Chapter 38: Fish that slip through the net under quality education

"Chairman Lee, brother, these past few days have been almost unbearable for me, worrying so much that my hair is falling out in clumps. Thankfully, the problem is somewhat resolved now, and I can finally breathe a sigh of relief." Elvis said with a wry smile. Kent's ears perked up immediately, his eyes gleaming. He knew Elvis had invested billions into Wind Housing, a significant sum, and he asked eagerly, "Congratulations to you, Mr. Freeman, but how did you manage to resolve such a large sum?" Freeman was evasive and vague, skirting around the issue without revealing how the financial problem was solved, leaving Kent scratching his head in frustration. "Mr. Freeman, you..." Kent's words were cut off by Freeman, who changed the subject, "Chairman Lee, I heard you acquired that plot of land on Nampin Road?" Kent acknowledged with a hum. He had paid 62 million for a plot valued at only 40 million, a fact he wasn't keen to dwell on. Freeman's voice suddenly rose, "Chairman Lee, why didn't you inform me? Didn't you know that plot is worthless?" Kent tensed up immediately, asking anxiously, "What do you mean by that, Mr. Freeman?" Freeman explained, "The location of that plot is indeed excellent, but it's surrounded by historical buildings and a museum. Starting construction would damage the foundations of these surrounding areas, and the government won't approve it. Many people know about this, didn't you, Chairman Lee?" Kent was stunned, his mind buzzing, and he urgently asked, "Mr. Freeman, are you sure about this information?" "Absolutely certain." Kent felt darkness closing in, nearly fainting. That meant he had spent 62 million on a useless plot of land. Kent remembered encountering Douglas when he secured the land. Douglas had congratulated him on acquiring a worthless plot. He hadn't thought much of it then, but it turned out Douglas had known all along. Realizing he was the last to know, Kent felt like a complete fool, a laughingstock. The more he thought about it, the angrier he got, almost spitting blood in frustration. It was all over... He had planned to sell the plot to address his urgent financial needs, but now, no one would buy it. Kent's gaze became vacant, his face ashen. "Chairman Lee, are you still there?" Forcing himself to focus, Kent wanted to know how Freeman resolved his financial issues. Now, only with capital could he see a chance to turn things around. "Mr. Freeman, brother, I really need your help now." Freeman quickly said, "I'm truly out of money. I've just managed to sort out my own issues and can't spare any extra." "Mr. Freeman, I'm not asking for an investment, just want to know how you solved your funding issue. Help a brother out, and I'll be sure to return the favor in the future." After a moment of hesitation, Elvis said, "Well, it's not that I can't tell you. I borrowed money from Terry. The interest rate is a bit higher than the bank's, but I was able to get the money immediately. Besides, as long as the company is still running, there's no worry about not being able to pay it back." Kent's eyes lit up; Freeman was right, as long as the company remained, there would be no issue in paying back. If he could borrow money from Terry and successfully complete the development of the three luxury residential areas, he could make a significant profit, far outpacing the interest rate. Kent, grasping at straws, eagerly said, "Mr. Freeman, I'm not well acquainted with Mr. Liamsole. Could you possibly introduce me? You really must pull me out of this one." After a long silence on the phone, just when Kent's heartbeat became erratic from anxiety, Freeman finally spoke, "Alright, then. I'll contact Mr. Liamsole for you. Wait for my call." "Thank you, Mr. Freeman. You're truly a lifesaver. I'll never forget this great kindness. I'll wait for your good news." After exchanging pleasantries, Freeman hung up. ... ... At the amusement park, Douglas, Angelia, and Lynette had already enjoyed several rides. Lynette's laughter, like the ringing of silver bells, hadn't stopped all day. She was truly happy. They were now preparing to ride the powered mini-train. Passing by the restroom, Angelia asked Douglas to wait while she used the facilities. Douglas and Lynette waited. That's when Douglas's phone rang. Holding Lynette's hand, he answered the call. "Mr. Douglas, this is Elvis." Douglas smiled, "Mr. Freeman, do you have good news for me?" "As you predicted, Mr. Lee took the bait." Douglas's smile broadened, "Thank you for your efforts. We'll strike while the iron is hot. After it's done, I'll treat you to dinner." After a brief conversation with Freeman, Douglas hung up and then called Terry. "Terry, Kent has taken the bait. The loan can go through, but we need collateral. Kent controls 90% of Pinnacle Group's shares; he can afford to mortgage up to 45% of it, remember not to exceed this number." Understanding Kent's position, Douglas knew exceeding 45% would strip him of his absolute authority in Pinnacle Group, which Kent would never agree to. "Daddy, daddy... he took my balloon..." Lynette's urgent cry interrupted him. Turning around, Douglas saw a dark-skinned, chubby boy around ten years old, who had taken advantage of Douglas's phone call to snatch Lynette's Pleasant Goat balloon. The boy, far from scared, stuck out his tongue and rolled his eyes at Douglas, making faces with a look of triumph. Clearly, this was a child sorely lacking in social discipline. "That's it for now." After hanging up, Douglas addressed the boy, "Give back the balloon." Instead of complying, the boy made a face at Douglas, placed the balloon on the ground, jumped on it, popping it, and then ran to a garishly dressed, heavily made-up woman adorned with gold jewelry, continuing to make faces at Douglas. Seeing her beloved balloon destroyed, Lynette's lips quivered, and she burst into tears. Douglas quickly picked her up, "Don't cry, Lynette. Daddy will buy you another one, okay? Daddy will make him apologize." Approaching the woman, Douglas said, "Your child took my daughter's balloon and popped it. Please have him apologize to my daughter." The woman looked disdainfully at Douglas and retorted, "He's just a child. What are you, a grown man, doing arguing with a kid? It's just a broken balloon. So what if it's popped? It's no big deal." Douglas frowned, realizing behind every undisciplined child often stands an equally irresponsible parent. The boy hid behind the woman, making faces and smirking triumphantly. Douglas coldly said, "Doing something wrong and still acting so righteous, is it so hard to apologize?" "It's just a broken balloon, why make a big deal out of it? You, an adult, picking on a child, really shows your lack of character," the woman said disdainfully. Douglas was amused by the irony, a glaring example of failed moral education accusing him of lacking character.