Zhang Corporation was on the brink of bankruptcy and closure due to a massive capital shortfall, and even the usually unflappable Old Master Zhang felt immense pressure. Old Master Zhang simply couldn't believe that the investors who had put money into his company for so many years were actually partners with his business rivals, and that their investments had been made on someone else's instruction. This was something Zhang Mo found hard to accept. He had thought this project would go smoothly and had even hoped to secure the Nanxi project contract using Li Jiayuan, but who could have foreseen not only would they fail to secure the contract for the Nanxi project, but they would also infuriate the investors, prompting the two who had invested the most to withdraw their funds, plunging the company into an unprecedented crisis. How would they get through this difficult time?
Old Master Zhang was not willing to give up, he hoped someone would invest a large sum of money when he needed it the most to help him through this crisis. Old Master Zhang decided to visit friends with whom he had collaborated on projects, hoping they could lend a hand. However, during his visits, these so-called friends could only provide a small amount of money, all of which added up to less than one-tenth of the company's capital shortfall, leaving Old Master Zhang with a headache. Eventually, Old Master Zhang prepared to call a board meeting to announce the company's bankruptcy.
"Zhentian, the company can't go on, have you reached out to Li Jiayuan to help your dad out? Is she willing to lend a hand?" Old Master Zhang called Zhang Zhentian. He waited with hopeful anticipation for Zhang Zhentian's response, but his answer was undoubtedly a cold bucket of water.
"Help? You sure think highly, don't you? You've taken advantage of someone's daughter, do you really think he would let his daughter be used by you again?" Zhang Zhentian said bluntly to his own father. Zhang Zhentian was also furious. He had indeed approached Li Haixiao and Li Jiayuan, only to find out that Li Jiayuan professed she liked Zhang Zhentian, wanted to be with him, and promised that as long as Zhang Zhentian would be with Li Jiayuan, Li Haixiao would agree not to withdraw his investment. But how could Zhang Zhentian, who was so infatuated with Xia Jing, possibly agree?
Now Elder Zhang was desperate, and to prevent the company from going under, he held a press conference. At the press conference, he made a promise: "I, Zhang Mo, hereby pledge that if anyone is willing to invest in Zhang Corporation and keep it operational, I am prepared to hand over the piece of land that the company has always been reluctant to auction off to them." It turned out that Zhang Corporation still owned a valuable piece of land, but how could Old Master Zhang bear to auction off this piece of land at such a critical moment? Old Master Zhang knew all too well that if he were to auction the land now, the price would surely plummet. Only by using the land as a condition for investment could he save the company. Just as everyone was arriving in droves, Xia Jing entered the press conference venue, stunning Old Master Zhang, his friends, and including Zhang Zhentian, who had not anticipated Xia Jing returning here, especially without consulting him.
Alas! As soon as Xia Jing arrived, she became the focus of everyone in the hall, with people discussing her below.
"You say, why is she here?"
"Right, this is a press conference. What is a mercenary leader doing here?"
"Who knows, maybe she's just here to cause trouble. But it's a press conference called by President Zhang, and everyone knows he doesn't like Xia Jing. It's surprising she dared to come. Isn't she afraid that President Zhang will have her thrown out in front of all these people?"
"Don't say that, you know how much President Zhang values his reputation. Even if he's dissatisfied with Xia Jing, he wouldn't evict her in full view of an audience."
…
After hearing these comments from the people below, Old Master Zhang's face turned green with anger, wishing he could hide in a crack in the ground. However, he had no choice but to stand thick-skinned on the stage.
A quarter of an hour later, Old Master Zhang asked again if anyone was willing to invest to save Zhang Corporation, but not a single person responded, only hushed whispers could be heard.
"Do you think President Zhang is okay? He really thinks others are fools. If Zhang Corporation is really collapsing, he will auction off that piece of land. At that time, we could just buy it at a low price. Why spend so much money helping him save the company?"
"That's right, even if we don't invest to save Zhang Corporation, that doesn't mean someone else won't."
"Do you think we're the only smart ones and everyone else is a fool? If we've thought of it, then certainly others will have too, don't you think?"
"Hmm~ you have a point. So we'll just wait and see how things unfold!"
Old Master Zhang, hearing these schemers' calculus, was so angry he almost vomited blood. He looked up at the ceiling and silently thought, "Could it be that we really won't be able to get through this crisis? Could the company I've painstakingly built really collapse because of a single sentence I uttered?" As Old Master Zhang was staring hopelessly at the gray sky, Xia Jing stood up. She walked onto the stage with a fearless grace, faced everyone present, and announced, "I am willing to invest, to help Zhang Corporation through this difficulty, to ensure its normal operations, and I do not need the piece of land from Zhang Corporation."
Old Master Zhang wasn't the only one staring blankly at Xia Jing; Zhang Zhentian was as well, and so were all the onlookers, all thinking that Old Master Zhang so despised Xia Jing and had opposed the relationship between her and Zhang Zhentian. They all thought she would hate Old Master Zhang to the bone and thought, even if Xia Jing had the money, she would prefer to let Zhang Corporation die because of Old Master Zhang's actions... But who could have imagined that, in the end, it would be Xia Jing who stood up to save Zhang Corporation.
Seeing Old Master Zhang staring blankly at her, Xia Jing couldn't help but walk over and ask him, "Uncle, are you alright? I have resolved the company's funding issues, so I won't disturb you any further. I will take my leave now." After greeting Old Master Zhang, Xia Jing prepared to leave. That's when Old Master Zhang stopped her.
"Wait a moment, I have something to say to you." After saying this to Xia Jing, he turned to address the people below the stage, "Today's press conference is now over. Thank you, friends, for attending. Since the financial issues of my company have been resolved, I won't keep you any longer. We shall meet again another day!" After finishing, Old Master Zhang beckoned Xia Jing to walk with him.
As they walked, Old Master Zhang asked Xia Jing, "Don't you hate me?"
"What would I hate you for? For forcibly breaking me and Zhentian apart? Or for your longstanding dissatisfaction with me?" Xia Jing retorted to Old Master Zhang.
"I have a question that I'm curious about; I wonder if you could answer it for me?" asked Old Master Zhang.
"What you're curious about is where I got the money to save Zhang Corporation and why I would do that, right?" Xia Jing asked playfully.
"Indeed, I am curious."
"Uncle, if I hated you, I wouldn't save Zhang Corporation today, whether I had the money or not. But since I did save it, it proves that I don't hate you. Uncle, I know that in your heart, I might be someone who stops at nothing, and you think that my relationship with Zhentian is for your fortune. But today, I want to tell you, using all my savings of many years to save your company, I have no ulterior motives. I merely want to prove to you that I, Xia Jing, am not with your son Zhentian for the money, and I'm certainly not a woman who would do anything for profit. I only hope that I can change the image that you have of me in your heart. I sincerely want to be with Zhentian and genuinely seek your approval, nothing more. With this said, I shall leave now. Please, take care and rest well." Having spoken, Xia Jing left, and although there wasn't much change on the surface, Elder Zhang's heart had already begun to slowly accept this daughter-in-law.