Chapter 633 Tough Character
It was a well-known fact that ever since Nan Chen assumed his position, Nanshi Corporation had achieved relatively constant and huge growth amidst the slowing global economy. Because of this, it gained popularity and even received praise from provincial officials.
Yet now, Ouyang Duo, an outsider, dared to criticize Nanshi Corporation at its headquarters. The crowd couldn’t wrap their heads around what was going on.
Even if Ouyang Duo wanted to criticize them, he should have done it behind the Nans’ backs. It was disrespectful of him to do it right in front of their faces.
Besides, he was basically spouting nonsense.
Nanshi Corporation had never shown any signs of decline until now. On the contrary, they had the most stable development among the companies in the entire province.
In the face of the reporters’ outcry, Jiang Zhe asked them to calm down and let Ouyang Duo continue.
“So, I have decided to take control over Nanshi Corporation as a major stockholder. I will save the biggest corporation in Flower City from its downfall. This is the major news I wanted to reveal at today’s press conference,” Ouyang Duo announced.
Once again, the crowd went into an uproar.
The reporters thought they had misheard Ouyang Duo.
Nanshi Corporation is a business giant. How can he buy it out so easily? This isn’t a Black Friday sale! Even if it is, how can he ever afford Nanshi Corporation? It’d make more sense for Nanshi Corporation to buy him instead.
The reporters were in utter disbelief.
Ouyang Duo might be rich enough to splurge on luxury goods, small enterprises, and even female celebrities, but Nanshi Corporation was not something he could easily purchase.
After coming back to their senses, the reporters immediately concluded that Ouyang Duo was bluffing.
The three largest firms in the province were Nanshi Corporation, Sunshine Corporation, and Prosperity Holdings.
Nanshi Corporation was located in Flower City, while Sunshine Corporation was stationed in Pearl City. The headquarters of Prosperity Holdings used to be in Flower City as well, but after losing out to Nanshi Corporation, it moved to the faraway Rivera City and had been lying low since then.
Among the three, Nanshi Corporation was the most powerful one.
The runner-up, Sunshine Corporation, had been waiting for a chance to rise. As for Prosperity Holdings, it seemed to have given up on competing and exited the scene.
Now that Ouyang Duo, the representative of Sunshine Corporation, claimed that he was going to acquire Nanshi Corporation, no one believed in him.
Although the reporters were not familiar with running a business, they had enough common sense to figure out that Ouyang Duo was boasting.
Nanshi Corporation had always been aggressive. With a tough man like Nan Chen in charge, there was no way he would allow Ouyang Duo to get his own way.
Everyone looked at the man in the wheelchair. “Mr. Nan, is this true?”
Instead of responding to the question, the man in the wheelchair looked at Jiang Zhe.
“This is Mr. Ouyang’s idea. It’s true that he’s been wanting to acquire Nanshi Corporation. Am I right, Mr. Ouyang?” Jiang Zhe asked.
Upon hearing that, Ouyang Duo assumed Jiang Zhe was showing support for him.
He immediately nodded and stated, “That’s right. I have made a lot of preparation for this, and Nanshi Corporation has been very supportive and cooperative as well. The acquisition is already ongoing now thanks to everyone’s efforts. I would like to thank Nanshi Corporation for everything they have done.”
His words left the reporters dumbstruck. Have the members of the Nan family lost their minds? They cooperated with Ouyang Duo for the acquisition of their own company? Is Nanshi Corporation encountering a crisis that can only be solved with an acquisition? But it has always been seeing stable growth, and its listed subsidiaries are also doing quite well. There were no signs of crisis at all! Could it be that Nan Chen is sick of managing the company and wants to give it up? That’s impossible, too. Nan Chen is a renowned tough character in the business circle of Flower City. Besides, he’s in the prime of his life. It doesn’t make sense for him to retire at such a young age.
The reporters turned their attention to the man in the wheelchair. “What is going on, Mr. Nan? Could you please say something?”
He was the person in charge of the organization. They would need him to personally confirm that the acquisition was actually happening.
However, he remained quiet, and his silence further aggravated the reporters’ anxiousness.
“Mr. Nan, do you have anything to say about Mr. Ouyang’s statement?”
“Mr. Nan, why aren’t you saying anything? Is it because you’re too disappointed in the turn of events?”
“Mr. Nan, will Nanshi Corporation really be acquired by Sunshine Corporation? Why did this happen so suddenly? Is there any problem within Nanshi Corporation? Is it related to the fact that you’re in a wheelchair?”
Even as the reporters bombarded the man in the wheelchair with questions, he said nothing and merely glanced at Jiang Zhe once again.
“Nan Xing, say something. Why are you so quiet?” Ouyang Duo urged in frustration.
According to their initial plan, Nan Zhengde and Nan Xing were supposed to face the reporters themselves and welcome Ouyang Duo into Nanshi Corporation.
Now, only Nan Xing showed up, and he wouldn’t even speak. This was different from what they had agreed on.
In fact, Ouyang Duo had sensed something off the moment he arrived. He just couldn’t put his finger on what was amiss.
