Chapter 131 The Multimillionaire
"Wow, what a great view!"
"I love this house!"
"And this complex is so close to Youda. If only I had a place like this—a secret little hideout."
"It would be so cool to invite a bunch of friends over for dinner on the weekends!"
Liu Shang came to her side, and they looked out at the scenery together. He said with a smile, "I didn't expect them to sell me a move-in ready house, especially one with the initial heavy decorating already done."
"I really owe Mr. Zhong's son-in-law a big one for this."
Song Jia smiled. "Don't worry about it. Mr. Zhong likes you and treats you so well; I doubt he's keeping score!"
"By the way, how do you plan to decorate and design this place?"
Liu Shang shook his head slightly. "I just got here. How could I have any ideas yet?"
"Hmph, that's just like you!"
"A big, rough guy like you, totally lacking in design sense!"
As she spoke, Song Jia cheerfully walked around the house a few times, starting to offer her suggestions.
"If I were decorating, I'd put some sun-loving green plants on both sides of the living room's bay window."
"My favorites are fortune trees and kumquat trees. I'd want the kind of kumquats you can actually eat, as long as they aren't too sour!"
"And right in the middle here, I'd hang a swinging chair, so I could just lounge around whenever."
"For the living room, the sofa, coffee table, and the wall for the TV have to be modern and stylish."
"Qumei's heat-bent panel furniture is a great style."
"I really hate the European style they used in my family's house."
"And don't make the kitchen open-plan. It's noisy, and cooking fumes get everywhere. A relative of mine just renovated their place like that, and they regret it like crazy."
"But my favorite part of your house is this study."
"It's a good size and has a small window."
"You could put a bookcase here, and a desk over there for studying for final exams."
"Of course, you have the privilege of not needing to study. Even if you failed, the teachers would probably find a way to pass you!"
"And next to the desk, if it were me, I'd get a small saltwater aquarium."
"I'd put a couple of clownfish in there, maybe some coral, and just watch them swim around when I had free time."
...
From the living room to the kitchen, then to the bedroom and study, Song Jia rattled off one suggestion after another.
Watching her, Liu Shang found himself growing more and more amused and excited.
"Phew, I'm exhausted! Why did I forget to bring some water up?"
"But I have to say, Liu Shang, you picked a really great place!"
"This feels just like playing house when I was a kid."
"I never expected that at our age, we'd get to experience this kind of childhood fun again."
Seeing her so enthusiastic, Liu Shang smiled wryly.
"Well, a rich man's daughter will be a rich man's daughter. Us poor folk manage to scrape together enough for a house like this..."
"...and to you, it's just a big toy to play house in."
"If you really like it, you should just pick one out and buy it!"
"I'm pretty familiar with their vice president now, so you wouldn't even have to bother Mr. Zhong."
"And with your own money, Miss Song, you could easily buy a place like this without even telling your father, couldn't you?"
Hearing this, Song Jia shot him an angry glare.
"Do you really think I'm some little rich girl?"
"Where would I get that much 'private money'?!"
"Even during the Spring Festival, the most I get for pocket money is tens of thousands of yuan."
"It's not just me. It's the same for Lu Kai and the others."
"If you want something, even a car, your family will buy it for you."
"But the actual pocket money we get isn't that much."
"We don't have your talent for making money—you're constantly earning so much."
Song Guangyuan knew about the patents Liu Shang had sold to the processing plant, and also about the money he later received from Pan Qingfeng.
After all, in the oil industry, it's hard to keep anything a complete secret.
Between Song Guangyuan's network and his relationship with Pan Qingfeng, it wasn't surprising that he knew about it.
And for his part, Song Guangyuan greatly appreciated and admired Liu Shang for it.
After all, there was nothing to criticize about money Liu Shang had earned through his own ability and hard work.
Moreover, the more independent and dedicated Liu Shang was to working hard on his own, the more worthy of appreciation he became—certainly more so than someone just looking for shortcuts.
Liu Shang and Ma Yuan were two completely opposite people, worlds apart.
Song Jia also had a vague idea of this from hearing her parents praise Liu Shang during their conversations at home.
At this time, Song Jia paused for a few seconds, then mused aloud, "Actually, it would be easy for my dad to buy me a house like this."
"But if he did... it wouldn't feel much different from just going back to my own house..."
"There'd be no sense of novelty. It would just be... boring..."
Just then, Song Jia had an epiphany.
