Free Web NovelChapter 1972: Chapter 1969: Keeping Some People Awake
"Brother Lin Tian, can you please drop the words ’can or not’, okay?" Zhou Botong countered.
"Uh, you know, I’ve been a hands-off boss for too long, I don’t really know the market. Has Tianxue Jewelry gotten that badass?" Lin Tian was a bit embarrassed; after all, as the biggest shareholder, he’d been completely ignoring the company.
Zhou Botong retorted again, "Brother, please remove the question mark. With the Yun and Ou families joining in, Tianxue Jewelry is now the number one boss in the jewelry industry. Of course, a company that only dominates domestically can’t be called first-class; now we’re also an internationally top-tier jewelry company."
"The jewelry exhibition held last time in Zhonghai City made Tianxue Jewelry’s name explode in the international jewelry circle. You could say we’ve firmly planted our feet on the international battlefield and even become one of the standouts."
"So, Brother, you’re now the boss of a big international company too, don’t sell yourself short. That Luo Family company really doesn’t catch our eye. Of course, if you want to acquire it, that’s another story." Zhou Botong said proudly.
This guy’s words were usually half truth and half bragging, but this time Lin Tian believed him. Zhou Botong was now relying on making achievements with Tianxue Jewelry to win recognition from those old fogies of the Ou family.
In big families, marriages stress matching social status. Now, in front of those old fogies, Zhou Botong already had a say, so even if this guy bragged, he wouldn’t use Tianxue Jewelry as material.
"I get it." Lin Tian showed a faint smile, then said, "The Luo Family used to do jewelry business, but now they’ve stepped into real estate. People in real estate are all about getting something for nothing, doing business off bank loans."
"As long as there’s a problem with those loans, once the capital chain snaps, the company immediately runs into trouble. Those huge loans can drag the Luo Family into an abyss." A cold glint flashed in Lin Tian’s eyes.
After thinking a bit, Lin Tian continued, "Here’s what we do: spread the word that the Luo Family’s main jewelry business has run into trouble. Then the banks and financial companies that loaned them money will investigate the truth. Once the banks and financial companies discover that the Luo Family’s issues are also tied up with Tianxue Jewelry, they’ll downgrade the Luo Family’s credit rating."
"They might even cut off their loans, and could very well call back the loans. As long as one bank starts to collect, the other banks and financial companies will definitely swarm in to collect too—nobody wants a loan they can’t get back."
"Once the snowball starts rolling, it’ll only get bigger and bigger, eventually triggering an avalanche. Back then, the Bai Family used this exact move on the Xiao Family. Crude as it was, it was very effective."
"Unless someone steps in to turn the tide for the Luo Family, they’re going to suffer big time." Lin Tian was utterly cold; breaking a company meant nothing to him.
"Tsk tsk tsk..." Zhou Botong clicked his tongue in exaggerated admiration. "Brother, it’s really a waste for you not to be in business. Your method is simple but extremely effective—like a master swordsman using the simplest move to inflict the greatest damage."
Lin Tian didn’t care, and said casually, "Just a big fish eating a small fish. If Tianxue Jewelry didn’t have its current status, we wouldn’t be able to pull this off. Remember, once the Luo Family enters bankruptcy proceedings, we move in to acquire, push the cost down to the minimum, and don’t let the Luo Family walk away cheap."
"Of course, that much I understand. It’s just... once this happens, some of the Luo Family’s real estate projects might turn into unfinished buildings. That’ll affect the people who bought those apartments—kind of hurting innocents, right?" Zhou Botong sounded a bit hesitant, with a hint of reminder.
In fact, innocent people get hurt in the business circle every day. For example, in the stock market, one little clash between the big players can cause a large number of retail investors to get screwed, with some even jumping off buildings.
But financial warfare is bloody and brutal by nature; collateral damage is unavoidable. So Zhou Botong didn’t take it too much to heart, he just gave a small reminder out of conscience. After all, he was still different from those so-called "big shots."
Some financial sharks had long since lost their humanity—someone going bankrupt, someone jumping off a building, families ruined—that was all trivial in their eyes.
Lin Tian understood what Zhou Botong meant and said, "Let the Zuo Family take over the Luo Family’s projects. I doubt the Zuo Family would refuse, and the developments won’t be left unfinished."
"Heh heh, I just checked up on the Luo Family. Not long ago they got caught up in a fake jade scandal. Looks like they’ll topple over without us putting in much effort." Zhou Botong seemed to be typing on a keyboard, then laughed.
"Even better. Start immediately—tonight some people aren’t going to sleep." Lin Tian said calmly.
"Uh, by the way, who exactly are we helping to get revenge that it needs you to make a move, Brother Lin Tian?" Zhou Botong asked, very curious.
"Ning Wenbin." Lin Tian said just those three words.
Zhou Botong sucked in a cold breath, and by the time he reacted, Lin Tian had already hung up. Damn it, someone actually dared to move against the Ning Family—what massive guts. Zhou Botong couldn’t help sighing over and over.
Lin Tian had already expected him to go off on all kinds of emotional comments, so he hung up early and walked back toward Xiao Manxuan and the others.
"So? You were on the phone for so long, what exactly were you plotting?" Mu Binglan asked.
"Nothing. Let’s go back to the hall." Lin Tian just said lightly.
Aside from Xiao Manxuan, both Mu Binglan and the other girl found it very strange. After all that, the result was just... retreat? But since both Lin Tian and Ning Wenbin, the two main characters, had left, they could only leave as well.
Yin Menglan deliberately raised her voice: "Hmph, who does he think he is? Truly doesn’t know his own limits."
Hearing this, Mu Binglan ground her teeth again. Lin Tian only said calmly, "No need to waste time on her. She’ll have her time to cry. Maybe one day someone will even come begging Mr. Ning."
By now the gathering in the banquet hall had already started. Those club presidents were holding wine glasses, chatting and laughing, either talking about club work or how much sponsorship they’d managed to pull in.
Lin Tian and the others went back to their seats. At this moment, Yin Menglan also returned to the banquet hall. She didn’t leave, but she didn’t go looking for Ning Wenbin again either.
Yin Menglan went to find Lv Lianghao. As a former student union external relations officer and now a returnee from overseas, she naturally drew a lot of attention, especially from the guys, who kept showering her with praise and flattery as if that would win the "Goddess’s" heart.
But they had no idea they didn’t even count as backups; they were just being driven by their hormones.
The end-of-term club gathering went smoothly; the various clubs were interacting fairly harmoniously. After all, not every club was like the Karate Club. Even the Karate Club didn’t dare come stir up trouble again—with Lin Tian and Mu Binglan there, they knew exactly how much they weighed.
Around ten o’clock, Yin Menglan answered a phone call, and when she hung up her face was extremely ugly. She didn’t even have time to say goodbye to her old classmates before she hurried out.
As she passed by Lin Tian’s table, she stopped in her tracks. "Wenbin, was this your doing?"
"Doing what?" Ning Wenbin blinked innocent eyes. Mu Binglan and the others also looked puzzled—what on earth did this woman mean by that?
