Chapter 312: Stock Price Plunge
Chapter 312: Stock Price Plunge
The next day, magazines splashed He Zhuliang's photo of being led away by the ICAC all over their front pages, and rumors swirled. The first to take a hit was the stock price of the He Conglomerate. As the scandal broke, the stock price took a nosedive.
The other shareholders of the He Conglomerate were up in arms, demanding the removal of He Zhuliang from his positions as chairman and executive director. However, He Mingzhu stood her ground and, coupled with He Zhuliang being the majority shareholder, the proposal was not passed.
When Li Xuanqi first learned that He Zhuliang had been arrested, she wasn't too worried. After all, he had been taken away by the police nine years ago, but he returned home safely after just three days. It was only after the stock price plummeted for three consecutive days and the shareholders stripped her husband of all his positions in the group that she started to panic.
Grasping her son, He Hanguang's, arm, Li Xuanqi asked, "How's your father doing now?"
He Hanguang irritably untied his tie and threw it on the sofa, his face gloomy as he replied, "The lawyer met with Dad, but I wasn't allowed to see him. The lawyer said Dad's spirits are good and told us not to worry. He'll be out in a few days."
Li Xuanqi felt slightly relieved, but seeing her son's worried expression, she comforted him, "Hanguang, if your father says there's no problem, then there definitely won't be."
He Hanguang wasn't as optimistic, "Mom, I went to find Uncle Zhao, but he avoided me. He only sent a message through his secretary, telling us to prepare for the worst."
Li Xuanqi's heart skipped a beat, but she quickly reassured herself, "That's not possible. Your father was falsely accused before, and he was eventually proven innocent."
He Hanguang's worries persisted, "Mom, this time it's different. The day after Dad was arrested, the news spread like wildfire. Someone is clearly stirring the pot behind the scenes. Mom, we really need to prepare for the worst."
Li Xuanqi's emotions flared up, "Prepare for the worst? What do you mean by that? Hanguang, you must believe in your father. He will definitely be fine."
He Hanguang had a gut feeling that this incident wouldn't end well, and since his father had offended so many people, they had to plan an escape route.
Li Xuanqi refused to listen to another word and even scolded He Hanguang for his apparent lack of faith in his father's safe return. Just then, a maid rushed in, her face etched with panic, "Madam, madam! It's terrible! There are a lot of policemen outside!"
Ever since He Zhuliang was taken away, the He residence had been in a state of panic. Now, with the master still not back and another visit from the police, chaos ensued.
This time, it wasn't the ICAC but the Serious Crime Unit, and they were here for He Zhuliang's driver, "Wei Dahai, we suspect you are connected to two murder cases. We are taking you to the police station for questioning. You have the right to remain silent, but anything you say will be used as evidence in court."
Wei Dahai didn't struggle or attempt to flee. He calmly accompanied the officers from the Serious Crime Unit. This scene, too, was captured by the press and made the headlines the next day.
During a meal with Nie Zhan, Feng Qinglei brought up the topic of He Zhuliang, "Zhan, there are rumors going around that He Zhuliang mortgaged his shares to invest, and when the investment failed, he misappropriated funds to redeem his shares. Zhan, are these rumors true?"
Nie Zhan nodded, "Yes, the loss has already been covered by Ms. Gu's property. However, now that the other shareholders of the company are aware, they will definitely hold him accountable."
Embezzlement was a criminal offense, but He Zhuliang had already plugged the hole. If he were still the chairman of the He Conglomerate, this matter might have been swept under the rug. However, with his arrest and the shareholders' pursuit, he would have to face legal consequences.
Feng Qinglei sighed, "At first, I suspected Little Chili was involved, but now it seems she has nothing to do with it. Bribery, murder, embezzlement... each accusation is more shocking than the last. If Little Chili had discovered all this, He Zhuliang would have harmed her long ago."
"Don't spread baseless rumors in the future, it could put Jiaxin in danger. Also, if you dare to call Jiaxin that again, your nickname will soon be common knowledge," Nie Zhan warned as he took a sip of red wine.
Feng Qinglei quickly apologized, "It's my fault. I won't call her that again."
Nie Zhan raised his wine glass and took a slow sip of the wine, savoring the flavor.
Seeing his relaxed demeanor, Feng Qinglei felt a twinge of envy, "My father has given me an ultimatum. He said that if I don't get married this year, he won't give me a single cent. He'll only resume providing for me once I'm married."
Sometimes he really envied Nie Zhan. Nie Zhan had the courage and determination to refuse things he didn't want to do. For instance, when Nie Zhan's elders wanted to arrange a blind date for him, he simply moved out without a second thought. Ah, he wished he had that kind of guts and courage.
"If they don't give you a single cent, then go earn it yourself. Without their money and connections, they can't control you," Nie Zhan advised.
He had always disliked others meddling in his affairs. Regarding his relationship with Lu Jiaxin, his grandfather currently held a neutral stance—neither approving nor disapproving. His mother hadn't interfered in his life for years, so she had no right to now. As for his aunt, he simply didn't care about her opinion.
Feng Qinglei fell into a gloomy mood, "I've made many investments over the years, but most of them have failed. Only this restaurant has made some profit."
In the past, Nie Zhan didn't believe in luck. He thought that as long as one had sufficient strength, success would follow. But after getting to know Feng Qinglei, he realized that luck was indeed a mysterious and unpredictable force. Take their joint projects, for example. When Feng Qinglei was involved, unforeseen complications would often arise, resulting in losses. However, when someone else took over, the same projects would turn profitable. Just like the Hong Zhong stocks—Lu Jiaxin had made over twice her investment, while he had lost a significant amount.
Nie Zhan offered a suggestion, "Your restaurant brings in over a million in revenue each month, and the profits are considerable. I think you might be suited for this line of business. Why don't you try opening another restaurant?"
Feng Qinglei hesitated, "My restaurant made a profit of 360,000 last month, which adds up to just over 4 million a year. It's not that impressive."
He loved French cuisine, so he had hired a French chef and sourced only the finest ingredients, resulting in high prices and good business. However, the profits were indeed underwhelming, and he would have given up long ago if not for his passion for the cuisine.
Nie Zhan encouraged him, "I know you want to start a company and make investments, but with your luck... since you can make money with restaurants, why not open more restaurants and hotels? If you scale up, the profits can be substantial."
The people of Hong City were superstitious, and many believed that Feng Qinglei lacked financial luck. While they were happy to socialize with him, they would never involve him in their business ventures, fearing that his bad luck would rub off on them. Feng Qinglei didn't buy into these superstitions. After returning home, he even invited Feng Qinglei to join him in a couple of projects. Unexpectedly, the project that Nie Zhan withdrew from mid-way turned a profit, while the one he stayed in ended up losing money.
Feng Qinglei fell silent for a moment before replying, "Let me think about it."
"I think the hotel industry has great potential. The biggest and most successful hotels can make profits in the billions," Nie Zhan shared his insights.
Feng Qinglei always had his sights set on big businesses and big profits. Nie Zhan believed that this mindset was flawed. In his opinion, as long as a business turned a profit, that was good enough. One could start by making small profits and gradually build up to larger ones over time.
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report