Chapter 223: Let's just hang out

After leaving the municipal party committee building, Zhou Ming and Luo Han returned directly to the securities company. At this time, there were still a lot of people in front of the securities company, so they parked their car in the parking lot and entered through the side door.

'President Luo, no matter what support the secretary can give us this time, since we have decided to set up the stock exchange, we must show our determination. We will have a meeting later to discuss the situation we are facing. Go and ask Manager Li Hong, Chen Shuli Yang Li and Ye Ning to come over. I will wait for you in the meeting room.'

Zhou Ming gave Luo Han these instructions, then walked towards the meeting room. Luo Han was originally ashamed of Zhou Ming's move to help him solve things after what he had said in the car. Now that Zhou Ming had asked him to do something, of course he was very positive. Zhou Ming had only just arrived in the meeting room and sat down for a while when Luo Han came in with his people.

Zhou Ming first asked everyone to sit down before saying, 'The reason I called this meeting today is to discuss the same old topic: changing the current securities company into a stock exchange. You all came here before me and have done a lot of preliminary work on this. I believe you are also more aware of the difficulties than I am, so I won't go into detail here, because none of these problems have been solved.'

Zhou Ming paused deliberately after saying this, and then looked around the room before continuing, 'But that doesn't matter, because we will solve them one by one.'

'Now we're going to solve the first one.' Zhou Ming gave a thumbs-up. 'Right now, our securities company still fulfils some of the duties of a securities broker, but when we change to become a securities exchange, the securities broker will definitely have to go independent, so we need to have a securities broker that we approve of.'

Zhou Ming finally asked, 'So I want to know if everyone has the corresponding resources on hand? We can go to banks or insurance companies as long as they have certain financial qualifications.'

In the face of Zhou Ming's question, the whole room fell silent. Luo Han still answered Zhou Ming, 'Advisor Zhou, we understand what you are saying. When we were looking for members of the stock exchange before, we had communicated with various parties, but the results were not obvious.'

From Luo Han's expression of difficulty, it was not difficult to judge that what he meant by not obvious was probably very reserved. You have to know that before at the municipal party committee building, he had only set the stock exchange as a company system, which could be started by getting on the bus first and buying the ticket later. He was moved into that state, so you can imagine the amount of resistance he encountered when trying to find members for the stock exchange before.

'It doesn't matter if it's obvious or not, we still have to work hard. Luo Han, can you help to arrange a meeting with the heads of a few banks and insurance companies? I'll talk to them,' Zhou Ming said.

Luo Han nodded and said okay. After getting Luo Han's answer, Zhou Ming gave some more instructions and the meeting ended.

In the evening, Zhou Ming and Luo Han arrived at the Nanhu Hotel. They had long ago booked a private room, where they sat from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. The waiter in the private room came up again to ask, 'Hello, sir. Would you like the food to be served now, or would you like some refreshments first?'

This was already the third time in two hours that the waiter had come to ask. Zhou Ming said to her, 'Bring two dishes of refreshments first, and then give me two cups of tea.'

The waiter nodded and left. At this time, Luo Han said, 'Consultant Zhou, just now, Sun, the president of ICBC, sent me a page saying that he also couldn't come because of other matters.'

Zhou Ming nodded. Although Zhou Ming didn't say anything and his face didn't show any change, Luo Han was already so ashamed that she wished she could find a crack in the ground and disappear.

'Consultant Zhou, why don't we just eat and leave?' Luo Han suggested to Zhou Ming, feeling very embarrassed.

However, Zhou Ming said, 'Just now, it was only President Sun who said he couldn't come. Aren't there still President Tian of the Bank of China and President Wu of the Bank of Communications on our list? They haven't yet sent word, perhaps they've just been delayed. If all else fails, we still have Mr. Luo Han, the first vice president of the South Development Bank, here!'

Luo Han could only smile wryly at Zhou Ming's teasing, but looking at Zhou Ming's composed appearance, he felt an inexplicable confidence.

However, Luo Han's confidence was soon dealt another blow, because his pager went off again, with a message from the head of the Bank of China, Tian, saying that he had a sudden engagement and could not make it.

This sent Luo Han's confidence, which he had barely managed to borrow from Zhou Ming, plummeting back to the bottom. Zhou Ming also saw the message and said to him with a smile, 'It seems we'll just have to wait for the head of the Bank of Communications, Wu. I think we should still have a little confidence. What do you say, Luo? How about we make a bet? We'll bet on this meal, whoever loses has to pay.'

Luo Han really couldn't do what Zhou Ming did, which was to be able to laugh and joke in such a situation. Betting on this meal was fine, but the point was that he had lost face in front of Zhou Ming, and he would never be able to get it back.

But at this time, the door to the private room suddenly knocked. Luo Han originally thought it was the waiter bringing refreshments, but he didn't expect it to be a middle-aged man who came in. Luo Han's eyes immediately lit up because he knew this person, he was the bank manager Wu from the bank.

