Chapter 89: Assertive Takeover of Qingzhou Cement
Halil Centurion was filled with mixed emotions. He understood that the days of treating Qingzhou Cement as a "cash machine" were over. Once he sold his shares, they would become nonrenewable capital—gone for good.
"Mr. Centurion, it's fine if you don't want to sell. All transactions are voluntary. Since you believe my terms aren't acceptable, there's nothing more to discuss. Rest assured, I'll proceed by the book, and so will the Securities and Futures Commission. Dad, let's go—the board meeting is about to start." Lin Haoran glanced at his watch. It was already 9:40 a.m.
With that, Lin Haoran and Lin Wanan exchanged a knowing glance and turned to leave.
This move was a subtle yet powerful threat to Halil Centurion, implying that if he didn't accept the offer, more unfavorable consequences awaited.
Lin Haoran also understood the importance of maintaining balance in negotiations. He didn't want to push his opponent into a corner.
The offer of 4 Hong Kong dollars per share showed his determination while still giving Halil Centurion a sliver of room to maneuver.
Just as he had expected, as they were about to step out of the office, Halil Centurion's voice came from behind, tinged with resignation and compromise: "Mr. Lin, I accept."
That one sentence seemed to drain all the energy from his body. He looked much older, his former dominance and confidence replaced by deep defeat and frustration.
Lin Haoran and Lin Wanan exchanged smiles before turning around, eyes gleaming with triumph.
They knew they had won this battle.
"Mr. Centurion, you're right. Given your age and experience, it's time for you to enjoy a peaceful retirement in the UK. Rest assured, I, Lin Haoran, have always upheld the traditional virtues of respecting the elderly and caring for the young. I won't touch your past lightly. As the new chairman of Qingzhou Cement, I'll take appropriate measures to seal off the financial records of the past and ensure a smooth transition," Lin Haoran said with a smile.
"Well then, let's consider it settled. I'll persuade Ziegler and the others to voluntarily resign as a show of goodwill. I promise to fulfill all agreed terms to the best of my ability," Halil Centurion replied.
He no longer had the heart for any more maneuvering. All he wanted now was to get through this transitional period smoothly and return to the UK as soon as possible.
Even at 4 HKD per share, Qingzhou Cement stock could still net him a decent sum—enough to provide seed capital for new ventures back home.
Perhaps he could even look into controlling a relatively manageable and profitable public company in the UK and replicate his old tactics from Hong Kong.
That way, his family's future expenses would remain secure.
"Very well, Mr. Centurion. I'll be waiting for you in the conference room," said Lin Haoran as he and Lin Wanan left the office.
By then, the shareholders were already arriving one after another.
They had already heard about last night's fire in the finance department through the grapevine.
Many of them had complicated ties with Halil Centurion and received benefits from him over the years, so they had a vague sense of what was happening. Still, they chose to remain silent.
Lin Haoran greeted them with a smile. Their presence was, after all, a form of acknowledgment.
Later, when he had the funds, he planned to buy their shares and completely privatize Qingzhou Cement.
But that could wait.
Not long after Lin Haoran and his father left the chairman's office, Ziegler and others were seen entering.
10:00 a.m., Board Meeting Room.
By now, the room was full.
In addition to board members like Lin Haoran, Lin Wanan was present. The company's Deputy General Manager, Mr. Burton, was also there, seated next to Lin Haoran.
"This is an extremely important meeting for Qingzhou Cement. I'm sure everyone knows what's at stake. Let me officially announce that I, Lin Haoran, now control 40% of Qingzhou Cement's shares.
My stake has already been verified by the company, so there's no need to elaborate. I now officially propose to become the Chairman of Qingzhou Cement. Those in favor may raise their hands; those opposed may refrain.
Of course, given the proportion of shares I hold, even if all of you oppose me, it won't matter. So, Mr. Centurion, as the current chairman, please begin the meeting," Lin Haoran declared once everyone had arrived.
He didn't bother with politeness, knowing that most of the shareholders had some level of association with Halil Centurion.
Halil Centurion stood up and looked at the board members, his emotions in turmoil.
