Rushing Headlong to Their Doom

Mayor Zhao quickly convened a short meeting.

Everyone from the city government was overjoyed.

Secretary Wu narrowed his eyes. "Lu Chengwen is clearly a miserly, unscrupulous businessman. Why is he being so generous today? He must be planning to make demands we can't accept."

Mayor Zhao nodded. "Naturally. Businessmen never get up early without profit to be made. But someone has to take on this project. Dozens of building frames have already gone up. We can't just leave them there to weather the wind and rain until they become public toilets!"

"Such a major change requires us to seek approval from the province."

"I'll handle that. You just need to keep Lu Chengwen steady. If the approval comes through and he refuses to pay, that'll be humiliating beyond belief."

"Yes."

Conference room.

Mayor Zhao returned to the conference room.

Secretary Wu resumed chairing the meeting and asked everyone to state their positions.

The result did not change at all. Everyone still hemmed and hawed, choosing only pleasant words while having no intention of contributing a single cent.

In the end, Hu Shuhui jumped out again. "Lu Chengwen, why do you leave to answer calls every time there's a meeting? You have no respect for Mayor Zhao at all! We've all stated our positions. You're the richest man in Xue City, so you pay the larger share, and we'll pay the smaller shares! State your position!"

Hu Shuhui had Lu Chengwen figured out.

He had just realized that by comparing himself to Lu Chengwen, he had dragged over a dozen companies into this mess. The only option was to maintain a united front: if Lu Chengwen paid, then they would pay.

They never needed to say that in the first place. Now, everyone wanted nothing more than to drag Hu Shuhui outside and beat him into a cripple.

So, to save face, Hu Shuhui could only cling to Lu Chengwen.

He was certain that Lu Chengwen would never pay.

Him? Just another black-hearted businessman.

If you asked him to speculate and profiteer, he had more tricks than anyone. But if you asked him to spend money on city construction—especially something that was obviously throwing money into a bottomless pit—he would never agree, even if it killed him.

If he refused, then no one else would have to pay.

Lu Chengwen looked around and smiled. "Is that what everyone thinks?"

A few people gave scattered responses.

Lu Chengwen laughed. "I grew up in Xue City. Xue City is my home, and its people are my fellow townsfolk. I, Lu Chengwen, may not have much else, but I do know how to write the words 'loyalty' and 'righteousness.' I still have some devotion to serving my country. For this project, the Lu Family will take the lead and take it over!"

The entire room erupted.

Leng Qingqiu's eyes widened in disbelief.

She had thought Lu Chengwen had merely been talking nonsense yesterday. No one would touch a business like this.

Chen Mengyun was equally astonished, while Xu Xuejiao narrowed her eyes, certain that Lu Chengwen was up to something.

Now, the dozen or so entrepreneurs could no longer sit still. They all began speaking at once, and the room descended into chaos.

Hu Shuhui angrily demanded, "Lu Chengwen, don't tell me you and Mayor Zhao colluded to set us up?"

The moment those words came out, everyone was startled and turned to look at Mayor Zhao.

Secretary Wu immediately snapped, "Hu Shuhui, what did you just say?! Did you even think before speaking?"

Hu Shuhui panicked as well. "Sorry, sorry, Mayor Zhao. I... I was anxious and spoke nonsense. But Lu Chengwen... he's a black-hearted businessman, far worse than I am. How could he possibly spend money on a losing deal like this? There must be a trick!"

Lu Chengwen said, "In business, profit comes first. That's true. I, Lu Chengwen, have never done a losing deal. But this shantytown redevelopment project is more than just business. As businessmen and entrepreneurs, when faced with matters of such importance, if all we think about is personal gain, our vision is too narrow. I see this project not as business, but as national planning, as people's livelihood, as a vital undertaking for urban construction, and as the only path toward our hometown's prosperity! Why have I worked so hard and counted every penny to make money? So that at a critical moment, I can give back to society and benefit my hometown!"

Mayor Zhao had remained as steady as a mountain, but now he took the lead in applauding. "Well said! If every entrepreneur possessed CEO Lu's awareness and vision, Xue City's development would surely rank among the nation's best! Everyone, give CEO Lu a round of applause!"

Everyone applauded reluctantly.

Sweat dripped from Hu Shuhui's forehead.

He had fallen into the pit just like that!? This lunatic wanted to die himself and drag all of them down with him?

"Lu Chengwen, your speech sounds passionate enough. Let me ask you this: how much are you putting in? Don't even mention anything under five billion. That wouldn't be nearly enough!"

Lu Chengwen snorted. "Look at that tiny vision of yours. Great Sage Group will invest at least fifty billion!"

The moment Mayor Zhao heard that, his eyes lit up. He turned to look at Secretary Wu.

Secretary Wu became excited too and nodded at Mayor Zhao.

The room exploded.

At first, everyone had thought Lu Chengwen would not pay a single cent.

Then they thought he was merely saying nice things, taking the lead, and symbolically putting in a little money to get by.

Fifty billion!

That was enough money to last a lifetime!

Secretary Wu hurriedly said, "Everyone, please quiet down. Ah, quiet down. We have all seen that CEO Lu is truly a model of Xue City's business community. This is truly help in a time of need, a generous contribution. We should all learn from his noble character—his love for the country, love for his hometown, and disregard for personal gain or loss."

Then he transitioned smoothly. "Since CEO Lu has stated his position, you all remember what you said just now, right? Please state your positions as well."

Everyone looked at Hu Shuhui. At that moment, they wanted nothing more than to skin him alive, tear out his tendons, chop him into pieces, and feed him to dogs.

Hu Shuhui was dumbfounded.

He did not understand. He completely could not understand.

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What was wrong with Lu Chengwen? Was he insane? Stupid? Demented?

