Jacob watched the employees as they went about their businesses. As he did that, he tried to calm his
nerves. He didn't want his anxiety to show during the meeting with his acquaintance. With a bold look
on his face, Jacob walked to the door. The receptionist looked at him and said coldly, "Mr. Jacob, here
we are. You can go in now." The receptionist was frowning at him. Deep down in her heart, she disliked
his behavior. Whenever she remembered what she had read in the news previously, her blood boiled.
'Why am I obsessed with this playboy? I need to get a grip of myself!' she thought.
Regardless of the receptionist's glare, Jacob still flashed a smile at her. After all, he wasn't there to pick
a fight.
"Oh, okay. Thank you." He politely thanked her. Then, he knocked on the door gently.
"Come in, please." Jacob heard a gentle and magnetic voice from the other side of the door.
With that, he pushed the door gently and walked into the office. A man was sitting comfortably on a
chair with a calm expression on his face. His features were impeccable. The man had very fair skin and
he was dressed decently. Grey hairs were on the temple of his ears. To crown it all, he looked like an
experienced fellow.
"Mr. Shawn, I am so sorry to bother you today," Jacob apologized sincerely. He also smiled at the man
which showed that it wasn't his intention to bring any disturbance. Actually, he wouldn't be there if he
wasn't in dire need of assistance.
Sensing Jacob's calmness, Shawn Ho was slightly surprised. To him, people couldn't be so
unperturbed when they encountered such misfortune. 'Hmm. This man never ceases to amaze me.
Why is he so relaxed even when he is suffering?' As he thought about this, Shawn Ho realized that
Jacob wasn't an ordinary man. His ability to stay calm was commendable.
Although Jacob was still a little nervous, he still walked over steadily and calmly. He was there to
discuss an important matter. So, he had to show that he was confident if he wanted to win Shawn Ho
over.
"Please have a seat, Mr. Jacob." Shawn Ho spoke to him politely. Despite the news that went round
that Jacob was a bad person, he didn't quite believe them. 'This fellow might not even be as bad as the
tabloids claim.
Perhaps he was set up by some of his enemies. People can do the unthinkable just to destroy a person
they hated. Well, I better see for myself.' As Shawn Ho looked at his visitor, he didn't feel disgusted. In
fact, he saw that Jacob was the opposite of what the tabloids described him as. To him, he didn't seem
like a scumbag.
Unfortunately, most of the businessmen didn't think so. They just swallowed the rumors hook, line, and
sinker.
At that point when Jacob was standing on the edge of a cliff, Shawn Ho was practically the only one in
the business circle who had a positive opinion of him.
Honestly, he was a little surprised by his visit. He had thought that Jacob would bow his head in shame
and quietly exit the business world. After all, that was what he would have done if he was in Jacob's
shoes.
"To what do I owe this surprise visit, Mr. Jacob?" Shawn Ho asked in a polite tone. His eyes also glinted
with pleasure.
"I came here today to discuss a deal with you." Jacob folded his hands and stared at him with
confidence in his eyes.
Hearing this, Shawn Ho smiled again.
He kept mute for some seconds before he finally said, "You must be joking. I heard that you resigned
from your company. Are the rumors true? By the way, where do you work now?"
Although Shawn Ho was smiling as he spoke, he kept looking at Jacob straight in the eyes. He was
interested to know what would be his response. All the stories he had heard before didn't prove
anything to him. So, it was better to hear from the horse's mouth.
In fact, he was elated when his assistant called him to say that Jacob was looking for him.
"To be honest with you, Mr. Shawn. I joined a small company after my resignation," Jacob said with a
determined expression on his face.
Yes, he didn't regret making that decision. No matter what would happen in the future, he would never
regret resigning from the Shi Group. Jacob had followed his heart and he was ready to stick to it.
"I see. But why did you come here? And what gave you so much confidence to come discuss business
with me?"
