Chapter 39

Xiao Sheng walked into the meeting room with a dignified air, bowed slightly, cleared his throat, and then said:

"Really sorry to interrupt your meeting. The matter is sudden. I just received a call from Mr. Chen Shuguo, asking me to attend this meeting on his behalf. Rest assured, according to the contract signed initially, Mr. Chen Shuguo only has the rights to dividends, profit-sharing, and withdrawal of investment. He will not participate in the decision-making of Huaxin's senior management. I am here to observe. In other words, I'm just here to watch. Please continue." After saying this, Xiao Sheng walked straight to the position below Liu Jiming, placed the white-background black-framed photo next to the old man, pulled a chair, sat behind him, crossed his legs, and wore an innocent smile!

Xiao Sheng's sudden arrival disrupted Liu Jiming's entire plan. He had intended to use this incident to firmly control several key departments of Huaxin. This way, Chen Shuyuan, the nominal chairman, would be largely marginalized. With the Kawa Group from Japan coming to Hong Kong next week to discuss cooperation and investment, his prestige would reach an unprecedented high, and replacing Chen Shuyuan was not impossible.

However, the seemingly polite words from the other side were laced with 'threats'—dividends, profit-sharing, and withdrawal of investment! At this critical moment, no shareholder wanted to see a withdrawal of investment! Liu Jiming, who had been looking at Chen Shuyuan, was struggling internally.

"What does this woman mean? Is she really going to go all out?" For Liu Jiming, this situation was absolutely unacceptable at this stage. He had finally managed to control most of Huaxin's departments, and the Kawa Group was about to come to Hong Kong. His 'spring' was just around the corner, and there could be no changes at this critical moment. Liu Jiming, unable to fathom Chen Shuyuan's intentions, chose to remain silent. However, he cast his gaze toward a few Huaxin executives in his camp, signaling them to probe Chen Shuyuan's stance.

Looking at her father's photo on the meeting table, Chen Shuyuan, seated at the head of the table, glared at Xiao Sheng a few times but then sat up straight. The tide had turned in her favor due to Xiao Sheng's sudden arrival, and it was the perfect time for her to counterattack!

She straightened the documents in her hand, refocused her gaze on everyone, and said with a faint smile:

"Let's continue. We need to have a deeper discussion about the recent events. I don't think the situation is as dire as Mr. Liu described. The sudden changes in the macro environment are unpredictable. Now, we need to discuss how to adapt to the market's impact, not focus on layoffs and replacements. Replacing generals in the middle of a battle is a great taboo. I believe all of you, the senior executives and managers, understand this better than I do." Just as Chen Shuyuan finished speaking, a middle-aged man sitting in the third position to her left immediately countered:

"Ms. Chen, what you said makes sense! However, Huaxin is currently facing a professional transformation. The executives Mr. Liu mentioned have not performed up to the expected standards in their positions. Only a highly skilled team can withstand the market's impact, I believe..."

"Pfft, bullsh*t..." Xiao Sheng, sitting behind Liu Jiming and tapping his fingers, suddenly interrupted the middle-aged man, causing everyone to turn their attention to him. The man, whose words were cut off by Xiao Sheng's outburst, turned red with anger and stammered for a while before managing to say:

"What do you mean?"

"Huh? You're asking me? Nothing much! I'm just here to observe..." Xiao Sheng's expression was exaggerated, full of surprise. But to everyone else, it was a blatant provocation. Liu Jiming, turning slowly, stared sharply at Xiao Sheng and said softly:

"If this gentleman has a different opinion, you can certainly express it. After all, you are the representative of Mr. Chen Shuguo, a shareholder. Although you don't have the right to vote, you do have the right to speak, right?" The experienced Liu Jiming was also using this to remind Xiao Sheng of something, and to bolster his own position.

But who was Xiao Sheng? His skill in taking advantage of situations was unmatched. After hearing Liu Jiming's words, Xiao Sheng sat up straight and said with a smile:

"Since Mr. Liu has spoken, I'll share my thoughts. This executive said that the reason for the layoffs is their lack of ability. I want to ask, have they only been in their positions for a few months?"

Hearing this, Chen Shuyuan immediately understood Xiao Sheng's intention and replied softly:

"They are all old hands at Huaxin and have been performing their duties for many years..."

Xiao Sheng was very satisfied with Chen Shuyuan's response. With the head of Huaxin speaking, who would dare to contradict? At least not openly.

"Oh, I see. Then when Huaxin was profitable, did you ever think about laying them off?"

"The workplace is like a battlefield, and we can't just because..."

"Of course, I understand the principle of business. We can't be swayed by emotions! As Ms. Chen mentioned, the macro environment has affected the entire real estate industry, pushing it into a downturn. Can you guarantee that the new batch of executives you bring in can change the macro environment? May I ask, which department of Huaxin do you oversee?"

"Recruitment. Under my leadership, the occupancy rate of Huaxin's malls under construction is as high as 80%, which is currently unparalleled in the industry..." The middle-aged man was proud of his achievements, but Liu Jiming, sitting to Chen Shuyuan's right, couldn't help but raise an eyebrow, thinking to himself:

"Not good, he's giving them a handle..."

Just as Liu Jiming finished his thought, Xiao Sheng nodded with a smile and replied:

"Indeed, an 80% occupancy rate is currently unparalleled. But note the word 'currently.' Two years ago, which of Huaxin's malls didn't have a 200% occupancy rate? We were waiting for tenants, and we could pick and choose. Why is it only 80% now?"

"Are you just being argumentative? The macro environment has affected..."

The middle-aged man, who had started to speak, suddenly stopped, staring wide-eyed at everyone. Xiao Sheng's smile grew, and he replied calmly:

"Yes, the macro environment has affected things. Compared to a few years ago, do you think you have done your job well? I believe that as a diligent executive like you, you have put in a lot of effort, but you still haven't met the targets. According to what you said, shouldn't you also be laid off? You mentioned that Huaxin is undergoing a transformation. As the face of Huaxin, the recruitment department should be the first to adapt, right?" Xiao Sheng's words immediately caused a stir. The seasoned executives in the room understood what he was saying, but no one had dared to voice it at this critical moment. Now, it was different. The words came from one of Liu Jiming's people, and the tone was different.

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