CHAPTER 620: CHAPTER 586: HAIDU PORT 3

"Say no more, I understand." Just as Lei Ran began speaking, his phone suddenly rang sharply, with "Lawyer Zhang" blinking on the screen, sinking his heart.

Connecting the call, Lawyer Zhang’s voice seemed cold and formal.

"Manager Lei, Hongxin Feed Factory, Ocean Cold Chain Logistics, and a few other companies you previously collaborated with have teamed up. As creditors, they have filed for bankruptcy liquidation against Sea Star Company at the Haidu Middle Court, citing ’obvious lack of solvency and inability to pay off due debts.’ The court has already accepted the filing, and the first hearing will be held in three days. Documents will soon be delivered to the company. As the current person in charge, you need to..."

Lei Ran didn’t catch a single word after that.

"Bankruptcy... liquidation?" he murmured, repeating it as if the words were as light as a feather, yet they crushed the last bit of strength he had.

"...Yes. Creditor’s application doesn’t require debtor’s consent. Once accepted, a manager will take over the company..."

The phone slipped from Lei Ran’s hand, hitting the dust-covered floor with a "thud."

The sound wasn’t loud, yet it exploded like thunder in everyone’s hearts.

The creditors have filed a lawsuit.

The company could go bankrupt.

He wanted to say something, but his throat seemed filled with seawater, salty and suffocating...

Filing the lawsuit and processing the case takes time. Even if the case is filed successfully, the hearing wouldn’t be scheduled so quickly. Could it really be held in three days? They must have pulled some strings to simplify the procedure.

The logistics matter was understandable, just ordinary business relations, and with the company not settling accounts for a long time, their anxiety was justified.

But Hongxin Feed Factory shouldn’t have done this!

Four years ago, they too faced financial difficulties, and at that time, Sea Star didn’t hit them when they were down but extended a hand of support, lending them a significant sum to tide over.

This time, they couldn’t even show a little consideration?

Is human warmth truly so fleeting and cold?

More painful than anything—it was his decade of hard work, their fortress, built with gritted teeth, now as fragile as paper before the law?

Lei Ran looked up at the weary, despairing faces etched with the heavy burden of life before him. Old Zhang’s graying hair, Xiao Wang’s swollen eyes, Old Li’s tightly pressed lips...

Must he pull them down with him into this cold seabed grave shared by President Jiang’s disappearance and a hopeless future?

An indescribable exhaustion and a vast sense of relief swept over him.

Enough...

He took a deep breath, his shoulders instantly slumped, his voice heavy and tired, yet carrying a calmness of giving up the struggle: "Let’s... go."

Old Zhang looked up sharply: "Xiao Lei?!"

"The company... is finished." Lei Ran forced a smile more pained than tears, bending down to pick up the phone from the ground, the screen now cracked like a web, "Lawyer Zhang’s call... The partners have sued us, filed for bankruptcy liquidation... The court has filed... hearing in three days..."

Deathly silence.

Complete deathly silence!

Even the sound of the waves outside seemed to disappear.

"Let’s go," Lei Ran repeated, his voice hollow, "before the caretaker comes to take over... pack up, find new paths. As for salaries..." he paused, crushing shame nearly choking him, "I... I’ll try to find a way, see if it’s still possible..."

"Manager Lei!" Xiao Wang cried out, covering his face.

Old Zhang’s cloudy old tears finally rolled down: "What a sin..."

Lei Ran waved his hand, signaling them to leave; he needed to be alone.

Ten years, gone in vain.

For the return of a father, for trust to stay, only for this to be the outcome in the end?

Just as this suffocating despair enveloped him like a leaden cloud, the phone with the cracked screen miraculously vibrated again.

It was an unfamiliar number.

Who could it be this time?

What bad news was it going to bring?

He no longer cared.

With the company facing bankruptcy, what worse news could there be than this?

He mechanically, with a near self-destructive indifference, swiped to answer the call.

"Hello?" His voice was hoarse and dry, like sandpaper scraping.

On the other end, however, came a voice completely different from what he expected.

Clear and gentle, yet carrying an undeniable penetrative force, as if piercing through the gloom in the room: "Hello, is this Manager Lei Ran of Sea Star Company? I’m Yan Yueqing, President Jiang’s daughter."

Lei Ran bounced up suddenly from the limp sofa!!!