In the imposing office, the authoritative Mr. Xie personally told his own son: You can take over the management of Jiaxin Film and Television Company, but you must offer something in exchange!
Listen to that tone, truly acting like he’s bestowing a favour.
Xie Qian immediately laughed.
“Jiaxin Film and Television?”
Sometimes, there’s no need for verbal sarcasm; a light touch is the best retort to an enemy. Xie Qian thought with some irony, this is what they call heaven watching what people do. If his mother, Zou Weijun, hadn’t suffered from depression, he wouldn’t have read so many psychology books. Now, everything he learned was being used against Xie Jinghu, because his mother’s illness was caused by Xie Jinghu!
Heaven is indeed very fair.
Xie Jinghu raised an eyebrow: “What’s that? You don’t want Jiaxin?”
“Want the truth?”
Xie Qian locked eyes with Xie Jinghu. “The truth is, I don’t think much of Jiaxin Film and Television. When I considered investing in film and television, I researched the state of domestic companies. Jiaxin used to be decent, but its financial reports and business haven’t stood out in recent years. It’s a dispensable asset in Jinhu Group. Even if you begged me to take it, I’d think twice, let alone exchange something for it… How much do you think Jiaxin is worth? My shares in Jinhu, or the Hongqiao land?”
Dream on.
Xie Qian did want Jiaxin, but he never considered trading Jinhu shares or the Hongqiao land for it.
Xie Jinghu was a terrible father, but Jinhu Group was in a healthy growth phase. Not to mention the value of 5% of the group’s shares, they were Xie Qian’s decisive weapon in future confrontations with Xie Jinghu. Why would he return them, strengthening Xie Jinghu further?
The Hongqiao land was even less likely!
Once demolished, it promised over 100% return. If he didn’t negotiate logistics terms with the government and converted all compensation into cash and property, Xie Qian’s cash flow would be extremely ample.
With that much money, Xie Qian could start a brand-new film company from scratch, fully under his control. Why trade for Xie Jinghu’s second-rate asset?
Yes, Xie Qian wanted Jiaxin Film and Television, but from start to finish, he only wanted to take it for free!
Pay for it?
Impossible.
The more Xie Jinghu lost, the happier Xie Qian was. This was a theory Wen Ying taught him, and Xie Qian was putting it into practice perfectly!
Perhaps Xie Qian’s contempt was too obvious. Xie Jinghu’s gaze swept the desk, itching to grab the ashtray and hurl it at him.
Assistant Qi, who knew Xie Jinghu well, saw his gaze shift and felt his heart clench: Mr. Xie, please stay calm! One ashtray thrown, and even transferring another 1% of Jinhu shares wouldn’t settle this!
Young Master Xie already held 5% of Jinhu Group. If his shares kept growing, how could he catch up to Mr. Xie?
Should he remain Mr. Xie’s assistant or switch to Young Master Xie’s camp? Both choices were quite vexing.
Assistant Qi, full of inner drama, tensed his body, muscles ready. If Xie Jinghu grabbed the ashtray to throw, Qi was prepared to dive and intercept.
Fortunately, at the critical moment, Xie Jinghu recalled the share transfer document in Xie Yuping’s study.
What good would throwing it do? It was pointless venting.
Without crushing Xie Qian’s arrogance completely, Xie Jinghu couldn’t reassert his “fatherly authority.”
If he didn’t disrupt Xie Qian’s path forward, Xie Jinghu feared being replaced by him eventually.
To achieve his goal, Xie Jinghu could suppress his momentary anger.
“I thought you’d want Jiaxin.”
Xie Jinghu sneered, “Don’t you just want to snatch things from me? The Hongqiao land, the shares transferred to you, these successes make you feel accomplished, don’t they? With your uncle gone, I’ll tell you straight: I built Jinhu Group single-handedly. I decide who manages it. By worldly standards, my business should go to you, my son, but only if you’re capable! If not, I’d rather hand Jinhu to professional managers. They might not grow it much, but they won’t ruin it!”
Compared to professional managers, Xie Jinghu probably wanted to hand Jinhu to his overseas illegitimate child, right?
But legally, Jinhu wasn’t solely Xie Jinghu’s. Part belonged to Xie Qian’s mother, Zou Weijun. It wasn’t his to give away freely. Beyond the law, the Xie family elders’ oversight ensured Xie Jinghu couldn’t transfer joint marital assets at will!
Xie Qian saw through Xie Jinghu’s intentions clearly.
Not pinning his future on a terrible father’s conscience was Xie Qian’s clarity.
Unfortunately, after losing 5% of the group’s shares, Xie Jinghu had become extremely cautious, even avoiding mention of his illegitimate children when provoked.
If Xie Jinghu slipped and said he wanted to give Jinhu to them, Xie Qian felt he’d gain more shares.
Thinking of this, Xie Qian felt a bit regretful.
Wen Ying’s approach to nailing Editor-in-Chief Han Qin of *Aige* taught Xie Qian the importance of recording. For a private talk with Xie Jinghu, Xie Qian was fully prepared!
“So, you want me to manage Jiaxin Film and Television, to see if I can boost its performance, testing my ability to take over Jinhu in the future?”
Though Xie Qian said this, he didn’t believe a word.
He didn’t need to feign trust. His tense father-son relationship with Xie Jinghu made wariness reasonable!
“Exactly. If you can’t even manage Jiaxin, what qualifies you to take over the bigger Jinhu? You’re almost eighteen, able to exercise shareholder rights as an adult. If you manage Jiaxin well, what’s wrong with giving you more authority?”
What does “manage well” mean?
How much revenue in a year counts as “well”?
Xie Qian wanted to push back, but these were minor details. He finally understood what Xie Jinghu wanted him to trade for Jiaxin Film and Television.
Per the share transfer agreement, Xie Qian could exercise shareholder rights at eighteen. With 5% of Jinhu Group’s shares, he already had some say. Xie Jinghu was afraid and wanted to limit his rights. Taking back the 5% was impossible; Uncle Xie Yuping would never agree, and part came from Grandma Xie. Xie Jinghu couldn’t reclaim it.
So, Xie Jinghu’s focus was on when Xie Qian could exercise those rights.
A shareholder without real power only gets dividends annually.
A shareholder with power could interfere in Jinhu’s affairs.
Once Xie Qian accessed Jinhu’s operations, he’d know every investment’s destination. How could Xie Jinghu secretly transfer assets to his illegitimate children then?
Xie Qian wanted to bait him, but Xie Jinghu wasn’t foolish, offering a film company he didn’t care about to trade for such critical rights!
Their positions differed, so Xie Jinghu’s move wasn’t surprising. What irked Xie Qian was his attitude.
From Xie Jinghu’s perspective, he was tricking his underage son, yet he acted like he was granting a favour, telling Xie Qian: I’m grooming you!
That was truly disgusting.
