novelonline Chapter 1497 1997
Chapter 1497 1997
Returning from Yang Shumao's wedding, a subtle atmosphere filled the car. Qin Hao drove, Zhao Yajing sat in the passenger seat, and Shi Xiaona sat in the back. The streets of Beijing at night were ablaze with neon lights and bustling with traffic, but inside the car, it was so quiet you could hear each other breathing.
Li Yuxiang's words at the wedding were like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, creating ripples in the hearts of the three. Although Zhao Yajing and Shi Xiaona were both unhappy, in reality, after years of getting to know each other, they had long since tacitly accepted the special relationship between the three of them.
This relationship is subtle and complex. To outsiders, Qin Hao seems to be maintaining close relationships with two outstanding women simultaneously, which is almost unimaginable in this era. But within their own small circles, it has become the norm.
Zhao Yajing and Shi Xiaona have long since moved beyond their initial antagonism and found a more comfortable way of getting along. They go shopping together, get beauty treatments together, and discuss work-related matters. In their Burger King business, one is in charge of the northern market and the other is in charge of the southern market. They have both division of labor and cooperation, and their work is now intertwined.
The car stopped in front of Zhao Yajing's house. Zhao Yajing unbuckled her seatbelt but didn't get out immediately. She turned her head and suddenly said to Shi Xiaona in the back seat, "Xiaona, do you think he deliberately tied us together?"
Shi Xiaona paused for a moment, then realized what she meant. She looked at Qin Hao, who was driving, and then at Zhao Yajing, and said thoughtfully, "It's very possible. This guy has been scheming against us from the very beginning. You see, he made us work together, invest together, and live together. Before we knew it, we were deeply intertwined with his career and his life, and we couldn't separate from him even if we wanted to."
Qin Hao glanced at the two of them in the rearview mirror, a slight smile appearing on his face, but he didn't say anything.
Zhao Yajing and Shi Xiaona thought about it more and more and felt that it made more sense. They exchanged a glance, then turned to Qin Hao at the same time, ready to "question him".
"Tell me honestly, did you plan this all along?" Zhao Yajing glared at him.
"Exactly, do you think we can't live without you, so you're deliberately dragging things out and making us compromise?" Shi Xiaona pressed.
Qin Hao turned off the car, turned around, faced the two ladies, shrugged, and said with an innocent look, "Do I need to use such methods? You underestimate me too much."
These words were sincere and reasonable. Zhao Yajing and Shi Xiaona remained silent.
Indeed, over the years, Qin Hao has never forced them to make any decisions. In their careers, he has given them ample space and power; in their relationships, he has never demanded anything of them; and in their lives, he has respected their choices.
Moreover, they had to admit that after Qin Hao, they would often unconsciously compare him to other men. They compared their abilities, their sense of responsibility, their vision, their magnanimity, their attitudes towards relationships... but the more they compared, the more they felt that those men couldn't compare to Qin Hao.
This wasn't because they had high standards, but because Qin Hao was truly exceptional. In his early thirties, he had already built a vast business empire; he never succumbed to temptation; he was loyal and devoted to his friends; and he was incredibly considerate towards them.
"Hmph, anyway, we're both totally trapped by you." Zhao Yajing pouted, but her tone carried a hint of resignation and sweetness.
"Yeah, what a womanizer," Shi Xiaona muttered under her breath, but her eyes were filled with a smile.
The two men each reached out and pinched Qin Hao's arm hard, venting their small frustrations. Qin Hao winced in pain but dared not resist, and could only beg for mercy repeatedly.
"Gently, gently, I'm sorry, okay?"
"What did I do wrong?" Zhao Yajing persisted.
"The mistake is... the mistake is that I'm too outstanding, making it hard for you all to leave me," Qin Hao said with a grin.
This remark provoked the two women to "punish" him even more forcefully. Qin Hao's screams and the laughter of the two women filled the carriage.
After a long period of soothing, Qin Hao finally managed to calm the two women down. He sat back down, started the car, and prepared to take Shi Xiaona home first.
On the way, Qin Hao brought up the topic again: "Seriously, let's get ready and go to Thailand after the New Year."
