148: Are you and her... related?

Jack Ma felt he wasn't facing a shareholder, but an unfathomable behemoth, capable of easily manipulating capital and even reshaping industry landscapes.

He forced himself to calm down, immediately picked up the phone, and called several former major shareholders who had just sold their shares.

After the call connected, he directly asked them why they had simultaneously and collectively sold such critical shares.

However, the replies he received made him even more unnerved.

Those prominent figures in the business world, now spoke with a lingering sense of trepidation and evasiveness in their voices.

"Brother Ma... don't ask, the specific reason... we're not clear either."

"It was a... very strong feeling, a feeling that we had to sell, and we had to sell to that designated account!"

"It's hard to explain, it's like something... very bad would happen if we didn't comply."

Listening to the vague narration on the other end of the phone, Jack Ma's back was instantly drenched in cold sweat.

This had already gone beyond the scope of business competition, carrying a chilling undertone.

He took several deep puffs, trying to calm the turbulent waves in his heart with a cigar.

Too bizarre... what on earth was going on?

One cigar quickly burned out, and he shakily lit a second.

"I must contact Lei Jun," Jack Ma suddenly thought.

Lei Jun is the CEO of Xiaomi, he must have dealt with Lei Jun, and might know something.

He took out his phone, found Lei Jun's number, and dialed it with trembling fingers.

"Beep beep..." The phone rang ten times, no one answered.

Jack Ma hung up, his heart pounding faster.

Why didn't Lei Jun answer?

Was he deliberately avoiding him, or was he also controlled by this Lei Jun?

He called again, still no answer.

Time passed minute by minute, the office was so quiet he could hear the ticking of his watch.

Jack Ma couldn't sit still. He got up and paced the room, the cigar burning quickly between his fingers, ash falling onto the expensive carpet, unnoticed by him.

"Why isn't he answering..." he cursed under his breath, extremely anxious.

Every second he waited, he felt the situation spiraling further out of control.

He even began to worry that the other party might next demand a change in management, kicking him, the founder, out.

Ten minutes later, he dialed Lei Jun's number for the third time.

This time, the call was finally answered.

"Mr. Ma? Why are you looking for me so urgently? What happened?"

Lei Jun's voice carried a hint of fatigue, with the lingering hubbub of a meeting in the background.

Jack Ma, as if clutching at a life raft, spoke rapidly: "Mr. Lei, you finally answered the phone!"

"Let me ask you, is your major shareholder at Xiaomi named Lei Jun? Do you... have a family connection with her? Or do you know her background?"

There was a few seconds of silence on the other end, then Lei Jun's voice became serious: "Mr. Ma, Ms. Lei Jun is indeed our largest shareholder, but I have no family connection with her."

Jack Ma: "Mr. Lei, to be honest... our Ali Group has also been acquired by Ms. Lei Jun. She directly acquired 53% of the circulating shares and is now the absolute controlling shareholder of the company."

"Right now... I'm completely lost, and very panicked!"

"I can't figure out what Ms. Lei's intention is in acquiring our company—is she optimistic about future development, or... does she have other plans?"

He took a deep breath and pleaded.

"Mr. Lei, for the sake of our many years of friendship. Can you... can you do me a favor?"

"You must have a way to contact Ms. Lei, right? Can you help me pass a message, or... ask her what her plan is for me, for Ali Group? I... I really am..."

Lei Jun, on this end of the phone, was sitting at the head of the Dami Group conference room table, with an analysis report on Ali Group's equity changes spread before him.

Hearing Jack Ma's words, he unconsciously tapped his fingers on the table.

Ms. Lei Jun's power was terrifying.

Acquiring nearly 30% of Xiaomi's shares before was already enough to subvert his understanding; now she had quietly swallowed 53% of Ali Group's shares!

These were two trillion-dollar giants, and she acquired them as easily as collecting toys?

Should he help Jack Ma ask?

He was very hesitant.

If he rashly asked Ms. Lei Jun about her purpose in acquiring Ali Group, would it displease her?

But Jack Ma was a long-time industry partner, now so anxious that he was losing his composure; it would be too heartless to directly refuse him.

Jack Ma, on the other end of the phone, keenly sensed Lei Jun's hesitation, and his tone immediately softened, pleading: "Mr. Lei, I'm begging you. I know this might put you in a difficult position, but I really have no other choice right now."

"Ali Group is my life's work, please just help me ask."

Listening to Jack Ma's plea, Lei Jun sighed helplessly.

"Alright, I'll help you ask. But I can't guarantee she'll answer, nor can I guarantee what I'll find out. Be prepared."

After hanging up, Lei Jun leaned back in his chair and rubbed his throbbing temples.

In fact, the core of the Dami Group management meeting just now was to discuss Ms. Lei Jun's acquisition of Ali Group.

The executives were all speculating about her intentions; some said she wanted to integrate internet resources, others said she was simply making a financial investment, and some worried she would initiate cross-industry linkages, impacting existing businesses.

But after half a day of discussion, there wasn't even a reliable conclusion.

Because no one could fathom Ms. Lei Jun's methods.

He picked up his private phone, found the number saved as "Ms. Lei," hesitated for more than ten seconds, and then pressed the dial button.

The call was quickly connected, and Lei Jun's clear, cold voice came through: "Chairman Lei, do you need something?"

Lei Jun didn't beat around the bush and went straight to the point: "Ms. Lei, it's like this. Mr. Ma from Ali Group just called me. He wants to ask if you acquired the 53% stake in Ali Group?"

"It was me," Lei Jun replied succinctly.

Although Lei Jun had anticipated it, hearing the affirmative answer still made him pause for a moment.

He composed himself before hesitantly saying: "Mr. Ma is currently... a bit anxious and wants to communicate directly with you. I wonder if it's convenient for you to give me your contact information so I can pass it on to him?"

After speaking, he held his breath, fearing that Ms. Lei Jun would refuse.

After all, given her status, she might not be willing to directly deal with an entrepreneur of Jack Ma's caliber.

Unexpectedly, after two seconds of silence on the other end, an affirmative reply came: "Yes, you can give him my number."

Lei Jun immediately breathed a sigh of relief and quickly thanked her: "Thank you, Ms. Lei, I appreciate your trouble."

After hanging up, Lei Jun stared at the number on his phone screen, his heart still a mix of emotions.

The calmer Ms. Lei Jun was, the more unfathomable she seemed.

Acquiring two trillion-dollar companies with such effortless grace was definitely not something an ordinary capital player could achieve.

He even began to suspect that Ms. Lei Jun's goals might not stop there, and perhaps there would be bigger moves in the future.