Reborn, back to a small county town to become a wealthy family

Chapter 763 Controlling the CFO
The place for dinner was booked by Dong Xuan. When Luo Yang arrived, she and Zhou Nanjiang were already chatting in the private room.

Upon meeting, they naturally first introduced themselves to each other, followed by a brief exchange of pleasantries.

"If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, who would believe that a CEO with a net worth of tens of billions would be so young?"

Zhou Nanjiang remarked with emotion, "Especially just now, after hearing Dong Xing say that President Luo is a self-made entrepreneur, it's truly remarkable how Shanghai is a city that creates miracles."

“There are many more seniors in Shanghai who are more capable than me.”

Luo Yang smiled modestly and said, "Many big shots are keeping a low profile, which gives us young people the opportunity to shine."

After he finished speaking, he handed a cigarette to Zhou Nanjiang.

"Mr. Zhou, the real estate market is doing quite well right now. To be honest, it's a bit of a waste of time for someone as talented as you to be stuck in a struggling development company."

The purpose of my visit today is very clear, and I'm sure Zhou Nanjiang himself knows it too.

So after exchanging pleasantries, Luo Yang got straight to the point: "You know, the real estate industry is becoming increasingly younger. Right now, you can still see project managers in their forties, but in just a few years, there will be project managers in their thirties everywhere, and city managers and district managers under forty."

This CFO is already starting to go bald and looks to be in his mid-thirties.

According to Luo Yang, if he stays at Zhaohe Real Estate's Shanghai branch for a few more years, it will be difficult for him to switch jobs later.

He wasn't trying to scare Zhou Nanjiang. The real estate industry is indeed becoming younger. In four or five years, during the last wave of large-scale development, there will be plenty of projects in their early thirties. Cities in their thirties are never considered young.

After the age of forty, unless you are truly famous in the industry and can be headhunted by a headhunting company, it will be extremely difficult to switch jobs and change companies on your own.

"I didn't expect Mr. Luo to know so much about the real estate industry."

After listening to Luo Yang's words, Zhou Nanjiang's face also looked somewhat dejected: "I also want to change companies as soon as possible, but although the project here has stopped, there is still a lot of work to be done in the finance department. As the financial director, I can't leave even if I want to for the time being."

This statement is half true and half false.

If you have nothing to lose, you can leave whenever you want; the only problem is that you won't get N+1 compensation.

The worst fear is that the company has leverage over him, trapping him in his current position so he can't leave even if he wants to.

This situation is common in the real estate industry. Before a branch manager leaves, his subordinates cannot simply leave.

If you want to leave your job, you have to clean up your mess first.

Otherwise, if we leave a loose end, it could eventually implicate higher-ups, which would cause problems.

Especially in the finance department, the departure of a director requires an audit. Zhou Nanjiang's desire to extricate himself may also be related to the branch general manager, Lü Ruicheng.

"Is it General Manager Lü who's insisting on keeping up?"

Luo Yang, who was familiar with this set of rules, pointed out incisively: "Your project should have been profitable, but now it has become a failed project. Although the headquarters withdrew funds, the branch office is definitely also responsible because General Manager Lü can't leave now, so Director Zhou can't leave either, right?"

Zhou Nanjiang's expression changed instantly.

He looked at Dong Xuan uneasily.

I didn't expect the dinner party to get so intense before it even started. Dong Xuan, who invited him, didn't even tell me beforehand.
"I heard that your CEO Lü really likes going to Macau?"

Luo Yang continued, "I'm sure Director Zhou has heard about it, hasn't he?"

"What does Mr. Luo mean?"

Zhou Nanjiang, as if his hair had been bristled, looked at Luo Yang with a stern face; "How would I, as a subordinate, know about President Lü's personal hobbies?"

"Your branch owes a total of over 3 billion yuan in loans to three banks."

Luo Yang replied with a smile, "Now that the project is abandoned and the loans have become non-performing assets, they can't conduct an audit, right?"

After saying that, he looked at Dong Xuan and asked, "Dong Xing, don't you think so?"

