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Chapter 817 Miller in a sorry state, a call from Hong Kong!
Walter Riston's words had barely left his lips when the room erupted in uproar.

No one expected that today's situation would be so dramatic.

First came the sudden, urgent notice to convene a board meeting, followed by Miller's aggressive accusations, and finally, this shocking reversal.

Miller slumped to the ground, his face ashen.

He glared at Li Guowei, thinking he had completely won him over with five million dollars and subsequent empty promises.

Unexpectedly, this Chinese man, who seemed to be moved by huge profits, had been cooperating with Lin Haoran and John Reed in putting on an act from the very beginning!
That respectful and submissive demeanor, that perfectly timed disclosure of "information," were all carefully designed bait!

He opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something, but under Walter's cold gaze and the disdainful stares of the entire board of directors, he ultimately just lowered his head in dejection.

At this moment, any explanation would be futile; the recording pen was like irrefutable evidence, firmly nailing him to the pillar of shame.

“Please have some self-respect, Richard, and don’t embarrass yourself further,” Walter Riston continued when the other man remained silent for a long time.

At that moment, he was extremely angry.

After all, John Reed was his designated successor, and he had placed great hopes on John Reed over the years.

When Miller presented that evidence, he almost believed it and was extremely disappointed in John Reed.

But who could have imagined that all of this was a meticulously planned trap!

This is not only an attack on John Reid, but also a blatant provocation against Walter Riston's judgment of people, and a trampling on the authority of the Citibank board of directors!
Miller struggled to sit up, the wrinkles in his suit jacket particularly glaring, his tie hanging crookedly around his neck.

He glanced around the conference room. His former colleagues, who had once been his equals and even had to defer to him in some ways, were now all looking at him with indifference, disgust, and even a hint of schadenfreude.

He looked at his close colleagues, including Charles White, hoping they would put in a good word for him. However, the executive directors, including Charles White, avoided his gaze, as if he were some deadly plague that they wanted to get away from.

“You will all regret this…” Miller’s voice was hoarse, filled with despair at the end of the road.

His gaze finally locked onto Li Guowei, his eyes like poisoned knives, "You, you despicable..."

Although Miller has powerful backers, his loss of his executive director position means that his core power within Citigroup has been uprooted.

Faced with such an irrefutable scandal, those so-called powerful figures would never risk getting burned to protect him.

The reality is that cruel; Wall Street only respects the winners and those who still have value.

"Miller!"

Walter Riston's voice rang out again: "Watch your words! You chose this path of no return, so be prepared to bear the consequences! Now, leave immediately! Don't defile this conference room!"

His tone was completely impolite.

Clearly, Walter Riston was completely enraged.

This rebuke completely shattered Miller's last psychological defenses.

He was breathing heavily, his chest heaving.

He thought today would be the day he would completely crush John Reed and replace him as the new chairman.

Little did he know that he had already fallen into the trap carefully woven by the other party, and became the clown who was stripped of all his glory in public.

The immense psychological gap and utter failure almost suffocated him.

Finally, under the cold, scrutinizing, and even pitying gazes of everyone, Richard Miller, like a soulless shell, staggered and moved step by step toward the door.

That figure was filled with endless despair and wretchedness, forming the cruelest contrast to the accuser who, just moments before, was smug and thought victory was assured.

His carefully styled hair was now disheveled and plastered to his forehead, but he had no interest in grooming himself at the moment.

Finally, under everyone's cold gaze, he staggered towards the door like a soulless shell.

The figure in the distance was filled with despair and wretchedness, a stark contrast to the triumphant smugness of moments before.

After Richard Miller left, the conference room door closed again.

A deathly silence enveloped the room, and all eyes were fixed on John Reed and Lin Haoran, filled with shock, lingering fear, admiration, and deep awe.

Walter Riston sighed deeply, walked up to John Reed, patted him hard on the shoulder, and said in a tone full of apology and relief, "John, I'm sorry, I almost misunderstood you."

You did the right thing, very well! You upheld the dignity and order of Citibank.

He turned to Lin Haoran and said solemnly, "Mr. Lin, I must apologize for my previous doubts. Your foresight and wisdom not only protected your partners but also helped Citibank avoid a serious internal conflict."

Lin Haoran laughed and said, "These are all things I should do. Mr. Miller actually tried to bribe my representative at Citibank. This behavior has crossed the line. Business competition should be fair and square, not through such despicable means!"

