Chapter 36: Ingratitude
As soon as the meeting ended, Li Jianwen and Li Huiran headed back to the Li Manor, not even waiting for the official end of the workday.
The three of them were in the study of the Li Manor, discussing the problems they faced.
Li Jianwen spoke first. "Huiran, what's the Group's current funding gap?"
Li Huiran pinched the bridge of her nose and said dejectedly, "Over twenty billion. And that's after we've cut most of our projects. It would be even higher otherwise."
Li Jianwen rubbed his temples and frowned. "How did it come to this? It shouldn't be like this!"
Li Huiran gritted her teeth. "They came prepared. They're withholding the final payments on several key projects."
"Have you found out who's behind this?" Li Qinghe asked.
Li Jianwen and Li Huiran shook their heads, ashamed.
Li Qinghe mulled it over for a moment, then took out his phone to make a call.
"Bank President Zhang, hello!"
A voice replied from the other end of the line, "Ah, I'm retired now. I'm hardly a bank president anymore. Brother Li, it's been a while. How's your health?"
"I'm holding up, just an old bag of bones. I wanted to ask, Old Zhang, do you know anything about the banks' recent actions against the Li Group?"
The line went silent for a moment before the voice returned. "I actually do know something about this. The Sun Family is the one pushing this. They want to crush the Li Family financially."
Li Qinghe was stunned. "The Sun Family? We've never had any dealings with them. Why would they do this?"
"That part, I don't know."
Li Qinghe quickly said, "Old Zhang, could you help me arrange a meeting with the presidents of the five major banks?"
Old Zhang sighed. "Ah, Brother Li, it's not that I don't want to help. It's just that… well, you know how it is. Once you're out of the picture, your influence fades. I don't have that kind of pull anymore after retiring. Besides, with the Sun Family behind this, the presidents of the five major banks won't give me the time of day. It's best you just let it go."
With the man having made his position clear, Li Qinghe had no choice but to exchange a few polite words and hang up.
Li Huiran and Li Jianwen exchanged grim looks.
Neither of them had ever imagined the Sun Family was behind this. The Sun Family was also one of the Four Great Families, but they were different from the Li Family and Huang Family, which had risen to prominence more recently. The Suns had been established in Jiangzhou for over a hundred years, and their network of connections was deeply entrenched. No wonder they could get all five major banks to move against the Li Family at the same time.
The thought of the Sun Family gave Li Qinghe a headache. After a moment, he murmured, "The Sun Family has always focused on the medicinal herb and medical equipment businesses. We have no conflicts of interest with them. Why would they target the Li Family?"
Li Jianwen frowned. "A while ago, I heard the Sun Family was interested in entering the construction industry. It looks like those rumors were true. If they eliminate our Li Group's projects in Jiangzhou, it will free up a lot of space for them to move in and take over."
"Competitors are enemies, as they say. If that's the case, it's highly probable," Li Qinghe said, taking a deep breath. He then asked, "Huiran, if we pool all of the Group's liquid assets, including collateralized funds, what's the remaining shortfall?"
"Fourteen point three billion. That's the absolute most our Group can muster. But if we do that, we'll have no way to handle the Qingtian International bid. Plus, they've set the deadline for tomorrow, giving us no time to react. We can't even sell off fixed assets."
After a moment's thought, Li Qinghe said, "Zhuang Zhongjia is very familiar with the presidents of the five major banks. Our only choice now is to beg him for help. See if he can get the banks to change their minds, or at least extend the deadline."
"Dad, Zhuang Zhongjia didn't give you any face last time. It's highly unlikely he'll agree to help."
Li Jianwen's expression turned angry at the mention of Zhuang Zhongjia. 'Why should we go begging a heartless, treacherous man like that?'
Li Qinghe said helplessly, "Let's just try. We don't have any other options right now!"
Even if it meant losing face, Li Qinghe wanted to try. If the Li Family couldn't survive this crisis, what face would be left to save? Besides, he had saved Zhuang Zhongjia's life in the past. Even if the man couldn't help directly, he could at least offer some advice or strategy.
Li Qinghe quickly dialed Zhuang Zhongjia's number.
