Chapter 139 Counterattack

"They say it takes three generations to raise an aristocrat, and I think that sentence is completely right."

Blake looked Su Mu up and down and delivered this remark.

She was wearing a tight little black dress today, paired with a pair of silver high heels. A truly attractive woman looks good no matter what she wears, and she had an exceptional sense of style, making her look even more stunning.

It was clearly a jab at his unrefined style, but Su Mu didn't mind. Driving a Porsche 911, wearing a Rolex Submariner on his wrist, and yet carrying a tattered school backpack out in public—he certainly knew how to keep things down-to-earth.

Speechless, he replied, "What can I do? I'm still in school. By the time my son or daughter's generation rolls around, maybe we'll manage to cultivate half an aristocrat. My family never really supervised me much, so I never got the chance to rub shoulders with high society."

"Still better than that friend of yours. He tried to copy you by buying a Rolex—a solid gold one—and even wore a formal black suit..."

The thought alone was hilarious. Following the direction of Blake's finger, Su Mu looked through the glass at Li Pingan, who was wearing a black suit, dark sunglasses, and trying to look cool while holding a mobile phone.

He had received a dividend payout in early April and suddenly came into money, acting the absolute part of a nouveau riche. In fact, he had actually worn a white short-sleeved t-shirt underneath his suit.

With a headache, Su Mu explained to Blake, "The suit he's wearing was custom-made by my grandfather. I have one myself, but it's way too hot out; wearing it makes you look like an idiot.

"Let's get down to business. Have you secured those component suppliers? Please don't tell me bad news. I already received some bad news earlier: my other business partner actually plans to buy out my shares for two million dollars. Since he holds the supplier resources and the ready-made business model, do you think he might just abandon me and run another supermarket chain instead?"

Su Mu was worried about Boss Han pulling the rug out from under him. Supermarkets were popping up everywhere now, and it would be entirely possible to restart a brand-new supermarket chain where he held a hundred percent ownership.

Miss Blake, who was well aware of the supermarket investment, asked casually, "Is that partner of yours sharp and wealthy?"

"Not particularly wealthy, I suppose. Probably still less than me. My family used to be far behind him financially, but the Penguin Company helped me make money, and the idea of running a supermarket was something I gave him."

"Then what on earth are you worried about? Who in their right mind would abandon a promising company with a valuation in the tens of millions of dollars just because you happen to own half the shares, and choose to start all over again?"

Blake shook her head and continued, "A successful business model isn't easy to replicate. Just because one company succeeds doesn't mean another will; luck plays a massive part in it.

"Mr. Walton, who founded Walmart, has already become the richest man in the world. That supermarket of yours has great potential, and I suggest you kick that partner out. Once a betrayal has happened, things can never go back to the way they were."

"I told him I was willing to pay three million dollars to buy his shares, but he didn't agree."

Su Mu gave a bitter, helpless smile. The great Boss Han of the past seemed to have vanished, replaced by a cunning merchant who would deceive him into selling his shares cheaply for the sake of money. He sat down and said,

"If I were a billionaire, I'd definitely make him an offer he couldn't refuse. Of course I know that supermarket has huge potential; with just two more percent of the shares, I'd have the majority control. I already regret partnering with him. With the capital I had back then, I could barely afford to start a small supermarket on my own. Why don't you go help me take it back?"

"You can't rely on me for everything.

"If you make a buyout offer with your current status as a shareholder, as long as he still wants control, he won't sell to you no matter how high you bid. However, you can completely bypass that by using a third-party company to make the purchase on your behalf, which will lower his guard. I know someone who can help you."

Instantly energized, Su Mu opened his eyes wide and said, "That's a brilliant idea. We should try it!

"Having just opened three supermarkets back-to-back, the company's cash flow is very tight. If someone is willing to provide financing, he might just agree. Beyond that, he might also be willing to cash out a small portion of his shares—provided the investor agrees to stand with him against me!"

"Do you think he has the wits to see through this scheme?" Blake asked, greatly amused.

Thinking it over, Boss Han had never received a systematic business education, nor did he have a capable strategist by his side. The only person who occasionally helped him brainstorm was the Jewish guy, Qian Helberg, whom Su Mu had planted there. There was a very high chance he would be blinded by the immediate profits before him.

Considering that today he had even tried to use cajolery and deception to buy shares from Su Mu, his methods and intelligence probably weren't that sophisticated.

Su Mu shook his head. "There's a good chance it will work. Who can help me?"

"I'll arrange it for you. It won't cost much. For this kind of work, you need a clever swindler, and you can leave the rest to them."

With that, Blake handed the documents in front of her to Su Mu and informed him, "These are the sales figures for April. It looks like I'll be collecting my stock option dividends from you very soon. I need to start saving up lately."

Last month's sales had reached over twenty-one million dollars, with the company's profit margin hovering around eight percent of sales. Combined with a thirty percent commission and fifteen percent for operating expenses, Su Mu pocketed a tidy sum of several hundred thousand dollars.

In addition, tier-one and tier-two agents purchasing goods from the Penguin Company had also yielded a profit of over three hundred and forty-six thousand dollars. The salesmen were not only supplying private clients but were also actively helping to connect with retailers and expand sales channels.

Competitors were starting to emerge, but they hadn't posed a threat to the Penguin Company yet. A transition would definitely be necessary in the future, but based on the current market scale, they could easily sustain themselves for another half-year or over a year.

"Blake, if I want to buy shares in Qu-Gou, can I temporarily use company funds?" Su Mu was still fixated on the idea of taking control of the supermarket as he looked over the documents.

Blake nodded and said, "Yes. The idle funds in the company account are more than enough. It will take another six months or so to set up the factory and start selling computers assembled under our own brand. As long as we maintain last month's profits, there won't be any problem at all.

"Quite a few retailers are purchasing goods from us, and that stream of profit is still growing. It should be completely fine. I am cautiously optimistic about the prospects of Qu-Gou Supermarket. You could say it has even more potential than Penguin; Walmart has already set a fantastic example. As long as a retail business doesn't run into major operational trouble, its performance won't fluctuate too wildly."

"Then let's go for it. Offer to buy out or inject capital based on a ten-million-dollar valuation. It's not worth that much yet, so my partner is very likely to agree.

"As long as he doesn't continue to target me and the company's development goes smoothly, I'll pretend I never bought those shares. Otherwise, don't blame me for being ruthless and driving him out of the company, just like Apple drove out Steve Jobs."

"Leon, you're far too soft-hearted. That's not the mindset a businessman should have—at least not until you've made enough money."

Blake spoke with an air of absolute certainty, adding, "For a company with this kind of growth potential, you must keep managerial control firmly in your own hands. Think of Mr. Walton; use him as your benchmark. Investors love Walmart right now—the stock price has gone through the roof!

"In my view, this is just a miniature version of Walmart. Once you get through the most critical stage, it snowballs. Opening three stores this time means you can open five the next. The more you open, the more money you make, and the lower the costs become. It's just that crazy!"

"Mm, I understand the logic. It just feels a bit wrong."

"What's wrong about it? He tried to push you out, so you should push him out right back. Everything is for the sake of profit. Isn't that what doing business is all about..."