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On Wednesday morning, a new colleague joined Group Four.

Wu Kezhi was reading a report when Lin Yuming said with a complicated expression, "Boss, the new investment manager is actually Lu Siqiu. It was arranged by President Wang."

"What?" Wu Kezhi looked up in shock.

Then they saw a familiar, sleazy face. Lu Siqiu was their old colleague from two years ago, and his way of doing things was a disgrace to their industry.

Later, Lu Siqiu was transferred to another department, and they never contacted each other again.

Wu Kezhi and Lin Yuming were dumbfounded when they thought about Lu Siqiu's way of doing things.

"Old Wu, long time no see!" Lu Siqiu smiled meaningfully.

"It really has been a long time. Did Mr. Wang send you to Group Four?"

“Yes! Boss Wang said that Group Four has a lot of projects lately and they don’t have enough manpower, so he asked me to come and help.” Lu Siqiu said naturally, but the smile on his face was unusually sinister. “Old Wu, I’ll be working under you from now on. Please give me your guidance.”

"You're welcome." Wu Kezhi said calmly. "Lin Yuming, please arrange a workstation for him and introduce him to the team."

"Okay." Lin Yuming immediately went to make the arrangements with a livid face.

Lan Qianyi and Sun Yiqiu, sensing that something was amiss, realized that their happy days were over.

After they left the office, Wu Kezhi frowned.

Wang Yunlai suddenly sending someone over, especially an old hand like Lu Siqiu, it's definitely not that simple.

Sure enough, Wang Yunlai called Wu Kezhi over that afternoon.

"Old Wu, has Lu Siqiu reported for duty yet?" Wang Yunlai asked with a smile.

"Hmm. Mr. Wang, what do you mean? There are enough people in Group Four now."

“I know your group is capable, but we can’t exhaust everyone,” Wang Yunlai said. “Lu Siqiu is very experienced and can help you with a lot of the workload. In addition, he has a project that requires the cooperation of all four groups to advance.”

"What project?"

“Mini Cinema.” Wang Yunlai pushed a document over. “Remember the one our company invested in during the first round? Now the management wants to sell it, and a buyer has been found at a good price. Lu Siqiu is in charge of this project. Your team, please work together to complete the transaction as soon as possible.”

Wu Kezhi flipped through the documents.

He remembered the micro-cinema project, which he invested in two years ago; it was a chain of small cinemas.

The concept was very novel at the time, and it was later managed very well; it was definitely a high-quality project.

"How much does it cost?" Wu Kezhi relaxed his guard a little.

“120 million,” Wang Yunlai said. “That’s a 20% increase from when we invested, which is not bad.”

Wu Kezhi didn't speak. He felt that something was wrong, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

Back in Group Four, Wu Kezhi called Lin Yuming to the rooftop again and told him about the matter.

Lin Yuming frowned upon hearing this. "Micro-cinema? Wasn't that project barely hanging on? How come there's suddenly a buyer willing to take it over? And even offering 120 million?"

“I also find it strange,” Wu Kezhi said. “Have Sun Yiqiu investigate the current situation of this company and the background of the buyer.”

"Row."

……

Lu Siqiu officially started working in Group Four.

He was exceptionally proactive, arriving early and leaving late every day, and was very enthusiastic towards everyone.

Lan Qianyi and Sun Yiqiu initially thought this senior was alright, but they soon realized something was wrong.

Lu Siqiu only cared about the micro-cinema project and would postpone other work whenever possible.

Moreover, he frequently went to Wang Yunlai's office and would stay there for half a day.

Following Wu Kezhi's instructions, Sun Yiqiu went to investigate the situation of the micro-cinema.

Do not check, I don’t know, I’m scared.

“Mr. Wu, I’ve checked MicroCinema’s financial report for the past year.” Sun Yiqiu said, holding up a printed document. “They changed management last year, and the new team has implemented many reforms. Although they’re not profitable yet, revenue has increased by 40%, and the number of users has doubled. Moreover, they recently signed exclusive screening rights for several major IPs, so their growth expectations for next year are very high.”

Wu Kezhi took the document and looked at it: "120 million? That price is too low. Based on this growth trend, the valuation should be at least 300 million."

“Yes,” Sun Yiqiu said. “Moreover, I checked the buyer’s company; it’s a newly established fund with a very unclear background. Its registered capital is only ten million; how could it possibly come up with over one hundred million for an acquisition?”

Wu Kezhi's face darkened.

Then he asked Lin Yuming to check Lu Siqiu's recent call records and bank statements, of course, using some irregular methods.

