105: Chapter 105 Wang Hongtai's Fury

"Acquisition?" Hearing this, Wang Hongtai didn't rush to pick up the letter of intent for acquisition placed on the table. Instead, a playful smile curled at the corners of his mouth, and his deep gaze locked onto Wang Ming. After a moment of silence, he spoke slowly, "Lawyer Wang, I don't believe I've ever said I had any intention of selling Hongtai Construction."

"Haha," Wang Ming chuckled and shook his head. After a brief pause, he continued, "How could I possibly guess what's on your mind, Chairman Wang? However, since I'm already here, why don't you take a look at this letter of intent first? We can talk after you've read it. Perhaps Chairman Wang will have a change of heart?"

With that, he leisurely picked up a bottle of mineral water nearby, took a small sip, and then leaned back against the sofa, looking completely composed as if he had Wang Hongtai right where he wanted him.

Wang Hongtai's gaze lingered on Wang Ming's face for a moment, his lips curling into a disdainful arc, as if mocking Wang Ming's self-righteousness. "Fine. Since you're so confident, I'd like to see what kind of price you've offered to acquire my Hongtai Construction." Having said that, he reached out and picked up the letter of intent. However, as soon as he flipped open the cover, Wang Hongtai's eyes snapped into focus, and his brow furrowed involuntarily.

Wang Ming keenly captured the change in Wang Hongtai's expression. He couldn't help but sneer inwardly, his eyebrows arching slightly with a hint of triumph.

That was no letter of intent for acquisition; the first page detailed every project Hongtai Construction had undertaken in recent years.

Within these exhaustive details, various illicit back-room operations were clearly recorded—things like bid-rigging, fraudulent invoicing, and bribery.

The more Wang Hongtai read, the more alarmed he became. Many details had become blurry even to himself. He couldn't help but secretly wonder how Zhao Lintai, the Young Master of the Zhao Family of the Capital behind Wang Ming, had managed to find out about all this.

With a deep frown, he flipped through the pages until the end. Then, clutching the "letter of intent" tightly in his hand, he looked at Wang Ming with a solemn expression, his tone laced with dissatisfaction and suspicion. "Lawyer Wang, what is the meaning of this? Are you threatening me?"

"Haha, Chairman Wang, you must be joking." Wang Ming laughed heartily, then crossed his legs, appearing quite relaxed and at ease. He continued, "I'm here to discuss an acquisition with you. How could I possibly be threatening you?"

"Heh," Wang Hongtai sneered, throwing the documents back onto the coffee table with force. His eyes burned like torches as he stared intently at Wang Ming. "If this is an acquisition, what you've brought is hardly a proper letter of intent."

*Cough*, "Haha." Wang Ming coughed lightly, his smile undiminished. "Don't be angry, Chairman Wang. Since it's an acquisition, we naturally had to do some 'homework' to gain a comprehensive understanding of Hongtai Construction's situation. This is also a reflection of our sincerity. Now that you've seen it, I wonder if Chairman Wang has developed an interest in selling Hongtai Construction?"

"Heh," Wang Hongtai sneered again, leaning forward slightly with a cold tone. "I don't care how you got these Materials, but don't think you can force me to sell Hongtai Construction based solely on these things of dubious authenticity. You underestimate me, Wang Hongtai, far too much!"

"Haha, don't get excited, Chairman Wang." Wang Ming smiled calmly, seemingly indifferent to Wang Hongtai's reaction. "Setting aside the authenticity of these Materials for a moment, I've heard that you previously signed a gambling agreement with several investors, haven't you? If Hongtai Construction fails to go public this time, I'm afraid the ownership of the company will be changing hands, won't it?"

Wang Hongtai's expression tightened as he calculated inwardly. This gambling agreement was supposed to be confidential, known to very few people. How did Wang Ming know about it?

"Haha, no need to be nervous, Chairman Wang." Seeing this, Wang Ming continued before Wang Hongtai could respond. "As for the gambling agreement, I only heard about it through hearsay. However, since I am here representing Mr. Zhao, it means Mr. Zhao hopes to cooperate with you, not become your enemy."

"Then, what do you want?" Wang Hongtai's tone softened slightly. After all, if these Materials fell into the hands of the China Securities Regulatory Commission or the Judiciary, Hongtai Construction's path to going public would surely be blocked.

