin Huowang went from questioning to fear, how he clearly refused and hung up the phone, and even his inference that "the mainland is going to attack" which might have caused greater panic, as well as his last sentence that hinted at selling shares.
He didn't bother describing the details of Lin Huowang's performance at the moment, and could only instinctively ask for help: "He must have misunderstood! He thought we had inside information and were running away! Not only did he not want the shares, but he deepened the panic!
He might even dump his 7.5% as soon as the market opens tomorrow! Peter! This will completely destroy everything! We must stop him immediately! Right now! You! You must convince him yourself! Only you can hold him back! I...I have no other options!"
He gasped, waiting for Shen Bi's thundering wrath or urgent action.
On the other end of the phone, after a brief silence, Shen Bi chuckled very softly, even with a hint of... satisfaction? As if everything was under control.
"Yes." Chen Bi's voice was so steady that it made Newbijian feel uneasy. "I understand. Sir Newbijian, go to bed early."
"Rest...Rest?!" Newbigin could hardly believe his ears. His voice rose to a pitch-high pitch, almost screaming, his last bit of dignity gone. "Peter! The situation is dire! It could collapse at any moment! How can I still sleep?! Think of a solution! Contact him now! Or we can immediately..."
"Why are you in such a hurry?" Chen Bi interrupted him, his tone was as calm as if he was looking down on everyone. "I said I would talk to Xiaolin Tianwang tomorrow, so I will talk to him naturally. Things have developed to this point, which is just right.
Go and get some sleep. Tomorrow... we'll still need you, Sir, to continue playing your role well." It was hard to tell from his tone whether it was comforting or commanding.
Before Newbijian could make any further defense, a clear busy tone came from the other end of the phone.
My dear, there is more to this chapter. Please click on the next page to continue reading. It will be even more exciting later!
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