Go back in time and be a chaebol

Chapter 2543 The Past That Came Knocking (Third Update, Please Subscribe)

Sandakan Building is a rare name in Chang'an that carries traces of the old era.

Although it is not well-known to outsiders, this is actually the headquarters of the North Borneo Company.

This 280-meter-tall building houses more than 12000 company employees who rarely participate directly in operations. To a certain extent, North Borneo Company has always been a management organization that oversees multiple funds and dozens of companies.

This is why it is regarded as the "corporate hub of SEA".

"If we don't investigate, we're encouraging others to breach contracts!"

In the company's legal department office, Han Zihe looked at the department head in front of him and said directly:
“We must sue these 2781 former employees; they must pay the price for their breach of contract.”

Hearing Han Zihe say that, Jiang Yunlei, sitting in the swivel chair, simply pursed his lips and looked at him, saying:
"You should know that their lives afterward were not easy, and they are still living in poverty now."

Looking at Han Zihe, Jiang Yunlei didn't expect the other to understand. After all, he was different from himself. At only thirty-one years old, he was born and raised in SEA. He was used to everything here and had hardly been affected by anything else.

But I am different.

Jiang Yunlei is a graduate of the first class of the Nanyang University School of Law. Some of the people he is now suing even came here on the same ship as him.

Whether out of emotion or sympathy, he did not agree with the prosecution.

However, this matter has reached a point where it must be resolved. With the resumption of people-to-people exchanges between the two sides, especially after the opening of individual family visits last year, many officials and professors who graduated from SEA University have re-established contact with their old classmates here and invited them to visit and exchange ideas.

This naturally attracted attention from the outside world, and there was corresponding controversy in public opinion regarding whether to hold those people accountable for breach of contract.

Now, as the largest funder, North Borneo Corporation has become the focus of external attention.

"A breach of contract is a breach of contract."

Han Zihe said directly:

“In the past, we didn’t have the opportunity, but the company applies to the court for an extension every two years. If it weren’t to ensure the statute of limitations is met, why would the company’s legal counsel, including you, the department head, have done this?”

Staring at the silent minister, Han Zihe added:
"Moreover, the responsibility of a contract lies in its observance. If those who break it are not punished accordingly, what is the value of the contract?"

He paused slightly, then continued:
"Yes, their lives are not easy. They only earn a few dozen yuan a month. But while we sympathize, the law is the law. The law is not without human compassion, but there must be a law first, and then there can be human compassion."

"This……"

Jiang Yunlei thought for a moment and said:

"You should know that even if you were to file a lawsuit, it would be very difficult. After all, this is not just a border lawsuit. They do not have the Convention on Service Abroad of Civil or Commercial Judicial and Extrajudicial Documents, and we do not have any bilateral judicial assistance treaty between us."

As for diplomatic channels, that's even more impossible; our current official policy hasn't changed.

As the minister emphasized the difficulties, Han Zihe said:
"The local court can send the summons directly; our law allows legal documents to be mailed directly abroad."

"But this requires them to recognize its validity, and they do not have the corresponding legal standing to confirm it."

"They don't even have laws, so how can they oppose their validity?"

Han Zihe's counter-question left Jiang Yunlei speechless for a moment. He thought for a moment, then said:

"You should know that this may not yield any results and could also cause a lot of controversy."

In response to the minister's reminder, Han Zihe said:

"We jointly formulate the rules and abide by them together. That's what SEA is all about, and the spirit of contract is the core value of SEA! I don't think there will be any controversy."

Nodding slightly, Jiang Yunlei looked at the young man in front of him. He now resembled his younger self somewhat.

Ok!

This is precisely the biggest difference among young people.

"Then... let's do it!"

Han Zihe nodded, and then said:

"Minister, I will find them all."

……

Life is often full of all sorts of possibilities; a single choice can completely change everything.

Years later, every time Lin Xiuyuan stood by the river, he would think of that afternoon when he boarded the boat.

That day is far away.

That day opened up many possibilities for his life.

Of course, he also thought about that morning in Manila when he boarded the plane and it took off towards the rising sun. As a young man, he thought that life held countless possibilities.

Now, only one possibility remains.

Approaching sixty, Lin Xiuyuan has long lost the vigor of his youth. Now a university professor, he has only one hope: to teach more students and make up for lost time.

As a physics professor, he has recently been looking at textbooks from Southeast Asia. When he saw a familiar name in a physics textbook, he was deeply moved.

That was his old classmate. Although his old classmate didn't win the Nobel Prize, he was an academician of the SEA and a world-renowned physicist.

His achievements in the field of physics are enviable.