This fun, this playful feeling of 'playing house,' didn't come from the house itself.
It came from the person who had bought it—the person she was standing here with right now.
And the man who bought this house—if he wanted to play house, was she the one he wanted to play with?
The answer, of course, was no.
At this thought, Song Jia's excellent mood instantly soured.
"This is boring. I'm a little tired. I'm leaving."
"Anyway, it's close to the school."
A woman's heart is a needle at the bottom of the ocean. Liu Shang was completely baffled by her sudden change.
"Wait a minute, I'll take you back."
Song Jia waved her hand. "No need, I'll just walk back by myself."
"Anyway, it's only ten minutes away!"
With that, the sullen Song Jia turned and left decisively. Right then, all she wanted to do was find some friends and go for a drink.
...
Liu Shang had bought the house, but before he could surprise Jiang Ruolin with it, summer vacation arrived.
Jiang Ruolin's family flew to Shanghai right after her exams because an elderly relative at her grandmother's home had fallen seriously ill.
It all happened so fast that the young couple didn't even have a chance for a proper farewell.
Meanwhile, the payment for the horizontal well tool salvage at the oil field finally came through.
In a rather high-end restaurant, Li Changgong praised Liu Shang effusively.
"Liu Shang, the payment for that well has arrived."
"After deducting various fees and taxes, the total amount that lands in your hands is 2.6 million."
"I've already transferred it to your bank card. Here are the transaction details; you can check them when you get back."
"From now on, you're a proper millionaire."
"And how old are you, anyway?"
"The future is boundless!"
"What an enviable age to be. When I was your age, I was nowhere near where you are now!"
Chapter 132 Just When You're Dozing Off, Someone Offers a Pillow
"Heh heh, Mr. Li, you're giving me too much credit."
"I was just lucky, thanks to Uncle Shen's and your help."
Li Changgong laughed and waved his hands. "Enough with the 'Mr. Li'."
"Just call me Brother Li from now on. It's friendlier!"
"Many people your age in the oil field call me Brother Li."
"It'll make it easier for us to get along."
"I don't put on airs like Old Shen."
...
During this time, Liu Shang unexpectedly received a call from Lu Jianguo.
Liu Shang was only able to earn that 700 million thanks to Lu Jianguo's help back then.
And this Old Lu was a really decent guy. At the beginning, he had only charged Liu Shang 5,000 yuan for utilities.
Therefore, in his heart, Liu Shang was very grateful to Lu Jianguo.
After exchanging pleasantries, Lu Jianguo finally got to the point.
"Liu Shang, I really have you to thank this time. My good fortune is all because of you."
Hearing his words, Liu Shang was naturally very surprised.
"Boss Lu, you must be joking."
"You've always been the one looking out for me. If anything, I've just caused you a lot of trouble."
Lu Jianguo smiled. "Liu Shang, my small auxiliary factory has been sold. Guess for how much?"
When Liu Shang heard the price Lu Jianguo quoted, he was stunned.
"300 million?!!"
"Boss Lu, that price is truly amazing!"
Lu Jianguo smiled smugly and mysteriously.
"Heh heh, amazing, isn't it?"
"I know exactly what my own company is worth."
"If the company sold for 100 million, that would already be a huge profit."
"If it sold for 120 million, then I, Lu Jianguo, would have just gotten incredibly lucky."
"But they offered 300 million right off the bat. If I just chalked that up to luck, then I, Lu Jianguo, would have lived all these years for nothing."
"That's why I got suspicious and decided to find out what their real purpose was."
"On the surface, the buyer was a small-time boss in the tech industry from out of town."
"It looked fine."
"But after I did some careful digging, I found out there was a foreigner named Hans behind him."
"Now that I've mentioned him, you probably understand."
"The real buyer of my company was that Hans, or rather, Schlumberger."
"And their purpose, unsurprisingly, is your formula."
"I have to say, Liu Shang, you've really surprised me."
"It's no small feat to get Schlumberger to set their sights on a formula and its technology!"
After hearing the news, Liu Shang's eyes grew sharp.
He had already anticipated Schlumberger might try something like this back when he was competing with Hans.
And whether it was in the laboratory, the production workshop, or even when purchasing raw materials, he had taken comprehensive measures to cover his tracks.
He was still confident that even if Schlumberger bought Lu Jianguo's additive factory, it would be impossible to reverse-engineer his formula from what was left.
