"Fifty million?"
Tang Xinwan was so shocked she stood up. This was no small sum, not even for Haitian Pharmaceuticals, it was a considerable expenditure.
The stock market had been volatile recently. Although it had rebounded, Haitian Pharmaceuticals still needed capital to operate for steady growth, so even releasing fifty million would significantly impact the company.
She looked at Tang Xiaowu, frowning slightly, "Your company is only worth ten to twenty million, how could it possibly need so much money for expansion? Tell me honestly, what exactly are you using this money for?"
Tang Xiaowu's face was a picture of misery as he explained, "Sis, aren't I trying to make the company better and better? A factory is up for sale, and I think the equipment and location are quite good. It's a good deal to buy it. Sis, don't you want me to bring honor to our family?"
You bring honor to the family? If that were the case, your father wouldn't be constantly trying to seize Haitian Pharmaceuticals, Tang Xinwan rolled her eyes.
She knew her cousin to some extent. The idioms "not attending to proper work" and "ignorant and unlearned" couldn't be more fitting to describe him.
As for that so-called company worth ten to twenty million, as far as she knew, it had been operating at a loss for one or two years. Wasn't it just an empty shell now?
And he was talking about expansion? She didn't believe it!
Tang Xinwan said coldly, "My company doesn't have money either! I can't help you with this. Go find your dad!"
"Sis!" Tang Xiaowu was almost in tears.
Just then, Ye Cangtian pushed open the office door and walked in. He glanced at the two of them and asked with a smile, "Oh, what's wrong? Xiaowu is here too. What happened?"
Tang Xinwan didn't speak. Tang Xiaowu explained himself, "Brother-in-law, please try to persuade my sister. I really need money right now. I've already signed the contract, and I just need the money to be transferred to them!"
Ye Cangtian looked him up and down, then smiled, "Your sister's company really can't afford it. However, since you call me brother-in-law, I'll help you with this!"
"You'll help me?" Tang Xiaowu looked at him suspiciously. He suddenly remembered the matter of the Ageless Root, which was worth hundreds of millions. He wondered if this brother-in-law was truly a hidden tycoon.
He quickly nodded, "Thank you, brother-in-law!"
Ye Cangtian smiled and said, "Come with me!"
Seeing the two of them walk out of the office, Tang Xinwan's mouth opened as if she wanted to say something, but then she sighed helplessly. She wouldn't bother anymore. She didn't believe Ye Cangtian actually had the money to help her cousin.
...
Outside Haitian Pharmaceuticals, Ye Cangtian pulled out a cigarette from his pocket. Tang Xiaowu eagerly lit it for him.
"Brother-in-law, I need about fifty million this time. Do you really have a way?" Tang Xiaowu was still somewhat doubtful, especially since his own cousin was unwilling to lend him the money.
"No problem, no problem!"
Ye Cangtian smoked, then looked at Tang Xiaowu with a half-smile, "You should tell me first how you lost so much money!"
"Of course I..." Tang Xiaowu reacted instantly, his expression changing slightly, "You, what do you mean?"
Ye Cangtian pouted, "Don't deny it. What company expansion, needing funds? Do you even believe it yourself?"
Tang Xiaowu's eyes darted away, forcing himself to appear calm, "Then what makes you say I... say I lost money!"
Ye Cangtian chuckled, then said sternly, "Your eyes are bloodshot, caused by staying up late continuously! There's panic and fear in your eyes, you must be being blackmailed and dare not tell your family. Also, look at your fingernails, they're full of dirt. This is from constantly fidgeting with your trousers and nervously rubbing your hands."
"All these factors combined, if you say you didn't lose a lot of money gambling, I'll leave right now!"
"Don't, brother-in-law, don't go!"
Tang Xiaowu quickly grabbed Ye Cangtian, forcing a wry smile, a look of melancholy on his face. "I have no choice, brother-in-law. I seem to have been set up. Not only is my company mortgaged, but I also owe them fifty million in usurious loans. I am truly at my wits' end."
Although he was usually dissolute and adept at all sorts of leisure activities, he rarely gambled.
But this time, it was entirely because he was deceived by his friends, he started playing in the casino and became addicted, and then it spiraled out of control.
More importantly, it was only this morning that Tang Xiaowu suddenly recalled everything that had happened in the past two days and felt that it was all a trap.
First, someone led him to play small stakes, then gradually increased the stakes, and then inexplicably found himself losing a lot of money. Afterwards, it led to borrowing usurious loans, mortgaging his company, and so on.
"It's not that you 'seem' to have been set up, you really have been!" Ye Cangtian said without hesitation.
"Brother-in-law, I really have no other options, and I don't dare tell my dad, otherwise, they might expel me from the Tang family!"
"The casino gave me only two days. If I don't repay the money, they said they'll beat me to death! Brother-in-law, if you lend me fifty million this time, I will definitely pay you back later." Tang Xiaowu pleaded.
"I have no money!"
"..."
Ye Cangtian shrugged, "Let alone fifty million, I don't even have five thousand yuan right now!"
Tang Xiaowu stared at him blankly. If you have no money, why are you saying all this? You made me get all excited for nothing!
Ye Cangtian blew a smoke ring, a brilliant smile on his face, "However, I have a way for you to repay this money!"
...
Half an hour later!
The two drove to a shopping mall's underground parking lot.
"The only way to enter this casino is to take the elevator down from this parking lot. The casino is on the third basement level. This is Yangzhou's largest casino. I heard it used to belong to Black Widow, but it seems to have been taken over by someone called Buster."
"Brother-in-law, will your method work?" Tang Xiaowu asked worriedly.
"Let's go, let's go in first!" Ye Cangtian didn't explain, and directly walked into the elevator.
Soon, the two took the elevator to the third basement level. As soon as they got out of the elevator, two burly men blocked them. They first scanned them with an instrument before allowing them to proceed.
Tang Xiaowu said, "Casinos check everyone upon entry. This is to prevent people from cheating, as there are many high-tech gadgets nowadays."
Ye Cangtian couldn't help but sneer. Preventing gamblers from cheating? What about the casinos themselves cheating?
However, these casinos were full of tricks. Tang Xiaowu was definitely set up, and it was under the casino's cheating that he lost so much money in two days.
If it were only a few hundred thousand, it would be nothing. But Tang Xiaowu had been set up to lose tens of millions, even Ye Cangtian felt that the people behind the casino had truly huge appetites.
Although both Tang Xiaowu and his father had wicked intentions, they were still members of the Tang family, after all.
His brother-in-law had been set up by the casino. Something like this had happened.
Ye Cangtian felt he had to help him sort this out.
"Oh, isn't this the young master of the Tang family? Are you here to repay the money, or to continue your entertainment?" As soon as they entered the casino, a bald man with a cigarette in his mouth walked over, smiling.
"Brother Baldy, I haven't managed to gather the money yet, but I'm doing my best to raise it. I'm here with my brother-in-law to take a look today!" Tang Xiaowu said nervously, with a fawning smile.
"Your brother-in-law?"
The bald man glanced at Ye Cangtian, then his smile widened, "Alright, let me show your brother-in-law a good time. I guarantee it'll be very exciting!"