As a Magnate, I Started Checking in at a Convenience Store - Chapter 352
Chapter 352: What a Coincidence, I Can Help!
Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
Zhou Chao entered the courtyard and saw several middle-aged men sitting in the garden pavilion, sipping tea and chatting.
“Uncle Li, what are you doing here?” Zhou Chao was surprised to see Li Daoming among the crowd.
“Oh, Xiao Chao, it’s you! Just a while ago, President Zhang mentioned that a young talent would be coming over. I didn’t expect it to be you. Come, have a seat!” Li Daoming quickly stood up.
Although Zhou Chao had a close relationship with Li Daoming’s son, he also had his own strength and status, so Li Daoming showed him the respect he deserved.
The other three people sitting there also cast curious glances at Zhou Chao, their eyes fixed on him.
Seeing the inquisitive looks, Zhou Chao smiled faintly and handed the wine in his hand to the butler before approaching the group.
“It’s been a while. What have you been up to lately?”
“Not much, just spending some time in Peng City. There were some matters to attend to over there.” Considering there were other people around, Zhou Chao didn’t spell it out, but Li Daoming, who was aware of Zhou Chao’s business in Peng City, quickly grasped his implication. When he connected this knowledge with what he had read online earlier, his eyes brightened with a keen understanding as he focused intently on Zhou Chao.
Zhou Chao was well aware of Li Daoming’s thoughts, but it wasn’t the right time to discuss these matters. He gently squeezed Li Daoming’s arm to calm him down.
As Li Daoming came back to his senses, he realized that he had gotten too excited a moment ago. Fortunately, he had his back to the other three, avoiding any embarrassing situations.
“Come, let me introduce you to everyone. I never expected that the neighbor Mr. Zhang mentioned would be you. When did you move here?” Li Daoming led Zhou Chao towards the group.
“It’s been a while,” Zhou Chao replied as he entered the pavilion.
“Let me introduce everyone. This is my nephew, Zhou Chao. Don’t underestimate him; his abilities far surpass mine!” Li Daoming warmly introduced Zhou Chao as they entered the pavilion.
The already curious individuals became even more intrigued after Li Daoming’s introduction.
“Zhou Chao, let me introduce you. This is Zhang Liang, the Chairman of Modu Green Emperor Industries and the host here. Sitting beside him is Yang Feng, the President of Modu Construction Bank, and this is Jiang Hai from the Shipping Group.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you all.,” Zhou Chao shook hands with the Modu bigwigs, displaying a calm and composed demeanor, devoid of any hesitation.
“Who would have thought that someone so young like you… Last time, when Ah Fu told me about you, I was a bit skeptical. But now, seeing you in person, 1 can tell Ah Fu was underselling it. You’re much more impressive than he described!” Zhang Liang’s words created a sense of closeness.
Whether it was the encounters with people like Xiao Ma, Qin Qingchun, Li Daoming, or the current meeting with Zhang Liang, these individuals had a way of speaking that flowed smoothly, providing a comforting feeling. Perhaps, this was a natural display that came with achieving a certain level of status.
“You flatter me. In fact, I should have been the one to visit you, but I just couldn’t find the time. The last time I returned to Modu, you sent someone to visit me!”
“Haha, don’t worry about these details. Come, have some tea!” As the host, Zhang Liang didn’t neglect the other guests and invited everyone to enjoy tea.
Everyone picked up their teacups and tasted the tea.
“Where were we in our conversation earlier?” Li Daoming asked, setting down his teacup.
“We were discussing how Lao Jiang’s ship got detained by the Bald Eagle Alliance. We’re not sure if there’s a way to pull some strings or hire a powerful legal team,” Yang Feng replied.
“I’ve tried all the right channels, but they all demanded exorbitant sums. The cargo on my ship is worth nearly 200 million dollars, and they just asked for 20 million dollars upfront, which is one-tenth of the total value. I’m not even sure if I can make that much profit myself. It’s like they’re trying to fleece me!” When Jiang Hai spoke, his face couldn’t help but reveal a deep sense of frustration and resentment.
“What’s the situation? They wouldn’t just detain the ship without any reason, right? There should at least be some justification,” Zhou Chao inquired, curious about the situation.
Upon hearing Zhou Chao’s question, Jiang Hai let out a bitter smile.
“It’s a customs inspection issue, but it’s been almost a month, and there hasn’t been any follow-up. Besides, the delivery date for this batch of goods is approaching. It’s frustrating!”
“Would hiring a lawyer help?”
“It would, but it has to be a specialized lawyer in this field who can expedite the process. However, such lawyers are mostly associated with a few firms within the Bald Eagle Alliance, and their fees are quite high. Moreover, to engage their services, we have to wait for their response,” Li Daoming explained on the side, as he also had a shipping company under his umbrella.
“Oh, 1 can help with that!”
Zhou Chao’s words surprised everyone. After all, they had all encountered this issue before and had consulted some lawyers. Finding a lawyer wasn’t difficult, but the big firms they had approached had quoted exorbitant fees.
