"Manager, I heard that Chinese people are very hospitable and hold welcoming ceremonies with a crowd holding red flags. Why haven't I seen anyone, not even a car to pick us up?" asked a blonde American after getting off the plane, to a Chinese person beside him with a pale face.
This Chinese person was naturally Hao Jianguo. He said with a gloomy expression, "If you were to go to someone's house and break both their legs and take them back, do you expect them to welcome you?"
"..." The blonde American stuck out his tongue and then chuckled, falling silent.
Actually, Hao Jianguo knew that given Huang He's personality, he wouldn't have sent anyone to greet them even if he had broken his legs.
But the fact that there was no one present indicated that Huang He despised him as a traitor and was not extending any courtesies, not even sending someone to greet them.
Huang He still hated him immensely. After all, he had spoken of national righteousness one moment and then voluntarily resigned the next, leading the negotiation team. Any fool would know that he had betrayed the Jiangnan Group and Huang He once again.
"It's fine, I know where their headquarters is and how to get there. I'll take you!" Hao Jianguo said with a grim expression. The blonde foreigner then added, "Oh, right, I almost forgot. Isn't this your former employer, Manager? You have to report to them here every year, so you must know how to get there. That's why the Jiangnan Group didn't send anyone to greet us! After all, they have an old employee like you!" xxs
"Hmph!" Hao Jianguo's face turned ashen, but he could do nothing about this young blonde foreigner. This person, also dispatched by Goldman Sachs to the US Pacific United Railway Company, had been following him the entire time, clearly sent by Goldman Sachs to monitor him. Hao Jianguo dared not offend him.
Thus, led by Hao Jianguo, this delegation of over thirty foreigners took 10 taxis themselves from the airport exit and rushed to the Jiangnan Group's headquarters.
The drivers of these 10 taxis looked at these foreigners with surprise. It was indeed very rare to see such a large group of foreigners, without any Chinese personnel accompanying them, hailing taxis on their own.
Upon arriving at the Jiangnan Group's headquarters, nothing else happened. Everyone at the headquarters of the Jiangnan Group completely ignored Hao Jianguo, once the fifth most important person in the Jiangnan Group, as if they didn't recognize him at all.
Hao Jianguo's gaze fell on a wall in the main hall of the Jiangnan Group headquarters. This was the executive wall of the Jiangnan Group, used to introduce the executives to all employees and visitors.
At the highest and most central position on this wall was naturally Boss Huang himself.
Ranked second was Leng Zhiruo, the President of the Jiangnan Group, followed by Shen Yuequn, the Executive President, and Liu Xiangjiang, the Vice President. Originally, the name below them would have been the President of the Overseas Business Department, which was Hao Jianguo's name.
But now, that name had been replaced by Leng Zhimeng, President of the Network Business Department. Originally, Leng Zhimeng, Boss Huang's sister-in-law, was ranked after Hao Jianguo.
Unfortunately, Hao Jianguo's name was nowhere to be found now. The position of President of the Overseas Business Department was now held by Liu Qiangdong, ranked ninth on the executive wall.
This was also the fastest-rising name on the executive wall. Last year, his name was not even on this wall, and now he had become the ninth most important person in the Jiangnan Group.
His photo had once been displayed on the wall along the path of all staff members, so everyone in the Jiangnan Group naturally recognized Hao Jianguo. But now, everyone ignored him, and it was easy to guess what had happened.
"When can we start negotiations?" Hao Jianguo had wanted to directly contact Shen Yuequn, the Executive President responsible for this area. However, Shen Yuequn's phone could not be reached. After changing his number, it was directly hung up as soon as it was connected.
The same happened with others. Helpless, Hao Jianguo had to go to the headquarters' service desk to inquire and to request a meeting with the executives of the Jiangnan headquarters.
Originally, he could freely enter and exit any area of the Jiangnan Group headquarters. Now, he had to go to the headquarters' service desk to inquire. This treatment made Hao Jianguo's heart fill with mixed emotions.
"Hello, Mr. Hao. The headquarters has already made a schedule. Your negotiation with our company will be directly handled by President Leng. The time will be in three days. You can come directly with your delegation then!" the service desk staff member said in a formal tone.
"Still have to wait three days?" Hao Jianguo didn't want to spend a single extra day in the country, but he also knew that this was likely the Jiangnan Group intentionally trying to provoke him, aiming to make him uncomfortable.
