1Two days later, a local television program devoted to public welfare broadcast an interview.
The footage still showed the old city's slum area, and the interviewees, of course, were residents thereof.
However, unlike last time, this time none of the interviewees attacked the real estate company. Instead, they disclosed a lot of damning information about the residents who had caused trouble before.
For instance, some people particularly enjoyed snitching onions from others' gardens, or picking fruits that others had planted, or even taking more than their share when the Government Office distributed welfare benefits; there was also a litany of issues like mother-in-laws bullying daughters-in-law or shortchanging in business dealings.
These were all trivial matters, with no names named. Although the interviewees' faces were pixelated, the broadcast still sparked widespread discussion among the citizens.
Moreover, the host's concluding remarks were also thought-provoking.
The last sentence went, "Poverty is no excuse to abandon the spirit of contract, and wealth is not a sin that merits only losing money while earning shouts of encouragement.
If being weak is equated with being right, then what's the use of having laws?"
People have a flaw, that they are strict with others but lenient with themselves. Especially for vulnerable groups that have received their help, they must all be as morally pure as saints.
If there's any flaw, then you are a villain, a swindler, manipulating the emotions of us kind-hearted folks.
Thus, public opinion took a 180-degree turn overnight. The neighbors who had gathered demanding Maohe Real Estate to refund their money, overnight, became rats crossing the street that everyone shouted at and despised.
Right after that, just when the neighbors were frowning and at a loss, a rumor spread.
The instigator behind encouraging everyone to trouble Maohe as well as the interview that had just been broadcasted, were all engineered by Dabang Group.
Since Maohe Real Estate was also a big company, Dabang did not dare to undercut the compensation for demolition. They wanted to take back the houses in order to save money.
That is to say, Dabang was not only planning to refrain from paying the demolition fee at the appreciated price but even wanted to skimp on the originally agreed low value.
Maohe was the true conscientious enterprise, while Dabang was the thoroughgoing fraudster!
This revelation stirred up a huge wave among the people and ignited their anger.
If it weren't for Lawyer Xia Anming's persuasion and intervention, they would have considered smashing up Dabang Group's office building.
In the end, drafted by Xia Anming, all the residents of the slum area signed a "People's" petition, which was then delivered to the Government Office by two of the oldest residents of the slum area, who walked shakily.
The content of the petition was simple, merely requesting the Government Office to intervene, establish a working group for the slum area's dismantlement, and to freeze the full amount of dismantlement funds in Dabang's account, earmarked exclusively for that purpose.
The residents were very restrained, and their demands were not high. The movement was even smaller than the previous one against Maohe, which could be said to save face for the Government Officials, who naturally should reciprocate the favor.
A week later, although the work group was not established, Dabang had no choice but to transfer two billion yuan to the bank to be frozen, until the development work officially commenced and the compensation for dismantling was paid before it could be thawed.
Normally, there's a lot of room for shenanigans with demolition affairs. Besides the somewhat shady maneuvers, there are also legitimate ones such as using the method of trading houses for houses.
Therefore, in Cao Zhining's calculations, the ultimate cost of the demolition fee should not exceed forty million yuan, and upon the development project's completion, the sale of the houses would at least yield a profit of sixty to seventy million yuan.
But now, before making a single yuan on the slum's land, he had already paid a price as high as six billion yuan, with a loss nearing one billion yuan.
For a company with a market value of not even twenty billion yuan, this was undeniably a substantial amount of money. Even though most of it came from the bank, it was enough to put Dabang's cash flow under severe strain.
Cao Zhining was furious, summoning Cao Bangxi to his office and giving him a severe dressing-down, wishing he could personally disown this prodigal son.
And this moment was exactly what Xiao Ming had been waiting for.
However, he didn't go after Dabang right away. Instead, he made his first move against Qianshan Group.
Because he had made an appointment in advance as per the rules, he was quickly ushered into Shen Anhe's office by the secretary.
"Director Shen, it's an honor to meet you! As a junior in the business community and a friend of Siyi, I have long failed to pay my respects. Please forgive my negligence," Xiao Ming said.
Xiao Ming bowed as he came in, doing his utmost to show respect.
Shen Anhe had been quite satisfied with how he had led his younger son onto the right path. However, after the severe humiliation his eldest son had suffered at the doorstep of Ruiye, even though the fault was with his own side, he felt extremely displeased.
Thus, the old man simply nodded politely and went straight to the point, "Mr. Xiao, please take a seat. What brings you here today?"
Xiao Ming sat down across the desk, crossed his legs casually, and said indifferently, "Naturally, I've come to discuss a collaboration with Director Shen."
Shen Anhe scoffed, "If I remember correctly, Ruiye made it very clear last time that Qianshan Group doesn't have the qualifications to partake in the development of that plot of land.
Is Mr. Xiao planning to go back on his word?"
"No, Director Shen has misunderstood," Xiao Ming shook his head, "Qianshan Group indeed lacks the qualifications. It doesn't have them now and won't have them in the future either."
Shen Anhe's face darkened, "Xiao Ming, did you come here especially to humiliate me?"
"Director Shen has misunderstood again," Xiao Ming smiled, "On the contrary, I've come with sincerity, and furthermore, to save you."𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖
"What a joke! The business of Qianshan Group is booming, and the stock market had a high opening and is on the rise. Where is the need for a small company with only several hundred million in assets to save us?"
"Don't be hasty, Director Shen. Before the stock market closes today, at the latest by tomorrow, Qianshan's stock price will definitely plummet."
Seeing Xiao Ming's serious expression, Shen Anhe began to feel a faint unease and asked, "Why?"
Instead of answering, Xiao Ming countered with a question, "Has Director Shen seen the video of Mr. Shen Siqi flaunting his power in front of our office?"
Shen Anhe snorted, "Flaunting his power? Mr. Xiao certainly has a way of accusing others. It seems my son's skills at flaunting power are too meager!"
"Isn't Director Shen curious as to why your son was eventually subdued by me and left in disgrace?
At that time, I only beat up a secretary. As Qianshan Group's future leader, Mr. Shen Siqi couldn't have been scared stiff, could he?"
Shen Anhe narrowed his eyes, "What exactly are you trying to say?"
Xiao Ming's smile brightened, "If Director Shen had carefully watched the surveillance footage, he would have noticed that the turning point in your eldest son's attitude was when I mentioned the chip-stacker from Aojiang."
Shen Anhe was taken aback, his pupils suddenly constricting.
Why would the mention of a chip-stacker change Shen Siqi's attitude?
Obviously, he also knew that Baoya Kun!
"Impossible! Absolutely impossible!"
A moment later, Shen Anhe shook his head vigorously, "Siqi has always been obedient and studious, upright in character. How could he possibly gamble?
Xiao, don't think that you can fool me with some petty tricks. I was roaming the streets before you were even born..."
"Siyi has always only been mischievous and useless in your eyes since he was little. But now, he rarely goes to nightclubs, and even asked my wife to set him up with a girlfriend not long ago."
Xiao Ming uncrossed his legs and leaned forward, looking sternly in Shen Anhe's face.
"Director Shen, people change. As the old saying goes, 'it takes three years to learn good behavior, but only three days to pick up bad habits.'
Besides, the Shen Siqi you think you know is just the Shen Siqi he allows you to see.
Let me ask you one more question, why did Shen Siqi come to see me to talk business without even making a phone call that day?
Is this a special courtesy of Qianshan Group?
Or does this model son in your eyes simply not regard Siyi as a brother at all, unwilling to see him gain the slightest advantage?"