MWC – Chapter 62 The Beginning of a Group

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

In the following days, the prosecution team was busy conducting further case analysis. Most of the time, Lu Ming did not express his opinions but listened attentively. To be honest, the power of a legal team can never be compared to fighting alone. Three ordinary people working together can outperform a master strategist, let alone when these are all elite individuals. There was always someone’s opinion or proposal that could be enlightening.

Taking a break from his busy schedule, Lu Ming held a “Group Senior Management Meeting” in room 408 of the Wind Bao Club.

The so-called senior management group currently consisted of four people including Lu Ming. The other three were his personal assistant and Vice President of Huaxia Technology, Pamela, who was also the Chief Operating Officer of Huaxia Garments; Wang Peipei, Chief Operating Officer of Huaxia Technology; and Deng Bo, Editor-in-Chief of “New Life,” Deng Jiadong.

Of course, Deng Bo was scheduled to arrive an hour and a half later. By the time he arrived, all sensitive company matters had already been discussed.

This included the development status of Huaxia Garments and the progress of the investment in Trimac Airlines.

“You two, as readers, please give your opinions on the direction of this magazine. Speak freely; don’t worry about Deng Bo or me not liking it!” Lu Ming said with a smile to Pamela and Wang Peipei. “You powerful women are also our magazine’s target audience.”

Wang Peipei smiled without saying a word. The more she interacted with her young boss, the more she admired him. Many of his ideas were inspiring.

Pamela, with her green eyes and meticulously groomed long eyelashes, curiously flipped through the sample of the first issue of “New Life.”

It wasn’t a printed copy but two handwritten manuscripts that resembled magazine instructions. Besides the articles, most of the content was detailed explanations of the magazine, including where illustrations would go, why they were there, what colors the pages would use, and why.

Lu Ming smiled at her, “If you have any opinions, speak up. Don’t hold back.” He then looked at Deng Bo, “Deng Bo, if they have any questions, please explain.”

“Alright…” Deng Bo rubbed his hands, feeling a bit restrained, a clear change from the proud literary man he was when he first met Lu Ming.

He hadn’t expected the young Mr. Lu to still hire him as the editor-in-chief of the new magazine. As for the position of president, it seemed Mr. Lu was temporarily assuming that role himself. The development directions Mr. Lu discussed were refreshing.

But what was most shocking was Mr. Lu’s positioning of the magazine’s content. First, it would be in full color, which meant high printing costs. The content, as Mr. Lu described, would be “bourgeoisie.” After Mr. Lu’s detailed explanation, it became clear that it mainly meant publishing motivational articles. Even the advertisements would be high-quality soft ads. Mr. Lu even wrote two motivational articles himself, which was simply impressive.

Additionally, there was a serialized novella about a career woman. Mr. Lu wrote the outline and detailed plans for the first few issues. The power struggles and romantic entanglements with several outstanding men were incredibly exciting. However, Mr. Lu wanted to find a ghostwriter to complete the content, which was somewhat regrettable. If Mr. Lu wrote it himself, this so-called “great female lead story” would be exceptionally brilliant.

Even he was eager to see the finished product. Independent women and housewives alike would find it inspiring and exciting. The insights into women’s independence were thought-provoking.

Unfortunately, Mr. Lu wasn’t interested in the literary world. Otherwise, he would surely have a place in the best-seller market.

The first installment of the serialized novella had already been written by a ghostwriter. He wasn’t very satisfied with it, but it would have to do for now.

According to Mr. Lu’s detailed plans, each issue could be seen as an independent story, which was innovative and nicely compensated for the weaknesses of serialized novels.

Now, it was time for a small test. Mr. Lu was having close acquaintances read it. If it was feasible, they would print a few dozen finished copies to see how the wider audience reacted. The printing quality of the magazine would also be tested, which would be a medium-level test. The final large-scale printing and distribution would be the ultimate test.

Although the major ideas were Mr. Lu’s, the layout, illustrations, and most of the article selections were his work. He was unsure whether the target female readers would like it.

Deng Bo felt anxious, like he was taking an exam.

“Ah, who is this ‘Xiameng Bai’? Two short articles and a serialized piece are all by this person. They’re really well-written!” Pamela exclaimed, suddenly looking suspiciously at Lu Ming. “Why does it feel like your usual reasoning style?”

