Chapter 32 Incident
Zhao Weiming did what he said and asked Zhang Nianzu to drive him to Zhiyuan Taxi Company.
Zhang Nianzu discovered that at this time Zhao Weiming had a look on his face that showed he was determined to do something big.
"It's not that I don't believe you." Zhang Nianzu said, "What are you going to do when you stop gambling?" He knew Zhao Weiming very well. This man would go crazy if he didn't do something shocking and fatal.
Zhao Weiming chuckled and said, "I know what you are going to say. I like excitement, but I really think gambling is boring. In fact, if nothing unexpected happens, I will never lack money in my life. I don't gamble to win. I have lost enough money now. I am not sick. How can I be addicted to something that only loses money but does not make any money?"
Zhang Nianzu shook his head and said, "Your words are not convincing. So, just treat me as your father. As long as you convince me, there will be no problem."
Zhao Weiming said, "Don't take advantage of me..." Then he said worriedly, "Then what should I say so that my dad will believe me?"
Zhang Nianzu said, "You said you don't gamble anymore, but who knows whether you used the money to pay off your gambling debts or buy chips? You have to give him a new explanation. For example, you used to ask your father for money to buy pornographic magazines, but later you learned to go to nightclubs. Didn't your father still give you money? That's because he knew that his money went through your hands to those hostesses, so at least he knew where it was spent."
Zhao Weiming asked: "Are you helping me analyze or disgusting me?"
Zhang Nianzu said: "Of course it's to disgust you, but you didn't get my point. I mean, you have to give your father a reason to trust you, even if you say you want to go to Sahara to invest in an umbrella company in the future, so that your father can rest assured to let you squander the family money, right?"
Zhao Weiming nodded slowly and said, "That makes sense..." He thought for a while and said distressedly, "I really have given up gambling, but I really haven't figured out what to do next."
Zhang Nianzu said, "Think quickly, think of something exciting, so your father will be more likely to accept it."
Zhao Weiming hesitated and said, "My personality has become like this? Where is the basic trust between people?"
The two chatted all the way to the entrance of Zhiyuan Taxi Company.
Zhang Nianzu said, "Go ahead."
Zhao Weiming said anxiously, "Come with me to give me courage. At least he won't beat me up in front of outsiders."
Zhang Nianzu had no choice but to get out of the car with him and walk into the company building.
Zhao Weiming's father, Zhao Chengcai, is a typical figure who seized the opportunity of reform and opening up to make a fortune early on. From a "ten thousand yuan household" in his early years to a millionaire later, Zhao Chengcai invested all his financial resources and energy into this industry when taxis were just starting out. Before the establishment of Changfeng Group, Zhiyuan taxis were running in remote corners of major streets throughout the city. In the 1990s, the name Zhao Chengcai was synonymous with "rich people" when people chatted after dinner.
Zhiyuan Taxi Head Office is an old three-story building, and Zhao Chengcai's office is on the second floor.
As the "young general", almost everyone in Zhiyuan knew Zhao Weiming. Although they were aware of his character and status in the family, people would usually greet him politely when they saw him. But today, when Zhao Weiming walked along the corridor, everyone he met looked at him with strange eyes, and no one greeted him. Some people even avoided him from afar as if he were the plague.
Zhao Weiming smiled bitterly and said, "Did my father issue an order to 'fortify the walls and clear the fields' against me?"
The two of them went up to the second floor. Zhao Weiming saw that Zhao Chengcai's office door was half open, so he walked in directly, put on an enthusiastic expression on his face and said, "Dad."
Zhang Nianzu also greeted, "Uncle Zhao."
Today, Zhao Chengcai's office looked particularly spotless, with only a thermos cup on the empty desk. This did not conform to Zhao Chengcai's aesthetics and habits. There is a word called "nouveau riche" nowadays. Whether he is nouveau riche or not is beyond words. Zhao Chengcai used this word to the fullest extent and made it even worse. Whenever he arrived at a place, he liked to knock cigarette ashes everywhere, sneeze, take off his socks and pick his feet, and then put all the things in a mess. He seemed to think that only by staying in a dirty and messy environment can life be meaningful and look festive. So Zhao Meier, who has a mysophobia, asked someone to clean his office twice a day after taking over.
