Late at night, the moonlight was bright and the stars were shining.
Su Tianyu came to the door of his elder brother's room and knocked: "Are you asleep, brother?"
"Coming." A response came from inside the room. Su Tiannan, dressed in formal attire, opened the door: "You haven't slept yet?"
"Can't sleep. Came to talk to you." Su Tianyu replied with a smile.
"Hehe, come in." Su Tiannan stepped aside.
Su Tianyu stepped into the room, turned his head to look at the furnishings of the room, and saw that there wasn't much change compared to a few years ago. It was clean, tidy, and there wasn't a single redundant piece of furniture.
The indoor light was a little dim. There was still sandalwood on the desk in the living room. Su Tiannan closed the door, walked to the desk, picked up the teapot and said: "Little brother, the timing of your return this time is not good. There are indeed some things going on at home. I temporarily can't accompany you. Let Miaomiao take you out for a walk later."
Su Tianyu bent over and sat on the sofa, paused and said: "Brother, I didn't come to talk about feelings with you."
Su Tiannan came over, placed the tea cup in front of him, bent down and sat down and asked: "What's the matter? Is there anything else?"
Su Tianyu thought for a moment and replied: "When you were talking earlier, I listened to the general course of events and had some thoughts in my heart."
Su Tiannan looked at his younger brother somewhat surprisedly and asked actively: "Then tell me. What thoughts do you have?"
"Personally, I think the turning point of the second uncle's case is actually not in the judicial department. Even if we spend money to build relationships, it's not necessarily possible to get a good outcome for this case." Su Tianyu said straightforwardly: "Corruption is rampant in Longcheng. Since Changqing Company can handle the district police department and the municipal police department, they won't easily give you the opportunity to reverse the case. To put it harshly, in terms of spending money, can our family compare to Changqing Company? So the only condition for overturning the case in the judicial department is the balance of power. Unless we can find a relationship that can make the police department listen with just one word, any operation would be in vain."
Su Tiannan held his chin with his left hand, crossed his legs, and nodded slowly: "Continue."
"I have two summaries of this matter: First, the unity of the internal staff of the company is very important. Eight people shouting may not be heard, but if eight hundred people shout, the voice is very loud. Second, I heard you say that apart from our Su family being targeted in Zhannan District, three other families have also been framed. Then why can't we unite them?" Su Tianyu frowned slightly and said: "We don't have connections and money to stand up. Then we have to find a way to make the upper level notice us."
Perhaps influenced by his father, Su Tianyu was very good at summarizing when encountering things. He was willing to summarize the complex matters into the most refined points to adjust the train of thought.
In Su Tiannan's heart, he always regarded Su Tianyu as a child because the latter went to school at the age of eighteen and hasn't been home for several years. So his impression of Tianyu was still relatively fixed. But at this moment, listening to Tianyu's words, he was unexpectedly led by the other party and felt that what he said made some sense.
"After your second uncle was taken in, the morale of the company scattered. They think that our Su family will have a hard time getting through this hurdle. So they are all avoiding the matter. These people not only don't support the company. A few of the management even want to take advantage of this difficult time for the Su family and ask us to subcontract the work area to them." Su Tiannan frowned and replied: "So it's quite difficult to unite them."
"I don't think it's difficult." Su Tianyu looked at his elder brother with a smile, knowing him well in his heart: "It's just that it might tear faces... and you don't want to do this."
Su Tiannan was stunned again upon hearing this.
"Brother, the management of the company is the bridge that leads the bottom-level employees. The company and them always form cohesion through interests. It's too normal to have exploitation in the middle of interests. If you don't want to handle this matter, then I'll be the villain." Su Tianyu softly persuaded:
Su Tiannan fell into deep thought.
"Why don't you invite the management and let's talk first. If we can solve the internal problems, we can sit down with the other three families to talk." Su Tianyu said again: "The determination of the second uncle's case may come down at any time. Once it's really labeled as smuggling contraband, it'll be too late for us to think of a way."
Hearing this, Su Tiannan slowly got up and replied: "Alright, I'll invite the foremen tomorrow."
"I think it's still early. Why not invite them today. Solve it earlier to avoid any complications." Su Tianyu urged.
"Okay, let's go to the warehouse now." Su Tiannan was completely persuaded.
...