At this moment, Walter turned his gaze to Li Guowei, who had been standing quietly to the side, and took the initiative to step forward: "Mr. Li, I must express my special respect to you."

Upholding principles in the face of five million dollars—this loyalty and sense of responsibility are truly moving.

Li Guowei bowed slightly with humility: "Mr. Riston, you flatter me. I have always believed that integrity is the foundation of one's character. Mr. Lin has been kind to me, and Citibank has also placed great trust in me. I must not fail to live up to this trust."

One of the directors, who had a long-standing feud with Miller, couldn't help but speak up: "Richard really brought this on himself this time, but what surprises me is that you were able to predict and resolve this crisis so perfectly."

John Reed and Lin Haoran exchanged a knowing glance, and he calmly replied, "Because we always believe that any conspiracy is no match for the truth."

These words made the board members present think deeply.

Walter surveyed the room and began, “Ladies and gentlemen, what happened today is something we should all reflect on. I hope that Citibank will not experience this kind of internal strife again in the future.”

What Citigroup needs is unity and to focus its energy on responding to market changes, rather than engaging in pointless internal strife.

He paused for a moment, his gaze sweeping over each director: "In light of the lessons learned from this incident, I propose that we immediately improve our internal oversight mechanisms."

At the same time, I also hope everyone understands that John's leadership and Mr. Lin's judgment have passed the most severe test.

A murmur of approval rippled through the conference room.

Several directors who had previously held reservations about Lin Haoran now had to re-evaluate this young Chinese investor.

He turned to John Reed and solemnly announced: "Regarding Foresight Capital, Mr. John Reed will continue to be given the maximum authority as before, and the Board will fully support his strategic decisions."

This statement undoubtedly cast the strongest vote of confidence in John Reed.

Originally, they had already planned to thoroughly investigate Foresight Capital and even considered tightening John Reed's decision-making authority.

But Miller's clumsy framing actually made Walter see John Reed's loyalty and ability, leaving the other board members speechless.

It would be unreasonable to continue investigating Foresight Capital at this point.

Although Walter Riston still did not believe Lin Haoran's statement, his trust in John Reed had reached an unprecedented level.

Moreover, this statement made the board members present realize that after this turmoil, Walter's trust in John Reed had reached a new level, and barring any unforeseen circumstances, John Reed's chances of becoming the next chairman were practically a done deal.

For Lin Haoran, Walter Riston's support for John Reed was enough.

After all, he now has a close alliance with John Reed, and the more secure John Reed's position is at Citibank, the more advantageous it is for Lin Haoran.

Lin Haoran didn't care whether John Reed would continue with his previous plan to have Foresight Capital position itself during the stock market downturn.

After all, Foresight Capital has little to do with him, and even if there are losses, it's Citibank's money.

What he really cared about was whether his alliance with John Reed, the future head of Citibank, was strong.

As long as this line continues, he will have enough influence at Citigroup and on Wall Street.

The meeting ended in a somber atmosphere.

After leaving the conference room, Lin Haoran and John Reed returned to the vice president's office.

Now that Miller has been ousted from the board, there are some things that can be said with peace of mind.

“Lin, let me get a professional to check if there are any listening devices in the office,” John Reed said.

Lin Haoran nodded.

Not long after, a young white man came into the office. He greeted John Reed and Lin Haoran respectfully, and then began to rummage through the office.

This employee was clearly very experienced in this area. He first searched the printer, the corners of the desk, the calendar, the inside corners of the drawers, the pen holder, the bottom of the desk, the plants, and other places.

None of these places have them.

Just when Lin Haoran and John Reed thought there shouldn't be any listening devices in the office, the employee didn't stop searching.

He began to examine the decorative paintings on the wall closely. When he reached the third painting, which depicted a view of Wall Street, he suddenly stopped. "Found it," he said softly, carefully removing a pen-sized device from the back of the frame.

John Reed's face instantly turned ugly: "Just as I expected."

Based on his understanding of Miller, he had already guessed that the other party might have planted a bug in his office.

Therefore, he was very cautious during this period.

Surprisingly, he actually guessed right!
“This is the latest model of transmission equipment,” the expert reported, “which can transmit conversations here in real time over a range of hundreds of meters.”

After saying that, he took out the battery from the bugging device and put it on the desk.

Lin Haoran and John Reed exchanged a glance, both seeing lingering fear in each other's eyes.

If John Reed hadn't been cautious enough, the morning's conversation would likely have been overheard by Miller or his associates.