Although he was reeling internally, Liu Shang kept a smile on his face as he spoke:
"Boss Lu, regardless of who the buyer was, congratulations are in order!"
At this, Lu Jianguo laughed and said, "Liu Shang, if all I wanted was congratulations, I wouldn't have called you."
"Schlumberger, or that Hans, they underestimated my, Lu Jianguo's, influence in the Fengcheng Oilfield."
"They can't pull the wool over my eyes!"
"And you, Liu Shang, were too conceited and too young."
"Yes, you spared no expense when purchasing the chemicals and put up a good disguise."
"You also cleaned up thoroughly after using the lab and production line."
"But, you made one fatal mistake: the residue from your most critical chemicals!"
"You thought you could just hand it over to the disposal crew, and you even paid them a hefty extra fee."
"But you don't realize that, driven by costs and profits, they would never dispose of your chemical waste right away. They'd wait to accumulate a large batch to process all at once."
"Let's put it another way: if your formula is that important, shouldn't you have personally supervised the disposal and watched them handle it on the spot?"
Before Lu Jianguo could finish speaking, cold sweat was already streaming down Liu Shang's forehead.
As Lu Jianguo said, he really had been too careless and conceited.
With Schlumberger's technology, if they got their hands on the waste and residue, it wouldn't be difficult at all to reverse-engineer his formula.
Although these formulas weren't the most advanced in Liu Shang's technical arsenal, if they leaked prematurely, it would create a massive problem for the implementation of his overall plan.
And there was no telling what other butterfly effects this could trigger.
Hearing Liu Shang's heavy breathing and slight sigh, Lu Jianguo continued with a smile:
"After finding all this out, I went to the processing plant myself."
"And just as I expected, those guys were holding onto your waste, waiting to dispose of it later."
"All to save a little money."
"This time, I cleaned up your mess for you. I watched them dispose of that batch of waste with my own eyes."
"Let this be a lesson to you. You need to be more careful in the future."
"Remember, in the adult world, danger lurks everywhere!"
Hearing this, Liu Shang breathed a huge sigh of relief and was overcome with gratitude.
At this, Lu Jianguo laughed loudly. "There's nothing to be thankful for."
"You were renting my factory for production, so I have a responsibility to my clients!"
"And besides, you and I hit it off right away."
"Was I going to help a young guy like you, or was I going to side with those foreigners from Schlumberger? It's an easy choice."
"I, Old Lu, have some integrity, you know!"
"Anyway, now everything's settled, and I've sold the company."
"Those foreigners tried to pull a fast one, but their plan backfired. Serves them right!"
"Next, I plan to travel with my wife and grandson to enjoy my retirement."
"Finally, let me say it again, Liu Shang: if you have any problems in the future, just call me."
"Your Uncle Lu still has some pull and experience in the oil field."
"At the very least, I can offer some advice and help you out."
...
After hanging up the phone with Lu Jianguo, Liu Shang felt a lingering fear in his heart.
But more than that, he was moved.
He had met so many good and honorable people.
Mr. Zhong, Professor Xu, Song Guangyuan, Pan Qingfeng, Shen Chengcheng, and now Lu Jianguo.
It truly made him feel the wonder of life and be grateful for the existence of so many kind, enthusiastic, and genuine people.
With summer vacation approaching, Jiang Ruolin away on a long trip, and Song Jia suddenly giving him the cold shoulder, Liu Shang felt much more relaxed.
Originally, he had planned to buy Lu Jianguo's additive company himself, but that was now off the table.
With nothing else to do, he decided to decorate and clean up his garage first.
As luck would have it, when he arrived at his garage, a middle-aged man in his fifties was arguing with the property manager.
"What's wrong with you people?"
"Ah? I bought this townhouse, and you sold the garage on the shaded side of the house to someone else?"
"Do you think I, Fan Shikang, am a pushover?"
"Why don't you ask around about who I, Fan Shikang, am in the oil field!"
"I don't care anymore! I don't want this townhouse! Give me a refund!"
Fan Shikang?
After hearing this name, Liu Shang was obviously taken aback.
Isn't this the 'Old Fan' that Boss Zhong and the others were always talking about? The one whose backer fell from power, who now wants to sell his company and newly built chemical plant at a low price?
Chapter 133 Are You Sure?
As Liu Shang mulled over the name Fan Shikang, a junior manager from the real estate agency was still trying to explain the situation to the man.
"Sir, this is the situation."
"The townhouse you purchased was originally designed as a stacked villa product."
