Chapter 136 There Are Surprises?
Next, they inspected the rows of warehouses flanking the factory.
The valuable items inside had been mostly sold off, and the worthless things left behind weren't worth worrying about. As a result, there wasn't even a warehouse manager; the guards simply held the keys. The entire company was now reduced to its boss, Fan Shikang, and two guards in their sixties.
After inspecting the warehouses, the two finally arrived at the chemical plant—the part Liu Shang was most interested in.
To his surprise, unlike the messy and dilapidated state of the other areas, the chemical factory was remarkably tidy. The massive factory building, the various chemical towers inside, the ultra-large-scale reactor, and the other pieces of equipment were all brand new.
Fan Shikang patted the stainless steel pipes, a look of emotion on his face.
"Although this chemical plant shares a name with my Shikang Petroleum Service Company, it's a completely independent entity."
"The factory building is new, and all the equipment was newly purchased."
"Back then, my ambition was to build it into the largest private auxiliary services company in the Fengcheng Oilfield."
"On one hand, it would work with the main client at the oilfield—Party A—supplying them with various additives."
"On the other hand, it would interface with other oil companies, selling them chemical agents."
"In my original plan, this was absolutely feasible."
"I had connections in the oilfield, so supplying some additives internally would have been no problem at all."
"And the private companies would, out of respect for me, Lao Fan, be inclined to do business."
"Especially if our prices were low and the product quality was decent, they'd have no reason to refuse, right?"
"According to my original estimates, with the oilfield's Party A as the majority of our business and other companies making up the rest, it would have taken only three years to recoup my 18 million investment."
"But, as they say, 'man proposes, God disposes.' My backer unexpectedly fell from power overnight."
"As for me, I had to spend my entire fortune just to escape that catastrophe."
"That's the story of this chemical plant."
"Liu Shang, you've seen my whole company now."
"In addition to these physical assets, my petroleum technical service company has all the necessary access and qualifications for the Fengcheng Oilfield."
"Even my chemical company has a full set of certifications."
"Besides, even though this chemical plant has never gone into production, I was impatient back then and had already gone through the full set of approvals and tests for all the chemical auxiliaries I planned to produce."
"Quality inspection certifications, batch numbers, safety and environmental protection filings—they've all been registered with the relevant departments."
"You might not know this, but getting all the paperwork for these chemicals isn't easy. It sounds straightforward, but it's actually very difficult!"
Having dealt with these matters for many years, Liu Shang knew perfectly well how important and difficult they were.
So after hearing Fan Shikang's explanation, Liu Shang asked in surprise, "Even the chemical certifications are all complete?"
"Mr. Fan, may I see the documents?"
Fan Shikang naturally nodded in agreement.
Then, the two of them went to another company in the industrial park, not too far away.
At first glance, this company's business was booming. Vehicles were constantly coming and going, and the factory grounds were bustling with activity. The access control and security were also excellent.
Fan Shikang explained to Liu Shang that this company, which produced power port equipment, was owned by his best friend. He kept an office here, where he usually drank tea, played mahjong, and chatted with his friends.
After entering the office, Fan Shikang took a full set of documents from a safe and placed them in front of Liu Shang.
Liu Shang then began to review them very seriously.
It was all true, just as he'd said. A complete set of qualifications, all in order. The certifications for the chemical plant and the approval documents for the chemical agents were particularly thorough.
It was truly impressive.
After patiently waiting for Liu Shang to finish reading all the documents, Fan Shikang finally spoke.
"Liu Shang, to tell you the truth, my bottom line for this company is 6 million."
"Today was quite a coincidence; I really didn't expect you to be interested in acquiring the company."
"Since I gave you the full story over drinks, I can't really quote you a high price."
"The two of us have some fate. I'll knock off another 200,000. 5.8 million. I really can't go any lower."
"You've seen the paperwork now; all the qualifications are complete. If you buy this company, you'll save yourself a lot of trouble."
