Siheyuan: My wife is Xu Huizhen

Chapter 586

Everyone was skeptical as to whether this offer could successfully win the bid. The unknown outcome was like a fog, shrouding their hearts. Everyone felt as if a heavy stone was pressing on their hearts, so heavy that it was hard to breathe. They could only try to find a bright and smooth path for the company in this debate without the smoke of gunpowder.

Just as everyone was immersed in a heated discussion, the door of the hall slowly swayed and a figure quietly stepped in.

The visitor was He Hongshen’s original wife, Lai Wanhua.

She was wearing an exquisitely tailored cheongsam made of high-quality fabric that gave off a soft luster in the dim light, outlining her graceful figure perfectly.

Her steps were light and steady, and every step she took seemed to be rhythmic. With every gesture, her innate noble aura emanated naturally, like the brightest star in the night sky, which could not be ignored.

He Yuzhu, who was standing on the periphery, was always paying attention to the movements around him. At this moment, with his sharp eyes, he instantly caught sight of Lai Wanhua's figure.

Without any hesitation, he quickly stood up from his seat, as agile as a cheetah.

A brilliant smile immediately spread across his face, and in that smile was so sincere and enthusiastic that it seemed as if it could turn into a beam of light, penetrating the slightly depressing air and dispelling the tense atmosphere.

He walked quickly forward and greeted loudly, "Sister-in-law, you're here!" His voice was loud and clear, instantly attracting the attention of everyone present.

Li Wanhua's lips curled up slightly, a subtle tenderness flashed in her eyes, and she responded softly: "Hello, Mr. He. I came here this time because I want to discuss something important with you."

Speaking of Lai Wanhua, her background is extraordinary.

His family has been rooted in Haojiang for a long time. As the leading family of lawyers in the local area, they enjoy a very high prestige in all walks of life in Haojiang with the professional qualities and reputation for integrity accumulated from generation to generation.

The family's network of contacts is complex and intertwined, with everyone from high-ranking officials to celebrities in the market, all of whom are inextricably linked to it.

In 1924, Lai Wanhua was born and was treated as the apple of her parents' eyes since childhood.

With the support of a wealthy family, she received the best education. She could easily master both traditional classics, history, and Western academic courses, demonstrating intelligence far beyond that of ordinary people.

When she was young, Lai Wanhua was a hot topic on the streets of Macau.

At that time, she had a stunning appearance, delicate features like a painting, eyes like a clear spring, and her gaze was full of charm.

She had a gentle and generous temperament. No matter what occasion she was in, she could handle it with ease and elegance. She was soon hailed as the most beautiful and charming woman in Macau and became the object of pursuit for many wealthy young men.

Time flies, and now she is in her thirties, but the years seem to be particularly kind to her, leaving only a mature charm on her face, and her demeanor is still graceful.

Her eldest daughter is now 15 years old. She has grown into a beautiful young lady with some of her mother's charm and elegance.

It is also for this reason that even though He Yuzhu is knowledgeable and has seen countless people, he did not dare to slack off in the face of such a woman with extraordinary background and graceful appearance as Li Wanhua. He was very polite and courteous.

Lai Wanhua, the virtuous wife who has accompanied He Hongshen for many years, has always been understanding and aware that every step her husband takes in the business world is precarious. Faced with the complex business situation and the open and secret struggles of various forces, she has always stayed at the rear, silently managing all the household affairs and never asking about her husband's work.

But this time is different from the past. The company is facing an unprecedented crisis. The situation is like a lone boat in a storm. It may be swallowed by the waves at any time and its fate is at stake.

She tossed and turned in her boudoir, her bed covered with traces of her anxious tossing and turning, and she had not slept all night.

At dawn, her worries surged like the tide. Finally, after weighing the pros and cons in her heart, she made up her mind to give her husband some advice.

In the study, sunlight shines through the carved window lattices onto the ground, forming patches of light and shadow.

Lai Wanhua walked in gracefully, her posture still elegant, but her brows were slightly furrowed.

