A little after three in the afternoon, the briefing on the Guoxin case and the subsequent creditors' coordination meeting, held in the sixth-floor conference room of the Binhai First Intermediate Court, finally ended after a heated argument.
As the conference room doors opened, dozens of middle-aged and elderly men and women filed out. Their faces were a mixture of indignation and sullen gloom.
Yue Wangdao, his expression grave, walked slowly at the back of the crowd, accompanying Pan Lirong, who was leaning on a cane.
"Damn it," Yue Wangdao said resentfully. "I thought it was a surefire, high-return investment, but it turned out to be a trap. I took a huge hit."
"Years of hard work down the drain. I'm almost back to square one."
Pan Lirong offered some quiet comfort. "It could have been worse."
"When I first got the official news, I thought the investment would be a total loss. The fact that we can get back nearly a quarter of it is a pleasant surprise, all things considered."
