10. Business Acumen

Zhu Tong made a gesture of invitation with his hand, stood up, and walked to the window of the suite, gazing silently at the steel forest outside.

However, there is no way around it; when women become irrational, it is truly incomprehensible. The Great Fire Wheel is the second-in-command of the Fourth Rank Red Fire, and getting mixed up with him is indeed troublesome.

As Zhu Tong relaxed his body against the sofa, a slight change made Wang Juefei feel a few strands of cold air emanating from the small businessman across from him

Zhu Tong's face had not changed much, and she waved her hand to let her go: "You accompany Miss Qin Miao downstairs for a walk, and come back in twenty minutes. If Yan Zi is downstairs, just say I will call her back later"

It is indeed necessary to state one's name. Although the young man's demeanor is respectful, it is also quite resolute, with a hint of vigilance underlying his professional smile

Qin Miao sensed Zhu Tong's anxiety, grasped his hand, and whispered, "What’s wrong? Is the wound bothering you?"

The servant finally stopped, knocked three times on a door, and then bowed and withdrew

Boss, have you arrived? Come up from Elevator No. 7; Juefei has already greeted them. You just need to mention your name.

No one is tracking, but that does not mean it is safe; although there are dangers in the world, it is not entirely without rules. Zhu Tong is not accustomed to hiding; since the other party has come to his door, it is better to confront them early. What he has done has not harmed the interests of others, so even if a conflict arises, he has nothing to feel guilty about.

I have said that I am here to discuss business with you. Zhu Tong poured him a glass of water and began the formal discussion of "business"; "Since it is business, it must naturally be something beneficial to both parties. I have already made a significant concession, from twenty million to ten million. Soon, you will understand how much I have lost.

Wang Juefei was completely flabbergasted, lowering his head as if pondering how much money he actually had. How much would he need to spend today to satisfy this person's appetite

Zhu Tong continued to humiliate Wang Juefei, and this impulse was so strong that he had to clench his fists tightly just to barely bring his mindset back to "business".

Today's meeting was requested by Qingmei. The reason Wang Juefei arranged it in this location, aside from demonstrating his authority and strength, is to propose another suggestion to the young businessman. The foundation of that suggestion is to completely control this young man.

The taxi moved steadily, getting closer to the meeting point. Zhu Tong wanted several times to ask Qin Keqiang to stop, but he held back.

This is a secret, and it is not the issue we are discussing today. Zhu Tong recalled the black diamond cloud swallow, a smile appearing at the corner of his mouth; in fact, he also did not know how the hero in that illusory world obtained the financial statements of the Ocean Hospital

Several well-dressed middle-aged men sat comfortably on the sofa, engaging in quiet conversation while admiring the bustling scenery outside the window. A waiter silently approached, guiding them down another corridor, where the thick carpet provided excellent sound absorption. Qin Miao leaned closer to Zhu Tong; however, the owner of the arm she relied on was equally tense.

What do you want to obtain from me at www.hetushu.com? Let me tell you, this is Shanghai, and I have many friends here. I don't even need to take action against a scammer like you; a simple phone call will have someone throw you into the Huangpu River.

Wang Juefei stared blankly at Zhu Tong, his thoughts in fierce turmoil; although the young man before him spoke with utmost politeness, he exuded a strong sense of confidence and disdain towards him. Having been respected for over a decade, Wang Juefei suddenly found himself at a loss.

If you make that call, the unfortunate one will definitely be you. Since I dare to meet you, I will not be unprepared for these matters. You need to understand this before we can discuss the next issues. I never waste words with a fool.

The taxi came to a stop; here stood a skyscraper located in Pudong. As Zhu Tong and Qin Miao got out of the car, the time was exactly 11:50. Qingmei's call came in right on time.

Now is not the time to discuss these matters, Tong lightly remarked: "Let's not talk about the details; we don't have that much time. In fact, if your issues were posted on the internet, within three days, that number would rise to two hundred million, or even more"

I do not intend to sell drugs Zhu Tong continued to apply pressure

Upon entering the elevator, Zhu Tong realized that the location arranged by Wang Juefei was a private club, a members-only establishment situated on the top floor of this high-rise building. The elevator was adorned with the name of the club: Nanhai Gonglan

I am fearless. Qin Miao leaned in, her breath becoming rapid.

