Chapter 42 He has no morals and blatantly poachs women...
Gu Zeming had just returned to the Qin family, so naturally many people disliked him.
Qin Jiyuan took him to a meeting, and afterwards, he called him and two trusted confidants to his office to talk about something.
"President Li personally called to discuss the details of the cooperation, but then the tax bureau sent people, and I couldn't leave. You'll have to accompany Zeming there."
Qin Jiyuan, dressed in a dark gray suit, leaned back in a leather sofa chair, his posture upright, with a kind and benevolent expression, but no one dared to contradict him.
Zhang Ye and Qin Fei smiled and agreed.
Qin Jiyuan glanced at his watch and then said to Gu Zeming, "Your Uncle Ye and Uncle Fei are both veterans in the company. They are very experienced. If you don't understand anything, ask them for advice. Don't mess things up."
Gu Zeming nodded: "Okay."
Qin Jiyuan's gaze lingered on his face for a moment, as if trying to find something unusual or nervous, but in the end he found nothing and could only wave him out.
Gu Zeming turned to leave, and just as he closed the door, he overheard Qin Jiyuan and Tang Xin talking on the phone.
"He is, after all, a member of the Qin family. If he continues to wander outside, won't people make a fool of us?"
"You and Xiao Yao will be returning to China in a few days. I'll send someone to pick you up at the airport."
"Xiao Yao shouldn't have gotten involved in anything she shouldn't have while abroad, right?"
"That's good……"
Gu Zeming's expression was indifferent, his dark eyes staring intently at the elevator, lost in thought.
Two hours later, they drove to the headquarters of Baili Pharmaceuticals. Zhang Ye and Qin Fei flanked Gu Zeming on either side.
"Young Master may not be familiar with this project. We will mainly introduce it to you later. Just listen."
Zhang Ye's tone was respectful, yet carried a subtle hint of disdain. In his early forties, he had served Qin Jiyuan for over a decade, considering himself a veteran of the group. He had a close relationship with Qin Jiyuan's current wife, Tang Xin, and held this newly arrived "crown prince" in low regard.
Qin Fei echoed with a forced smile, "We've dealt with President Li many times. He's demanding and difficult to handle, so you can rest assured and leave it to us."
Gu Zeming's eyes flickered slightly, and he said casually, "Since Father sent me here, he must have his reasons. You two just need to assist from the sidelines."
Zhang Ye and Qin Fei exchanged a disdainful glance. They were convinced that this "young master" was just there to make a show of things, to gain prestige, and to pave the way for taking over the company in the future.
While Gu Zeming wasn't paying attention, Qin Fei secretly sent Tang Xin a message: "He went there, acting like a young master. Don't worry, we'll 'help' him out properly."
The reply came quickly: "Don't let him get too cocky."
Qin Fei put away his phone and exchanged a knowing smile with Zhang Ye.
Knowing that the Qin family was sending someone today, Li Song had already instructed his assistant to wait at the door.
The assistant was clearly taken aback when he saw that it was Gu Zeming, a complete stranger, getting out of the car.
"Didn't Boss Qin come?"
“My father has an urgent matter to attend to, so I will be acting on his behalf.” Gu Zeming’s tone was calm, yet it carried an undeniable aura.
My father? Could he be Boss Qin's mysterious eldest son?
The assistant had only ever met Qin Yao, the youngest son of the Qin family. Now, seeing the eldest son, he was completely different from Qin Yao, that dissolute second-generation rich kid. However, Qin Yao had a very powerful mother, while the eldest son's maternal family had disappeared. Considering the fate of Boss Qin's first wife, if the two sides were to fight over the family fortune in the future, the eldest son would probably suffer a terrible fate.
The assistant glanced at Gu Zeming furtively and nodded quickly: "Young Master Qin, please come with me. President Li is already in the conference room."
The elevator goes directly to the top-floor conference room.
The moment the door opened, Li Song and Li Sen instantly showed expressions of surprise. However, both of them knew in private that Gu Zeming was Qin Jiyuan's son, and they quickly composed themselves.
