Reborn Industrial Tycoon

Chapter 529: Dig your own hole and jump out of it

Zhao Liang obviously did not reflect on the fact that he was demoted to look at the database because he made a false report.

What's more, the person who exposed the false reports of "Ghost Castle" was not Li Weidong, but a reporter from "Focus".

Calculating it this way, even if Zhao Liang wants to blame others, he should go to "Focus Talk" instead of going to Li Weidong to cause trouble.

However, Zhao Liang felt that Li Weidong had tricked him.

When I went for the interview, the wholesale mall was empty. When "Focus Talk" went there, the wholesale mall was bustling. Didn't I dig a hole for myself?

Of course, another reason is that "Focus Talk" is a superior department, and Zhao Liang cannot pass the blame to them, and Li Weidong is an entrepreneur, so he naturally becomes the most direct target of Zhao Liang's blame.

It is human nature to blame others, and the person who blames others is often not the person who should take the blame the most, but the person who is most likely to take the blame.

Since being punished, Zhao Liang has been thinking about revenge every moment. Now that he saw the report of "Millions of Boys" in the American media, he suddenly felt like he had found a treasure.

In the late 1990s, although the country's foreign exchange reserves were greatly enriched, foreign exchange resources were still very precious. The waste, or loss, of US$10 million in foreign exchange resources was a very serious problem.

Zhao Liang felt that it was entirely possible to make a big fuss about the loss of foreign exchange. If Li Weidong was really labeled as a waste of tens of millions of dollars, then Li Weidong would definitely be miserable.

But this time, Zhao Liang was much more cautious. He didn't want to make the same mistake again and have another "Ghost Castle" incident.

So Zhao Liang began to read the contents of American newspapers from the same time period.

As expected, reports about the "Million Dollar Kid" appeared in the sports sections of many newspapers in the United States, and all newspapers were consistent in saying that Kobe, a high school player, would never become a great player and that he was simply not worth tens of millions of dollars.

The endorsement fees, these ten million dollars are like throwing money into water.

During that time, the American media's coverage of Kobe was indeed not very positive. High school students participating in the draft were already attracting gangsters. Coupled with the tens of millions of dollars in endorsement fees, the American media collectively looked down on Kobe.

Seeing that the reports of the American media were very consistent, Zhao Liang suddenly became ecstatic. With so many media saying the same thing, it couldn't be false!

Before 2000, China did not pay much attention to the NBA. At that time, CCTV only broadcast live the NBA All-Star Game and the Finals.

Moreover, before the Internet era, Chinese fans could not obtain real-time NBA information. At that time, many fans obtained limited NBA information from professional sports magazines.

In that era, a few clear photos in magazines and a written battle report were all the fans could know, and the rest was left to the fans to figure out.

Therefore, as a media person, Zhao Liang's understanding of the NBA is limited to knowing that there is a star named Jordan in the NBA.

For Zhao Liang, he learned from every experience and was cautious, so he decided to investigate again.

After all, Zhao Liang graduated from a prestigious university. He had several senior brothers who were currently studying in the United States. So Zhao Liang decided to call his senior brothers and ask them what was going on with Kobe, the "millionaire kid".

…

At a university in the United States, Liu Jing dragged his exhausted body back to his dormitory.

In the past few hours, he had been washing dishes in the back kitchen of a restaurant, and his back ached from exhaustion.

Like many Chinese international students, Liu Jing needs to work part-time to earn part of his living expenses, and washing dishes in a restaurant is probably the easiest job for Chinese international students to find.

Standing in front of the dormitory door and looking at the stars in the sky, Liu Jing was a little envious of those classmates who stayed in China.

I heard that there are a few who have done well and are now department-level cadres, and those who stay in school to teach have also been given professional titles and been assigned housing.

In contrast, although I came to the United States, I could only work and study part-time. I studied hard during the day and washed dishes in restaurants at night. It can be said that I had nothing.

"Just hang on. When I graduate and get my degree, I will be able to find a good job, and things will get better by then." Liu Jing sighed and walked into the dormitory.

As soon as he entered the door, the dormitory administrator stopped Liu Jing: "Liu, someone called you about two hours ago. He was a Chinese. He said he would call again in two hours. The time is almost up."

Liu Jing was worried that his family was looking for him, so he said, "Mr. Johnson, let me wait here!"

The dormitory manager said, "Liu, you should buy a mobile phone. It will be much easier for others to find you."

Liu Jing smiled awkwardly. For him, a mobile phone was still considered a luxury product. Even if he could afford it, the phone bill would be quite expensive. If he had that kind of money, it would be better to buy more delicious food.

After waiting for five or six minutes, the phone in the dormitory administrator's room rang. He picked up the phone, asked a few questions, handed the receiver to Liu Jing, and said at the same time: "It's for you."

