Chapter 49: A Scramble for Shares

How are the shares of the Lin Group doing right now?

They are hitting limit-down continuously.

At 10 today, it will be 8 tomorrow, and in a couple of days, there will be nothing left!

The members of the Lin family finally saw the reality: Chen Shuting’s maternal family was coming to buy up the shares at high prices. If they didn't sell now, they wouldn't be able to fetch any price later!

As soon as one person sold, a second would follow, and soon the conference room became noisy.

Lin Junqiang sat in his wheelchair. In this state, no one cared about him; instead, Lin Jiahe was the one growing anxious.

"Mr. Jiang! Look at this... Say something, please!"

Jiang Hanhai was also caught off guard by Chen Shuting's sudden "compensation."

"Chen Shuting, are you really going to buy the shares?"

Jiang Hanhai narrowed his eyes, a fierce glint flashing in them.

He had laid out his scheme for so long precisely to suppress the share price of the Lin Group and then profit from their misfortune. Now, Chen Shuting had suddenly appeared, competing with him by offering a higher price. He simply could not tolerate this!

"I came here today to help the Lin Group tide over its difficulties, but I didn't expect the Chen family to muscle in as well. Since things have come to this, there isn't much I can say!"

Feigning retreat, he stood up and walked toward the door. After taking a few steps, he suddenly turned back and said, "It's just a pity that old man Lin fought hard his entire life, only to lose to Chen Shenglong in the end!"

"What did you say?"

Sure enough, this remark instantly provoked Lin Junqiang.

Huddled in his wheelchair all this time, he finally straightened his back and spoke.

"What did I say?" Jiang Hanhai turned around and smiled. "Isn't it obvious? Chen Shenglong used his own granddaughter to set a trap, driving down the shares of the Lin Group, and then stepped forward as the good guy to buy up the shares under the guise of making amends. In the end, you people still have to thank him!"

"Hahaha!" Jiang Hanhai laughed heartily as he walked out the door, leaving behind Lin Junqiang, who slammed the arms of his wheelchair and shouted, "You get back here!"

"Changed your mind?" Jiang Hanhai stopped just before stepping out of the room, hearing Lin Junqiang say, "Today, the shares of the Lin Group can be sold to you as well. As long as you match the Chen family's price, you get priority acquisition rights!"

"Hmph!" Jiang Hanhai sneered. "Acquiring them at 15 yuan each is not out of the question, but the conditions will have to change!"

With that, he walked back to his seat and pointed directly at Lin Junqiang. "Previously, I said I would buy anyone's shares, but now, I only want yours!"

"What?" Lin Junqiang was stunned. Out of the Lin Group's shares, he held 40%, Lin Jiahe held 10%, and the rest were distributed among various Lin family members and small shareholders. Earlier, when Jiang Hanhai claimed he wanted to buy a 30% stake, many family members rushed to sell to him, but Lin Junqiang believed that as long as he retained his 40%, he could still maintain control over the Lin Group.

Now, Jiang Hanhai was explicitly demanding to acquire his shares. If that happened, Jiang Hanhai would end up with a 30% stake while Lin Junqiang would be left with only 10%. That was completely unacceptable!

Thinking of this, Lin Junqiang opened his mouth to refuse.

Before he could speak, however, the crowd of Lin family members started causing an uproar again.

"We don't agree!"

"That's right, Mr. Jiang just said he wanted to buy our shares, how can he go back on his word now?"

"If it comes to that, we'd rather sell to Chen Shuting!"

Such a reaction from the Lin family members was entirely normal. With the Lin Group's share price still plummeting, the sooner they offloaded their shares, the less they would lose. Everyone was scrambling to sell their equity.

Lin Jiahe also lowered his voice to persuade him, "Older brother, I also think this is a bad idea. You hold a large share; once you sell them, you'll lose control of the group!"

