Chapter 16 Procrastination

Yang Yi ran towards the building, but as he was about to enter the range of the surveillance cameras, he suddenly slowed down his pace. Then, at the very moment when the camera could capture him, he began to walk into the building at a normal pace.

His mind was racing, Yang Yi had to come up with a suitable method to keep Wayne Rushford around, but so far, he had no surefire plan.

Yang Yi saw Wayne Rushford; he was standing in front of the elevator, and the elevator's indicator had reached three. In a few seconds, the elevator doors would open.

Taking a deep breath, Yang Yi suddenly called out loudly, "Mr. Rushford!"

Wayne Rushford turned his head to look at Yang Yi, who put on an expression of surprise and said loudly, "Konichiwa, Mr. Rushford, I didn't expect to see you here, what a coincidence."

Wayne Rushford wore a look of utter bemusement, but he nodded politely anyway, while Yang Yi approached him with a delighted expression. However, the two men behind Wayne stepped forward, blocking Yang Yi's path.

With a slight look of displeasure on his face, Yang Yi stopped, then turned to Wayne Rushford and said with a somewhat forced smile, "It seems you don't remember me, Mr. Rushford."

The elevator doors had already opened. Wayne Rushford glanced at the open elevator, then back at Yang Yi, whose face showed some displeasure. In the end, he did not enter the elevator but instead said to Yang Yi with a puzzled face, "I'm terribly sorry, but who are you?"

Yang Yi spread his hands and smiled, "Just the day before yesterday, in Hannover, Germany, at the International Machine Tool Exhibition welcome reception. There were so many people, you probably don't remember me."

Wayne Rushford immediately made a very apologetic face, then he opened his mouth wide and said, "Oh, indeed, there were too many people then. I'm really sorry, I didn't recognize you."

A smile immediately appeared on Yang Yi's face as he bowed to Wayne Rushford and then said with a laugh, "My name is Nakamura Toyokazu, General Manager of Japan Komatsu Precision Machinery Co., Ltd., and Vice-President of the Japan Machine Tool Builders' Association. I am very fortunate to meet Mr. Rushford here."

Wayne Rushford was rather surprised internally; he was in a hurry to return to his office, but looking at Yang Yi, he did not feel it would be polite to simply turn and enter the elevator.

Wayne stretched out his hand and shook hands with Yang Yi, then smiled, "I'm delighted to meet you here."

Wayne Rushford had intended to exchange pleasantries and then leave, but Yang Yi said seriously, "Mr. Rushford, visiting you was actually part of my itinerary, but I have yet to formally request a meeting, and now I have run into you here, which is indeed my good fortune."

Wayne Rushford glanced at his watch subconsciously, then made a welcoming gesture and said with a smile, "My office is upstairs. Why don't we talk there?"

Yang Yi looked towards the entrance of the building, then said with a troubled expression, "I'm sorry, Mr. Rushford, my companions have not arrived, and if I leave, they won't be able to find me. How about you go ahead, and I'll come up to visit you after they arrive?"

Yang Yi was worried that Wayne would just walk away, and indeed Wayne wanted to leave, but in the end, he smiled and said, "Well then, what is it that you wanted to discuss with me?"

Relieved internally, Yang Yi then said to Wayne with a smile, "Yes, Mr. Rushford, I wanted to discuss a potential acquisition plan with you."

Thanks to John Jones's caution, thanks to Kate's meticulousness and prudence, Yang Yi, although currently wearing a T-shirt and jeans with nothing business-like at all, still appeared to be in his thirties due to the make-up.

He looked much older because he was wearing make-up, which had been done by Jenny before leaving the house every day, a preparation that was always necessary.

Yang Yi pondered how to continue the conversation at the elevator entrance, instead of rejecting Wayne's invitation to go upstairs to the office for a more detailed discussion.

After a moment's thought, Yang Yi finally said in a low voice, "Mr. Rushford, I am here in the United Kingdom because we are looking for a suitable partner to complete a business acquisition. If you are interested, could you please set a time for us to discuss in detail? As you can see, I am not in a proper state for an official visit today."

Yang Yi bowed again, then he shook his T-shirt with his hand and said apologetically, "I am truly sorry, I hope you will excuse my presumptuousness."

Wayne was really a little confused, but he was eager to know what business Yang Yi wanted to discuss with him.

"Mr. Nakamura Toyokazu, I'm available right now. If there is something you would like to discuss, we can do it now; my office is just upstairs."

Yang Yi said with a troubled face, "I'm sorry, Mr. Rushford, my visit involves the Japan Machine Tool Industry Association, and it is related to a major business matter. It's not appropriate for me to meet with you alone. I just happened to see you, and couldn't help but greet you."

