Just like the incentive system, the competitive system was also a wonderful means to improve efficiency. In the competition with the United Bank of Switzerland and Standard Chartered Bank, Citigroup Global Markets spent only three days purchasing Capres, an emerging company in transition from storing to statistics. Due to its executive level’s eagerness for quick success and instant benefits, its loans had taken up nearly half of its capital. It was fair to say that Capres had been working for the bank the year before. With 20 million dollars, Huang Xuan had ended the suffering of three Brazilians as well as the happiness of Banco Bradesco. Capres was performing assets in good operation. That was why it had always been able to get loans from the bank. However, expansion didn’t bring about the expected explosive growth in business. As its new boss, Huang Xuan spent 30 minutes there and promised that he would keep everyone. Meanwhile, he brought it its first business, the storage of 60,000 cubic meters of lumber and the materials needed.
Modeste, a tall Brazilian, looked up and showed his dark and red face.
“Don’t worry, Boss. We will turn Capres into the best storing company in Brazil,” he said in simple Portuguese.
For the “-est” kind of things, Huang Xuan had little hopes. Under the influence of ten-odd years of public opinion, Huang Xuan understood that most of the “-est” kind of things should only be counted as one of. But his teacher from his primary school had once said that the expression was paradoxical, which in Rolin’s opinion was wrong. However, his teacher had also told him that it was a special usage. “Forget it.” Huang Xuan stood on tiptoe, patted on Modeste’s chest and then said with a smile, “I believe you can do it.” After that, he started saying goodbye to the staff one by one.
Aubrey was following Huang Xuan with his interpreter and a female lawyer named Annabelle, who was tall and thin, wearing a pair of sunglasses with a narrow frame, looking stern. She worked for the affiliated law firm of Citigroup. It had been rumored that she had been appointed specially for this agreement. Huang Xuan didn’t care whether there was a specialized lawyer with him or not because Rollin could deal with the dull law documents. The female lawyer was pretty yet not dazzling.
Having got on the helicopter, Huang Xuan rubbed his eyes and said to Aubrey, “Accelerate the dividing of Capres. Keep the storing division only and incorporate it into my newly established company, Zhongxing Industrial. Sell all the rest. Speed up.”
Aubrey kept nodding. His position in the company had been much raised because of Huang Xuan’s case. He felt lucky. Initially, he had been managing only two million dollars, but now it was 300 million dollars, and Citigroup had organized a new team for it. He believed that as long as he could win most of the 300 million, he would receive the most admired position in the team.
Then Aubrey noticed piles of lumber on the ground, the majority of which was best-quality oak, much better than that he had seen before. He couldn’t help wondering how much it was worth and became jealous of Huang Xuan. “It is indeed different to grow up in a big clan. He is only 16 but already owns more wealth than he can ever spend. However, I have to struggle for years just to obtain the qualification as the manager of his wealth.”
Inequality was motivation as well as competition.
Annabelle peeked at Huang Xuan as she pretended to be organizing files. Although she had met plenty of millionaires and billionaires, she still couldn’t believe that this young guy who was even younger than her little brother possessed 300 million dollars. It was this very guy that had just promised to keep all the employees and decided to speed up the dividing of the company merely half an hour later.
As a professional, Annabelle converted her disdain into enthusiasm for work. Without those callous rich guys, what would lawyers be for?
Back home, Huang Xuan resumed studying in the base. It had been days since he had seen Galatea last time. His feelings for her were much weaker. The sense of achievement was very tempting for youths like Huang Xuan. When he found that he could learn three languages easily, it drove him to the base like an addict.
Huang Xuan did best in Greek, which he could employ well in dialogues. Since Portuguese was used often in his daily life, he did pretty well too, but because there were too many technical terms, he still needed Rolin’s help with English. Despite this, he was still learning very fast.
All the high executives of Shengfeng had quit. Huang Youwei became the biggest scapegoat. Good news kept arriving from home. With the help of Z990 and a great deal of energy, Rolin had searched a lot of materials.
On Friday afternoon, Huang Qunsheng came home, fatigued. Although his old classmate was helping him, everything was hard. He started to quiz Huang Xuan in English as he sat on the sofa, drinking tea.
“Well done, son! It seems that sending you abroad was the right decision,” Huang Qunsheng finished the rest of the tea and said, patting on his son’s arm.
“Father, how can you ever be wrong?” Huang Xuan flattered his father and refilled his cup, just like a well-behaved child.
Huang Qunsheng knew his son too well to be fooled, but considering that Huang Xuan had indeed been good recently, he smiled and asked, “Son, what are you going to do? Where do you want to go to university? In Brazil or at home?”
“Do I have to go to university?” Huang Xuan asked, afraid.
Huang Qunsheng glared at him. Obviously, it was a question beyond negotiation.
“Where?”
“It doesn’t matter.” Huang Xuan sat back on the sofa, frustrated.
“I have heard that you have passed in Portuguese. Go to middle school from next week. It’s time for you to lay a solid foundation.”
Huang Xuan drew back his neck and reluctantly accepted the reality that going to university was inevitable.
On the other hand, Huang Qunsheng felt that his task of educating his son had been just completed. He drank more tea and went to sleep. Huang Xuan sighed, lying on the sofa and imagining having classes with a herd of hairy creatures.