“Xiao Chao, you can’t just casually make promises in this matter. The implications are significant!” Li Daoming whispered to Zhou Chao.
“Don’t worry, Uncle Li, I’m confident.”
“Young Master Zhou, do you really have a way?” Zhou Chao’s words were like a lifeline, and Jiang Hai’s face lit up with a smile.
“Is there really a way, young friend?” Zhang Liang also chimed in. After all, he had been involved in this matter before.
“If it’s just about finding a good law firm that’s not too expensive, I do have a way!”
“Please elaborate!” Everyone perked up, eager to hear Zhou Chao’s plan.
“Just directly find the best law firm!” Zhou Chao’s words left everyone stunned, and Jiang Hai’s smile froze on his face.
Zhou Chao quickly realized that he hadn’t explained himself properly and hastily added, “I mean, if it’s our law firm, it would be quite easy!”
“You make it sound so easy!” Yang Feng, who had remained silent until now, sarcastically remarked.
The whole atmosphere turned chilly for a moment.
“Ahem, ahem. Lao Yang, watch your words. Even if you’re concerned about Lao Jiang, you should remain calm,” Zhang Liang quickly intervened to defuse the tension.
Zhou Chao smiled and took out his phone, looking at Yang Feng as he said, “Some things can’t be accomplished by just thinking about them. Just because you don’t believe it doesn’t mean others can’t do it!”
Even though he claimed to have a good temper, Zhou Chao wouldn’t tolerate people who pushed him around.
“You.” Yang Feng began to stand up but was quickly restrained by Zhang Liang. Yang Feng had experienced many ups and downs in his career, and seeing Zhou Chao’s demeanor made him suspect that Zhou Chao might indeed be able to pull this off.
“I won’t say much. If I succeed, Mr. Yang, please apologize to me. If I fail, I’ll apologize to you,” Zhou Chao said, his gaze locked onto Yang Feng.
Yang Feng couldn’t help but chuckle at Zhou Chao’s words.
“Alright, if you can do it, I’ll apologize. If not, you’ll apologize to me!”
“Deal!” Zhou Chao accepted calmly.
He then dialed Miles’ phone number.
The phone rang several times before someone answered.
“Hello, boss!” an unfamiliar voice came from the other end.
“Hmm? Who are you? Where’s Miles?” Zhou Chao inquired.
“Boss, I’m John, one of your law firm’s trusted aides.”
“Where’s Miles?”
“Boss, Miles is diving right now. Do you have any business? If it’s related to the law firm, I can handle it.”
“Well, there’s something 1 need you to take care of. A ship in the Bald Eagle Alliance has been detained by customs for inspection. Can you handle it?” Zhou Chao explained the situation to John.
“Boss, could you provide me with the contact information of the other party? I’ll immediately assign professionals to reach out to them!”
Zhou Chao then turned his gaze to Jiang Hai.
“Give me the contact information for the person in charge. I’ll arrange for our team to contact them immediately!”
Jiang Hai promptly provided a series of numbers and a name, which Zhou Chao relayed to John.
“Don’t worry, boss. We’ll resolve this quickly!”
“Alright, that’s it then!” Zhou Chao hung up the phone.
“Is everything settled?” Li Daoming asked quietly, his concern evident on his face.
Zhou Chao nodded with a reassuring smile.
“Now, we wait for good news.”
“Why are you pretending to be someone you’re not, kid? People might mistake you for being really capable!” Yang Feng couldn’t help but express his annoyance, although he didn’t understand why he felt so irritated with Zhou Chao.
“Come on, Lao Yang, you’ve been talking a lot today. It’s unlike you,” Zhang Liang commented, surprised by Yang Feng’s unusual behavior.
“Lao Yang, I advise you to watch your words and have some decorum. If you continue like this, our friendship might be at risk,” Li Daoming warned, keeping a stern eye on Yang Feng.
“Exactly, Lao Yang, speak less, and have some tea,” Jiang Hai intervened, seeing no other way to calm the situation.
“Hmph!” Yang Feng, seeing that everyone had spoken up and glanced at Zhou Chao, let out a cold snort before taking a sip of his tea.
“Zhou Chao, don’t be angry. This isn’t how Lao Yang usually is. I hope you can forgive him.”
Zhou Chao, hearing Li Daoming’s words, nodded slightly. However, as his gaze passed over Yang Feng, a fleeting glint of coldness flashed in his eyes, unnoticed by the others.
The conversation shifted away from the topic, and they started chatting about various things while enjoying their tea.
In less than five minutes, Jiang Hai’s phone rang.
“Sorry, I need to take this call nearby.”
He returned quickly, wearing a delighted expression on his face.
“Zhou Chao, thank you so much. I didn’t expect you to have such incredible connections. I’m truly impressed!”
Jiang Hai’s reaction startled the others, but Zhou Chao remained calm, casually sipping his tea.
“What happened?”
“I just received a call from the person in charge of my ship. He said that KE Law Firm has sent professionals to handle the situation. They believe it will be resolved in a matter of days!”
“KE Law Firm!” Zhang Liang and the others exclaimed in surprise..
