Chapter 83: Insider Information
At this time, night had just fallen, and it was still early.
Lin Haoran was not the kind of person to summon others in vain. If Liu Zhenxing indeed proved capable, Lin Haoran would certainly offer him the promotion and opportunities he deserved — otherwise, it would be a waste of talent.
As a middle manager at Qingzhou Cement, Liu Zhenxing already enjoyed decent compensation, owning a car and a house in downtown Hong Kong.
Twenty minutes later, Lin Haoran met Liu Zhenxing in person at Huanyu Investment Company.
Almost fifty years old, Liu Zhenxing wore classic black-rimmed glasses and a formal suit, appearing both professional and steady.
Despite it being his first visit, Liu Zhenxing maintained a calm and composed demeanor without a hint of nervousness.
"Mr. Liu, thank you for taking the time to come tonight. Please, have a seat," Lin Haoran said with a gentle smile, gesturing to a nearby sofa.
"No trouble at all, Mr. Lin. It's my honor to have the opportunity to speak with you," Liu Zhenxing replied respectfully. Once seated, he asked, "May I ask what matter you wish to discuss?"
"I've reviewed your personnel file, Mr. Liu. You've been with Qingzhou Cement for more than twenty years, haven't you?" Lin Haoran asked with a smile.
"Yes, after returning from studying in the United States, I joined Qingzhou Cement. In the blink of an eye, twenty-five years have passed.
Initially, I was attracted by the generous entry-level engineering salary. But once I truly integrated into the company, I realized that as a Chinese in a British-owned company, the career path was anything but smooth.
I thought about switching jobs several times, but considering my accumulated tenure, emotional attachment, and the uncertainty outside, I chose to stay.
And here we are, all these years later," Liu Zhenxing said, his tone carrying a tinge of emotion.
"Then you must know the company very well," Lin Haoran continued.
"As for the publicly available information, yes, I know it very well. My years of service are longer than over 90% of the company's mid- and senior-level employees.
As for internal secrets among the executives, naturally I only catch glimpses through casual conversation and rumors. Those are often mixed with speculation and inaccuracies — just gossip during idle time," Liu Zhenxing answered sincerely.
Lin Haoran nodded, expressing his understanding.
"Could you share your thoughts on Deputy General Manager Mr. Burton?" Lin Haoran asked, smiling.
"Mr. Burton is a highly respected executive. Privately, many colleagues feel that his leadership ability even surpasses that of our General Manager Mr. Ziegler.
Though he has been with the company for less than three years, he has achieved remarkable results, opening up several new markets for Qingzhou Cement — especially in Luzon, where demand for our cement products has surged, making it a major export base.
Under Mr. Burton's leadership, the company's performance has grown by over 60% in just two to three years. Many of us truly admire him," Liu Zhenxing said with visible sincerity.
"Here's what puzzles me," Lin Haoran said, frowning slightly. "If the company's performance has grown so much, why have our annual profits barely increased? In fact, they seem rather thin."
"Mr. Lin, I have heard some rumors about that," Liu Zhenxing said, lowering his voice and speaking seriously, "but please understand, these are just rumors — there's no solid proof."
"Of course. I understand. You can speak freely; I won't leak anything," Lin Haoran promised solemnly, inwardly burning with curiosity.
"Every year, our financial reports show only a few million Hong Kong dollars in profits. Yet under the expenditure category, there's a consistently large item labeled 'external investments.'
In recent years, the amount invested annually has skyrocketed into the tens of millions. And year after year, these investments result in massive losses.
Having been with the company for so long, I know this situation very well.
It's been going on quietly for more than a decade.
Privately, the rumor is that these so-called investments are just a cover — certain powerful board members are using them to siphon off company funds," Liu Zhenxing said quietly.
Lin Haoran's frown deepened. This had been happening for over ten years?
If so, he was almost certain of it.
Rumors don't arise without a basis. There was definitely something hidden behind it.
How could any company lose money on investments year after year for over a decade and still continue investing?
"And the other shareholders don't care?" Lin Haoran asked.
Liu Zhenxing gave a bitter smile. "Mr. Lin, you might not know — the board members have complicated relationships. Many are part of the same interest groups.
In that environment, who would dare expose the truth?
If anyone lifts the veil, even bigger secrets might be revealed."
Although Liu Zhenxing emphasized that all of this was hearsay, Lin Haoran was already convinced that much of it was true.
He thought to himself:
For Halier Centurion to hold only 12.6% of the shares and yet siphon off over half of the company's profits every year — such temptation would be irresistible to almost anyone.
"To have pulled this off for more than a decade so brazenly, Halier Centurion must truly be a master of manipulation," Lin Haoran mused, genuinely impressed.
If this was indeed the case, then finding evidence against Halier would be much simpler than he had feared.
Lin Haoran and Liu Zhenxing continued talking deeply into the night.
Thanks to Liu Zhenxing's detailed explanations, Lin Haoran's understanding of Qingzhou Cement's inner workings became clearer than ever — more than all his previous knowledge combined.
As they spoke, Lin Haoran grew more and more impressed with Liu Zhenxing.
Not only did he possess solid professional expertise and detailed knowledge of the company's operations, but he also displayed sharp insights and deep understanding.
A talent like this was truly a rare gem — someone worthy of being promoted to a much higher position.
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