You are a liar, what do you want to deceive? Since you have clearly stated that you are a liar, would I still fall for your tricks? What does that make me? A fool? You people just do not understand the gravity of the situation. Wang Juefei felt somewhat disoriented; the temperature in the room was moderate, yet beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.

"Director Wang, please do not speak carelessly; they have no desire to go abroad." Qin Miao shyly stole a glance at Zhu Tong.

What was just mentioned is that business should benefit both parties; otherwise, it loses its fairness. Let us first discuss what you will gain. You should consider yourself fortunate that I approached you first rather than someone else. If the procuratorate or the discipline inspection commission had approached you first, you would spend your life in prison. If a greedy person who happens to know your background had approached you, you would be threatened and extorted.

However, there are feelings between us. Miss Qingmei loves me, and I love her. There is nothing wrong with that, and there is no transaction involved. Miss Qingmei can attest to this. Ah, I understand now; you never had good intentions from the beginning. You are a group of fraudsters. Wang Juefei's face turned bright red as he stood up and shouted loudly in the living room

Qin Miao, she is my talisman. I can tell you that if she does not leave this building within half an hour, everything about you will appear on the internet within a minute. A renowned scholar, professor, holder of a doctor's degree, and dean, accepting bribes of twenty million; this is big news. No matter how powerful your so-called protective umbrella is, it cannot disregard the consequences, can it?

Zhu Tong walked back and sat down, carefully observing the opponent before him who had already been defeated. He relished this moment, as it could be said that all the preparations made earlier were for the enjoyment of this very instant; compared to witnessing a self-righteous and arrogant celebrity fall at his feet, money became a trivial ornament.

I did not know that our college has such beautiful students. Qin Miao, what a lovely name. She is studying nursing; does that imply she intends to go abroad as well? Hehe. Manager Li, you should be cautious; the young ladies studying nursing at our college are quite impressive. Some of them are graduates from prestigious schools, and after just two years of work, they all fly out.

"How do you have the report from our hospital?" Wang Juefei asked unconsciously.

This is not the issue we need to discuss. Zhu Tong interrupted Wang Juefei once again, saying, "I am not a greedy person. If neither of us agrees to the figure of twenty million, then to avoid wasting words, how about ten million? If that is acceptable, we can move on to the next issue."

The situation is not that serious. I mentioned from the beginning that I am here to discuss business with you, but it is not about selling medicine, nor is it about selling equipment to you. Similarly, Miss Qingmei is also a person with her own thoughts, so how could she...

"Twenty million? You are slandering me," Wang Juefei protested unwillingly

I am about to make a trip to Xiangxi, Master, do you think that is acceptable?

"How have you been recently, Master Zhuang?" Zhu Tong asked in a calm tone

Wang Juefei seemed to have thought of something, grabbing Zhu Tong's phone and placing it behind him, then taking out an exquisite mobile phone. While dialing a number, he looked at Zhu Tong and said, "You can't escape now even if you want to. I will call my friends right away; do you have anything to discuss with them"

The green plums have emerged; today she is dressed in a manner quite different from her usual seductive and alluring style, exuding a hint of modesty. Before welcoming Zhu Tong and Qin Miao inside, she softly said: "Please wait a moment longer, he is currently discussing business."

How much money have you actually received? Perhaps you haven't even calculated it yourself. However, I have calculated it; I possess the financial statements of your hospital for the past few years, which detail the account amounts of several major clients closely related to you. Twenty million is merely the commission they should have given you according to industry standards; I haven't had the time to tally up the other miscellaneous amounts. If everything is accounted for, it is likely that thirty million would not be out of reach

Only because of Yan Zi, Zhu Tong was not very afraid. She only knew Qing Mei and was aware that Zhu Tong was plotting against Wang Juefei. After the "business" in Shenyang, Zhu Tong understood that the two would eventually part ways. The specifics were all handled by herself, without involving Yan Zi much; she just wanted to create trouble, but her impact was limited.

The door was gently pushed open, and Qingmei entered. She walked over to Zhu Tong's side, leaned down, and whispered in his ear: "Sister Yanzi called. I told her you were conducting business. She called yesterday as well"

You are a pharmaceutical company; if you do not sell medicine, what do you sell? Are you selling people?" Wang Juefei said with a smile, hoping to break the atmosphere.

Your silence implies agreement? Very well, we can proceed to discuss the next steps. Zhu Tong observed Wang Juefei nodding, secretly amused; it seemed that today's "business" adversary would not be difficult to handle.