This time, Zhao Yajing and Shi Xiaona did not refuse. They were silent for a moment, then nodded almost simultaneously.
"Mm," Zhao Yajing said.
"Okay," Shi Xiaona replied.
……
Over the next few days, Qin Hao and his two companions began preparing for their trip to Thailand. This was not just a trip, but also an important ceremony—a special wedding.
Zhao Yajing's situation is simpler. Her father passed away early, leaving only her mother and younger brother, Zhao Yaping. Her mother is elderly and in poor health, and usually lives in the house Zhao Yajing bought for her, where she is cared for by a nanny.
Zhao Yajing found some time to go home and told her mother about the wedding in Thailand. She didn't say it too explicitly, only that Qin Hao was going to take her and Shi Xiaona to Thailand for a ceremony.
After listening, the mother remained silent for a long time. Although she was old, she wasn't blind, and over the years she had noticed the subtle relationship between her daughter, Qin Hao, and Shi Xiaona. At first, she also felt it was inappropriate and advised her daughter several times, but seeing that her daughter was happy and successful, she gradually accepted it.
"Have you thought it all through?" the mother asked, her voice a little hoarse.
“Yes, I’ve thought it through.” Zhao Yajing nodded. “Mom, I know this doesn’t go against tradition, but this is my choice. Qin Hao is very good to me, and Xiao Na… we’re very happy together.”
The mother sighed and held her daughter's hand: "As long as you're happy. I'm old and don't understand what you young people think, but as long as you're happy, I'll support you."
“Mom…” Zhao Yajing’s eyes reddened.
“Go ahead and live a good life. If he dares to treat you badly, tell your mother. Even though I’m old, I can still hold him accountable.”
Zhao Yaping chimed in, "Sister, don't worry, I'll take good care of Mom. I'll also keep an eye on Hao-ge. If he dares to bully you, I'll be the first to object."
Zhao Yajing resolved the issue smoothly, but Shi Xiaona faced some difficulties.
Hong Kong, Shi family villa. Shi Xiaona returned home and told them about her upcoming wedding in Thailand; the atmosphere in the living room immediately became heavy.
Shi Fangren sat on the sofa, holding a teacup, remaining silent for a long time. His face was expressionless; he simply sipped his tea slowly, as if processing the information.
Fu Heming, who was six months pregnant, sat beside Shi Xiaona and gently held her hand, offering her support and encouragement.
Shi Xiaojun's expression was complex. On one hand, he felt ashamed of his sister's "inappropriate" marriage; on the other hand, he was secretly delighted—once his sister was married, she would no longer be qualified to compete with him for control of the group. In his mind, his sister had always been the biggest obstacle to his inheritance of the family business, and now that obstacle was about to "exile itself," how could he not be happy?
After a long silence, Shi Fangren put down his teacup, looked at his daughter, and asked only one question: "Have you thought it all through?"
Shi Xiaona took a deep breath and nodded firmly: "Dad, I've thought it through. You've seen how Qin Hao has treated me all these years. The three of us are very harmonious and happy together. Although this kind of relationship is not accepted by society, this is the life I've chosen."
Shi Fangren fell silent again. He thought of Qin Hao's growth over the years, from a sent-down youth to a powerful figure in the mainland business world; he thought of Qin Hao's care for his daughter and his help to the Shi family; he thought of how his daughter's smiles became more and more frequent after she got together with Qin Hao.
Finally, he sighed: "The weddings will be held separately, not together. I'll be there."
This means that he accepted it, although he didn't completely agree with it, but at least he didn't oppose it.
"Mmm." Shi Xiaona's eyes reddened.
The mother, however, was crying her eyes out.
Shi Xiaona also cried, but she insisted, "Mom, I don't care what others think. I only care about whether I'm happy or not."
“If he dares to treat you badly, I will never let him get away with it,” the mother said, wiping away her tears.
Fu Heming gave Shi Xiaona a silent hug.
……
Two months later, Qin Hao, Zhao Yajing, Shi Xiaona, and their group arrived in Bangkok, Thailand. Accompanying them were Xie Laozhuan, Yang Shumao, Ye Fei, as well as Zhao Yajing's mother and younger brother, Shi Xiaona's parents, and Fu Heming.