At the headquarters of Changqing Company in Zhannan District, a fat man in his forties, dressed in a black suit, sat on a spacious leather sofa, crossed his legs, and smoked as he asked: "What did Su Tiannan say?"
"He asked us to give him another five days." Lu Feng lay慵懒ly on the sofa, touching his short hair and replied: "This kid is not giving up. He might still be thinking of operating to get his dad back from the police department."
The fat man in the black suit was the boss of Changqing Company, named Li Hongze, and was the top leader of the Longcheng branch of Changqing Group.
"Why did you agree to give him five days?" Li Hongze asked.
"There were over a hundred people on the scene. If we don't agree, there will be a fight today. A fight is likely to attract attention, which is not good for us." Lu Feng answered concisely: "Old Wang from the police department also wants to mediate. We don't need to have too much trouble with Old Wang over a sure thing. After all, he's not on our side."
Li Hongze laughed upon hearing this: "Haha, our number one knife in Zhannan is now using his brain to handle things. Alright, the company is getting better and better."
"Mr. Li, after we take down the four families of Su, Bai, Liu, and Kong, I want half of the business. Is that okay?" Lu Feng asked with a smile.
Li Hongze picked up the cigarette box, took out one and threw it to Lu Feng: "Five years later, I'll make you the number one knife in Longcheng!"
"Great."
...
About an hour and a half later, in the two-story office building of the Su family's warehouse in Zhannan District, more than a dozen company managers had gathered. They were all the leaders in charge of each street area. Some enjoyed the company's dividend treatment, and some held a certain amount of dry shares. They could be regarded as the backbone of the Su family's company.
The room was filled with smoke and the sounds of whispering kept ringing out. Su Tiannan sat on the wooden chair with a solemn expression.
"Xiao Nan, we have been working for the Su family for a long time. There are no outsiders here. Let's speak frankly. If the Su family falls this time, how are you going to arrange us workers? Will the pensions and labor insurance be affected? Can the year-end bonuses be paid on time?" A man in his forties asked very directly.
"That's right. If the Su family hands over the work area to Changqing Company, how will our sanitation worker status and files be handled?" Someone immediately spoke in agreement. The tone was also quite aggressive, somewhat like forcing the palace.
Before Su Tiannan could even open his mouth to ask for the support of these managers, they took the initiative to raise difficulties. In difficult situations, any personal feelings were all not worth mentioning.
"Well, my little brother just graduated and returned. The family handed over the company's affairs to him. " Su Tiannan pointed to Tianyu beside him and said softly: "I'm here listening. You can talk to him."
Everyone turned to look at Su Tianyu upon hearing this. Seeing that he was young and gentle, they were all somewhat dissatisfied.
"He's just a kid. He has never managed the sanitation business. What can we talk about with him?"
"That's right. A kid. What does he know?"
"...!"
Su Tiannan looked at everyone: "I said, I'm just here listening and won't run away."
Everyone fell silent upon hearing this.
After everyone was quiet, Su Tianyu reached out to adjust his glasses and said politely: "Then let me say a few words?"
The company managers coldly looked at Su Tianyu, either whispering to each other or smoking without saying a word.
Su Tianyu took out the materials he had sorted out in the car earlier and said expressionlessly: "My elder brother went to the urban area yesterday and tried to talk to the people from the police department, but the effect was not ideal. To put it simply, there is basically no room for operation in my second uncle's case. If we want to protect him, we have to pay money and hand over the work area of the Su family's company. Our family members also discussed and felt that we can't fight against Changqing Company. So, we can only hand over the land to protect the person."
Everyone seemed unsurprised by this result and didn't respond.
"Before handing over the land, we have prepared termination contracts for everyone here." Su Tianyu frowned and said: "The files and sanitation worker status will all be returned to the individuals. The current month's salary can be settled, but don't think about the year-end bonus. The dividends for all the managers also don't need to be considered. Because it's only the middle of the year, the Management Committee won't settle the year-end bonus. After the procedures are sent out, everyone can find their own way out."
Upon hearing this, everyone was in an uproar in an instant.
"What do you mean? Termination of the contract and no year-end dividends and bonuses for us. Why?"
"That's right. You terminated the contract, but the files were returned to the individuals. Doesn't that mean we were fired?! Our pensions and labor insurance won't be guaranteed either?"
"Su Tiannan, what do you mean by this? We have worked for half a year. Why is the year-end bonus gone just like that? The trouble caused by your Su family. Why should we bear the consequences?!"
