Chapter 80: A Dead End

President Ma Wencheng was smoking a cigarette alone, pacing anxiously in his office.

Over the past two days, Zheng Qian had been giving him a massive headache.

After leaving the Yamei Group that day, Hu Yuebin had promised him that everything would be settled within three days.

But three days had passed, and there was still no news from Hu Yuebin.

"President Ma, it's time for the board meeting."

His curvy secretary hurried into the office to remind President Ma Wencheng, "Do you have a moment? I'd like to report a new situation to you first."

"What situation? Is there news from the Yamei Group?" President Ma Wencheng's eyes lit up; it had been three days, and his wait hadn't been in vain.

"President Ma, it's not the Yamei Group, it's Dafu Timber."

"Dafu Timber? What kind of new situation could there be with Dafu Timber?" President Ma Wencheng didn't care about Dafu Timber right now.

He only cared about two things: first, raw materials, and second, transport.

Only if both of these were resolved could Jiyuan Woodworking continue to operate normally and their alliance continue.

Otherwise, everything else was just empty talk.

"According to our people placed at Dafu Timber, their chairman, Chang Dashan, has already renewed a long-term contract with Zhengxin Shipyard for a year. The timber is also being gradually transferred from the Yenan Wharf to the Yebei Pier, and it seems they have already started using Zhengxin's cargo ships."

"Seems?"

"I'm telling you, there's no 'seems' about this! Make it clear to me!" President Ma Wencheng was getting anxious.

This was truly a new situation.

After his secretary finished explaining the current situation of Dafu Timber, President Ma Wencheng understood immediately.

Damn it, Chang Dashan had betrayed their alliance and surrendered to Zhengxin Shipyard!

After walking into the conference room, several board members and various executives immediately bombarded President Ma Wencheng with countless questions.

"President Ma, our raw materials are only enough to last for two more days. When can the timber supply be restored?"

"President Ma, our factory cannot stop! Stopping for an hour means losing tens of thousands of dollars; we can't afford that!"

"President Ma, people from the Yamei Group just came by. They said the ships won't be repaired for several days and haven't passed the Maritime Bureau's inspection. We have to wait at least another week."

President Ma Wencheng had just calmed down a little, but with these people making such a racket, his head swelled up again.

Damn it, wait another week?

What the hell is there to wait for!

Chang Dashan had defected and surrendered three days ago. This guy was really unloyal; he didn't even give him a heads-up. If he had known, he would have surrendered too.

"Alright everyone, let's cancel today's board meeting. I'm going to go solve these problems immediately."

President Ma Wencheng felt that if he stayed in the conference room any longer, his head would explode.

"Prepare the car; we're going to Zhengxin Shipyard."

Zhengxin Shipyard.

Manager Li Tao came out to meet President Ma Wencheng.

"Manager Li, is President Zheng in the office? I am the chairman of Jiyuan Woodworking, Ma Wencheng. I have some matters I'd like to discuss with him." President Ma Wencheng kept a very humble posture.

"Oh, so it's President Ma. I've heard much about you." Manager Li Tao maintained a nonchalant attitude.

Zheng Qian had guessed it again; President Ma Wencheng really did come to the door.

"President Zheng is currently in a meeting. Can you wait? If you can wait, I will go report your arrival now."

"Yes, yes, yes, of course I can wait. Thank you, Manager Li."

Familiar dialogue, familiar tone, familiar feeling.

Manager Li Tao certainly didn't go to report. According to Zheng Qian's instructions, he had to leave President Ma Wencheng hanging for at least an hour or two. He walked to the pantry, poured a cup of hot water, and came back.

"President Zheng said he knows. Please wait here for a few minutes; he will be here shortly."

President Ma Wencheng: ???

Damn you, do you take me for a blind man?

Did you go report? You just came back and told me that.

Don't think I didn't see you. You ran to the pantry, got a cup of hot water, and came back. You didn't go find Zheng Qian at all!

President Ma Wencheng was smart; he knew this was an attempt to cold-shoulder him.

He said wait a few minutes, but whether he could see Zheng Qian today was uncertain!

Thud.

"Manager Li, please go report again. My business is very urgent!"

"Pfft!"

Seeing this scene, Manager Li Tao spat a mouthful of hot water directly onto President Ma Wencheng's face.

"Sorry, President Ma, sorry."

Manager Li Tao casually pulled out a few tissues to help wipe President Ma Wencheng's face.

He hadn't expected President Ma Wencheng to be so straightforward; without even seeing Zheng Qian, he just knelt down right there.

"Alright, since President Ma has urgent business, I will go report again. Please wait a moment."

This time, Manager Li Tao actually walked into Zheng Qian's office.

"Qian, President Ma Wencheng is here."

"Mm, as we discussed earlier, leave him hanging for a while."

"I don't think that will work. President Ma Wencheng knelt right in front of me in front of so many people. I can't leave him hanging anymore. You should go see him," Manager Li Tao laughed.

Zheng Qian was very surprised when he heard this.

So direct?

Without even seeing the person, the chairman of Jiyuan Woodworking just knelt down right there?

The situation at Jiyuan Woodworking and the pressure President Ma Wencheng was under were even more critical than Zheng Qian had imagined.

"Alright, let's go see him."

Outside the door.

Countless colleagues were discussing the matter of Jiyuan Woodworking's chairman, Ma Wencheng, kneeling.

"Hey, hey, hey, have you heard? President Ma Wencheng knelt directly to our Manager Li!"

"I heard it a long time ago. He's still kneeling in the guest meeting room!"

"Really? Why do I find that hard to believe?"

"Believe it or not, if you don't believe it, go to the guest meeting room and see for yourself!"

"Two days ago, the chairman and general manager of Dafu Timber also knelt in our company. Do you know about that?"

"Really? I haven't heard about that. Tell me more!"

"One was kneeling in the guest meeting room, the other was kneeling in the conference room..."

The incident of two consecutive business presidents kneeling and begging at Zhengxin Shipyard immediately became hot gossip, becoming the focus of discussion throughout the company.

Guest meeting room.

Zheng Qian deliberately slowed his pace and arrived at the guest meeting room.

"Sorry, President Ma, I was in a meeting just now... You... why are you kneeling? Get up, get up quickly."

After walking into the guest meeting room, Zheng Qian discovered that President Ma Wencheng was still kneeling on both knees. This was truly unexpected.

However, this also indirectly showed that President Ma Wencheng's Jiyuan Woodworking was not having an easier time than Chang Dashan's Dafu Timber; the situation was even more critical than Dafu Timber's.

Zheng Qian had controlled President Ma Wencheng's raw materials and even intercepted his shipping methods. If the Yamei Group wanted to get their ships running again, they would have to pass the Maritime Bureau's inspection, which would take at least two or three months.

Even if Hu Yuebin could find connections, would President Ma Wencheng dare to use those cargo ships with quality issues? They might have an accident as soon as they reached the Pacific Ocean.

Both critical bottlenecks were issues President Ma Wencheng couldn't solve. How could he not be anxious?

"President Zheng! I'm at the end of my rope! For the sake of my relationship with Weiqiang, you must give me a helping hand at this time!"