Chapter 144 An Additional Five Hundred Thousand

Inside the restaurant.

Su Tianyu observed Yu Mingyuan's expression, feeling a bit anxious. He knew his boss too well; he would definitely not accept the compensation amount offered.

"Mr. Xu, you guys chat, I'll go to the restroom first," Su Tianyu said, getting up.

"Okay, okay!" Xu Jinbo nodded.

As Su Tianyu turned to leave, Xu Jinbo continued, "Three hundred and fifty thousand is not a small amount. Think about how many years those miners have to dig coal to earn that much!"

"Mr. Xu, is this compensation amount negotiable?" Yu Mingyuan asked, his face still expressionless.

In the stairwell outside the private room, Su Tianyu took out his phone and dialed Yu Mingyuan's number, but hung up after two rings.

Inside, Yu Mingyuan picked up his phone, pausing as he glanced at the screen.

"Ding ding!"

Immediately afterward, Gou Liuzi's message arrived. Yu Mingyuan glanced at the contents without a word.

"Go ahead and make your call if you're busy," Xu Jinbo said with a smile.

"It's nothing, just a finance person from the association asking me about something. I can get back to them later," Yu Mingyuan said, looking at the other man. "Mr. Xu, to be honest, this compensation amount is quite different from what we had in mind."

Xu Jinbo paused slightly, slowly taking out his cigar case from his pocket. He lit one for himself, keeping his head lowered. "Little Yu, you probably started in the real estate business later in life, so there are many things you haven't grasped yet. Let me put it this way, if you insist on haggling over this compensation, you and the workers will definitely be the ones who suffer in the end."

Yu Mingyuan was silent. Su Tiannan, watching the other man, clenched his fists tightly.

"You can't afford to drag out a lawsuit. Let's not even talk about not getting the money for three or two years, what will happen to you? I'm asking you, can you even hold on for half a year? The workers signed contracts with you, you are primarily responsible. If they make trouble, they'll come to you first, right? If you sue us, what about the workers? As long as we give them a little benefit, they will sue you, you believe that?" Xu Jinbo's smile vanished, his voice turning hoarse. "If the union can't guarantee the workers' interests, what will happen? It will definitely collapse! But for Baolong Group, there are at least dozens of lawsuits concerning economic disputes every year. Frankly speaking, one more or less doesn't matter to us."

Hearing this, Yu Mingyuan picked up his wine glass and took a large gulp.

"Do you think that a few of you banding together can force the Group to compromise? That's too naive," Xu Jinbo continued with a cold smile. "Lu Feng fired a gun, right? He's in jail, right? You think he's fine now, but have you considered this? Any general manager in our company can make a call to the regulatory commission and dig up things Lu Feng did ten years ago. He's a gangster, with dirt all over him. How can he fight against a commercial group? With Changqing Company withdrawing, your Tongji Association doesn't have the confidence to fight a lawsuit anymore, right?"

Xu Jinbo took a deep breath of his cigar, pointing to the large dining table. "Little Yu, have you ever seen how high and how wide a billion in cash is when it's stacked together? Heh heh, I have. When it's stacked together, even this big table can't hold it all. So much money, in the southern part of Old Mexico, is enough to raise an army of thousands, and might even cause a war. Do you think it's easy to get?"

Xu Jinbo's words were polite in the first half, and full of threats in the second half, constantly implying to Yu Mingyuan that Baolong Group could crush an organization like the Tongji Association as easily as crushing an ant.

In the eyes of Baolong Group, the compensation of three hundred and fifty thousand per person was not compensation for the miners who had not yet been dug out, but a disaster relief payment given out of compulsion, full of condescension and helplessness.

"So, it's just three hundred and fifty thousand, and it can't be increased at all?"

"I can only say that the fluctuation won't be big," Xu Jinbo replied with a smile. "But if we can reach an agreement, I will apply to the Group and give your association a red envelope of two or three million, as a way to ward off bad luck."

"Okay, I understand what Baolong Group means, but you have to allow me to discuss this with my people. After all, the association also has procedures, and we have to call together those foremen to ask for their opinions."

"Okay, I'll give you three days, is that enough?" Xu Jinbo's words were polite, but they had a hint of aggressiveness.

"Okay, just three days!" Yu Mingyuan responded, following the other man's lead.

"Great! I knew it, the person Old Wen favors wouldn't be unreasonable." Xu Jinbo raised his glass again. "Old Yang is too business-like, not very personable. Don't be like him, I'll scold him later."

"Heh heh, okay!"

"Come, let's drink!"

After speaking, everyone raised their glasses, except for Su Tiannan, who looked at Xu Jinbo without reacting.

"What's wrong, brother? You don't look so good," Xu Jinbo said, looking at him. "Come on, have a drink!"

Su Tiannan looked at him, still not moving.

"What's wrong?!" Xu Jinbo asked, staring at him.

Seeing this, Yu Mingyuan immediately kicked Tiannan under the table, saying with a smile, "Come on, have a drink with Mr. Xu!"

Su Tiannan gritted his teeth, almost clutching the glass of baijiu, and stood up.

...

Half an hour later, in the car.

"You want me to pretend to agree to him, do you have other ideas?" Yu Mingyuan asked.

"Arguing with him at the dinner table is meaningless," Su Tianyu frowned, replying, "Let him think we agreed, and I can do something in private."

"What to do?"

"I met with Li Yuan today..." Su Tianyu began to explain his ideas.

"Ding Ling Ling!"

Just then, the phone rang. Su Tiannan took out his phone and answered, "What's wrong?"

"Just now, Old Wang called me and said that the former district chief of Zhanan District, with some gifts, led people from Baolong Company to visit the families of the deceased miners," Third Sister's voice rang out. "They tentatively discussed the issue of compensation, and claimed that if they resolve through legal channels, they will not receive the money for at least three years. They also said that if the miners' families are willing to bypass the union and sign a settlement compensation agreement, they will add another five hundred thousand per person."

"Cnm!" Su Tiannan cursed through gritted teeth, "They're playing too dirty!!"

"This is cutting off the fuel supply, sowing discord," Third Sister said worriedly, "Some workers' families are indeed too poor, and someone might take the lead in signing a settlement agreement. When some sign and some don't, it will be fatal to us, and the miners' families will definitely make trouble!"

"Okay, I got it."

The two ended the call, and Su Tiannan looked at his brother, "Baolong Company has directly contacted the miners' families."

Su Tianyu pondered for a moment, "Don't panic, we will also meet with the miners' families. Also, you immediately notify Ermao from Changqing Company to come over, I have something to discuss with him."

"Three days is too short, can we make it in time?" Yu Mingyuan asked.

"In less than two days, I will flip the table!" Su Tianyu replied with a frown.

Around ten o'clock in the evening, Lao Hei received a message from Su Tianyu, which was to notify him to prepare to work.

After reading it, Lao Hei cursed, "Damn, I haven't even rested for a week since I came back, and here comes another job! What kind of joining the association is this? Isn't it just freeloading on me?!"