The results came out very quickly.

"Boss, Lu Siqiu received two large transfers last month, totaling three million," Lin Yuming said in a low voice. "However, the transferor is not a related company of that buyer fund. And it has nothing to do with the current management of Micro Cinema."

"Oh? That's strange! If we keep investigating this line, something feels off."

"it is good."

Then Lin Yuming led Lan Qianyi to investigate. Since Lan Qianyi was a girl, she could naturally reduce other people's wariness.

An investigation revealed that the three million was indeed unusual; it turned out to be a penalty for breach of contract in a real estate transaction.

Subsequent investigations revealed that Lu Siqiu signed the contract by selling the house, but the buyer later reneged, and the buyer then paid a penalty for breach of contract.

At this moment, Wu Kezhi understood everything.

This was a setup. Lu Siqiu colluded with the management of the micro-cinema and the buyer to sell the company at a low price and take the kickbacks.

The management of the micro-cinema can cash out and leave, the buyer gets a great deal, and Lu Siqiu makes a kickback.

The only one who suffered a loss was Jin Chen Capital...

They invested money initially, and now that the project is showing promise, it's being sold off at a low price.

"Does President Wang know?" Wu Kezhi asked.

"It's hard to say," Lin Yuming said. "But Lu Siqiu is his person. Even if he doesn't know everything, he at least tacitly approves."

Wu Kezhi remained silent for a long time. "Don't make this public for now. Continue to gather evidence, and when the time is right, take them all down at once."

"Boss, you need to think this through. If this gets out, the consequences will be something we can't handle."

"I know! But I can't go against my conscience."

……

Over the next few days, the four groups appeared calm on the surface, but secretly they intensified their investigation.

Lu Siqiu was completely unaware and was still actively pushing for the transaction.

He repeatedly urged Wu Kezhi to hand over the sales agreement to the risk control department, but Wu Kezhi kept delaying it by saying that "further due diligence is still needed."

"Old Wu, what's the point of due diligence?" Lu Siqiu was getting anxious. "The price was agreed upon by the management and the buyer. We just need to send it to the risk control department, get their signatures, and collect the money. If we drag it out, the buyer might change their mind."

"If they change their minds, they change their minds," Wu Kezhi said casually. "Good projects don't have to worry about selling."

Having no other option, Lu Siqiu went to Wang Yunlai to put pressure on him.

On Friday afternoon, Wang Yunlai called Wu Kezhi over and said, "Old Wu, what's going on with this micro-cinema project? Lu Siqiu said you're not cooperating and keep dragging your feet on signing."

Wu Kezhi said directly, "President Wang, I think the price is problematic. Micro-cinemas are developing very well now, and 120 million is too low."

“Prices are determined by the market,” Wang Yunlai said. “Now that someone is willing to buy, we should sell it as soon as possible. For this kind of project, the sooner we sell, the more at ease we will be.”

“I don’t think so,” Wu Kezhi said firmly. “For the projects that Group Four invested in, I have a responsibility to be accountable for the company’s interests. I will not sign at this price.”

Wang Yunlai's face was very ugly: "Wu Kezhi, don't forget, this project was decided to be sold by the company, not by you personally."

“Then let the company issue an official document,” Wu Kezhi said. “As long as there is an official document, I will sign it immediately.”

With things having come to this point, the meeting ended unhappily.

……

Over the weekend, Sun Yiqiu and Lin Yuming finally obtained crucial evidence: the person who bought Lu Siqiu's house and paid the penalty for breach of contract was none other than the buyer's boss.

On Monday morning, Wu Kezhi took all the evidence directly to President Qu's office.

An hour later, he returned, his face calm.

"Notify everyone to call an emergency meeting," he said to Lin Yuming.

Ten minutes later, all four groups, along with Lu Siqiu, gathered in the conference room.

Wang Yunlai, the general manager of the new business departments, was also invited. "Old Wu, what are you up to?"

Lu Siqiu, unaware of what had happened, asked with a smile, "Old Wu, what's the rush? Is there any progress on the micro-cinema project?"

Wu Kezhi ignored them and instead turned on the projector.

The screen displayed screenshots of chat logs, bank statements, and a detailed investigation report.

The fact that the person who bought Lu Siqiu's house and personally admitted to the relationship confirms this improper transaction between the two parties.

"Lu Siqiu, explain yourself." Wu Kezhi's voice was cold.

Lu Siqiu's face turned pale the moment she saw the screen: "What...what is this? Old Wu, what do you mean?"

