31: Chapter 31 is a fault of the system.

"I am currently traveling and relaxing out of town and won't be back for a short while. Let's handle this online."

"That can be arranged. To be frank, who do you want to handle the handover? Find someone you trust, someone who can succeed you as my confidant?"

"You talk as if you have an empire to inherit."

"You know what I mean."

Chen Hao certainly understood. After several rounds of financing, many shareholders had joined the company, dividing it into several factions that balanced and opposed each other. This was the drawback of a listed company; they had lost their original mission.

After Chen Hao was fired, there was no one at the grassroots level who could reach the highest authority. Old Ma lost his confidant, and business and management were now in the hands of other shareholders. Old Ma was effectively sidelined.

Chen Hao thought seriously. Sun Nana had been clamoring to follow him. Since Chen Hao wasn't planning to join a new company recently anyway, he might as well use this opportunity to give Sun Nana a safeguard.

"Then let it be Sun Nana."

"I'll arrange it right away."

"Wait a moment, Old Ma."

"Do you need something else?"

Chen Hao paused before speaking.

"The handover cannot be completed in one day. However, according to the dedication agreement and the company's regulations, I can only dedicate one day after resignation to hand over clients."

"Are you going back on your word?"

Chen Hao sneered.

"It's an issue with the system, not me. It's not too late for you to understand now."

"Fine. Since you are only dedicating one day according to the rules, what happens to the business that hasn't been handed over afterward?"

Old Ma's tone sounded a bit anxious. Chen Hao continued.

"According to company regulations, how much does it cost for an externally hired consultant for one day?"

"Eight thousand to ten thousand."

Chen Hao smiled.

"With the resources I possess, asking for ten thousand a day isn't excessive, is it?"

Old Ma seemed to be suppressing his anger, but Chen Hao added:

"Why are you still so dense? This expense is not generated by company operations, but as an external consultant. Whoever is responsible should bear the cost. Don't you understand yet?"

Chen Hao's reminder was like opening up Old Ma's vital energy channels.

"I understand, I understand! Wang Liguo and Personnel Xiao Liu are fully responsible. This fee should be deducted from their profit share. Chen Hao, you truly are the person who knows me best."

"That's no longer the case in the future. Goodbye."

After Chen Hao hung up, Ma Botao fell into deep thought. From this moment on, he felt like a lonely man, with no one else who would genuinely look out for his interests like Chen Hao did.

A sense of loss washed over him.

...

After Chen Hao hung up, Zhang Menglu tentatively said.

"If you're busy today, perhaps we can do it tomorrow? I'm not in a rush."

Chen Hao, however, said indifferently.

"It's fine. The handover is just a few calls. It won't affect your itinerary. Besides, today is just scouting; we'll look around first, compare prices, and sourcing goods is something for later."

"Oh, oh."

Zhang Menglu didn't understand the process of sourcing goods at all, so she believed whatever Chen Hao said.

They hailed a taxi and headed straight for the Guangcheng Apparel Wholesale Market.

On the way,

Sun Nana called, her face flushed with excitement.

"Brother Hao, this is unprecedented! At the morning meeting, General Ma also asked me to handle the handover with you. He even said he already transferred the money to you and told me to just call you directly."

"That's the situation. The compensation—all the money added together—amounted to 1.68 million for me."

"Wow, you've struck it rich!"

Sun Nana was extremely excited, but Chen Hao was filled with bitter smiles.

This money was originally planned for marrying Lin Xiaomeng—the betrothal gifts, the car, the house, the wedding banquet. Every penny's intended use had been calculated clearly.

Now it was useless, lying quietly in his bank account, mixed with the money exchanged from the system, devoid of any anticipation.

"I'm so envious that you received so much money all at once."

Chen Hao changed the subject.

"Nana, do you want to earn some extra money?"

"How do I earn it?"

She asked curiously.

"My handover today is required by the dedication agreement, but tomorrow and beyond is not. According to company regulations, rehired or externally hired consultants require payment."

"How much per day?"

"Ten thousand."

"Oh my god?"

Chen Hao chuckled.

"Moreover, this money will be deducted from Wang Liguo's profit share."

"Hahahaha, is that true or false?"

"Would I lie to you? Let's coordinate. Try to drag out the handover time as long as possible. I'll split this money with you fifty-fifty."

"No problem, absolutely no problem! Brother Hao, wait a moment. They're arguing again in the conference room. I'm going to go watch the show."

After hanging up, Chen Hao was in high spirits.

When Zhang Menglu saw Chen Hao smiling, she finally relaxed her tense heart and dared to joke with him.

"Listening to your call, it sounds like you're quite wicked."

Chen Hao immediately refuted.

"It's not that I'm wicked; it's that the regulations themselves are unreasonable. I'm just understanding the rules and playing them to my advantage."

...

Apparel wholesale in Guangcheng was rampant. Malls and wholesale markets were everywhere, equivalent to finding a wholesale market every few hundred meters. After browsing one mall, one could look up and see countless others.

It truly lived up to the saying: there's always a mountain beyond a mountain, and a mall beyond a mall.

Just as the two got out of the taxi, Sun Nana's call came again. Chen Hao signaled Zhang Menglu to casually browse inside a mall.

"Go ahead, what is it?"

"Chen Hao, the company has appointed me to handle the handover with you. Please cooperate and hand over all the resources and clients you possess."

Sun Nana's voice was serious, even adopting her professional broadcasting tone.

Chen Hao was first stunned, then immediately understood what was happening.

Sun Nana probably got caught while watching the commotion in the conference room. Now, high-level executives were likely surrounding her, personally supervising the handover. Under such circumstances, it naturally couldn't be as casual as their private communication.

"Okay. I will first go over the clients with you. You take notes..."

Next, Chen Hao began listing the client information and contact details of those who had cooperated with the company, one by one.

Sun Nana's phone was on speaker. Although it was quiet, one could faintly hear the sound of rapid typing.

It seemed quite a few employees were recording the client information. Based on Chen Hao's understanding of the company, most of them were Wang Liguo's people.

"Is that all?"

Sun Nana asked tentatively.

"This is just the beginning. Prepare yourself to skip lunch."

The list of client personnel alone was several hundred people, ranging from large brand representatives to factory managers. For just one apparel export project, a complete industrial chain required at least 5 to 8 clients to interface with.

"Next, I'm going to talk about the logistics clients. Please take note..."

As soon as Chen Hao finished speaking, Wang Liguo's questioning voice came through the phone.

"Chen Hao, what the hell are you doing? You've listed so many clients, and not a single one has a linked relationship! I think you're doing this intentionally!"

Chen Hao immediately retorted.

"Why do I hear a dog barking? Who is yapping?"

"You..."

Wang Liguo was furious. Even through the phone, his anger could be felt.

"Oh, it's Manager Wang. No wonder it sounded like a dog barking. I am only handing over to Nana. Since Manager Wang insists on interfering, then I'll hang up first. I'll continue the handover when you learn to speak like a human."

"Chen Hao! Don't get cocky just because you've had a small victory. The company has already settled the money owed to you..."

Chen Hao didn't listen to what he was saying and directly hung up.

"If you knew this day would come, why did you act that way in the first place?"

In high spirits and feeling triumphant, he turned around, only to freeze on the spot.

"Zhang Menglu, what are you doing?!"