"And the whole factory area, the office building, and all the factory buildings—they're all yours!"
Liu Shang fell silent for a moment, his brow furrowed.
"Mr. Fan, 5.8 million is still too expensive."
"And, as you said yourself, the land lease only has ten years left."
"I have no use for all that extra space!"
As the real bargaining began, the decadent and weary look in Fan Shikang's eyes vanished, replaced by his former shrewdness.
"Liu Shang, I'm just like you. Everyone wants to spend the least amount of money to get the best deal."
"But at the end of the day, you get what you pay for, don't you?"
"I can show you the company's books and purchase invoices. The equipment in this chemical plant alone cost me 15 million!"
"Now I'm selling it to you, along with the factories for both companies, for only 5.8 million. Is that really expensive?"
Liu Shang sighed softly. "Mr. Fan, you're right."
"I don't need to see the books and invoices; I believe they're authentic."
"But the key problem is that the chemical plant you purchased and set up is simply not applicable in Fengcheng."
"There's no supporting industrial chain here, no reliable supply of raw materials or semi-finished products."
"And most importantly, once this kind of chemical equipment is installed, it's impossible to sell if you try to dismantle it."
"As for the additives companies in Fengcheng, the products they make are relatively simple."
"Basically, a few one-ton capacity reactors are enough for their needs. At most, they might add a heating unit to the reactor."
"And that's it!"
"Otherwise, Mr. Fan, I doubt your chemical plant would have been on the market for so long without a single buyer, right?"
As Liu Shang laid out his views, he suddenly noticed a change in the way Fan Shikang was looking at him. His gaze was now sharp and questioning. He was probing, trying to figure out Liu Shang's real purpose for acquiring the company.
Almost immediately, Liu Shang realized that while what he'd just said was correct, the problem was that he had revealed himself to be far too knowledgeable.
And so, before Fan Shikang could ask, Liu Shang pre-emptively spread his hands with a wry smile.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Fan. I got carried away."
"Please forgive me if I've overstepped."
"Actually, I'm no expert on these matters. I was just repeating some things I heard Professor Xu and the others mention when they were chatting about Fengcheng's chemical industry."
Chapter 137 It's Done!
"Xu Tiande?"
After exchanging nods with Liu Shang, a look of realization dawned on Fan Shikang's face, and he visibly relaxed his guard.
"Oh, that's right, I'd almost forgotten! Xu Tiande is at your company too!"
"In the Fengcheng Oilfield community, Xu Tiande is quite an influential figure in the chemical sector!"
"When I was setting up this chemical plant, Old Xu gave me some very pertinent advice, quite similar to what you just said."
"But I was led astray by others at the time and didn't take his words to heart."
"And look at how much money I've lost because of it!"
"Liu Shang, I'm a straightforward man."
"For these two companies: 55 million. That's my final price, my absolute bottom line!"
"If you can meet it, we'll sign the contract. If not, then let's not waste any more of each other's time."
"We'll just go back, find a spot, and continue drinking."
"From this point on, neither of us will ever mention this business again. A gentleman's agreement. What do you say?"
Liu Shang could tell that this was truly Fan Shikang's bottom line.
After all, he had invested nearly 20 million in the chemical plant, and all the equipment was just sitting there. To sell it at such a steep loss without having used it even once... anyone would find that hard to swallow.
His words cornered Liu Shang, forcing him to make a choice.
In Liu Shang's estimation, this was already a very satisfactory price. Acquiring these two companies for 55 million would be a massive bargain.
Just as Liu Shang, thrilled by the offer, was about to agree, the word 'yes' already on the tip of his tongue... he stopped himself and let out a sigh instead.
"President Fan, I'll be honest with you. I'm looking to buy a company mainly for a ready-made operating license."
"Hopefully, down the line, some of the veterans in the industry will have some small jobs for me—simple, routine projects like acidification and plug removal."
"If I'm lucky, I might get an annual revenue of a few million, and turning a profit of a few hundred thousand wouldn't be too bad."
