137: Homeless people in unfinished buildings

Lan Zijun had just prepared to return to her office to deal with the files that had piled up that morning when she encountered a man in the corridor.

"President Lan, I've finally waited for you."

Accompanied by the other party's rather gentlemanly greeting, Lan Zijun raised her eyes and clearly saw the person in front of her.

She saw that the man was wearing a decent suit.

And due to work reasons, Lan Zijun often attended banquets in the business circle.

Coupled with the influence of her upbringing, she could tell at a glance that the man's suit was quite exquisite in craftsmanship.

What was even more eye-catching was his head of blond hair; it wasn't a dyed color.

His hairstyle had also clearly been meticulously styled.

After observing the other party's attire, Lan Zijun finally focused her gaze on his face.

She saw that the man's facial features had quite profound contours.

He wore a pair of gold-rimmed glasses on his high nose bridge, and a smile hung on his face.

Judging solely from his appearance, Lan Zijun determined that he was likely mixed-race.

And he wasn't old, looking no more than thirty.

"I have long heard of President Lan."

"If you have time, would it be convenient to have a talk?"

The man continued to speak, and Lan Zijun also noticed at this moment.

Although the other party had a mixed-race face, his Mandarin accent was not awkward.

Just looking at the other party's attire, one might have thought he was a wealthy young master.

And earlier, Yang Qingmei had called to report that someone wanted to discuss cooperation with her in person.

This was undoubtedly the man in front of her.

Lan Zijun thought to herself, becoming curious about his purpose for a moment.

"You're too kind, let's go inside and talk."

Immediately, Lan Zijun led the other party towards the office.

And the man's face maintained a gentlemanly smile the entire time.

It wasn't until Lan Zijun turned her back to him that a hint of almost imperceptible cunning flashed within that smile.

...

"President Lan, my name is William, and I am the representative sent by Norman Pharmaceuticals."

Lan Zijun led the man into the office.

After a conversation, she also roughly understood the other party's intention.

"We have recognized that this city is located at a transportation hub and has abundant pharmaceutical raw materials nearby, so we chose to establish a branch company here."

"We are currently actively conducting research on the city's pharmaceutical market and also have the intention to cooperate with local enterprises."

"My visit this time is also to discuss investment cooperation matters with your company."

Following this, Lan Zijun saw William display a very confident demeanor.

His face still wore a slight smile as he said:

"I've heard that Far View (Yuantu) Investment's decisions and vision are quite accurate, so please rest assured, President Lan."

"You can trust us, Norman Pharmaceuticals, we definitely won't disappoint you."

Lan Zijun listened to the other party's narration, not speaking immediately, but instead contemplating in her mind.

She hadn't heard the name 'Norman Pharmaceuticals' much before.

If according to William's statement, their company headquarters were elsewhere, this point was understandable.

They had just arrived in this city to establish a branch company and now wanted to attract Far View's investment.

And Lan Zijun had currently only heard the other party's side of the story.

Coupled with the special nature of the pharmaceutical industry, Lan Zijun already felt a slight resistance in her heart.

However, at this moment, William opposite seemed to have seen the doubts in Lan Zijun's heart.

His face was beaming with a confident smile. He took out a document from his briefcase and handed it to Lan Zijun, saying:

"President Lan, I know you have questions in your mind, but please don't rush to refuse."

"Why not take a look at our cooperation proposal first?"

Lan Zijun took the document handed over by the other party and flipped through the first few pages.

It must be said that the other party's proposal was well-organized, making it easy for Lan Zijun to see the investment profits within it.

And as Lan Zijun read through it, she finally saw the figures proposed by the other party.

That was the expected return they offered to Far View Investment.

Lan Zijun's gaze fixed on a column of figures at the bottom of the proposal.

When she clearly saw the numbers above, her brows furrowed uncontrollably.

Because Lan Zijun suddenly discovered that in this cooperation proposal, the expected return set for the investor...

Was actually a full thirty percent!

"There's actually such a huge profit?" Seeing the numbers above, Lan Zijun couldn't help but exclaim in surprise in her heart.

She wasn't carried away by these few lines of numbers.

Instead, her thoughts became clearer, and she began to re-examine the situation.

The reason why Lan Zijun could sit in the position of President today, and even after taking over the company from her father, could still make Far View Investment burst with new vitality.

All of these were inseparable from her own strength.

Lan Zijun had almost strict caution when it came to Far View's external cooperation matters.

