112: Chapter 112 Zhao Lintai, a Master of Calculation

"Anything is fine. I'll drink whatever you say, Boss." Wang Ming looked at Zhao Lintai with a beaming, fawning smile, appearing completely submissive.

"Then let's have champagne. Consider it a celebration in advance!" Zhao Lintai said with a curve at the corner of his mouth, smiling at Wang Ming.

Then, Zhao Lintai slowly picked up the champagne and used his fingers to lightly grasp a crystal-clear wine glass, handing it to Wang Ming. Wang Ming hurriedly took it, looking overwhelmed by the favor as he said politely, "How could I trouble you to pour me a drink, Boss? I can do it myself."

Zhao Lintai raised a hand to stop him and signaled for him to sit down with a look. He personally poured half a glass of champagne for him. Then, he set down the bottle and picked up his own glass, lightly clinking it against Wang Ming's. The two glasses made a crisp sound. With a hint of pleasure and anticipation in his tone, Zhao Lintai smiled at Wang Ming and said, "Cheers! To the success of our plan!"

"Cheers!" Wang Ming raised his glass in response, then tilted his head back and drained the half glass of champagne.

After drinking the champagne, Zhao Lintai also began to talk about business.

With his back to the floor-to-ceiling window, he leaned back on the sofa with his legs crossed, looking relaxed and confident. He looked at Wang Ming, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes, though his tone remained flat as he asked, "Lawyer Wang, is everything progressing smoothly?"

Hearing this, Wang Ming cautiously placed his wine glass on the table in front of him and adjusted his sitting posture to make himself look more serious.

Only then did he respond, "Boss, I've already shown Wang Hongtai the Materials you gave me. At first, Wang Hongtai didn't agree and acted very tough, but the moment he saw those Materials, his attitude changed instantly. However, while Wang Hongtai was shocked and agreed to cooperate with you, just as you expected, he didn't immediately agree to your demand of ten million for a forty percent stake. I think he probably wants to stall us, get through the hurdle of Hongtai Construction going public first, and then haggle with us."

"Hmph," Zhao Lintai snorted coldly, a disdainful smile curling on his lips. He had known long ago that Wang Hongtai would react this way; that old fox always thought about stabilizing the situation first before seeking greater benefits. He then continued, "That old thing Wang Hongtai is getting on in years, yet I didn't expect him to be so naive. Does he think stalling can solve the problem? Truly laughable."

"Haha, yes," Wang Ming agreed with a light laugh, a flicker of cunning in his eyes. A moment later, Wang Ming shook his head with a sheepish laugh and looked at Zhao Lintai, complimenting him, "Wang Hongtai certainly wouldn't expect that his most trusted Secretary Wu has actually been your man for a long time."

"Hmph, what did that old thing Wang Hongtai do after you left?" Zhao Lintai asked with a relaxed look, appearing as if everything was under his control.

"Hehe, naturally, it was just as you expected. The moment I left, Wang Hongtai sent Secretary Wu to investigate that document. Secretary Wu naturally followed the pre-arranged script and gave Wang Hongtai some more advice. According to Secretary Wu's feedback, the persuasion was quite effective, and Wang Hongtai should already be wavering." Wang Ming reported the situation in detail, a hint of pride flashing in his eyes, and added, "However, I was worried Secretary Wu's 'medicine' wouldn't be strong enough, so I took it upon myself to give Wang Hongtai another potent dose. By now, Wang Hongtai should have already met with that leader."

"Oh?" Hearing this, Zhao Lintai looked at Wang Ming with a playful gaze and asked curiously, "You mean Wang Hongtai's backer in Magic City? Interesting. Tell me, what potent dose?"

"Hehe, I couriered one of the documents related to that leader to him. According to Secretary Wu, as soon as Wang Hongtai received the leader's call, he immediately dropped his work and took Secretary Wu along to go and beg for forgiveness from that leader." Wang Ming replied with a proud smile.

"Not bad, Wang Ming. You truly live up to being a lawyer; your brain is quite sharp. It seems our plan to acquire Hongtai Construction will be successful soon?" Zhao Lintai looked at Wang Ming with admiration in his eyes.

However, in his heart, he was somewhat dissatisfied with Wang Ming taking the initiative without permission, but he didn't show it.

After all, although Wang Ming hadn't informed him in advance, it wasn't a bad method.

Perhaps, once Wang Hongtai's backer got anxious, he would make Wang Hongtai submit directly.

If that were the case, it would save him some trouble, and he wouldn't have to use Daozai. After all, Daozai was being watched by the police right now, and with the slightest carelessness, there was a possibility of exposure.

