The Billion-Value Lands Are Just For Farming

Chapter 405 - Disgrace

Lee Zhanmu was brimming with pride.

He was convinced that President Chen would treat him with the utmost respect over the phone.

But as Lee Zhanmu reveled in his self-assurance, he was taken aback by President Chen's voice on the line.

“Lee Zhanmu, there's something I need to discuss with you.”

President Chen sounded quite nonchalant.

He addressed Lee Zhanmu by name, his tone tinged with a hint of indifference.

Lee Zhanmu was momentarily stunned, sensing that something was amiss.

How could this be happening?

He then rationalized that perhaps this was just how people from the imperial court conducted phone calls.

“President Chen, what seems to be the issue?”

Lee Zhanmu maintained his confidence.

“Lee Zhanmu, we've canceled your loan.”

With an air of self-importance, Lee Zhanmu responded, “You're saying you want to buy in? I'll need to think it over.”

The onlookers were taken aback.

A hush fell over the room; no one uttered a word.

Was there a problem with Lee Zhanmu's hearing?

He seemed to be in a world of his own.

He hadn't paid any attention to President Chen's words. His arrogance had gotten the better of him.

“What are you talking about? I told you, your loan has been canceled. Goodbye.”

President Chen, clearly irritated, ended the call abruptly.

“Why are people from the imperial court so impolite? He was just pleading with me to cancel the loan, and yet he…”

Lee Zhanmu's brow furrowed. Mid-sentence, he was struck by the realization that something was terribly off.

He was in disbelief that his loan had been canceled.

What was going on?

He had intended to boast in front of everyone, but instead, he had made a fool of himself.

Could anyone explain what had just happened?

In a panic, Lee Zhanmu grabbed his phone and redialed President Chen's number.

“Hello, the number you are trying to reach is currently unavailable.”

President Chen had blocked him!

Lee Zhanmu then frantically called other bank employees, only to receive the same response.

Noticing the stares from those around him, his face contorted with embarrassment.

He had claimed that President Chen was desperate for him to take out a loan, but now President Chen had called to terminate their deal.

Lee Zhanmu forced an awkward smile.

“No matter. It's just a minor setback.”

“I think the issue must be that my loan amount was too large for the bank's capacity.”

“I had intended to open my business quickly, which is why I opted for a loan.”

“If President Chen doesn't have the funds to loan me, I'll just delay the opening by a few days. It's not a big deal.”

Lee Zhanmu concocted a flawless excuse for himself.

He was pleased with his quick thinking.

Those around him couldn't help but notice his knack for making excuses.

But was he really convinced that President Chen pulled out of the deal because the loan was too hefty?

Tianhua Bank is the premier bank in Eastsea City.

They could easily issue loans in the billions without batting an eye.

And if they reached out to their headquarters, securing loans in the tens of billions wouldn't be out of the question.

What kind of enterprise was Lee Zhanmu planning that required such a massive amount of capital?

It seemed he was merely trying to save face.

Su Ming added, “Indeed. This setback is trivial for Mr. Lee.”

The crowd remained silent, observing the unfolding drama.

Mr. Su was personally handling Lee Zhanmu, and everyone was eager to see Lee Zhanmu hold his ground a bit longer instead of making an early exit, which would spoil the fun.

“Absolutely.”

Lee Zhanmu, misreading Su Ming's expression, believed his self-assurance had effectively masked the situation, and a look of delight spread across his face.

Su Ming then inquired with a grin, “By the way, Mr. Lee, where is your company located?”

“The standards in Eastsea are subpar, and the architectural environment leaves much to be desired.”

“Finding a suitable location for my company's headquarters has been quite the challenge.”

“I came across a new development with two decent storefronts available, so I decided to rent them.”

Lee Zhanmu stroked his chin, “The place is called Empire Community, if I'm not mistaken.”

The individuals behind him nearly burst into laughter upon hearing this.

Lee Zhanmu was on the verge of embarrassing himself once more.

They were familiar with Su Ming and knew that he owned the Empire Community development.

Even the shops adjacent to the complex were Su Ming's property.

They thought to themselves that Lee Zhanmu was out of his element in the imperial court.

He consistently stirred up trouble in Su Ming's presence, who could effortlessly turn the tables on him.

Not only had he sought a loan from President Chen, but he had also rented property from Boss Fong, which, unbeknownst to him, was owned by Su Ming.

Lee Zhanmu's luck was downright terrible.

They even suggested that since Lee Zhanmu had managed to anger Su Ming, he might as well make a quick exit and drive back to his home country. If there were no direct routes to M Country, perhaps he should purchase an inflatable boat and paddle his way back.

“That's a great place.”

This time, Su Ming nodded with genuine approval.

His entourage echoed his sentiment.

They figured that if it was Mr. Su's domain, it certainly had to be top-notch.

“Indeed, I have a knack for picking out the best spots!”

Lee Zhanmu's enthusiasm surged once more.

He had completely put the incident with President Chen behind him.

His demeanor had become exceedingly arrogant.

Su Ming pulled out his smartphone and shot a text to Boss Fong.

“Don't rent the house to Lee Zhanmu.”

After sending the message, Su Ming set his phone aside.

The other bosses witnessing the scene realized that Su Ming was about to play his usual tricks on Lee Zhanmu. Poor Lee Zhanmu was about to be humiliated once again.

Just as Lee Zhanmu's arrogance returned, his phone began to ring.

Seeing that it was Boss Fong calling, he sensed another chance to shine.

He had just suffered a blow to his pride because of President Chen.

He was determined to restore his reputation through Boss Fong.

Lee Zhanmu cleared his throat, his eyes scanning the crowd.

He intended to use this call to demonstrate his significant influence to the onlookers.

To flaunt his power, he waited a good twenty seconds before lazily answering the call.

Lee Zhanmu inquired with a drawn-out tone, “Boss Fong, what can I do for you?”

“Why are you just picking up now? What have you been up to?”

Boss Fong's voice crackled through the line, dripping with impatience.

Lee Zhanmu sensed that something was amiss with Boss Fong's response—it wasn't aligning with his expectations.

Despite cultural differences in phone etiquette, Lee Zhanmu could discern the underlying message in Boss Fong's tone.

Far from respectful, Boss Fong sounded downright annoyed.

Lee Zhanmu was taken aback.

Boss Fong spoke with irritation, “You've rented three of my properties. When do you plan to pay the rent? Today is the final deadline!”

“Could I have just a few more days?”

A muscle in the corner of Lee Zhanmu's eye gave a slight twitch.