The wedding was held in two parts. The first was Qin Hao and Shi Xiaona's wedding, on the lawn of a five-star hotel in Bangkok. The wedding was low-key, with only close relatives and friends invited, and no extravagance was involved. But all the necessary ceremonies were observed: a white wedding dress, a black suit, the exchange of rings, vows, a kiss...
Shi Fangren and his wife sat in the front row, watching their daughter in her wedding dress, her face beaming with happiness. Their hearts were filled with mixed emotions. As a father, he naturally hoped his daughter could have a "normal" marriage, but seeing her so happy, he couldn't bear to object.
"As long as she's happy," Shi Fangren said to his wife.
The lady wiped away her tears and nodded.
After the wedding, there was a simple reception. Everyone raised their glasses to congratulate the newlyweds, and the atmosphere was warm and joyful.
Three days later, Qin Hao and Zhao Yajing held their wedding at the same hotel. This wedding was slightly more lively because Zhao Yajing has an outgoing personality and more friends. However, the overall atmosphere remained low-key.
Zhao Yajing's mother sat in a wheelchair, pushed by Zhao Yaping, watching her daughter walk towards Qin Hao in her wedding dress, tears streaming down her face. But she was smiling, because her daughter was smiling happily.
"Sister, you must be happy," Zhao Yaping said, her eyes reddening.
"I will." Zhao Yajing hugged her younger brother.
After both weddings concluded, everyone gathered for a reunion dinner. At the table, Old Xie raised his glass and said with emotion, "Old Qin, Ya Jing, Xiao Na, I'd like to toast you. Your long-term relationship has finally come to a happy ending. We, the ones who watched, were all worried sick for you. Now it's all settled, so live a good life from now on."
Qin Hao and the other two raised their glasses and drank them down in one gulp.
……
Time flies, and it's already 1997.
That year, two major events occurred in China: one was the return of Hong Kong to China, ending a century of colonial history; the other was the outbreak of the Asian financial crisis, which swept across Southeast Asia.
On July 1, the ceremony marking Hong Kong's return to China was held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. Qin Hao, Zhao Yajing, and Shi Xiaona were all present to witness the historic moment when the five-star red flag was raised in Hong Kong.
However, the joyous atmosphere did not last long. After the handover, Hong Kong was hit by a storm.
一方面是受亚洲金融危机影响。国际炒家开始狙击港元，港股大跌。恒生指数从1997年10月3日的15000多点，一路倾泻至10月28日的9060点，一个月不到的时间跌去四成。无数投资者的财富在瞬间蒸发。
On the other hand, since British capital could no longer enjoy various privileges after the handover, many British investors had already begun selling off their Hong Kong assets before the handover, with real estate being the most prevalent. Especially after the stock market crash, many investors had no choice but to sell their properties to raise cash in order to avoid margin calls. This severely impacted Hong Kong's property market, which had been booming for thirteen years, with prices falling by 30% to 50% in just a few months.
In the chairman's office of the Shi Group headquarters building, Shi Xiaojun stood pale-faced, staring blankly out the window. The traffic on the street below continued as usual, but in his eyes, everything seemed bleak and lifeless.
His desk was piled high with documents: stock charts, financial statements, bank payment reminders, termination notices from partners... Each document felt like a boulder, weighing him down and making it hard to breathe.
He picked up the latest stock report and glanced at it: Shi's Group's stock price had fallen from a high of HK$28 to the current HK$6.7, a drop of more than 75%. The company's market value had evaporated by tens of billions of Hong Kong dollars.
A wave of dizziness washed over him, and Shi Xiaojun almost lost his balance. He grabbed the desk for support, gasping for breath, cold sweat beading on his forehead.
Just then, the secretary knocked and entered, looking nervous: "Mr. Shi, the chairman requests your presence in the conference room. All the shareholders are here and waiting for you."
Shi Xiaojun closed his eyes and took a deep breath: "Okay, I understand."
He knew this day would come sooner or later, but he didn't expect it to come so quickly and so violently.
