Chapter 1049: Chapter 1038: Missing a Dog
Dragon City Branch Company, inside the General Manager’s office.
Ma Jianguo, drenched in sweat and weak in the legs, just entered the office. Ignoring the presence of Ouyang Feifei and Qiu Xiuxiu, he immediately knelt before Ning Fan with a thud.
“Oh my, isn’t this Vice President Ma? There’s no need for such a grand gesture. I’m just a humble General Manager; I can’t afford this, it’s not good for my longevity. Please, stand up.”
Ning Fan sat in the boss chair, crossed his legs, and flashed a playful smile as he looked at Ma Jianguo kneeling on the ground.
“General Manager Ning, I was wrong. I was blind and offended you, and I apologize.”
Ma Jianguo pleaded with a woeful face, “The issue with the accounts is serious. If exposed, the entire Dragon City will be in turmoil, which won’t benefit your company either. Please, General Manager Ning, be cautious.”
“Are you advising me or threatening me?”
Ning Fan’s smile remained, as he looked at the bitter-faced Ma Jianguo and said leisurely.
“I dare not.”
Having knelt for more than half an hour just to see Ning Fan, Ma Jianguo had already abandoned all pride at this point.
His body arched as he kowtowed repeatedly on the floor, making more than a dozen loud thumps.
Raising his head, Ma Jianguo respectfully said, “General Manager Ning, please have mercy. Please don’t take offense at my previous insolence; consider me just a fart and let it go.”
“Insolence? I don’t think that’s the case.”
Ning Fan rubbed his wrist, smiled, and said, “Vice President Ma is fair and just, handling tax inspection purely as public duty, though the company’s operations were quite affected after the investigation.”
“But I won’t blame you, after all, Vice President Ma was doing it for the Chamber of Commerce.”
“I wouldn’t dare…”
Of course, Ma Jianguo caught Ning Fan’s sarcasm. Instead of retorting, he bowed his head even lower and said, “I was blind, I’ll unseal your company immediately and clarify publicly that there are absolutely no tax issues with General Manager Ning’s company!”
“Hmm, sounds not bad.”
Ning Fan nodded, glanced at the laughing Ouyang Feifei eavesdropping on the side, and said with a smile, “Last time, didn’t Vice President Ma want my secretary to have coffee with you? Today’s weather is nice, perfect for coffee. How about she accompanies you this time?”
Seeing the playful look in Ning Fan’s eyes, Ouyang Feifei caught on, picked up the coffee pot, walked to Ma Jianguo, and said coquettishly, “Vice President Ma, I wasn’t prepared last time, so I turned you down. Hope you don’t mind. Let’s enjoy a cup today.”
“No… no need!”
If Ma Jianguo didn’t understand Ning Fan’s intent now, he’d have wasted his years in the Chamber of Commerce.
“Miss Ouyang, I was wrong, I’m sorry!”
Ma Jianguo shifted his kneeling direction towards Ouyang Feifei, apologizing while again kowtowing over a dozen times rapidly.
The marble tile floor echoed with the impact of Ma Jianguo’s head.
Ning Fan smiled at this spectacle without any intention to stop it.
“If you want to laugh, just laugh out loud, don’t hold it in.”
Ning Fan gave Ouyang Feifei a sidelong glance.
With a glint in her eyes, Ouyang Feifei gave a once-over at Ning Fan and left with a smile.
Qiu Xiuxiu followed right behind, knowing Ning Fan had something to say to Ma Jianguo.
Whether Ning Fan would forgive Ma Jianguo wasn’t something they needed to worry about.
“Vice President Ma’s apology is really intense, even a stoneheart like mine almost moved.”
Ning Fan clapped his hands, smiling as he said, “The floor is cold, Vice President Ma, better stand up.”
“No need… I’ll just talk with General Manager Ning kneeling; the floor isn’t cold, it’s quite comfortable.”
At this point, Ma Jianguo’s legs were shaky, and his knees throbbed with pain, but he dared not stand as long as Ning Fan hadn’t relented.
“Kneeling doesn’t solve the problem. So, tell me, what can you offer me? A simple apology isn’t enough to settle this matter, I’m afraid.”
Hearing this, Ma Jianguo finally breathed a sigh of relief.
As long as he was still useful to Ning Fan, the account book might not be exposed, and he might continue to serve as vice president of the Chamber of Commerce.
Moreover, seeing the state of Guo Qingtian, president of Dragon City of Commerce, if he could connect with the big tree of Ning Fan, he might turn this crisis into an opportunity and perhaps even advance further!
With that in mind, Ma Jianguo’s breath quickened.
“General Manager Ning, whatever you want, as long as I, Ma Jianguo, can give it, I will!”
“Hmm, let me think.”
Ning Fan feigned a troubled expression and scratched his head.
After a long while, Ning Fan chuckled and said, “Come to think of it, I don’t seem to be missing anything, except maybe a dog by my side. How about Vice President Ma keep an eye out for me, and buy me a dog as a gift?”
“I… I am General Manager Ning’s dog!”
Upon hearing these words, Ma Jianguo’s mind spun rapidly, immediately grasping Ning Fan’s meaning. Kneeling, he raised his hand and shouted, “General Manager Ning, from now on, I, Ma Jianguo, will be your dog, guarding your house!”
“Hehe, this is the first time I’ve kept a dog the size of Vice President Ma. I hope you’ll be obedient in the future.”
Ning Fan tapped the desk and smiled, “After all, if one fails as a person, there’s still a chance for redemption, but if you fail as a dog, you’ll end up on the dinner table.”
“Understood!”
With a sweat-soaked and satisfied smile, Ma Jianguo left, feeling strangely elated instead of angry or discontent at being treated like a dog by Ning Fan.
“I must make myself more valuable, able to assist General Manager Ning; being a dog means solving problems for the master!”
On the way back, Ma Jianguo reminded himself.
Meanwhile, sitting in the office chair, Ning Fan had already retracted the easy smile from his conversation with Ma Jianguo.
Using both the video and the account book to his advantage, Ning Fan had subjugated Ma Jianguo, planting a nail in the Dragon City of Commerce.
This was a setup Ning Fan laid against the Zhao Corporation and other potential branch competitors.
With the Dragon City of Commerce now involved, Ning Fan was almost invincible on the future business battlefield.
But at the moment, what worried him wasn’t this.
The Ning Family of Dragon City!
Thinking of Ning Qingfeng’s solitary arrival, with his seemingly courteous but truly rebellious attitude, Ning Fan frowned.
He stood up and walked to the floor-to-ceiling window.
Looking down at the full view of Dragon City, Ning Fan clasped his hands behind his back, and a subtle curve slowly formed at the corner of his mouth.
“The Ning Family of Dragon City, having provoked me, Ning Fan, sooner or later, I’ll make you pay for it!”