The two motivational articles indeed resembled the thought processes Lu Ming displayed when telling stories to Bess. Pamela, who spent the most time with Lu Ming, immediately grew suspicious.

Lu Ming coughed, “Look at something else.”

“This article introduces Buyun Shoes, right? Mentioning those nylon buckle shoes several times makes me want to find and buy a pair!” Pamela smiled.

Lu Ming smiled, “Yes.” That was an emotionally driven travel article, full of sentimental musings, but many women should like such articles.

On the other side, Wang Peipei had initially picked up the sample to casually browse. For wealthy people, playing with magazines was a fashion trend, and it seemed her young boss was not immune.

But as she read more, her expression became serious. She nodded occasionally, realizing that if it were actually published, she would definitely buy a copy. This was just a handwritten sample, without the temptation of a beautifully printed cover.

Lu Ming smiled again, “This magazine is expected to be a niche women’s magazine, but we want to cultivate loyal readers. We want women who buy this magazine to feel that their taste and opinions are at the forefront of the era, making them feel like trendsetters.”

“In addition, we also want to run a mainstream newspaper, but that will come later. We’ll wait until our magazine is well-established.”

Deng Bo was stunned by the new boss’s ambition.

Wang Peipei then smiled, “Deng Bo, this magazine is very good. I have some opinions, but I’ll keep them to myself. There’s no perfect magazine or newspaper. What I like, others may not. But overall, I’m very excited. I didn’t expect you to understand independent women so well…” She didn’t finish her sentence, marveling at how an older gentleman like Deng Bo could grasp the mindset of independent women so adeptly. Truly a seasoned media professional.

Deng Bo smiled, “You flatter me. The direction of this sample is mainly Mr. Lu’s idea.”

Wang Peipei was surprised and glanced at Lu Ming. She then shook her head. He was simply a genius. People who could inspire admiration to this extent were usually not normal but rather madmen or eccentrics. Her new boss was almost at that stage.

Lu Ming, unaware that he was now seen as a “weirdo,” suddenly felt that an idea was not quite right and started discussing it with Deng Bo again.

Wang Peipei listened on the side, rolling her eyes, and even had the illusion that her boss might actually be a woman, now a transgender man.

After nearly two hours of discussion, Deng Bo took his leave. Wang Peipei, seeing that she had nothing more to do, also got up and smiled, “Boss, I need to check on Trimac.”

Lu Ming nodded slightly, and soon, the meeting room was left with only him and Pamela.

The next group to meet with Lu Ming consisted of three people: Rodman, Gao Tian, and You Aoli.

They were three key figures in Lu Ming’s planned Tang Dynasty Pharmaceuticals.

He had too many enterprises. If they all bore the “Huaxia” name, it would be too conspicuous. Hence, the pharmaceutical company was registered as “Tang Dynasty.”

You Aoli was the Western girl Lu Ming had met at Alice Royal Polytechnic. Now, she was helping Lu Ming with the patent application and factory setup for the first-generation contraceptive pill “Ainod.” She was very diligent, as the orders from the child prodigy Alice were like imperial edicts to her.

Gao Tian was Lu Ming’s choice for Chief Operating Officer of Tang Dynasty Pharmaceuticals. He was a calm man in his forties, with a bit of a reputation in the pharmaceutical industry. After a falling out with his previous employer, he was currently unemployed. He had been one of You Aoli’s professors during her university days and was introduced to Lu Ming by her. However, it seemed the teacher and student hadn’t been in contact for a long time, as Gao Tian didn’t know who You Aoli was currently following.

Rodman had appeared as the representative lawyer for the son of the Purchasing Manager of Lingwei Motors during the dispute between Xingwang Industries and Lingwei Motors. This seemingly arrogant Western lawyer was actually a bit of a comedian. After being disciplined and guided by Lu Ming, he became a loyal follower of Lu Ming.

Under Lu Ming’s persuasion, Rodman was now also a registered lawyer at Wang-Lu Law Firm. However, he was very lazy and, after being guided by Lu Ming to become one of Lingwei Motors’ legal consultants, his annual salary was enough to cover his living expenses. This man with no ambition almost lived a semi-retired life.

But now, as Lu Ming’s personal representative and legal advisor, he was fully involved in the establishment of Tang Dynasty Pharmaceuticals’ factory.

According to You Aoli, there was no issue with the patent application for Ainod contraceptives.

