Chapter 156 is absolutely stupid...
In mid-May, a sudden downpour shrouded the Shanghai Financial International Building in rain and mist.
At 10 a.m., the carpet in the hotel's executive corridor on the 18th floor of the building was so thick that footsteps could not be heard.
The group of people walked into the elevator without smiling.
Finally, they stopped in front of a door, and the assistant waiting outside bent down to open the door when he saw the visitor.
The person inside looked up at the sound, and the two looked at each other.
Duan Huaixu: "Xi Chen, it's been a long time."
Shen Xichen stood up. "It has been a long time."
Duan Huaixu entered and sat down, and the first thing he saw was another man.
Zhao Qingye stood up and shook hands with the man. "Mr. Duan, I've heard so much about you. It's a pleasure to meet you."
Duan Huaixu nodded, "Nice to meet you."
Duan Huaixu and Shen Xichen got to know each other through the alumni association. They met at Ji Tanyuan's graduation ceremony and then collaborated twice more.
He wouldn't say they were close acquaintances; he's a Singaporean of Chinese descent who rarely returns to China, and his recent visits to the mainland are mainly due to Ji Tanyuan.
Shen Xichen: "Someone wants to see you, so I'm acting as a bridge."
Zhao Qingye: "Mr. Duan is difficult to schedule a meeting with."
Duan Huaixu: "Thank you all for your kindness and invitations to dinner. I've been a bit busy, so I've neglected you. Please forgive me, Mr. Zhao."
Humility and politeness taken to an extreme can become indifference.
Zhao Qingye's smile froze for a moment, then he said, "No, that doesn't count."
He took the red wine and poured it for him, saying, "This is a bottle of 1986 Romanée-Conti, which is not bad. I hope Mr. Duan won't find it offensive."
Duan Huaixu watched the red wine slowly flow into the wine glass, then raised his hand and said, "That's enough. I've been having a lot of drinking parties lately, and the doctor told me to avoid being greedy and not to drink to the brim."
Zhao Qingye nodded and put down the red wine. "That's true, health is still the most important thing."
Duan Huaixu smiled, utterly humble, knowing exactly where he was standing and who he was facing.
His money, whether it goes out or comes in, requires approval from various levels of government.
Zhao Qingye sat down. "Ming's Pharmaceuticals is currently developing a new drug that can enhance metabolism and improve physical fitness. Mr. Duan, you may want to take a look."
Duan Huaixu swirled his wine glass, looked up, and said, "I wouldn't dare to try this casually. Investment in pharmaceuticals is not my responsibility, and I don't know much about it."
Zhao Qingye clenched his fists. "We're the bosses of Convergence Capital, how can we talk about being irresponsible?"
Duan Huaixu stopped beating around the bush and gave a clear answer: he would not invest in Juanji. His visit to Hujiang was specifically aimed at small companies that lacked funding, mainly those in the semiconductor, new energy, and AI sectors listed on the Science and Technology Innovation Board.
For a large company like Ming's Pharmaceuticals, investing in it is like throwing a small stone into the ocean; the equity stake he receives is negligible given the company's enormous market capitalization.
So-called investment means investing in a company in its early stages to secure the largest possible equity stake with minimal capital, taking a gamble on the company's success, where the potential return could be hundreds of times greater.
In his view, someone of Zhao Qingye's size, with the pharmaceutical industry being extremely profitable, shouldn't lack funds for research and development. However, the current situation suggests that he has been secretly sanctioned.
Duan Huaixu didn't know who the other party was, but someone who could cause Ming's Pharmaceuticals difficulties in China must be no small figure, so he couldn't possibly invest in them, as this might unwittingly create an obstacle for himself.
Is Shen Xichen standing here watching coldly because he doesn't want to help, or is he simply trying to drag him down with him?
Duan Huaixu lowered his eyes, his thoughts racing, but his face remained expressionless.
Zhao Qingye was rebuffed, but he gritted his teeth and said with a smile, "I heard that Mr. Duan and Chairman Ji have a good relationship?"
Duan Huaixu: "We're friends."
He crossed his legs, not touching the glass of wine in front of him, a smile on his face: "Mr. Zhao, where did you get so many 'hearsay' from?"
Zhao Qingye: "Just curious. I was just thinking that since Miss Ji got divorced, you came here in person. Perhaps you're trying to make up for the regret. Maybe I can help you."
Duan Huaixu scoffed.