Jiang Hanhai evidently realized this as well, and he quickly added another condition: "Please do not worry, esteemed shareholders! Once I acquire the equity, I will immediately hold a press conference to ensure that the Lin Group's share price is stabilized and will never be allowed to drop again!"

As soon as these words fell, an awkward silence descended upon the conference room.

If Mr. Jiang could guarantee that the share price would stop falling, wouldn't that mean they wouldn't have to sell their own shares after all?

The Lin family members furtively glanced at Lin Junqiang, until finally, someone couldn't help but speak up: "Head of the family! If Mr. Jiang can guarantee the share price won't fall any further, I think this plan is acceptable!"

"Exactly! As long as we don't sell to the Chen family, anything works!"

"As long as our Lin family remains united as one, we won't have to worry about outsiders taking control of the group!"

Listening to the hubbub of voices from the chattering crowd, Lin Junqiang flashed a trace of bitter mockery in his eyes.

He knew all too well what kind of virtue the Lin family members possessed. If Jiang Hanhai secured the majority equity while he himself lost control of the Lin Group, the Lin family would undoubtedly be kicked out in no time!

Talking about the Lin family uniting to control the group was sheer wishful thinking!

With these thoughts, hesitation gripped him once again.

"I disagree!" Ye Fan's voice suddenly rang out. Everyone turned to look at him as he smiled broadly and said, "Mr. Jiang has come to acquire equity, and we're here to acquire it too. Why shouldn't they sell to us? Just because he promised to stabilize the stock price?"

Saying this, he wrapped an arm around Chen Shuting's waist. "If he can stabilize the stock price, then we can keep dropping bombshells!"

With that, he looked over at Lin Junqiang. "How about it? We'll only buy the small shareholders' shares, and not a single fraction of yours will be touched!"

"You!" Jiang Hanhai wore an ugly expression. Keeping the Lin Group's share price afloat would cost him a fortune in real cash, whereas the opposing side only needed to leak a few scandals to drive the stock price down all over again. Who could afford to play against that?

Wasn't this just acting like a rogue?

Witnessing the ongoing dispute, Lin Junqiang finally made up his mind and slammed his hand down. "Then we'll do as you say!"

He pointed at Ye Fan. "You can buy the small shareholders' shares all you want!"

"Very well, very well!" Jiang Hanhai rose angrily to his feet and glared at Lin Junqiang. "Since the head of the family has made his decision, there is no need for me to stay here any longer!"

With those words, he strode out of the conference room. As he reached the door, he turned back, gritting his teeth as he declared, "I have another press conference this afternoon, and when the time comes... I'll make sure to crash the Lin Group's share price right along with it!"

"Head of the family!"

Watching Jiang Hanhai storm out, Lin Jiahe said with heartfelt anguish, "Mr. Jiang will certainly not let this rest. When the stock price continues to plunge, the Lin family is finished!"

"Exactly, head of the family!" chimed in a small shareholder. "If you had sold your shares to him, our entire Lin family would have benefited! Why on earth didn't you sell?"

"I think the head of the family has completely lost his mind!"

"We're doomed, we're totally doomed! If Mr. Jiang really goes after us now, the Lin family is finished for sure!"

Listening to the wailing and complaining of the Lin family members, Lin Junqiang closed his eyes in agony.

He certainly didn't want the Lin Group to go bankrupt, but he hated the thought of being stripped of his power even more!

He was the founder of the Lin Group; he absolutely could not lose control of the enterprise. The current drop in the share price was only temporary—he firmly believed he could make a comeback!

As Ye Fan watched the farce playing out in the conference room, a cold sneer tugged at the corner of his lips. He raised his voice and addressed the Lin family members, "Come on! Line up and sign the contracts!"

"I'll go first!" The Lin family members immediately jumped to their feet, elbowing each other out of the way to rush forward and sign the equity transfer agreements with Chen Shuting.

Anyway, Mr. Jiang and Lin Junqiang had completely fallen out, and the shares in their hands were bound to plummet further. They might as well sell early and cut their losses!