Chapter 83: The Inside Story
Night had only just fallen, and it was still relatively early.
Lin Haoran wasn't the type to ask others for favors without giving anything in return.
If Liu Zhenxing truly proved himself to be a capable individual, Lin Haoran would certainly reward him with the promotion and opportunities he deserved. Otherwise, it would simply be a waste of talent.
As a middle manager at Qingzhou Yingni, Liu Zhenxing enjoyed excellent benefits. He owned both a house and a car in downtown Hong Kong.
About twenty minutes later, Lin Haoran finally met Liu Zhenxing in Universal Investment Company's office.
Approaching fifty years of age, Liu wore a pair of classic black-rimmed glasses and was dressed in a formal business suit, giving him the appearance of a seasoned, reliable professional.
Despite visiting for the first time, Liu remained calm and composed, showing no trace of nervousness.
"Supervisor Liu, thank you for taking the time to come here tonight. Please, have a seat."
Lin Haoran smiled warmly as he gestured toward the sofa.
"You're too kind, Director Lin. It's my honor to have the opportunity to speak with you."
After taking his seat, Liu respectfully asked,
"May I ask why you've invited me here tonight? Is there something important you'd like to discuss?"
Lin Haoran smiled.
"I've reviewed your personnel file. If I'm not mistaken, you've been with Qingzhou Yingni for over twenty years now, haven't you?"
Liu nodded with a sigh.
"That's right. After completing my studies in the United States, I joined Qingzhou Yingni. Before I knew it, twenty-five years had passed.
Back then, what attracted me was the excellent salary offered for an entry-level engineering position.
However, after joining the company, I quickly realized that, as a Chinese employee, advancing within a British-owned enterprise was far from easy.
There were times when I considered changing jobs.
But after thinking about all the years I'd already devoted to the company, the seniority I'd accumulated, and the uncertainty of starting elsewhere, I ultimately chose to stay.
And just like that... so many years have gone by."
His tone was filled with quiet emotion.
Lin Haoran nodded before asking,
"Then you must know Qingzhou Yingni extremely well?"
Liu answered honestly.
"As for the company's public information, yes—I know it very well.
In fact, my years of service exceed those of more than ninety percent of the company's middle and senior managers.
As for confidential matters among upper management...
I've naturally heard bits and pieces through workplace conversations over the years.
But those are mostly rumors mixed with speculation, and many of them can't be verified. They're really nothing more than casual topics people discuss during their spare time."
Lin Haoran nodded in understanding.
Then he smiled and asked,
"What do you think of Deputy General Manager Burton?"
Liu answered without hesitation.
"Mr. Burton is one of the executives I respect the most.
Privately, many of my colleagues have even said that his leadership ability surpasses that of General Manager Ziegler.
Although he joined the company less than three years ago, his outstanding capabilities allowed him to personally open several new markets for Qingzhou Yingni.
The most notable example is Luzon Island.
The market there responded extremely well to our cement products, and it has now become our company's single most important export destination.
Under Mr. Burton's leadership, the company's performance has improved dramatically over the past two to three years.
Revenue has increased by more than sixty percent.
Because of that, many people throughout the company genuinely admire him."
As Liu spoke about Burton, Lin Haoran could clearly sense that his admiration came straight from the heart.
"There's one thing I don't quite understand."
Lin Haoran frowned slightly.
"If the company's performance has grown so dramatically over the past three years, why hasn't our annual profit increased proportionally?
Instead, the profits still seem rather meager."
Liu's expression immediately became serious.
"Director Lin... regarding that matter, I have indeed heard some rumors.
But let me emphasize that these are only unverified rumors.
There is absolutely no concrete evidence.
So... I hope you won't repeat them to anyone."
He instinctively lowered his voice.
Lin Haoran nodded solemnly.
"Of course.
You have my word.
I won't casually spread any information that hasn't been verified."
At the same time, his curiosity grew even stronger.
He eagerly wanted to hear what Liu had to say.
Liu continued quietly,
"Every year, the company's financial statements report annual profits of only a few million Hong Kong dollars.
However, among the listed expenditures, there's always an item labeled 'external investments.'
The amounts allocated to those investments have always been considerable.
In recent years, they've even exceeded ten million Hong Kong dollars annually.
Yet every single one of those investments ends in massive losses.
I've worked at Qingzhou Yingni for so many years that I'm very familiar with this pattern.
It's been quietly happening for over a decade."
He paused before lowering his voice even further.
"Privately...
I've heard people say that these so-called investments might simply be a way for someone very powerful on the Board of Directors to embezzle company funds through fake investment projects..."
By the end of his sentence, his voice had become almost a whisper.
Lin Haoran's brows knitted tightly together.
This had been going on...
for more than ten years?
If that were true...
Then he was almost certain now.
Rumors didn't appear out of nowhere.
There really was something hidden beneath the surface.
After all—
How could a company continue making investments every single year for over a decade if every investment consistently resulted in heavy losses?
He asked,
"The other shareholders never objected?"
Liu smiled bitterly.
"Director Lin...
You may not know this, but I've heard that the relationships among the board members are extremely complicated.
Many of them share common interests.
In that kind of environment...
Who would genuinely investigate the truth behind those failed investments?
After all, once that curtain is lifted, it might expose even more secrets that people would rather keep hidden."
Although Liu repeatedly stressed that everything he had said was merely based on rumors and speculation, Lin Haoran had already reached his own conclusion.
Many of those rumors were probably true.
He silently calculated.
Harold Centurion owned only 12.6% of Qingzhou Yingni's shares.
Yet if he was secretly siphoning away more than half of the company's annual profits every year...
That kind of temptation would be difficult for almost anyone to resist.
"To pull something like this off openly for more than ten years..."
Lin Haoran couldn't help but admire Harold's methods.
"He really is quite capable."
At the same time, however, another thought crossed his mind.
If that's really the case...
Then gathering evidence against him may be much easier than I originally expected.
Afterward, the conversation between Lin Haoran and Liu Zhenxing became increasingly in-depth.
Through Liu's detailed explanations, every aspect of Qingzhou Yingni gradually unfolded before Lin Haoran like a series of vivid paintings.
That single evening's conversation elevated his understanding of the company to an entirely new level.
The amount of information he gained exceeded everything he had learned previously combined.
Throughout their discussion, Lin Haoran became increasingly impressed by Liu Zhenxing.
Not only did Liu possess solid professional expertise, but he also had a comprehensive understanding of Qingzhou Yingni's internal operations.
More importantly, he demonstrated sharp insight and remarkable analytical ability.
A talent like him was undoubtedly one of the company's hidden treasures.
He was more than qualified to be promoted into senior management.
(End of Chapter)
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