Reborn with Consumption System

Chapter 939 - 383: Killing the Chicken to Warn the Monkey (Part 2)

Chen Gong looks like he’s in his early 40s, wearing gold-rimmed glasses, still in a suit after work hours, the only difference from an average financial white-collar worker is that he’s not wearing a tie.When the two shook hands, they both smiled before speaking.

— Perhaps President Chen is used to greeting people with a smile. Han Lie doesn’t care about that. You smile, I smile.

Showing six upper teeth, a perfectly friendly smile.

"President Han, I’ve long admired your name!"

"President Chen, thanks for your support!"

"Oh, it’s your company that’s taking care of our business. I am the service provider, I should have invited President Han out long ago, otherwise, how could there be those misunderstandings?"

"Oh dear, I’m just a novice, wouldn’t dare! If not for Uncle Jin taking pity on my struggles, I wouldn’t even have had the chance to visit President Chen, please stop flattering me!"

"Hahaha, you are a rising supernova in the financial world of the Magic Capital, a distinguished guest I would love to invite but cannot catch..."

"Just joking, I’m no VIP. Next time, just say the word, and I’ll come right away!"

After a shallow exchange of pleasantries, Jin Hang timely interjected: "Alright, alright, we’re all family, let’s sit down and chat!"

Han Lie let go of the other’s hand, cursing silently: Old fox!

Chen Gong nodded with a smile, also feeling a bit troubled inside: Tough nut... little fox!

After taking their seats, they began to chat.

Three finance people, naturally talking about the economy and market.

Although Han Lie didn’t have as high a position as the other two, with knowledge of future trends and Level 5 expertise, he kept up with everything, chatting overall quite congenially.

Of course, there were the usual mutual probing and observing.

Clearly, Chen Gong was unwilling to easily concede or admit defeat to Han Lie.

So when Jin Hang talked about the current tough times for banks, Han Lie lightly added: "Finance-trust cooperation is getting increasingly controlled, I feel that it will be completely halted eventually, and finance-securities cooperation has natural limitations, in the short term, things are tough, in the long run, it will be even more troublesome."

With one sentence, he left the two old foxes speechless.

The overall trend is indeed like that, many can see it, but few are willing to believe it—or rather, they’re holding on to the last bit of hope while observing.

And standing outside of the circle, Han Lie can naturally "speak righteously."

Or maybe call it "taking pleasure in others’ misfortunes."

But the two of them had no comeback, struggling even for an excuse to comfort themselves.

So Chen Gong, seemingly smiling, countered: "President Han, do you have any solutions? I’ll toast to you if you care to elaborate!"

"Simple!"

Han Lie raised an eyebrow with a casual smile: "Do well in proprietary trading, fill the profit gap, that’s all!"

Damn!

This kid is truly insufferable?!

CITIC Securities’ proprietary trading department has performed poorly for years, hardly matching their market position, disappointing a lot of people.

And the Magic Capital branch is even worse than the Shenzhen branch, they are just downright embarrassing.

Han Lie was purely hitting where it hurt, right in the face with a big slap.

Yet Chen Gong had no retort—Han Lie’s trading was good enough to back up his bragging in this area.

Unconvinced?

If you are unconvinced, then present facts to educate him!

Chen Gong couldn’t, so he begrudgingly shut up.

Old Jin had to smooth things over again: "It is indeed a root solution to the problem, but the requirements are too high... Little Han, you shouldn’t hold everyone to your standards, geniuses aren’t cabbages, they’re not everywhere, right?"

Han Lie finally found an opportunity, casually responding: "If you’re not able, just follow those who are..."

Well, well!

He just made Chen Gong thoroughly embarrassed, grinding his teeth in frustration.

However, given the topic was broached, Chen Gong couldn’t pretend anymore, he had to concede halfway.

"Following positions comes with moral risks and legal risks. Normal people wouldn’t do it, only some with poor professional ethics, blinded by greed, would try some things privately using their authority ... I am personally very against it, my stance has always been to address each case as it arises, never to be lenient."

Han Lie looked up, nonchalantly asking: "Oh? Seems like I should keep an eye on the resignation news of your company’s senior executives?"