She walked to He Hongshen and spoke softly, her tone gentle and graceful, with the tenderness unique to Jiangnan women: "Ah Shen, I didn't sleep well last night and had a strange dream. In the dream, the Taixing Company headed by Gao Kening seemed to have returned to its heyday. Its industries were prosperous and it once again had the upper hand in the market. However, our He family's business was constrained everywhere. This..."

When she said this, her eyes were full of worry, and her voice trembled unconsciously, as if the crisis in the dream was already at hand, bringing a great shock to her heart.

When He Hongshen heard this, a hint of doubt quietly appeared on his originally calm face.

It was almost noon, and the sunlight filtered through the carved window lattices, casting patches of mottled light and shadows across the house.

When she woke up in the morning, the lady looked normal and did not mention anything about the dream.

He frowned subconsciously, his thick eyebrows were like gathered black clouds, full of confusion and thought.

He asked, "Madam, why did you suddenly have such a premonition? We have previously analyzed the Taixing Company very thoroughly. From the industrial layout of Taixing Company to the operating model of its core business, to the intricate personal connections behind it, our team has invested countless efforts and studied it day and night. Although it is true that they are indeed wealthy and powerful..."

His words were full of confusion, and every word seemed to carry the confidence in his team's professional analytical ability. It was the confidence accumulated after years of struggling in the business world, and it could not be easily shaken.

Before he could finish his words, He Hongshen's originally relaxed brows slightly frowned, forming a shallow groove between his eyebrows.

His fingers tapped unconsciously on the mahogany tabletop, making a rhythmic "tapping" sound, as if he was having an intense conversation with his heart, or weighing the pros and cons, trying to find a way out of the complicated situation, or even more like sorting out his tangled thoughts and making the chaos clear.

After a brief silence, his expression became more solemn, as if shrouded in an invisible haze.

He slowly opened his mouth and continued, "But as far as I know, even if the other party intends to compete with us, I'm afraid they will only make a big bet. This group of people has always been greedy, like hungry wolves in front of interests. They only have their eyes on the rich rewards. They will never give up the fat meat in their hands easily, let alone risk losing all their money to fight with us to the death. After all, after years of struggling in this business world, everyone knows that once you go bankrupt, it is not easy to make a comeback. Besides, haven't we already discussed it before? This casino business looks very lively, with people coming and going every day, and bright lights and wine, but after a careful calculation throughout the year, after deducting the costs of venue rental, personnel expenses, equipment maintenance, etc., the profits that can be earned are actually limited. Who does not regard profit prospects as the top priority for all businessmen? Who would rashly bid a high reserve price because of a momentary dispute? If you are not careful, you will lose everything and end up in a place of no return."

If you think about it carefully, the risk involved in such a bid is quite great.

If the gambling license is successfully bid with such an offer, the huge capital investment required for subsequent operations and various complex operating costs will most likely cause the entire project to fall into the quagmire of losses and be difficult to extricate itself.

In the complex chess game of business competition, this is obviously a risky move.

He Hong was fully aware of the pros and cons. In order to gain the upper hand in this game, he went to great lengths, mobilized many connections and resources, and secretly bribed key personnel in the opposing camp.

After some twists and turns, I finally got a shocking piece of news from that person - the offer made by the other party was less than 400 million!

This number was like a blockbuster bomb, instantly causing a thousand waves in everyone's hearts, like a heavy hammer, hitting everyone's heart hard, shocking everyone and making them look at each other in bewilderment, realizing that the intensity of this competition was far beyond their imagination.

At this time, the atmosphere in the conference room was solemn and depressing, and everyone was talking at once, discussing heatedly.

Li Wanting, who had been listening quietly to everyone's discussion, straightened her back slightly and finally spoke slowly.

Her voice was soft and delicate, like a clear mountain spring, but it also revealed a certain firmness that could not be questioned: "I firmly believe that your judgment is correct. From the information collected so far, this is undoubtedly a difficult business battle. But if the target amount offered by the other party is really only 400 million, combined with their key advantage of being the holder of a gambling license, the chances of our entertainment company winning this bid are undoubtedly very slim."

