National Tide 1980.

When the plane landed at Tokyo Narita Airport, there was no grand welcoming ceremony for Ning Weimin.

It wasn't that his subordinates and relatives in Japan treated him poorly; it was mainly because his trip involved trade secrets and national interests, which is why he didn't reveal his itinerary to anyone.

Even with business partners like EIE Group and Hanwa Kogyo, with whom he needed to sign important agreements, he didn't notify them in advance. He only planned to notify them after he had settled in and before his visit.

Minister Yoshimo had only come from Japan because he had no other choice. He was extremely secretive about such a shameful matter and would never reveal it.

To maintain secrecy, Ning Weimin didn't even go home, nor did he have time to meet his parents-in-law. He stayed in business hotels nearby, arranged according to his itinerary.

The only welcoming ceremony I enjoyed was the banquet hosted by Yoshimo's family.

To be honest, however, Minister Ji Mao's standards for entertaining Ning Weimin were quite high.

Not only were the rooms booked for him all luxury suites in five-star hotels, but the banquets were also held at Michelin-starred restaurants. He even invited his son's father-in-law, Minister Akashi, to accompany him.

Because both Yoshimo and his son, as well as their in-laws Akashi, are both from the same group that was formerly the chairman of Sumitomo Bank, and now they all need Ning Weimin as their lifeline.

They urgently needed to demonstrate their value to Ning Weimin.

To put it bluntly, this is a further entanglement of interests.

They just wanted Ning Weimin to understand that if he was willing to help them, he could enable them to pass the headquarters' debt collection and verification process during this special period and gain a foothold at Sumitomo Bank headquarters.

In the future, they will have more opportunities to repay Ning Weimin.

Ning Weimin understood this perfectly. He was not opposed to it, after all, the banking industry in Japan is known as the mother of capital and is the foundation of the prosperity of all industries.

Sumitomo Bank is a core structure of Japan's top conglomerates. Being able to become allies with two department heads at Sumitomo Bank headquarters will give him more leverage in Japan's upper echelons of society in the future.

Therefore, he is willing to help others achieve their goals, unless the price is too high and the matter is impossible.

That being said, it's true that the squeaky wheel gets the grease.

Since Minister Yoshimo himself went all the way to the capital, it shows how eager he was to raise funds.

Ning Weimin rested at the hotel for one night, and when he woke up the next morning, he saw the information on the candidate companies sent by Ji Mao and his son.

Without further ado, Ning Weimin could only reassure them first before considering EIE Group and Hanwa Kogyo.

After a morning of careful screening of the materials, Ning Weimin initially selected several companies with decent qualifications, relatively complete products, and low debt, and wanted to visit them in person.

His first choice was a parking equipment company located in Ota Ward, Tokyo.

The company evolved from an OEM factory, was founded in 1975, and has a registered capital of 60 million yen.

Our main business now consists of our own brand of simple lift-type two-story parking garages, as well as conventional underground parking garage equipment.

In terms of technological strength, it is relatively strong among small and medium-sized enterprises, and its products have considerable market recognition.

Therefore, while operating its own brand, it has also been an OEM manufacturer of parking devices and equipment for leading companies such as Nissei and Daifuku.

Maruei Machinery's career peaked between 1985 and 1990.

Due to the rapid increase in car ownership in Tokyo during the bubble economy period, reaching over three million vehicles, there was a severe shortage of parking spaces. Multi-level parking garages have become a necessity for the city and represent the future direction.

As a result, Maruei Machinery's orders increased year after year. In just a few years, not only did the number of employees increase from dozens to more than 120, but the annual sales also increased from less than 1 billion yen to 3.8 billion yen.

So, in order to accelerate the company's development and to raise funds for stock speculation, the boss, Maruei Eihei, used the factory as collateral to borrow 2.5 billion yen from Sumitomo Bank.

However, in recent years, with the bursting of the bubble economy, the Nikkei index plummeted, real estate prices were halved, consumption slumped sharply, and Japan's socio-economic situation collapsed across the board.

Maruei Machinery's good days vanished as if suddenly slamming on the brakes.

The most direct pain point for boss Maru Eihei is the mismatch of financial leverage.

He took out a loan at the worst possible time, and after receiving the money, he not only lost a lot of money in the stock market, but also wasted his investment in expanding the factory.

Moreover, the value of its factories and land has plummeted, making it unable to cover its loan debts.

The bank demanded additional collateral, but where was he supposed to get that?

He would only beg and plead with the bank to be lenient and give him some more time.

