The Self-Cultivation of a Reborn Massage Therapist

Chapter 305 Zhou Yaqin's Speech
“I know that some people may have questions or even not understand why we don’t choose an easier path? Why do we have to go head-to-head with Jin Dayang, Ugly Donkey, and Yuanfang Capital?”

Zhou Yaqin paused.

"What those people want is to streamline and standardize this industry, to have impressive numbers on financial statements, and to achieve unlimited expansion in scale and speed!"

"A relaxed and leisurely pace, or more precisely, what our boss wants, is to solve people's real pain, to provide an exceptional experience and build trust, and to respect the technicians' work."

Her gaze swept across the entire room, and her tone suddenly became more forceful.

"Everyone here, including myself, is just an ordinary person. When I was young, I was just lucky to defuse a bomb for my boss, which changed my fate. Now, we have met our boss, who has given us such an extraordinary opportunity, but we have also encountered this formidable obstacle."

"Yes, compromise might be easy, and everyone can make a fortune in the short term. But then what? Then we become like them! And then we tell all the ordinary people who follow us that this path leads to either being eaten or becoming the new cannibals? Is this the result we want?!"

"Our boss doesn't realize that every time he insists on something, every time he refuses to compromise, it might simply be because he doesn't like it. But it's precisely his dislike that benefits us, and all ordinary people like us who have no connections, only our own two hands and our own drive—"

Zhou Yaqin's voice trembled slightly as she spoke, word by word:
"—Find a way to survive, fight your way out!"

Zhou Yaqin took a deep breath and gently tapped the table.

"Now, everyone, get back to your posts."

"Work."

The words were spoken without hesitation or response.

There was only a moment of synchronized movement; no one spoke, everyone returned to their files, screens, and tasks.

Ou Xiaokui, carrying a stack of documents, spoke quickly and clearly:
"President Zhou, Secretary Liu lost his temper at the district government today and questioned several departments about the renovation of our dry cleaning shop and employee dormitory."

"The trouble is all over now. The construction team from Gaoya Company is putting the finishing touches on things, and the dry cleaning equipment will arrive on time tomorrow. However—" She paused, looked down at the documents, and her tone became serious:

"Of the four dry cleaners that had closed down in Fatou Street, three suddenly reopened this week. Several local employees we had already agreed to hire were poached by them with high salaries. At the same time, Ugly Donkey Group Buying launched a large subsidy, making it less than ten yuan to clean a suit."

Zhou Yaqin scoffed lightly: "We didn't open this shop to make money. We're here to solve Secretary Liu's problems and improve the welfare of our employees. If they want to burn money to compete, let them."

Ou Xiaokui nodded, turned the page, and continued her report:

"The Six Fingers massage parlor next door is still running a promotion. In order to attract the neighborhood, they've put up a sign for free massages. I heard that the shop has invested a large sum of money and improved the technicians' salaries."

Zhou Yaqin smiled sarcastically: "We've done a good deed. Hopefully, they'll still maintain this treatment after they 'bankrupt' us."

Ou Xiaokui responded and quickly slid her finger to the next page—it was truly absurd that a small massage parlor had to handle so many "extra" services.

She took a breath and continued reading:
"In the afternoon, we received a call from a district government in Jinghai. They advised us: Don't put all your eggs in one basket."

She looked up slightly, observing the old lady's reaction: "The other party said that we shouldn't negate the entire industrial base of Jinghai just because of the falling out with Jin Dayang. Regardless of whether we ultimately choose to continue with Jin Dayang, the district committee and government will set up a special service team to provide 'one-stop' services in taxation, employment, and approvals, and fully guarantee the rapid implementation of new projects."

Just as Zhou Yaqin had predicted, taking a relaxed and leisurely stroll is never a solitary endeavor.

The old lady just snorted and laughed: "She pretended to be asleep when the window for industrial upgrading opened twelve years ago, and now she's rushing to offer a pillow." She suddenly looked up, her gaze sharp, "They didn't mention my live stream?"

Ou Xiaokui didn't reply, but turned her gaze to Ling Rui, who was waiting quietly to the side, and nodded slightly: "President Zhou, the business report is finished. As for the aftermath of the live broadcast... Ling Xing knows more about it."

Ling Rui stepped forward, his smile both polite and cautious:

"President Zhou, there are sensible people in the Jinghai Municipal Government."

Zhou Yaqin rolled her eyes without any politeness: "There are sensible people out there, why do you keep doing foolish things?"

Ling Rui gave a bitter smile. Having come from a physical training background, he was all too familiar with the struggles and unavoidable circumstances involved.
"Please don't get angry. A listed company with a market value of just over four billion yuan was hit by a black swan event overnight, yet the online public opinion has escalated like a stock market crash—nobody believes there's no mastermind behind this. The fact that Jinghai hasn't made a statement is itself a statement." He didn't give the old lady a chance to continue her sarcasm, quickly cutting to the point:
"Mr. Zhou, when do we make our move?"

After asking the question, Ling Rui leaned forward slightly: "President Zhou, the panic has just begun. By the third day, those who used leveraged positions will receive margin calls at night. If they cannot replenish their funds when the market reopens, the brokerage will not hesitate to systematically force liquidation."

Zhou Yaqin: "Tomorrow."

"Mr. Zhou, if we let the bullets fly for one more day, every penny we spend will double in efficiency."

Zhou Yaqin: "Tomorrow."

"……What?"

Ling Rui was dumbfounded: "Tomorrow...?"

Faced with the dumbfounded bank manager, the old lady finally seized the opportunity and rolled her eyes at him:

What are we supposed to do?

Ling Rui was taken aback for a moment, then subconsciously replied, "...Acquire Golden Sun?"

Why acquire it?

Ling Rui understood. His face flushed, and he said with a wry smile, "I'm sorry, President Zhou, for the sake of the supply chain. I fell into my old mindset again. What should have been a simple matter has become so complicated."

According to the original plan, once the stock price completely collapses, it won't just be distant capital that will be attracted. At that time, sharks from all over the market will smell blood and pounce.

Ling Rui was prepared to fight, but...

Now, unless you're a fool, no one wants to enter the market the day after a stock price crash.

After resolving all the issues, Zhou Yaqin looked around again.

"Is there anything else?"

Everyone, including the acquisition team, shook their heads in unison.

"Then you can go home after get off work," she said softly, with a relaxed tone. "Go home and get some rest."

轻松慢行的下班儿时间，是2020年9月5日，21:35。

At this moment, thousands of miles away, in Colombia.

On the mountain road leading to Ivag, there is a sharp bend in the road shrouded in thick fog.

This was the seventh conflict. The US armed team had anticipated Zhao Xiaochui's westward route and set up a sniper point and observation post there.

Zhao Xiaochui was driving a stolen, dilapidated pickup truck when, as he approached the pass, a surge of heat suddenly rushed through his body.

He slammed on the gas, crashing the car into the guardrail the instant the other driver opened fire, while he himself rolled into the ditch by the roadside.

Under the cover of thick fog, he scrambled and crawled to hide in a deep pit behind a boulder.

He covered his head with his hands, opened his mouth, curled up into a ball, and then...

Gunshots rang out!

(End of this chapter)