604: Chapter 604 Ye Jinyan's Infallible Strategist

As soon as Su Jianren sat down, he ordered two glasses of whiskey.

The bartender handed the glasses to the two of them, and Su Jianren picked one up and downed it in one go.

Chen Cheng was stunned for a moment, then smiled and teased, "What's wrong, Senior Apprentice Brother?"

"You don't seem to be in high spirits."

With a dejected look on his face, Su Jianren shook his head and said gloomily, "Zhao Hui is getting married."

"Getting married?" Chen Cheng froze for a moment. "To whom?"

Su Jianren's expression was painful as he waved to the bartender, signaling for another pour.

"Who else could it be? Zhou Lin~"

Zhou Lin?

Chen Cheng's expression suddenly became quite interesting.

Ah, this...

For a moment, Chen Cheng didn't even know how to evaluate this matter.

After a long while, Chen Cheng finally exhaled and reached out to pat Su Jianren's shoulder. "Senior Apprentice Brother, you really need to learn from me in this regard."

"Learn from you?" Su Jianren leaned back tactically, looking a bit confused. "What do you mean?"

Chen Cheng chuckled. "There are plenty of fish in the sea; why obsess over just one flower?"

Su Jianren shook his head. "Xiao Cheng, you don't understand."

Chen Cheng waved his hand. "Hey~ Senior Apprentice Brother, I do understand."

"You, you're just obsessed~"

It had been over twenty years; even Su Jianren had to admit it was an obsession.

In fact, he had known it in his heart for a long time, but he just couldn't get over it.

"Senior Apprentice Brother, have you ever thought..."

"What?" Chen Cheng's words hit the nail on the head, and Su Jianren became interested.

The corners of Chen Cheng's mouth curled up slightly. "Senior Apprentice Brother, think about it. If something really happened between you and Zhou Lin, wouldn't that be a betrayal of Li Ying?"

"In the future, during the festivals and anniversaries, would you still dare go to sweep her grave?"

"I..." Su Jianren was suddenly rendered speechless.

The beautiful image of Li Ying immediately flashed through his mind.

The air between the two fell silent for a long while.

Seeing that it was about enough, Chen Cheng smiled and gently patted Su Jianren's shoulder. "Senior Apprentice Brother, there are no two identical leaves in this world."

"No matter how much she looks like her, she is not her."

Su Jianren didn't speak; he picked up his glass and took another gulp of liquor.

Whether it was because the alcohol was too harsh or for some other reason, two trails of tears slowly slid down Su Jianren's face.

Chen Cheng smiled and said nothing more.

Sometimes, it's better to stop once the point has been made.

Zhao Hui was getting married, yet he hadn't sent an invitation to Chen Cheng, his boss and junior fellow student.

That meant he didn't intend to have a big celebration at all; he didn't even seem to want a banquet, likely just quietly registering the marriage.

It was just that Su Jianren had accidentally found out.

After the two sat and drank for a while, Chen Cheng was called back.

The people in that room had sought him out precisely because they wanted to hear his analysis of the current economic environment.

Chen Cheng was naturally not stingy and spoke some truths.

After all, his investment layout was already complete.

If these people tried to crowd into the sectors he had already invested in, it would be no different from helping him drive up the value.

The more such people, the better.

During the intermission, Liang Zhengxian specifically came over to say hello.

His attitude was very respectful; it seemed he had looked into Chen Cheng within the hong kong circles.

Around nine o'clock, the gathering dispersed.

Dai Xi's face was practically glowing with anticipation, but Chen Cheng didn't leave with her. After all, he didn't want Ye Jinyan to notice anything.

Su Jianren had drunk too much, so Chen Cheng pulled him into his own car.

On the way to drop him off, Chen Cheng got out of the car and went to the long-term suite Shen Jing had left behind.

Before long, Dai Xi, who had changed her clothes, also arrived.

After pouring their hearts out to each other, the two sat by the window in bathrobes, sipping wine and chatting.

"Why did you suddenly come back?"

"What do you think?" Dai Xi gave Chen Cheng a resentful look.

"..."

Chen Cheng was momentarily speechless; he had clearly overlooked the fatal attraction his abilities held for a woman of her age.

"Planning to return to the Company Name?"

Dai Xi nodded. "Mhm."

"Old Ye is planning to retire. I'll serve as the group's Vice President for a while, and then take over as CEO after he fully retires."

Chen Cheng was a bit puzzled and frowned. "At a time like this, can he really make a clean break?"

"He's reached an agreement with the Wu Family to transfer 10% of the equity to them. He'll step down and make way for someone from the Wu Family to serve as Chairman."