"Ahem, ahem!"

Chen Gong almost choked, coughing non-stop.

"Not that fast... This kind of thing needs solid evidence, before then, the company can only marginalize suspects, revoke their authorities, can’t directly remove people."

Actually, Han Lie could understand, really, big companies do have their processes and rules.

But his attitude was unwavering.

"President Chen has a point... but why not skip the procedures and just give me a name, I can handle it myself?"

It’s quite presumptuous.

However, Chen Gong couldn’t do anything—when the strength between two sides is vastly different, right or wrong is rubbish; when the strengths are about equal, whether you’re justified becomes crucial.

CITIC Securities’ scale is of course much larger than that of Zhongmei Private Equity, but Chen Gong’s personal strength isn’t slightly stronger than Han Lie’s.

So, when Han Lie had the moral high ground, however rude, he had to endure.

At a critical moment, Jin Hang again came to smooth things over.

"Little Han, tell us, how do you plan to ’handle it yourself’?"

"Report it..." Han Lie elongated his tone lazily, "but it won’t go that far."

Teasing Chen Gong a little, showing his attitude and strength clearly, he then shifted to speaking of his real plan.

"I can roughly guess who it might be, if it really is him, then I do have a way to resolve it privately without affecting President Chen."

With that said, he turned to look at Chen Gong, his gaze suddenly extremely sharp: "President Chen, I want to invite you to watch a play, I wonder if you trust me?"

Actually, Chen Gong just couldn’t lose face, it’s not like he was really in cahoots with that person.

As the primary responsible person for the Magic Capital branch, problems under him would partly fall on him, sometimes he had to shield them.

Facing a newcomer like Han Lie, if he didn’t hold his authority, once it spread out, it would impact his authority greatly.

It’s quite understandable—Chen Gong’s power comes entirely from his position, not his personal wealth and status, so he must defend the company’s reputation to justify his role as general manager.

If it were someone like Pan Shengwu, a big boss, they’d casually fire a troublemaker, it wouldn’t matter at all, right?

Chen Gong couldn’t do the same.

Confronting Han Lie head-on may not seem smart, but his future lies in the hands of the head office, Han Lie wouldn’t dare to really strain relations, actively cracking down internally could hurt his reputation, any sensible person knows how to choose.

So actually, he was deliberately "performing" his toughness for Han Lie.

Showing that I’m tough...

Don’t come over, I’m not afraid of you!

Ahem, just understanding the implication is enough, in essence, it’s all the same.

Now, with Han Lie’s assurance not to blow things up, Chen Gong had a way out, so there was no need to stubbornly resist further.

"I also had times of youthful zeal... Alright then, let’s wait and see!"

Reluctantly reaching an agreement, Chen Gong calmly uttered a name.

"I have no direct evidence, but I’m eighty percent sure, he’s been logging into the Hang Seng system quite frequently lately..."

Indeed, it was him!

Gao Fengbo, vice general manager in charge of marketing, well acquainted with the old public and private funds in the Magic Capital, once gave Han Lie an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak watch.

Jin Hang briefly recalled, feeling puzzled.

"I’ve seen him at your lectures, he seems to have a great relationship with you, your private equity and ABS projects were introduced to CITIC by him, it shouldn’t be like this..."

Who knows?

Han Lie didn’t feel like delving into the reasons.

Maybe because the ABS project didn’t make him money, instead he lost a watch;

Or maybe somewhere he didn’t take good care of his emotions, offending him;

It could also be just pure greed, not wanting to go the right way by letting Han Lie handle money, wanting to follow positions to earn the last penny...

The reason really doesn’t matter.

The important thing is, Han Lie already had a target, and had obtained Chen Gong’s neutral stance.

Next, it’s merely about digging one more hole, burying one more person.

He wasn’t even worthy of being Han Lie’s opponent, just a dried-up chicken hung up to scare the monkeys.

Han Lie even felt this situation was timely.

With so many port stocks, without your uplift, how much money would I lose?

Once making enough, stew them all in one pot... hehe, another win-win!