The meeting ended, and Lu Chengwen strode back to his spacious office. Li Meiqin hurried after him. "Boss, we need to talk."
"Sure, let's talk. Shihan, coffee."
Sipping his coffee, Lu Chengwen faced Li Meiqin, who stood before his desk. "Boss, the shantytown project is almost guaranteed to lose money. With your judgment, you must see it's a massive pitfall. I don't understand why we're taking it on."
Lu Chengwen smiled. "How's the coffee?"
"Very good." Li Meiqin forced a smile. "I'm here for clarity. Please enlighten me."
He leaned back. "As the Buddha says, some things cannot be spoken."
"Huh?"
"Just do as I say. No matter the effort, we must secure this project."
Li Meiqin was stunned. This disaster of a project doesn't even need effort—throw money at it, and it's yours. Dasheng Group stepping in would be a godsend to everyone involved, like a fool with too much cash.
"And about the salary increases," she pressed, "we should phase them in gradually, aligned with local wage standards and national inflation rates. Such a huge jump will skyrocket our costs—"
"No discussion on that. Also, stop copying their short skirts. Wear what you want."
Jiang Shihan knocked and entered. "Mr. Lu, Mayor Zhao requests your presence at a 3 p.m. meeting at City Hall to discuss the shantytown redevelopment."
"Got it." Lu Chengwen glanced at Li Meiqin. "Time for the meeting."
At 3 p.m., in the City Hall meeting room, Lu Chengwen arrived five minutes late. Fortunately, Mayor Zhao was tied up and hadn't yet arrived.
The room was filled with familiar faces: Leng Qingqiu, CEO of Qianfeng Group; Xu Xuejiao, Executive VP of Houde Group; Chen Mengyun, CEO of Xiangyun Group. All four of Xuecheng's major families were represented, but none had sent their chairmen—only CEOs and VPs. Clearly, they shared the same strategy: this project was untouchable, so send the younger generation to take the heat.
As Lu Chengwen entered, Leng Qingqiu and Chen Mengyun stood simultaneously. Leng Qingqiu gave him a subtle smile.
He returned a polite nod, shaking her hand. "President Leng, it's been a while."
She smirked. Been a while? We just saw each other yesterday, you goof.
Chen Mengyun, irked by Leng Qingqiu's presence, also shook his hand. "President Lu, still as dashing as ever."
"President Chen, you look stunning today. Nice skirt."
As Lu Chengwen turned to greet Xu Xuejiao, she leapt up, startling him. Afraid she'd fall, he caught her instinctively. To his shock, Xu Xuejiao clung to him like a koala. Petite and light, with slender arms and legs, she wasn't heavy—but she was Houde Group's VP!
"What are you doing hanging on me in public!?" Lu Chengwen hissed.
"Get down!" he urged.
"Not until you kiss me," she teased.
"Stop messing around—people are watching!"
"So what?"
Leng Qingqiu, annoyed, slapped her files onto the table.
Xu Xuejiao ignored her, wrapping her arms around Lu Chengwen's neck. "Miss me?"
"I'd be thrilled if you'd stop trying to get me in trouble…"
At that moment, the secretary opened the door, and Mayor Zhao entered. "Sorry, everyone, I've been swamped. Let's get started."
Seeing Xu Xuejiao dangling from Lu Chengwen, he paused. "Mr. Lu, what's…"
Lu Chengwen quickly patted Xu Xuejiao's backside, and she slid down, blushing and sticking out her tongue before taking her seat.
Secretary Wu began, droning on about how the shantytown project was vital to the public good and the city's reputation. Its continued failure reflected poorly on city leadership and hindered Xuecheng's economic progress. He urged the groups to consider the greater good and take over the project.
When Wu finished, Mayor Zhao sighed. "You're all business elites, and I know your families. This project is a hot potato—complex and risky. But Xuecheng needs to overcome this hurdle. Whichever group steps up to fund and complete it will have the gratitude of the municipal government and Xuecheng's thirty million citizens. This is a monumental endeavor with lasting impact. I hope you'll see the bigger picture."
It sounded noble, but in reality, he was asking them to foot the bill and clean up the government's mess.
The room fell silent, with everyone exchanging wary glances.
