After Rebirth, Married to a Deadly Enemy - Chapter 12

There were more than a dozen people in the conference room, and Bai Xiangxing wasn’t sure if all the top executives of New Shi were present. “President Ji, Young Master,” as the three entered the meeting room, all the senior executives stood up. “Please, have a seat,” Ji Yuanwu gestured for everyone to sit down. Once everyone was seated, he pointed to Bai Xiangxing, who was standing next to him, and said, “This is…” Just as Ji Yuanwu began the introduction, he casually glanced at his nephew standing on the other side of Bai Xiangxing. This kid has been flaunting his marriage ever since we got here. I bet he’s going to do it again. I might as well let him introduce himself. Ji Yuanwu said, “Shi Zhen, why don’t you introduce Xingxing to everyone.” Shi Zhen still remembered what Bai Xiangxing had told him earlier, so he stepped forward and said the now-familiar introduction, “This is my partner, Bai Xiangxing.” With just that sentence, Shi Zhen remained silent. And then? Young Master, are you planning to say something else? Like, what is your partner doing at the company? After a moment of waiting and Shi Zhen not adding anything, some of the executives, quick on the uptake, started applauding. “Congratulations, Young Master, on your marriage!” Once this blessing was voiced, everyone finally realized what was happening. Applause erupted, and people began offering their congratulations and good wishes, such as wishing them a harmonious marriage, having children soon, marital bliss, and so on, going through the usual phrases. Bai Xiangxing’s face darkened. Having children soon? Having two kids in three years? Give me a break! The well-wishes continued for about two minutes before quieting down. Ji Yuanwu took this opportunity to reintroduce Bai Xiangxing. “Starting today, Xingxing will take over my position, and he will be the General Manager of New Shi Group.” The senior executives were momentarily stunned, then burst into applause again. Ji Yuanwu said, “Alright, now let the newly appointed General Manager of the group, Bai Xiangxing, say a few words.” Ji Yuanwu then turned to Bai Xiangxing and said, “Xingxing, you can speak freely. These are all long-time employees of New Shi, and they will fully cooperate with you.” Bai Xiangxing was waiting for this moment. He smiled, took a step forward, and said, “Hello, everyone. I called you here today to understand the current situation of New Shi. What are New Shi’s main businesses, its revenue, costs, and the reasons for continuous losses. This is an impromptu meeting, and I know you might not be prepared, so I’ll be asking questions. Please feel free to share any information.” The room fell silent again, and the atmosphere grew more serious. The Chief Financial Officer sighed and began to answer, “Currently, New Shi only has one core business left, which is the pharmaceutical factory. The annual revenue is around five million, costs are around four million, but the company has significant expenses, resulting in continuous losses.” Only one core business left? Bai Xiangxing raised an eyebrow, but he didn’t rush to ask. Instead, he continued by questioning the expenses. “Speaking of expenses, I noticed in last quarter’s payroll that salaries for employees were just over one million, but employee medical expenses were over three million. Zhang, could you please explain that?” Zhang, the CFO, replied, “Last quarter, an employee’s family member had surgery, which cost two million six hundred thousand.” “An employee’s family member? Did they get injured at the company?” Bai Xiangxing asked. Zhang shook his head, “No.” “They didn’t get injured at the company, and they’re just family members of employees. In such cases, it’s reasonable to reimburse some of the expenses, but why reimburse several million?” Bai Xiangxing wondered aloud. The conference room fell silent once again, but this time, Ji Yuanwu spoke up and explained, “Because they were former soldiers of the Storm Legion.” Shi Zhen, who had been silent all along, seemed to think of something and his expression changed. Ji Yuanwu continued, “New Shi was founded by Shi Zhen’s grandfather, and it was not to accumulate wealth but because he couldn’t bear to see the soldiers who fought for the Alliance suffer from untreated illnesses after retiring. So, New Shi has a tradition that allows qualified veterans and their families to be reimbursed for medical expenses.” Bai Xiangxing fell silent. He hadn’t expected the situation to be like this. In his previous life, once his business had grown, he had engaged in charitable activities and donated tens of millions or even hundreds of millions of credits each year. However, donations were made within the company’s financial capacity, and there was always a limit. He couldn’t fathom a scenario where the company was already running at a loss, yet they continued to reimburse such high amounts. With this suspicion in mind, Bai Xiangxing began flipping through the financial reports from previous years, looking specifically at the medical expenses. What he discovered was that the further back he went, the higher the medical expenses reimbursement. “Do you have any limits on these reimbursements?” Bai Xiangxing had a hunch, but he still wanted to confirm. “No, as long as there is money in the account, it will be reimbursed, after all, saving lives is like putting out a fire,” Zhang, the CFO, replied. Bai Xiangxing: … “Rescuing people is like extinguishing a fire?” Bai Xiangxing muttered to himself, “I think you’ve been trying to quench your thirst with poison!” “Have you ever considered that if the company runs out of working capital and goes bankrupt, who will they turn to for medical reimbursements?” He questioned, his tone filled with disapproval. “Do you