"Thank you." Liu Jing immediately took the phone and said "I'm Liu Jing" in English. When he figured out that the other party was Chinese, he repeated it in Chinese.

"Brother, it's me, Zhao Liang! Zhao Liang from the Chinese Department! Do you still remember me?" Zhao Liang's voice came to mind on the phone.

Liu Jing thought about it for a long time before he remembered who Zhao Liang was.

"It turns out to be Zhao Liang! Why did you think of calling me? Have you come to the United States too?" Liu Jing asked.

"How can I not have the skills of my seniors to study in the United States? I am still in China, and I am now working as a reporter for the Nanzhou Metropolis Morning News."

Zhao Liang paused for a moment and then said, "Senior brother, it must be night over there. I'm calling you so late, so I won't disturb your rest!"

"No, Americans sleep late, and their nightlife is rich. At night, there are always some parties or dances. I just attended a party, so I came back late!" Liu Jing replied.

Domestic classmates and alumni are all envious of Liu Jing's ability to study abroad. They all believe that as long as he arrives in the United States, he has realized the so-called "American Dream" and lived a good life in a car and a house.

Due to his face, Liu Jing couldn't say that he had just cleaned hundreds of dishes and his back was sore from exhaustion. If he told his junior students in China that he was not as good as a dog in the United States, wouldn't it be a shame?

Sure enough, Liu Jing said that he was going to a party, and Zhao Liang on the other side of the ocean suddenly sighed with envy.

Although international long-distance calls are very expensive, Zhao Liang still asked after some greetings, "Brother, you should have watched NBA games in the United States, right?"

"NBA?" Liu Jing was stunned and secretly wondered why Zhao Liang mentioned basketball, but he still boasted: "I don't go to NBA games very often. I just go to two games when I have time."

"That's great! Brother, let me ask you about a player named Kobe Bryant. Do you know?" Zhao Liang then asked.

"Kobe Bryant, let me think about it..." Liu Jing deliberately made a long note, but thought to himself, even if I have free time, I will wash the dishes. I don't have the energy to pay attention to the NBA, and I don't have the time.

Get to know Kobe Bryant!

But if you don't know when you ask three questions, where will you save your face? Just after I said that, I went to watch two games when I had time. I've already boasted about it, how can I say I don't know!

Fortunately, there was a reinforcement nearby, Mr. Johnson, the dormitory administrator.

"Zhao Liang, wait for me. Someone is coming. I'll open the door and be right back."

Liu Jing said, quickly covering the microphone with his hand, and then asked the dormitory administrator next to him: "Mr. Johnson, there is a player in the NBA named Kobe Bryant, do you know?"

"Kobe? Is he that young man from Los Angeles? His dunks are outstanding!" Johnson, the dormitory administrator, said.

"Then is he good at playing?" Liu Jing asked again.

"Awesome? Can't even talk about it! He is now a substitute player for the Los Angeles Lakers!" Johnson replied.

"Substitute? If you can't even play in the starting lineup, you're just a rookie!" Liu Jing thought to himself.

He obviously has a wrong understanding of the level of NBA substitutes.

So Liu Jing picked up the microphone and said to Zhao Liang: "Hey, Zhao Liang, I'm back. Did you just say Kobe Bryant? I know this player is from the Los Angeles Lakers!"

"Yes, he is from the Los Angeles Lakers. Is he a good player? How does he compare with Jordan?" Zhao Liang asked again.

With Zhao Liang's knowledge of the NBA, he only knows one Jordan.

Liu Jing also knows about the NBA, but he still has to pretend to know.

So he immediately replied: "Are you kidding? Who is Jordan? He is the most powerful basketball player in the world. That Kobe Bryant is just a substitute player. How can he compare with Jordan!"

"It turns out they are just substitutes!" Zhao Liang asked again: "Then are the advertising fees for substitute players high?"

This again brings up Liu Jing’s knowledge blind spots.

In Liu Jing's opinion, substitutes are equivalent to rookies, and rookies are not worthy of advertising endorsements.

So Liu Jing continued to pretend to understand and replied: "I'm not a celebrity, so how can I have any advertising endorsements? Have you ever seen those unknown young actors in China, have anyone approached them for endorsements? Endorsements must be enough.

It’s only for big stars!”

"That's it! Thank you, senior brother!" Zhao Liang was already ecstatic in his heart.

With the endorsement of Liu Jing, a non-professional, Zhao Liang has already determined that this big label of wasting foreign exchange can be pinned on Li Weidong with certainty.

…

Zhao Liang was fully prepared and then found the director of the newspaper.

"Director, I have discovered a very good subject, which is definitely worthy of our in-depth report." Zhao Liang said with an earnest look.