"Yes, the three banks are currently coordinating internally to reach a consensus."

Dong Xuan replied in agreement, "First, we need to apply for asset preservation, then check the accounts, clarify the loan details, and finally request a judicial auction of the project to recover the losses."

"Tsk, it's going to be auctioned off!"

Luo Yang clicked his tongue and looked at Zhou Nanjiang: "Director Zhou, this project is already a wrecked ship riddled with holes. You're not planning to sink with it, are you?"

Zhou Nanjiang: "."

Although he didn't speak, the hand holding the cigarette was already trembling slightly.

Even if Luo Yang didn't say it, he already knew what was going on.

However, tonight someone exposed the truth directly, laid it on the table, and confirmed it by bank leaders, thus thwarting the plan.

"To tell you the truth, I've got my eye on your abandoned project."

The timing and circumstances were about right, so Luo Yang changed the subject, saying, "When making the acquisition, we'll definitely want to lower the price. I wonder if we could work with Director Zhou to devise a win-win solution?"

Zhou Nanjiang was stunned.

He looked at Luo Yang with a puzzled expression: "President Luo, I'm just a finance director of a branch office. If you want to acquire this project, the negotiating partners are either President Lü or people sent by the head office, or the banks. How can I help?"

"Leaving aside your company headquarters for now, the acquisition negotiations will definitely involve the branch office general manager."

Luo Yang smiled and replied, "I heard that Lü Ruicheng is a heavy gambler and has lost a lot of money in Macau?"

This is the second time this hint has been mentioned tonight.

During the first viewing, Zhou Nanjiang had a slight stress reaction.

This time, he fell into deep thought.

"I have some connections in the Shanghai real estate circle."

"After giving a blow, you have to offer a sweet treat," Luo Yang said with a smile. "If President Zhou doesn't have a plan for his next stop, I can help recommend someone."

Zhou Nanjiang raised his head, his gaze fixed on Luo Yang's expression.

He was judging the veracity of that statement.

After all, it was just empty talk; if Luo Yang denied it later, there was nothing he could do.

"in addition."

Luo Yang picked up the handbag he had brought in, unzipped it, and took out a cash check: "The recommendation will definitely have to wait until I complete the acquisition, so I won't let Director Zhou accept a worthless check. Here is 200 million. It depends on whether Director Zhou is willing to work with me to achieve a win-win situation." After speaking, he gently pushed the check on the table in front of Zhou Nanjiang.

As the CFO of a real estate company, I can tell the authenticity of a cash check at a glance.

Zhou Nanjiang's breathing suddenly became heavy.

“Director Zhou, our three banks are definitely on President Luo’s side, since he is willing to acquire this project and assume the debt of over 3 billion yuan and the interest generated by the debt.”

Dong Xuan added the final straw: "Whether you stand on the opposite side of us or become our friend and collaborator, it all depends on Director Zhou's decision tonight."

"By inflating the bid prices for multiple projects, raising the procurement prices of various materials, and creating fictitious development sub-projects, Lü Ruicheng illegally collected and profited more than 37 million yuan from this project."

Less than half a minute after Dong Xuan finished speaking, Zhou Nanjiang finally spoke.

"I suppose Director Zhou has some backup plans, right?"

"The evidence I have only involves a little over 15 million. The rest are private transactions between Lü Ruicheng and the contractors and material suppliers, which are very likely all cash transactions, and there are no traces on the financial side."

Once you start talking, you can't stop.

Zhou Nanjiang continued, "But I think we can try to contact the contractors and material suppliers. Most of them have only received about 50% of the payment so far. Now that the project is stalled, they must be extremely anxious. If there is a way to recover their losses, even if it's not all of them, I believe they would be willing to provide evidence to accuse Lü Ruicheng."

"Director Zhou, you're on the right track!"

Luo Yang patted him on the shoulder with a smile: "However, we are only negotiating with Lü Ruicheng. We are not going to fight to the death. There is no benefit in that."

If Lü Ruicheng is removed from office, Zhaohe headquarters will simply replace him.