mean to say that you’ve never thought about changing this reimbursement system or abolishing it?” He continued. The room fell silent once more, and even Ji Yuanwu spoke up to advise, “Xiao Xing, you should reconsider this matter.” Bai Xiangxing didn’t answer Ji Yuanwu immediately. Instead, he looked at Shi Zhen, knowing that his response would determine the outcome. “Do you remember the conditions I set when I took over New Shi?” Bai Xiangxing asked. Shi Zhen met Bai Xiangxing’s gaze and nodded, “I remember. From now on, you have the final say in the New Shi Group.” Bai Xiangxing was satisfied with Shi Zhen’s response. If Shi Zhen had shown even the slightest hesitation, he might have reconsidered taking on this mess. But now, it seemed there was hope. Seeing that Shi Zhen represented the attitude of the Shi family, the room fell quiet again. Bai Xiangxing spoke up, “I don’t care about New Shi Group’s original mission or how generous, kind, and selfless you used to be. What I know is that New Shi is on the verge of bankruptcy. Why is New Shi going bankrupt? I believe each of you knows better than I do.” Without having examined all the data yet, Bai Xiangxing was already certain that the unrestricted reimbursement policy had a significant impact on New Shi’s financial troubles. A company’s cash flow was its lifeblood, and their current operation was unsustainable. “I support Bai Xiangxing,” the first to voice agreement was the Finance Manager, Zhang Hongming, “Actually, I suggested limiting employee medical reimbursements a few years ago, but…” Zhang Hongming glanced at the former CEO, Ji Yuanwu, who had remained silent. Bai Xiangxing understood what that silence meant. The objective of abolishing the policy had already been achieved, and there was no point in pressing further. He casually picked up more financial reports and continued, “I’ve noticed that New Shi Group’s performance has been declining dramatically for the past five years. Can anyone tell me the reasons for this?” “Because of the previous CEO…” answered Zhang Hongming. Then Bai Xiangxing learned the history of the New Shi Group’s decline. When the founder of the company, Shi Zhen’s grandfather, was alive, he managed New Shi with great business acumen, accumulating substantial wealth. However, when he retired due to health issues, New Shi was handed over to a professional manager. Under this manager’s leadership, the company thrived for a few years. But, after the founder’s passing, the professional manager began embezzling company funds and engaging in unethical business practices. This included tampering with some of the pharmaceuticals supplied to the military, leading to a loss of major contracts with other branches of the military. Without those contracts, New Shi’s business crumbled. Ji Yuanwu had also taken over the company during this turbulent period, using the financial resources his uncle had accumulated over the years to keep New Shi afloat. Listening to this, Bai Xiangxing gained a newfound respect for Ji Yuanwu. It wasn’t easy to keep a company running under such circumstances. With all this information in mind, Bai Xiangxing decided to stay late at the company, working to unravel the situation. The condition of New Shi was dire, and he needed a clear picture to move forward. He couldn’t afford to lose the contract with Changsheng Corporation, but he also couldn’t allow his hard-earned business to fall into the hands of the Bai family. “We’ll be home soon,” Shi Zhen announced. “So soon?” Bai Xiangxing had been lost in thought, and he hadn’t noticed the time passing. After two more minutes, they arrived home. Bai Xiangxing rubbed his forehead as he got out of the car. Lost in thought, he accidentally stepped on a small stone, causing him to stumble and nearly fall. Shi Zhen, quick to react, reached out and steadied him. “Be careful,” Shi Zhen said, looking concerned as he saw the exhaustion on Bai Xiangxing’s face. “I’m fine,” Bai Xiangxing replied. “My body isn’t as strong as it used to be. I’ll need some time to adjust.” You used to be an Alpha, and now you’re an Omega. No amount of training will change that. “You don’t have to work so hard, you know,” Shi Zhen said, finally voicing what had been on his mind. “We’ve mentally prepared ourselves for New Shi’s closure.” He had initially thought that Bai Xiangxing wanted to manage New Shi out of boredom, but he could now see from Bai Xiangxing’s attitude that he genuinely wanted to save the company. Bai Xiangxing frowned, unhappy with Shi Zhen’s assumptions. “What, do you doubt my abilities?” Shi Zhen looked into Bai Xiangxing’s eyes, and his response was a gentle shake of the head. “Alright, I need to quickly understand New Shi’s situation in the next couple of days before I can start working. There might be some significant changes,” Bai Xiangxing said, waiting for Shi Zhen’s reaction. Shi Zhen replied, “As I said before, you have the final say in New Shi from now on.” Bai Xiangxing nodded in satisfaction. “You’re smart. Let me tell you something. I had negotiations for a business deal before I took over New Shi. If it goes smoothly, it should help revitalize the company.” Shi Zhen listened quietly. Bai Xiangxing continued, “And about that medical reimbursement policy, if New Shi’s performance improves in the future, I’ll consider restoring it to some extent. But unlimited reimbursements like the current situation will absolutely not continue. I can tell you this much: New Shi will soon have my shares, and you won’t be able to engage in blind charity anymore.” Shi Zhen suddenly smiled, a faint light in his eyes. He looked at Bai Xiangxing as if he saw the teenager from six years ago who had wanted to donate money at the hospital entrance but had a stubborn demeanor. “Well, from now on, I’ll follow your lead.”