Chapter 49: A Wish

"Could you two explain this to me?"

Li Mochen pointed at the report: "Why has the payroll decreased so much? It's about fifteen percent less than before. I've checked, and the company only has two fewer employees than six months ago."

Jebson and Li Mei exchanged a glance, their faces showing helplessness: "This was voluntary by all the company colleagues. Someone came up with the idea, and we all agreed. Everyone knows the company's situation. A few colleagues resigned, but we then temporarily hired a few with the current monthly salary. BOSS paid well, above the average in Atlanta, so for now we can keep going."

Li Mochen was slightly moved, thinking that Li Chunchu's conduct was quite commendable. It must have taken some skill to make these employees remain loyal after his death and voluntarily take a pay cut to stay in this already precarious company.

"Then what about this piece of land, my father's real estate development plan? Can it continue?"

He guessed that among the fixed assets, the only one that might have problems was this land under development.

"I'm afraid it's very difficult! Originally, it was three warehouses bought by the company ten years ago. Due to the rapid development of East Atlanta recently, BOSS noticed their commercial value and planned to develop the land of these three warehouses into four 22-story apartment buildings with a total of 1,056 units, expected to bring us over 13 million gold shields in profit."

This time, Li Mei was the one to explain. The middle-aged woman's face was full of bitterness: "Things were going smoothly before; we even got the full approval from the city government. But ever since BOSS had his accident, local residents have been protesting at the construction site, forcing the contractor to stop work four months ago. This also caught the attention of several city councilors, who have asked the Development Committee to reconsider our apartment plan. They think our project affects the quality of life of the surrounding residents. The overly tall building design blocks sunlight for the neighbors."

Li Mochen knew at once that someone must have set their sights on the company's project, and they had considerable influence.

At this point, he felt he had understood the situation well enough, so he moved the various reports aside.

"I think you both already know? Jennifer has given up her inheritance rights to Sunrise Limited Liability Company. So the Cargill Law Firm approached me again, asking if I want to inherit the other half of the shares. I'd like to ask you both, do you have any suggestions?"

This time, Li Mei and Cardin Jebson both fell silent. After ten seconds, Li Mei hesitantly spoke: "Amo, personally, we have a lot of affection for Sunrise Company and hope it can continue. It was your father's hard work. But the company's current situation is indeed not optimistic. If there is no change, bankruptcy is highly likely. Actually, I wanted to suggest earlier that you simply give up the inheritance rights, but by the time I looked for you, it was too late."

Li Mochen did not comment and turned his gaze to Jebson. The latter fell into thought: "Andre, from what I understand, Eastern China is becoming more and more open. It's a rising market with vast prospects. Also, the real estate project the company is undertaking, if successful, will bring us a lot of cash. But the problem is—"

He paused: "The problem is that our clients and major distributors are leaving in droves. Handling trade with the East is also troublesome and requires extensive connections. Besides, security is an issue. Previously, with your parents' deterrence, no one would target us. But now everything is different. In fact, as early as thirteen days ago, someone tried to smuggle drugs into the country in our imported goods. Although we used the connections your father left behind to force them to back off, this is not a long-term solution. As for the apartment project, unless we can deal with the Development Committee and the local gangs."

Li Mochen understood what this man meant: the company's import-export trade had great potential, and the apartment project had huge profit prospects, but the problem was that he didn't have enough resources to continue.

At this point, Jebson offered advice: "Andre, if you insist on taking over the company, then I suggest you sell the entire apartment project. That should bring in some funds for the company, allowing it to last longer and temporarily solve our difficulties."

"How much could it sell for?"

"Someone has offered 5.8 million gold shields. I think we can get more."

Li Mochen sneered, thinking that the visible and hidden costs Sunrise had already paid for this project exceeded five million. This was nothing short of daylight robbery! If they sold the land and project at this price, what would be left of Sunrise?

But he knew Jebson meant well; this man had already seen the dangers they would face next.

By now, Li Mochen had made up his mind. Although the company itself had little value left, the employees Li Chunchu had left behind were priceless.

He wondered whether his cheap sister Jennifer was stupid or driven by hatred for her father, that she turned a blind eye to the most valuable part of Sunrise.

...

The Cargill Law Firm and Sunrise Company were on the same street, but the former was closer to the city center, while the latter was in the east, almost near the suburbs.

Li Mochen's biological father, Li Chunchu, had been close to Remington Daniel, a junior partner at Cargill Law Firm, and trusted him completely. He had entrusted almost all of the company's and personal legal matters to him.

However, when Li Mochen arrived, only a Senior Associate, a senior lawyer, accompanied by two legal assistants, received him.

The senior lawyer told him that Mr. Remington Daniel was away on business. Li Mochen didn't know if this was true, but he had to accept the explanation.

Just as they finished signing the property inheritance entrustment agreement, Li Mochen keenly felt a change in his soul.

At that moment, without any warning, a deeper fusion occurred between him and the remnant soul of the original owner. They seemed to become even more inseparable.

Was it because of the decision to inherit the company? Had he fulfilled the original owner's wish?

Understanding this, Li Mochen fell into deep thought until the lawyer across from him called him back. However, when he asked if Cargill Law Firm could assign a lawyer to handle a sponsorship agreement for him, before he could finish, the senior lawyer politely refused.

Thus, Li Mochen roughly understood the attitude of Cargill Law Firm toward him. He decisively swallowed the words 'Nason Sports Group' and simply stood up and left.

Perhaps the prestige of Nason Sports Group could make this senior lawyer change his attitude, but it was unnecessary. Li Mochen guessed that this law firm had already excluded him from the list of clients they were willing to serve, so why force it?

What Li Mochen did not know was that as he walked out of the Cargill Law Firm's door with a copy of the property inheritance entrustment agreement, someone in a fully glassed office on the second floor of this duplex office building was watching his back through the gap in the venetian blinds.