Shawn Ho queried. He didn't even bother to beat about the bush. There was no time for that.
Jacob remained unruffled by the questions. Even though he felt like he was in an interrogation room,
he still smiled.
"You are disappointed because our company is small, right? Well, I want to say that everything in this
world starts small. Neither does anything mature overnight. This is to say that success is a step-by-step
process."
Jacob mentioned a key point. Even though he didn't have any bargaining chips that would aid this
negotiation, his confidence still intimidated his acquaintance.
Instead of responding to this point, Shawn Ho just grinned.
'So, the almighty CEO of the Shi Group is now just a lobbyist, isn't he? I don't care about all these
motivational talks about growth. This doesn't change the fact that he has nothing now, ' Shawn Ho
pondered as he continued to stare at the man in front of him.
Standing up from his chair, Shawn Ho said, "It is already too late Mr. Jacob. You should take your leave
now. I don't think we can be partners in the future."
Jacob's eyes widened slightly. He was a little shocked that Shawn Ho refused his proposal. But within a
split second, he understood what the problem was.
People who have been in the business world for a long time, like Shawn Ho, disliked clichés. Even
though he wanted to be partners with Jacob, he couldn't because of what he said. Mere motivational
quotes didn't prove anything to him. Shawn Ho was a man who was more concerned about how
something would be of benefit to him. And not just words that sounded reasonable.
"I think you misunderstood what I said. Please listen to me. Let me explain what I meant. If after my
explanation and you are still not convinced, then I would leave immediately." Jacob stood up and
reached out his hand to stop him from walking out.
Shawn Ho sighed and checked his watch. After a few seconds, he said, "Okay, fine. You have ten
minutes. If you don't convince me enough, then you would have to leave. I'm sorry."
Jacob breathed a sigh of relief. Although the time was short, it was still better than nothing. He could
turn the situation in his favor within those ten minutes.
"Okay." Jacob nodded in agreement. Adjusting his sitting posture, he said, "Presently, the Shi Group is
the biggest partner of the Ho Group. More so, both companies have benefited from this cooperation.
And you know better than anyone else how it has helped boost your company. Even more than I do.
When I was still the CEO of the Shi Group, I always considered the interests of both businesses. I
made sure that no company was given preferential treatment at the expense of the other. That's why
both companies continued to prosper at the same pace. But now, the Shi Group is facing a serious
crisis that I can't solve. In fact, things have gotten out of hand."
Jacob coughed slightly. At that moment, Shawn Ho frowned. He was displeased to hear the word
"crisis". Noticing this, Jacob felt that his words were effective.
"Even so, I can just terminate the partnership with the Shi Group. I don't need to bother myself with all
these hassles. Cooperating with you isn't by force, right?" Shawn Ho asked with his eyebrows
furrowed.
Of course, he knew the current situation of things. His informants had already told him about all that
happened when Jacob stepped down. The Shi Group had already banned Jacob from the business
circle. It would be unwise for the Ho Group to partner with him now. It would spell doom for his
company!
Even though the Shi Group was going through difficult times, it was still the top player in the game. The
company stood at the top of the food chain. And controlled all that happened in the business world.
Notwithstanding the fact that the group's stocks seemed to be plunging, it was still very powerful. After
all, a lean camel was bigger than a horse.
'How can I believe this man without proofs? All he has are just a few sweet words. Empty words can't
build a successful business.' Shawn Ho's mind was filled with doubts. He would never trust a
businessman completely.
Because of this, he didn't bother to question Jacob any further. Even though this was a negotiation,
Shawn Ho didn't want to offend the others at that time.
"Yes, you are right. It isn't by force. But I have the technology and contact information of a foreign-
funded company. And I can also persuade them to provide me with exclusive technology. What do you
think of these conditions?"
Jacob smiled. Although he knew that his words weren't very effective, he felt that he had achieved half
of the success. Visiting Shawn Ho wasn't in vain after all.
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