Negotiations (1)
Xu Lirong was just 22 years old this year. Although he wasn't very tall, he had thick eyebrows and big eyes, giving him a look of determination. However, his nature is calm and mature, a trait he shares with Xu Guoqing. After hearing Jiang Cheng's offer, he thought for a moment and then agreed.
An annual salary of ¥100,000 wasn't a small amount! Plus, there are bonuses for extra work. Such generous terms would probably make even seasoned lawyers eager to agree, let alone a newcomer like him. If he saves for a few years, he could have enough money to open his own law firm. Then he could be his own boss, which would be delightful.
However, what truly intrigued him was not these things, but Jiang Cheng himself.
After a few years of not seeing each other, this kid had grown up and become capable of standing on his own. Moreover, according to his father, it was all thanks to this young man's suggestions that 'Southern Weekly' was revived from the brink of death and achieved its current status. This made Xu Lirong very interested in Jiang Cheng, his former little brother.
Their meeting at the airport, and subsequent conversation on the plane, mainly revolved around the prospects of the legal profession. Xu Lirong discovered that although Jiang Cheng had limited specific knowledge about the legal profession, he had unique insights into its future development, which was eye-opening for Xu Lirong.
'After our country joined the WTO this year, the development pace in the coming years will surely escalate to a new level. However, this will also lead to a series of problems, especially in the realm of legal regulations. Our country's establishment was relatively late compared to Western developed countries, making our legal system less perfect. Previously, it wasn't a big issue, but as development accelerates in the coming years, potential flaws will surface, inevitably leading to a series of hidden problems.'
Jiang Cheng did not elaborate on the specific problems, but Xu Lirong, relying on his own knowledge, thought of some. As he pondered, Jiang Cheng continued, 'Our people have long held outdated notions, preferring to settle many matters privately rather than bringing them to court, as they consider it embarrassing. However, as the country becomes more international in the coming years, people's mindsets are becoming more open. They are beginning to understand the importance of using legal means to protect their rights. Therefore, the number of various cases nationwide is expected to grow year by year in the coming years. At that time, the legal profession will shine.'
Xu Lirong nodded and said, 'This is also why I am interested in this profession. There are not many people who truly understand the law among the general public. If they encounter disputes and seek legal help, they need to consult professionals. If they go to court, they must hire a lawyer.'
'Exactly!' Jiang Cheng nodded, 'In Europe and America, the legal profession has already become mature and stable. But in China, it has only started to flourish in recent years. This shows that our country is increasingly aligning with international standards!'
'Yes!' Xu Lirong agreed and added, 'But living in this era is both a blessing and a sorrow. During my university years, I followed my tutor and encountered many cases that were unheard of before, mostly due to the increasing number of emerging markets in recent years. Some unscrupulous elements took advantage of loopholes in the existing laws to make huge illegal profits. Knowing their crimes were heinous, but due to the imperfect laws, they received light sentences, which were not deterrent enough. This always made me feel extremely pained!'
Jiang Cheng sighed and said, 'There's no helping it. We can only hope that our country's legal system becomes more perfect and the loopholes less and less, leaving no opportunity for these criminals.'
'Right!'
Suddenly, Jiang Cheng remembered something and said to Xu Lirong, 'By the way, Brother Xu, did you know that 'Southern Weekly' has been revamped?'
'Yes, of course,' Xu Lirong nodded and then smiled, 'I heard from my dad that it was your idea. Moreover, the revamped 'Southern Weekly - Literary Edition' is very popular now, making my dad very pleased every day. But recently, the consumption of tea leaves at home has increased rapidly, filling the house with the smell of tea leaves and causing my mom to sneeze frequently.'
Jiang Cheng also smiled. When Xu Guoqing was happy, he liked to drink tea heartily, but his wife was somewhat allergic to the smell of tea leaves and sneezed whenever she smelled it. Usually, Xu Guoqing drank tea without her knowing, but recently he seemed too happy to care and drank tea openly, causing his wife to 'relapse' and frequently complain to Jiang Cheng's family.
'You only know part of it. Initially, my idea with Uncle Xu was to divide 'Southern Weekly' into five sections: literature, entertainment, fashion, sports, and news. Currently, aside from the literary section, which is doing well, the other sections are not very successful. Especially the news section, which was revamped from the original documentary reporting, is responsible for reporting domestic and international news and current livelihoods. However, this theme is too common and has no special features, resulting in poor sales recently,' Jiang Cheng continued.
Xu Lirong frowned and asked, 'Acheng, why are you telling me this? I don't understand anything about media!'
Jiang Cheng smiled mysteriously, 'Brother Xu, don't you want to help Uncle Xu?'
'How can I help?'