Qingmei poured two glasses of red wine and Wang Juefei said, "Let's drink some wine first, and then we'll go eat later." They had met before; Zhu Tong's identity was that of Qingmei's boss, a young businessman.

"Qingmei, you and Qin Miao should go out for a stroll. It's her first time in a place like this, and she's quite curious," Zhu Tong said. Wang Juefei was slightly taken aback, and after watching Qingmei take Qin Miao outside, he hesitantly asked, "Manager Li, what did you want to say?"

Director Wang, how high is it here? Two hundred meters or three hundred meters? If one were to jump from here, it would certainly be a dead end. The heights are chilling. Looking at the people outside, they resemble ants; China has a large population, and every day, tens of thousands lose their lives. Just thinking about it is sorrowful; what is the purpose of life? Huh? I am waiting, are you not going to call? Good, this proves that you have finally calmed down and understand that Shanghai is in China, a place with laws, police, and prisons. Who can you find as a friend? Director Cai? Will he help you kill someone? I do not believe that a deputy director of the public security bureau would assist a bribery offender; your relationship has not reached that level. Is it Manager Han? You know what kind of person he is; you have never respected that loser. I believe Manager Han understands this as well; if this call were to him, he would be the first to come forward to prove your guilt. On the surface, you seem to be thriving, surrounded by friends, even in this place, a private club, you have friends. But in this matter, no one can help you because you did not share the benefits with others, so you have no friends. Who made you so greedy? And so selfish.

We also need to unify our thoughts and first discuss what business is. In business, there are both losses and profits, but as long as there is profit, everyone must pay taxes to the state. This is mandated by law, as the country's finances rely on tax revenue for support. Do you agree?" After Zhu Tong finished speaking, Wang Juefei raised his head, not understanding why this fraudster was bringing up the issue of taxes, which was clearly unrelated to extortion

I am a businessman, here to meet you, Director Wang, of course to discuss business

Manager Li, are you not extorting now? Wang Juefei couldn't help but retort, only to be immediately intimidated by the cold light in Zhu Tong's eyes

Zhu Tongke did not smile, and calmly said: "Director Wang is truly clever. I am a seller of people, but that was before today. Is Miss Qingmei not a person? I send such a beauty into your arms, Wang Juefei, allowing you to enjoy and to fondle her; is that not selling a person?"

Qin Keqiang understood immediately upon touching the envelope that the money inside far exceeded what this young man should have paid. He looked at him with some confusion but said nothing. Zhu Tong was quite pleased with his caution and patted the car door: "This is truly a fine car"

Zhu Tong handed Qin Keqiang an envelope: "Master Qin, this is the remaining half of the fare and the books. Our contract is now considered concluded. If you have any matters to attend to, you may leave now."

What kind of business does Manager Li want to discuss? The medications your company represents are simply not presentable. For a large hospital like ours, selling such medications would not only draw criticism from others, but our own doctors would feel embarrassed to write prescriptions for them. Even so, I still allowed a few types to be included.

With a snap, Zhu Tong placed the phone on the coffee table, "This is my phone. Just press the redial button, and the police will arrive within ten minutes. This is a private club, a place for prominent figures like you, and it should have comprehensive security measures; therefore, you are safe. The one who should be anxious and afraid is a fraudster like me."

Wang Juefei remained silent, his sweat soaking through his meticulously tailored shirt

I am also unafraid. " Zhu Tong glanced back at the car, telling himself in his heart.

"You just said you are a liar, and you also said you sell people." Wang Juefei sat down and, upon hearing the other party say this, could not help but interrupt him

"Senior Brother, I came to find you for this matter." Qin Miao waved from a distance, and Zhu Tong nodded, continuing to ask, "Where exactly did this news come from? There are now a group of people following me, including those of the fourth rank in the Red Fire and those of the eighth rank in the Orchid. Do you know what they intend to do? At this rate, I won't even be able to conduct my business."

Upon entering the South China Sea Gonglan Club lobby, one is immediately enveloped in the grandeur and exquisite luxury of European palace style. The interplay of oil paintings and sculptures allows every corner here to be observed by exotic art

"Let me introduce you, this is Qin Miao, my girlfriend, a student at the Nursing School of the Ocean Medical College." After Zhu Tong finished the introduction, Wang Jue gently took Qin Miao's outstretched hand.