"...!"
As soon as the management heard that the Su family wouldn't take care of them anymore, they were immediately outraged.
Su Tiannan frowned and looked at everyone without replying, while Su Tianyu looked at everyone without a single ripple of emotion in his eyes and continued softly: "When the tree falls, the monkeys scatter. The Su family can't even protect itself, so there's no way to take care of everyone."
"You're talking nonsense! We have worked for the Su family for so long. Even if there are no feelings, there should still be friendship, right? I tell you, if the second Su didn't go in, he would never handle things this way!" The leading middle-aged man in his forties almost shouted at Su Tianyu.
"Brother, you talked about benefits first, and then about friendship. If you do this, the Su family will have a hard time." Su Tianyu replied with a smile.
"You know nothing!" The middle-aged man got up and said to Su Tiannan: "If you handle things this way, then let's not be reasonable. Tomorrow, a few of us will bring the employees to your house for meals."
Su Tiannan sighed, lowered his head, and still didn't reply.
Su Tianyu adjusted his glasses and slowly stood up: "Are you threatening me?"
The middle-aged man looked at him: "Get out of the way. This has nothing to do with you."
Su Tianyu smiled and looked at the other party, reached out and took out a small part of the employee materials from the bag, and said concisely: "The sanitation worker status and files are all in the company's hands. Your entry and exit are all submitted by the company to the Management Committee. Then doesn't this mean... I say you are a regular employee, you are. I say you are a temporary worker, you are too?"
The management was completely stunned upon hearing this.
"You see, if you are shameless, capital can be even more shameless than you." Su Tianyu put down the materials: "Brother, do you want to talk about benefits or friendship now?"
Everyone was silent.
Su Tianyu turned to look at everyone: "You think the downfall of the Su family has nothing to do with you. As long as the Sanitation Management Committee wants to operate normally, it can't do without workers. But is this the truth? If the Su family hands over the work area, do you think you can still have a job in sanitation? I tell you, this is just a dream! Why does Changqing Company target the Su family? There are only thirty-something people in our family doing the sanitation work. What benefits can they get from targeting us? Wake up. Changqing Company is aiming at the eight hundred sanitation worker positions in the hands of the Su family. The purpose of seizing the work area is to give jobs to their own people and monopolize. Understand? Everyone!"
The middle-aged man listened to Su Tianyu's words, thought carefully for a moment, and then sat back in his position with a sullen face.
"Not uniting means death." Su Tianyu pointed at the termination contract on the table and said: "Will you sign the contract or tide over the difficulties with the Su family? You decide for yourselves. Oh, by the way, if the company liquidates and goes bankrupt, the dormitory buildings distributed to you by the company also have to be returned."
"What if we can't fight against Changqing Company?" A fifty-something-old man asked concisely.
Su Tiannan, who had been silent all along, got up decisively at this moment, pointed at the warehouse compound and said: "I, Su Tiannan, will never treat any of you unfairly. We can sign a contract. If the Su family goes bankrupt and hands over the business, all the existing equipment and assets will belong to the management. Everyone can distribute these things to the bottom-level employees as salary."
These managers were also poor people. Basically, they brought their friends, fellow villagers, and relatives to join the Su family's company. They couldn't earn much money throughout the year. Their demands for interests were always simple, nothing more than the word 'life'. When these two words were guaranteed, the common people were always docile and would desperately contribute to society. But if anyone had the nerve to touch these two words, then there would be trouble. So now many business tycoons shout being close to the people on the surface and secretly shout 'harvest the leeks quickly'. After harvesting, they would also say, 'Everyone, we are always together.'
Looking back at history, it has always been like this.
Su Tianyu never wanted to confront these people. He just wanted to take advantage of the situation.
After the negotiation ended, Su Tiannan sat in the emptied meeting room and sighed: "They are all familiar faces. It's really ugly to end up like this."
In fact, Big Brother Su understood all the reasons. It's just that there were some things he didn't want to do.
Su Tianyu drank tea and said softly: "Brother, after uniting the company, we need to talk to the other three families."
...
Inside the urban area.
Su Tianbei sat in the car and held the phone and said: "Can you get me a couple of guns?"
"Are you crazy? Your dad is already in prison. Why are you still doing this? What? Do you want your whole family to die?"