How could anyone spend this kind of money? Was the Lu Family trying to get itself killed?

Lu Chengwen smiled. "President Hu, I have no other demands of you. I'll take all the major projects and construction work. You just need to spend a little money on charity."

"Huh? Charity? How... how do I do charity?"

"Like this. I'll give you two options. First, invest according to the ratio. I'll put in fifty billion, and you only need to put in five billion. If we make money, you'll receive a share according to that ratio. Second, we've planned more than two hundred public restrooms here. You can pay for all of them. At two hundred thousand each, the total will be around thirty million. Choose one."

Hu Shuhui was on the verge of tears.

For Lu Chengwen, fifty billion was no big deal. But if he put in five billion himself, it would definitely leave him badly hurt.

And there was a strong chance that money would go down the drain!

On one side was a five-billion venture investment. On the other was thirty million in charity.

Thinking of how the five billion might almost certainly vanish without a trace, Hu Shuhui gritted his teeth. "Fine! Words once spoken cannot be taken back! I'll build the shantytown restrooms!"

Just as Lu Chengwen and the others had expected, Hu Shuhui would rather lose thirty million on charity to avert disaster than spend five billion going crazy alongside Lu Chengwen.

Mayor Zhao was far too shrewd. The moment Hu Shuhui gave in, he immediately gave Secretary Wu a look.

Secretary Wu promptly walked over with an investment contract. "Very good, President Hu. Please sign here."

Hu Shuhui felt like crying.

What the hell was this plot? He had come to attend a meeting and ended up losing thirty million!

Wouldn't his father curse him to death when he got home?

Besides, Mayor Zhao and Secretary Wu were a pair of demons. Mayor Zhao was deeply calculating, while Secretary Wu acted with thunderous efficiency. The moment he gave in, they already had the contract prepared.

Without realizing it, Hu Shuhui had become a tool for Mayor Zhao and Secretary Wu.

At this moment, Hu Shuhui was practically being used as an example.

He had been the first to agree to pay, and now he was also the first to sign the contract.

With Hu Shuhui as the model, the rest could not escape.

Want to walk out of this conference room? See that? Thirty million was the starting price!

Hu Shuhui signed the contract, and his face turned green.

"Everyone, I've signed it! It's for the construction of our hometown! This is what I, Hu Shuhui, should do."

Mayor Zhao smiled and applauded again. "Let's thank President Hu. What admirable character."

Now, everyone else was dumbfounded.

Secretary Wu saw that the timing was right. Lu Chengwen had set the upper benchmark, and Hu Shuhui had established the lower limit. Next, they would go from largest to smallest, forcing each one to declare their contribution.

"President Xu." He looked at Xu Xuejiao. "Shouldn't Houde Group state its position too?"

Lu Chengwen smiled. "Mayor Zhao, Secretary Wu, there's no need to ask anyone else. I, Lu Chengwen, will cover all the funding for this entire shantytown redevelopment. If any friends in the business community are interested in buying shares, they can come talk to me. If they aren't interested, I won't force them. I only hope that when the Lu Family carries out this project, should we need help from any of you, everyone will lend us a hand."

Mayor Zhao was so moved he was nearly in tears.

In the past, everyone had cursed the eldest son of the Lu Family as a scoundrel, a black-hearted businessman who would not part with a cent, who was six times greedier than anyone when taking advantage, and who ran faster than a rabbit whenever real work needed to be done.

Today had truly shocked him.

He had been like a monk begging for alms, coercing and tempting everyone into paying to take over the project. Now Lu Chengwen had resolved everything by himself, sparing him from offending every major figure in the business world.

The other entrepreneurs were ecstatic too.

They did not have to pay!

Wonderful!

Hu Shuhui had turned people into ghosts, while Lu Chengwen had turned ghosts back into people!

Everyone sincerely stood up one after another to shake Lu Chengwen's hand and offer words of gratitude.

Lu Chengwen smiled as he exchanged pleasantries with each of them, carrying himself like a king.

Mayor Zhao also walked over and shook Lu Chengwen's hand with a smile. "Chengwen, on behalf of the municipal party committee, the city government, and Xue City's thirty million residents, I thank you!"

"You're too kind, Mayor Zhao."

At that moment, Leng Qingqiu suddenly stood up. "Qianfeng Group is willing to invest in the shantytown project. I hope CEO Lu will give us the opportunity."

One strange thing after another had happened today.

Lu Chengwen had rushed to his doom without tying anyone else to him or dragging anyone down, which had already left everyone feeling like their brains were not enough.

Now Leng Qingqiu had stepped forward too.

Someone was actually volunteering to jump into the pit!?

Leng Qingqiu continued, "But the Leng Family cannot produce too much cash right now. I hope CEO Lu won't look down on us."

It was one thing for Lu Chengwen to shoulder everything himself, but Leng Qingqiu voluntarily stepping forward before Mayor Zhao and Secretary Wu carried a completely different meaning.

Lu Chengwen froze where he stood, not knowing how to respond.

Mayor Zhao looked from Lu Chengwen to Leng Qingqiu.

He calculated inwardly: They were about to get engaged. It seemed husband and wife were of one mind. But could today's events really be that simple?

At that moment, Xu Xuejiao stood up too. "Brother Chengwen, why didn't you call me when you were doing a good deed? The Xu Family is willing to participate in the shantytown redevelopment project."

Dozens of heads in the room turned back and forth, all trying to find answers on someone else's face, yet all they saw was utter bewilderment.

Finally, Chen Mengyun stood up as well. "The Chen Family certainly won't stand by and watch. CEO Lu, please guide us in the future."

Lu Chengwen was dumbfounded.

What were they doing!?

Were they all serious?

Were they actually competing to rush headlong to their doom!?