Chapter 31: A Battle of Wits

Li Fengyu stepped forward, bowed, and said in a resonant voice, "You must be Lin Chu’s father. I have heard so much about you from Lin Chu; it is truly better to see once than to hear a hundred times." Lin’s father lazily lifted his eyelids, glanced at Li Fengyu, and said with utter disdain, "Spare me the pleasantries. Let’s get straight to the point."

Seeing that his attempt to build rapport had failed, Li Fengyu switched tactics. "I assume you are aware of why we are here today. I won’t beat around the bush: Xinmin Group cannot be dissolved." Lin’s father finally showed a flicker of interest. "Why? Give me a reason that might persuade me."

Li Fengyu began to speak eloquently. "Sir, you cannot dissolve Xinmin Group, because only we can help you achieve greatness." Lin’s father stood up abruptly. "What do you mean by that?" Li Fengyu sat down on the nearby sofa and said slowly, "Think about it. Why are those titans willing to sacrifice their own market share just to suppress Xinmin Group? Because we threaten them. Our performance has been too brilliant, and as the saying goes, a tall tree catches the wind. Sir, Xinmin Group is under Lin Chu’s leadership, which means it is yours. We are firmly on your side. If you choose to dissolve the company now, you will never have a chance to rise again."

Li Fengyu was gambling. He knew that for a businessman, interest was paramount. Only if the benefits generated by Xinmin Group outweighed the risk of Lin’s father alienating those industry titans could the company be saved.

Li Fengyu continued, "The current titans of the financial world appear united, but they are internally divided and harbor their own secret agendas. While massive, they are loosely structured." Before Li could finish, Lin’s father interrupted, "You speak with great conviction and your analysis is sound, but why should I believe you are capable of helping me overthrow those titans? What reason do I have to trust you? What capital do you possess?"

Li Fengyu was momentarily struck dumb. He was right; he had no capital. He was merely an employee. He had no way to prove his value and no reason for Lin’s father to trust him. Just as the situation reached a breaking point, Lin Chu stepped forward and said, "I trust Li Fengyu, Father. If not for him, there would be no Xinmin Group today. He helped me handle the shareholders and personally traveled to Shanghai for negotiations. He has rendered great service and earned significant achievements."

Li Fengyu had not expected Lin Chu to stand up for him. Seeing a turning point, he seized the opportunity. "Sir, I know I cannot make you trust me right now. Give me one month, and I will prove my worth. I will earn your trust and do everything in my power to protect Xinmin Group. I repeat: if you are unsatisfied with the status quo, partnering with Xinmin Group is your only chance to break it. If you are truly content to remain a mere office executive managing your own small plot of land, then pretend I said nothing."

With that, Li Fengyu and Li Sen took their leave. By the time they returned to their hotel that evening, Li Fengyu was beaming. Li Sen looked at him and asked, "Why are you so happy?" Li Fengyu smiled slightly. "There is hope. Think about it: if Lin’s father had been dead set against it, he wouldn’t have listened to so much of what I had to say; he would have shown us the door long ago. It shows he is tempted. Plus, with Lin Chu stepping in to help, our chances are even better. It simply means the price wasn't high enough. Now, we just need to prove our capabilities and find a 'pledge of loyalty'—a surprise, something significant enough to give him the courage to break with those titans."