"As for the chemical plant... while it's obviously a great asset for whoever buys it, I honestly have no use for it."
"So how about this: you keep the chemical plant. That way, you don't have to sell it at such a loss."
"I only want the operating license, the office building, and a portion of the warehouse space from the Shikang Petroleum Technical Services Company."
"I don't need anything else. For that, I'll offer you 10 million. What do you think?"
The real purpose of Liu Shang's gambit was not to continue haggling. He was already more than satisfied with the 55 million price and didn't believe Fan Shikang would go any lower. He was only saying this to further dispel Fan Shikang's suspicions and conceal his true intentions for acquiring the companies.
But he never expected what happened next. After hearing him out, Fan Shikang fell silent for a moment. Then, as if he had made some momentous and difficult decision, he sighed heavily.
He stood, walked over to Liu Shang, and clapped him on the shoulder.
Fan Shikang then led Liu Shang to the door of a garage just outside the office building. He pressed a button on his key fob, and the garage's rolling shutter door slowly retracted upwards, revealing the silhouette of a car inside.
Even though it was draped in a silver car cover, Liu Shang could guess from the sliver of gleaming black paint visible that the vehicle was worth a considerable sum.
Then, with great care, Fan Shikang slowly lifted the cover, revealing the true face of the luxury car beneath it.
Sure enough, it was a sleek and luxurious black Porsche Cayenne.
"Liu Shang, the total cost for this fully-imported Porsche Cayenne, after all fees, was over 1.6 million."
"To be honest with you, after all this trouble started, I've barely even driven it."
"I made some inquiries. If I were to sell it now, I could probably get 1.2 to 1.3 million for it."
"But I, Fan Shikang, refuse to sell it to those people. I won't give them another reason to laugh at my expense."
"My two companies will not be sold separately. It's a package deal."
"Selling them together is cleaner and gives me peace of mind."
"So now, I'll throw this in as well. The price is still 55 million."
"If you still won't agree, then there's truly nothing more to discuss!"
As Fan Shikang stretched out his hand and patted the hood of the car, Liu Shang could no longer contain the overwhelming joy bubbling up inside him.
"President Fan, to be honest, a luxury car like this is just too tempting for a student from a humble background like me."
"I know accepting it will cost a fortune in depreciation and maintenance, and that it's completely impractical, but... I can't resist the allure and the status it represents."
"It's only two in the afternoon, President Fan. If it's possible, let's get this deal done today."
"I can arrange for the payment at any time!"
Hearing Liu Shang's response, the tension completely drained from Fan Shikang's face, replaced by an expression of pure relief.
"Alright. I'll have someone draft the contract immediately."
"Once the company is sold, I can finally put my mind at ease and start my retirement."
"But Liu Shang, even though I, Fan Shikang, lost a lot this time, I only lost to fate and bad luck."
"On a level playing field, in a pure business negotiation, I would never admit defeat."
"With my foresight and my presence at the negotiating table, even someone like Song Guangyuan would have to bow his head."
"So, I don't really buy some of the things you were saying earlier."
"Just a poor student?"
"What kind of 'poor student' can build such a network of connections and casually spend 55 million to buy two companies?"
"Besides, I don't for a second believe you'd commit to a deal this big just because of vanity and a desire to show off!"
"I have a pretty good guess about which parts of your story were true and which parts were lies."
"Among all the negotiators I've ever faced, your skills, you little rascal, are right at the top!"
"However, I'm getting old. I'm just too tired of it all."
"Besides, we hit it off. I feel it's right to sell the company to you today."
"What's more, I have a feeling your future accomplishments will be extraordinary."
"These two companies will surely flourish and thrive in your hands."
"And that, in a way, will fulfill a wish of mine."
***
Transferring ownership of two companies and changing the legal representative is not a simple process. It wasn't until the following afternoon that the transaction between Liu Shang and Fan Shikang was finally completed.