"The small, shaded yard that originally belonged to the lower unit has now been converted into a garage by us."
"And this garage is entirely separate from your residential unit."
"We explained this and noted it on the contract you signed."
"So, I'm very sorry, but I'm afraid we can't accommodate your request."
Before he could finish, Fan Shikang roared in anger.
"What?! What do you mean it doesn't affect my living arrangements?"
"You sold the garage on the shaded side of my house to someone else, so I'm not allowed to use it and have to park in an open-air spot?"
"Why don't you just sell off my living room while you're at it?"
"What good is the contract if your salespeople didn't bother to explain this clause? Were they dead?"
"Let's back up. Even if you were going to sell this garage separately, shouldn't you have offered it to us first?"
"Only if we declined to buy it should you have offered it to someone else."
"But what did you do? Did you even ask me?!!!"
"I bought a whole villa! Do you really think I can't afford a garage?"
Afterward, the junior manager, looking aggrieved, continued to apologize and explain. He offered compensation in other areas but firmly refused to cancel Fan Shikang's purchase.
As for Fan Shikang, he had dropped all pretense. He resorted to threats and intimidation, making it clear he intended to cause trouble. His attitude was unyielding.
Finally, after some debate, the junior manager from the real estate agency offered a compromise.
"Mr. Fan, how about this? To be frank, according to our internal records, the garage has already been sold."
"But I haven't looked up the specific buyer's information yet."
"I'll coordinate this and ask the other party to transfer the garage to you."
"However, the price will be the standard market rate, with no discounts. What do you think?"
Fan Shikang snorted. "Fine. Just get me the garage."
"I don't need a discount from you. I, Fan Shikang, am not so poor that I can't afford a single garage!"
Initially, Liu Shang had just been watching the drama unfold.
A few other people had also gathered to watch the argument.
But now that their argument was about to cause trouble for him, how could he stay out of it? This was not something Liu Shang was going to accept. He had to step forward.
The very garage they were arguing over was one Liu Shang had carefully selected for himself; it was his preferred spot.
Due to the community's layout, this garage was located just downstairs from the south-facing side of Liu Shang's apartment building.
A short, seven-or-eight-meter path through a flower bed was all that separated it from his building's entrance.
It was incredibly convenient. Any other available garage would be several hundred meters away.
Therefore, Liu Shang had no intention of giving up this convenience for someone else's sake.
"Hehe, excuse me, gentlemen."
"I don't mean to interrupt your discussion."
"However, that garage is mine. I've already signed the contract, so legally speaking, it's already in my name."
"Therefore, I don't agree to swapping it for another one, or any other arrangement."
Hearing Liu Shang speak, Fan Shikang, the junior manager, and the handful of onlookers all froze.
Wasn't this young man a little too young?
This garage was his?!
At this, Fan Shikang studied Liu Shang for a moment.
Then, he gave a helpless smile. "Tell me, little brother, which villa are you from?"
"Why would you buy the garage behind my house?"
Liu Shang said with a wry smile, "I bought an apartment in the high-rise."
"It just so happens that this garage is close and convenient, so I bought it."
Seeing Liu Shang for the first time, the junior manager from the sales office was also surprised by his youth.
But his surprise turned to relief when he learned Liu Shang had bought an apartment in the high-rise, not a villa.
He presumed there was nothing special about this young man; he must have bought the apartment with his family's money. And some salesperson must have sold him the garage just to boost their numbers.
And so, the junior manager addressed Liu Shang with standard, polite etiquette, but his tone was firm.
"Hello, sir. Although you've signed a purchase agreement, the garage isn't legally yours until the property rights are finalized."
"At worst, if this goes to court, we will simply pay you the liquidated damages stipulated in the contract."
"But that would be time-consuming and exhausting for everyone, and it's completely unnecessary, don't you think?"
"So, please, do us a favor and let us swap this garage for another one for you, alright?"
"We can compensate you with a credit toward your property management fees or something else."
Faced with the manager's condescending attitude, Liu Shang, who had been in a good mood, felt his annoyance rising and his brow furrowed.
"Alright?"
"Heh, not alright!"
"Why should the perfectly good garage I already bought be swapped out?"
"Why should I have to pay for a mistake your sales office made?"
"What, do I owe you something from a past life?"
"Since you can't solve this problem, why don't you just cancel Mr. Fan's purchase?!"
"That would be much easier!"
