Chapter 307: Moving Out of the Old Mansion
Chapter 307: Moving Out of the Old Mansion
Lu Jiaxin asked in confusion, "Why did he hide?"
If this had happened in the mainland, the person in charge would have been arrested by the police. But Hong Kong City was different; no matter how big the issue, it could usually be resolved with money. Although he was the hotel manager, he didn't handle the food procurement himself, so he could simply push the blame onto the purchasing manager and those directly involved.
Nie Zhan fell silent for a moment before replying, "He said he's afraid of Grandpa beating him up, so he wants to hide for a couple of days until Grandpa calms down."
Lu Jiaxin could only laugh at the absurdity of the situation. Such a major incident had occurred, and he was hiding because he was afraid of a beating from the old man? Could things get any more ridiculous?
Nie Zhan explained, "Grandpa was so angry that he had to be hospitalized. Something like this happened, and we need to provide an explanation to our guests and the public. Otherwise, it will affect the reputation of the entire group."
Hearing this, Lu Jiaxin realized that she couldn't just stand by and do nothing.
"This kind of incident can easily taint those involved," she cautioned. "You should be careful."
"I've been trying to meet their demands as much as possible," Nie Zhan said. "I've already calmed them down, and my brother will take over when he returns."
"Why would your grandfather put someone so unreliable in charge of the hotel?" Lu Jiaxin asked. "He's usually so shrewd."
Nie Zhan remained silent for a moment before answering, "It's complicated, and I can't explain it in a sentence or two."
Alright, it seemed that not all was harmonious within the Nie family. Changing the subject, Lu Jiaxin asked, "Nie Zhan, what percentage of shares in Wansheng Real Estate do you own?"
"Forty-one percent. Why do you ask?"
With forty-one percent of the company's shares, he was undoubtedly the largest shareholder. Lu Jiaxin had assumed that Nie Zhan was just helping to manage the company and that the majority of the shares were still in the old man's hands. She never expected that they had already been transferred to him. It was a good idea to distribute the family assets early on to avoid conflict between siblings.
Lu Jiaxin came up with an excuse, "I think real estate in Hong Kong City is very promising. When I have money in the future, I'll also invest in the industry."
In the past, she had thought that the power struggles within prominent families were caused by the head of the family clinging tightly to their authority. But now, she realized that letting go of that authority wasn't easy either. If the successor turned out to be willful and incompetent, all the hard work that went into building that empire could easily crumble.
"Doing real estate in Hong Kong City is indeed very profitable," Nie Zhan agreed. "But the industry is also treacherous. When the time comes, just follow me and I'll take care of you."
He didn't want to dwell on these unpleasant matters any longer, so he changed the subject. "Jiaxin, did you come across anything you liked while shopping today?"
Lu Jiaxin smiled. "Yes, I bought quite a few outfits. They're not from any big brands, but they're unique."
Nie Zhan had noticed that she always chose what suited her best instead of chasing after famous labels. And she had a good eye for fashion; the clothes, shoes, and bags she picked always looked beautiful on her.
If it weren't for the hotel incident, he would already be on vacation with Lu Jiaxin. Nie Zhan's mood soured at the thought. "Jiaxin, the next time you're free, I'll accompany you skiing to make it up to you."
Lu Jiaxin harrumphed. "You've stood me up twice already. Nie Zhan, three strikes and you're out. If you bail on me again, no matter the reason, I won't forgive you."
Initially, she had planned to go skiing with Nie Zhan and naturally develop their relationship. But now, hmph, she'd have to reconsider.
Nie Zhan immediately apologized. "It was my fault. I promise it won't happen again."
They chatted for half an hour before Lu Jiaxin said she needed to take a shower and ended the call.
The next day, after Nie Zhan had finished washing up, he went downstairs and was immediately questioned by his grandfather about the hotel incident. The old man had only spent a day in the hospital before returning home, but the doctor had warned him to avoid any further stimulation.
Nie Zhan expressed that he had appeased the deceased's family as well as the other guests and their relatives, but the price was a hefty compensation: "One point eight million for the deceased, and varying amounts for the other guests depending on the severity of their conditions."
Nie Manli felt that the compensation was too high. The deceased was already a septuagenarian with health issues and wouldn't have lived much longer even without this accident. However, she also understood the need to quickly suppress the incident to prevent damage to the entire group's reputation, so she remained silent about the large sum.
Old Master Nie instructed, "Let Nie Jingshu foot the bill. If he doesn't have the money, he can sell off his assets."
Nie Zhan felt that the money was secondary; the real issue was that the hotel could no longer operate after such an incident. Moreover, given Nie Jingshu's incompetence, it would be better for him to stay away from business to prevent implicating the entire Nie family.
Old Master Nie fell silent for a moment before saying, "Let's deal with this matter first. As for the hotel, we'll discuss what to do with it when Jingwen returns."
Nie Zhan remained quiet, his stance already made clear. He would not involve himself if any other issues arose.
The old master had already eaten breakfast and, after the discussion, asked the butler to support him on a walk to the back garden.
Nie Zhan prepared to go to work but was stopped by Nie Manli. She said, "Ah Zhan, your grandfather's old friend, Mr. Chen, who's in the construction business—his granddaughter has returned from studying abroad."
Hearing this familiar opening, Nie Zhan's expression darkened as he looked at her.
Seeing that he wasn't going to speak, Nie Manli took out a photo and showed it to him: "This is your Mr. Chen's granddaughter. She's not only beautiful but also a graduate of a prestigious university. She's a perfect match for you, Ah Zhan. Let me know when you're free, and I'll arrange for you two to meet."
Nie Zhan neither took the photo nor looked at it. "Aunt, I already have someone I like."
Nie Manli replied with disdain, "Ah Zhan, that mainland girl is not as pure and innocent as you think. She was once engaged, and she had an ambiguous relationship with another man when she came to Hong Kong."
"Moreover, she sent her stepmother to prison and ruined her father's political career. Someone like that is not worthy of entering our family."
Nie Zhan didn't say a word. He turned and went to the back garden to find Old Master Nie, telling him that he wanted to move out: "Grandfather, I'll come visit you when I have time."
In fact, he had been reluctant to move into the Nie family's old mansion in the first place. While Grandfather, his eldest uncle, and aunt were kind to him, Nie Jingshu and Kang Huijuan had been very unwelcoming. The reason was simple: they believed that without Nie Zhan, the Wansheng Real Estate would have been theirs. It was only because of the old master's insistence, along with the convenient timing of Nie Jingshu and his wife moving out, that Nie Zhan had eventually agreed to move in.
Old Master Nie was stunned. He had just been fine, and now he wanted to move out?: "What's going on?"
Nie Zhan didn't explain, only saying, "Grandfather, let Aunt handle the hotel matter herself. I have a lot on my plate at the company, and I don't have the energy to deal with the hotel on top of that."
The reason he had taken on the hotel issue this time was threefold: first, Old Master Nie had fallen ill because of it; second, he was worried that mishandling the situation would tarnish the Nie family's reputation; and third, Nie Jingwen had always treated him well. However, this did not mean that Nie Manli could meddle in his personal life and marriage. If she was so capable, then she could deal with her son's mess herself!
"Ah Zhan, what's really going on?" the old master asked.
"Grandfather, why don't you ask Aunt yourself?" Nie Zhan replied.
With that, he turned and walked away. However, before leaving, he instructed the butler to have the servants pack up his things, as the movers would be coming later.
(End of Chapter)
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