Afterwards, Liu Shang declined Fan Shikang's invitation to go out for a celebratory drink. Nor did he immediately take his new Porsche Cayenne for its first spin.
Despite the immense joy he felt, he wasn't blinded by it. His first order of business was to hire two new guards and a warehouse manager.
He then integrated the new hires with the two existing employees, mixing them up. He stationed two guards at the front gate and the other two in the chemical plant area. He deliberately paired one new employee with one veteran on each team, and mandated that the teams rotate their posts weekly. This arrangement would prevent any potential collusion or internal theft.
For the original employees, this just meant two more coworkers and better benefits, so they were quite satisfied with the new arrangement.
Chapter 138 The New Factory and a Key Hire
Perhaps it was the excitement, but Liu Shang woke up just after five in the morning and couldn't get back to sleep.
So, he drove the old Jetta he'd gotten from Fan Shikang to his new company.
Now that he had his own company, it didn't feel right to use Mr. Song's Pajero for personal matters.
The Cayenne was still parked in the garage at Fan Shikang's relative's company, and Liu Shang hadn't had time to retrieve it.
That left him with only the Jetta.
During the contract negotiations, Liu Shang had argued relentlessly to get Fan Shikang to include the Jetta in the deal.
His reasoning was that the company needed a utility vehicle. He couldn't very well drive a Porsche out to the oil fields for acidizing and deplugging operations, could he?
Fan Shikang had scoffed at the time, calling Liu Shang a little fox.
He'd bought his company for a steal, made off with his brand-new Porsche Cayenne, and was now haggling over a Jetta with a residual value of maybe five thousand yuan.
Running into Liu Shang was just his bad luck; the deal had cost him a fortune!
By the time Liu Shang arrived at the company, it was just six o'clock in the morning.
Fortunately, the watchmen were all over fifty and tended to be early risers.
Seeing their new boss, Liu Shang, arrive, they were naturally enthusiastic. They all came forward to greet him, calling out, "Mr. Liu."
Liu Shang, however, didn't act like a boss at all. He was as friendly and approachable as ever.
After chatting for a bit, Liu Shang asked about their daily routines and the general situation in the industrial park.
He paid special attention to public security, which, as Fan Shikang had mentioned, wasn't very good.
For now, though, the former Shikang company had no assets left in the yard, and even the warehouse was empty.
While the chemical plant itself was valuable, the large, newly built facility was securely locked and monitored, leaving little opportunity for petty thieves.
When Liu Shang asked about their insurance and other benefits, the men sighed in frustration.
"Well, Mr. Liu, we're all from the nearby villages," one explained. "Working as a doorman in a small company like this… we don't even have contracts. How could we have insurance?"
Liu Shang nodded and told them very seriously, "Our company has already invested tens of millions in new equipment."
"The scale of our operations and our future development will only get bigger and bigger."
"Don't worry. It won't be long before we get all the company's benefits and insurance policies in place."
"We'll even have a company cafeteria, so you won't have to worry about your own meals. You'll all get proper labor contracts, and you'll receive every benefit and insurance payment you're entitled to!"
Liu Shang's promises naturally left the men overjoyed, and they applauded enthusiastically.
Then, after chatting a bit more, Liu Shang bid them farewell and went to the chemical plant by himself. He took a few pictures and a video of the brand-new equipment inside, planning to show them to Guan Tu.
After Liu Shang's car drove away, the guards couldn't help but discuss him. "Our new boss is so young!" one remarked.
"He must be from a powerful family. Without strong connections, you can't survive in the oil business," another added. "If that's the case, then we've really lucked out!"
...
Less than an hour after Liu Shang sent the video of the chemical plant to Guan Tu, his phone rang. It was Guan Tu, his voice buzzing with excitement.
"Liu Shang, you weren't pulling my leg, were you?"
"That chemical plant in the video… is it really yours?"
"My god, that set of equipment… it looks like a state-of-the-art model from the last few years!"
"And it's brand new! That equipment alone must have cost over 20 million yuan. Did you win the lottery? The grand prize, several times over!"