She knew deeply that there was no such thing as a free lunch, and investment was bound to be accompanied by risks.

And Lan Zijun's outstanding quality lay in her rigorous risk assessment and her decisiveness after making a decision.

Therefore, she actually had a favorable impression of companies that could recognize their own position and clearly point out risks in their proposals.

However, Lan Zijun flipped through the proposal provided by Norman Pharmaceuticals but found a perplexing situation:

They proposed generous profits, but the risk assessment was almost zero!

This point seemed extremely abnormal for any company!

Because no matter what industry one was engaged in, zero investment risk could not be guaranteed, let alone the inherently unstable pharmaceutical industry.

Lan Zijun also had some understanding of the pharmaceutical industry and roughly knew the ropes.

Under normal circumstances, pharmaceutical companies either study the weaknesses of competitors to produce drugs for the same ailment, using the advantages of their own drugs to compete for the market.

Or they develop special drugs specifically for certain diseases, and after a series of clinical trials and strict approvals, they are finally circulated to the pharmaceutical market.

And no matter which situation, before flowing into the market, it is impossible to guarantee profitability.

Moreover, the profits obtained from drug sales also need to cover the costs of drug research and development.

It is destined to be a long-term game.

Therefore, some established pharmaceutical companies have long shifted their focus, not just limited to drug development.

Even a century-old brand in the south, the majority of its annual profits come from a toothpaste brand under its name.

Thinking of these, and then looking back at this Norman Pharmaceuticals.

They are actually still focusing on the development of a certain drug, and they haven't even provided a risk assessment...

This gives the feeling that they are already certain the market will accept them,

And that people will willingly pay for the drugs they produce... It's really a bit strange.

Just as Lan Zijun was thinking, she heard William continue to speak confidently:

"President Lan, perhaps you are a bit skeptical about our low risk."

"To be honest, we are developing a drug, and the current clinical trials are basically completed."

"Once this drug is normally circulated and listed, I believe it will have good sales."

However, William's words, when they reached Lan Zijun's ears, had the opposite effect, making Lan Zijun feel even more resistant in her heart.

"A drug wants to guarantee sales?"

That's simply a joke!

Even the most common cold medicine doesn't necessarily have very good sales.

And what kind of special medicine for any disease can guarantee sales?

To be honest, Lan Zijun now felt that they might as well make toothpaste.

At the very least, that's a daily necessity, and the demand will be relatively larger.

Lan Zijun thought to herself, and no longer wanted to continue talking with the man in front of her.

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So she simply closed the proposal and said:

"Mr. William, I have to say, the profits you proposed are indeed very attractive,"

"But for the pharmaceutical industry, especially pharmaceuticals, our investment requires more careful consideration."

"Therefore, before your company's drug has been approved and widely put into the market, we will not easily make a decision."

As she spoke, Lan Zijun handed the proposal back.

"I have some understanding of the pharmaceutical process and can appreciate your desire to obtain investment."

"But even if the R&D stage requires funds to cover costs... based on the current situation, it should be difficult for your company to get our investment."

Lan Zijun phrased her refusal quite politely.

And William, standing in front of her, seemed not to have expected Lan Zijun to refuse so quickly.

The eyes beneath the gold-rimmed glasses flashed with a strange look.

"President Lan, are you sure you won't consider it again?"

William asked again, but received only Lan Zijun's silence.

"Alright, if that's the case, then I won't insist."

He smiled sheepishly, put away the proposal, and turned to walk out of the office.

However, he walked all the way to the door, his hand just resting on the doorknob.

As if he remembered something, William turned back to look at Lan Zijun.

His face still wore that confident smile, and in a feigned gentlemanly manner, he said:

"However, before I leave, please allow me to say something presumptuous."

"In the near future, you might regret your actions today."

After saying that, William nodded at Lan Zijun before stepping out of the office.

And Lan Zijun heard him not forget to leave such a harsh remark before leaving.

She couldn't help but frown, and she was the only one in the office.

Lan Zijun pouted angrily, muttering to herself:

"Who gave them the courage... Liang Jingru?"

She pondered for a while in her heart, preparing to adjust her mood and deal with the documents piled on her desk all morning.

But just as she sat down in her office chair, she vaguely felt that something was not right.

Immediately, she walked to the floor-to-ceiling window in the office and looked down at the company building.

Outside the window, a light drizzle was still falling.

And at this moment, Lan Zijun didn't know what she was thinking in her heart.

...

