Chapter 334: A last-ditch effort

'How could this happen? Why would someone report our loan violation? It must be Old Brooker who did it. He knew we wanted to advertise and that we were short of money. Isn't what he did unfair competition? Isn't there anyone to stop him?'

'And this Hoover and Tang Bank, it's obvious that the loan has already been approved, but they just won't release it. Isn't the United States supposed to be a free country? Can they just suspend all transactions before the results of the investigation come out? Wouldn't that just mess up the market? I don't believe it. Hoover must not want to help, that's why he's making up these excuses!'

After leaving the Tangren Bank and returning to the car, Chen Shuhe and Ye Ning kept complaining to Zhou Ming. Zhou Ming sat in the back seat and said to them, 'Okay, since it's already happened, let's not talk about their faults anymore. It was wrong to put all your eggs in one basket in the first place.'

'But there's nothing you can do now, teacher. If it weren't for the fact that Brock might attack us at any time, and if you weren't worried about the 10 million insurance policy, you would definitely have more and better solutions, and you wouldn't have to take such a desperate risk,' Ye Ning said reassuringly to Zhou Ming.

Zhou Ming waved his hand and said, 'Okay, do you remember what I told you? When something goes wrong, don't blame others, and think about what to do next is the key.'

Zhou Ming's question made Chen Shuhe and Ye Ning freeze for a moment, because the situation now was that there was Brooke's insurance policy in front, and the 800,000 yuan cost of advertising production had already been invested, and the TV station and outdoor advertising company had already been negotiated with, and all the funds had been invested, only the one million yuan bank loan was missing. At this time, the capital chain suddenly broke, which was fatal.

This is an easy sum to work out. The company has 300,000 yuan left after spending 800,000 yuan on pre-production advertising. The advertising fee is 2,000 US dollars per second per day, so 20 seconds of prime time advertising per day is 40,000 US dollars, and 10 days of new advertising is 400,000 US dollars. Add in the 30,000 US dollars entrance fee, and it's 430,000 US dollars, which is already an overrun. Add in the 10,000 US dollars outdoor advertising fee for one week, and the company's current funding gap is over 200,000 yuan.

Facing the increasingly silent atmosphere in the car, Zhou Ming said with a smile, 'Okay, everyone, don't worry. There's always a way out, and there's always a solution.'

'That's right, I believe in you, teacher!' Ye Ning said, 'You once said that there are no unsolvable problems in the world, only minds that are unwilling to think.'

'That's right. It seems that Ye Ning has really taken my words to heart,' Zhou Ming thought for a moment and then said, 'This time, when we go back, don't tell the other students in the class, so as not to cause unnecessary worry.'

Chen Shuhe and Ye Ning both nodded in agreement. Back in the dormitory, when their classmates eagerly asked how things were going, Zhou Ming only told them that the TV station and outdoor advertising had been contacted, and the advertisements could be launched as soon as the money came in. He didn't say a word about the loan from Tangren Bank.

At 8 o'clock in the evening, Zhou Ming called Lin Muqing's phone. It was Lin Muqing's secretary who answered the phone and told Zhou Ming that Lin Muqing was in the middle of a very important meeting. Zhou Ming wanted to say that he would call back later, but before he could, the secretary's voice suddenly cut off. After a while, Lin Muqing's voice came on and asked, 'Is this Zhou Ming's phone?'

'It's me, Muqing,' Zhou Ming replied, then asked, "Aren't you in a meeting, Muqing?'

'I guessed it was you calling right away. It's a shareholders" meeting at the company. I interrupted for a while, it's fine. But what happened to you?' Lin Muqing asked.

Although Lin Muqing's tone was very relaxed and casual, Zhou Ming understood that the truth must not be as relaxed as she made it out to be. The reason was simple: Lin Muqing was currently the chairman of the Hong Kong City United Investment Fund. This fund company was actually jointly invested and established by all the Chinese tycoons in Hong Kong City, including the world's first and second richest shipowners Zheng Haolong and Tong Gang, as well as the future richest Chinese man Li Cheng, and possibly some Hong Kong City government officials.

These people are the shareholders of the Hong Kong City Joint Investment Fund, and Lin Muqing suddenly interrupted the meeting to answer her phone when she was giving a meeting to these people, and it was just a hunch.

Lin Muqing's actions were undoubtedly very silly, but aren't women in love supposed to be like this?

Zhou Ming, you must not let a woman like Muqing down!

Zhou Ming said to himself, knowing that this was not the time to be sentimental and that Muqing still had a meeting to attend and could not be kept waiting. He said directly, 'Yes, Muqing, something has come up on my end.'

Then Zhou Ming told her everything about Tangren Bank suspending his loan: 'Muqing, do you think I really made a mistake? I shouldn't have accepted the insurance policy that Brooke offered me in the first place. I knew it was a bad idea.'

'In fact, I don't think there is any right or wrong in this matter. Even if you didn't accept his insurance policy, you would still need a loan and would still face the difficulty of being cut off from funding by Old Brooker. Because you are not the kind of person who relies on luck, even if Harbour City Shipping Group is very reputable and the chances of something going wrong are quite low, you would definitely not sit there and do nothing.'