It was when he saw those textbooks that Lin Xiuyuan suddenly realized that his knowledge had been stuck at the level of that morning.

That morning when he boarded the plane.

Although he later studied Soviet physics textbooks at school in China, Soviet physics was actually lagging behind SEA. After all, Nanyang University not only had the best Western professors, but also imported textbooks from the United States and other Western countries.

Now, although he is a professor, he has to relearn, just like his students, learning new physics knowledge and studying the textbooks written by his old classmates.

It was another afternoon, and although he wasn't by the river, Lin Xiuyuan still thought about that day, simply because of the textbook he was studying.

However, what he didn't know was that while he was learning the knowledge in the textbook, the principal and several school leaders were discussing something in the school's conference room, and he was the center of the discussion.

This is blatant bullying!

A school leader, smoking a cigarette, stated bluntly:

"On what grounds can a foreign court sue our people? Professor Lin is the best physics professor in our school. This is an attack, an act of retaliation..."

"Yes, that's a foreign court. They have no jurisdiction over Professor Lin, let alone our country!"

The meeting room was filled with indignation. The reason for their agitation was a letter, a letter from the Chang'an Local Court.

The recipient was Lin Xiuyuan.

Now that the letter has appeared in this conference room, the school leaders have come to a conclusion while discussing it.

"Professor Lin just invited his old friends and classmates back to China to give lectures, but here he received a lawsuit for breach of contract. How did he breach the contract? This isn't about pursuing his breach of contract; it's about preventing those scholars from giving lectures, preventing cultural exchange, and preventing us from learning advanced Western technology..."

"That's right, this is a capitalist conspiracy! It's an attack on Professor Lin! We must protect Professor Lin!"

Sometimes, no one knows when a storm will break out, but one thing is certain: when Lin Xiuyuan learned of this news, he was completely stunned. He never expected that after so many years, the old story would come back to haunt him.

It was at this moment that he realized he had a contract with the North Borneo Company. And that his return back then was indeed a breach of contract.

That afternoon, in the school's conference room, not only did school leaders encourage him and tell him not to take the matter to heart, but the school was also his strong support.

Lin Xiuyuan was naturally moved by this.

On this day, the meeting room was not only filled with school leaders, but also with reporters. In front of the reporters, Lin Xiuyuan once again brought up the old story, mentioning how he and his friends overcame all difficulties, broke through the blockade, returned to their motherland, and used their knowledge to serve their country.

"So, Professor Lin, do you regret your decision back then? I've heard that many of your classmates now live in Western-style houses and drive cars. In fact, when you were there, you also lived in Western-style houses and drove cars."

When asked by reporters, Lin Xiuyuan simply shook his head and said:
“I have never regretted it. After all, when I went abroad, I wanted to learn advanced knowledge from foreign countries and return to build my country. And I did it in the end.”

Later, Lin Xiuyuan talked about that morning again, when they sang songs as the plane took off, facing the rising sun, and returned to their motherland.

In fact, life is much like this. We always make choices without realizing it, and these choices will ultimately affect our entire lives.

That evening, while having dinner at home, Lin Xiuyuan unusually asked his wife to bring out the wine. As she did so, his wife asked:

"It's not a holiday or celebration today, why are we drinking?"

"I'd like to have a couple of drinks."

Lin Xiuyuan said with a smile:

"It's been a long time since I've had a drink."

As he spoke, he poured himself a glass of wine. The alcohol, which was over 50 degrees, felt a bit burning as it went down his throat. After taking a sip, he picked up some food.

Although the dish is simply prepared bean sprouts, it tastes very delicious.

So, as he was drinking, his wife said:

"By the way, the boss and the others are heading back to the city."

Upon hearing this, Lin Xiuyuan was taken aback at first, then a smile appeared on his face.

"That's good, let's have another drink."

Then Lin Xiuyuan poured himself another glass and said:
"Alright, they're all back, finally they're all back. From now on, the whole family can be together."

The wife said:

"But there's still no sign of a job. Even if I come back, I'll just be unemployed."

Hearing his wife say this, Lin Xiuyuan shook his head and then said:
"Let's talk about work later. The eldest is only in his twenties. When they come back, we'll give them some extra lessons to pick up their lost English. They still need to go to university eventually. Knowledge is the most important thing in the future. If they have the opportunity, they should study abroad."

Hearing her husband say this, the wife, who had already heard about what happened that afternoon, looked at him, thought for a moment, and asked:

"Studying abroad... have you ever regretted it?"

Once again, faced with this question, Lin Xiuyuan shook his head but didn't speak. He simply took a sip of his drink and then said:
"That afternoon that year..."

(End of this chapter)