In the evening, I sat alone in a teahouse near Zhuomei, waiting for Fangyuan who had not yet arrived. Watching the crowds outside the window hustling for their livelihoods, I became somewhat absent-minded, even unable to recall when I had started living this current life. It seemed as though I had been continuously caught in conflicts, while the simple and unrestrained days of my past, accompanied only by a guitar, had long since vanished.
Time slipped away like sand through an hourglass. As the sky began to darken, Fangyuan finally appeared before me, carrying his briefcase. He looked somewhat tired. As soon as he sat down, he drank an entire cup of tea and then apologized, saying, “There was too much work at the company; I got off work a little late.”
“That’s okay. Is Mi Cai still at the company?”
Fangyuan shook his head and replied, “The General Manager just left with Mi Zhongde, Weiran, and a group of company directors to attend a banquet.”
I nodded, picked up my cup, and took a sip of tea. Fangyuan then cut straight to the point and said, “The situation at Zhuomei is very complicated right now. All sides are in a phase of testing each other, reluctant to act rashly. But overall, Weiran is the one who currently holds the initiative in controlling the situation.”
I gestured for Fangyuan to continue.
“It all goes back to the financial crisis Zhuomei experienced years ago. At that time, the equity distribution was as follows: Mi Cai inherited 45% of the shares from her late father, Mi Zhongxin; Mi Zhongde held 30%; and the remaining shareholders collectively owned the other 25%. During this period, Mi Cai had nearly absolute control over Zhuomei. The problem arose from the financial crisis caused by Mi Zhongde’s strategic misjudgment. At that time, the two newly opened malls in Tianjin and Chongqing were both suffering severe losses. These losses had shaken the very foundation of Zhuomei, and no investment company was optimistic about Zhuomei’s future. The company was on the brink of bankruptcy. At that time, while still studying in the United States, Mi Cai turned to Weiran’s ZH Investment Company, which injected a large sum of capital into Zhuomei, saving the company from near collapse. Unfortunately, Mi Zhongde did not pay any price for ZH’s investment. Instead, Mi Cai gave up 20% of her own shares as compensation to ZH Investment Company for their capital injection into Zhuomei.”
I frowned and said, “Mi Zhongde ruined Zhuomei. Why should Mi Cai bear the cost while he gets to enjoy the benefits of ZH’s investment?”
“There’s nothing we can do about it. Who made Mi Cai care more about Zhuomei’s fate? Also, she trusted Weiran too much, believing that giving him those 20% of shares would still allow her to exert influence when needed. But now, those 20% of shares have become the key to controlling Zhuomei. Depending on which side Weiran supports—Mi Cai or Mi Zhongde—he can help one of them take control of Zhuomei. Due to their intense ideological differences, Mi Cai and Mi Zhongde can’t possibly cooperate to counter Weiran. Therefore, Weiran has now become the key player in determining Zhuomei’s future—at least from an outsider’s perspective.”
After Fangyuan finished speaking, I fell into deep thought. Judging from the current situation, Weiran’s every move could indeed change Zhuomei’s fate, and this would become even more apparent after Zhuomei’s IPO.
Fangyuan then asked me, “Zhaoyang, given Mi Zhongde’s personality, do you think he would fully trust Weiran?”
“Certainly not.”
“Exactly. Because Weiran could always switch back to Mi Cai’s side, becoming a ticking time bomb full of uncertainty for Mi Zhongde. This is the very basis for Mi Cai to negotiate cooperation with Mi Zhongde. However, Mi Cai will need to make some sacrifices, or else Mi Zhongde won’t give up his current advantageous position.”
“What kind of sacrifice does she need to make?”
Fangyuan hesitated slightly before replying, “Exactly what kind of sacrifice remains to be seen through negotiations between Mi Cai and Mi Zhongde. But currently, the initiative lies in Mi Zhongde’s hands, so Mi Cai might be in a very passive position. If possible, personally, I still suggest that Mi Cai try her best to win back ZH as the investment partner.”
I asked, “Win back ZH as the investment partner? Do you think this investor is still reliable for Mi Cai at this point?”
“Then she only has one option left: to cooperate with Mi Zhongde.”
I once again analyzed Zhuomei’s current situation in my mind and finally agreed with Fangyuan’s suggestion. At least for now, it would be best to negotiate with Mi Zhongde first and see what demands he might make before making any decisions.
…
After parting with Fangyuan, I returned to the old house to wait for Mi Cai, who was still attending the banquet. While waiting, I habitually picked up my phone and noticed a new contact in my WeChat list—the woman in the red dress, or rather, Anqi from Tianyang Group. If Mi Cai and Mi Zhongde were to join forces and forcibly terminate their cooperation with Weiran, they would need a new investor. Would Tianyang Group, with its strong financial resources, be interested in the retail industry? At least over the past year or so, Zhuomei has been on an upward trend. From an investment perspective, it still holds considerable value.
At this moment, I wanted to try every possible avenue, no matter how slim the hope. So I sent her a message: “Your father is the chairman of Tianyang Group, and you are the CEO, right?”
A short while later, she replied: “Have you been talking to your girlfriend about Tianyang Group?”
“Yes… Are you personally interested in the high-end retail industry?”
“Why?”
I replied honestly: “The current situation at Zhuomei is quite complicated, and we might need a new investor.”
“Our group’s current main projects are in commercial real estate, so we are naturally interested in the high-end retail industry. However, we haven’t yet found any retail companies worth investing in. Of course, Zhuomei is a relatively good investment option. However, the current situation within the group is too complicated, and it’s definitely not the best timing for investment.”
Her response was cautious yet honest. After all, this wasn’t a small investment. Terminating cooperation unilaterally with the previous investor would also raise concerns for any new investor, who might also bear the risk of compensating the previous investor. Taking all factors into account, there were indeed many investment-related concerns.
I lit a cigarette and fell into a troubled contemplation. Without a new investor, the idea of teaming up with Mi Zhongde wouldn’t hold up. Was I really going to pin my hopes on Weiran changing his mind in the end?
That was impossible. Even if he did change his mind this time, he would likely continue to manipulate Zhuomei and Mi Cai in the future. Therefore, this ticking time bomb lurking beside Mi Cai must be removed. I sent Anqi another message: “If Tianyang Group is genuinely interested in the high-end retail industry, please don’t completely rule out the possibility of investment. You can conduct an evaluation first before making a decision.”
“I haven’t completely ruled it out. I only said that now is not the best time for investment. I will represent Tianyang Group and continue to monitor the developments. If there is a need for evaluation, I will contact the General Manager directly.”
Her reply eased my mind slightly. At that moment, Mi Cai finally returned. Her beautiful face showed signs of exhaustion after a long evening of socializing. Perhaps at the banquet that had just ended, she had once again faced a battle of wits…
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