Liu Shang gave a wry smile. "I wish."
"It's a long story. I'll tell you all the details when we meet."
"As for the plant, I just acquired it."
"The previous owner ran into some major trouble right after setting it up and had to sell the whole operation at a low price."
"You might not believe this, but the previous owner did all the prep work."
"Not only are all the company qualifications in order, but the product name registration, oil field filings, and even the hardest part—the oil and chemical production license—are all taken care of."
"My plan is to use this facility to produce chemical additives for the petroleum industry and then use my connections to secure contracts in the oil fields."
"A one-stop shop for production and sales, completely self-sufficient."
"So now, all the qualifications are complete, and the plant and equipment are brand new."
"Brother Guan, I have to ask: are you interested in joining me to do something big?!"
Having seen the video and now hearing Liu Shang's proposal, Guan Tu felt a level of excitement he had never experienced before.
However, he still answered seriously, "Liu Shang, even with all the qualifications, chemical production isn't that simple."
"I've worked in a chemical plant for years, but I don't have a complete set of formulas for proper petroleum additives."
"You know I'm not great at networking; otherwise, I might have been able to get some from my old mentor."
"I'm afraid if I come over, I'll just be wasting your time and money."
This was Guan Tu's character: honest to a fault, even rigid and stubborn.
Before he could finish, Liu Shang cut in with a smile, brushing aside his concerns.
"Brother Guan, did you forget about me?"
"Don't worry about the formulas at all. I'll take care of that."
"You just need to be the factory director. You'll use my formulas, work with our existing equipment, and establish the production process."
"All I need is your final answer. I'm offering you the position of factory director with an annual salary of 500,000 yuan. Let's do something big together. Are you in or not?!"
An extremely excited and affirmative answer came back through the phone: "I'm in!"
"And I don't want that 500,000 yuan salary—not yet. Until the company is profitable, just cover my food and housing so I don't starve!"
"To be honest, I was probably going to resign soon anyway, even without your offer."
"My current company is terrible. One of the managers assigned his mistress to my department, and she, in turn, brought in all her relatives to work here."
"My one little corner of sanity has been turned into a toxic swamp. It's infuriating!"
"Don't you worry, Liu Shang. I'm going to find my boss and resign right now. I'll get there as fast as I can!"
...
After getting off the phone with Guan Tu, Liu Shang breathed a sigh of relief.
Guan Tu was a graduate of a prestigious university's top-tier chemical engineering program.
He had a master's degree and six or seven years of hands-on production experience.
Most importantly, his character gave Liu Shang the greatest peace of mind.
Giving his formulas to Guan Tu was like putting them in a vault.
He truly couldn't think of anyone more suitable for the position of factory director.
Chapter 139 The Earthquake in the Oil Industry
When Liu Shang arrived at the company in the morning, he went directly to Song Guangyuan's office.
This was the kind of thing that was best said sooner rather than later.
Otherwise, he was genuinely afraid he would disappoint Song Guangyuan.
After all, the care that Song Guangyuan, Mr. Zhong, Professor Xu, and the others had shown him had gone far beyond the scope of a professional relationship.
Unfortunately, Song Guangyuan wasn't in his office.
According to the secretary from personnel, Mr. Song had gone to the bureau to run some errands.
With no other choice, Liu Shang headed back to his own office first.
After greeting Mr. Zhong and the others, he walked into his office and felt his eyes brighten as a faint, fresh scent filled his nostrils.
There, in the far corner of his office, a slender girl was resting her cheeks in her hands, looking at a computer.
It was Song Jia.
"Morning!"
"I have to say, this office feels like it's missing its soul when you're not here."
"It's so much more comfortable today than it has been the last few days!"
At this, Song Jia looked up and shot him a glare.
"It's past ten o'clock! What do you mean, 'morning'?"
"I'm gone for a few days, and you've already turned this office into a pigsty."
