MWC – Chapter 176 Human Relationships

I AM DROPPING THIS NOVEL. IF ANYONE WANTS TO CONTINUE THEY CAN. IF POSSIBLE PLEASE SHARE THE LINK SO I CAN BINGE READ TOO.

The 2nd suite on the top floor of the Newscat Grand Hotel was very lively. The long banquet table in the hall was filled with an abundance of drinks and food. Someone was playing the harmonica, and men and women were dancing happily to a rhythm resembling tango.

The hearing earlier this morning had gone smoothly. Lu Ming had specifically given all accompanying personnel half a day off to relax and enjoy themselves.

In Suite 1, however, it was very quiet.

Lu Ming was in the study, flipping through several project plans for the groups under his management. Among them was a draft for the overall transfer of the Renault Tower project.

For the Renault Group, which wasn’t doing very well, getting rid of this heavy burden could be seen as a desperate move for survival.

Lu Ming gazed at the proposal, lost in thought.

There was a soft knock on the door. “Boss, Mayor Bucklow’s on the phone. Do you want to take it?”

Lu Ming thought for a moment. “Transfer it over.”

A few seconds later, the phone rang, and Lu Ming picked up the receiver.

“Brother Qianxing, I haven’t seen you around for a few days. Haha, I’ve tried several times to pass by your office, hoping to chat, but I just can’t catch you,” said Bucklow, fluent in the Central Region dialect. Although this was a basic requirement for politicians in Donghai, his tone was nearly indistinguishable from that of a native Central Region speaker. He even used some local slang more skillfully than Lu Ming.

Lu Ming chuckled. “I’ve been busy with a case recently.”

“Oh, I’ve heard about it. It’s the case of Zheng Zhongshi, the horse trainer, right?”

Lu Ming smiled. “Yes.”

“Ah, that person is truly unbelievable. No matter what, he shouldn’t be doing things like kidnapping!”

Lu Ming remained silent, waiting for him to continue. When someone brings up a case like this over the phone, it’s usually not without reason.

Bucklow sighed lightly. “I’m just helpless, you know. You say, the old count, Vander Saar, has assigned me something, and I still have to discuss it with you. Of course, Qianxing, no matter how you want to handle it, I’ll definitely be on your side, on the side of the law! Right?”

Lu Ming smiled but didn’t respond.

“However, speaking of which, for a case like this, from a legal standpoint, there should still be room for reconciliation, right? As long as the compensation is right, we can drop the lawsuit, right?”

“Hmm, that possibility can’t be ruled out,” Lu Ming smiled. “However, if he’s convicted criminally, my client can still file a civil lawsuit and receive a significant amount of compensation.”

“Oh, I don’t really understand those things. But it seems that Zheng Zhongshi over there is saying that as long as your client is willing to drop the lawsuit and give a number, he’ll meet it. Haha, I’m just helpless. I’m delivering a message for old Count Vander Saar. You handle things as you see fit, okay?”

Lu Ming hung up the phone and casually picked up a nearby newspaper.

Just earlier, he had seen a report on the Vander Saar family in this very newspaper.

In Donghai, there are very few counts left. Apart from the three count titles in the duke family system, there are only two count titles that can still be inherited, one of which is the Count of Nansunberg, a title passed down through the Vander Saar family.

Nansunberg is currently one of the satellite towns in Donghai, but originally, all the land in Nansunberg belonged to the Vander Saar family. During the great reclamation period, however, the Vander Saar family gave up most of the land.

At present, the Vander Saar family still owns a manor with more than 20,000 acres of land.

The family is rather traditional, having never ventured into the industrial or commercial fields. They live in their manor castle in the traditional territory of Nansunberg. Apart from the farmland, the only modern industries they have are an oil mill, a flour mill, and a bakery.

However, the bakery, commonly known as the “Old Count’s Bread,” is quite famous, with excellent sales.

Furthermore, many of the younger generation of the Vander Saar family are restless. For instance, the old count’s grandson is a famous playboy, frequently making headlines in gossip newspapers.

As for the old count himself, he has lived in Nansunberg since childhood, and if it weren’t for horse racing, it would be hard for people to even catch a glimpse of him.

