Chapter 358

Chapter 358 Worshipping Foreign Things!

“Director Zhou, I think you don’t need to say more — Huasheng Bank is interested in partnering with Bikang Group to jointly develop a new pharmaceutical industry complex in the capital.” said a middle-aged man with a beard. His name was Gao Huakang, and he was the Asia regional manager of Huasheng Investment Bank.

“Our company McAway is also very optimistic about the prospects of Bikang’s new pharmaceutical industry complex. We believe that once the project is completed, it will become a jewel in the pharmaceutical field of the East and the world.” McAway was a highly capable European investment bank. The speaker was the bank’s risk director, Wilkens, who had long been instructed by the company to do everything possible to outcompete the other investment banks and successfully get involved in Bikang’s new project.

“I’d like to ask Director Zhou to trust in McAway’s sincerity. Although the construction of the new project requires an enormous amount of capital, it truly isn’t a difficult matter for us. You just need to name a figure, and we guarantee we can make it happen.”

This statement from Wilkens was very persuasive, and he was confident that his terms would move Zhou Anke.

“I’m here today representing the head office of Huaxia Construction Bank. Our president has already made it clear that we will spare no effort in helping Bikang Group with the construction of the new project.” A chubby middle-aged Huaxia man also spoke up: “Compared to those foreign investment banks, we are domestic capital, which carries far less risk than utilizing foreign investment. And after all, we are all Huaxia people — many things can be worked out.”

As he said this, the middle-aged bank president flashed a knowing smile. Indeed, when doing business in Huaxia, if the government helps bend the rules to take shortcuts, it really does save a great deal of effort. In this regard, Huaxia’s domestic banks have an inherently unique advantage.

In the conference room, everyone spoke up one after another, each expressing confidence in Bikang’s new project, while Zhou Anke listened attentively, carefully noting the stance of every investment bank in her mind.

Xu Wenjie from Gaoqi Bank sat coldly in a corner of the conference room, watching with detached eyes the entire time, not saying a word.

After nearly everyone had finished speaking, he finally stood up, tapped the table lightly with his fingers, and said with a cold sneer, “I will not agree to this. Gaoqi Bank will not be involved in the investment for Bikang’s new project.”

The moment those words came out, the room erupted in an uproar.

Zhou Anke’s expression froze, while Su Rui narrowed his eyes and smiled with amusement — he seemed to have anticipated all along that this Xu Wenjie would say something like this.

What was the matter with this representative from Gaoqi Bank? How could he make such a decision? Everyone was bullish on Bikang’s new project, each scrambling to invest, so how could Gaoqi Bank say something like that? Xu Wenjie had always been arrogant — surely he couldn’t be dismissing an investment opportunity this rare, one that comes along once in a decade?

As if the atmosphere in the conference room wasn’t charged enough already, Xu Wenjie looked around the room and said, “Not only that, I also hope that all investment banks refrain from participating in the investment for Bikang’s new project.”

The moment those words landed, the atmosphere in the conference room instantly froze!

This was clearly an outright act of sabotage!

In financial circles and the investment banking world, this kind of behavior was absolutely taboo!

Zhou Anke placed both hands on the table, looked at Xu Wenjie, and said, “I’d like to know why Mr. Xu would have such a view. It’s understandable that you don’t want to invest, but you cannot influence others’ investment intentions.”

Su Rui still said nothing. He fixed his gaze on Xu Wenjie’s arrogant face, lost in thought.

Xu Wenjie said with a cold sneer, “I have my own reasons for not wanting to invest. Also, please don’t call me Mr. Xu, Miss Zhou. I hold American citizenship — please call me Jeremy.”

I may have the face of a Huaxia person, I may once have had a Huaxia name, but I am now an American. Please call me by my American name.

These words were said with such bluntness — especially on Huaxia soil — that every Huaxia person present found them deeply grating.

The Huaxia Construction Bank president from earlier shook his head: “A person must never forget their roots.”

Wilkens gave a cold laugh: “Jeremy, whether you invest or not is your own business. But if you’re making this decision out of fear of competition and trying to use it as an opportunity to get all of us to back out, I’d say that kind of thinking and behavior is very low.”

As soon as those words were spoken, many people nodded in agreement — it was clear that was exactly what they were thinking.

“That’s right, Director Jeremy. Your view doesn’t represent all of ours. In fact, if you insist on doing this, we will unite against Gaoqi Bank. What you’re doing violates the rules.”

Xu Wenjie gave a cold laugh: “Rules? What rules? Who made them? Can you tell me?”

Another veteran Huaxia economist also spoke up: “Wenjie, you’ve always been the student I admired most. How is it that after just a few years, you’ve become like this?”