Well, three days was better than a week.
"Alright, give me the room cards for the Jiangnan Hotel. I have 32 people here, and they don't like to share rooms, so I need 32 room cards. It would be best if we could book the entire fifth and sixth floors of the Jiangnan Group!" Hao Jianguo said fluently.
As the headquarters of the vast Jiangnan Group, there were a large number of business dealings every day. The Jiangnan Group certainly had to play the host and arrange accommodation for these guests.
In the past, they had a long-term cooperation with a nearby four-star hotel and directly arranged for people to stay there. Later, there was a corruption case, so the Jiangnan Group simply bought a large hotel near its headquarters, named it Jiangnan Hotel, and operated it itself.
It was also open to the public for business, but its main task was to receive the business dealings of the Jiangnan Group.
Hao Jianguo had no property in China, so he always stayed in the presidential suite of the Jiangnan Hotel whenever he returned to China. Moreover, Hao Jianguo never returned alone; he always brought a large entourage, who were also arranged to stay at the Jiangnan Hotel.
Therefore, Hao Jianguo very skillfully requested room cards from the service desk staff to arrange accommodation.
"I am very sorry, Mr. Hao, we cannot arrange accommodation for you as we have not received any relevant information!" the front desk staff member said with his usual fixed smile.
"What are you doing? How can you not arrange accommodation for such an important business negotiation? Don't you have any basic business etiquette?" After experiencing so much coldness, Hao Jianguo finally erupted. He shouted, "Okay, I know you're targeting me, the entire Jiangnan Group is targeting me, and wants revenge. Fine, I'll find my own place to stay and won't stay at your Jiangnan Hotel!"
"But the team behind me has nothing to do with me. They are all staff members of the US Pacific United Railway Company. They are all genuine Americans, foreign friends. You have to arrange accommodation for these foreign friends, don't you? They are all Americans! You can't possibly be so impolite, can you!"
"Don't you shame our Chinese people!" Hao Jianguo roared at the service desk staff.
"Mr. Hao, please do not be angry. We have indeed not received any information about check-in arrangements!" the staff member continued with a smile.
"I don't care. I must make things clear with you today. These are Americans, how can you not arrange accommodation! You can't disgrace us Chinese people!" Hao Jianguo continued to speak, and then a sharp voice interjected.
"Oh, who is speaking? Is it a Chinese person? But why do I only see an American wild dog?" Hao Jianguo's hairs stood on end. He turned his head and saw Leng Zhimeng emerging from the elevator with several staff members behind her, looking disdainfully at Hao Jianguo. "You American wild dog, what right do you have to roar at me here? You talk about not embarrassing us Chinese people, are you Chinese? Do you deserve those two words? Don't you desperately want to be a noble American?"
"What? Can't even afford hotel fees now?" Leng Zhimeng said mockingly.
"Leng Zhimeng, I don't want to argue with you, nor do I want to talk about being Chinese. I'm only talking about basic business etiquette now. Has the Jiangnan Group degenerated to the point where it doesn't even observe such basic business etiquette?" Hao Jianguo became uneasy when he started talking about Chinese people, especially after seeing Leng Zhimeng, so he switched to talking about business etiquette.
"What business etiquette are we talking about? We're not observing any business etiquette. If you have the guts, take all these blonde devils behind you and go back to your America right now. This negotiation is off, who wants to talk to you!" Leng Zhimeng shouted angrily.
"Fine, since that's the case, let's go. Don't regret this!" cornered, Hao Jianguo naturally would not back down. He turned and prepared to lead the delegation back home... at least to show the posture of returning home, forcing the Jiangnan Group to come forward and retain him.
However, before Hao Jianguo could leave the headquarters, he heard Leng Zhimeng say, "Others can leave, but you, this golden retriever, are not allowed to. I don't care what brother-in-law says, but I'm going to beat you to death today, you dog! Guards, get him!"
What?
Hao Jianguo froze for a moment, and then he saw dozens of security guards rush out of the headquarters building. These security guards separated the foreigners he brought with him, surrounded him, and without saying a word, they immediately began a fierce beating and kicking on Hao Jianguo in the main hall of the Jiangnan Group headquarters.
Leng Zhimeng herself even raised her high-heeled shoe and stomped hard on Hao Jianguo's palm, causing Hao Jianguo to cry out in pain, his entire expression twisted and distorted.