After all, it had undergone two years of clinical trials. The pharmaceutical company might be obscure, but it seemed very authoritative. According to You Aoli, the Drug Administration would certainly approve its market release.

As for the Tang Dynasty Pharmaceuticals’ factory, it was another case of leveraging with little investment. You Aoli was very dedicated and chose a small pharmaceutical factory with a tablet production line that was struggling financially. Lu Ming bought it for five hundred thousand. This five hundred thousand was obtained through a loan from Imperial Bank, with the factory purchase contract as collateral. You Aoli was confident she could secure the loan.

Though Imperial Bank was corrupt, securing such a loan without bribing the relevant authorities significantly indicated there were deep machinations at work.

You Aoli was merely a runner for the child prodigy, yet her influence was so considerable. What kind of person was this prodigy?

As You Aoli carefully introduced the factory situation, Lu Ming remembered how, when she mentioned this factory two days ago, she said five hundred thousand could buy it, and that with slight modifications, they could use it. When he said he had no money, her look of surprise was notable.

Naturally, she couldn’t fathom that someone who conversed with that prodigy would find money an issue.

But evidently, she was to handle matters to the best of her abilities and didn’t dare ask the prodigy what to do. If the prodigy tasked her with something, she would spare no effort to accomplish it. Even if she had to pay out of her pocket, she would ensure the factory was set up if she had the money.

She probably consulted financial friends for advice, which led to this loan idea. If it were up to her, she wouldn’t have understood such intricacies.

You Aoli—pharmacology? The name?

Lu Ming shook his head and helplessly spread his hands. “Alright, alright, Miss You Aoli, you’ve convinced me! Let’s take out a loan, just as you said. I’ll buy the pharmaceutical factory, and I’ll leave the loan arrangements to you. Sigh, a loan…”

You Aoli had talked until her mouth was dry, fearing she couldn’t make the intricacies of loan-financed factory setups clear. She needed to explain to this guy that even without spending a cent, the factory could be set up, but it would come with a five hundred thousand dollar loan. Her friend would help secure the lowest interest rate because we could utilize some of the Empire’s support programs.

After all, it took her a long time to vaguely understand it herself, and she still needed her friend to handle the details. She didn’t really get it.

She was just worried that this guy wouldn’t want to take a loan. After all, who wants to borrow money from a bank to start a business? What if it fails? She wouldn’t do it even if forced.

But if she didn’t complete the task assigned by her lady, that would be disastrous.

Just as she was speaking, Lu Ming suddenly shook his head, making You Aoli feel desperate, almost on the verge of tears.

Unexpectedly, Lu Ming’s words indicated a reluctant agreement to take out a loan for the factory.

You Aoli was instantly overjoyed, wiping the corners of her eyes with her hand. “Mr. Lu, thank you, thank you so much!” She felt an immense sense of relief, almost wanting to cry.

Lu Ming coughed, feeling a bit bad about himself.

However, knowing someone as naive as her, yet having such hardcore friends, was quite nice.

The two of them had been talking in the study. Afterward, they went to the meeting room together to listen to Gao Tian’s thoughts on the development prospects of Tang Dynasty Pharmaceuticals.

After that, Gao Tian, You Aoli, and Rodman took their leave.

Rodman, with his colorful hair and sunglasses, looked more like a gangster than a lawyer.

As he left, he gave Lu Ming a heavy hug, shaking his head and humming a tune as he walked away.

Watching him leave, Pamela was stunned. “Is he really up to the task?”

Lu Ming smiled. “Potential is meant to be tapped!” He didn’t expect Rodman to do much; he just needed his representative to be there. Pamela was too busy, and Rodman, being a lawyer, wouldn’t be fooled by key issues.

However, the larger his business ventures grew, the deeper he fell into debt, which was unavoidable.

The phone suddenly rang. It was Wen Liangyu, asking if Lu Ming had finished his business, as he had something to discuss.

It seemed a waiter was keeping an eye on who came and went from his place.

…

Wen Liangyu arrived with Wang Qinghe, the general manager of Xingwang Industries.

They sat on the balcony, drinking orange juice and enjoying the view of the setting sun over the green hillside. It was quite pleasant.

However, the conversation wasn’t as enjoyable.

Wang Qinghe sought Lu Ming’s support to seize leadership from Zhao Xingwang at Xingwang Industries.

