40-5：In the Shadow of Defeat

Left alone in his office, Lin Yufeng lay down on the double sofa, his head resting on one armrest and his feet propped up on the other. He held a cigarette, staring at the ceiling, lost in thought about a line from the "Gelushi Company Preparatory Shareholders' Meeting Minutes": "If both sides are wounded but you have one more breath, you are the winner."

He heard the familiar knock of Secretary Fang, quickly got up, and resumed his usual authoritative demeanor. In his customary tone, he said, "Come in."

Secretary Fang entered and asked, "Chairman, should we remove the TV and VCD player?"

Lin Yufeng replied, "No, leave them for a few days."

Secretary Fang inquired, "It's almost the end of the workday. Do you have any other arrangements?" He implied whether Lin wanted to keep any key department heads to study the evidence.

Lin Yufeng said, "No, everyone can go home after work."

Secretary Fang left.

Lin Yufeng lay on the sofa for a while longer, then suddenly got up and wrote a note at his desk, sticking it on the office door before leaving. The note read: "Zhao Qing, the door is not locked. Wait for me a moment. I've gone to buy something and will be back soon."

He left the building and found a small tavern on a nearby street. Browsing the counter filled with seasonal dishes, he bought a pack of braised peanuts, a pack of braised tofu, and a pack of braised chicken feet, along with two bottles of strong liquor and two pairs of disposable chopsticks. Carrying the bag of food and drink, he returned to the office.

By then, the employees of Lesheng Company had left, and the hallway was quiet. The note on the office door was gone, indicating that Zhao Qing had finished copying the evidence and returned.

Lin Yufeng closed the door, placed the food on the coffee table, and cheerfully said, "Let's drink, drown our sorrows in alcohol."

Zhao Qing looked at him in surprise, taking the food out of the bag. "Yufeng, this is not like you."

The coffee table had two sets of copied evidence materials at one end, with the rest occupied by three bags of food. Lin Yufeng poured two half-cups of liquor into disposable cups from the water dispenser, took a sip, and said, "One call from you had me so rattled I skipped lunch. We're all human, after all."

Zhao Qing took a sip and asked, "Yufeng, do you think Director Yan's words are reliable?"

Lin Yufeng replied, "If lawyers' arguments could be eaten, judges would starve. Capital flows to low-cost areas as an economic rule. Developed countries' labor-intensive industries migrate to poorer nations for cheap labor."

Zhao Qing was puzzled. "Then why did you agree? Even at 50% fees, it's tens of thousands. Is it necessary to spend this money given the situation?"

Lin Yufeng responded lightly, "Withdraw? Settle? After being screwed, we immediately ask them to marry us? How cheap does that make Lesheng? Is the brand still valuable?"

Zhao Qing sighed, "It's a dilemma! I was thinking, if we hadn't expanded so fast, if capital use had been more cautious, if our debt ratio wasn't so high, if the Earl Company hadn't added to our troubles… maybe we could have held our ground against Gelushi."

Lin Yufeng said, "No 'maybes'. It's not about debt ratios or improper capital use. A production system without market access collapses, even with zero debt. Gelushi survives on cabinets, not speakers. They use speakers to develop from a survival base. What are you contending with them for? If both sides are wounded, but they have one more breath, they win. Gelushi rejected the Earl, leaving you a way out. Be grateful. Ding Yuan Ying's intent is to force you into cooperation. Lesheng's components and sales network, Gelushi's enclosures and production base—that's Ding's goal, poverty alleviation."

Zhao Qing nodded, "From when we used Gelushi speakers to promote Lesheng's flagship, we thought they were making a bridal dress for someone else. In reality, we were already in the trap. Forced cooperation if cornered."

Lin Yufeng said, "Precisely. The lawsuit must be fought, win or lose. Winning is ideal. Losing shows the law tolerates exploitative production methods. You then join the fray without criticism. That's called being forced into it. The most crucial part is to expose Ding Yuan Ying's hypocrisy through legal means, letting public opinion speak out. I may lose, but Ding Yuan Ying won't be the winner either."

Zhao Qing slapped the table, "I agree! If China had anti-dumping laws, would Ding Yuan Ying have a say in the Hi-Fi market? Exploiting farmers while calling it poverty alleviation—where's the justice? Foreigners impose anti-dumping on Chinese products, and our own people engage in vicious competition. Where's the justice?"

Lin Yufeng waved his hand, "Save those words for Lawyer Jiang in court. Ultimately, Lesheng didn't lose to the law or the national condition but to me, Lin Yufeng. This lawsuit is no longer about the companies; it's a personal duel between me and Ding Yuan Ying, and there are no winners."

They drank another round, and Lin Yufeng got up to turn on the TV, playing the evidence CD again, showing Wangmiao Village's production scenes.

Zhao Qing watched and said, "Yufeng, judging by Gelushi's shareholders and Wangmiao's farmers, Ding Yuan Ying can't manage this speaker."

Lin Yufeng said, "No, he is managing it."

Zhao Qing sneered, "If he wanted cooperation, he could have asked openly. Why resort to such tricks?"

Lin Yufeng laughed, "Don't say that. It's just a game. Can you take Gelushi seriously?"

Zhao Qing retorted, "Now Gelushi is on par with Lesheng overnight. Damn it, bricks and tiles have become spirits."

Lin Yufeng took a sip, leisurely lit a cigarette, and said calmly, "Bricks and tiles can't become spirits. If they do, they aren't bricks and tiles. Unfortunately, Ye Xiaoming and the audiophiles were scared off by the first shot. Wangmiao farmers are scattered, Gelushi shareholders have their agendas, with fronts under attack and rear fires—Ding has it tough. Executing a critical move in such a mismatched game—honestly, it's classic."

Zhao Qing said, "One thing puzzles me. Why didn't Ding tell Ye Xiaoming about the lawsuit prospects? If he assured them, would they still flee? Does he want to help them?"

Lin Yufeng said, "Would you make such a promise? Relying on promises, can you expect such a team to conquer? Ding is wise. Forcing support ends worse."

Zhao Qing sensed something off in Lin Yufeng's tone, suspiciously asked, "Yufeng, why do I feel like you're an outsider commenting on this, as if it doesn't concern you anymore?"

Lin Yufeng didn't directly answer but said, "Beijing needs another car. I'll organize my car in the next few days. Before the trial, take my car over. Win or lose, I must meet Mr. Ding. Lesheng's failure is my failure, and I'll bear it."

Zhao Qing's heart skipped a beat. "Do you mean… leaving the company? Or…" He didn't finish, clearly referring to the possibility of jumping off a building if they lost.

Lin Yufeng took a drag, calmly said, "I've struggled for over a decade, at least setting up a brand in China's audio industry. That's enough. No need to act like a defeated dog."