She frowned slightly, a trace of worry flashed in her eyes, and after a pause she continued, "To be on the safe side, I thought for a long time and decided to use my own savings to help. I still have some private money here, which is about 5 yuan saved by daily frugality. Although this money is just a drop in the bucket in the entire investment plan, I am willing to take it all out for investment, just as a support for this new group, hoping to add even a tiny bit of fuel to our business."

Just at this moment, the door of the room was gently pushed open, and Li Wanhua's figure appeared at the door.

The crowd, who were originally discussing and expressing their opinions enthusiastically, seemed to have been mute-buttoned by an invisible hand. They all stopped talking and looked at her.

Li Wanhua looked solemn as she walked slowly inside and told everyone what she knew.

After hearing this, everyone felt as if a bucket of cold water was poured on their hearts. They instantly came to their senses and realized that the target amount of only 400 million was simply a drop in the bucket in this cruel business competition. Participating in the competition with such a weak fund was undoubtedly like hitting a stone with an egg.

He Hongshen, a man who has been in the business world for many years and is known for his extraordinary shrewdness, couldn't help but frown at this moment.

He thought to himself that he had been in the business world and had experienced many ups and downs, but he had never anticipated this crucial factor and was really careless.

It has to be admitted that the price tag of 400 million does not have any competitive advantage in the face of many powerful competitors. It is like a small boat in the rough sea, which may be swallowed by the huge waves at any time.

However, Lai Wanhua felt distressed when she saw her husband's dilemma, and immediately offered to take out her own private money to help her husband participate in the bidding.

She spoke sincerely and her eyes were full of determination and support.

He Hongshen felt a warm feeling in his heart as he looked at the wise and righteous lady in front of him. However, out of respect and love for his wife, he still gently held her hand and rejected her in a tactful but unquestionable manner.

He said softly, "Wanhua, I appreciate your kindness, but the business world is like a battlefield. The risk is too great. I can't take risks with your money."

Immediately afterwards, everyone plunged into a heated discussion again, and the conference room exploded again.

Someone was extremely anxious. He stood up suddenly, waved his arms vigorously in the air, and shouted at the top of his voice to bid 401 million. He wanted to use this slight advantage to overpower the other party, and his face was full of eagerness and determination.

Others looked calmer, with their arms folded across their chests and their bodies slightly leaning back, advocating raising the price to 405 million, elaborating on how this would ensure a certain advantage in the competition without being too risky, their words showing caution and thoughtfulness.

At this time, He Hong was in deep thought for a long time, his brows were tightly locked together, forming a deep "Chuan" character.

His eyes were deep, and his mind was like a high-speed machine, constantly weighing the pros and cons. Past business war experience, subtle market trends, and the potential risks and benefits of this bid were all intertwined and colliding in his thoughts.

After a moment, he spoke slowly, his voice low but clear: "In my opinion, why not set the bid price at 406 million? After all, the number 'six' sounds more auspicious here. When doing business, sometimes it is important to have a good start."

When everyone heard this, they were stunned at first, and then they began to whisper to each other.

Some people nodded slightly, seeming to agree with this statement; others murmured quietly, hesitating between weighing the price and the meaning.

After an intense internal weighing, everyone nodded in agreement.

At this point, the matter was finalized.

You should know that although the bid price in this bidding activity has been fixed in black and white, it seems to be a set amount and will not change at all.

However, the key part that really influences the situation and is full of variables and flexibility is actually the comprehensive planning and commitment of both parties to the bid for operating the casino after winning the bid.

These commitments cover many aspects, from casino operating models and management strategies to how to coexist harmoniously with local communities and promote regional economic development.

This is precisely the core element that the new governor Ma Jishi pays the most attention to.

In this fierce competition, even if one party is slightly inferior in the amount of the bid, if it can make solemn and comprehensive commitments in other aspects, from the professional configuration of the operation team to the profit forecast and development blueprint for the next few years, and fully demonstrate strong operational strength and full sincerity, it will have the opportunity to stand out in this competition and ultimately determine who will be the winner.