"It's a complete mess, the whole room stinks of cigarettes, and there's ash all over the desk. No wonder you think it's comfortable now!"
Although Liu Shang had the disposition of a heavy smoker, he abstained for health reasons.
However, whenever Song Jia was away from the office, Mr. Zhong and the others became regular visitors.
With people coming and going in a steady stream, Liu Shang's office had practically become the company's designated smoking lounge.
On top of that, Liu Shang had been overwhelmed with work lately and hadn't bothered to clean.
As for Song Jia, she had been angry with Liu Shang since they went to look at houses and hadn't come to the company or contacted him for the past few days.
Her feelings about Liu Shang were deeply contradictory.
Many times, she tried to numb her emotions, telling herself not to overthink it and to just treat Liu Shang as a good friend.
But it was obvious that their relationship, especially her feelings for him, had long surpassed the bounds of friendship.
So whenever Jiang Ruolin was mentioned, Song Jia would feel a familiar, unpleasant sting that jolted her back to reality.
In the past, given her usual way of doing things and her carefree personality, she might have just waved goodbye and walked away without a second thought.
But since that night, Song Jia could no longer be so nonchalant about Liu Shang.
"Do you know, I really want to strangle you right now?!"
"I don't contact you for a few days, so you just decide not to contact me either, is that it?"
Liu Shang gave a wry smile and spread his hands helplessly. "I messaged you on QQ, didn't I?"
"You're the one who didn't reply."
The mention of this only made Song Jia angrier.
"Don't think I don't know why you were messaging me on QQ!"
"You were probably just trying to use me as free labor again!"
Liu Shang's smile remained wry. "I guess I'm leaving soon, so I won't have the chance to ask you to be my 'free labor' in the future."
"Hey, is that the Lakers game? The first round of the playoffs must have started."
At that moment, the live broadcast on Song Jia's laptop was showing the playoff game between the Lakers and the Suns.
The game was currently in the fourth quarter, and the Lakers were in a precarious position.
When the conversation turned to the playoffs, Song Jia's mood clearly dampened.
"This might be the Lakers' last game."
"Kobe's going to lose..."
As she spoke, Song Jia handed Liu Shang one of her earbuds, as she always did.
Liu Shang put it in naturally, and the two of them sat side-by-side to watch the game.
At that moment, a thought surfaced in Liu Shang's mind.
In the 2006-2007 season, Kobe couldn't carry the Lakers on his own. They were no match for the legendary Suns team with Nash, Stoudemire, and Marion.
But later, the Lakers would acquire a certain player from the Grizzlies, win two consecutive championships, and create a new Purple and Gold legend.
"At worst, it's just the last game of the season."
"Don't worry, your Kobe won't lose forever."
"He'll be back, and he'll forever stand tall in the glorious history of the NBA!"
Thinking of a dark moment that lay in the future, when a star would suddenly fall, Liu Shang couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness.
He didn't know how the girl next to him—who seemed so tough but was actually incredibly kind and emotional—would break down and cry when that day came.
"Hmph, you've got a good attitude."
"Your favorite Mavericks got upset by the Warriors, your favorite star Dirk failed again, and everyone is calling him soft, but I don't see any sign of disappointment from you!"
"I'm the one who's sad here, I was hoping you'd comfort me!"
Liu Shang smiled confidently. "You know what they say, you can't see a rainbow without going through a storm."
"I believe Dirk will eventually lead his team to a championship."
"And when he does, all those people who criticized him will appreciate and respect him even more!"
***
Finally, the final whistle blew. The Lakers had lost the game, 110 to 119.
They had also lost the season.
Watching the lonely and unwilling figures of the Lakers and Kobe on the screen, Song Jia's eyes reddened.
It was a rare sight to see the usually fierce Song Jia showing such a delicate and pitiful side.
But a girl's mood is always changeable.
By the time they went for lunch, she was back to her old self, fully revived.
Today, however, even Mr. Zhong forgot to tease Liu Shang or Song Jia.
That was because a major event had recently shaken up the oil industry.
