Chapter Ten: Resolution
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Lin Chu casually picked up Li Sen’s cola from the table and began gulping it down. Li Fengyu and Li Sen were still somewhat dazed. Taking a handkerchief from the side pocket of his suit, Lin Chu wiped his mouth, caught his breath, and said,
“Isn’t it those shareholders? I believe that once this place bottoms out and begins to recover, it will usher in a bull market. But those old fellows refuse to accept my view.”
Li Fengyu set down his chopsticks, walked over to Lin Chu, and asked,
“Are you certain?”
Lin Chu nodded.
“Of course I am. Otherwise, what do you think I’ve been doing these past few days? But right now, I can neither persuade them nor force them to submit.”
Resting his chin on his hand, Li Fengyu pondered for a moment before saying,
“If we can just get them to loosen their tongues, then everything will be easy, won’t it?”
“Of course. Once they give in, the matter will be simple. But when it comes to ways of thinking, everyone has their own opinion. It’s like how a thousand people can have a thousand different Hamlets.”
Li Sen asked curiously,
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“Can’t your father step in?”
Lin Chu gave an awkward smile.
“If he were in a position to intervene, I wouldn’t have to go through all this trouble. Besides, I don’t want him to step in.”
Li Fengyu suddenly brought his palm down on the table, startling both Lin Chu and Li Sen. He then said,
“Leave this to me. I’ll give it a try.”
Li Sen asked in astonishment,
“What are you going to do? We’ve only been here a little over a month. We have neither the seniority nor the experience to get a word in edgewise. Lin Chu himself couldn’t persuade them, so how are you going to?”
Although Lin Chu said nothing, he shared Li Sen’s thoughts. He knew Li Fengyu was very intelligent, but this plan truly seemed rather fanciful. Li Fengyu understood their misgivings and said,
“I know this will be difficult. Lin Chu, I regard you as a friend and a kindred spirit. With your knowledge and status, you are destined to become your father’s successor. One day, you will become a leader. In an age of sudden upheaval and hidden currents, people often place their hopes in their leaders. They expect them to see far ahead and plan deeply, to save a collapsing structure and turn back a raging tide. Accomplishing these things is difficult, but once you hold the power to govern the world, you should be able to do them. There have been people throughout history who succeeded, and that is why their names have endured through the ages. Those who failed could only carry their regrets to the grave. I hope I can help you.”
Then Li Fengyu turned to Li Sen and said,
“You’re right. This is indeed difficult. But if we aspire to accomplish something great, should we simply abandon it because it is hard?”
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At that moment, Lin Chu admired the eighteen-year-old even more. He smiled and asked,
“Then what do you plan to do?”
Li Fengyu began to explain slowly,
“The shareholders are all stubborn old diehards. Dealing with them won’t be easy, but it isn’t entirely hopeless either. We’ll have to use both persuasion and force.”
Li Fengyu instructed Lin Chu to deal with them one by one. Those who enjoyed tea or fishing were to be accompanied in their favorite pastimes. Those with a fondness for jade and emeralds were to be given gifts. As for the truly obstinate, they would have to be handled through harsher measures. Li Fengyu had Lin Chu uncover their secrets and use them to pressure the shareholders into submission.
After this three-pronged approach, nearly all the shareholders were dealt with. Only one remained—the man who had openly challenged Lin Chu at the previous meeting. They could not find anything with which to threaten him. Neither reason, emotion, gifts, nor bribes had any effect. Li Fengyu began to grow anxious, but Lin Chu comforted him.
“We’ve dealt with most of the shareholders, so there shouldn’t be any immediate problems. That stubborn old fool is the only one left. There’s no need to bother with him.”
Why had Lin Chu been unable to resolve these matters before Li Fengyu arrived, while Li Fengyu succeeded almost immediately? Because the two men were fundamentally different. They agreed on many issues and could work together in perfect harmony, but when it came to major matters, their differences became severe.
Lin Chu was relatively weak-willed and always wanted to resolve everything through appeasement. Li Fengyu, on the other hand, was the kind of person who would never stop until he achieved his goal—and his ambitions were immense. This was precisely what happened now. Lin Chu wanted to take things slowly, but Li Fengyu replied,
“But in the end, he remains a hidden danger. A hidden danger must be eliminated. You should know that neglect breeds trouble, and disaster often begins in the smallest details.”
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