But none of these are the most important things. The most important thing is that the parking equipment industry is highly tied to the real estate cycle. Its business is 100% dependent on new real estate projects and it has no ability to resist the cycle at all.

The bursting of the real estate bubble led to a sharp decline in demand for new garages. In addition, during the bubble, because this industry was one of the few profitable industrial projects in the real manufacturing sector, the number of manufacturers producing similar equipment surged from thirty to two hundred, attracting a large influx of small and medium-sized capital to participate.

Starting in 1991, Maruei's boss not only stopped receiving any orders, but also faced the predicament of a large number of small and medium-sized real estate developers going bankrupt.

Maruei Machinery's accounts receivable included a staggering 800 million yen that could not be recovered, turning into bad debts.

This is how Maruei Machinery was dragged down, falling to the point of near insolvency.

According to the information currently available to Sumitomo Bank, Maruei Machinery's land, factory buildings, production equipment, and other assets are valued at approximately 3.2 billion yen, while its inventory and raw materials are valued at 1.5 billion yen.

The problem is that Maruei Machinery owes Sumitomo Bank a total of 2.9 billion yen, including principal and interest, and also owes suppliers about 1 billion yen. Furthermore, it has not paid its employees' wages for two or three months.

On the surface, it seems that the assets are slightly higher than the liabilities by several hundred million.

However, if these assets are sold off in a hurry, their value will definitely be discounted, because this business is not doing well now.

They might only be able to sell it for around 3 billion yen. Who will then bear this huge financial hole?

That's why Sumitomo Bank recently took drastic measures against Maruei K., filing for bankruptcy protection at the Tokyo District Court and freezing all of Maruei K.'s assets.

This situation is certainly quite advantageous for Ning Weimin.

On the way to the meeting, Minister Yoshimo's son, Yoshimo Tsune, told him that as long as Ning Weimin was willing to return the 2.5 billion yen principal from Sumitomo Bank to his branch on behalf of Maruei Machinery, no interest would be required. Yoshimo Tsune could then handle all the procedures for the company transfer, guaranteeing that he could acquire the factory for no more than 3 billion yen, and that all debts to suppliers would be forgiven, and even severance pay for laid-off employees would be waived.

Ning Weimin was quite satisfied with this guarantee, as it was roughly equivalent to a 40% discount.

If the Japanese market hadn't been in such dire straits that it was impossible to place any orders, there would never have been such a chance to snag a bargain.

But it doesn't matter to him.

He bought the factory to provide a stable supply for Ah Xia's parking lot company in the port city, and to reduce operating costs through long-term internal circulation.

Besides, he plans to buy back the parking lots in Japan and return to his old business in the future, so he naturally thinks it's a worthwhile investment no matter how he calculates it.

However, precisely because things had come to this point, Maruei Machinery was already a helpless lamb to the slaughter.

Ning Weimin went to Maruei Machinery Factory that afternoon to check on the factory, which is why he was caught off guard by the scene that he couldn't bear to witness. For a moment, he even went against his capitalist nature and felt a pang of compassion.

At four o'clock in the afternoon, Tokyo was still unbearably hot and humid in the height of summer. The industrial district in Ota Ward was lifeless. The factories that used to be bustling with activity were now quiet, with only the hot wind carrying dust over the walls.

Ning Weimin got out of the parked car and simply took off his suit jacket, leaving it in the car. He was only wearing a shirt, with his secretary Qin Jun and Yoshimoto Yoshimasa from Sumitomo Bank by his side. The three of them walked slowly to the entrance of Maruei Machinery's office building.

The original plan was to go directly to the factory to inspect the equipment and verify the assets.

Unexpectedly, as soon as I reached the door, I heard a noisy commotion inside. Angry shouts, pleas, and the clatter of tables being slammed were all mixed together, creating a chaotic mess that made my chest feel heavy.

When they followed the sound inside, they found the small lobby of the office building packed with people.

A dozen or so men who looked like debt collectors blocked the center of the lobby. They were all pale-faced and agitated, clutching thick stacks of debt receipts. Their voices were louder and louder, each uttering harsh words to force repayment.

There were also twenty or thirty people in worker uniforms standing nearby, most of whom looked to be middle-aged master craftsmen and ordinary operators.

They were also asking for money, all looking dejected and haggard, whispering their grievances around the corner.

He repeatedly asked for his salary, which had been owed for two or three months, his eyes filled with anxiety and helplessness as he struggled to support his family.

Surrounded by these people was only a thin, pale-faced middle-aged woman.

She was dressed in a simple everyday kimono, her hair was disheveled, her eyes were red and swollen, her hands were tightly gripping the hem of her clothes, and her body was trembling slightly. Faced with accusations and pressure from all sides, she was at a loss and repeatedly bowed and apologized.

