Chapter 202: 096 Ant Nest (Second Update)

Translator: 549690339

“How many years has Secretary Wang been with Mr. Zhu?”

The girl’s voice was gentle, her tone as casual as if she were making small talk.

Secretary Wang, however, broke out in a cold sweat.

“Se… Seven years.”

“These years following Mr. Zhu must have been hard, right?”

This Ms. Zhu must not have a good relationship with Mr. Zhu, otherwise she wouldn’t address him by his full title so impersonally.

Secretary Wang measured his words carefully, “We get paid to do our jobs, and besides, Mr. Zhu is a good boss, he’s considerate towards his subordinates.”

Ming Jing nodded, her eyes falling on Secretary Wang’s wristwatch, “That’s a nice watch, Secretary Wang.”

Secretary Wang’s face stiffened, subtly hiding his wristwatch from view. “It’s a birthday gift from my girlfriend, I’m sorry for the misunderstanding.”

Since Ms. Zhu had only returned to the Zhus less than three months ago after having been hidden away in the mountains, she shouldn’t be able to recognize the value of the watch.

It must be a coincidence.

“It seems Secretary Wang’s girlfriend must really love you. This watch isn’t cheap. ”

Over a million… how much salary does a CEO’s secretary get each month?

The wolf cannot hide its tail.

“Give me the financial statements from Tianheng Garden and the other ongoing property projects. ”

Ming Jing abruptly shifted the topic, leaving Secretary Wang somewhat at a loss, “Ms. Zhu, may I ask what you need these for?”

“With the company facing such a big crisis, as the Zhu Group heir, entrusted by the shareholders, I must do something.”

Secretary Wang’s mouth curled up into a smirk, “Ms. Zhu, you’re just a high school student; you won’t understand financial statements.”

“Really? My driver here is a graduate of Harvard Business School. He should be able to understand.”

The distinguished-looking driver smiled at Secretary Wang, “Thank you for your faith in me.”

Secretary Wang, taken aback by the unexpected background of this seemingly insignificant driver, had no choice but to make a call.

Soon, an assistant secretary walked in with a pile of documents.

“These are all the financial statements from the company’s current property projects, please take a look, Ms. Zhu.” He secretly took a look at the rumored Miss Zhu.

Ming Jing leisurely sipped her tea, while her driver began to quickly skim the documents.

The assistant secretary whispered, “Secretary Wang, Secretary Zhou’s phone is unavailable.”

Secretary Wang waved his hand, “Okay, I understand. Go back.”

As time slipped by, Secretary Wang transitioned from anxiety to confidence.

“Starting from last October, the volume of property transactions began to decrease compared to the same period last year. As of last month, the drop exceeded 8% from the same period last year. The company’s cash flow has been problematic since then. Bank loans have been overdue for three months, and the involved interest is dauntingly high. Not to mention the impact of government housing market regulation and other policies, the prepayment alone has enormously increased the company’s liabilities. Now that investors are pulling out, where has the prepayment money gone, Secretary Wang, what do you say?”

Secretary Wang laughed, “It seems this young man is still a layman. What you have learned are just theories. The real operation needs practical experience. This sum of money can only be confirmed after the project is completed and sold. Before that, it’s supervised by the bank. When investors pull out, this sum of money is frozen by the bank.”

“Really? The land plot for the Guotai Garden project was concessioned in an auction three months ago under the guise of government support, 50% lower than the market price. Why does the land purchase contract show a price that’s 50% higher than the market price? Where has the extra money gone?”

Secretary Wang squinted his eyes, “That’s Mr. Zhu’s decision. I’m just a secretary, how could I be qualified to question it? Furthermore, this kind of thing is pretty common in the industry. Mr. Zhu had no other choice.”

Ming Jing chuckled, “A thousand-mile dam, destroyed by an ant’s hole. A glimpse into a leopard through a tube. The Zhu Group is nothing more than a castle in the sky.”

Secretary Wang sighed, ‘Ms. Zhu, I’m sorry for involving you in this. You should go back and rest. The board of directors is still supporting the company. When Mr. Zhu comes out, he will surely find a solution.”

“How can a pile of bad debts be resolved?”

Secretary Wang choked, “If it delists now, it can still recoup some of the losses. If the stock continues to decline, the company might not last long. By the time the Securities Regulatory Commission steps in, it will be too late. However, such action would cause significant losses to shareholders and they would not agree to this.”Ming Jing gave a slight nod, “Let’s go.”