"Brother Li, what is it?" Zhuang Zhongjia asked the moment the call connected.
Li Qinghe spoke, his voice bitter, "Brother Zhuang, I have a favor to ask."
"I have a good idea of what you want to say, so don't bother," Zhuang Zhongjia said in a cold voice.
Swallowing his pride, Li Qinghe pleaded again, "For the sake of our past friendship, please, Brother Zhuang, help the Li Family!"
But he was met with a furious tirade. "Old Ghost Li, do you really think your face is worth so damn much? That was decades ago, and you've been milking it ever since, asking me to help with this and that! I'm not a goddamn saint! I don't have that much goodwill to spare for you! I'm not afraid to tell you—your Li Family is dead this time. Don't call me again. And don't you dare act like we're friends."
The phone was on speaker, and the three members of the Li Family turned ashen with rage. When had Li Qinghe ever been cursed out like this? As the patriarch of what was once the number one family in Jiangzhou, he was used to others trying to get on his good side. Now, he was being accused of trying to ride someone else's coattails.
Zhuang Zhongjia's tirade wasn't over. "It was one tiny favor, and you've been clinging to it for decades, you shameless bastard! A family like yours should've been run out of Jiangzhou ages ago! Just thinking about you makes me sick! Don't you ever bother me again!" With that, he hung up the phone.
Li Qinghe trembled with rage. He had never imagined Zhuang Zhongjia was this kind of person.
To not only be ungrateful for the past but to also say he found him disgusting…
CRACK! The armrest of the chair splintered in his grip.
Li Jianwen and Li Huiran were also seething with hatred. Li Jianwen cursed coldly, "I knew that animal Zhuang was a bastard! Dad, you never should have saved him back then!"
Li Qinghe's face was ashen. "Enough about him. Let's just pretend we never knew such a person. Our only option now is to ask the shareholders to increase their investment. Jianwen, prepare to call a shareholders' meeting."
Li Jianwen said angrily, "We can't hide this from the shareholders. Lu Dian has already called a shareholders' meeting for tomorrow morning. It'll be too difficult to convince them to increase their investment. Every last one of them is just waiting to cash out; who's going to put more money in? I think we'd be better off thinking of another way. Otherwise, when the shareholders start asking questions tomorrow, my tenure as chairman will be over."
Li Huiran spoke up. "Since the Sun Family wants to enter the construction industry, why don't we offer them some of our projects? We were already planning to scale back to prepare for the Qingtian International bid anyway. We can pull out of everything except the Qingtian International project. If we retreat voluntarily, I doubt the Sun Family will try to completely annihilate us."
Li Qinghe and Li Jianwen thought the idea was feasible and immediately looked up the contact information for Sun Yuanliang, the Patriarch of the Sun Family.
A moment later, they found a phone number, and Li Qinghe made the call.
Li Qinghe started politely, "May I ask if this is Patriarch Sun, Sun Yuanliang?"
"Speaking."
After the confirmation, Li Qinghe got straight to the point. "This is Li Qinghe of the Li Family. Regarding our family's current troubles, I'm asking you, Patriarch Sun, to be merciful. The Li Family is willing to hand over a large number of projects for the Sun Family to take over."
Sun Yuanliang sneered. "Heh! No need. If your Li Family knows what's good for it, you'll sign the Li Group over to the Sun Family. Do that, and I might let you keep your lives. If you don't… then just you wait!" With that, he hung up.
The three members of the Li Family were left frozen in place. 'What did he mean by that?'
Li Qinghe hurriedly called back.
Sun Yuanliang answered immediately. "So? Are you willing to sign over the Li Group?"
"Patriarch Sun, what do you mean? The Li Family is willing to concede significant assets. Why must you push us to utter ruin?"
Sun Yuanliang mocked, "Assets? You think I give a damn about your table scraps? I gave you a choice. Your Li Family wasn't willing to spend the money to avert disaster, and now it's too late for regrets. Now, even if you offered up the whole Li Family, I wouldn't take it. Just get your coffins ready!"
Listening to the dial tone, the three members of the Li Family were drained of all color. They understood now—the Sun Family didn't just want the Li Group.