Negotiations must continue.

Luo Yang's goal was to control Lü Ruicheng, gain the upper hand in negotiations with him, and then use him to communicate with headquarters.

This is what a win-win situation is.

Zhou Nanjiang's expression changed several times.

He betrayed his direct superior, and the two were bound to become enemies, but Luo Yang wouldn't let General Manager Lü Ruicheng fall from grace.

This taste.
While feeling resentful, a glance at the cash check on the table in front of him, coupled with the promise of follow-up arrangements made by Luo Yang, calmed him down considerably.

So be it, we've already gotten the benefits.

With that thought, Zhou Nanjiang immediately stopped worrying.

"Dong Xing, go ask them why the food hasn't been served yet."

The matter has been settled, and naturally, everyone is happy with the outcome; the feast can begin.

Dong Xuan immediately stood up, walked out of the private room to give instructions, and said that the dishes could be served.

Zhou Nanjiang also quickly and carefully put away the cash checks.

"I heard from Dong Xing that Mr. Luo is in the manufacturing industry, but I didn't expect him to be so familiar with the real estate industry as well?"

Although Luo Yang didn't directly use real estate jargon in his words, it was clear that he was very familiar with the internal operating rules of the real estate industry.

"I have several friends who are CEOs of real estate companies. The more I get to know them, the deeper my understanding becomes."

Luo Yang didn't offer much explanation, attributing everything to his friend's explanation.

As Zhou Nanjiang chatted with Luo Yang, he lit a cigarette for him: "What President Luo said before was absolutely right. It was a perfectly good project, and I really can't understand how it ended up being a complete failure. To say that the headquarters withdrew funds, it wasn't actually more than a few hundred million. In reality, Lu Ruicheng's stubbornness and self-will were the main reasons."

Just as he began to ramble on about the project, the door to the private room was pushed open.

Dong Xuan walked at the front, with a beautiful woman in a cheongsam beside her.

The beautiful woman was followed by two waiters pushing a food cart, clearly there to serve the food.

"Mr. Luo, Mr. Zhou, Ms. Dong, I am Zheng Xinyan, the supervisor here."

When the woman in the cheongsam greeted us, the waiter brought a large plate with a silver lid to the table.

"Please, our three distinguished guests, enjoy this appetizer."

As Zheng Xinyan spoke, she lifted the silver lid of the first dish, and white steam immediately rose up, dissipating after a moment to reveal a white jade plate covered with ice.

"Almas caviar with Persian saffron crisps. This batch of caviar is made from 20-year-old Beruga sturgeon caviar and was just airlifted from the Caspian Sea this morning."

"Oh?"

Luo Yang was also seeing such exquisite dishes for the first time. After exclaiming in surprise, he picked up a spoon first.

The black pearl-like caviar bursts on the tongue, while the salty freshness of the ocean and the rich aroma of saffron intertwine in the mouth.

"Not bad, not bad, you should all try some."

Luo Yang enthusiastically gestured for Zhou Nanjiang to enjoy the delicious food.

Everyone was in a good mood, which made the delicious food even more irresistible.

The second course was sous-vide Ise lobster with black truffle sauce.

The whole lobster is curled up in a blue and white porcelain plate, its shell glistening from being soaked in butter, and the sauce on top is all amber in color.

"Mr. Luo, these lobsters were caught this afternoon in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan; they've been out of the water for less than seven hours."

As Zheng Xinyan spoke, she gently sliced ​​open the shrimp with a silver knife: "The sauce is made with eight-year-old Italian balsamic vinegar to reduce the sauce, and we also added grated Siberian truffles to enhance the flavor."

The third dish was bluefin tuna belly sashimi.

Fourth and fifth
When the last crystal iced dish was served, Zhou Nanjiang couldn't help but hold his breath.

The bird's nest in the cup is as smooth as solidified cream, paired with cherries shaped like agate, it's simply a work of art, making one reluctant to pick up their chopsticks.

"This is a true master."

Zhou Nanjiang's little schemes vanished at that moment.

(End of this chapter)