“Director Lu, although I don’t own many shares, several major shareholders are unhappy with Zhao’s disruption of business rules and his conflicts with you. They all support me. If we add your shares, we can remove Zhao Xingwang from his position.” Wang Qinghe spoke sincerely, observing Lu Ming’s expression.

Lu Ming remained calm, sipping his drink slowly.

Around the small glass round table, there were only three people: Lu Ming, Pamela, and Wang Qinghe.

After bringing Wang Qinghe, Wen Liangyu had left, clearly knowing Wang’s purpose. From a certain perspective, he supported Wang Qinghe; otherwise, he wouldn’t have brought him to meet Lu Ming. But he hadn’t explicitly stated his stance.

It seemed that Wen Liangyu, Liu Laocai, Senator Meng Dezhu, Zhao Xingwang, and Lu Ming—the so-called Five Brothers—were about to see Zhao Xingwang ousted.

In the business world, it was all about profit and avoiding harm. If they had to choose between Zhao Xingwang and Lu Ming now, there was no doubt they wouldn’t choose Zhao Xingwang.

If not for Lu Ming, Zhao Xingwang wouldn’t have secured a loan and might have already been expelled from the group. Lu Ming’s arrival had alleviated his crisis, but the patent dispute over the three-point seatbelt had escalated their conflict.

With a light sigh, Lu Ming turned to see Wang Qinghe eagerly watching him. Lu Ming shook his head. “I don’t agree to re-elect the board chairman. Even if there’s a re-election, until my teo hundred thousand is refunded, I remain Xingwang Industries’ major shareholder, and I will vote for Zhao Xingwang. Isn’t this the business he built from scratch?”

Wang Qinghe was taken aback. “But he’s already old and out of touch. If not for you, Director Lu, he might already be bankrupt. However, for the sake of petty profits, he’s been instigated by his children to turn against you. He poses a huge threat to Xingwang Industries’ development. For the shareholders’ benefit, Director Lu, replacing the company’s leader is imperative!”

After hesitating, Wang Qinghe said, “Director Lu, if you want to be the chairman, that would be even better!”

Lu Ming waved his hand. “That’s not what I mean. What’s the harm in earning a little more or less? Honestly, I feel somewhat guilty about my dispute with Director Zhao. So call me sentimental, but I can’t bring myself to oust him forcibly. I believe he’ll come to his senses eventually.”

After thinking for a moment, he continued, “Given the current situation, I don’t want to withdraw anymore. Let me think about it. This internal strife needs to end quickly; it’s detrimental to everyone.”

Wang Qinghe was stunned for a moment but quickly realized that although Lawyer Lu was young, like all big figures, once he made up his mind, someone at Wang Qinghe’s level couldn’t change it. He had no choice but to get up and leave, looking dejected, like a defeated rooster. He had come in high spirits but left in disappointment.

“Don’t you think business should be all about business?” Pamela asked from the side, but her blue eyes were full of admiration.

Dressed in loose white chiffon clothes and pants, she looked elegant and radiant. Her wavy blonde hair was held back by sunglasses, adding a modern, stylish touch. Her deep blue eyes were gentle, as if she was seeing the man before her in a new light.

Lu Ming smiled. “When I first came to Donghai, my business friends were these four brothers. If my presence causes their downfall, I’ll feel guilty. Besides, I don’t see Zhao Xingwang as a significant threat that warrants pushing him to ruin. The so-called mercy should be extended to true enemies who pose a real threat.”

Pamela nodded gently. “Maybe you’re right.”

Lu Ming looked at her and suddenly laughed. “From now on, let’s speak in English.”

“What?” Pamela was taken aback.

Suddenly, the doorbell rang, and Lu Ming shook his head. “What a buzzkill!”

Pamela went to open the door, and it was a waiter delivering a cake, sent by Director Wen.

Pamela was puzzled. “Boss, is today your birthday? Or is there something to celebrate?”

Lu Ming took the cake and opened it on the coffee table. It was a two-tiered, white cream cake with strawberries spelling out “True friends are hard to find.”

Lu Ming smiled. It seemed Wen Liangyu had understood his decision and probably felt differently about him now, perhaps even a bit guilty, hence sending this cake.

“Let’s take it home to eat!” Lu Ming said with a smile, standing up.

Pamela, who had been feeling soft-hearted being alone with this man, suddenly felt annoyed at the thought of him letting his daughter gorge on the cream cake. The tender feelings turned into anger, and she almost wanted to smash the cake on the floor and throw it in the trash.