In the conference room, all the shareholders of the Shi Group were gathered together. These usually dignified and wealthy tycoons were now looking as if they had lost their parents. Some were ashen-faced, some were sighing, and some were waving their arms excitedly, spitting as they spoke.
The entire conference room was in complete chaos, resembling a bustling market.
"It's all over! My stocks are now worth less than a third of what I bought them for!"
"The bank just called and said that if the stock price falls further, they will force a liquidation!"
"What exactly is the company doing? Why isn't it doing share buybacks? Why isn't it intervening in the market?"
"Where is Shi Xiaojun? Make him come out! He deserves an explanation!"
Shi Xiaojun's arrival immediately drew the attention of all the shareholders present. Dozens of eyes turned to him, some with anger, some with doubt, some with despair, and some with expectation.
"Xiaojun, you're finally here! The company's stock price has dropped so much, you have to think of something!" An older shareholder grabbed his arm.
“Yes, if it keeps falling like this, my shares will be auctioned off by the bank!” another shareholder shouted.
"No matter what method you use, you must stabilize the stock price!" the third shareholder almost pleaded.
However, Shi Xiaojun paid no heed. Like a walking corpse, he slowly walked to his seat, slumped limply in the chair, his eyes lifeless, as if his soul had been ripped away.
His appearance further enraged the shareholders.
"Say something! How much cash does the company actually have?"
"Didn't you say the housing market would keep rising? Now it's fallen like this, how do you explain that?"
"Shi Xiaojun, you must give us an explanation!"
Just as the situation was about to spiral out of control, the conference room door was pushed open. Shi Fangren walked in, supported by Fu Heming.
Although he has been retired from his leading role for many years, Shi Fangren still enjoys extremely high prestige within the group. His arrival silenced the meeting room, and everyone looked at him, hoping that the former chairman could come up with a solution.
Shi Fangren coughed a few times and sat down in the chairman's seat. He looked unwell; the recent crisis had aged him considerably. He glanced at the shareholders present, then turned his gaze to his son.
"Xiao Jun, it's your turn to speak," Shi Fangren's voice was a little hoarse. "How much cash does the company have left? What are your plans?"
Shi Xiaojun looked up at his father, his lips moved, but no sound came out. His face was deathly pale, and cold sweat kept pouring down his forehead.
"Speak!" Shi Fangren emphasized.
“Dad…I…” Shi Xiaojun stammered, unable to speak clearly.
Shi Fangren immediately sensed something was wrong. He knew his son; his son wouldn't react this way unless the situation was extremely dire.
"Where is the company's cash?" Shi Fangren pressed.
"I...I..." Shi Xiaojun lowered his head, not daring to look into his father's eyes.
Under Shi Fangren's persistent questioning and the watchful eyes of the shareholders, Shi Xiaojun finally broke down. He slumped into his chair, muttering, "The money... all the money is in the real estate market... I... I used company funds to buy property... Now... now property prices have fallen... I can't sell it..."
It turns out that over the years, after making huge profits through real estate speculation, Shi Xiaojun became completely addicted to it and neglected his business. Especially after Shi Fangren stepped down and he took full control, he repeatedly used company funds to speculate in real estate. He believed that the Hong Kong property market would continue to rise, so he withdrew almost all of the company's cash and invested it in the property market.
With the housing market crashing, not only can he not sell the properties he bought, but he also has to pay exorbitant interest every month. For the Shi Group, the depletion of cash, the plummeting stock price, and the soaring debt are a devastating blow.
"What...you..." Shi Fangren clutched his heart, his face turning deathly pale.
He pointed at his son, his hand trembling: "You...you actually...embezzled company money...to speculate in real estate...you..."
Before he could finish speaking, Shi Fangren's vision went black, and he fainted.
"dad!"
"Chairman!"
"Call an ambulance immediately!"
Chaos erupted in the meeting room. Fu Heming quickly helped her father-in-law up, while the others frantically called an ambulance.
Shi Xiaojun slumped into a chair, looking at his unconscious father and the chaotic meeting room, his mind blank.