Although Wayne Rushford was very surprised, he was even more curious to know what was about to happen, because in the world of business warfare, sometimes being a few minutes ahead of others in getting information can determine the success or failure of a business battle.

"That's fine, Mr. Nakamura Toyokazu, I look forward to your visit. May I ask what matter you and your associates wish to discuss with me?"

Yang Yi hesitated for a moment, then nodded with a smile and said, "It's about the acquisition of a German machine tool company, Mr. Rushford. Are you familiar with Weiss Machine Tools?"

Wayne Rushford thought for a moment, and then said, "Yes, I know them. That company is on the brink of bankruptcy."

Yang Yi nodded and said gravely, "We want to acquire Weiss Machine Tools."

Wayne's eyes widened in surprise as he said, "Your company wants to acquire Sis Machine Tools?"

Yang Yi seemed to regret the words he had just let slip, but after a moment's hesitation, he still smiled and said, "Actually, it's not our company that wants to acquire it, but our Machine Tool Industry Association that wants to acquire it."

Wayne spread his hands, making an utterly baffled gesture, and then looked at Yang Yi with a confused expression.

As long as he could delay the time, Yang Yi could say anything, so once again he appeared somewhat distressed and said, "Well, it's not that big of a secret, I can tell you that we don't really want to acquire Sis Machine Tools. Rather, it's to prevent the Huaxia people from acquiring the company. As you know, the Huaxia's machine tool industry has advanced very quickly in recent years. Although it can't pose a great threat to us for the time being, if the Huaxia people get the technology of the Sis Company, that's not something we would like to see."

Wayne made an expression of sudden realization, nodding his head repeatedly, "I can understand, I can understand."

Yang Yi continued, "We are willing to invest to disrupt the Huaxia's acquisition, but we don't need to purchase Sis Company. Anyway, as long as the Huaxia people don't get it, that's fine by us."

Wayne Rushford adopted a listening posture, but at this moment Yang Yi felt that enough time had probably passed and it seemed unnecessary to delay any longer.

Just as Yang Yi was thinking of a way to end the conversation, he heard Kate saying from behind him, "Yes, I've come in. What, you're coming to find me? Alright, I'll wait for you downstairs. How long do you need? Can you make it down in five minutes?"

Kate's voice alternated between soft and loud, diminishing as she walked past Yang Yi, speaking on the phone.

This was Kate's way of reminding him that he needed to delay for another five minutes.

Yang Yi let out a sigh of relief. With a thoughtful expression, he lowered his head and then raised it, looking at Wayne, "Mr. Rushford."

He glanced behind him subconsciously, as if afraid of being seen by someone, then Yang Yi lowered his voice, "Are you interested in our acquisition plan?"

Wayne laughed, "Usually, I wouldn't engage in a doomed acquisition, but, everything has its price, right?"

Yang Yi nodded with a smile and then immediately whispered, "I have a friend who told me I could look for you."

Wayne raised his eyebrow, "And your friend is?"

Yang Yi smiled and continued in a low voice, "Though it's neither formal nor quite the appropriate setting, I think this is a good opportunity. So, would you like to know our bidding limit?"

Wayne's eyebrows raised again, and with a knowing look, he said, "Of course."

Yang Yi whispered, "Then how much of a reward can I get?"

"Ten percent, I think that's reasonable. What do you think?"

Yang Yi pondered for a moment, then quickly said, "That's a reasonable figure. So, Mr. Rushford, tomorrow our association will send a meeting request to you and bid five million Euros. Our limit is ten million Euros. I will do my best to ensure the deal is made with your company."

Wayne Rushford also lowered his voice, smiling, "Then you're looking at a gain of five hundred thousand Euros."

A satisfied smile appeared on Yang Yi's face, and then he whispered, "Mr. Rushford, we have never met today, have we?"

"Of course, we have never met alone."

Yang Yi took a breath and then softly said, "Then, I look forward to our meeting. I take my leave."

After shaking hands with Wayne, Yang Yi turned and walked towards the exit of the building, while Wayne's bodyguard casually pressed the elevator button again and stepped in.

Once his two own bodyguards had also entered the elevator, Wayne's mouth twitched, and he muttered low, "What a cunning fellow."

Yang Yi walked out of the building, then his heart began to race, and sweat broke out uncontrollably, drenching his T-shirt.

He got back into his car, then immediately, unable to wait, said, "How did it go? Speak up, don't text!"

Daniel whispered, "It's all taken care of."

At that moment, Kate too returned to the car, and the first thing she also did in a hurried voice was, "How did it go, did you clear the traces? Speak, don't text!"

"Done."