From the conversation among these people, it can be confirmed that the disheveled woman is likely the wife of Maruei Eihei, the owner of Maruei Machinery.

"Don't bow and apologize to us! What good is an apology? You have to pay us back today! Not a penny less!"

A steel supplier stepped forward, his voice fierce, and slammed the invoice in his hand onto the front desk, causing the paper to flutter.

"Hey, madam, please think about us too. Our small factory needs to survive, and our workers need to be paid. You've been dragging your feet for over half a year without paying a single penny. Do you really think we're easy to bully?"

Another parts supplier followed closely behind, his tone even more impatient and sarcastic.

"Don't tell us about your difficulties! Sumitomo Bank has already applied to the court to freeze your factory's accounts and premises. In a few days, the assets will be auctioned off, the bank will take the money first, and we suppliers won't get a penny! If you just walk away, what are we supposed to do? If you don't pay us back today, we won't leave. We'll stay here, and nobody will have a good time!"

Mrs. Maruei was pressured by everyone in turn. Her eyes were red and tears were welling up in her eyes, but she held them back and dared not let them fall. She could only bow repeatedly, her voice choked and hoarse.

"Dear bosses, please grant me a few more days... The factory has already entered bankruptcy proceedings, and all assets have been frozen by the court. I don't have a single penny of working capital, and I simply can't afford to pay off my debts. My husband, Maruyoshi Eihei, couldn't bear the blow and is completely exhausted. He fell ill and was hospitalized a few days ago, and he's still lying in the hospital now, his life hanging in the balance. I'm just a woman; I really can't manage such a huge operation. Please, everyone, have some understanding..."

No matter how much she pleaded and cried about her husband's hospitalization and the family's helplessness, no one present softened.

Everyone knows perfectly well that Sumitomo Bank is powerful and wealthy. Once the assets are liquidated, the bank will take priority in withdrawing the money, and the suppliers and ordinary employees will ultimately get nothing.

So there's no other way. In chaotic times, everyone is trying to protect themselves. No one dares to be soft-hearted, and everyone is willing to strike first, forcing as much as they can and taking back as much as they can.

The old employee standing to the side, demanding his wages, also had tears in his eyes, his tone full of bitterness and helplessness.

"Boss lady, we don't want to pressure you, but we also have families to support. We have mortgages to pay, children's tuition fees to pay, and elderly family members need medical care. How are we supposed to live if we don't get paid for two or three months? The boss isn't here, so you have to give us a straight answer!"

The scene grew increasingly chaotic, with shouts of anger, pleas, and arguments mingling together, almost escalating into a physical altercation, and threatening to spiral out of control.

If it hadn't been for this coincidence, and if no one had stopped it all, the crowd would have been so enraged that this poor woman might have been torn to pieces by these jealous debt collectors on the spot.

But you have to say this lady is lucky. Ning Weimin just happened to have taken a liking to Maruei Machinery, and now he's standing at the door, quietly watching the scene unfold before him.

To be honest, after so many years in business, Ning Weimin has always believed in the rules of capital: buying low and reaping profits when the opportunity arises, without ever being soft-hearted.

But whether it was because he had lived too happily in his life, or because he was influenced by the times and the people around him, he became too kind, and he really couldn't stand it.

Seeing the frail woman kneeling and pleading, seeing the lowly workers struggling to make ends meet with meager wages, and seeing the suppliers forced to tear off their masks and have no way out, Ning Weimin felt a sudden sinking feeling in his heart.

He finally felt compassion.

While he acknowledges that profit-seeking is the nature of capital, he believes that people's hearts cannot be reduced to mere coldness.

Ning Weimin raised his hand and gently patted Ji Maoce, who was still watching the commotion beside him, signaling him to step forward and reveal his identity.

Ji Mao Ce understood immediately, stepped forward, and spoke in a deep voice that drowned out the noise of the entire room.

"Everyone, please be quiet! Stop arguing and listen to me!"

As a senior executive at Sumitomo Bank, he exuded an aura of authority, and everyone present stopped arguing and turned to look at him.

Ji Maoce pointed to Ning Weimin beside him and solemnly introduced him.

"I am Yoshimoto from Sumitomo Bank, and this is Chairman Ning, a powerful investor from China. He has come here today specifically to conduct an on-site assessment of Maruei Machinery's assets. He intends to take over all of Maruei Machinery's assets and liabilities!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the entire room fell silent. Everyone was stunned, their faces filled with astonishment. (End of Chapter)