"What do you mean?" Wu Kezhi stood up. "You colluded with the management of Micro Cinema and the buyer to sell the company at a low price and take a three million yuan kickback. The evidence is conclusive, and you still want to deny it?"

The conference room fell silent; everyone was stunned.

Wang Yunlai panicked as well: "Old Wu, could this be a misunderstanding?"

"A misunderstanding?" Wu Kezhi threw a stack of documents on the table. "President Wang, take a look for yourself. Every single one is supported by evidence. Lu Siqiu received three million, and this month she's rushing to push the deal forward. This can't be a coincidence, can it?"

Lu Siqiu panicked completely: "President Wang, you have to say something for me! This matter... this matter isn't something I..."

"Shut up!" Wang Yunlai interrupted him sharply. "Lu Siqiu, did you really do such a thing?"

"I..." Lu Siqiu's legs went weak.

Just then, the door of the conference room was pushed open.

Gao Yue and Pan, the head of risk control, walked in with two security guards and a police officer. "Lu Siqiu, you are suspected of commercial bribery and embezzlement. Please come with us." The police officer showed his badge.

Lu Siqiu slumped into the chair.

He was taken away, and the conference room fell into a deathly silence.

Wang Yunlai's face turned ashen. He wanted to say something, but in the end, he said nothing and turned to leave.

Wu Kezhi looked at the rest of the group: "The matter is resolved. Everyone, go back to work."

Lan Qianyi and Sun Yiqiu exchanged a glance and both breathed a sigh of relief.

Lin Yuming asked in a low voice, "Boss, what about President Wang...?"

"Adults must be responsible for their own actions."

News of Lu Siqiu's arrest quickly spread throughout the company.

Everyone was shocked. No one expected that the fourth group would take down such a big scourge so quietly.

……

The day after Lu Siqiu was arrested, Wang Yunlai, the general manager of the new business department, resigned to take responsibility.

Although it was a "voluntary resignation," everyone knew that it was President Qu's idea.

With such a major blunder by his subordinates, Wang Yunlai, as the department head, cannot shirk his responsibility.

Rather than waiting for the company to fire you, it's better to leave on your own and at least retain some dignity.

The atmosphere in the office was very subtle the day Wang Yunlai left.

No one saw him off; he quietly packed his things and left before noon.

In the afternoon, another bombshell piece of news spread throughout the company…

Chris, the son of the founder Lao Jun, is coming to inspect Jin Chen.

Chris spends most of his time abroad, rarely returns to the country, and even less often comes to the company.

Everyone guessed that his sudden return was related to Lu Siqiu's matter.

Sure enough, on Friday morning, Chris, accompanied by senior executives from Jin Chen, went directly to Group Four.

General Manager Qu, General Manager Ma, Yu Wenli, and others were all present, making it a grand affair.

Chris looked to be in his early thirties, dressed casually, like a boy next door.

He walked into the office area of ​​the fourth comprehensive team and greeted everyone with a smile: "Hello everyone, I'm Chris. I'm here today mainly on behalf of the company to thank the fourth team for their outstanding work on the micro-cinema project."

Wu Kezhi stood up: "President Jun, this is what we should do."

“I know,” Chris nodded. “I’ve heard about Lu Siqiu’s incident; it’s very serious. If you hadn’t discovered it in time, the company would have suffered huge losses. So I came here today specifically to express my gratitude and to give everyone a small reward.”

He gestured to his assistant behind him.

The assistant took out several thick red envelopes and handed them out to everyone one by one.

Lan Qianyi, Sun Yiqiu, and Lin Yuming all received it.

The red envelope was very thick; it felt like it contained at least ten thousand yuan.

“Just a small token of my appreciation,” Chris said. “In addition, the company has decided that Deputy Director Wu Kezhi will be promoted to Investment Director, effective immediately.”

As soon as these words came out, everyone was stunned.

Wu Kezhi himself was also taken aback.

At Jin Chen, the director level is considered a mid-level manager, with an independent office and greater authority.

If it weren't for Qu Zhonghui's suppression, he would have been promoted long ago. He just didn't expect the promotion to happen in this way.

Qu Zhonghui, standing to the side, looked a little awkward. "Congratulations, Director Wu. You deserve it."

Ma Jianguo also managed to offer a perfunctory congratulations.

Chris looked at Wu Kezhi and said, "Mr. Wu, I'm entrusting Group Four to you from now on. I hope you will continue to work hard and create more value for the company."

"Thank you, Mr. Jun. I will definitely work hard," Wu Kezhi said sincerely.

