"Eh?"
Mu Sheng, Jiu Cheng, and the other two all exclaimed in surprise, simultaneously reaching for their pockets. Everyone was instantly shocked—these phones and wallets were theirs!
Keep in mind, their eyes had been on Zhen Chaoyang the whole time as he moved around! Although the phones and wallets were in their outer pockets, making them relatively easy to steal, it was still done right in front of everyone!
And these weren't just any people; they were highly vigilant experts like Mu Sheng and his team. Not to mention, it was done in just a matter of seconds.
What kind of sorcery was this? Zhen Chaoyang had never practiced such skills before.
Even Zhen Chaoyang himself was stunned. Just as he had said, it felt more like an instinct.
"That was a special enhancement serum developed by a friend of mine. I had you try it out first. When he develops more, I'll give the others a chance too," Xu Zhengyang fibbed to the group.
"Biotechnology?" Mu Sheng asked, his eyes lighting up.
"Exactly," Xu Zhengyang replied, playing along with a chuckle.
They then tested Zhen Chaoyang's skills further, leaving everyone utterly speechless. Stealing something from someone up close was just a simple task for him now. When Xu Zhengyang asked him how long it would take to steal Zhao Xiaoman's personal phone, given the current surveillance on the Zhao family, Zhen Chaoyang immediately laid out a detailed and feasible plan.
This plan wasn't just theoretical—it was highly practical. Of course, this was based on their surveillance, knowing when she eats, goes to the bathroom, rests, etc. But if someone else were to come up with such a plan, it wouldn't be as simple.
Xu Zhengyang had no more doubts.
The next day, around ten in the morning, Che Zhihou and others had already scheduled a meeting with the engine manufacturer. The meeting was to take place near their factory.
When Xu Zhengyang arrived with Mu Sheng, the other party was already seated arrogantly on the other side of the conference table, much like how Xu Zhengyang had treated Jack the day before.
Che Zhihou and Chen Chusheng exchanged glances, signaling that the other party wasn't sincere. However, as soon as Xu Zhengyang entered the room, he greeted the man with great enthusiasm, walking straight up to the negotiating fat man.
This fat man had no bodyguards, only an assistant by his side.
Xu Zhengyang warmly extended his hand and said, "You must be Mr. Chen! Hahaha, it's a pleasure to meet you."
Mr. Chen hadn't expected Xu Zhengyang to be so friendly, leaving him momentarily confused. He absentmindedly extended his hand for a handshake, while Xu Zhengyang's right hand shook his, and his left hand subtly grasped his shoulder tightly.
To Mr. Chen, this simply appeared to be a gesture of enthusiasm.
"Oh, haha, you must be Mr. Xu," Mr. Chen responded.
"I wouldn't dare call myself that in your presence, hahaha. We're counting on you to help us out here!" Xu Zhengyang continued warmly, pulling up a chair to sit close to the fat man.
This move left Che Zhihou and Chen Chusheng dumbfounded. They exchanged puzzled looks, unable to understand why Xu Zhengyang was acting so deferentially today when he had been so confrontational with Jack the day before. It didn't make sense!
Getting straight to the point, Xu Zhengyang asked the fat man how much he wanted to sell their engine manufacturing technology.
The fat man's eyes widened before he burst into laughter, shaking his head with disdain.
"I found a suitable engine manufacturer; it's just a matter of time. I've got the money too, so it's just a matter of finding them. My time is precious, after all," Xu Zhengyang said nonchalantly.
"Haha, there's an even simpler solution: accept the acquisition offer from Huainan Group, and everything will be resolved, won't it?" The fat man smirked and shrugged.
"Three thousand dollars," Xu Zhengyang said directly.
Quality determines price, and Xu Zhengyang had already had Che Zhihou inquire about it. The technology for a similar engine was valued at no more than $2,500.
The fat man's smile instantly vanished as he glared at Xu Zhengyang.
"Hmph, sorry, but money won't work here!" he snapped.
"Four thousand!" Xu Zhengyang didn't let him finish.
"No matter how much you offer, it's useless! Do you think I've never seen money before? You'd better accept Huainan Group's offer!" The fat man's refusal was stern, though his heart bled a little—this was already double the normal price! But he couldn't afford to offend the big tree that was Huainan Group.
"Six thousand!"
Xu Zhengyang's next offer was so high that it made the fat man's heart skip a beat. He swallowed hard, gripping the armrests of his chair. Ultimately, he gritted his teeth and refused again. But if Xu Zhengyang had upped the offer by just another two thousand, he would have agreed in a heartbeat, Huainan Group be damned.
"Well, that's a pity. We could've made a lot of money together. Goodbye!" Xu Zhengyang sighed, adjusted his clothes, gave the fat man a resigned smile, and walked out.
Che Zhihou and the others, still baffled, followed behind.
Mu Sheng stayed close to Xu Zhengyang. They had prepared a fluid tracker for this, ready to use it on the fat man if the opportunity arose. Xu Zhengyang had already applied it when they shook hands, so Mu Sheng didn't need to use his.
The fat man sat there in a daze for a long time.
He began to regret it!
Damn it, when you think about it, six thousand is worth it! He could have just sold it privately and denied everything if Huainan Group asked. Even if he ended up on bad terms with Huainan, who cares?
That's six thousand in cash!
The fat man slammed the table and ordered his assistant, "Keep your ears open. If you hear anything about them contacting other manufacturers, let me know immediately."
"Yes, sir!"
If Xu Zhengyang really did take that price to another manufacturer, it would be a steal. He needed to move fast.
After leaving, Xu Zhengyang smiled and said to Che Zhihou, "You guessed right—they refused to sell."
"They wouldn't dare offend Huainan Group so easily," Che Zhihou replied.
"Hmm, if they don't want to sell, then let them keep it. Start looking for other engine manufacturers. No need to arrange meetings, just gather information on the key people and give it to Mu Sheng. Then, start preparing the engine manufacturing workshop. Get the production line ready," Xu Zhengyang said, completely unconcerned, as if he hadn't even planned to close the deal today.
His next words puzzled Che Zhihou even more.
"Alright…"
Although full of questions, Che Zhihou didn't ask for more details and simply agreed.
Xu Zhengyang didn't have time to explain everything. Once they started working with Mu Sheng, things would become clear.
Afterward, Xu Zhengyang got into his car, planning to visit Cheng Baola. He heard the restaurant sign was ready today, and in two days, they could have a soft opening.