When Liu Shang first stepped forward, Fan Shikang had frowned, worried that his involvement would allow the sales office to deflect the issue.
He even thought it was possible that Liu Shang might side with the sales office for some personal gain.
But to his surprise, the young man was incredibly sharp, backing the sales office into a corner with just a few words.
"That's right! This young man is correct!"
"Why should we have to pay for your mistakes?"
"I'm telling you, stop messing around and process my cancellation immediately!"
"Otherwise, I won't bother with the court. I'll just hire a bunch of workers to occupy your sales office, drink all your tea, and let's see how you sell any more properties then!"
What the junior manager truly feared was someone like Fan Shikang, who had the resources and influence to cause real trouble for the sales office.
Therefore, he continued to placate Fan Shikang politely while directing all his frustration and firmness toward Liu Shang.
"I'm sorry, sir, but we won't be discussing this with you further."
"I am officially informing you now: please present your receipt and contract. We are repossessing this garage."
"As for the liquidated damages we owe you, we will pay every last penny."
Seeing the manager's unreasonable and aggressive stance, Liu Shang smiled coldly. "Are you sure?"
Chapter 134 Hunter
After Liu Shang's questioning, the junior manager's tone only hardened.
"That's right, sir. I've confirmed it."
"We are repossessing this garage now. Please cooperate!"
"Oh, okay. Heh, I'll cooperate!"
After nodding and chuckling, Liu Shang took out his phone and called the vice president.
Once the call connected, the vice president was naturally enthusiastic. He greeted Liu Shang warmly and asked if there was anything he could do for him.
Liu Shang replied with a smile, "Heh, Mr. Li, you don't have to be so formal. Actually, something has come up."
"One of your company's managers is here to repossess my garage."
"This garage was a gift from you in the first place. Of course, if you want it back, I'm willing to cooperate."
"It would just be returning it to its rightful owner, after all!"
"However, he's demanding that I provide invoices, receipts, and so on, which I simply don't have…"
The moment he heard Liu Shang's words, the vice president on the other end of the line nearly blew a gasket.
Repossess it?
Who the hell paid for it? And who the hell asked him to take it back?
How could I, the vice president, not know about this?
Damn it, this man has official connections we can't afford to offend. Do you have any idea how much effort I put in, how many strings I had to pull, just to get him to accept that garage in the first place?
And now you people want to take it back?
Aren't you just looking for trouble and making my life difficult?
After hanging up with Liu Shang, the vice president called the sales office, practically snarling as he demanded to know which blind idiot was causing this mess.
Meanwhile, having overheard Liu Shang's call, Fan Shikang and the other old foxes in the group exchanged knowing, playful glances.
They had already noticed this young man had an extraordinary bearing, very different from his peers. He possessed an unusual calmness and sophistication for his age.
But now it was clear his background was truly extraordinary!
At that moment, the junior manager's expression did a complete one-eighty.
This young man's garage was actually a gift from the company?
And who was this Mr. Li he called?
It couldn't possibly be the executive vice president, second only to the big boss, could it?
And who was this young man?
I couldn't be so unlucky as to have just stirred up a hornet's nest, could I?
He was instantly filled with regret; he should have inquired about the garage's backstory from the start.
Just as his face paled and he was about to swallow his pride and try to smooth things over with Liu Shang, a shuttle from the sales office came speeding over.
The saleswoman and the manager on duty, both of whom knew Liu Shang, rushed out and began apologizing profusely.
From beginning to end, they didn't give the junior manager so much as a single glance.
And when they did, their eyes held only pity and disgust.
Their expressions screamed, You imbecile! You're not only dead, but you're trying to drag us down with you!
Soon, the portly vice president arrived, his forehead beaded with sweat.
After offering his own apologies to Liu Shang, he turned and lashed out at the junior manager.
Then, in a stern voice, he fired him on the spot.
Fired!
The onlookers were stunned by this turn of events.
At the same time, they were all secretly speculating about which powerful official this young man might be the son of.
In the end, the vice president personally resolved Fan Shikang's issue, giving him the green light to move out.
Once the matter was settled, Liu Shang politely declined the vice president's invitation to dinner as an apology.
However, he couldn't refuse Fan Shikang, who insisted on treating him to a meal as a thank you.
In a rather high-end restaurant, Fan Shikang smiled and raised a glass of wine to Liu Shang.
"Ah, Liu Shang, I absolutely insist on treating you to this meal today."
"I can tell they only agreed to let me check out because of you."