His only pleasure seems to be horse racing.

His prized horse, “Old Jim Warrior,” has won the title of King of Horses for two consecutive years, and last year it won three first-class race championships.

The old count’s name is Jim Vander Saar, and the horse’s name is derived from his own.

The trainer for “Old Jim Warrior” is naturally Zheng Zhongshi, and the horse is also kept in Zheng Zhongshi’s stables.

However, Zheng Zhongshi, who is known to mingle in high society, surely frequents the Vander Saar family’s Nansunberg estate.

But in the eyes of the count family, he is still nothing more than a stableman.

Now, with such a big incident on his hands, the old count reluctantly made an effort to speak with Bucklow, despite his discomfort.

As Lu Ming was pondering this, the door to the study was gently knocked. “Boss, a horse trainer named Zheng Zhongshi is on the line. He wants to schedule a visit. He says Mayor Bucklow recommended him.”

“Tell him I’m unavailable,” Lu Ming waved his hand irritably.

He certainly wouldn’t extend any favors to Bucklow.

If he did, it wouldn’t ease his relationship with him in the slightest, and it would only unnecessarily give Bucklow a big favor in front of the count family.

After a moment’s thought, he added, “Tell Bi Xiaoting to come in.”

Soon, Bi Xiaoting stood in front of Lu Ming’s desk, her hands lightly clasped and naturally hanging at her abdomen. Her red dress and slender figure slightly leaned forward, embodying a humble yet elegant posture as a secretary.

Lu Ming made a gesture with his hand. “Sit down. There’s no need to be so formal. I’m meeting with you today, not as your boss, but in my role as your lawyer.”

“Understood,” Bi Xiaoting responded, turning around to sit on the low sofa. Her legs, covered in stockings, slightly tilted towards her boss’s direction, and her hands rested on her knees, still maintaining a sense of propriety.

Lu Ming smiled slightly, then thought for a moment and said, “Here’s the thing: the other party has proposed the possibility of a settlement.”

Bi Xiaoting immediately shook her head. “I don’t want a settlement.” She was sharp-minded and knew that her boss intended to punish the other party. This was something beyond her authority to decide.

Lu Ming smiled. “Let me finish. The other side might propose a very substantial settlement offer. Though we could proceed with a civil lawsuit, the compensation would probably only be in the few thousand yuan range. But their settlement offer could be tens of thousands.”

Bi Xiaoting froze, a trace of hesitation flashing in her eyes, but she still said, “Boss, I don’t want a settlement.”

Lu Ming waved his hand. “I told you, right now don’t think of me as your boss or your employer. I’m just your lawyer. Since the other side has offered a large settlement, I need to ask for your opinion. Your opinion matters most. I’m being serious.”

Bi Xiaoting shook her head. “I won’t settle!”

Lu Ming looked at her. “What if they offer 100,000 yuan in compensation?”

“And if it’s 200,000?”

Bi Xiaoting was stunned. Could that be possible? Her head buzzed, and her breathing became a little faster. After a long pause, she steadied herself. “I… I won’t settle…”

Lu Ming nodded. It was clear that a compensation amount of 100,000 yuan would be a substantial sum for anyone. For Bi Xiaoting, although she earned a good salary here and belonged to the real white-collar class, her annual income was around 2,000 yuan. 100,000 yuan would be the equivalent of 50 years of income without eating or drinking. Who wouldn’t be tempted?

Yet, she managed to stay clear-headed and stick to her decision, aligning with her boss’s stance, which was already difficult enough.

Lu Ming thoughtfully said, “The truth is, you haven’t suffered any substantial harm. So, if they come up with a reasonable figure and agree to some reasonable conditions, as your lawyer, I think accepting the settlement would be in your best interest. You should really think this through.”

Bi Xiaoting shook her head vigorously. “Boss, I don’t agree to a settlement!”

In reality, she was likely already a bit mentally exhausted, trying not to think about the astronomical compensation she could get from a settlement. Otherwise, she was afraid she wouldn’t be able to withstand her boss’s test.