"I don't know if you've heard, but Old Fan's company was actually sold!"
Old Sun from personnel dropped the bombshell in a hushed, mysterious tone.
Li Shaohua, the technical manager, was taken aback. "Old Fan's company was sold?"
"I can't believe someone was brave enough to take that over."
"Any idea how much he sold it for?"
Old Sun from personnel smiled. "A friend of mine is close to Old Fan, so he knows the inside story."
"I heard it sold for 550 million, and the fearless buyer seems to be some young kid."
Mr. Zhong naturally had to chime in on such a lively topic.
"Heh, 550 million?"
"He really managed to sell it!"
"That Old Fan... I bet he couldn't find a buyer in the industry, so he went and fooled some rich, clueless kid into taking it off his hands."
"As for Old Fan's company, it's nothing but an empty shell with a license from the oil field and a set of useless chemical equipment."
"How is that worth 550 million?"
Chapter 140 I Bought That Company!
When it came to chemical plants, Xu Tiande's evaluation was particularly insightful.
"Old Fan's chemical plant is just in a terrible location."
"He really spent a fortune when he bought all that equipment."
"I heard it took a tremendous amount of effort to apply for all the necessary petrochemical certificates, oilfield chemical registrations, and other qualifications."
"The only problem was a major strategic error. His chemical plant is a complete waste."
"If the buyer has the right connections, they might be able to sell off the equipment for three or four million."
"Add to that Old Fan's office building, the factory itself, and all the permits, and it's not a terrible loss."
"But it's still a bit of a white elephant."
"The office buildings and workshops in that industrial park are impossible to rent out, and the chemical equipment is useless as it is. It's baffling why anyone would buy a company like that."
Following Xu Tiande's analysis, everyone began chatting about the topic.
The vast majority, however, were simply remarking on Old Fan's cunning and good fortune, and on the naivete of the young buyer who fell for his trap.
As they joked and traded sarcastic comments, even Song Jia blinked her eyes, finding the situation both amusing and curious.
Of all the people present, only the one at the center of the discussion, Liu Shang, wore a strange and helpless expression.
Finally, Mr. Zhong, who had a closer relationship with him, noticed Liu Shang's odd behavior.
"Hey, I say, young Liu, has Song Jia fed you something to make you quiet today?"
"Why haven't I heard a peep out of you?"
At his question, everyone turned their attention to Liu Shang.
He managed to squeeze out an extremely awkward smile.
"They say you shouldn't hit a man where it hurts or expose his faults in public."
"But I…"
"I'm the naive kid you were talking about, the one who was fooled by Old Fan. The one who didn't know any better, was too short-sighted, and bought that company..."
Upon hearing his words, Mr. Zhong, Xu Tiande, Li Shaohua, Old Sun, and even Song Jia were all left utterly speechless.
"What?!"
"You're saying the person who bought Old Fan's company was you?!"
Facing Mr. Zhong's shocked cry, Liu Shang gave a timid nod.
After receiving his confirmation, a concerned Mr. Zhong couldn't help but slap his thigh in frustration.
"Aiya!"
"You kid, why would you spend 5.5 million to buy Old Fan's useless shell company?!"
"His company is already blacklisted by the oil field. Who would dare to give him business or assign him any work!"
"Even if you wanted to start a small company yourself, it would have been better to register a new one or ask us to help you find one. Why on earth would you buy Old Fan's?!"
Apparently, since Mr. Zhong was Shen Chengcheng's mentor, he was aware that Liu Shang had helped Shen Chengcheng.
At this point, Li Shaohua asked the question on everyone else's mind, "Liu Shang, where did you get that much money?"
"You spent 5.5 million just to buy Old Fan's company?!"
Song Jia, who had been sitting beside Liu Shang the whole time, was now staring with wide eyes.
If you had to pick the most shocked person in the room, it would have to be her.
She knew Liu Shang's family situation and background better than anyone.
