Chapter 107 Getting Drunk
Zhao Mobai slowly raised his head, his eyes filled with desolation.
"way?"
He chuckled, a laugh filled with self-mockery.
"Either Zhu Jinken will be lenient and stop pressuring my investors, so I can catch my breath."
"Or..."
He paused, and when he spoke again, his voice was so soft it sounded like it might shatter at any moment.
"I can only bear this hole of tens of billions and watch the hard work of several generations of the Zhao family fall from grace in my hands, and be removed from the top circle from now on."
Shen Shuangmiao's mind was buzzing.
She suddenly had an urge to go find Zhu Jin.
The matter was started because of her, at least in part, because there might still be a glimmer of hope.
The fleeting determination in her eyes did not escape Zhao Mobai's notice.
Zhao Mobai frowned sharply. "Don't go looking for Zhu Jin. No matter how despicable I, Zhao Mobai, am, I haven't stooped so low as to make my woman wag her tail and beg for mercy from her ex-husband."
"No need!"
He practically shouted the last three words.
Shen Shuangmiao's face turned pale.
Zhao Mobai stopped looking at her, abruptly pressed the elevator button, and strode inside.
The elevator doors slowly closed.
Zhao Mobai picked up his phone and arranged a drinking session.
He needs alcohol, he needs complete numbness.
Shen Shuangmiao stood frozen in place, her face drained of color, and for a long time she didn't know what to do.
Fu Xuan rushed over and, seeing her distraught state, worriedly held her shoulder.
"Miaomiao, I've heard about what happened. Are you alright? If you ask me, their conflict has nothing to do with you, and what Zhao Mobai plans to do next is none of your business, right?"
Shen Shuangmiao shook her head blankly, her throat feeling blocked, unable to make a sound.
Just then, the receptionist came over.
“There is a Miss Zhou downstairs who insists on seeing you. She says her name is Zhou Wu.”
Fu Xuan was taken aback, then frowned: "Why is she here?"
Shen Shuangmiao gestured for Fu Xuan to go back to work, composed herself, and then had Zhou Wu invited into her office.
After only a few days apart, Zhou Wu's face showed obvious signs of fatigue, and his eyes were even more bruised, which even foundation could not cover up.
Her gaze toward Shen Shuangmiao was still complex, but now it held a calm that bordered on resignation.
“Shen Shuang is wonderful.” Zhou Wu’s voice was a little dry.
"Miss Zhou, please have a seat." Shen Shuang gestured to the chair opposite her, her tone indifferent. "I wonder what brings you here?"
Zhou Wu did not sit down immediately.
Her gaze swept quickly across the brand-new office, a faint emotion flickering in her eyes, but it quickly disappeared.
She took a deep breath, as if gathering her courage, and her hands were somewhat awkwardly folded on her knees.
"I've come to discuss a business deal with you."
Shen Shuangmiao raised an eyebrow slightly, somewhat surprised.
"Business?"
"yes."
Zhou Wu nodded, looking exhausted, and said, "You should know about the design studio under my name."
Shen Shuang nodded in agreement.
How could I not know?
Zhu Jin simply allowed Zhou Wu to use this studio to suppress her.
Zhou Wu paused, a bitter look on his face.
"As you can see, too many things have happened recently. I really don't have the mind or energy to manage it anymore. If I try to keep it going, I'm just wasting its last bit of value."
Her gaze was fixed on Shen Shuangmiao.
"So, I'd like to ask you, do you have any intention of acquiring or merging with it?"
Acquiring Zhou Wu's studio?
Shen Shuangmiao was somewhat surprised.
Zhou Wu's studio is quite well-known in the industry, positioned as a high-end business with a stable client base.
If a merger can be achieved, it would undoubtedly be a great opportunity for her to expand her market share.
But the person who made this suggestion was Zhou Wu.
This woman always saw her as a rival in love and constantly clashed with her.
Could there be some kind of trap involved?
Shen Shuangmiao did not answer immediately.
She hesitated for a moment, then looked at Zhou Wu with a clear gaze.
"Why me?"
Zhou Wu seemed to have anticipated her question, and he tugged at the corners of his mouth, revealing an expression that was hardly a smile.
"Because it seems that you have the strength and the ambition. Although the Zhao family is in trouble now, even a starved camel is bigger than a horse. With this big tree behind you, funding will not be a problem."
"And..." she paused, her tone carrying a hint of self-mockery, "It's better to hand it over to you than to watch it slowly wither away or be swallowed up by unrelated people. At least you can keep it existing, and maybe even do it better."
This reason sounds reasonable.
Shen Shuangmiao's doubts lessened slightly, but did not completely disappear.
“This matter is of great importance. I need time to consider it and also to discuss it with my partner, Fu Xuan.”
Shen Shuangmiao gave a cautious reply.
“Of course,” Zhou Wu said, understanding, but then she added a condition: “Also, there’s something I need to explain in advance.”
“My studio previously brought in an anonymous investor who owns a stake. If you decide to acquire it, you will need to retain his shareholding or exchange it for a portion of your new company’s shares.”
An anonymous investor wants to retain shares?
Shen Shuangmiao frowned slightly.
Can you disclose information about this investor?
Zhou Wu shook his head, his tone certain: "I'm sorry, the other party requires strict confidentiality, but I can guarantee that he never participates in the specific operation of the studio, only enjoys the dividends, and will not interfere with your decision-making in any way."
Shen Shuangmiao remained silent, lost in thought.
Zhou Wu added, "His shareholding is not high. I sincerely want to find a good home for the studio, and I hope you can seriously consider it."
Shen Shuangmiao looked at her, weighing the pros and cons in her mind.
Opportunities and risks coexist.
Overall, if she can absorb the resources and team of Zhou Wu's studio, it will be more beneficial than harmful to the expansion of her studio.
As long as that anonymous investor doesn't interfere with the business operations, there shouldn't be any major problems.
"Okay, I can accept this condition in principle."
Shen Shuangmiao finally nodded, "I'll give you an answer on the specific details after I discuss it with Fu Xuan."
Zhou Wu visibly breathed a sigh of relief, his tense shoulders relaxing slightly.
"Thank you. I'll go back and prepare the relevant materials and a preliminary draft contract."
She stood up, said no more, turned and left the office, her back view exuding an indescribable loneliness.
After seeing Zhou Wu off, Shen Shuangmiao immediately told Fu Xuan about the situation.
Fu Xuan was equally surprised after hearing this.
"Acquire Zhou Wu's studio? Why would she suddenly bring this up?"
Fu Xuan was very vigilant. "Could this be a trap?"
"I've had my doubts too."
Shen Shuangmiao calmly analyzed, "But her current state doesn't seem feigned, and this is an opportunity for us. As for that anonymous investor..."
She pondered for a moment and said, "As long as it is clearly stipulated in the contract that he will not be excluded from the operation and management, the risk should be controllable."
Fu Xuan thought for a moment and agreed with this judgment.
"Zhou Wu's studio has a good foundation. If we can integrate it smoothly, we can avoid a lot of detours."
The two discussed it in detail again and finally reached an agreement.
As long as Zhou Wu's offer is reasonable, we will proceed with the acquisition.
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