"I mean, Zhao Liang, didn't I ask you to go to the reference room to reflect? Reporting news has nothing to do with you!" the director snorted coldly.

"Director, please listen to me first. I discovered a shocking fraud involving the loss of 10 million US dollars in foreign exchange!" Zhao Liang said quickly.

At that time, people's salaries were only a few hundred yuan, and 10 million U.S. dollars was definitely a shocking figure. So when Zhao Liang mentioned the figure "10 million U.S. dollars," the director instinctively became interested.

"Sit down and tell us in detail!" The director pointed to the chair in front of him.

Zhao Liang quickly sat down and said, "Director, foreign exchange is very precious. How many pairs of socks must be sold in our country to earn 10 million U.S. dollars, but I found that one company wasted 10 million U.S. dollars with just one word.

Dollars!”

Zhao Liang said, took out the report from the American media "Millions of Boys" and handed it to the director.

This time, Zhao Liang was very well prepared. He searched out all the newspapers that could report the news.

Seeing that so many American media reported on this matter, the director also felt that the news was true and credible.

"Let me tell you, Xiao Zhao, if an American player gets 10 million US dollars in endorsements, even if he doesn't live up to his name, what does it have to do with our country?" the director asked.

"Of course it has something to do with us. Director, look, this brand that sponsored 10 million U.S. dollars in endorsement fees is called Feiyue, and it's our country's Feiyue sneakers!" Zhao Liang said.

"Are you sure?" The director said with a puzzled look on his face: "It seems that this brand of sports shoes is no longer available on the market!"

"Director, I have specifically verified that Feiyue shoes were originally produced by Dafu Rubber Factory in China. Due to poor sales, Dafu Rubber Factory sold the brand to a private owner not long ago."

Zhao Liang continued: "This private owner is Li Weidong, the chairman of the Puppy Group. The sponsorship fee of 10 million US dollars was also paid by Li Weidong! In other words, it was Li Weidong who caused the loss of 10 million US dollars in foreign exchange!"

The director thought for a moment and then said, "Advertisement endorsements should be regarded as commercial activities. Even if the publicity effect is not satisfactory, it cannot be said that it is a loss of foreign exchange, right?"

Zhao Liang immediately explained: "Why is it not a loss of foreign exchange! These advertising endorsements are all for celebrities. I have already asked my senior in the United States to find out that this player named Kobe cannot be considered a star at all!

Now he can't even play as a starting player and is still a substitute in the team. There is no publicity effect in finding such a player to endorse! This is completely throwing money into the sea, and it is still 10 million US dollars in foreign exchange!

As the saying goes, good steel must be used on the cutting edge. Our country’s foreign exchange is so precious, and every penny of foreign exchange must be spent carefully. There are so many foreign advanced technologies and advanced equipment that require foreign exchange to introduce them. How can we use precious foreign exchange?

What a waste in a place like this!

If every enterprise is like this, you waste 10 million and I waste 10 million, then how can our country have the money to purchase advanced technology and equipment?

So I think this is worthy of our in-depth reporting! We media people should expose all these dark places so that the world can wake up and the bad guys can be punished!"

The director frowned. The topic of wasting 10 million US dollars in foreign exchange was indeed a gimmick, enough to attract many readers.

And as Zhao Liang said, the country's foreign exchange is very precious, and every penny is earned by selling cheap clothes and shoes, so foreign exchange must not be wasted!

The media has a supervisory role. As a conscientious media person, if you find that someone has caused the loss of 10 million US dollars in foreign exchange and do nothing, then you are really derelict in your duty.

What's more, this time, Zhao Liang has prepared sufficient information, which seems to be true.

So the director nodded: "Okay, Xiao Zhao, I'll give you another chance. But one thing I want to emphasize is that the authenticity of the news reports must be guaranteed. We can't make another fake news like the last ghost castle."

!”

…

In a certain restaurant in the United States, Liu Jing went to the bathroom while washing dishes.

There was a newspaper in the corner of the bathroom. Liu Jing glanced at it and found that it reported the latest vote counting results of the NBA All-Star Game.

Liu Jing subconsciously picked up the newspaper to see who had entered the All-Stars.

The All-Star vote leader is still Michael Jordan, which is completely expected.

While counting the Western Conference All-Star votes, Liu Jing saw a familiar name: Kobe Bryant!

"Kobe Bryant, isn't this the player Zhao Liang asked me about? With his current vote count, he can be an All-Star starter! Isn't he a rookie on the bench?"

Liu Jing suddenly felt guilty. He felt as if he had tricked Zhao Liang!

The update is delivered today. Thank you to all the parents for subscribing. Please give me a guaranteed monthly ticket!