"Forgive me for asking, but does a family member of yours hold a government position?"
Liu Shang shook his head and smiled. "Mr. Fan, you give me too much credit."
"I only bought this house because of my connection to Mr. Zhong Gaokuang."
"As for me, I'm just a poor student. What kind of connections or background could I possibly have?"
Upon hearing Zhong Gaokuang's name, Fan Shikang was visibly surprised.
"You mean that Mr. Zhong?"
"Oh, an old acquaintance! That explains it!"
After that, Liu Shang and the others chatted freely.
Everyone was an old acquaintance from the same circle, so there was nothing to hide.
Liu Shang was also candid about his own situation.
After all, it wouldn't be difficult for Fan Shikang to find out about him if he really wanted to.
After chatting for a while, Fan Shikang, who had already had a fair bit to drink, sighed softly.
"Liu Shang, you must have heard about me and my company, right?"
Liu Shang nodded without pretense.
Fan Shikang laughed self-deprecatingly. "I've become a joke in the oil industry, so it's not surprising you've heard the stories."
"To be honest with you, this whole ordeal has cost me more than I can say."
"My company is finished. Everything that could be sold has been sold."
"Back then, I was so spirited and ambitious. When I bought this villa, I planned to do something big in Windy City."
"But man proposes, and God disposes. Almost overnight, my entire world was turned upside down."
"At my age, around fifty, a loss like this is total."
"There's no chance, and I don't have the energy, for a comeback."
"So, my plan was to sell this villa, leave Windy City, and find a nice place to retire."
"As for buying the garage, it wasn't important. It was just a pretext, nothing more."
Listening to Fan Shikang's heartfelt words, Liu Shang also sighed lightly.
"Mr. Fan, life is unpredictable; it's never a smooth ride."
"But if you look at it from another angle, even with your business troubles, you're still far better off than most people, aren't you?"
"You never know. Retiring early to travel might turn out to be a good thing for you."
"As the saying goes, 'What you lose on the swings, you gain on the roundabouts.'"
"For every loss, there is a gain."
Hearing Liu Shang's words, Fan Shikang smiled and took a sip of his wine.
"Yes, you're right. For every loss, there's a gain."
"Liu Shang, you're quite good at comforting people."
"To have your kind of composure and perspective at your age… you're destined for great things."
"As for me, I'm getting the villa back as I'd hoped. Once I liquidate the shell of my former company and sell it, I'll be completely relaxed and free!"
And finally, the topic he had been waiting for.
From the moment he first confirmed Fan Shikang's identity, Liu Shang had been thinking about his company.
Specifically, the newly built chemical plant that had never been used and that everyone else scorned.
But since then, Liu Shang had been like a patient hunter, never once bringing up the company.
He hadn't shown the slightest intention of buying it.
Chapter 135 How Much Per Square Meter?!
Seeing Fan Shikang take the initiative to bring up his company, Liu Shang reined in his excitement and asked as casually as he could:
"President Fan, what's your asking price for the company?"
"You must be looking for a quick sale, right?"
At this, Fan Shikang gave a wry smile and waved his hand dismissively.
Perhaps because Liu Shang was so young, Fan Shikang had never even considered him a potential buyer. So, emboldened by the alcohol, he began to vent his frustrations.
"Sigh, if only it were that easy!"
"If it weren't for the incident, people would be lining up to buy my company."
"But now that this has happened, the company's been blacklisted by the oil field, so no one dares to touch it!"
"Besides, I've already sold off everything I could—vehicles, raw materials, equipment, even the office supplies."
"To put it bluntly, all that's left is an empty shell and an office building in the industrial park with just over ten years left on the lease."
"We all run in the same circles, and nobody's a fool. Knowing all this, who would be willing to buy?"
Fan Shikang took another sip of wine, sighed, and continued, "I bought the land in the industrial park for a very cheap price."
"It cost millions to build the office buildings and factories, but they've been in use for almost ten years, so I have no regrets there."
"It's the chemical plant that's really dragging me down. It cost over 15 million yuan to set up."
"At first, some buyers from out of town made an offer of 9 million yuan."
"Back then, I held out for 13 million, so we couldn't reach a deal."
"Now, with all the vehicles and equipment gone... hell, I'd be thrilled to get 6 million for it!"
Hearing the price Fan Shikang quoted, Liu Shang felt his heart begin to pound.
He'd heard President Zhong and the others discuss it many times during dinners at the company.