Who would have thought that the poor kid who, not long ago, had to take two buses just to get to his internship and look for a job, would have made so much money in such a short time?
He spent 5.5 million to buy a company?
Even for Song Jia, who came from an extremely well-off family, the number was staggering.
No matter how much pocket money she had, it still came from her parents.
But Liu Shang… he had truly earned it all himself!
At this point, Liu Shang briefly explained how he had helped Shen Chengcheng salvage the horizontal well a few months ago.
Everyone present could be considered an elder who cared for him deeply, so there was nothing to hide.
They all knew that Shen Chengcheng had turned his career around and successfully salvaged a horizontal well, which led to his promotion to director of the Ninth Production Plant.
But none of them had imagined that the person who helped Shen Chengcheng accomplish this incredible feat was the young man sitting right beside them—Liu Shang!
And how old was he?
He was just about to start his sophomore year, wasn't he?
At the same table, Xu Tiande stared at Liu Shang with wide, disbelieving eyes.
"Liu Shang, was it you who formulated the chemical solution for that operation, the one Schlumberger wanted to buy?"
"My God! You may not know what a shockwave the working fluid you produced sent through the entire oilfield chemical industry."
"It wasn't just Schlumberger; countless companies and individuals started paying attention to your chemical agent."
"I was even commissioned by a friend to research and test a residual sample of the working solution you prepared."
"It's truly unimaginable. The solution's surface and interfacial tension, and especially the synergistic effect of the various chemicals, were simply unbelievable!"
"Liu Shang, how did you do it?"
Smiling, Liu Shang offered a brief explanation. He took the rare risk of divulging his technical formula and shared the key principles with Xu Tiande.
Xu Tiande was a renowned professor and expert in Fengcheng's professional circles.
In terms of knowledge and theoretical foundation, he was far more solid than Liu Shang. Those few simple words were like the final piece of a puzzle clicking into place, a moment of sudden enlightenment for him.
Later, Liu Shang also mentioned that if Xu Tiande wanted to work on a project or write a paper, he would be more than willing to do his best to help.
But Xu Tiande just smiled and shook his head, saying that he was retired and getting old, so he no longer cared for such vanities.
Besides, Liu Shang now had his own company and chemical plant; these things were valuable commercial secrets.
On the contrary, he urged Liu Shang to maintain secrecy. At the same time, he added that, from his current perspective, Liu Shang hadn't lost money by buying Old Fan's chemical plant—with this kind of technology, he had made a fortune.
If Liu Shang ever needed help in the future, he could come to him anytime.
He, Xu Tiande, had considerable experience and accomplishments in petrochemical and chemical process technology.
Hearing Xu Tiande's words, Liu Shang was naturally overjoyed.
Although he possessed the technical formulas, they were all developed on a laboratory scale.
Transitioning from a lab formula to the actual production of chemical additives involved numerous difficulties and problems.
Liu Shang and Guan Tu alone might not have been able to handle it all.
But now, with the promise of help from an old expert like Xu Tiande, Liu Shang suddenly felt a great sense of relief.
Listening to Liu Shang and Xu Tiande so engrossed in their discussion of incredibly deep chemical technology issues, everyone else felt like it was all Greek to them; they couldn't understand a single word.
Everyone knew the caliber of a man like Xu Tiande.
He was a former professor at the University of Petroleum, a doctoral supervisor, a past vice president of the Institute of Chemistry, and a man who had dedicated his entire life to technical research.
His papers and academic research were renowned not only in the country but also internationally.
And Liu Shang?
He was just a young man, a sophomore undergraduate who had just entered the University of Petroleum.
Yet here he was, having such an in-depth academic discussion with Xu Tiande!
The most frightening part was that everyone could perceive Xu Tiande's genuine admiration for some of Liu Shang's techniques.
At times, it even seemed like Liu Shang was subtly guiding Professor Xu.
This was too rare, too unbelievable, too terrifying!
At Liu Shang's current age, the achievements he was destined for in the future were simply limitless.
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