Chapter 97: Tensions Rise

Fanghuan Investment, Chairman's Office.
"Chairman Huang, then...then how about we let Director Su meet with Changqing's people? After all, he is..." a senior executive cautiously suggested.
"No way! That kid's too green for this kind of situation. It has to be a seasoned veteran like me to handle things!"
Huang Fengwen interrupted him decisively.
"What are leaders for? Aren't they just there to protect their subordinates?
These dirty, troublesome tasks that offend people are, of course, my job as the boss!"
Push Su Hao to the forefront to offend important figures?
He, Huang Fengwen, would never do such a thing.
It's like running a dungeon in a game.
Although Su Hao is always the one leading the raid.
But when something goes wrong and someone needs to step up and take responsibility...
He, the "Chairman," is always the first to step up without hesitation!
The same principle applies to the company.
The overall commander of this investment battle was Su Hao, but ultimately, the one who would bear all the consequences was Huang Fengwen, the highest leader of Fanghuan Investment!
“Go, contact them immediately! Tell both sides at Changqing that if they want to meet, they should do it soon. My time is very precious; I won't wait until it's too late!”
Huang Fengwen waved his hand, issuing an ultimatum.
***
Fanghuan Investment.
Although considered a top-tier private equity fund in China, it was still just a small boat in the vast ocean of the international capital market.
The Hong Kong-based Changqing Group was enormous, with capital flowing across the globe. What financial giants and investment legends hadn't they seen?
In their eyes, Fanghuan was at best a nobody.
Yet, this very mainland private equity firm now held the key to determining the future of this business empire, tightly gripping the fate of the Changqing Group!
Where could they go to seek justice in this situation?
"Uncle Cui, how exactly did Fanghuan Investment know beforehand that I was going to target my dad and brother?
Besides a few of our trusted confidants, no one else should have known about this."
Shen Zekai sat in the back seat of the luxury car, his brow furrowed, utterly perplexed.
It felt like he was standing naked under a spotlight, all his secrets laid bare.
This implied suspicion of an internal spy, a leak of information.
"Young Master, according to our investigation...
Fanghuan Investment had already acquired the 5% stake before you even began contacting the shareholders and persuading them to support you.
In other words, there's absolutely no possibility of a leak.
Their timing was too perfect, almost uncanny!
We were just about to make our move when they snatched the shares, catching us completely off guard, leaving us no time to react."
Uncle Cui's tone was also filled with confusion and helplessness.
Today, Huang Fengwen, the mere owner of a mainland private equity firm, who arranged their meeting...
actually summoned both the former chairman of Changqing Group and Shen Zekai to Shanghai for negotiations. This was far too much!
Normally, Shen Zekai would have had this ungrateful fellow thoroughly punished, spat in his face, and called him a "foolish bastard"!
But times have changed; circumstances dictate the course of events.
Even if Shen Chengjia and Shen Zekai cursed Huang Fengwen's ancestors to the eighteenth generation in their hearts, they still had to hold their noses.
They canceled all their appointments and, like summoned lackeys, hurriedly flew from Hong Kong to Shanghai.
This feeling of being manipulated was utterly frustrating!
It was incredibly frustrating!
They were about to explode with anger!
"So, it wasn't a leak, but those bastards already had prior knowledge and had the shares in their hands before we even made a move?"
Shen Zekai still found it hard to believe.
"Yes, young master. This whole thing is incredibly bizarre, practically unbelievable.
Nobody can understand why they would suddenly acquire that pile of 'junk,' which at the time seemed utterly useless.
The secret behind it all is probably only known to Huang Fengwen himself."
Shen Zekai sighed, thinking that Huang Fengwen had clearly called him and his son together to stage a bidding war, hoping to profit from the chaos.
Hmph, dream on!
His father, Shen Chengjia, is not so easily dealt with!
Huang Fengwen's little tricks are probably no match for him.
***
"Oh my, a distinguished guest! Young Master Shen, it's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Huang Fengwen from Fanghuan Investment. I've long admired your name!"
As soon as Shen Zekai stepped into the pre-arranged private room, a rather elegant middle-aged man greeted him with a smile. His warm yet measured manner made it seem as if he were meeting a long-lost friend.
"Ah, Mr. Huang, hello," Shen Zekai replied indifferently.
Looking up, he saw his father, Shen Chengjia, already seated in the main seat, his face so dark it could wring water.
Upon seeing him, Shen Chengjia's cloudy old eyes instantly flashed with two venomous glints, glaring fiercely at him.
"You unfilial son! You've finally decided to show your precious face?"
Shen Chengjia's voice wasn't loud, but every word seemed to be squeezed out from between his teeth, carrying a chilling intent.
He felt an urge to skin Shen Zekai alive on the spot.
“…I’m sorry, Dad.” Shen Zekai bowed slightly, his tone still respectful.
“Sorry? One ‘sorry’ is all?!” Shen Chengjia slammed his fist on the table, roaring,
“Since you’re here, I’m going to ask you properly today!
Why the hell did you do such a stupid, inhuman thing?! Huh?!
Was your brain kicked by a donkey or filled with water?
Do you even have any respect for me as your father? Do you even have any respect for your older brother?!
You’ve betrayed our ancestors! Betrayed the entire family!
You’ve completely disgraced the Shen family! Do you even know that?! You traitorous wretch!”
Shen Chengjia was so angry he almost jumped up, spitting almost onto Shen Zekai’s face.
The torrent of reprimands finally subsided for a moment, and Shen Zekai slowly raised his head.
His face betrayed little emotion, but in his unfathomable eyes, countless suppressed emotions seemed to clash and churn violently!
It was the humiliation accumulated over many years.
Now, these turbulent undercurrents finally found an outlet, transforming into a cold, rhetorical question that clearly reached Shen Chengjia's ears:
"If you had even once given me a fair chance to compete, even just once! Would I have ended up like this?"
"Wh-what?" Shen Chengjia was stunned by his sudden retort.
"Just because I'm the second oldest, just because the eldest brother is the eldest.
You just handed over the entire company, the entire future, to him as a matter of course? That's so unfair!
What do I lack compared to the eldest brother?!"
Shen Zekai's questions came like a machine gun, filled with resentment and bitterness.
Shen Chengjia, trembling with rage, pointed at Shen Zekai's nose and yelled:
"You know nothing! You brat, you think you're invincible, huh? You short-sighted fool!
You've achieved such a tiny, insignificant success, and you're already swaggering! You have no idea how big your own nose is!"
Seeing the father and son on the verge of exploding into a heated argument, Huang Fengwen stepped in with a smile, acting as a peacemaker:
"Hey, hey, you two, calm down, calm down!
There's no such thing as a grudge that lasts overnight between father and son. Can't you talk things out?
Harmony brings wealth, harmony brings wealth!
If you want to argue, wait until after the business is finished. There'll be plenty of time for you two to 'have a deep conversation,' hehe."