Luo Han jumped up from his seat like a spring: 'Hello, bank manager Wu, you've finally come!'

'I'm sorry, there was a sudden matter at work, so I was delayed and kept you waiting,' said bank manager Wu.

'It's fine, as long as you're here, President Wu,' Zhou Ming said.

In contrast to Zhou Ming's simplicity, Luo Han's words flowed on: 'It's fine, I know that the Bank of Communications is currently expanding its business, so there's a lot going on at the office, but we're still very happy that you were able to find the time to come today.'

Then Zhou Ming and Luo Han invited President Wu to sit down, but President Wu waved his hand and said, 'No need to sit down. I still have things to do, so I'll just say a few words and leave.'

'President Wu, what's so urgent? But no matter how urgent it is, it's not as urgent as drinking a glass of water...'

Luo Han wanted to say more, but Zhou Ming interrupted him and made a gesture inviting President Wu to speak: 'Please, President Wu.'

Zhou Ming's performance made President Wu look up to him. He first said hello to Zhou Ming before saying, 'Consultant Zhou, Mr Luo, since I'm here today, I won't say anything meaningless like everyone else. I know that you're having such a dinner here today, inviting me and the heads of several other major banks in Nanjiang to have dinner here, just to discuss letting us set up a new securities company to be a recognised securities dealer on your stock exchange, right?'

Zhou Ming nodded and said, 'That's what it's about. I don't know what your answer is, President Wu?'

'My answer is I'm very sorry,' said President Wu. 'In fact, I personally really want to become such a securities firm, but for some reason, I need to be more secure...'

President Wu paused for a moment and then continued, 'To put it bluntly, someone has already given us their word.'

Lohan blurted out a question about who it was, but he immediately reacted and covered his mouth. Zhou Ming and President Wu just looked at him and didn't say much about this issue. After all, it was not convenient to talk about it on President Wu's side, and it was also not convenient or necessary for Zhou Ming to listen.

'In fact, everyone has difficulties, but the stock exchange will be established in the future, and finance will also be the future direction of development. A country cannot rely solely on finance, but neither can it do without it. I believe that as a financial person with great insight, President Wu must be eager to test the waters in the securities sector, right? Especially now that this market is still completely blank, just waiting for someone to be the first to take the plunge,' asked Zhou Ming.

'Consultant Zhou, I understand the logic of seizing the market first to gain an advantage, but there are some difficulties that cannot be overcome!' President Wu sighed.

Zhou Ming thought for a moment and then made a suggestion: 'If President Wu has difficulties there, President Wu could set up a new regime company under a different name. Some things can be flexible!'

President Wu still shook his head: 'Consultant Zhou, I think it would be better if I don't mess with those crooked ideas. I'm sorry about this time. I have something else to do over there, so I'll be going first.'

After saying this, President Wu left the box, and Luo Han again slumped back into his seat. Zhou Ming sighed and said, 'Sure enough, it's still like this. These guys don't give us a chance at all.'

Lohan did not hear Zhou Ming's still teasing tone. He was just feeling extremely frustrated. Because originally, when he saw President Wu come over, he thought that he would at least show some kind of sign, but he didn't expect him to just come over to tell them that he was quitting. This made Lohan feel like he had been hit too hard, and it was better for him to just not come at all like everyone else.

Seeing Luo Han like this, Zhou Ming walked up to him and patted him on the shoulder, saying, 'Luo, I mean, you are after all the head of the securities company and the Nanfang Development Bank, can you not look like you've been wronged?'

Luo Han looked up and saw Zhou Ming's smile, and for a moment he froze. Zhou Ming continued, 'Don't look at me like that, you'd better get Li Hong and the others over here, I think we can start eating. I don't know if you're hungry, but I know I definitely am.'

Hearing Zhou Ming say this, Luo Han suddenly remembered that they had not only invited the bank managers to today's dinner, but also Li Hong, Chen Shuli, Yang Ye and Ning. They were just not in this private room, and they would not have the chance to make an appearance.

'Consultant Zhou, do you really want to do that?' Luo Han asked.

'Of course, unless you have a better idea,' Zhou Ming said.

Lohan lowered his head. How could he possibly have a better idea? So he took out his phone and dialed a number, while asking the waiter in the box to serve the food.

After a short while, Li Hong and Chen Shu entered the box, and Zhou Ming asked them to sit down and eat.

While eating, Zhou Ming said, 'I don't need to tell you the result just now, I believe you have already guessed it. So, in order to open the stock exchange, we need a real securities company. Therefore, I have decided to register a new securities company as a securities company in the name of Jinpeng Company. Li Hong and Li Yang, you two need to resign and work there.'

'Since we want to set up a stock exchange and no one has set up a brokerage firm to support us, we will just have to do it ourselves. Don't be upset, because I can foresee that this stock market will definitely develop in the future!' Zhou Ming said very confidently.

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