But he still had to see the final result; he only hoped he wouldn't be exposed too early.

Being praised by his boss, Wang Ming gave a sheepish laugh and then responded modestly, "Hehe, thank you for the praise, Boss. These tricks were all learned from you. Speaking of which, it's still you who are resourceful and far-sighted, Boss." As he spoke, he didn't forget to flatter Zhao Lintai.

"Alright, no more flattery. By the way, how is the situation with Chen Hu being handled? Have you contacted A-Mo?" Zhao Lintai changed the subject and asked about Chen Hu.

"Yes, Chen Hu has already been brought under control by Brother Mo. That kid is a bit slippery; he didn't have the ledgers of the Jingnan Underground Bank on him. By now, Brother Mo should have already used some 'methods' on him; I expect he'll be able to get the location of the ledgers out of him." Wang Ming reported Chen Hu's situation in detail, a hint of worry flashing in his eyes as he hesitated and continued, "However, I heard over the phone that Chen Hu seems to want to see you, Boss. That Chen Hu knows too much about your affairs; it's better to be cautious."

"Hmph, Chen Hu, that good-for-nothing bastard who almost ruined the connections I spent so long building in Jingnan, actually has the face to want to see me? Tell A-Mo to just leave him with a breath of life; this time, he must be taught a proper lesson." Zhao Lintai snorted coldly, a ruthless light flashing in his eyes.

"Yes, Boss. I'll notify Brother Mo in a moment." Wang Ming nodded in response.

Seeing that the report was finished, Wang Ming slowly stood up, a look of relief and anticipation on his face as he said softly, "Boss, if there are no other instructions, I'll take my leave. If there are any new developments with Wang Hongtai, I'll report to you immediately."

Zhao Lintai nodded slightly, a flicker of imperceptible satisfaction in his eyes. Seeing this, Wang Ming also breathed a sigh of relief inwardly and turned to walk toward the door, his steps a bit lighter.

However, just as he turned to leave, Zhao Lintai's voice rang out again, with a casualness that seemed unintentional: "Oh, right, the boss of Huajian Steel in Jingnan—I remember his name is Qin Jianye, right?"

Wang Ming's steps paused, feeling slightly surprised in his heart, but he quickly adjusted his emotions and replied, "Uh... yes, Boss, his name is indeed Qin Jianye."

Zhao Lintai nodded, a playful smile curling on his lips. "Go and investigate for me just who this Qin Jianye's son is. How did he suddenly have the ability to pay back that two hundred million debt?"

Hearing this, an awkward smile flashed on Wang Ming's face, while he secretly muttered to himself: The boss's curiosity is truly vigorous. However, on the surface, he still respectfully replied, "Alright, Boss. Actually, I'm quite curious myself. I'll go check right away and will definitely give you a satisfactory answer."

"Mhm, find some acquaintances in the banking sector to check out that kid's background. The source of the funds shouldn't be hard to find, right?" Zhao Lintai's gaze became sharp as he looked at Wang Ming with a half-smile. Although his words sounded like a suggestion, they were actually instructions for Wang Ming!

"Understood, Boss. I'll get on it right away and report to you as soon as there's news." Wang Ming quickly promised, already calculating how to proceed in his mind.

"Good, then you can go. I won't see you out; remember to close the door when you leave." Zhao Lintai waved his hand, his tone returning to its usual indifference.

"Yes, goodbye Boss." Wang Ming said as he walked quickly to the door. The moment he pulled the door shut, he felt as if a thousand-pound weight had been lifted, letting out a long sigh of relief as his back straightened up a bit unconsciously.

In the room, Zhao Lintai still maintained his cross-legged posture, leaning on the sofa. He stared deeply at the swirling wine in his glass and muttered to himself, "Strange things happen every year, but there are especially many this year..."

...

Meanwhile, in the outskirts of Magic City, Brother Dao was in the Underground Bank he operated, burying his head in organizing the ledgers from the recent period. According to the plan, his boss Zhao Lintai should have arrived in Magic City by now and was very likely to go to the Nightlife Bar to find him tonight, so these ledgers naturally had to be prepared in advance.

Just then, his phone suddenly rang. Brother Dao thought it was his boss calling and immediately pulled it out of his pocket, his movements both quick and tense. However, when he saw the caller ID on the screen was Wang Hao, his brow couldn't help but furrow slightly, a flash of impatience in his eyes.

"If you have something to say, say it quickly. I'm busy." Brother Dao picked up the phone impatiently, his voice full of displeasure.