Lu Ming sighed. “Alright, here’s the deal. I’ll propose a good amount along with some conditions. If they agree, we’ll drop the lawsuit. This really serves your best interests. For example, I’m thinking the compensation on your side would be between 200,000 and 300,000 yuan. Additionally, the horses at the Fifteen Tai stables would require compensation of around 100,000 yuan. As for Zheng Zhongshi’s stables, I’ll propose conditions for a change of ownership. I think that would be a fair punishment.”

If calculated, Zheng Zhongshi might have to sell his house and land—he’d be wiped out, losing everything, including his stables. Actually, it was unlikely that Zheng Zhongshi would agree.

Bi Xiaoting stole a glance at Lu Ming’s expression, and after confirming that he wasn’t testing her, she reflected on his words. Suddenly, she stared blankly and muttered, “200,000? 300,000?”

Lu Ming smiled. “Alright, you can go now. If you really don’t want to settle, feel free to come back and talk to me again.”

Bi Xiaoting was still in a daze, her mind completely overloaded by the sudden prospect of becoming a millionaire.

Lu Ming shook his head as the phone suddenly rang.

The secretary had directly forwarded the call to him, something only a few people had the privilege of. Lu Ming picked up the receiver.

Bi Xiaoting, still stunned, quickly stood up, bowed deeply, and exited the room, gently closing the door behind her at Lu Ming’s gesture.

“Uncle Jim, someone asked me how to get in touch with you. What did you do to upset that stubborn old man? He seems really angry?” came the voice of Kristin, sounding amused.

Lu Ming cleared his throat. “Nothing much. It’s unrelated to Earl Vandessa. It’s his usual horse trainer. He had one of my secretaries kidnapped.”

“Oh?” Kristin probably furrowed her brow on the other end. “Alright, in that case, I’ll tell Uncle Jim to leave it alone. You should handle things your way.”

“Don’t…” Lu Ming coughed again. “Actually, my client wants to settle. If the other side offers a reasonable amount, I think it would be in my client’s best interest. So, I plan to discuss it with them. You can tell Earl Vandessa I’m open to a candid discussion with his trainer, but if they don’t show sincerity, I can’t convince my client to settle.”

“Another attempt to shake down someone…” Kristin said disdainfully. Then, she added, “Ah, I guess I owe you an apology again.”

Lu Ming chuckled. “Seems like your attention on me has been a bit lacking. I thought you might follow my private lawsuit case, especially since it’s already gone through the grand jury hearing, and all the related documents are available to you.”

Since New Year’s, it had been a month, and he hadn’t seen Kristin yet. Even their weekly dinners had been cancelled.

“You haven’t been causing any trouble recently, so why should I pay attention to you?” Kristin paused for a moment before her tone softened. “I’ve just been really busy lately.”

Lu Ming thought for a moment, and refrained from congratulating her on becoming a candidate for Crown Prince. Those polite remarks might have tired her out. The ongoing struggle for the throne had likely dragged her into it, and from what he knew, she wasn’t particularly fond of such things.

“Well, then I’ll reply to Uncle Jim as you said,” Kristin said.

Lu Ming hummed in agreement and casually remarked, “How did Earl Vandessa think of asking you about me?”

Kristin snorted. “Are you pretending to be clueless?”

“Ah?” Lu Ming was surprised. “My scandal with you? Even Earl Vandessa, that horse fanatic, knows about it? That must have had a big impact on you. Are you alright? Do you want me to do something?”

When Lu Ming mentioned the first part, Kristin’s tone turned sharp. “What scandal? How are you talking?” But after he finished speaking, she paused for a while and then said, “I’m fine. What about you?”

“I’m obviously fine. Actually, I feel kind of lucky. A lot of people have started to fear me…” Lu Ming let out a dry laugh.

“You…” Kristin seemed genuinely speechless, both annoyed and amused. “Alright, that’s enough. Let’s plan to meet up for dinner some other time.”

Lu Ming smiled. “Sure. You mentioning dinner reminds me, I actually used the same excuse to get rid of a police academy instructor yesterday.”

On the other end of the line, Kristin clicked her tongue, and then the phone line was filled with the busy signal.