Chapter 140: Lin Youguo’s Request

“My parents are just like that. Please don’t take it to heart.”

Xie Wei whispered to Xu Shaochen, her face showing a pitiful expression. It was truly heart-wrenching to see.

“Don’t worry. I have enough tolerance for this.”

Xu Shaochen smiled slightly, his hand discreetly brushing past Xie Wei’s waist before pressing lightly.

Xie Wei’s face immediately turned bright red. She understood Xu Shaochen’s intent—it meant she had to make up for it tonight.

How exactly she would make up for it, well… that remained to be seen.

“Um… Chairman Xu, I have something I need to discuss with you.”

Lin Youguo apologized as he interrupted the couple’s moment, looking hesitant as he spoke to Xu Shaochen.

“Oh? What is it, Director Lin?”

Xu Shaochen was taken aback, somewhat surprised by the question. Wasn’t this his first time meeting Lin Youguo today?

Lin Youguo took a deep breath and directly knelt down, speaking earnestly to Xu Shaochen, “I know you are a capable man, Chairman Xu. Please, I beg you to save the entire workforce of Dafeng Factory!”

“Uncle Lin, what are you doing? Please get up!”

“Exactly, Director Lin! Get up, please! Why are you kneeling?”

Seeing this, Xie Wei and the others were startled and quickly tried to help Lin Youguo up.

Xu Shaochen, however, remained seated on the sofa, watching the scene with cold eyes. Honestly, he didn’t like this method.

Because begging like this felt like emotional blackmail, adding an element of coercion.

“Why can’t you just talk about it properly?”

“Stop pulling me! Let me finish!” Lin Youguo shouted, silencing Xie Wei’s parents and the others immediately.

“Chairman Xu, I hope you can take over Dafeng Factory. I’ll give you the best price possible.”

As soon as Lin Youguo finished talking, Xie Wei’s parents’ faces turned pale.

After all, they had worked at the factory all their lives. How could they not be agitated when hearing he wanted to sell it?

Xu Shaochen said calmly, “Director Lin, if I’m not mistaken, Dafeng Factory has been losing money for a long time.”

“Yes, ever since the factory switched from state-owned to private, it’s been in the red for many years. We considered importing advanced machinery from abroad, but we simply didn’t have the money!”

“Over the years, Jiangzhou has rapidly developed, with real estate booming. The land Dafeng Factory sits on has become very valuable, and many buyers are eyeing it just to build houses and sell apartments.”

“But I refuse! If I agree, what will happen to all the workers? They’ve worked their whole lives here, relying on these wages to support their families. How could I be so heartless as to let them lose their jobs?”

“But those developers won’t give up easily. Some have even threatened me, my family, and went so far as to say they’d burn the factory down.”

“Dafeng Factory has been losing money under my management. I really can’t sustain it any longer. However, I don’t want to sell it to those greedy developers. I’m willing to sell it at a low price to you, Chairman Xu, as long as you promise to take care of the workers.”

Xie Wei’s parents were silent. They knew the factory was struggling—they had even missed wages at some points. But they hadn’t realized it had reached such a desperate state.

“What is Dafeng Factory’s main business?” Xu Shaochen asked, tapping his fingers lightly on his knee.

He admired Lin Youguo and sympathized with him, but that didn’t mean he’d blindly take on a loss.

Thus, he needed to see if this deal would benefit him. If so, he didn’t mind helping Lin Youguo. Helping others is like helping yourself, after all.

“Food processing, primarily making hot pot base.” Xie Wei interjected before Lin Youguo could speak, given that she too was concerned about the factory closing down.

“Dafeng Hot Pot Base?”

Xu Shaochen raised an eyebrow. He had eaten that brand of hot pot base when he was a kid—it was popular nationwide!

But now it seemed the factory had fallen behind the times, finally being eliminated by the waves of change.

One of the main businesses under Chen Yu was the mid-range dining market, and hot pot restaurants were essential in that sector.

Moreover, Dafeng Factory had its own supply chain for raw materials, which could be utilized by the company’s restaurants.

This… could actually work!

The good reputation and nostalgia Dafeng Factory had accumulated over the years were still there. If he upgraded the machinery, invested in marketing, and leveraged the promotion of the associated restaurants and hotpot chains, Dafeng Hot Pot Base could very well make a comeback.

And the best part was, Lin Youguo was willing to sell the factory at a low price.

As for the workers, Xu Shaochen was more than happy to keep them. After all, they were experienced, skilled workers who would be expensive to train if hired externally.

To those focused on real estate, these workers were a burden. But to him? They were valuable assets!

Understanding this, Xu Shaochen smiled as he leaned forward to help Lin Youguo up. “Director Lin, I have to say, I once thought people like you only existed in TV dramas. I never expected to meet one in real life. Just because of you, Dafeng Factory is worth investing in!”

“This… Thank you, Chairman Xu. Your kindness will never be forgotten by the employees of Dafeng Factory!”

Lin Youguo was initially stunned. Then he became overwhelmed with emotion, though deep inside, he felt conflicted.

“But, Director Lin, don’t think that by selling Dafeng Factory to me, you’ll be free of worry!” Xu Shaochen said with a smile.

Lin Youguo looked puzzled, “Chairman Xu, what do you mean by that?”

“I sincerely invite you to stay on as the factory director.”

Xu Shaochen said with a smile. With Lin Youguo still at the helm, he didn’t have to worry about ulterior motives, given his dedication to the factory and its workers.

However, to ensure security, Xu Shaochen planned to appoint a new financial officer and a deputy director.

After all, he had to protect his own interests.

“Chairman Xu, thank you! I… I don’t know how to express my gratitude. Thank you, really!”

Lin Youguo was moved to tears. After all, he had dedicated his entire life to Dafeng Factory. How could he just walk away?

With a substantial investment, he was confident that he could restore Dafeng Factory to its former glory.

At that moment, his heart was filled with gratitude for Xu Shaochen.

Xie Wei’s parents were also excited. The fact that Xu Shaochen was the chairman of Chen Yu wasn’t much of a concern to them.

But with Xu Shaochen now being the owner of Dafeng Factory, they suddenly felt both proud and excited.

From now on, they had bragging rights in front of their old colleagues at the factory.

“Did you see? The new boss is my daughter’s boyfriend!”