Everything written in this article, including place names, is unrelated to reality and belongs to a parallel world.
Dear readers, please park your brains here.
—
Guangdong Province, mid-summer July, the weather was unbearably hot.
Shenzhen, central district, Binhe Building, within Zhongcheng Law Firm.
The air conditioning was set to a comfortable temperature, allowing anyone who entered to feel a refreshing coolness to their core. At this moment, inside the office of Gu Liancheng, a senior partner and founder of Zhongcheng Law Firm.
In the sofa reception area.
Gu Liancheng, with a smile on his face, took out a share transfer agreement from a document bag and placed it on the table. He then spoke to the young man sitting opposite him:
"Mr. Jiang, Mr. Xu Shizhong of Xinghe Group has fully authorized my firm to complete the share transfer agreement with you."
"Please take a look at this agreement. If you confirm there are no issues, then sign here..."
At the same time, he gently pushed the document open in front of the young man.
Gu Liancheng spoke, then stood up, taking out a Montblanc fountain pen he carried in his suit jacket pocket.
He walked to Jiang Chen's side, bowed slightly, and presented the pen with both hands, pointing to the signature line on the last page and saying:
"Once you sign your name here, the transfer with Mr. Xu Shizhong will be complete, and you will officially own all of Xinghe Group."
Jiang Chen sat on the leather sofa, nodded, and carefully read through the agreement. Although he only had a superficial understanding of legal clauses, the general content was fine.
Without further thought, he unhesitatingly took the fountain pen and elegantly wrote the two characters "Jiang Chen" in the signature space.
"Then, congratulations, Mr. Jiang, on officially taking over Xinghe Group. May Xinghe, under your leadership, 'shine brightly and have an endless future'."
Watching Jiang Chen finish signing, Gu Liancheng immediately offered his congratulations, extending his hand with a smile.
It must be said that cultured people are indeed cultured; their words are refined, Jiang Chen secretly sighed.
At the same time, he calmly stood up, shook hands with Gu Liancheng, and said with a smile, "Then I'll take your auspicious words to heart, Director Gu."
"Mr. Jiang, oh no, now I should call you President Jiang, haha." After they shook hands, Gu Liancheng enthusiastically said to Jiang Chen, "President Jiang, come, let's sit over there and chat while we drink."
After speaking, he made a gesture of invitation, pointing to the tea table next to the sofa, indicating for Jiang Chen to take a seat.
After Jiang Chen was seated, Gu Liancheng sat in the main seat, picked up the tea set, and began to brew tea, speaking as he did so:
"President Jiang, you've come at just the right time. This is a special supply of west lake longjing that just arrived today, and I haven't even had a chance to taste it yet."
"Speaking of which, this tea is usually very rare. Today, thanks to you, the specially supplied Longjing, which is normally hard to get, has also arrived because of your presence, hahahaha."
Gu Liancheng made a joke, while subtly complimenting him.
Jiang Chen smiled, not taking Gu Liancheng's words seriously, merely echoing, "Then I should say it's thanks to Director Gu, I've never had the chance to drink such good tea before."
"Haha, President Jiang, you do love to joke."
Gu Liancheng laughed heartily, clearly not believing him, "My bit of Longjing is just showing off in front of you."
One must know that Xinghe Group is valued at hundreds of billions; how much money would it take to complete the transfer?
How terrifyingly large a cash flow would be needed to accomplish that? The number of entities in the country capable of such terrifying cash is few and far between.
In Gu Liancheng's opinion, a person who could come up with a hundred billion in cash to take over Xinghe Group—what kind of good tea hadn't he drunk? He merely assumed Jiang Chen was being modest.
If Jiang Chen knew what Gu Liancheng was thinking at that moment, he would surely exclaim, "You've wronged me! I'm telling the truth!"
Before today, he had indeed never drunk such good tea. The most he had ever drunk was Oriental Leaf.
As for tea? Is tea that costs a few yuan a catty even considered tea?
Jiang Chen merely smiled slightly at this, offering no response.
Seeing that he didn't respond, Gu Liancheng also tactfully did not continue the topic. Sometimes, being overly deliberate in flattery can backfire.
He then picked up the fairness cup and poured tea for Jiang Chen.
Jiang Chen, mimicking the tea ceremony etiquette he had seen online, extended his index and middle fingers to lightly tap the table as a sign of thanks.
