"What exactly is going on?" I asked .

"As I've already mentioned, they haven't been getting paid for two months now . They were waiting for the 500,000 your father promised and for you to save them . "

"What's with the 500,000?" 

"You don't know?" he asked, eyes wide and disbelieving .

"What am I supposed to know? I only know that these calls are overheating my phone and that I know less about this hopeless factory than you guys . "

"You graduated from Beijing University, right? Marketing? Managed finances in a high-end company, yearly salary of a million?" Gla.s.ses asked .

"Yes, I'm from there but I am still an undergraduate . The rest of what you said is not true . Did my dad tell you that?"

Gla.s.ses shook his head . "He took the last 500,000 from the company . He said it was for you to bring the company back up again . "

"What a joke . Why did you guys let him take it so easily?"

"He said you're earning a million a year and that the 500,000 is to be placed in suitable investments . Plus, he's our boss, so why would we doubt him? You're our last hope now that you're here," he stated .

"Hold on . Do you not understand? He took the last 500,000 and ran away, leaving me with his position . "

"This . . . can we get it back? That money is for our salary . What should

we do?" Gla.s.ses asked worriedly .

"He's been gone for almost a day now, do you really think we can still find him? He told me not to look for him and he will do the same," I relayed, looking out of the windows . The workers were striving hard .

"We're doomed then?" Gla.s.ses plopped down onto a white sofa at the side .

"How long have you been here for, Gla.s.ses?"

"Since 2007, the first year of operation . I've been here for about 10 years now . Who would've known that the company will fall into such a state . . . " he sobbed spasmodically, wiping his face with his sleeve .

"Things aren't as bad as they seem . We can continue selling the cars, right?" I asked .

"Yes . You're a high-performing marketing student, aren't you? You'll know what to do, won't you? You're our savior!" Gla.s.ses stood up and looked at me hopefully .

"I'll need to know how big the hole is . . . " I answered .

"You're saying we need more fundings, right? But your dad's taken the last bit away and we really have nothing to fork out anymore . There's no way . . . " he mumbled anxiously .

I fished my phone out and waved it in front of him . "Those calling me . . . what banks are they from and how much does the company owe them? Give me the exact numbers . "

"I have a book . Hold on," he said, rummaging through the cabinets .

He read aloud the contents of a small notebook, "A total of 13,630,000, which is considered little, thanks to the stores and factories that were being put up as collateral . Amidst the total, 10,000,000

10,000,000 are loans from respective banks like Central Bank, China Construction Bank, Field Bank and Industrial, and Commercial Bank of China . 3,000,000 was borrowed from a loan shark . I manage this side really strictly but your father had managed to borrow it somehow from someone called Brother Luan, a mafia boss . If we don't return it as soon as possible, this factory is going down in a matter of days . "

I turned my phone on, much to Gla.s.ses' surprise . He asked, "Why would you do that? Are you not afraid of those calls?"

I shook my head, frustrated . "I need to settle them before I can think about making money . "

I called each bank up accordingly .

"Hi, this is Central Bank . "

"I'm the legal representative of Roadcat," I greeted .

"Hold on while I transfer your call to my manager . "

Minutes pa.s.sed .

"Hi, sir . Under your company's name, a loan of an estimated four million is due . Our final warning letter's been sent out more than ten times and we've already taken legal action . . . "

"I understand and I am ready to negotiate . Can you suspend the case for now?" I requested .

"A huge sum of money is involved and your company is in decline . We cannot possibly take such a big risk . Please understand our position . "

"It's like this . We have an acc.u.mulated debt of over 13,000,000, from four banks in total . I've managed to convince the other three banks . Please suspend the case or there's no way I can make a single cent appear . You banks won't get much from me by turning it into a court case, but I can guarantee that if you suspend it, I

it, I will return the minimum sum to your bank every month . "

Gla.s.ses grabbed my arm, possibly to chide me, but I made a 'shush' gesture to him . He fell silent but his grip on my arm remained tight, he had no intention of letting go .

"You're saying that if we suspend the case, you'll repay the minimum sum? That would be 60,000 a month . I'll help you make an appeal if you can guarantee that . "

"Thank you for your hard work . I'll make sure that the money gets to you on the first of each month . " I hang up .

Gla.s.ses exploded . He let go of my arm and shouted, "No, you're lying to them! How are we supposed to gather 60,000 a month? And the other companies . . . they never agreed to suspend the case!"

I called up the second bank, China Construction Bank .

Before the line connected, I said, "Am I not calling them up now? Shut it if you want the company to live . "

As if understanding something, he took out a pen and paper to jot down the sum to be returned each month .

After conversing with all four banks, Gla.s.ses raised his list . "We'll need 150,000 by the next month to save the company . "

"Isn't this a lot simpler now? And the loan shark, Brother Luan . Do you have his number?"

Gla.s.ses fiddled with his phone for a few seconds before handing it over to me .

"What's up?"

"Hi, Brother Luan, I'm Lu Ba's son, Lu Qiao . I'm here to repay Roadcat's debt so can you please ask your men to stop calling me?"

"You're willing to pay 3,400,000?"

"I don't have it now but I can return it on the first of the next month . How about that?"

"Have you gone silly? Or are you planning to sell away your last factory and two stores?"

"I can manage it without selling anything . I just hope you can give me until the next month . "

"You said you're Lu Ba's son? Are you that remarkable?"

"I have no other choice . I can't produce anything if you rush me like that," I responded .

"3,500,000 next month, then . Miss a 100,000 and you'll be missing a finger . I'll have your right arm if you can't keep your end of the bargain . I'll keep my promise and I won't call you until then . "

"Thanks . Oh right, my dad's fingers . . . you chopped them?" I asked .

"Glad you know . I'll see you in your factory in a month's time . " He hung up .

Gla.s.ses echoed fearfully, "3,650,000 in 20 days?"

"It's not that bad," I said with a bitter smile .