Chapter 58: America Shipyard

After receiving the message, Xu Shuyun instructed her secretary to book a private room at Wangyue Pavilion.

"Very well, President Xu."

"By the way, President Xu, President Hu is here. He has been waiting for you in the conference room for thirty minutes, saying he has something important to discuss with you."

"This guy, why is he like a mangy dog that I can't shake off?" Xu Shuyun cursed under her breath. "As usual, tell him I'm not here and send him away."

"He said your car is parked in the courtyard, so it's impossible for you to be out. He said he won't leave until he sees you..." The secretary was at a loss with him.

Xu Shuyun sighed and had no choice but to head to the conference room to meet Hu Yuebin.

Hu Yuebin was the son of the chairman of Meiya Shipping Company and held the position of General Manager within the company. His family situation was similar to Xu Shuyun's.

Hu Yuebin's father and Xu Shuyun's father were old acquaintances and even from the same hometown. The two elders were keen on setting her and Hu Yuebin up.

Xu Shuyun had long heard about Hu Yuebin's character—he was idle all day, indulging in food and entertainment, and had a decadent private life. Meiya Shipping Company was originally a giant in Yebai, but after Hu Yuebin took over, it was not what it used to be.

For someone like him, Xu Shuyun didn't even want to see him, let alone develop any romantic relationship with him.

"Hu Yuebin, do you have something to see me about?" Xu Shuyun asked as she arrived at the conference room, getting straight to the point.

"Actually, it's nothing much, hehe." Hu Yuebin had gel in his hair, styled in a slicked-back look. He wore an Armani suit, and the Ferragamo belt around his waist was very eye-catching.

The Hu family members were all very short, and their genes weren't great, which resulted in Hu Yuebin being only 1.6 meters tall. Standing in front of him in high heels, Xu Shuyun was a full half-head taller than him.

"If there's nothing else, please go back. I have a lot of work to deal with." Xu Shuyun didn't want to waste any words on him. She was not like Hu Yuebin; she had to manage everything, big and small, at Jinxiu Group.

Currently, the company was facing a transformation issue, and she had even more to worry about every day. Last night, Xu Shuyun only slept for four hours before getting up to work. Several consecutive nights of staying up late had already given her slight dark circles, which she had to cover with powder every morning before leaving.

"Don't be like that..." Seeing Xu Shuyun's attitude, Hu Yuebin quickly changed his tone. "Actually, I came to talk to you about business, Shuyun. Isn't Jinxiu Group planning to transform and move into water transportation? Meiya can help you."

"Not necessary. I have already signed a contract with Zhengxin Shipyard, and transportation will start from Yebei Pier the day after tomorrow. Please leave."

Even if Hu Yuebin offered her a price lower than Zheng Qian's, Xu Shuyun didn't want to get involved with such a person.

In the local slang of Yebai, it was said that Hu Yuebin only thought with his lower half and never used his brain.

Xu Shuyun knew exactly what Hu Yuebin wanted to do. Dealing with such a person would only waste her time.

"Zhengxin? Are you talking about Chen Weiqiang's company? His company only has a few small boats? Can it compare with our Meiya? They must have charged you a lot of money, right?"

"Don't cooperate with them. You should have told me about this earlier. I'll give you the lowest price and keep Jinxiu Group's costs to a minimum."

Hu Yuebin had never taken Chen Weiqiang seriously. Having just been in the maritime transport business for half a year, buying a few broken boats, he dared to open a company and take orders. He didn't know who gave Chen Weiqiang the courage.

In Hu Yuebin's view, Chen Weiqiang would never amount to anything.

"We have already signed a contract, which has legal effect. Do you think it's possible for me to tear up the contract now?"

"Besides, you can't offer the price that Zhengxin quoted."

"The price Zhengxin can offer, I can't? He only has a few broken boats?"

"Running seven thousand tons to Jiangnan for two hundred thousand—can you offer that price?" Xu Shuyun crossed her arms, her gaze toward Hu Yuebin filled with disdain.

"Two hundred thousand? That's impossible!" Hu Yuebin didn't believe it.