A glint of joy not well concealed showed in Secretary Wang’s eyes. He had finally managed to send away this persona non grata, who is just a high school student who shouldn’t concern himself with corporate affairs.

Upon stepping out of the CEO’s office, Ming Jing opted to take the stairs down instead of the elevator.

Secretary Wang was taken aback, “Miss, the elevator is over here.”

The driver glared at him. By the time Secretary Wang realized it, Ming Jing had already reached the next level.

This floor housed the board meeting room and the secretarial office where all major company meetings were usually conducted.

Upon seeing Ming Jing, the secretary’s assistant rose promptly, “Young Miss… ” Ming Jing glanced at the meeting room, “Is a board meeting in progress?” “Yes, Young Miss. It is chaired by Vice Chairman Li.”

As the meeting seemed to conclude, the door of the meeting room swung open. Several elders walked out, their eyes lighting up at the sight of Ming Jing.

“Is this the new secretary of the company? She is even more beautiful than

Secretary Zhou.”

Seeing her hold a child’s hand, they quickly realized something was amiss. The secretary’s assistant hurriedly explained, “She is Mr. Zhu’s beloved daughter.”

The group of elderly men abruptly changed their expression and coughed awkwardly.

“Why isn’t Miss Zhu staying at home? Why did she come to the company?”

As Ming Jing entered the meeting room, those who hadn’t left looked at each other in bewilderment.

“Uncles, good day to you all, I am Zhu Mingjing.”

The gentle smile on the young girl’s face was as refreshing as a spring breeze. Everyone was stunned, then said in unison, “Miss Zhu?”

Ming Jing took a seat at the head of the conference table. Vice Chairman Li’s face changed, “Miss Zhu, a high school student like you has no place here.” His tone was stern, like a strict teacher reproaching a naughty student.

The young woman sat calmly in the main seat, responding to his bitter words with an unruffled smile.

“Uncle Li, thank you for your reminder. Although I’m a high school student, I’m also the heiress of Zhu Group. Today, I sit here to help resolve the crisis the

Zhu Group is facing.”

Everyone was stunned for a moment, then burst into laughter.

“This kid is full of big talk. Quickly go home and do your summer homework.

We executives have been deliberating for days and haven’t found a solution.

How would a high school student like you have any solution? Outrageous!”

Vice Chairman Li directly ridiculed, “Miss Zhu, this is a board meeting, not a place for you to show off. I’ll let you off the hook this once for your father’s sake. Go home and care for your mother and grandmother. They are old and cannot stand shock. This is the only thing you as a junior can do well.”

The little girl standing next to Ming Jing with her hands on her hips, stared back at Vice Chairman Zhang, her cute pouting lips, ‘You’re not allowed to talk about my elder sister. My elder sister is very capable, you all look down on her.” The laughter in the room grew louder, the kid was quite adorable and not at all annoying.

Vice Chairman Li clearly looked annoyed, coldly stating, “Miss Zhu, please conduct yourself with dignity. This is not a kindergarten.”

Several of the board members who had left re-joined upon hearing the commotion. There were those who made sarcastic remarks, those who enjoyed the drama from a safe distance, those who kept themselves out of the mess, and others who observed secretly.

“Hey, Mr. Li, don’t rush to deny. Miss Zhu is talented and naturally gifted.

Maybe she really has a solution?”

The elderly man who spoke sat at the first position below the main seat. His hair was white, but he was still spirited. His eyes showed a sharp intellect, concealed by a layer of gentle laughter.

Ming Jing laughed and looked at the old man, “Grandpa Zhang, you had been kind to my father in his early years. It is supposed to be a time for you to enjoy your retirement, yet you still have to work hard. I feel really bad about it.”

Old man Zhang’s eyes brightened, he laughed, “This young girl is really clever, even more so than her father. I’ve never been wrong about people, haha.”

Everyone in the room chuckled to themselves. This young lady seemed gentle and elegant but was quite skillful in subtly flattering. They could see how it amused Mr. Zhang.

‘Miss Zhu, you didn’t come to the company today to observe us old men, did you?” Mr. Zhang queried with a laugh.

Vice Chairman Li snorted, “Old man Zhang, don’t tell me you’ve gone crazy? Why are you wasting words on her?”

Ming Jing flicked her eyes toward Secretary Wang who had just followed in. Secretary Wang quickly exchanged glances with Vice Chairman Li and went up to persuade, “Miss Zhu, please go back. The board meeting is not a place for you..”