At 4:30 PM, after the failed negotiation, Ye Xiaoming and Ouyang Xue boarded a flight back to the ancient city.
As they approached the airport exit, Ouyang Xue was surprised to see Feng Shijie and Liu Bing waiting for them. Liu Bing, who should have been working in Beijing, being here signaled to Ouyang Xue that something more serious was about to unfold. She hoped her intuition was wrong, as the rapid response of her colleagues indicated something deeply troubling.
In reality, Ye, Feng, and Liu were following their pre-determined plan. After the brief failed negotiation, Ye Xiaoming called Liu Bing from the Yuexiu Garden Hotel, instructing him to return to the ancient city with all company documents and immediately request to withdraw shares from Ouyang Xue. Given the failure to reconcile, Ge Lü Shi Company was now a sinking ship, and staying any longer would only mean more danger.
Feng Shijie greeted them with a forced smile, attempting to exchange pleasantries but unable to find the words.
Liu Bing took Ouyang Xue's bags of Shenzhen specialties and said, "Welcome back, Chairman. You must be tired."
As the four walked towards the parking lot, Ye Xiaoming lagged behind Ouyang Xue, exchanging a knowing glance with Liu Bing, who nodded to confirm everything was ready.
When they reached the car, Feng Shijie took the front passenger seat, leaving the back seat for Ye Xiaoming and Ouyang Xue, making it easier for Ye to talk to Ouyang without direct confrontation.
Shortly after leaving the airport, Ye Xiaoming broke the silence, "Chairman, given the current situation, there's no point in hiding. We want to withdraw our shares. Of course, company law states that shareholders..."
Ouyang Xue cut him off, her voice cold, "Agreed."
Ye, Feng, and Liu were taken aback by how easily she conceded. They had expected her to reject the request, citing company law and the background of establishing the company. Accepting the share transfer now would mean taking on legal responsibility for those shares, potentially losing all equity if the company went bankrupt. Rejecting the transfer and negotiating a compromise would have been more balanced. Ouyang's straightforward acceptance felt like a slap in the face.
After a pause, Ye Xiaoming said, "I won't argue further. The speaker evaluations, the user manuals... let's not get into that. Up until August last year, our sales profits couldn't cover operating costs. We only started making a profit of 170,000 yuan by June this year. The audio exhibition cost us 230,000 yuan, putting us back in the red. We can't keep going like this."
Ouyang Xue remained silent, unwilling to say a word.
The car stopped at Venus Hotel. Noticing that Liu Bing parked in a space rather than by the curb, Ouyang Xue asked, "Is it happening now?"
Ye Xiaoming replied, "We have all the documents with us. It's better to resolve this quickly."
Ouyang Xue agreed, "Fine. Let's go to the office."
As they entered the hotel, staff helped with their bags. Ouyang Xue instructed them to store the Shenzhen specialties in the fridge, then led Ye, Feng, and Liu upstairs. Passing the accounting office, she asked the accountant to join them.
In her office, she asked the accountant to withdraw 300,000 yuan from the bank for immediate cash transfer, ensuring security.
Once the accountant left, Ouyang Xue said, "Let's begin."
Ye Xiaoming retrieved documents from Liu Bing's briefcase: company seals, shareholder certificates, keys to the office and store, Feng Shijie's inventory records, and Ye Xiaoming's business accounts. Finally, he presented pre-printed blank share transfer agreements.
Ouyang Xue returned personal loan notes from her safe, then reviewed the blank agreements, ensuring they were standard. She instructed them to fill in their details, then signed each one.
The bank was nearby, and the accountant quickly returned with the money. Ouyang Xue first handed 30,000 yuan to Liu Bing, who signed a receipt.
Next, she counted out 70,000 yuan for Ye Xiaoming. He also signed a receipt.
When it came to Feng Shijie, she paused and asked, "Your 170,000 yuan includes that jeep, valued at 50,000 yuan a year ago. How much should it be depreciated now?"
Embarrassed, Feng Shijie said, "I've been using it all along. Let's keep the original value."
Ouyang Xue handed him 120,000 yuan.
Feng Shijie signed a receipt for 170,000 yuan but did not take the money. Instead, he proposed, "Could you transfer the 170,000 yuan of debt owed by Wang Miao Village to me? This way, it's not affected by the lawsuit. Building a production system in the village wasn't easy; we should protect what we can."
Ouyang Xue retrieved the poverty alleviation fund ledger and a stack of promissory notes, saying, "Pick what you want."
Feng Shijie selected the core equipment loans, totaling 194,000 yuan, exceeding the share transfer by 24,000 yuan.
He said, "I'll take these promissory notes and write you a 24,000 yuan IOU. I'll bring you the money within a week."
Ouyang Xue agreed.
After writing the IOU, Feng Shijie handed it to Ouyang Xue, avoiding her scornful gaze. He asked, "Chairman, didn't you notify Ding about this?"
Ouyang Xue coldly replied, "Didn't you say not to disturb him? What difference would it make? Could he stop you from withdrawing?"
After completing the formalities, Ouyang Xue thought it was over. However, Liu Bing suddenly stood up and said, "Chairman, I have a request. Although I'm no longer a shareholder, I want to stay with the company. Can I?"
His request shocked everyone, including Ye Xiaoming and Feng Shijie.
Ouyang Xue, almost fainting from surprise, asked, "Since the company is collapsing, who would you work for?"
Liu Bing, smiling sheepishly, replied, "It hasn't collapsed yet."
After a moment's hesitation, Ouyang Xue said, "If you wish, then work."
Liu Bing added, "I'll take over Mr. Ye's duties and return to Beijing tomorrow."
Relieved from his mental burden, Liu Bing achieved a dual purpose: risk mitigation and hope preservation, finally feeling at ease.