PFC Chapter 605 I hope you won't regret it
Chapter 605 I hope you won't regret it
The next morning, Li Xiangyang had just arrived at the factory when he received a call from Ma Laosan.
"Xiangyang, I heard a businessman from Beijing contacted you yesterday?" Ma Laosan's voice was filled with concern. "You'd better be careful of that Zhang Dehua."
Li Xiangyang's heart skipped a beat: "Third Brother, do you know this person?"
“We not only know each other, he even contacted me a couple of days ago, wanting me to help him get in touch with you,” Ma Laosan said gravely on the other end of the phone. “I felt something was off about him, so I refused. I never expected him to actually come knocking on my door.”
"Is something wrong?"
"I can't quite put my finger on it, but this guy doesn't seem like someone who does legitimate business." Ma Laosan paused for a moment. "Besides, I asked around in Beijing, and while Wufu Trading Co., Ltd. does exist, it's nowhere near as big as he claims."
After hanging up the phone, Li Xiangyang's suspicions deepened. He immediately called his friend Chen Zhiming in the provincial capital, asking him to help investigate Zhang Dehua's background.
Chen Zhiming returned the call in the afternoon.
"Xiangyang, you've really run into trouble." Chen Zhiming's voice was serious. "This Zhang Dehua is ostensibly the vice president of Wufu Trading, but he's actually the owner of a shell company. He specializes in finding promising small manufacturers, luring them with high prices to sign exclusive agency agreements, and then slowly controlling their production and sales."
"And then?" Li Xiangyang asked.
“In the end, of course, they drain us dry,” Chen Zhiming said. “I’ve heard that several factories have already been ruined by them.”
Li Xiangyang took a deep breath, and just as he expected.
That evening, Zhang Dehua came again, this time with a middle-aged man who looked very dignified.
"Director Li, this is our company's General Manager, Mr. Wang," Zhang Dehua introduced. "He came all the way from Beijing specifically to discuss cooperation with you."
Mr. Wang looks to be around fifty years old, with a square face and sharp eyes when he speaks, giving people a sense of authority without being angry.
"Director Li, General Manager Zhang has already reported the situation to me," General Manager Wang said in a commanding tone. "Our company always keeps its word. Now that we've offered these terms, we hope you'll cherish this opportunity."
Li Xiangyang sneered inwardly; this was the beginning of the pressure.
“Mr. Wang, cooperation is a two-way street, not a one-sided favor,” Li Xiangyang said neither humbly nor arrogantly. “I need to understand your company’s actual situation before deciding whether to cooperate.”
General Manager Wang's face visibly darkened: "Director Li, does this mean you don't trust us?"
“It’s not a lack of trust, but rather caution,” Li Xiangyang said, looking at President Wang. “I believe President Wang understands that caution is a fundamental quality in the business world.”
Zhang Dehua, trying to smooth things over, said, "Director Li, rest assured, our company's strength is absolutely unquestionable. How about this, we sign a letter of intent first, and you can come to Beijing to visit our company in person."
“An on-site inspection is a good idea,” Li Xiangyang nodded. “However, before the inspection, I would like to see your company’s business license, tax registration certificate, and other relevant documents.”
A hint of displeasure flashed in General Manager Wang's eyes: "Director Li, aren't you going a bit too far? Would we, a large and reputable company, possibly lie to you?"
“Mr. Wang, you misunderstand. This is normal business procedure,” Li Xiangyang said calmly. “Any formal cooperation requires these basic documents for verification.”
The two stared at each other for a few seconds before Mr. Wang finally looked away first.
“We’ll bring the documents tomorrow,” Zhang Dehua said quickly. “Director Li, how about we discuss this further tomorrow evening?”
After seeing the two off, Wang Ergou couldn't help but say, "Xiangyang, those two were clearly up to no good. That Boss Wang, there was a ruthless glint in his eyes."
“I noticed that too,” Li Xiangyang nodded. “But since they want to play, let’s play along.”
What are your plans?
“If they actually bring their documents tomorrow, we’ll verify them carefully. If there’s a problem with the documents, we’ll expose them directly. If the documents are fine…” Li Xiangyang pondered for a moment, “then it means this matter is more complicated than we thought.”
The following evening, Zhang Dehua indeed brought a pile of documents. Li Xiangyang carefully examined them, and on the surface, everything seemed fine, but he still felt that something was amiss.
"Director Li, you can rest assured now, right?" General Manager Wang's tone carried a hint of smugness. "Our sincerity has been made very clear."
“Indeed, the documents all look fine.” Li Xiangyang nodded, then changed the subject, “However, I have one more request.”
"What are the requirements?" Zhang Dehua asked.
“I hope to speak with your existing partners to understand the specifics of the collaboration,” Li Xiangyang said. “After all, with such a large-scale partnership, I need to hear from those with experience.”
President Wang and Zhang Dehua exchanged a glance, a detail that Li Xiangyang keenly noticed.
“Well… our partners are all located throughout the country, so contacting them is quite troublesome,” Zhang Dehua hesitated. “Besides, it’s a trade secret, so it’s not convenient to disclose.”
“Then forget it.” Li Xiangyang suddenly stood up. “President Wang, President Zhang, I feel that we lack a basic foundation of trust. Let’s cancel this cooperation.”
General Manager Wang's expression changed: "Factory Director Li, what do you mean by this?"
"It's nothing, I just feel it's inappropriate," Li Xiangyang said calmly. "Please leave, both of you."
Seeing Li Xiangyang's resolute attitude, President Wang's face turned completely gloomy.
"Director Li, some opportunities, once missed, are gone forever." General Manager Wang stood up, his voice laced with threat. "I hope you won't regret it."
"Whether I regret it or not is my business," Li Xiangyang said, looking at President Wang without backing down. "But President Wang, threatening clients is not a good business practice."
President Wang snorted coldly and turned to leave. Zhang Dehua quickly followed, turning back to give Li Xiangyang a deep look before leaving.
After seeing the two off, the factory fell silent. Li Xiangyang sat in his office, tapping his fingers lightly on the desk, his mind replaying the details of the conversation.
Wang Ergou pushed open the door, his face filled with worry: "Xiangyang, I have a feeling this isn't over. That Boss Wang's eyes weren't friendly when he left."
“It’s definitely not over yet.” Li Xiangyang stood up, walked to the window, and looked out at the night. “People like them won’t give up easily once they’ve been rejected.”
"Then what do we do?"
Li Xiangyang pondered for a moment: "First, we need to take precautions, and at the same time, find out their true background. The information from Chen Zhiming alone isn't enough; we need more detailed information."
The next morning, Li Xiangyang called Ma Laosan and asked him to come over in the afternoon to discuss something.
In the afternoon, Ma Laosan arrived as promised. Upon meeting, he got straight to the point: "Xiangyang, those two men came looking for me again last night."
"Looking for you?" Li Xiangyang was somewhat surprised.
"Well, that Mr. Wang personally came to me, saying he wanted to cooperate and asked me to persuade you to accept their terms." Ma Laosan lit a cigarette. "I refused outright, but I have a feeling this isn't simple."
Li Xiangyang pondered for a moment: "Third Brother, do you think they might resort to any extreme measures?"
"Very likely," Ma Laosan said gravely. "These kinds of people often become desperate and reckless when rejected. You'd better be prepared."