It turns out to be a cigarette, wishing the child a curse, the water only represents one family: Fifth Rank Qingyang

This is a luxurious suite, where Wang Juefei sits on the sofa in the living room, noticing Zhu Tong only raise his head to smile briefly before continuing to converse with someone across the coffee table.

The master once said that in business, one should not seek too much fame. Do you understand now? The landlord chuckled at his junior brother and then said with some concern: Those from the Fourth Rank Red Fire want to take a share of the spoils. They cannot handle big businesses for fear of losing their heads, and small businesses do not satisfy their appetites, which is easy to understand. What do the Eighth Rank Orchids want with you? They are not easy to deal with. Junior brother, you should come here to take refuge for a while, and wait until the situation becomes clearer before making any plans. The current world of Jianghu is chaotic, and news about you has spread through the waterways. Do you understand? A beauty has appeared beside the Great Fire Wheel, quite formidable indeed.

Wang Juefei finally failed to get through to that phone call, feeling suspicious for a while, sitting silently on the sofa

Zhu Tong raised the wine glass in front of him and took a sip, no longer speaking or looking at him, only gently swirling the wine glass

It's no wonder! Wishing Zhu Tong to feel at ease. There are quite a few foreigners at the Jinjiang Hotel, and Qin Miao's beauty has attracted several to approach her. At that time, Zhu Tong noticed that Qin Miao's English proficiency was exceptionally good. He found it somewhat strange: with Qin Miao's academic background and library standards, it was impossible for her not to have passed the university entrance examination.

"You are right, I am indeed a liar." Zhu Tong waited for him to finish shouting, then gestured: "Director Wang, you are a person of status, with a medical doctorate, a doctoral supervisor, an international expert in marine diseases, and the director of a large hospital; each of these titles makes you a prominent figure in society. How can you be so irrational? I have said that I am here to discuss business. For you, it is important to first understand my intentions before expressing your stance; do not act like a petty rogue, reacting impulsively to rumors. You should remain calm, just like I am, and sit down."

That is our hometown. I will go there tomorrow, as several small temples are holding incense ceremonies. People are becoming increasingly difficult to deceive, and business is getting harder to manage. Now, we can only open more temples. I would also like to seek your advice, junior apprentice, as you are regarded in the community as a genius not seen in our sect for a hundred years. Please provide us with some insights when the time comes

Why did you come to me? There are so many people who get paid...

Five minutes later, the conversation came to an end. Wang Juefei escorted the guest to the door, approached Zhu Tong with a smile, and led him to take a seat in the main area of the living room

Zhu Tong and Qin Miao entered the building and found the No. 7 elevator in a secluded area. Unlike the other elevators, two young and handsome young men stood in front of the door.

His so-called concession only made Wang Juefei suffer more. The person in front of him was clearly here to extort him, yet he spoke of how the business would benefit both parties; who would believe that! However, he did not dare to act tough anymore, as the other party now appeared very sincere, truly resembling someone engaged in business negotiations.

Zhu Tong smiled slightly and touched her forehead; the band-aid there had just been replaced, and the wound had already healed. Thinking of what the girl beside her had just said, Zhu Tong calmed down, and the corners of her lips gently brushed against her ear: "I am afraid you might forget what I said later; as long as you are not nervous, I will be fine."

Initially, Wang Juefei was quite confident about this matter, but now he feels the aggressiveness of the other party, which has made him somewhat uncertain; especially the way the other party looks at him, as if he were a naked prey.

"Manager Li, is there something urgent that you need to see me about? Miss Qingmei can make any decision on my behalf," Wang Juefei casually asked as he put the documents into his bag, his eyes glancing over Qin Miao.

What else can I do? A whole bunch of people are counting on me to make a living. Hehe, junior brother, you have become quite famous these days. It is said in the martial world that the Zhu family has produced the Thousand-Faced Lone Wolf, Zhu Tong, who is exceptionally clever and ruthless, specializing in setting traps to extort the wealthy. He has also been involved in major businesses, reportedly amassing several tens of millions in recent years

He is just over fifty years old. As a doctor, Wang Juefei takes good care of himself and looks like a man in his forties. The person he is talking to is also around the same age. After politely standing up earlier, he only sat down after the two of them were seated in another corner, hosted by Qingmei.

Zhu Tong's attention was drawn to a document on the coffee table, the international account application form and client agreement; although it was in English, Zhu Tong recognized the significance of the document with just a glance: Wang Juefei intended to transfer his illicit funds abroad