Zhao Weiming was also stunned when he came in, then he smiled and said, "My sister sorted it out, right?"
When Zhao Chengcai saw it was him, he did not yell at him as usual, but said gently, "It's Xiao Ming." He had a long face full of pits, a bulbous nose and big buck teeth, which was very ugly. Even Jiutong, who was moderately disabled, looked heroic standing next to him. However, Zhao Chengcai had one characteristic that stood out, that is, he had the temperament of a nouveau riche. It was not a problem for him to wear famous brands and a gold watch. Wherever he went, he had a kind of momentum of looking at the world sideways and maneuvering. He was indeed generous, so he had two beautiful wives. Today he sat there and seemed to be quite quiet.
Seeing that his father seemed to be in a good mood, Zhao Weiming said directly: "Dad, give me two hundred thousand." This was also the main topic of conversation between the father and son in the past.
This time, Zhao Chengcai neither jumped up nor cursed, but just shook his head.
Zhao Weiming tentatively asked: "What about 100,000?" Jiutong said "100,000 or 200,000", which means 100,000 is also acceptable.
Zhao Chengcai smiled bitterly and said slowly, "Xiao Ming, Dad has no money, and our family has no money either."
Zhao Weiming said dissatisfiedly: "If you don't want to give it, just say so. You don't even bother to think of a better reason in front of Grandpa. Don't you want to save face? I really want to use it for the right purpose this time... Well, although it's not the right way, but I need it urgently, listen to me..."
Zhao Chengcai whispered, "Zhiyuan has gone bankrupt."
"What's going on?" Zhao Weiming was stunned.
Zhao Chengcai said word by word: "Zhiyuan has gone bankrupt. Although the company name is temporarily retained, it has nothing to do with me, Zhao Chengcai. I have to vacate the office soon. The court has already sealed off the place where I live this morning."
Zhao Weiming saw that his father didn't seem to be joking, and he shouted as if struck by lightning: "What's going on?"
Zhao Chengcai said weakly: "I owe the bank 1.3 billion."
Zhao Weiming jumped up and asked, "How did you owe it? Hasn't our Zhiyuan business always been good?"
Zhao Chengcai said: "Business was really good ten years ago. A set of taxi documents was almost sold for 1 million yuan. How much did people earn in a month back then?"
Zhao Weiming asked, "More than ten years ago? Did you buy 3,000 cars at once?"
Zhao Chengcai said sadly: "I bought them with bank loans."
Zhao Weiming was surprised and asked, "Have we been losing money all these years?"
Zhao Chengcai woodenly moved the thermos cup on the table and said, "In the past ten years, the price of a set of documents has dropped from one million to three hundred thousand. The taxi industry has lost almost half of its business due to the current ride-hailing services. Many taxi drivers have gone to drive private cars, and many have completely changed their careers. Over the years, Zhiyuan has been shrinking its scale and using cars to pay off debts." Zhao Chengcai smiled bitterly, "Have you not noticed that there are fewer and fewer cars going to and from the head office?"
"Dad..." Zhao Weiming called out with a hoarse voice, but he found that he could not utter a word except calling Dad. All these years, he was only concerned with asking Zhao Chengcai for money and causing trouble. When had he ever paid attention to the company's operating conditions?
Zhang Nianzu came to his senses from his shock and said, "You guys chat, I'll step aside." The father and son must have something to say now, and it would not be convenient for an outsider like him to listen.
"Nianzu, you stay." Zhao Chengcai said kindly, "You are Xiaoming's only reliable friend. I hope you can take care of each other in the future."
This was the first time Zhang Nianzu had seen Zhao Chengcai like this and with this tone. Although he had never been angry with Zhang Nianzu before, it was because in his eyes, any of his son's peers were "other people's children."