After leaving Lan Zijun's office, William took the elevator directly down to the first floor.

And on his way out, his mixed-race face with deep features and his golden hair naturally attracted the attention of many members of the opposite sex.

So much so that the female employees who shared the elevator with him couldn't help but glance over and look a couple more times.

If it were before, William would definitely put on his signature smile,

Enjoying the sidelong glances from the opposite sex at his appearance.

However, now he had no intention of paying attention to these.

As soon as the elevator reached the first floor, William walked straight out.

Stepping out of the Far View (Yuantu) Investment office building, a white sedan was parked outside the lobby.

A man as sturdy as a bodyguard was waiting with an umbrella.

The moment he saw William come out of the lobby, the bodyguard handed him the umbrella.

And he opened the car door for him, escorting William into the sedan.

'Bang' accompanied by the sound of the car door closing, a voice sounded from the passenger seat.

"How's it going? William."

The person in the passenger seat spoke fluent foreign language, which easily indicated his identity.

Hearing this, William tugged at his tie and snorted coldly:

"As expected of Lan Zijun, she is very cautious."

"She didn't show any interest even after reading the proposal. It seems... Far View's investment is unlikely."

Hearing William's words, the man sitting in the passenger seat was silent for a moment.

Then he smiled indifferently and said in a slightly awkward tone:

"No need to worry, I remember a saying, how did it go... haste makes waste."

"Take it slow, it won't be long before she sees our 'results'."

William, sitting in the back seat, heard this and took a few deep breaths.

Calming his mood, he asked in a low voice:

"Our plan doesn't lack funds now, why do we still need to strive for Far View?"

Hearing this, the middle-aged man in the passenger seat looked through the car window at the Far View company building.

Observing the hurried employees inside, he slowly said:

"Originally, we were going to find Kelly Investment, but unexpectedly, something happened to them first."

"But this is also good. Most companies in City W that need investment now will choose to cooperate with Far View."

"And as long as we attract Far View's investment, we can muddy the waters even further."

After the middle-aged man finished speaking in a slightly awkward manner, he casually muttered something in a foreign language.

"Get ready to act. It won't be long before she might come looking for us on her own."

...

In the development zone, there is a deserted unfinished building complex.

The exterior of the building clearly showed signs of fire damage; the external walls from the Third Floor to the fourth floor were blackened by smoke.

And inside the building, construction waste was everywhere. What met the eye were broken bricks, and cement mixed with rebar.

There was also plastic waste and dusty burlap sacks.

Late at night, accompanied by the patter of light rain, bursts of snoring came from somewhere on the second floor.

This unfinished building had long been neglected.

Besides the basic wall partitions, no doors were installed.

And in what was originally a two-bedroom, one-living-room apartment on the second floor, a space just large enough to accommodate a person had been manually cleared on the dusty floor of the master bedroom.

A Homeless person wearing a worn-out cotton coat and with messy hair and a dirty face was sleeping soundly, his head resting on two relatively intact bricks, listening to the sound of the rain outside.

His snoring echoed freely, as if he had turned this unfinished building into his exclusive kingdom.

However, at this moment, a muffled sound was heard.

'Bang!' The sudden sound broke the tranquility of the rainy night.

The Homeless person opened his blurry, sleepy eyes and rubbed them with his dirty fingers.

He pricked up his ears and listened for a while, but didn't pay much attention.

After all, sleeping in such a desolate place with no sign of human habitation at night, hearing strange noises in the middle of the night was already commonplace.

Perhaps it was a piece of concrete wall peeling off, or the wind breaking off some external wall material, making a sound similar to fingernails scratching a wall.

"Damn it... get lost, don't disturb my sleep!"

The Homeless person habitually cursed at the air a few times and was about to continue sleeping.

However, the next second, accompanied by two beams of flashlight light flashing across the concrete ceiling through the empty window,

The Homeless person instantly lost all sleepiness! He sprang up from the ground instinctively!

This time, he listened carefully to the movement outside!

At the same time, he carefully picked up one of the bricks he had just been using as a pillow and held it in his hand.

He had been wandering for a long time and had long understood a principle.

A Homeless person is not afraid of anything ghostly, only needs to be wary of strangers.

Especially the kind who would run into an unfinished building in the middle of the night!

As several bad thoughts flashed through his mind, the Homeless person gripped the brick in his hand tighter.

But those footsteps seemed to have eyes.

They had already stepped onto the stairs and were approaching the direction he was in.

...

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