Chapter 182: What Did I Do Wrong?

"Great! Well said!"

"Exactly, these useless associations here are always so proactive about collecting dues, but when something actually happens, you never see them do anything!"

"Mr. Black, well done! We support you!"

After Carter's three consecutive questions, Bolson didn't even have a chance to respond before he was startled by the sudden, deafening cheers from the surrounding crowd.

Looking around in bewilderment, Bolson realized that while the people cheering for Carter were mostly ordinary citizens, particularly the unemployed ones, none of the restaurant owners from the Culinary Association were voicing support. The problem was… they weren't opposing him either!

"Mr. Black, I admit what you say makes sense, but you can do these things because you have money, and many of these things have nothing to do with the culinary industry! You have the massive financial backing of your bank, so you can release funds. This isn't fair! You just talked about fairness, didn't you? If we are to compare, you should let Forest Bank give us loans too, then—"

Sensing the shift in public opinion leaning towards Carter, Bolson hastily tried to exploit a flaw in Carter's argument. Of course, he avoided mentioning the inherent unfairness of comparing an individual to an association.

"Then what? Forest Bank hasn't issued loans?"

What began as a speech had nearly turned into a debate. While winning against Bolson might not bring immediate benefits, it could significantly undermine the Pearson Culinary Association's credibility—something Carter was strategically aiming for, as Raebodin had predicted.

"For your information, the original Forest Bank has already gone bankrupt trying to handle this crisis. Did you not know?"

After a loud shout, Carter turned and pointed to Forest Bank's manager, William:

"Mr. William, please come up here. Tell everyone what Forest Bank has done for Pearson during this crisis."

"Alright!"

Surprised by the sudden call, William was momentarily at a loss but quickly regained composure. With years of managerial experience and familiar faces around, he quickly joined Carter, took the microphone, and said:

"Everyone, Mr. Black is correct! Since last November, as Pearson's unemployment rate climbed, we at Forest Bank have issued over $2.89 million in excess personal mortgage loans. Additionally, we have fulfilled withdrawal demands, completing over $800,000 in deposit payouts."

"Mr. Bolson, please do not say Forest Bank hasn't contributed to this crisis. We've done everything within our power, even to the point of jeopardizing our operations to help everyone."

"At least, we haven't let people go hungry, right? During these hard times, even applicants with flawed credit histories were not discriminated against. We approved their loans to help them sustain their lives."

"That's right! My neighbor had a delinquency record from three years ago. Typically, banks wouldn't lend to such defaulters, but he still got a loan from Forest Bank a month ago!"

William's words resonated with Pearson's citizens. Suddenly, many previously inexplicable actions began making sense.

"I never realized! I applied just to try my luck because I couldn't go on and didn't want to borrow from friends. Even though the loan was only $1,000, now I understand."

"Exactly, my coworker, poor little Smith, also got a loan from Forest Bank! His family was about to starve last month, and the supermarket could hardly pay wages."

"You mean that drunk Smith's son?"

"Yes, him."

···

···

"Sir, did you hear what Manager William said? Are you still blaming the bank for not releasing loans to stimulate market consumption?"

Listening to the buzz of discussions around him, Carter took the microphone back from William, whispering a thank you, and then turned back to address the crowd with a calm yet assertive tone:

"Are you at a loss for words? Let me step back. You say you don't have the money to do things, but why are you complaining?"

His tone shifted at the end, from calm to firm.

"Yes, I have money now! But I earned it legitimately, and I'm using real money to help everyone. Isn't that better than just talking?"

"You claim we take 20% of each store's shares and feel it's unfair, that we do nothing."

"But let me tell you, in California, Texas, and Kansas, we are building three high-standard, 10,000-square-meter cold storage facilities. In Tennessee and Illinois, we are establishing two modern processing centers, all under construction. In Arkansas and Iowa, we've invested over a million dollars in security deposits, signing agreements with food suppliers to secure the lowest prices for you and for us."

Interestingly, Carter felt a surge of momentum while listing HT Company's projects and efforts. Each fact strengthened his argument, his voice growing louder and more powerful with each point.

"These efforts and facilities, do they not cost money? Don't they justify a 20% share?"

"And even if we gave you all the shares, do you have the funds to open stores in big cities? Don't my loan costs matter?"

Carter sighed, speaking in a tone that conveyed both frustration and a sense of selfless sacrifice:

"To help you open stores and overcome your current difficulties, I've invested over ten million dollars, and there are more than ten million dollars in loan support available for you from Forest Bank."

"I've given so much already, and I only ask for 20% of the shares. What did I do wrong?"