"Ze Ming, I didn't expect it to be you." Li Song smiled and stepped forward to shake his hand. "Where is your father?"
“My father had something come up and asked me to apologize to you on his behalf.” Gu Zeming’s lips curled up slightly. “He said that the cooperation with Baili Pharmaceuticals is a long-term strategy, and it would be most appropriate for me to familiarize myself with the business.”
Upon hearing this, Li Sen frowned, his smile somewhat forced: "Welcome, shall we begin the tour?"
Gu Zeming nodded: "Okay."
The group left the conference room and began inspecting Baili Pharmaceutical's production lines and R&D departments. Zhang Ye and Qin Fei followed closely behind Gu Zeming, seemingly protecting him, but in reality, they were pressing him relentlessly.
"This production line must have required a significant investment, right?" Zhang Ye suddenly asked. "I heard that the capacity utilization rate was very low last month. Isn't the return on investment cycle too long?"
Li Song's expression stiffened slightly. Just as he was about to explain, Gu Zeming spoke first: "It takes time to ramp up production capacity. Baili's new product has just passed certification and will begin mass delivery next month. The capacity utilization rate will gradually increase." He turned to Li Song, "My father has been paying attention to this project and said that it is not easy for Baili to win this order."
Li Song's expression softened considerably: "Boss Qin is well-informed; that's indeed the case."
Not to be outdone, Zhang Ye pointed to the equipment in the R&D center and asked, "These instruments don't look new. With technology updating so quickly, how does Baili ensure that its R&D doesn't fall behind?"
Li Sen continued, "We invest a portion of our budget each year in research and development and regular equipment upgrades..."
"Manager Zhang, you mean, how does Baili balance R&D investment and output?" Gu Zeming naturally picked up the conversation, as if explaining for Li Sen. "I've noticed that Baili's patent applications have been increasing over the past three years. That speaks volumes." He looked at Zhang Ye, his eyes meaningful. "When running a business, you need to look at key performance indicators, don't you?"
Zhang Ye felt uneasy under their gaze and could only nod in agreement.
After the inspection, we returned to the conference room to begin formal negotiations.
Following Tang Xin's instructions, Zhang Ye and Qin Fei began to make things difficult for each other.
“These payment terms are too unfavorable to us,” Zhang Ye said, pointing to the contract terms.
The Baili representative looked troubled: "We had already agreed on this ratio with Mr. Qin beforehand."
"The business world is like a battlefield; the situation is always changing," Qin Fei chimed in. "Besides, isn't the penalty for breach of contract too low? It should be doubled."
The atmosphere in the meeting room suddenly became tense.
On the surface, they were making things difficult for Baili Pharmaceutical, but in reality, they were trying to trip up Gu Zeming.
Li Song frowned and looked at Gu Zeming: "Nephew, what do you think?"
Gu Zeming paused for a moment, then turned to his two "assistants," his voice calm yet carrying an undeniable authority: "Manager Zhang, Deputy Manager Qin, I remember at the previous financial analysis meeting, you praised the cooperation model with Baili, saying that the prepayment ratio was set very scientifically. Why have you suddenly changed your minds?"
The two were speechless for a moment.
Gu Zeming lowered his voice slightly: "Choosing sides in the workplace is an art. Choosing the wrong side can ruin your future." He gently twirled the pen in his hand. "I'm young and inexperienced, but I have a good memory."
He raised his eyes, his gaze sharp as a knife: "You two are both intelligent people, you should understand what I mean. The future of the group is also your future, think carefully before you speak."
Zhang Ye and Qin Fei broke out in a cold sweat.
They suddenly realized that this seemingly young "crown prince" was not as simple as he appeared.
Tang Xin's intentions were probably seen through long ago.
The subsequent negotiations went exceptionally smoothly. Zhang Ye and Qin Fei dared not say another word. The Qin family received exactly what they were entitled to, and even more than Qin Jiyuan had expected.
After the negotiations concluded, Li Song hosted a dinner party, and the group went to the city's most upscale restaurant.