'When 'Southern Weekly' was revamped, I told Uncle Xu that the documentary reporting shouldn't involve too much politics. It's better to report more on matters close to people's lives to resonate more with the public. But in the past few months, the whole magazine has revolved around the 'Literary Edition,' and the 'News Edition,' even though it has been revamped, has not been very effective. Brother Long, you just mentioned that there have been many new cases in recent years due to the increase in emerging markets. Why don't we report more on these issues?'
Xu Lirong's eyes lit up, and he asked eagerly, 'You mean?'
Jiang Cheng spoke leisurely, 'Look, there are many lawyers like you now, but few can find satisfactory jobs. Most have to work for others and wait to establish a reputation before becoming independent, which wastes a lot of time. In today's world, even good wine needs to be promoted. If you don't build your reputation early, you won't make it in any industry. But now, we have a promotional channel in our hands. If we can gather more lawyers like you and edit the cases you've encountered into news articles, it will not only enlighten the public's legal awareness but also help you lawyers gain fame.'
Xu Lirong gasped, and then said, 'Not only the past cases, but if it develops well, we can also do real-time reporting, covering recent events widely, which can attract the attention of relevant departments for quick case resolution and deter criminals from committing crimes again. Great, this is too good!' he said, his eyebrows dancing with excitement.
Jiang Cheng smiled slightly and did not reply.
After Xu Lirong calmed down and thought about it carefully, he felt that the plan was feasible. He had many classmates who were currently idle at home and would definitely be enthusiastic about participating. He glanced at Jiang Cheng and saw another mysterious smile on his face.
Xu Lirong suddenly realized that Jiang Cheng's intention was to gather some lawyers eager for fame to become 'reporters' for him! Xu Lirong had fallen into the trap, a deep scheme indeed!
Xu Lirong gasped again, thinking to himself, 'So this is why my dad warned me to be careful around this kid, saying that if I'm not careful, I might be sold by him and even count the money for him! It's true!'
Thinking this, Xu Lirong gave a wry smile, 'Acheng, you've roped me into your service just like that. Now, as my dad said, both us father and son will end up work for you!'"
The matter of 'Southern Weekly' changing hands was already communicated to his family by Xu Guoqing. However, Xu Lirong and his sister had no interest in taking over Xu Guoqing's position. After hearing about it, they didn't feel much, except for a strong interest in Jiang Cheng. They were curious about how Jiang Cheng managed to outsmart Xu Guoqing, the old fox.
Now, Xu Lirong understood, this guy was really terrifying! He would calculate your every move thoroughly, and everything he did was an open strategy. He targeted your vulnerabilities, leading you step by step into the trap he had designed, leaving you unable to refuse even when you realized it! Because he wasn't harming you, instead, he meticulously planned for what you wanted, provided you with a grand blueprint, and made you fall into it involuntarily. You had no choice but to willingly do his bidding."
Jiang Cheng smiled and said, 'Brother Xu, you can't say it like that. You want to inform the public about the tricks of those criminals, make a name for yourself, and uphold justice in the world; I want to use this opportunity to improve 'Southern Weekly - News Edition.' We cooperate for mutual benefit, so it's not about working for someone.'
Xu Lirong laughed, 'Anyway, the one who benefits the most in the end is still you! But what can I do, being a kind-hearted person? Alright, I'll take on this task. I also have many classmates who haven't found jobs yet, they can all come and help.'
Jiang Cheng was overjoyed, 'Thank you, Brother Long! This is really a great help!'
'Alright, stop with the formalities, bring on the real benefits!'
"Don't worry, I'll offer a fair price. Brother Xu, you've done me a great favor, so I'll give you 10% commission!" Jiang Cheng generously offered.
"Oh, that's an extra ten thousand yuan for me. Earning money from you, really is easy!" Xu Lilong joked, then turned serious and said, "Alright, we've talked about my business. Now, let's discuss your situation. Honestly, this matter is quite tricky. According to the information I have now, the Lin family has a lot of influence in Beijing and doesn't care about this $2 million at all. But they've strangely set such an outrageous price, which seems insincere, and I can't figure out their true intentions."
Jiang Cheng nodded and said, 'I've seen those documents too. The company is not worth that much, at most [
Xu Lirong then asked, 'So, what do you plan to do?'
Jiang Cheng sighed, 'I don't know. There's too little time, and the information is too scarce to make a judgment. We'll have to adapt our strategy during the meeting. If we can't reach an agreement, we'll have to wait for the bank to handle it and buy a part of it.'
Xu Lilong nodded. They were in the dark about everything at the moment but since Jiang Cheng really wanted to buy, they had to play by the Lin family's rules.
Looking at the white clouds outside the cabin window, Jiang Cheng suddenly said in a mysterious tone, "But somehow, I have a good feeling about this, like things will work out."
Wuhan was in sight.