Hu Shuhui, seated at the far end, spoke up. "Mayor Zhao, we're businessmen. We talk profit. Investing in a losing deal is like throwing our hard-earned money to the wind. Minghui Group won't touch this." He pointed at Lu Chengwen. "He's loaded! Everyone knows the Lu family, richest of the four major families, has wealth to rival nations. If he puts in the big bucks, I'll chip in a little."
Mayor Zhao turned to Lu Chengwen, who stood as his phone rang. "Sorry, everyone, I need to take this. I'll be right back."
The room erupted into a cacophony of excuses as other entrepreneurs spoke up, each with a different angle but the same message: We're not paying.
Some pleaded poverty, others cited difficulties, and some claimed ignorance of infrastructure projects. The reasons varied, but the refusal was unanimous.
Mayor Zhao's face grew darker with each speech. These ruthless capitalists, he thought. They're all smiles when asking for city concessions, but when their profits are at stake, they back off.
Secretary Wu tried to mediate, listing the benefits and support the city could offer, urging them to overcome obstacles and step up.
Zhao knew these sharks wouldn't budge, especially Hu Shuhui, whose remarks were the most abrasive. Every time he spoke, it boiled down to: Lu Chengwen's richer—let him pay.
The mayor slammed the table, silencing Hu Shuhui. "So, if someone else pays, you'll pay?"
"If Lu Chengwen pays, I'll pay! He's got way more money than me!"
Zhao pointed at Wu. "Note that down. Minghui Group will contribute if someone else does."
"Hey, I meant a small contribution!" Hu Shuhui protested.
Zhao glared at the room. "Anyone else?"
Once one person broke the silence, others felt pressured to follow. Angry glares shot toward Hu Shuhui.
Secretary Wu sighed in relief—a breakthrough at last. The mayor was sharp.
But the rest weren't pushovers. One by one, they echoed, "If Lu Chengwen invests, we'll invest. He's the richest."
Zhao stood. "I'll be back."
Lu Chengwen, just finishing in the restroom, ran into him. "Mayor Zhao."
"Chengwen, how's the family?"
"Thanks for asking. All good."
Zhao sighed. "No rush to head back. Walk with me."
They strolled through the small courtyard behind City Hall. Zhao spoke candidly. "Chengwen, what's your take on the shantytown project?"
Lu Chengwen didn't hesitate. "Your planning's flawed."
"Oh? How so?"
"That area used to be six villages. Now you want to connect it all into one big residential community. It's a huge plot—over two hundred buildings, new roads, upgraded sewers, supporting facilities…"
"What's the issue?"
"Everything's fine. You even planned a subway station. No problems there."
"Then what's the flaw?"
"You're missing a commercial hub."
Zhao blinked. "It's residential land, and it's not far from existing commercial areas."
"What's the point? Homebuyers look for schools, hospitals, parks—you've got those covered. But no commercial hub nearby? That's inconvenient."
Zhao fell into thought.
Lu Chengwen turned. "Shihan! The blueprints!"
Jiang Shihan, trailing behind, hurried over and pulled out the plans from her bag.
"Here, Mayor Zhao," Lu Chengwen said. "Your designs are solid, showing the city's commitment. But imagine this: a ring-shaped commercial city right here—entertainment, shopping, dining, a cinema, even a stadium for concerts. It wouldn't just transform the shantytown—it'd revitalize the entire northern district!"
Zhao's heart skipped a beat. The idea wasn't new—someone had suggested a small commercial zone to boost residency rates. But Lu Chengwen's vision was far bolder, claiming a massive swath of land with a single, sweeping gesture.
Zhao pondered, then sighed. "The residents won't agree. They want buildings and compensation."
Lu Chengwen said, "Calculate their demands and give me a number. I'll cover it. If you build it this way—redesign the blueprints, reroute the plans—the subway stations need to be expanded to cover more areas. The roads need to be multi-lane loops, with a dedicated highway entrance…"
Zhao stared at him, stunned by both his ambitious vision and his lack of complaints or excuses. From the blueprints Shihan carried, marked with Lu Chengwen's own notes, it was clear he'd been studying this project closely.
"If—and I mean if—we could revise the project to align with your vision, would you take it on?"
Lu Chengwen grinned. "Why else would I bother studying it?"
Zhao nodded. "Good. But that room full of people—I need you to handle them. Can you do it?"
Lu Chengwen clapped Zhao's shoulder with a smile. "Just watch me."
_
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