……
In a VIP ward at Queen Mary Hospital in Hong Kong, Shi Fangren lay on the bed, various tubes inserted into his body, his face pale and his breathing weak.
Fu Heming stayed by the bedside, her eyes red and swollen. She was over eight months pregnant and should have been resting at home, but her father-in-law suddenly fell ill, forcing her to come to the hospital to take care of him.
Outside the ward, Shi Xiaojun paced back and forth like a cat on a hot tin roof. He wanted to go in and see his father, but he didn't dare. He knew that if his father woke up and saw him, he would only get angrier.
Finally, the doctor came out of the ward and said to Shi Xiaojun, "Mr. Shi has woken up, but his condition is very unstable and he cannot be stimulated any further."
Shi Xiaojun hesitated for a moment, but still went into the ward.
At the bedside, Shi Fangren slowly opened his eyes. Seeing his son, his eyes were filled with disappointment and anger.
"Dad..." Shi Xiaojun called out softly.
"Get out..." Shi Fangren said weakly, "I don't want to see you..."
"Dad, I..."
"Get out!" Shi Fangren raised his voice, then coughed violently.
Fu Heming quickly helped him up and said to Shi Xiaojun, "You go out first and let Dad get some rest."
Left with no other option, Shi Xiaojun had to leave the ward.
It took Shi Fangren a while to calm down. He looked at Fu Heming and said with difficulty, "Call Xiaona... and tell her to come back..."
"Dad, Xiaona is in Beijing, she's coming back now..."
"Bring her back..." Shi Fangren insisted, "And...bring Xiao Qin along too..."
Fu Heming understood his father-in-law's meaning. At this point, Qin Hao was probably the only one who could save the Shi Group.
She nodded: "Okay, I'll call right away."
Beijing, Burger King headquarters. Shi Xiaona received a call from Fu Heming. Upon learning that her father was hospitalized, she immediately went to find Qin Hao.
"Qin Hao, my dad is in the hospital, and his condition is very bad. I have to go back to Hong Kong immediately," Shi Xiaona said, her eyes red.
“I’ll go with you,” Qin Hao said without hesitation.
"But what about the company..."
"With Ya Jing in the company, there won't be any problems."
The two packed their things quickly and flew to Hong Kong that same day.
At the hospital bedside, Shi Fangren seemed to feel a little better upon seeing his daughter and son-in-law. He took Shi Xiaona's hand, his voice weak but firm: "Xiaona, the Shi Group... is the family business left by your grandfather... it can't fall..."
Shi Xiaona had already learned about the group's current situation from Fu Heming. She knew how bad it was: the stock price had plummeted, cash was depleted, debt was high, partners were terminating contracts one after another, and banks were constantly demanding repayment... The Shi Group had reached the brink of bankruptcy.
“Dad, I know you want to save the group, but…” Shi Xiaona said with difficulty, “Given the group’s current debt situation, it’s beyond my ability to save. Even if I invest all my assets, it probably won’t be enough to fill this hole.”
Shi Fangren held his daughter's hand tightly: "I know... you're in a difficult position... but now... only you can save the Shi Group..."
As he spoke, he looked at Qin Hao again, his eyes pleading: "Son-in-law... I know... you have the ability... I beg you... save the Shi Group..."
Qin Hao frowned. He was indeed capable, but the Shi Group was a huge mess. According to the information provided by Fu Heming, the Shi Group currently had several billion Hong Kong dollars in debt, while most of its assets were real estate, whose value had shrunk significantly due to the sharp decline in the property market.
To save the Shi Group, at least five or six hundred million yuan in cash would be needed, and even that wouldn't guarantee survival; it might only delay its demise. Even Qin Hao didn't have that much liquid capital. Most of his money was invested in the expansion of Burger King and the development of Sifang Real Estate, leaving him with only two or three hundred million yuan in cash on hand.
Seeing this, Shi Fangren knew that Qin Hao wouldn't take over this mess without sufficient benefits. He gritted his teeth and made a difficult decision.
"As long as... you can save the Shi Group... I will give all my shares... to Xiaona..."
Everyone in the ward was stunned by these words.
Shi Xiaona quickly said, "Dad, no, that's yours..."