"Everyone, I have an announcement to make. I, Halil Centurion, hereby resign as director and chairman of Qingzhou Cement. Effective immediately, I will no longer hold any position related to the company. I also nominate Mr. Lin Haoran to succeed me as chairman. This is my letter of resignation."
There was no ceremony or formality. He simply laid down the facts.
No one was surprised—this outcome had long been anticipated.
The most shocked person was the assistant recording the meeting minutes. She was almost stunned into silence.
A major upheaval had struck the upper echelons of Qingzhou Cement.
What happened next stunned her even more.
"I, Ziegler, hereby resign as General Manager and Director of Qingzhou Cement. Effective immediately, I will no longer hold any position related to the company. This is my letter of resignation," Ziegler said, standing up after Halil Centurion finished speaking.
Following that, the former heads of the Marketing, Public Relations, and Finance departments also stood up one by one to announce their resignations.
At first, when Halil Centurion resigned, the shareholders weren't too surprised.
But as each key executive followed suit, they were left in disbelief.
What was going on? Wasn't this only about Halil Centurion? Why were the rest of the executives resigning one after another?
These individuals were the core of Halil Centurion's control over Qingzhou Cement.
Everyone turned to look at Lin Haoran, who remained calm, as though everything had gone according to plan.
It was now clear to everyone—this was all Lin Haoran's doing.
"Very well. Since that's the case, I'll skip the overly complicated procedures. Let's keep it simple. As the new chairman of the board, I formally accept the resignations of Halil Centurion, Ziegler, and three others.
I also officially announce that Mr. Burton, the former Deputy General Manager, will take over as General Manager. As for the other three vacant executive roles, they will be temporarily filled by the current deputy directors of each department.
Any objections?" Lin Haoran said, scanning the room.
No one spoke. Their silence was a tacit agreement. Then came a round of enthusiastic applause—congratulations for the company's new chairman.
"Thank you for the applause. Since there are no objections, the meeting ends here. I won't waste everyone's time. Meeting adjourned," Lin Haoran declared.
He had plenty of matters to deal with and no reason to linger in the meeting room.
After the meeting, the shareholders approached to offer congratulations to Lin Haoran and Lin Wanan.
The winds at Qingzhou Cement had shifted. With Lin Haoran now chairman, there was no longer any reason to associate themselves with Halil Centurion.
The only thing these people regretted was that they would no longer receive kickbacks from Halil Centurion.
"Mr. Burton, from today onward, the company's management is in your hands. Don't let me down. You were stuck at the company overnight—why don't you take some rest?" Lin Haoran said to the new General Manager.
"Mr. Chairman, I'm perfectly alert. I did manage to catch some sleep last night even though I stayed here. I'll go begin the handover process with Mr. Ziegler right away," Burton replied, his face beaming with joy and no trace of fatigue.
"Fine, handle it as you see fit. But let me be clear: the GM position is yours now, but if your performance falls short, I won't hesitate to replace you. Whether you keep the job will depend on your results."
Lin Haoran didn't bother with pleasantries. As far as he was concerned, Qingzhou Cement was already his private enterprise. Although not yet fully privatized, that step would come soon enough.
"Understood, Mr. Chairman. I'm confident I can manage Qingzhou Cement well. I'll get started now," Burton said and hurried off to meet with Ziegler.
Lin Haoran then returned to the chairman's office with his father, Lin Wanan.
"Dad, does Wanan Group have enough capital to buy Halil Centurion's shares?" Lin Haoran asked as they walked.
"Wanan Group is currently raising funds for a big real estate project in North Point, which is scheduled for completion in two years. Once it's done, we expect to make over 30 million HKD in profit. So right now, unless we take out a loan, the company can't afford the purchase.
But just because Wanan Group can't afford it doesn't mean I can't. Over the years, I've made a decent amount thanks to the group. Qingzhou Cement shares at 4 HKD each are a steal. If these were put on the open market, people would fight over them. With such a great opportunity, of course I'm going to seize it. Even if I have to scrape together the funds, I'll get it done. Opportunities like this don't come often!" Lin Wanan said with a laugh.
(End of Chapter)