After a few rounds of drinks, the atmosphere became lively.
After a few drinks, one of Baili's senior executives started to talk more. He looked Gu Zeming up and down, finding the young man increasingly outstanding.
"Young master, you are young and promising, and handsome," the executive said with a smile. "Do you have a girlfriend? What type do you like? I know quite a few rich heiresses and socialites, I can introduce you to some."
The dinner table immediately erupted in a commotion, everyone curious about what kind of woman could catch the eye of this young master.
Gu Zeming swirled his wine glass, a slight smile playing on his lips: "I'm currently single, but..." He paused, whetting everyone's appetite, "I do have someone I like."
"Oh? Which family's daughter is so lucky?" the executive pressed.
Gu Zeming raised his eyes, his gaze seemingly casually sweeping over Li Sen: "The Jiang family."
There was a moment of silence in the private room.
There are quite a few wealthy businessmen in this city with the surname Jiang.
Before the executive could react, he smiled and asked, "Which Jiang family? Jianghai Group? Or Jiangrun Industry?"
Gu Zeming chuckled softly, a hint of languor in his voice: "The leading e-commerce company in Beijing."
As soon as he finished speaking, the entire private room fell silent.
The leading e-commerce figure in Beijing's financial circle, surnamed Jiang, isn't that Jiang Shan? Who doesn't know that the Jiang family and the Li family are old friends? A few years ago, Jiang Shan brought a daughter back from the countryside, causing quite a stir. Now her daughter is dating Li Sen.
The executive turned pale instantly, his lips trembling as he was unable to speak.
All eyes involuntarily turned to Li Sen and Li Song, and an awkward silence filled the air.
No one expected Gu Zeming to be so direct, openly expressing his interest in Jiang Chuyu in front of her boyfriend and future father-in-law. This wasn't just an implication; it was blatant provocation and poaching! This young master is highly capable but utterly immoral, far more despicable than his father, Qin Jiyuan. If he were to gain power in the future, who knows what outrageous things he might do!
Seeing this, several peacemakers quickly tried to smooth things over: "Young master, you're joking! With your looks and qualities, what kind of girl can't you find!"
"That's right, that's right, he must have had too much to drink and was just joking with us..."
Gu Zeming took a small sip of wine, tapping his glass rhythmically with his index finger, a smile playing on his lips, and said in a calm tone, "I'm not joking."
Five words, seemingly light and airy, yet they struck everyone's heart like a heavy hammer.
The air froze completely. Everyone felt like they were sitting on pins and needles, not daring to look at the faces of the Li family father and son, nor daring to respond to Gu Zeming's words. In their hearts, they were all cursing this eldest son of the Qin family as a devil, poaching their partner so brazenly and without any bottom line.
Surprisingly, although Li Song and Li Sen looked grim, they did not lash out on the spot.
Li Sen raised his glass, his gaze towards Gu Zeming cold, his voice dry: "Xiao Yu is so outstanding, it's normal that many people like her, but we have a good relationship, so I'm afraid I'll have to disappoint you."
"Is that so?" Gu Ze chuckled lightly, raising his glass to him from a distance. "A toast to you and Miss Jiang."
The meal ended hastily in an eerie atmosphere.
Back home, Li Song ripped off his tie, his face flushed with anger: "How arrogant! Gu Zeming is even more despicable than his father! Openly saying he's interested in Chu Yu in front of so many people is a slap in the face to the Li family!"
His wife, Chen Li, took his coat and gently comforted him, "That family has never been good people. His mother is mentally ill, and he was bullied by his stepmother since he was a child. Growing up in that kind of environment, he's very cunning and has long been corrupted."
The couple sighed for a while, then looked at their son, who had remained silent.
"What do you think?" Chen Liwen asked cautiously. "We all like Chu Yu very much and have long considered her as our daughter-in-law. But is it worth falling out with the Qin family over this and affecting our company's cooperation?"
Li Sen stood by the window, gazing at the night outside, and after a long while spoke: "Let me talk to Chu Yu first."
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