Everyone thought Chris would leave after saying all that, but he didn't.

After leaving the Comprehensive Group 4, he went directly to the Energy Group.

Finally, Chris walked up to Suning.

"You're Suning?" Chris asked with a smile.

“Yes, Mr. Jun, I am Su Ning.” Su Ning nodded.

“I knew it.” Chris smiled. “You really do look like your father.”

"..."

Chris then took out a business card from his pocket and handed it to Su Ning: "This is my personal contact information. If you encounter any trouble or need help in Jin Chen in the future, feel free to contact me."

Suning took the business card; it had a very simple design, with only his name and a mobile phone number.

"Thank you, Mr. Jun."

“Don’t mention it.” Chris stood up. “Actually, I came here today mainly to see you. Lu Siqiu’s matter was just a side thing. My father and your father have always had a good relationship, and I hope that our generation can have more cooperation. Do a good job at Jinchen. If you have any ideas or need anything, just let me know.”

"I will."

At this moment, General Manager Qu, Ma Jianguo, Xu Taiping, Zhao Boqian, and some colleagues from other groups were completely dumbfounded.

Chris patted Suning on the shoulder one last time: "Do a good job. I'm leaving."

"Goodbye."

Chris left with his assistant, and President Qu and the others quickly followed to see him off.

Once they were out of sight, the energy group's office area immediately erupted in chaos.

"Wow, Su-ge, you know Chris?" Zhou Ming was the first to come over.

Xu Taiping looked at Su Ning with a complicated expression: "Little Su, you... you're really hiding your true abilities."

Zhao Boqian didn't speak, but the probing look in his eyes was obvious.

After Ma Jianguo dropped Chris off and returned, the way he looked at Suning was completely different.

He then turned and went back to his office, but his back view clearly showed a hint of panic.

Suning returned to his workstation, feeling the gazes directed at him from all directions.

From this day forward, his days in Jinchen will no longer be peaceful.

……

In President Qu's office.

Chris had already left, and President Qu sat alone behind his desk, his face gloomy.

Gao Yue knocked on the door and came in: "President Qu, you wanted to see me?"

"Sit down." President Qu gestured to a chair. "What do you think about Chris coming today?"

Gao Yue sat down and said cautiously, "He's probably here to stabilize morale. Lu Siqiu's matter had a bad impact, so his personal reward to Group Four can appease people."

"Then what happened when he went to see Su Ning?" President Qu stared at Gao Yue. "He even gave her his personal contact information. What does that mean?"

“This…” Gao Yue hesitated for a moment.

President Qu sneered, "Gao Yue, you're the HR director. Are you still unwilling to tell me about Suning's background?"

Gao Yue's heart tightened. "President Qu, I don't want to hide it from you, but this was all ordered by President Jun."

However, President Qu stared intently into Gao Yue's eyes and asked, "Tell me! What exactly is the background of Suning?"

Gao Yue knew she couldn't hide it anymore, so she took a deep breath and said, "President Qu, Su Ning is the eldest son of Su Jianguo of Jianguo Group."

The office was silent for a few seconds.

President Qu leaned back in his chair and rubbed his temples: "Sure enough... I should have thought of that. Jianguo Group... no wonder Chris valued it so much."

"Who else knows about this?"

"Only Mr. Lao Jun and the two of us know about Jin Chen Capital. Perhaps Mr. Lao Jun and Suning just want to keep a low profile."

"Hmph! Keep a low profile?" President Qu laughed. "Now he can't keep a low profile even if he wants to. The whole company knows about what Chris did today."

"..."

"Gao Yue, what do you think... Chris meant by this? Was he implying that he wanted to give Su Ning special treatment? Or was he using this as an opportunity to warn me?"

“I don’t know,” Gao Yue said honestly, “but I think the Jun family and the Su family are old friends, so Chris should come and say hello to Su Ning.”

“Sigh…” Director Qu shook his head, “When you get to our position, nothing is simple. Every step has a purpose.”

He stood up and walked to the window: "Wang Yunlai is gone, Wu Kezhi has been promoted to director, and Chris has come to support Suning in person... This series of events is not simple."

Gao Yue didn't respond.

After a long while, General Manager Qu said, "Gao Yue, pay more attention to Suning from now on. Let me know as soon as anything happens."

"clear."

Gao Yue left the office and breathed a long sigh of relief.

She knew that from this day forward, Jin Chen Capital would be completely different.

The power structure within the company may also be reshuffled.

...(End of chapter)