Shi Fangren interrupted her, then looked at Qin Hao: "Son-in-law... what do you think?"
Qin Hao remained silent. Shi Fangren held approximately 35% of the shares in the Shi Group, making him the largest shareholder. If he could acquire these shares, combined with the 10% already held by Xiao Na, he could gain control of the Shi Group. This was indeed a tempting offer.
The question is, how much are these shares worth now? The Shi Group's share price has fallen from HK$28 to HK$6.7, and it's still declining. 35% of the shares, at the current market value, are worth roughly HK$700-800 million. But if the group goes bankrupt, these shares will be nothing but worthless paper.
Qin Hao was quickly calculating the pros and cons. Taking over the Shi Group was extremely risky, but if handled properly, it might be able to turn the company around.
Just as he was thinking, Shi Xiaojun rushed into the ward. He had been eavesdropping outside the door, and when he heard that his father was going to give all the shares to his sister, he immediately jumped out.
"Dad, you can't do this! I'm your son, and I should inherit the company!" Shi Xiaojun said excitedly.
"Get out of here!" Shi Fangren became even more agitated upon seeing him: "If it weren't for you... how could the group have fallen to this state today..."
Shi Fangren coughed violently, his face turned red, and he breathed rapidly.
"Dad!" Shi Xiaona quickly helped him up.
"Call a doctor quickly!" Qin Hao pressed the call button.
Doctors and nurses rushed in and wheeled Shi Fangren into the emergency room. Shi Xiaojun tried to follow, but Qin Hao pushed him away.
"Haven't you made enough trouble yet? Do you have to watch your father die in front of you before you're satisfied?" Qin Hao said coldly.
Shi Xiaojun opened his mouth, but ultimately didn't dare to say anything more.
After more than two hours of emergency treatment, Shi Fangren was finally out of danger, but his condition remained very unstable. The doctor said he could not be subjected to any further stimulation, otherwise his life could be in danger at any time.
After waking up, the first thing Shi Fangren did was call his lawyer to his hospital room. He wanted to draft his will and finalize the share transfer while he was still lucid.
“Dad, it’s not too late to do these things after you’re better…” Shi Xiaona couldn’t bear it.
Shi Fangren waved his hand, weak but firm, and said, "I know my own body... while I'm still lucid... so that your second brother won't cause any more trouble... The Shi Group... cannot be ruined in his hands..."
In the presence of a lawyer, Shi Fangren made a will: to transfer all of his 35% stake in the Shi Group to Shi Xiaona; to give half of his other assets to Shi Xiaona and the other half to Fu Heming and her unborn child; and to leave only one house to Shi Xiaojun.
After the will was notarized, Shi Fangren fainted again. This time, he stayed in the intensive care unit for three days before waking up.
Shi Xiaona was caught in a dilemma. On one hand, there was her father, who could pass away at any moment, and she should stay at the hospital to be with him; on the other hand, there was the task her father had entrusted to her—she had to go to the group to stabilize the situation and find a way to save the company from bankruptcy.
Qin Hao noticed her predicament and took her hand, saying, "You stay at the hospital with Dad. I'll handle the rest."
Shi Xiaona looked at him, her eyes filled with gratitude and dependence: "But... this is too much trouble for you..."
"Don't say it's troublesome." Qin Hao gently wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes. "Your problems are my problems. Don't worry, I'll handle it."
"Mmm." Shi Xiaona nodded and leaned on his shoulder.
……
The following day, the conference room of the Shi Group was packed. All the shareholders were there, and every face was filled with anxiety and unease.
Shi Xiaojun sat in the chairman's seat, his eyes vacant and his mind blank. He knew he was finished, but he was still unwilling to accept it and wanted to make a final struggle.
The shareholders looked at him with concern, waiting for him to come up with a solution. But Shi Xiaojun just kept his head down and didn't say a word.
"Shi Xiaojun, say something! What are we going to do about the company?"
"Yes, the bank has issued an ultimatum. If we don't pay the interest within three days, they will apply to freeze our assets!"
"Shi Xiaojun, stop pretending to be dead! Quickly think of something!"