But back then, Liu Shang only had 800,000 yuan in funds, so he hadn't dared to even think about Fan Shikang's company.
Unexpectedly, things had changed, and now Fan Shikang's company had actually fallen within his reach.
Although he hadn't seen Fan Shikang's company and factory with his own eyes, based on descriptions from various sources, the chemical plant alone was worth the price.
If everything checked out, he could definitely get a huge bargain.
And he desperately needed that chemical plant!
Liu Shang did his best to compose himself and said slowly, "To tell you the truth, President Fan, I've actually been looking to buy a company recently."
"I was wondering if it would be convenient for me to take a look at your company."
"You?"
"You want to acquire a company?!!!"
Liu Shang's words were so abrupt they took Fan Shikang completely by surprise, leaving him momentarily speechless.
Seeing his reaction, Liu Shang joked, "Is there an age requirement for buying your company, President Fan?"
"Do you refuse to sell to buyers who are too young?"
At this, Fan Shikang laughed and waved his hands.
"Of course not! I, Fan Shikang, only care about the money. I'll sell to anyone who can pay!"
"But Liu Shang, friendship is one thing, and business is another."
"If you want to buy the company, I'd of course welcome it, but this is no small sum of money!"
"There's a lot involved. Don't you think you should discuss this with your family?"
"The last thing I want is for your family to think I'm taking advantage of a young man, causing bad blood between us."
Liu Shang's smile faded, and he said very seriously, "President Fan, you don't need to worry about that. This is purely business."
"Besides, the money is mine. Once we agree on a price, I'll sign the contract and transfer the funds immediately."
"Look at it this way: by then, the money will be in your pocket. Any subsequent problems will have nothing to do with you, right?"
Seeing Liu Shang's confident expression and extraordinary demeanor, Fan Shikang sighed inwardly. He had truly underestimated this young man.
"Alright, Liu Shang, I appreciate your straightforwardness."
"Then let's talk business. You can come see the company anytime."
"Look, we're almost done eating."
"Why don't we go see the company now? Then tonight, regardless of whether we make a deal or not, dinner's on me. We can continue our drinks then. How about it?"
When it came to seeing the company, Liu Shang was even more eager than Fan Shikang.
Naturally, he nodded in agreement.
Afterwards, the two of them left the hotel and got into Fan Shikang's Jetta.
According to Fan Shikang, he drove a boxy, black-and-white Jetta just like this one when he first started his business.
Now that he was selling the company, all its other vehicles had been sold off.
Only this Jetta remained, kept for sentimental value.
Soon, they arrived at Fan Shikang's company in the industrial park.
It was a huge factory complex, even larger than Song Guangyuan's Huahai!
Just inside the gate stood a long, four-story office building.
Excluding public areas like restrooms, each floor had about a dozen offices.
On the sun-facing side of the office building was a large parking lot.
Further out, on either side of the building, stood two rows of warehouses constructed from colored steel panels.
They were very tidy and well-constructed.
And behind the shaded side of the office building was the recently built chemical plant.
The scale of the factory grounds was truly massive.
Even so, there was still a great deal of undeveloped land within the company's plot, all overgrown with weeds.
Even Liu Shang couldn't estimate the sheer size of the factory grounds!
After a tour of the empty, messy office building, which had already been cleared out, the two of them returned to the parking lot.
From there, they drove over to the warehouses.
Liu Shang said with an astonished smile,
"President Fan, your company is enormous!"
"It's so big it's almost intimidating!"
Fan Shikang laughed heartily. "Well, what can I say? Back then I had money and connections, and I bought the land early."
"Ten years ago, this land wasn't worth much. The industrial park had just been established."
"The lease term was only 30 years, and you had to build everything yourself. Back then, hardly anyone was buying, so the government was offering huge discounts."
"I remember it costing just pennies per square meter back then."
"I happened to have the money, so I bought a plot of nearly 100,000 square meters all at once."
Seeing Liu Shang's shocked expression, Fan Shikang laughed triumphantly.
But then he shook his head. "Still, after more than a decade, it's proven that buying such a large plot was completely useless!"
"In a city like our Fengcheng (Windy City), which relies on oil, where are you going to find a company or enterprise large enough to use all this space?"
"Besides, it's just a 30-year lease; the government takes the land back when it's up."
"On top of that, you have high maintenance costs and the constant risk of theft!"
"Public security has improved in recent years, but it's still not great."
---
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