Chapter 20: The Low-profile General Manager

"Brother Chen Xiao, do you want me to drive you? It's way too hot outside!"

Chen Xiao had originally planned to drive himself, but having a free driver sounded like a good idea.

The elevator descended to the first basement level. After exiting the elevator lobby, Ma Jing led Chen Xiao to her Mercedes C260. The white body was very stylish and indeed suited a young woman; the car had cost around 260,000 yuan brand new!

Chen Xiao opened the passenger door, sat down, and buckled his seatbelt.

Pointing at a Mercedes CLS ahead through the windshield, Ma Jing asked Chen Xiao, "Do you know what kind of car that is?"

Chen Xiao glanced at his own car and didn't answer. How could he not know his own car?

Ma Jing continued, "That's a CLS, an original import—a pure Mercedes. The cheapest ones are nearly 500,000 yuan. It's nothing like mine; this is just an entry-level model. Manager Yuan's car is the ultimate 'show-off plus' version!"

Seeing her constantly praising her own car, Chen Xiao felt a bit awkward and could only say, "You're so young; driving a C-Class is already very good. Many white-collar workers are still driving Volkswagens. Besides, if you use it as a daily commuter, it doesn't really matter what you drive. We're long past the era of judging people by their cars."

"Brother Chen Xiao is so open-minded!" Ma Jing didn't say anything more; saying too much might hurt his pride. After all, he didn't even own a car, yet here she was complaining that a Mercedes C-Class was an entry-level model—it was too much "humblebragging"!

"Yeah, let's go. This car is comfortable, high-end, elegant, and classy!"

Ma Jing felt a small sense of pleasure from his praise and said with a smile, "Brother Chen Xiao, I just realized—I forgot whether this gear is R or D!"

Chen Xiao, who had just reclined his seat to lie down, sat up abruptly upon hearing this. "Uh, Ma Jing, maybe you should just ride in my car instead!"

"In your car? What kind of car do you have?" Ma Jing didn't react immediately. In her mind, Chen Xiao didn't own a car.

"That one, right across from us!" Chen Xiao pointed at the Mercedes CLS.

Ma Jing giggled. "Brother Chen Xiao, are you teasing me? Oh my god, seriously?"

As she spoke, Chen Xiao pressed his key fob, and the daytime running lights of the car across from them flashed on!

"Let's go!" Chen Xiao stepped out of the car first. It was terrifying—how could someone not know the difference between drive and reverse? How could they even be on the road? Then he thought of Bai Lu; she seemed to be the same way, and crucially, she also drove a white Mercedes C-Class. *Sigh, I bought too good a car; I feel like I see them everywhere!*

Sitting in Chen Xiao's Mercedes CLS, Ma Jing looked around eagerly, touching this and that. Finally, she said, "Brother Chen Xiao, it turns out you're the biggest show-off in the company!"

"It's nothing worth mentioning. This is just a commuter car, an entry-level one."

"You're even more of a humblebragger than I am!"

The car drove smoothly into the underground parking lot of Yunfeng Mansion. Chen Xiao asked Ma Jing to wait for him at the 22nd-floor reception while he went to the property management office to collect the property ownership certificate. He didn't intend to bring Ma Jing along; he didn't like drawing attention to himself.

The property management office was on the first floor. After the receptionist heard Chen Xiao introduce himself, she immediately notified the property manager. The manager's eyes crinkled into a smile as he bowed and approached Chen Xiao with both hands extended for a handshake.

"Hello, President Chen!"

He sized Chen Xiao up. *Good heavens, at less than 25 years old, he bought this entire 1,000-plus square meter office building worth nearly 30 million yuan in full! What kind of family is this?*

"Manager Liao," Chen Xiao shook his hand politely. Liao handed over the completed documents and said, "President Chen, Mr. Li from Zhongjian knows you are coming and is waiting right here. Would it be convenient for you to meet him?"

A meeting was definitely necessary. The annual rent was over 2 million yuan; this 22nd floor had a usable area of 1,180 square meters at a rent of 150 yuan per square meter, and that didn't even include the property management fees.

Property management fees were paid directly to the management company. Under Manager Liao's guidance, Chen Xiao arrived at the property company's VIP lounge.

Inside was a middle-aged man, looking nearly 50, with a clean-cut and prosperous appearance.

Seeing the two enter, he quickly stood up and walked over with a smile.

"Let me introduce you. This is Mr. Li Guoqiang, the General Manager of Jiangzhou Zhongjian Equipment Co., Ltd. Mr. Li, this is President Chen!"

Li Guoqiang smiled like a Maitreya Buddha as he shook Chen Xiao's hand.

"My, President Chen is so young and successful!"

"I don't deserve such praise; I just got lucky!"

He was telling the truth; without the System, he would be nothing.

As they sat down, Manager Liao took charge of brewing tea, while Li Guoqiang and Chen Xiao discussed business.

"President Chen, regarding the rent situation, I'd like to give you a report."

"It's not that we are maliciously defaulting on the rent. Last year, we submitted an application to the previous landlord. We are doing a complete renovation of the company, which has tied up a lot of capital. Since the previous landlord is a good friend, we left the balance unpaid for the time being."

Chen Xiao nodded in understanding, though he wasn't sure how the System had handled it, as the debt claim had been assigned to him.

"Mr. Li, with a business as large as yours, surely you wouldn't be short on such a small amount of rent?"

"Sigh, you don't understand our industry. Our company acts as a general contractor. It looks like we have a huge turnover, but in reality, we only make a small margin on the price difference."

"On one hand, the procurement prices we negotiate with owners are very low due to intense competition, so the profit margins are thin. On the other hand, we cannot delay payments to our various suppliers."

"So, even though our annual turnover is very high, our net profit is actually less than 5 million yuan, and our renovation alone cost over 3 million!"

Chen Xiao asked him directly how he intended to resolve the situation.

"Starting with this quarterly rent payment, we will pay six months' worth of rent at a time. It's essentially paying one quarter's worth every quarter, so we will clear the debt within a year."

"Mr. Li, if that money were kept elsewhere, the interest alone over a year would be quite significant."

"President Chen, I know that, which is why I am asking for your help!" Li Guoqiang's tone was almost pleading. He estimated that if they had to pay everything at once, it might actually break their cash flow.

Chen Xiao knew that companies like theirs essentially relied on connections to earn middleman fees. They looked glamorous, but they certainly didn't earn as much as the suppliers who owned the actual technology.

"I will have to consider this. I am not very familiar with your company's operating situation or your debt repayment capacity."

By saying this, he was essentially giving them an opening; otherwise, he would have refused outright.

Li Guoqiang said with deep gratitude, "Thank you so much, President Chen, for giving us a hand!"

Chen Xiao remained silent; by not taking a definitive stance, he maintained room for maneuver.

"President Chen, would you like to sit in my office for a moment? You must join me for lunch at noon!"

Ma Jing was still on the 22nd floor, so Chen Xiao went upstairs with Li Guoqiang, and the property manager naturally followed along to be polite.

Once upstairs, Chen Xiao introduced Ma Jing to Li Guoqiang as his colleague.

Li Guoqiang was momentarily confused about which company she was from, but he remained extremely polite, complimenting Ma Jing on her beauty and her good taste, noting that anyone who could be a colleague of President Chen must be exceptionally capable.

Hearing Chen Xiao introduce him as the General Manager of Zhongjian Equipment Co., Ltd., Ma Jing was shocked. She never imagined he would be so low-key, and she felt a secret sense of astonishment.

(End of Chapter)