"That's more like it." Wang Ming was all smiles as he uncrossed his legs. "Mr. Zhao's meaning is that you, Chairman Wang, have built Hongtai Construction over decades and enjoy a great reputation in the real estate industry in Magic City and even nationwide. Mr. Zhao not only loves wealth but also values talent. He hopes to join hands with you to make Hongtai Construction grow even stronger!"

"Then how does Mr. Zhao intend to cooperate?" Wang Hongtai asked directly.

Wang Ming held up one finger and spoke solemnly, "Ten million to acquire forty percent of Hongtai Construction's shares."

"How much? Ten million?" Wang Hongtai laughed out of sheer anger. "Hehehe, Lawyer Wang, you aren't joking with me, are you? Ten million for forty percent of Hongtai Construction? How is this any different from daylight robbery? Do you know that my Hongtai Construction is about to go public? The valuation given by the appraisal firm is eight billion! Unless I'm an idiot, do you really think I'd hand over such a gold mine to you?"

"Haha," Wang Ming had long expected this reaction from Wang Hongtai. He leaned back against his chair again, looking at Wang Hongtai with a playful gaze. "Chairman Wang, don't be too sure of yourself. I must remind you not to forget the gambling agreement you signed with the investors. Once the IPO fails, Hongtai Construction will no longer belong to the Wang family. Right now, the only one who can save you is Lintai Investment. As long as you are willing to give up forty percent of the equity, Lintai Investment can guarantee that these Materials will never appear on the desks of the China Securities Regulatory Commission or the Judiciary."

Wang Hongtai fell silent for a moment, then gave a cold laugh and stood up from the sofa. His voice was icy. "Lawyer Wang, aren't you underestimating me a bit too much? Regardless of the authenticity of these Materials, even if they are all true, do you think these alone can stop Hongtai Construction from going public?"

"Heh, well, if Chairman Wang doesn't believe it, why don't we try testing it with one project?" As he spoke, Wang Ming picked up the documents and flipped to a random page. "Let's take this one. In March of this year, Hongtai Construction, in collaboration with three shell companies, rigged a bid for a project totaling forty-five million. That's no small sum... You also funneled nearly two million in benefits to a key figure from Party A... Tsk, tsk, tsk, two million. Chairman Wang, did you know your subordinates were doing these things?"

Wang Hongtai forced himself to remain calm and continued, "So what? Bid-rigging—which company hasn't done it? At most, it's just a fine. Besides, do you think my Hongtai Construction has grown to where it is today only to be brought down by such a trivial matter? You're too naive."

"Haha, that's true." Wang Ming smiled, then stood up as well and walked over to Wang Hongtai. "I suspect that what you're relying on, Chairman Wang, is nothing more than the protection of certain leaders in Magic City. But do you think your influence, Wang Hongtai, is greater than that of the Zhao Family of the Capital?"

Upon hearing this, Wang Hongtai's heart skipped a beat, and his expression instantly froze. Indeed, he was just a businessman; how could he possibly compete with the Zhao Family of the Capital?

Seeing Wang Hongtai's expression shift slightly and a flicker of hesitation in his eyes, Wang Ming plotted inwardly while remaining impassive on the surface. He continued to guide the situation to his advantage. "Chairman Wang, forty percent equity sounds like a lot, but Hongtai Construction is, after all, the result of your hard work. It wasn't easy to reach this scale. If Hongtai Construction were to change its name just because it couldn't go public, wouldn't that be a shame? But with the help of Lintai Investment, Hongtai Construction can still be named Wang, and your life's work can continue. Moreover, Mr. Zhao has explicitly promised that he will never interfere with the normal business operations of Hongtai Construction; you will still have absolute authority. In the future, if Hongtai Construction wants to move beyond Magic City and expand into the capital's market, Mr. Zhao will be your powerful backer. With so many benefits, Chairman Wang, what else is there to hesitate about?"

Wang Hongtai remained silent for a moment, his fingers lightly tapping on his desk as if weighing the pros and cons.

After a while, he turned to look at Wang Ming, a hint of cunning flashing in his eyes. "Haha, Lawyer Wang, you're right. If we can get the support of the Zhao Family of the Capital, it would naturally be a good thing for Hongtai Construction."

