America: My Time

Chapter 1211 A Minor Accident

Chapter 1201 A Minor Accident
With the outbreak of the Asian financial crisis, others only saw the expansion of Quantum Mining and Asian Energy, but not the losses of other companies. John was not as carefree as they thought. Even with prior preparation, the changing environment brought considerable trouble to his own company. When numerous reports appeared in John's hands, his brows furrowed. The situation was much more troublesome than he had imagined. No wonder Soros was so confident that he could weaken John's power in Asia.

If it weren't for their control over retail and the fact that Europe and America weren't affected, they probably wouldn't be doing well either. After all, so many businesses have been impacted, the effects are enormous, not to mention that John's manufacturing is almost entirely in Asia. The most troublesome countries now are Taiwan, South Korea, and Japan; the impact of currency devaluation is also staggering.

In contrast, Hong Kong's assets have not suffered significant losses, but this is just the beginning. John dares not let his guard down. Others only see that he has focused his attention on media and entertainment, and have no idea how much he has put into financial planning or how much effort he has put in behind the scenes.

"Soros is really ruthless, and those old guys in the US are really vicious. If I hadn't seen this report, I would never have known that the losses in my assets in Asia would be so great. These guys are really insidious and cunning. They've really mastered this kind of conspiracy. They're trying to weaken me in the real economy."

John quickly understood the conspiracy of those old guys in the US and the conspiracy of the oil capital. None of it was aimed at his finances. They wanted to target not only the whole of Asia, but also his layout in Asia. No wonder Soros would incite fools to cause trouble for Standard Chartered Bank!

Their plan was well-thought-out, but reality was far from what they envisioned. While they possessed vast assets in Asia and were being impacted by the financial crisis, they overlooked a more crucial factor: they controlled the retail sector and held sufficient raw materials. The conspiracies against them might have some effect, but they couldn't cripple them. Furthermore, these individuals had no real influence over the Chinese market, where their annual revenue was substantial.

Those old guys in the US, and the oilfield capital, had no idea how astonishing their profits in China were, because these funds continued to be invested in China, and the outside world had no idea how enormous this asset was. As John continued to break up his businesses, it became even more difficult for them to accurately understand this.

"Heh, come on, let this storm rage even more fiercely. In your eyes, my investments in Asia will suffer a devastating blow, but you don't know that this is also my opportunity. My preparations are far more terrifying than you imagine. Soros is a pawn in your hands, and he is also a pawn in mine, but I don't need to pay any price for it."

Having seen through the old men's scheme, John sneered disdainfully, his eyes filled with contempt. Anyone witnessing this would be shocked by John's words. This was a long-planned scheme by those old American geezers, and a full-scale attack by oil-rich capitalists like Soros.

Just as John was seeing through the many calculations behind it all, an unexpected event occurred. Something both expected and unexpected shattered his good mood.

"Aren't you surprised that I'm not angry at all? I've said it before, you are free. I knew they wanted to leave, because they never trusted me from the beginning. So many years have passed, you all have children, why don't they? What I didn't expect was that they would leave at this time. It seems that some people really don't want to see me do well, and want to disturb my peace of mind at this time. I can only say that their methods are too despicable."

John wasn't surprised by the news from Cherie Chung. The departure of Wong Cho-han and Xiao Qiang didn't shock him much, but the timing was unusual. He figured those who had been targeting and scheming against him couldn't possibly be unaware of what was going on. Soros had taken action, and Taiwan had immediately backed down. Add to that this incident, and it would be strange if there wasn't something amiss.

"It really surprised me!" Chung Chu-hung was indeed somewhat surprised by John's attitude. Not only had John seen through this long ago, but she had also understood it long ago, but she did not expect that the other party would choose to leave at this moment!

"Alright, let's not worry about them. There's no point in talking about it now. Let them be. Don't do anything or target them. Let's part ways amicably. Those old guys want to scheme against me, ruin my reputation, and disturb my peace of mind. They're overthinking it. This isn't the first time I've encountered something like this."

John shook his head, a hint of disappointment flashing in his eyes. He had wanted to change some people's fates, but he felt so powerless before destiny. Perhaps this was fate, and before it, he was just a tiny 'ant'!
He needed to make a clean break. He didn't have the time or energy to waste on people who didn't trust him. They had chosen their own path, and their fate was in their own hands; no outsider could help them. There had always been people targeting him in Taiwan. Although these guys were well-hidden, John had sensed it long ago, but he hadn't bothered with them. Now they were making their move again, choosing this moment. It seemed they had aligned themselves with oil capital and were connected to figures like Soros.

Should I take action against these guys? No, there's no need. In fact, this situation presents an opportunity for me. I wasn't comfortable withdrawing too much of my investment from Taiwan before, but now John has an excuse. Even if the excuse is lame, it's still an opportunity, and I should seize it.

Split it up, keep splitting it up. It would be foolish not to act now, but there's no rush. We need to be patient a little longer, as this takes time. If we act rashly without proper preparation, it could cause considerable trouble.

From a labor cost perspective, China is the best factory choice. Initially, due to various reasons, we had to locate in Taiwan. However, as China's development accelerated, Taiwan was no longer the best option. Making a change at this point was the best decision and the best opportunity, a perfect storm of favorable timing, location, and people.

"Do you think I'm cold-blooded?" Seeing Chung Chu-hung's expression, John smiled calmly, without any pressure or anger, his whole demeanor was very indifferent!

"No, this is normal. It would be abnormal if you got angry over such a small thing. I've seen the horrors of business warfare before, and I understand the cruelty of the wealthy. Actually, parting amicably is better for everyone. Although there are some issues with their situation, there's no need to fuss over it. A good reputation is more important than such scheming!"

More than a decade of trials and tribulations have changed Cherie Chung. She is no longer the naive girl she once was. Being able to represent John is a recognition of her talent and a test of her character. After all, she has to deal with wealthy families and navigate interpersonal relationships. Having seen so much, she naturally understands the cruelty of the wealthy and comes to understand everything.

The first person may have different ideas, and there's no need to force them to share those ideas. Many people dream of marrying into a wealthy family, but wealthy families aren't always what they imagine. If she had to choose, Chung Chu-hung feels more comfortable as she is now, at least without so much pressure.

Although it was initially just a matter of self-preservation, a choice made out of necessity, over the past decade or so, I've gradually adapted to everything. Compared to the numerous rules of wealthy families, I don't face as much pressure or have to deal with so many regulations. After having children, I have someone to rely on, and I also have assets.

"Yes, a good reputation is more important than those schemes. No matter what schemes they have behind the scenes or who is behind it, it doesn't matter. Once they leave, they are no longer one of us. There's no need to make a big fuss over an outsider. I'm no longer the passionate young man I used to be; my edges have long been smoothed out."

Hearing John's words, Cherie Chung burst into laughter. She might believe John was no longer the passionate young man he once was, but she couldn't believe he'd lost all his edge. In fact, the current John was more composed, more rational, and more shrewd. The annual growth of their child's personal fund was proof enough of how capable her man was.

Lust is a man's nature, his very essence. It's impossible to expect a powerful man to be devoted to only one person. Chung Chor-hung saw this long ago, and smart women understand it too. It's just that some people choose to accept it, while others choose to leave. Different choices lead to different outcomes.

"Is it that funny? Am I not telling the truth? I'm long past the age of impulsive passion, and this isn't the first time I've said it. It's not a problem for them to leave. However, I'm still a little disappointed that they didn't come to tell me themselves. Maybe they think too badly of me, that I'm too domineering and that something bad might happen, which is why they had you step in. They're overthinking it. I'm not that shameless!"

(End of this chapter)