The employee searched for a long time before leaving the office, making sure there was no second listening device.

As soon as the door closed, John Reed slammed his fist on the desk: "That Miller, he'll stop at nothing!"

Lin Haoran, on the other hand, appeared quite calm. He picked up the pen-shaped bug and examined it carefully, then said with a smile, "This shows that even if the opponent is more cunning than you imagined, they still can't escape your guesses."

"That's only because I know Miller well enough. If I didn't, I almost fell for his trick!" John Reed exclaimed.

“Mr. John, I need to ask you for a favor.” Lin Haoran changed the subject abruptly.

“Oh? Lin, please speak. You are my most trusted ally within Citibank. I will do my best to help you with anything I can.” John Reed said immediately with a serious expression.

Lin Haoran gently placed the bugging device on the table and said seriously, "The matter here at Citibank is over. If there's nothing else, I should be leaving New York soon."

Mr. Li Guowei has no connections at Citibank and has now offended Miller and his backers, so he may face retaliation. I hope you can take good care of him and ensure his safety and development at Citibank.”

Upon hearing this, John Reed immediately made a solemn promise: "Lin, please rest assured, Mr. Reed has done a great service this time. He not only upheld professional ethics, but also helped Citibank eliminate a potential threat."

I guarantee with my personal reputation that I will ensure he receives the respect and opportunities for advancement he deserves at Citibank.

He paused briefly before continuing, "In fact, I have already been considering discussing with Mr. Walter Riston the possibility of promoting Mr. Lee to a more important position. The loyalty and wisdom he demonstrated in this incident are exactly the qualities that Citibank needs most."

Lin Haoran nodded in satisfaction: "With your words, I am relieved. President Li is indeed a rare talent. I believe that under your guidance, he will definitely be able to make great strides at Citibank."

“However,” John Reed changed the subject, “you said you’re leaving New York? So soon?”

Clearly, John Reed hadn't made up his mind about future investments in Foresight Capital, and he hoped Lin Haoran would stay and help him make the final decision.

Lin Haoran noticed John Reed's hesitation and smiled, "John, I believe you will soon make your own judgment regarding Foresight Capital's investment decisions. Whether I am here or not will not change the market's direction."

Lin Haoran chuckled self-deprecatingly: "Market changes take time. I'm more likely to attract unnecessary attention here. As you know, my reputation in the US isn't that good these days. Everyone wants to criticize me to the point of being incomparable."

Rather than becoming the target of public criticism here, it's better to leave temporarily and let the market speak for itself. Besides, there are still many matters to attend to in Hong Kong.

He knows all too well how many American media outlets want to interview him, hoping to extract more "absurd remarks" from him so they can continue their relentless ridicule.

John Reed sighed understandingly: "The way these media outlets act is truly disgusting. They don't understand investing at all; they just follow the crowd and hype things up."

"That's the rule of the game on Wall Street." Lin Haoran waved his hand dismissively. "When they can't understand your judgment, the best way is to use ridicule to cover up their ignorance."

He walked to the window and looked at the Manhattan skyline: "As for you, Mr. John, relying too much on the judgment of others will only affect your own decision-making ability. You have already proven your ability at Citibank. You should trust your own judgment instead of letting me, an outsider, make decisions for you."

John Reed paused for a moment, then nodded and said, “You’re right. I’ve never been an indecisive person, but for some reason, since I met you, I’ve found myself becoming somewhat reliant on your judgment.”

He chuckled self-deprecatingly, "That's definitely not my style."

Lin Haoran patted him on the shoulder understandingly: "This shows that you are a wise leader who knows how to listen to professional advice at critical moments, but now it's time to show your ability to make independent decisions."

“I understand,” John Reed nodded solemnly.

After chatting with John Reed in his office for nearly half an hour, Lin Haoran said goodbye to him.

However, he did not rush to leave Citibank headquarters, but went to Li Guowei's office instead.

In Li Guowei's office, Lin Haoran had a long talk with his subordinate.

After all, he didn't know when he would come to the United States again.

Li Guowei's presence at Citibank represents his interests there, and his importance is self-evident.

“Mr. Reed,” Lin Haoran said solemnly, “after I leave, every move you make at Citibank will represent my position. Remember, you must maintain close cooperation with John Reed, but also maintain relative independence.”

Li Guowei listened attentively and nodded, saying, "Don't worry, boss. I know my limits. Mr. John is a trustworthy partner, but I will always maintain a clear judgment. Also, rest assured, I will always be loyal to you and will never betray your trust."

