Chapter 14 Bewildered

Penguin Ma naturally felt a bit uncomfortable hearing Old Wang say that.

If someone suddenly told you that you were in big trouble, would you feel comfortable?

Any normal person wouldn't.

Let alone a successful entrepreneur like Penguin Ma.

Penguin Ma said gravely, "Mr. Wang, aren't you going too far with that statement?"

Old Wang paid no mind to the displeasure Penguin Ma displayed. He'd have you begging for mercy soon enough.

You're feeling so mighty now, but you'll realize the true nature of things when you understand who you've offended.

Your Shark platform is withholding streamers' tip money. I don't care if you do this often, but this time, you've withheld it from a girl named Xia Lin.

She's just a small streamer, that's nothing. But her brother is someone Elder Li personally traveled from Kyoto to meet in Modu. If this matter reaches the higher-ups, Elder Li will be the one calling you to account. You'd best be careful.

Old Wang hung up the phone after speaking.

Old Wang felt he had said all he needed to say and explained everything. He now needed to show off a bit and directly hung up on Penguin Ma's call. He had already warned Penguin Ma about the situation, and if Penguin Ma insisted on courting disaster, he couldn't help.

Penguin Ma was speechless. This Old Wang was too rude; didn't he even give me a chance to speak?

As for Elder Li personally holding him accountable, he was somewhat skeptical.

Could such a trivial matter trouble Elder Li?

This was hardly how you bragged.

Old Wang's habit of bragging indeed hadn't changed. Despite suffering so much these past few years, he still hadn't learned to restrain himself.

Just then, Penguin Ma's phone rang again. The incoming call was from an unknown number, originating from Modu.

Anyone who could reach his private number would surely know him or be able to get his number. Penguin Ma answered without delay.

"Hello, who is this?" Penguin Ma asked.

"Mr. Ma, hello. I am Qin Guomin from Modu," Qin Guomin said, first greeting him and then introducing himself.

Upon hearing this, Penguin Ma sat up straighter. He knew Qin Guomin; he was the deputy mayor of Modu. What did it mean to be the deputy mayor of Modu? That person was a direct liaison to Kyoto.

Furthermore, Qin Guomin was from the Qin family. Penguin Ma had no choice but to take him seriously.

"Hello, Deputy Mayor Qin. Do you have any instructions?" Penguin Ma asked respectfully.

"Mr. Ma, I wouldn't dare to give instructions. Shark platform is a live-streaming platform under your group. Today, they withheld a streamer's tip revenue. This girl is the sister of a distinguished guest. If you don't handle this properly, the higher-ups will directly speak with you. I've said all I can. Mr. Ma, you decide what to do. I won't disturb you further."

Qin Guomin hung up after speaking.

Penguin Ma held his phone, lost in thought. What Old Wang had said was true.

Suddenly, a chill crept from Penguin Ma's feet to his head. This was…

Penguin Ma had no time to think further and immediately dialed Old Wang's number.

"Mr. Ma, have you come to your senses?" Old Wang asked with a smile.

"Old Wang, you're being too formal. We're friends, aren't we? Give your little brother a heads-up," Penguin Ma said, a little flustered.

Before, when Old Wang called to say Elder Li might personally inquire, Penguin Ma hadn't really believed it. Now that Qin Guomin had also called, Penguin Ma couldn't help but believe it.

Who was Qin Guomin? He was a genuine high-ranking official. He wouldn't make a call like Old Wang to chat nonsense.

Besides, who among these big shots had nothing better to do than to tease him?

"Old Ma, I'm having some cash flow difficulties lately. Could you lend me some support?" Old Wang said shamelessly.

"How much?" Penguin Ma asked.

"Five hundred million," Old Wang said without a hint of embarrassment, asking for five hundred million right away.

This five hundred million was the funds he intended to give to his son, Young Wang Guo Min, to curry favor with Xia Feng.

Now, he was shifting this five hundred million to Penguin Ma.

Penguin Ma pondered for a long time without speaking. Old Wang continued, "You'll feel that this five hundred million was well spent in the future."

"Alright, I'll transfer it to you later," Penguin Ma finally made up his mind.

The main reason was that he didn't know who he had offended. Crucially, the matter had already involved the higher-ups, which made Penguin Ma somewhat worried.

Everyone made a living in this circle. If one could spend money to resolve a disaster, anyone would be willing.

Five hundred million was nothing to Penguin Ma, and he believed Old Wang wouldn't cheat him out of five hundred million.

"Mr. Ma is indeed generous. Shark platform froze the tips for a streamer named Lin'er. This is the key to solving the problem. If you handle this properly, no one behind the scenes will be implicated. Remember, you must take this seriously."

Old Wang finished with a reminder, after all, he was taking money and doing a job.

"Thank you, Old Wang. I'll treat you to drinks another day."

After a brief chat with Old Wang, Penguin Ma hung up and then had his assistant transfer five hundred million to Old Wang.

Penguin Ma gripped his phone, feeling indignant. Were the people at Shark platform out of their minds? Causing trouble for him for no reason.

He then immediately called Chen Dajie, the CEO of Shark platform.

"Hello, Mr. Ma. Hello," Chen Dajie said politely.

"Chen Dajie, are you tired of your job? If you are, just say so. Shut down the Shark platform and stop causing trouble for me!" Penguin Ma was very displeased after just transferring five hundred million.

"Mr. Ma, what has happened to upset you?"

Chen Dajie was completely bewildered. Why was he being scolded by the big boss for no reason?

He hadn't done anything recently. Shark platform was stable and actively responding to China's policies without any issues.

Why was Mr. Ma so angry?

Chen Dajie mentally considered several possibilities, but none of them involved causing trouble.

"No trouble? Then I'll tell you. Did you freeze the tip money for a streamer named Lin'er? That tip was from Young Master Wang and Young Master Qin from Modu. How dare you freeze her money?"

"All tips must be returned, not a single cent less. If this matter is not resolved to Lin'er's satisfaction, you can forget about your job."

Penguin Ma hung up without giving Chen Dajie a chance to explain.

Chen Dajie stared at his phone for a long time, then called his assistant and asked, "Go and check if Lin'er's tip money on the platform has been withheld, and also find out what happened."

The assistant nodded and retreated. He returned shortly, informing him, "Mr. Chen, Lin'er's money was withheld by Manager Li due to abnormal tipping."

"Summon him immediately," Chen Dajie said, feeling indignant.

So it was this bastard Li Shuang who got me into trouble, causing me to be scolded by the big boss for no reason.

Upon receiving the assistant's notification, Li Shuang quickly put down his work and came to Chen Dajie's office.

"Mr. Chen," Li Shuang said politely after entering Chen Dajie's office.

"What are you? Who gave you the authority to arbitrarily withhold streamers' tip money?" Chen Dajie, who had just been unfairly scolded by Penguin Ma, was already feeling angry. Now that the culprit had arrived, he pointed at Li Shuang's nose and yelled.

He couldn't do anything about Penguin Ma scolding him. Now that the instigator of this matter had appeared, Chen Dajie couldn't hold back.

Li Shuang, having just walked in, was being yelled at with Chen Dajie pointing at his nose. He was somewhat confused about the situation.

Withholding streamers' tip money, he didn't seem to have done such a thing.

Could it be about that streamer named Lin'er? He had indeed temporarily frozen her money, but it wasn't withholding; he had just found an excuse to freeze it.

Li Shuang was bewildered.

Did the boss also know about him freezing a streamer's tips?

And he seemed to be very angry about it.

Li Shuang mulled it over, organizing his thoughts to prepare his defense.

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