There was a tone of deep anguish in the old expert’s voice. He had once been Xu Wenjie’s university professor and greatly admired this young man’s talent and ability. It was largely through his strong recommendation that Xu Wenjie was able to receive a master’s admission offer from Yale University and secure a full scholarship.

It could be said that without this old professor, there would be no Xu Wenjie today.

“Professor Li, as I’ve said before, please call me Jeremy.” Xu Wenjie replied coldly. He straightened his posture and swept his gaze around the conference room once more, making eye contact with each person present, without a trace of fear — a look that was nothing short of a declaration of war.

Looking at the highly respected Professor Li, there was not a single trace of gratitude in Xu Wenjie’s eyes — only coldness.

“Forgetting your roots, forgetting your roots!” Professor Li sighed heavily with deep anguish. Xu Wenjie’s icy gaze had truly cut him to the core.

Over the past few years, although Professor Li had remained in the country, he had been following Xu Wenjie’s growth from across the ocean. This protégé he had placed such high hopes in had not disappointed him — working hard all the way to make himself ever more brilliant. Whenever Professor Li came across news about Xu Wenjie and the dazzling achievements he had made, he would feel a deep sense of pride.

Yet ever since leaving, Xu Wenjie had barely returned to Huaxia — he hadn’t even made a single phone call. Perhaps in his eyes, the resources that Professor Li could offer had already been fully utilized. What he needed to enter was Wall Street, the highest temple of international finance, and in that regard, Professor Li was clearly of little help.

In truth, many of the teachers who had once guided Xu Wenjie — Professor Li included — never believed this young man would completely leave Huaxia behind. They preferred to think that this student, who had grown up in poverty, had many things he found difficult to say. When he became the youngest economics PhD in Yale’s history, countless people across the ocean rejoiced for him. Yet when he took American citizenship, just as many people shook their heads in regret.

And now, he had returned to Huaxia in a blaze of glory, only to reveal such a cold and ruthless side — not only refusing to support the development of Huaxia’s own enterprises, but even urging other investment banks not to get involved. This move left every Huaxia person in the room feeling deeply chilled.

He wasn’t even willing to acknowledge his former identity as a Huaxia person. The name “Xu Wenjie” was known to all, yet he insisted on having others call him “Jeremy.”

This fawning over everything foreign was simply beyond words.

Su Rui leaned back in his seat, studying the proudly standing Xu Wenjie. His gaze flickered with shifting thoughts, and he still hadn’t said a word.

Over the years, he had seen many people who, upon arriving in America, desperately shed their Huaxia identity. He didn’t feel much contempt for such behavior — he simply observed it without any particular emotion. Everyone has a different story, and those who make such choices may do so out of helplessness, or perhaps out of a dream. Su Rui had no desire to pass too much judgment.

It was just that Xu Wenjie’s behavior made him feel deeply uncomfortable.

After years of drifting and fighting his way through the underground world abroad, an American citizenship was no difficult thing for Su Rui — in fact, after obtaining it, he could have avoided a great deal of trouble. Yet he had never done so, because deep down he still considered himself a Huaxia person.

That land had given him life and raised him. His people were there. His roots were there.

Even though the current environment wasn’t ideal, even though certain dregs had cast a shadow over that land, Su Rui was still willing to love this country. Even when thousands of miles away, his heart remained with Huaxia.

In truth, it wasn’t just Su Rui — many people felt the same way.

On the arena of the Huaxia underworld’s decade-long grand tournament, when the insufferably arrogant Honda Kiribe shouted “Sick Man of East Asia” at the top of his lungs before tens of thousands of Huaxia people, every Huaxia person present was enraged.

Even though they were members of criminal gangs, even though they moved through the shadows of night and were in many ways a destabilizing force in society — and might even have criminal records — they still put their country first. Su Rui was absolutely certain that if Huaxia were insulted or even invaded, these gang members would unhesitatingly sacrifice everything for this country.

Because they had fire in their blood.

Looking at Xu Wenjie’s behavior, Su Rui was equally certain that if someone pointed a finger in his face and called him “Sick Man of East Asia,” this man would absolutely not give it a second thought, and would simply add by way of explanation: “Sorry, you’ve got the wrong person. I’m American.”

Thinking this, Su Rui shook his head again. To have carved out his current position through sheer talent and ability on that battlefield for the young in America — Xu Wenjie was absolutely not a fool. His IQ was high, but his emotional intelligence couldn’t possibly be low enough to be this infuriating.

Could it be that there really was something difficult to say behind all of this?

At this moment, Professor Li stood up again. He looked at the student he had once admired most with a complex expression, and sighed, “Jeremy, let’s talk in private.”

This time, he no longer called him “Wenjie.”