Lin Muqing continued, 'In that case, there is no difference whether you accept or not. Even if you had the chance to do it all over again, I believe you would still choose to accept.'

'No one knows me better than Muqing,' Zhou Ming said.

'So what are you going to do next, Zhou Ming? Are you going to ask for help from the consulate or find other ways to finance it?' Lin Muqing asked. 'It just so happens that Tong Gang is here for a meeting. His Kongcheng Shipping Group has a company office in Boston. Maybe too much money won't help, but a small financing of a few hundred thousand is no problem, because you calculated that the gap at this stage is just a few hundred thousand, and the rest will be available once you sell your insurance and wealth management products.'

Zhou Ming thought for a moment and said, 'It's better not to bother Tong Gang for now. I've decided to think of another way myself first. Financing is a last resort, because you and Bei Ruona are my last cards. If I use them now, I'll be left with nothing.'

Lin Muqing said with a nod, 'Zhou Ming, I will support you if you make a decision, but I just don't know what you are going to do.'

'Let's talk to Wilson first, make a last-ditch effort and see if we can convince him. If there is a way to lower the threshold for advertising, then there is no need to do anything else,' said Zhou Ming.

Two days passed, and Zhou Ming once again drove to the downtown coffee shop. This time, he personally met with Wilson. It was only half past ten in the morning when Wilson arrived at the coffee shop.

After Wilson arrived at the café, he sat in front of Zhou Ming and said directly, 'Hello, Mr. Zhou Ming. I have heard about the suspension of your company's loan by the Tangren Bank. I also know about your grudge with Senator Brook. Our city TV station is not afraid of Senator Brook and will not stop the agreement with you because of this. As long as you have enough money, it's fine.'

'But I came here today to talk to Mr Wilson about the cost,' Zhou Ming said to Wilson. "I hope Mr Wilson will allow me to adjust the delivery of advertising costs.'

Wilson looked at Zhou Ming a few times and said, "Mr Zhou Ming, I think you must have heard a story, a story about a wolf crying wolf.'

Zhou Ming nodded and said he had heard it. Wilson continued, 'So when everyone knew that the little shepherd boy was lying, no one believed him anymore, and they would rather he be eaten by the waves.'

'But Mr Wilson, I did not lie,' Ming emphasised. "It's just that there's been a slight change of circumstances, and I need to negotiate with you.'

'But Mr Zhou, trust is the most important thing in business," Mr Wilson said in a tone of warning.

Ming nodded and said, 'I know that, Mr Wilson, and for Chinese businessmen like us, integrity is also very important, because the business way of doing things that has been passed down for thousands of years tells us that only by gaining the trust of others can business be sustainable.'

'In fact, I really want to cooperate with Mr Wilson, and I have no intention of breaking our agreement. It's just that an unexpected event has occurred, and a certain degree of adjustment is needed. For example, originally we agreed that the advertising fee would be paid in one instalment for at least ten days, but it can be reduced to three or five days, and the subsequent advertising fees will be paid later,' said Zhou Ming.

Wilson shook his head and said, 'I'm sorry, Mr. Zhou Ming, but what our TV station needs is the kind of cooperation we had last time. I won't accept any changes in the middle. If you don't have anything else to do, I'll be going now.'

Mr. Wilson got up to leave, but Zhou Ming stopped him immediately and said, 'Mr. Wilson, please stay!'

Wilson looked back at Zhou Ming with confusion. Zhou Ming took a deep breath and continued, 'Mr Wilson, you are a man with dreams, aren't you? I know that since you were a child you have always wanted to be a painter, so wherever you go you want to draw something. But the reality of the situation makes you unable to hold your noble head high, and you end up choosing a TV station, completely departing from your dreams.'

'Perhaps it is because of your own regrets that Mr Wilson attaches such great importance to other people's dreams. I know that you have sponsored many poor college students. To others, this may just be a show of charity by a rich man, but I know that it is you placing your unfulfilled dreams on other people!'

Zhou Ming paused for a moment before continuing: 'And our Wharton Insurance Company is actually a dream too. My dream and the dream of all our Chinese classmates is that one day, securities will no longer just be securities, and stocks will no longer just be stocks. We hope that insurance can also manage finances, so that all members of the middle class will no longer have to worry about the volatility of the stock market, and everyone can use the stock market to help themselves buy an extra burger every day!'

'Therefore,' Zhou Ming concluded, 'Mr Wilson, please give my Chinese classmates and I, and our dreams, your greatest support and encouragement. Let us re-plan the delivery regulations for advertising fees. We would be very grateful to you, Mr Wilson!'

Facing Zhou Ming's dream speech, Wilson clearly felt his eyes well up. He felt a little like crying, because Zhou Ming was so right, and he was indeed a staunch supporter of dreams. But because of the dream, should he support these Chinese people?

Wilson thought for a moment and then let out a sigh. He said, 'I'm sorry, Mr Zhou Ming, but after all, I'm the head of the advertising department at the TV station. I'm already 60 years old, and I need to be responsible for my TV station and everyone who works here, not you, Mr Zhou Ming. So I can't accept this.'