After pouring the tea, Gu Liancheng picked up his cup and drank it all, then said, "President Jiang, before today, Mr. Xu Shizhong had actually already completed the handover with Xinghe Group and informed all of its current high-level executives that the Group had been transferred to you."
Gu Liancheng paused after speaking, observed Jiang Chen's reaction, and finding no change, continued, "Then, the executives of Xinghe Group wished to convey through me."
"They said, when would President Jiang have time to visit the Group to inspect your assets, so they can be informed and prepare for your arrival."
He twirled the teacup in his hand. Even Jiang Chen, who was an ordinary person just a day ago, roughly understood the meaning behind Gu Liancheng's words.
It was nothing more than 'a new emperor brings new courtiers.' The Group had a new person in power, but they didn't know what the new boss was like, so they asked him to inquire.
In fact, Jiang Chen was not unfamiliar with Xinghe Group; he had long heard of its reputation. It rose from real estate, spanning across finance, the internet, home appliances, and daily chemicals, becoming a large comprehensive Group.
Even more legendary was that it was not listed. It was said to be because the founder, Xu Shizhong, said he didn't want others to meddle in his company's affairs.
He, starting as a repairman, managed to build it to a valuation of hundreds of billions. If it were listed, its market value might even exceed a trillion.
(Later, there's an explanation for why it wasn't listed: the power of the system.)
Its high-level executives, according to the relevant public information Jiang Chen checked yesterday, were all professional managers; no relatives of Xu Shizhong held positions within the Group.
Jiang Chen didn't know if this was due to the power of the system or if Xu Shizhong was simply like that, but regardless, it was good for him to take over Xinghe Group.
He just didn't know why the Director Gu in front of him hadn't directly given his contact information to the Xinghe Group executives, needing him to relay it instead.
This struck him as odd. Jiang Chen pondered for a moment, his fingers unconsciously tapping the table, and said:
"Well then, since I've officially taken over Xinghe Group, please trouble Director Gu to tell them that I will be coming to the Group to assume my position tomorrow."
Then he changed the subject and said, "But I have a question: why didn't they contact me directly? Did they truly not know my contact information?"
His voice wasn't loud, but in Gu Liancheng's ears, it carried another meaning.
Fearing that Jiang Chen might misunderstand, Gu Liancheng quickly and somewhat flusteredly explained, "Mr. Jiang, please don't misunderstand."
"They truly don't know your contact information. Even I only learned your contact information today."
"Although Mr. Xu Shizhong entrusted us with handling the transfer procedures very early on, he never provided any contact information for Mr. Jiang before today!"
"Mr. Jiang, you may not believe it, but before today, I didn't even know that it would be you, Mr. Jiang, who would be taking over Xinghe Group."
It was no wonder Gu Liancheng was explaining with some panic at this moment; changes in a Group are often bloodless killings, and the business world is like a battlefield.
Moreover, it was a change in the actual controller of a hundred-billion-dollar Group.
Gu Liancheng still couldn't forget the scene when he asked Xu Shizhong why he was transferring the Group, and Xu Shizhong smiled, shook his head, and said those words:
"That is my honor."
How could this not alarm him? Even a person like Xu Shizhong would say such words.
Gu Liancheng was afraid of saying the wrong thing in front of Jiang Chen, which is why he had kept his status very low earlier.
His own net worth of over a billion yuan, in front of someone with such immense background, what was the difference between him and an infant facing a fully armed soldier with a rifle, or an ant facing a dragon?
(Gu Liancheng's perception of keeping his status low = Jiang Chen's perception of good service)
Little did he know, Jiang Chen was genuinely just asking why they hadn't contacted him directly. Seeing the flustered Gu Liancheng, he was truly a bit perplexed.
He had simply asked why they didn't contact him themselves, but instead asked Gu Liancheng to relay the message, so why was his reaction so strong?
If Jiang Chen knew what Gu Liancheng was imagining at that moment, he would definitely laugh out loud. He indeed had an immense background, one backed by the system.
Although perplexed, he chose to respect it. Jiang Chen nodded, indicating he understood, "So that's how it is. Then I really have troubled Director Gu."
"No trouble, no trouble at all. It's all as it should be."
Gu Liancheng's forehead began to break out in fine cold sweat. Even with his considerable eloquence, he didn't know how to respond.