402: Chapter 401 You've Finally Arrived

Beijing.

Chen Zhongxuan hung up the phone and couldn't help but reveal a wry smile.

"This kid really knows how to give me a hard time."

The people he needed to meet were big shots; having them gather together just to wait for a meeting was already outrageous enough. Now, he wanted them to travel thousands of miles just to see him?

It was difficult.

Chen Zhongxuan shook his head slightly. No matter how difficult it was, he had to do it. The pie that Wang Shuo had promised him this time was big enough that he was worried he wouldn't be able to swallow it. If this matter succeeded, the Chen Group would truly establish a firm foothold and completely distinguish itself from ordinary enterprises.

This had always been his pursuit; the attraction was self-evident.

After sitting blankly for a while and carefully sorting through the whole matter, Chen Zhongxuan let out a breath, took out his phone, and dialed a number.

The call connected, and a calm, steady voice came from the other side.

"President Chen."

"President Tang."

Chen Zhongxuan smiled and said, "I have something to discuss with you."

...

A few minutes later.

"You mean..."

President Tang's voice changed slightly: "We need to go to Hanzhong City?"

"Yes."

Chen Zhongxuan said, "I know this is very abrupt. Your relationship with Old Yang has always been good, so I specifically called you to ask about your schedule."

"What about the time?"

President Tang's voice was low, revealing no emotion.

"If everyone can agree, we will set off tomorrow morning."

"So urgent?"

President Tang's voice was somewhat surprised: "So urgent, and you want us to accommodate him... Heh, President Chen, the partner you found this time certainly has a big ego."

Chen Zhongxuan smiled bitterly. He knew this matter would be very difficult to handle.

These presidents—which one of them wasn't arrogant? Whether talking business or anything else, it was almost impossible to get them to completely accommodate another party.

"President Tang."

Chen Zhongxuan steeled himself and said, "I'll be straightforward with you. The business we are discussing this time is extremely important."

"How important?"

President Tang said indifferently, "Which of our projects at the Microelectronics Equipment Group isn't important? President Chen, since you've laid your cards on the table, I'll do the same. Our President Qin originally didn't want me to come, but since Old Yang is an important partner of ours and kept inviting me sincerely, I came to take a look. But now..."

President Tang didn't continue, but the meaning was already very clear.

Chen Zhongxuan had nothing to say and could only brace himself to add more weight: "President Tang, the project to be discussed this time concerns... the Chip."

"The Chip?"

President Tang laughed for the first time: "I'll have to have our business department check thoroughly to see which domestic company has ordered a Lithography Machine recently. I hope this won't cause any trouble."

Chen Zhongxuan felt a bit awkward; this sentence was clearly mocking him.

In the past, given his temper, he would have hung up long ago. But today, he had to endure it; after all, he needed a favor.

"President Tang..."

"Alright, President Chen, I appreciate your good intentions."

President Tang indifferently interrupted Chen Zhongxuan, saying, "We can agree to your invitation to negotiate and can make a special trip to Beijing to meet, but that doesn't mean we must cooperate with you, nor does it mean we can be ordered around. Since your partner lacks sincerity, there is no need to talk about cooperation. I will set off to return to Donghai City tomorrow."

After saying that, he hung up the phone, not giving Chen Zhongxuan any face at all.

In fact, as the second-in-command of a microelectronics group, coming to Beijing to attend the meeting was already showing face. Asking them to go to Hanzhong City now was completely unreasonable.

Looking at the hung-up phone, Chen Zhongxuan knew he was in the wrong. He sighed and dialed the next number.

"President Wu, I have something to discuss with you."

...

At this moment, the Chairman of the Chen Group seemed to have become an ordinary telemarketer.

On the other side.

President Tang hung up the phone with a calm expression, showing no sign of being furious after being stood up.

A young woman in her mid-twenties, wearing a white-collar suit, sat on his lap and said with a smile, "President Tang, if you hang up the phone like that, what if they hold a grudge against you?"

"Hold a grudge against me?"

President Tang smiled and said, "If he had the ability to hold a grudge against me, he should be sitting in my position. A mere Chairman of the Chen Group, who can't even clean up his own family's mess, dares to hold a grudge against me?"

The woman pursed her lips and smiled, "I just love seeing you so domineering, President Tang."

"Haha."

President Tang patted the woman's bottom, smiling, "Wait and see how I deal with you tonight."

The woman put on a fearful expression, her seductive look making President Tang's appetite grow.

"You little hussy."

President Tang calmed himself down and said, "Wait until I report the situation to President Qin, then I'll deal with you later."

The woman left with a smile and sensibly sat on a stool to the side.

President Tang took out his phone and dialed.

"President Qin."

His voice returned to being calm and steady.

"Hmm, how did the talk go?"

"It fell through."

President Tang said indifferently, without any emotion, "They lack any sincerity. I don't think there is any value in continuing contact, and they don't have what we urgently need."

"Hmm."

President Qin's voice sounded, "I originally thought having so many people together would be an opportunity for consolidation, but I didn't expect..."

President Qin didn't continue, but asked, "Have you figured out why this company was issued a gag order from above?"

"No."

President Tang said indifferently, "But I don't think there is anything worth paying attention to. Maybe some leader just didn't like them and wanted to crush them on a whim."

President Qin didn't speak, seemingly in thought. After a while, a faint voice sounded, "The new round of inspection team members will arrive in Donghai City tomorrow, focusing on the preparation work for the Lithography Machine production line. If there is nothing else, come back as soon as possible."

President Tang's eyes lit up slightly, and he nodded gently, "Understood."

The call ended.

President Tang threw his phone aside, looked at the woman sitting nearby, and revealed a wicked smile, "What did you just say?"

The woman put on a pitiful look, "President Tang, I'm so scared."

President Tang laughed, picked the woman up, and threw her onto the bed, "Let me teach you properly what it means to be scared!"

The night gradually deepened.

When the gloomy night became thick to the extreme, a figure appeared outside a brightly lit building on the second ring road of Hanzhong City.

Looking at the huge glowing characters on the wall, Ning Hao swallowed his saliva, tightened his clothes, circled to the back door, and entered quietly.

However, as soon as he entered, he froze in place.

A cold voice came from behind him.

"You finally came."