"Oh? Does that mean you agree, Chairman Wang?" Wang Ming felt a surge of joy and, without waiting for Wang Hongtai to finish, impatiently pressed for confirmation.

Unexpectedly, Wang Hongtai put on a troubled look again, frowning as he continued, "However, it's not enough for just me to agree to the sale of equity. Although Hongtai Construction was founded by me, there are other shareholders. Ten million for a forty percent equity transfer is truly a bit too low. Since Mr. Zhao wants to cooperate, I think it should be more reasonable. So, regarding this cooperation, don't you think we should discuss it in more detail? What do you say, Lawyer Wang?"

Wang Ming's heart tightened. He thought to himself: *This Wang Hongtai is a real piece of work, trying to play the stalling game with me.* But he maintained a smile on his face and spoke with feigned ease, "Haha, Chairman Wang, I'm just here to deliver a message. Since you're also interested in cooperating, I'll report back to Mr. Zhao as it is. As for how much money you want before you'll agree to transfer the shares, you'll have to discuss that with Mr. Zhao yourself."

With that, Wang Ming picked up his briefcase and turned toward the door of Wang Hongtai's office.

"Lawyer Wang, it's almost noon. Why don't I host? Please do me the honor of having lunch together," Wang Hongtai invited with a face full of smiles.

"No need. Official business is finished, and I still need to report the situation to Mr. Zhao," Wang Ming responded flatly, reaching for the door handle of Wang Hongtai's office. However, just as his hand was about to touch it, he suddenly stopped. His gaze became deep and playful, and a barely perceptible arc curled at the corner of his mouth. "Oh, by the way, Mr. Zhao has already arrived in Magic City. He's an impatient man, so there isn't much time left for you, Chairman Wang. I hope you can make a decision soon! If you keep Mr. Zhao waiting, the consequences... well, I'm afraid they won't be what you want to see!" After saying that, Wang Ming decisively pulled open the door and walked out with a resolute stride.

At the news that Zhao Lintai had already arrived in Magic City, Wang Hongtai's heart tightened, and his face instantly darkened. However, he still forced himself to remain calm as he instructed Secretary Wu nearby, "Secretary Wu, see Lawyer Wang out for me!"

But Wang Ming smiled and waved his hand. "Secretary Wu, please stay. I know the way out. Oh, I almost forgot—I've already left my business card at the front desk. If you've made a decision, Chairman Wang, feel free to call me anytime!"

Secretary Wu looked at the departing Wang Ming with a face full of confusion, then looked at the dark-faced Wang Hongtai inside the office, unable to figure out what had happened.

Once Wang Ming entered the elevator, Wang Hongtai turned back to the sofa in a rage, grabbed the documents on the coffee table, and roared, "Secretary Wu!"

"Yes, I'm here, I'm here." Secretary Wu quickly responded and ran into the office, his face filled with a hint of trepidation and unease.

Without another word, Wang Hongtai threw the documents at Secretary Wu, his voice deafeningly angry. "How did these Materials leak out!"

Secretary Wu looked down at the cover of the documents in fear. Seeing the words 'Letter of Intent for Acquisition,' a look of confusion and innocence appeared on his face. He quickly flipped open the cover and looked at the contents inside, and he was instantly stunned. With a hint of trembling and unease in his voice, he defended himself frantically, "Chairman, these Materials didn't leak from me..."

"Nonsense! If it were you, then I would have been blind and trusted the wrong person! Go and investigate for me! Check everyone who could have had access to this information! Damn it, you can guard against outsiders day and night, but it's hard to guard against a thief within! if I find out which bastard leaked the secret, I'll skin him alive!" Wang Hongtai roared viciously.

"Yes... Chairman, I'll get right on it." As he spoke, Secretary Wu took the documents and turned to leave.

Unexpectedly, Wang Hongtai added, "Wait. This is a critical period for our company's IPO. This matter must be conducted in secret. Don't let anyone irrelevant find out."

"Yes, Chairman, I understand!"

With that, Secretary Wu quickly left the office, not forgetting to close the door to Wang Hongtai's office behind him.

Wang Hongtai stood before the floor-to-ceiling window of his office, looking at the distant skyscrapers and the bustling crowds and vehicles. He let out a long sigh, his eyes revealing a hint of fatigue and helplessness.

At the same time, Qin Yi also drove off the highway and entered the urban area of Magic City.

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