Lin Haoran nodded with satisfaction: "I have never doubted this. You were able to stick to your principles even in the face of five million dollars. Your loyalty needs no further proof."

He stood up and paced around the office: "But I must remind you, on Wall Street, sometimes loyalty requires wisdom. The environment here is more complex than in Hong Kong. You need to learn to protect yourself in this complex environment, as there are traps everywhere!"

“Boss, I will definitely not let you down. By the way, boss, are you planning to go back to Hong Kong?” Li Guowei asked.

“You know I have this plan. I’m currently in the United States, at the center of a media storm.” Lin Haoran smiled helplessly. “Those media outlets are just waiting for me to make new ‘absurd remarks’ so they can continue their frenzy.”

He walked to the window and looked at the endless stream of cars below: "Instead of becoming the target of everyone's criticism here, it's better to take a step back for now and wait for the market to speak with facts, then they will naturally shut up."

As the city lights begin to twinkle, New York City is gradually enveloped in darkness.

“Boss, I just learned from the marketing department that the US stock index surged 3.6% today, marking the biggest single-day gain this month,” Li Guowei added with a grave expression. “The media is now making a laughing stock of you.”

Lin Haoran, however, didn't care at all. Instead, he revealed a meaningful smile: "Let them laugh. The crazier the market is, the closer it is to the turning point. The higher it rises, the more it will fall in the future."

To be honest, the US stock market has been indirectly changed because of him, with stock prices rising significantly compared to another world.

But he also believed that, despite this, the trend was irreversible, and the more it rose now, the more it would fall in the future.

Li Guowei didn't understand why his boss was so confident in his theory, but since he wasn't in charge of the investment, he had no right to question it. He simply said respectfully, "Boss, you have great foresight, and I naturally trust you."

“Lin, there are a lot of reporters downstairs. If you don’t want to be interviewed, you’d better be careful. When you leave, you can take our private elevator to the parking garage. They were all stopped by our security guards in the lobby on the first floor.” At this moment, John Reed came in from outside and reminded Lin Haoran.

Lin Haoran nodded: "Thank you for the reminder. I really should go now, Mr. Li. Remember what I told you."

"Don't worry, boss," Li Guowei replied solemnly.

John Reed personally accompanied Lin Haoran to the private elevator, whispering along the way, "Lin, although the board of directors has expressed its support, Miller has been operating in Citibank for many years, and his backing will not disappear. You must be careful after you return to Hong Kong."

"I understand," Lin Haoran nodded.

Back in Hong Kong, he wasn't afraid of Miller; that was his base of operations, and he wasn't worried about anyone's security. His only fear was that Miller might try some dirty tricks on Li Guowei in the United States to annoy him.

The elevator went directly to the underground parking garage, where Li Weidong's Lincoln was already waiting.

"Have a safe journey." John Reed shook hands with Lin Haoran to say goodbye. "I hope you can return to New York soon after this storm has passed."

"Definitely," Lin Haoran nodded in response.

As the car drove out of the garage, Lin Haoran took one last look at the Citibank Building.

Next, barring any unforeseen circumstances, he should leave New York City.

Although his trip to New York was brief, it changed the power structure within Citigroup and laid a solid foundation for his future development on Wall Street.

Looking towards the main entrance on the first floor of the Citibank Building, Lin Haoran indeed saw a large number of reporters gathered at the entrance.

They held up cameras and recording equipment, eager to interview this Chinese investor who had recently caused a huge stir on Wall Street.

The car returned to the Marriott Hotel next door in half a minute.

Back in her room, Guo Xiaohan was lounging on the sofa, flipping through books on investment.

Hearing the door open, she immediately put down her book and stood up, her eyes beaming with joy: "Brother Haoran, you're back!"

"Just finished a meeting with Citibank." Lin Haoran draped his suit jacket over the hanger and loosened his tie. "Today's board meeting was even more exciting than I expected."

He went to the minibar and poured himself a glass of water. Guo Xiaohan suddenly remembered something: "Oh, right, Mr. Su from Huanyu Investment Company called half an hour ago, saying that Mr. Cui is looking for you from Hong Kong, it seems to be urgent."

"Cui Zilong?" Lin Haoran paused slightly.

This capable aide, who was in charge of Oriental Media Group and intelligence network, was known for his prudent approach and would generally not be bothered unless it was something important.

He immediately picked up the room phone and quickly dialed a Hong Kong number.

(End of this chapter)