Chapter 790 — Calling at the Door to Apologize — "So How Much Money Will It Take, Then?" Kang Zhaoming Asked.
The Blossom Guardian · Page 1 of 2
"I figure it'll take at least this much." Wang Shubin held up one hand, fingers spread, and after a moment's hesitation said: "Now that Xiaofen's gotten tangled up with Kang Xiaobo and Wei Zhao, her sights have risen. An ordinary hundred thousand or eighty thousand won't even register with her anymore!"
"Five hundred thousand... that's a bit much, but it's not unacceptable." Kang Zhaoming nodded. "All right, I'll talk to my family and have them give me the money. Tomorrow morning we go see Xiaofen. This has to be settled fast, so we don't spend a long night full of dreams."
"Tomorrow it would be best to have Xiaofen sign an agreement as well. This five hundred thousand of ours counts as compensation to her; once she signs, she can't pursue the past any further, and she can't breathe a word of it to anyone else either!" Wang Shubin suggested.
"Naturally. Otherwise what if she takes the money and then denies everything afterward?" Kang Zhaoming nodded. "The cut on my hand is too small. So you're saying next time it ought to be a bit more serious?"
"No rush on that!" Wang Shubin waved a hand. "Young Master Ming, you had a cold yesterday, and today you cut your hand — that's already enough to rouse suspicion. If you get hurt again right on the heels of it, Guan Xin is bound to think something's wrong!"
"That's true. But the thought of having to fake a serious injury gives me palpitations. A light wound already hurts this much — what would a serious one be like?" The very thought frightened Kang Zhaoming a little. "The pressing matter is still to settle this business with Xiaofen!"
...
Today was the second time Qibing Real Estate had formally met with the residents of the shantytown. Li Cihua, Jin Gubang, and Zhong Fabai presided, at a temporary demolition office set up in front of the shantytown.
The shantytown residents had gathered at the door of the demolition office at first light. Everyone had been looking forward to this day; in their eyes, Qibing Real Estate had surely come bearing sincerity this time. The forced demolition earlier had stirred up real trouble — though it had been quietly settled afterward, it had cost a good deal of money.
Everyone acquainted with Mama Tang knew that Young Master Bing had paid no small price for it. So in their view, having learned its lesson, Qibing Real Estate would surely negotiate compensation with the shantytown residents on equal terms.
Looking at the shantytown residents, their faces full of expectation, Li Cihua sneered inwardly. These people really were laughably foolish, thinking that because the forced demolition had caused trouble last time, this time they would truly be negotiated with as equals? How naive!
Qibing Real Estate's available funds were already running low; it simply could not produce much money to compensate the shantytown residents. And the company was desperate to expand, desperate to launch its first development — it had to cut through the knot with a sharp blade. Zhao Qibing could not afford to wait. He had been in Songshan City so long without accomplishing anything; how was he to answer to the Zhao family?
Though no one in the Zhao family, including his own father, had said anything so far, Zhao Qibing reckoned they must be deeply disappointed in him. If he couldn't even handle a handful of obstinate commoners, how could he ever take charge of the Zhao family?
Li Cihua's plan this time was simple: lure the shantytown residents to the demolition office, then carry out another forced demolition — and the target would be the only building in the shantytown, the three-section red-brick building.
Tearing down the single-story houses one by one was too much trouble, and demolishing one or two would have no deterrent effect. Only by leaving a whole crowd of people without a roof over their heads could they be forced to accept Qibing Real Estate's compensation agreement!