"After I hold his shares on his behalf, I can serve as CEO for four years. Once that term is up, someone from the Wu Family will take over."

Chen Cheng's frown deepened. "Why would the Wu Family wade into these muddy waters at a time like this?"

A 10% equity transfer, even at a 40% discount based on the Company Name's current stock price, would still be over ten billion in cash.

A smile appeared on Dai Xi's lips. "The Wu Family's new investments in recent years haven't been very successful."

"Old Ye's shift to selling completed homes and his strategy of differentiated competition might be a risky move for others. But for the Wu Family, with their abundant cash flow, it's an opportunity."

"Although this market has shrunk, it won't disappear."

"The market for upgraded housing still has a lot of room for imagination."

"As long as the Company Name completes its downsizing and manages to lower its debt ratio to below 30%, it will definitely be profitable."

Chen Cheng frowned; the Wu Family was truly bold.

It really lived up to the saying, 'Be greedy when others are fearful.'

If the Company Name could reduce its debt ratio to below 30% within three years and successfully transition...

Then the Company Name really might become the most profitable company in the entire market.

Many people didn't know that the bulk of real estate profits were actually siphoned off by capital providers, represented by banks.

Of course, the largest piece of the pie actually went to the land suppliers. But that part is essentially the State.

The Company Name's deleveraging operation was meant to earn the capital providers' share for themselves, along with the hard-earned money from development.

Chen Cheng smacked his lips. "Then the Wu Family's investment is no small amount."

"Yes, the Wu Family has settled terms with Old Ye."

"The 10 billion from the equity transfer will be lent to the Company Name by Old Ye at the bank's loan interest rate."

"At the same time, the Wu Family will also inject 40 billion into the Company Name in the form of a loan."

"Pfft~" Chen Cheng almost sprayed a mouthful of wine onto the glass window in front of him.

Damn, those old money families in the hong kong circles really are loaded.

"Giggle giggle~~~" Dai Xi immediately burst into laughter. "It's quite rare to see something that can shock you, Boss Chen."

Chen Cheng gave her a sharp look, then narrowed his eyes and stared into hers, asking, "Do you still have shares in the Company Name?"

Dai Xi didn't hide it and nodded. "Mhm~ Held through several funds, it's less than 0.1%."

"Ooh~ a wealthy lady," Chen Cheng teased.

"Compared to you, I'm far behind," Dai Xi huffed. She hadn't known before because she hadn't looked into it.

After the last time, she had done some thorough research.

She was truly startled.

It was the kind of thing where the more she knew, the more shocked she became.

The corners of Chen Cheng's mouth turned up. "You're coming to clean up the mess; didn't Old Ye give you any benefits?"

Dai Xi raised an eyebrow and nodded. "Yes. An equity incentive was set up. If the debt ratio drops below 30% within 4 years without any losses, Old Ye will transfer 2% of his remaining shares to me."

Whoa~

Chen Cheng was also shocked by Ye Jinyan's grand gesture. 2%, based on the Company Name's current stock price, was worth nearly 3 billion.

Hmm? Chen Cheng was suddenly taken aback.

"Why is this equity incentive coming solely from Ye Jinyan? Was that also negotiated between the Wu Family and Old Ye?"

Dai Xi nodded calmly. "Mhm~"

Chen Cheng immediately laughed. To make a clean break, Ye Jinyan was certainly willing to pay the price.

But... Chen Cheng thought, narrowing his eyes again, did this old fellow also have the intention of taking this opportunity to compensate Dai Xi?

Back then, Dai Xi and Tang Xin had a clash of philosophies, and Dai Xi left; Ye Jinyan had done her wrong.

Thinking about it this way, it really did seem like that.

Chen Cheng then considered the Company Name's financial situation and the environment for the next few years.

He felt some concern. "Have you ever considered that in local regions, whether you acquire land or not isn't entirely up to you?"

"If you can't withstand that pressure, shrinking the scale and reducing the debt ratio will become empty talk."

The corners of Dai Xi's mouth curved into an arc, and she teased with a spirited look: "Oh~ so there are things that even the exhaustive strategist Chairman Chen hasn't figured out."

Hmm?

Chen Cheng took a sip of wine and fell silent for a few seconds. He went over the relationships between all parties in this matter and the future situation in his mind.

Suddenly!

"The Wu Family is Hong Kong-funded. Ye Jinyan transfers 10% to the Wu Family, the actual control changes, then the Company Name... and then... you, the CEO shield, even hold an Italian green card?"

Dai Xi smiled and nodded.

Hahahahaha~

Good, good, good!!!

As soon as he thought of this issue, Chen Cheng almost stood up to applaud Ye Jinyan.