As the General Manager of Meiya Shipping Company, although he lived a life of luxury and dissipation, he still had some contact with business operations. Even if he was irresponsible, he absolutely did not believe that Zhengxin could offer this price.

Running to Jiangnan for two hundred thousand was a completely loss-making business.

Even if he let Meiya quote a price, it would be at least 350,000, and that was only the cost price, relying on the maritime transport foundation the old man had built for Meiya years ago.

"Go get the contract on my desk and show it to President Hu." Xu Shuyun instructed the secretary.

The contract was brought over, and Hu Yuebin carefully browsed through every clause. The price was exactly as Xu Shuyun had said; it was indeed two hundred thousand per trip.

"This, this is impossible. There must be a problem with the contract."

Even with it written in black and white on paper, Hu Yuebin still didn't believe it.

"I have already sent the contract to the legal department to verify, and there are no issues."

"If you have nothing else, I won't keep you for a meal."

"See President Hu out."

Xu Shuyun issued an order to leave.

Hu Yuebin left Jinxiu Group with an unhappy expression. He remembered the name on the last page of the contract: Zheng Qian.

"This Zheng Qian is really something. If the contract is real, wouldn't he lose a fortune? What on earth is he trying to do?"

"Could he be trying to hit on my woman?"

"No, I must investigate him properly."

In the Rolls-Royce, Zheng Qian was completely unaware of what had happened at Jinxiu Group after he left.

"Xiao Qian, may I offer you a suggestion?"

"Go ahead, Brother Tao."

"I think, while the Rolls-Royce is a good car, it doesn't quite fit your current status."

"Is that so? How so?"

"It's too high-profile..."

Manager Li Tao told Zheng Qian that doing business was actually a game—a big game, a small game—and often, it was a psychological battle.

In the sea of business, whether you are a big fish or a small shrimp, everyone is fair game.

Whether it's a big fish or a small shrimp, when they see a shark, they will think of two things.

Many fish think of running away, or blending in with you.

Leeches think differently; they wonder if they can suck a drop of blood from you.

"Do you understand what I mean when I say this?" Manager Li Tao didn't forget to impart some experience to Zheng Qian.

"I roughly understand. Then, Brother Tao, in your opinion, what kind of car should I drive?"

"Based on my experience of negotiating contracts with big bosses many times, you should drive a Mercedes-Benz S-Class. Most of them drive an S-Class."

"Like the one Chen Weiqiang has?"

"Yes."

"Bosses all over the world love the S-Class. Do you know why?"

"With a car like this, no matter who you are talking to, it won't be too much, nor will it be lacking in qualification."

"Some young people are arrogant, relying on their father's money, driving a convertible and thinking they are invincible. The S-Class gives people a vague, unfathomable feeling. What kind of person this is, what their background is, what their strength is—it all depends on the other party to figure it out for themselves."

Zheng Qian felt that Manager Li Tao still had many merits. He was indeed a person who had entered the workplace a few years earlier than him, often dealing with big bosses, and was much more mature than Zheng Qian. Manager Li Tao's words were very useful to him.

Zheng Qian had suddenly become very rich, using the excuse that he was being kept by his girlfriend, and that it was a startup fund given by his girlfriend. But Manager Li Tao might have already seen through the clues. Zheng Qian didn't take the initiative to explain, and Manager Li Tao didn't ask a single extra question. This was how to conduct oneself.

There was nothing going on in the afternoon. Neither Chen Weiqiang nor Liu Shiqi was in the company, and Zheng Qian wasn't called in for questioning.

Before getting off work, he sent a message to Jin Lu, saying he wouldn't be home for dinner tonight because he had to meet a client, and then he went to Wangyue Island alone for the appointment.

According to the agreement, Zheng Qian arrived at the 24th floor of Wangyue Pavilion.

At this height, one could take in the night view of half of Yebai.

"President Zheng, please sit." Xu Shuyun snapped her fingers, signaling the waiter that they could start serving the appetizers.

To her surprise, Zheng Qian hadn't even changed his clothes or dressed up; he looked no different from the morning, and his face was even a bit oily.