Early morning, the air was fresh.
Especially near the water, where it left one feeling refreshed and at ease in both body and mind.
Mayor Xu, Lu Chengwen, and Old Ma strolled along the lakeside road, chatting as they went.
Mayor Xu wanted to mediate the conflict between Lu Chengwen and Old Ma and facilitate Binzhou's strategic transformation;
Old Ma naturally had plenty of issues, difficulties, and demands to raise... all of which Lu Chengwen and Mayor Xu were expected to resolve and assist with.
To put it bluntly, they were negotiating terms.
And Lu Chengwen knew he had thoroughly offended Old Ma.
Old Ma's words sounded modest and reasonable, but every sentence hid a blade. He wanted money!
If you didn't give me enough profit, what the hell kind of transformation were you talking about?
Had I agreed to this transformation? Did I give you permission to transform?
In Binzhou, if I didn't open my mouth, you could transform all you wanted. Even after ten thousand years, it would still be my, Old Ma's, territory!
Mayor Xu appeared impartial on the surface, but in reality, he was controlling both sides.
He was subtly speaking up for Lu Chengwen while also trying to tie Lu Chengwen down and get him to invest in Binzhou.
Lu Chengwen was somewhat distracted.
This was complete bullshit.
There was no way someone like Old Ma could be dealt with through this kind of heart-to-heart talk.
Unless you brought out real cash and filled his greed, he would never loosen his grip.
But Lu Chengwen could never agree to the things Old Ma had proposed.
Based on his so-called "difficulties," the transformation simply couldn't move forward. And even if it did, most of the benefits would still belong to them.
The entirety of Lishui Lake