How can someone who has no connection to a relationship help with matters of the heart?
That's so stupid... utterly stupid...
Thinking you've found his weakness only exposes your own shallowness and ignorance.
Ji Tanyuan wasn't a pawn being manipulated and kept in the dark. She would eventually realize something was wrong, so why would he deliberately ruin his relationship with her?
Duan Huaixu glanced at Shen Xichen, who had remained silent, and said, "Xichen, let's talk another day. I have something to do."
Zhao Qingye was astonished and left before even sitting for 10 minutes. Despite his humility, he was still arrogant at heart.
His expression was also unpleasant as he turned to look out the window.
Shen Xichen nodded, "Then another day."
After the person left
Zhao Qingye kicked the chair, put his hands on his hips and paced back and forth to calm his anger, "I've already humbled myself like this, and he still doesn't appreciate it."
Shen Xichen: "He's got brains."
"Mr. Zhao, you should give up."
Zhao Qingye's expression turned cold and stern. He then said, "Can't Hujiang's bank process approvals?"
“Even large loans have to be reported to headquarters. Do you think you’re taking out a mortgage?” Shen Xichen said.
He stood up. "The only way out is to bring down the Zhong family. Only then will the road ahead be unobstructed."
After finishing speaking, Shen Xichen got up and left.
It was still pouring rain outside. Shen Xichen went straight to the underground parking garage and saw Duan Huaixu, who hadn't left yet.
Duan Huaixu sat in the car with the window half-rolled down. "Young Master Shen, Zhao Qingye said that relying on tricks to win a woman's favor is never respectable, right?"
Shen Xichen immediately understood the meaning behind his words; they were meant for him.
Shen Xichen frowned and met his gaze: "You were after something underhanded from the start, so it's understandable that you resorted to underhanded methods, isn't it?"
Duan Huaixu raised the window and said nothing more.
His expression, however, was not good.
After exiting the underground parking garage, he called Ji Tanyuan to ask if she and Shen Xichen were having any entanglements.
The mere mention of Shen Xichen sent a shiver down Ji Tanyuan's spine, a chill running down her spine as if a snake had crawled up her leg.
"No, not in private. How could I possibly have anything to do with him?"
Three consecutive denials...
Duan Huaixu: "Really?"
Ji Tanyuan hummed in agreement and asked, "You went to have dinner with him?"
Duan Huaixu did not deny it, "After all, we know each other."
Ji Tanyuan didn't ask anything more.
She hung up the phone and turned to enter the conference room.
She sat at the first seat on the left side of the conference table and began to listen to the project leader's explanation.
She flipped through the documents, the rustling of the pages mingling with the sound of rain outside the window.
Zidian's achievements this time are enough to surprise the industry. She has been waiting for this moment, taking advantage of the industry's boom to expand orders everywhere.
"Prepare your speech. We have a half-hour opening press conference. You have ten minutes, is that okay?"
The project's chief engineer, Guan Yue, was stunned, seemingly not expecting to be chosen for the position.
Ji Tanyuan: "I'm in management, you're the technical expert. You're the soul and the core. If you don't go, who will?"
Guan Yue became excited. She thought that this was another important occasion for the entire industry, and she had to write the article and ask her superiors to attend.
After all, she is currently just a project manager at one of the holding companies under the Ji family, not even a senior executive.
Ji Tanyuan stood up, looked at Guan Yue, her eyes crinkling with a smile, and said, "It's settled then. Prepare well and stun them."
After Ji Tanyuan left, the others came up to congratulate her.
She was still excited, covering her mouth. If this went smoothly, she would be noticed, which would make things much easier for her promotion or other jobs.
She was no longer working behind the scenes, no longer writing and submitting manuscripts, but someone who could stand on her own. This opportunity came unexpectedly on this ordinary day, a day she was completely unprepared for.
When Lu Ke found out, he patted Guan Yue on the shoulder and encouraged her, "Work hard. President Ji has tied his fate to yours."
"This is her first time representing the Ji family and young entrepreneurs at an opening press conference, so it is very important to her."
Lu Ke knew that Ji Tanyuan was cultivating her own core team and planned to get rid of some of the old guard in Zidian.
Starting with Zidian, the future will be the headquarters.
Ji Tanyuan will not wait for her father to pass on the throne; she will find a way to obtain it herself. After all, this kind of attitude is what the chairman trained her to do.
The chairman is simply reaping the consequences of his own actions.
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