“Please relax, Mr. Ouyang. Dear reporters, please calm down as well. We would first like to show you a short clip on Mr. Ouyang’s deeds. Please watch carefully, and we will answer your questions afterward,” Jiang Zhe reassured.
Ouyang Duo was surprised to hear that.
They even prepared a clip for me? It seems that the Nan family is quite sincere. What a nice welcome ceremony this is!
The screen in the conference room lit up just then, and everyone turned their heads to it.
Many of the reporters even pointed their cameras at the screen and began live streaming.
As expected, Ouyang Duo showed up in the clip.
The backdrop was a place Ouyang Duo knew very well—it was his room in Orchid Club.
Ouyang Duo couldn’t help but frown in confusion. I don’t remember taking any videos in the club. Where did this clip come from?
Orchid Club was his secret spot, so there was no way he would let anyone take videos there.
“Nan Xing, the document is ready. You just have to sign it.” Ouyang Duo’s voice sounded from the speakers.
He had a sonorous and distinctive voice, so the reporters recognized it right away.
“After the document is signed, Nanshi Corporation’s ownership will be transferred.”
This time, Nan Xing could be heard speaking in the clip, but he was nowhere to be seen on the screen.
“We’re a family. This is merely a change of name. We still share the profits together.”
“Is that so? In the future, Nanshi Corporation will officially follow the surname Ouyang. This isn’t just a change of name.”
“Nan Xing, don’t tell me you’re not going to sign?”
“I will sign it. I just don’t understand why I must do it?”
Suddenly, a girl interjected, “Just do what my dad wants you to do and stop spewing nonsense!”
Since the owner of the voice did not appear, the reporters did not know who she was.
However, Ouyang Duo was well aware that it was Ouyang Qing. The conversation happened in Orchid Club, where Ouyang Duo had forced Nan Xing to sign the document.
Never in Ouyang Duo’s dreams did he imagine Nan Xing would record the exchange.
The latter was in a wheelchair at that time, and no one else was holding a phone or a camera.
From the angle of the video, the camera must have been mounted on Nan Xing’s body or the wheelchair.
Back then, Nan Xing was facing Ouyang Duo all the time without moving at all. Only Ouyang Duo was captured on the camera.
Everything he said was caught clearly, and the way his mouth moved matched the audio perfectly.
The video continued to play.
“Qing, stop talking and listen to what he has to say.”
“What do you mean, Nan Xing?”
“I meant what I said. Where is Chen? What did you do to him?”
“Why are you asking me this? Didn’t I already tell you my friend will search for Nan Chen and bring him back?”
“Am I supposed to believe everything you say?”
“What do you want me to do if you don’t believe me?”
“I won’t sign this document unless I see Chen!”
Thud!
Ouyang Duo was seen slamming the table loudly while yelling, “Nan Xing, you have no other choice than to sign this document!”
Ouyang Duo remained frozen as his face turned pale.
“Is that so? Are you planning to kill me if I don’t sign it? You’ll kill me if I don’t transfer the share to the Ouyang family, right? However, even if you kill me, you won’t get Nanshi Corporation’s share as well.”
“You think I won’t dare to do so?”
“That’s right. You won’t dare to. This is Flower City. If you dare to do anything reckless, you will definitely be done for.”
“Dad, this man is crazy! How dare he talk back to you?” Ouyang Qing’s voice rang out again in the video.
At that moment, Ouyang Duo stood up and roared, “Stop the video. Stop it! It’s fake. That’s not what happened!”
With a smile, Jiang Zhe said, “Mr. Ouyang, please calm down. Let’s fill the reporters in on the matter first.”
Ouyang Duo could not let that happen. He tried to approach the control booth to pause the video, but two men held him down to his seat.
The reporters were watching the video with relish. They had thought this was just an ordinary news item. Yet little did they expect to witness the revelation of such a shocking drama about wealthy families.
In the clip, Ouyang Duo was heard saying, “You don’t have to know the answer to those questions. Your brother will be able to return as long as you’ve signed the document.”
“Does this mean Chen will die if I don’t sign it? You’re the one who ordered people to kidnap him, right?” Nan Xing brought up the most crucial question.
“Nan Xing—”
“Answer me. Did you do it or not? I won’t sign it if you don’t answer me directly.”
“So, you really want to make an enemy out of me, huh?”
“I won’t sign the document if you don’t tell me the truth, even if you threaten to kill me. Give me a reason for the Nan family to pass on our family business to you.”
“All right, then. Since you have to put it that way, I’ll tell you the truth. Nan Chen is in my hands. I am the one who instructed someone to kidnap him! After you sign the document, I will send Nan Chen overseas, and you can meet him there. Then, your family shall never return! If you don’t sign it, I will call my people, and Nan Chen will die immediately! Even your stubborn grandpa gave in for Nan Chen’s sake. Yet, you’re still trying to fight back?”
The clip came to an end at that juncture, and with that, the crowd erupted in chaos.
They could not believe that Ouyang Duo had kidnapped Nan Chen so he could force the Nan family to give him the stocks.
The reporters swiftly posted the breaking news as they tried to pull themselves together and recover from the shock.
Those who had no plans to live stream at first began to broadcast the event live. In an instant, the entire place was in disorder.