Just as the situation was about to spiral out of control again, the conference room door was pushed open. Qin Hao strode in with two assistants.
Upon seeing Qin Hao, Shi Xiaojun jumped up like a cat whose tail had been stepped on: "Qin Hao, this is the board meeting of the Shi Group, you are not qualified to attend! Get out!"
Qin Hao ignored his impotent rage and walked straight to the conference table. His assistant handed a document to the shareholders present, who began to circulate it.
"Everyone, I'm sure you're all aware of the group's current situation, and you should also understand who brought the group to this point." Qin Hao's voice was calm but firm: "So, do you still want to support someone who misappropriated company funds and brought the group to the brink of bankruptcy as a director?"
The shareholders looked at the documents in their hands, which were evidence of Shi Xiaojun's embezzlement of company funds. There were bank transfer records, purchase contracts, financial statements... one by one, everything was clear.
After reading the document, the shareholders' attitude changed immediately.
"That's right, Shi Xiaojun doesn't deserve to sit here at all!"
"Misappropriating funds from a listed company is a crime!"
"Get out! You have no right to attend this meeting!"
"Remove him! He must be removed!"
Shi Xiaojun's face turned deathly pale. His eyes widened in anger as he pointed at the shareholders: "Bastards, a bunch of ungrateful bastards! I am the general manager of the group, I am the heir of the Shi family, you have no right to dismiss me!"
Qin Hao looked at him coldly, took another document from his assistant, and slammed it heavily on the conference table.
“This is evidence of your misappropriation of group funds. The amount of misappropriation of funds from a listed company is particularly large and the circumstances are particularly serious. According to Hong Kong law, the maximum penalty is ten years in prison.”
He paused, then said, word by word, "If you don't want to go to jail, get out of here. Otherwise, I don't mind handing this evidence over to the China Securities Regulatory Commission."
Shi Xiaojun felt as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over him in the dead of winter, soaking him completely. He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but ultimately said nothing. He knew Qin Hao wasn't bluffing him; if he really handed over the evidence, he would definitely go to jail.
Under the angry gazes of the shareholders and the cold stare of Qin Hao, Shi Xiaojun finally lowered his head and slunk away from the meeting room.
After Shi Xiaojun was expelled, the conference room fell silent. Everyone looked at Qin Hao, waiting for his next move.
Qin Hao didn't waste any words and announced directly: "On behalf of Ms. Shi Xiaona, who is also the largest shareholder of the Shi Group, I hereby announce that I will inject HK$200 million into the Group to repay part of the emergency debt and stabilize the stock price."
These words immediately caused an uproar in the conference room.
Two hundred million Hong Kong dollars! Although it cannot completely solve the group's problems, it can at least alleviate the immediate crisis and buy the group some time.
"Mr. Qin, are you telling the truth?"
"When will the HK$200 million arrive?"
"With this money, we can negotiate with the bank to get a deferral of the loan repayment!"
The shareholders looked at Qin Hao as if he were a savior, and no one questioned his right to give orders anymore.
Qin Hao waved his hand, signaling everyone to be quiet: "The money will be in place within three days. But I have a few conditions."
He looked around and slowly said, "First, establish a crisis response team, with myself as the team leader, to be fully responsible for the group's rescue efforts. Second, all major decisions of the group must be approved by me. Third, conduct a comprehensive audit of the group's financial situation to clarify all debts and assets."
The shareholders nodded in agreement; no one objected. They were willing to accept any conditions as long as it saved the group and protected their investments.
"President Qin, we'll listen to you!"
"Yes, whatever you say goes!"
"We'll support you as long as you can save the company!"
Qin Hao nodded: "Okay, let's get started now. First, establish three groups: the finance group will be responsible for auditing and debt negotiations; the business group will be responsible for assessing the current status and prospects of each business; and the legal group will be responsible for handling all legal matters. Each group will consist of a shareholder representative and a professional advisor..."
The meeting went on until late at night. Qin Hao demonstrated strong organizational and decision-making abilities, arranging each task meticulously. Watching him, the shareholders gradually gained confidence in him.
Perhaps, the Shi Group really can be saved. (End of Chapter)