After leaving the conference room, Mayor Zhao grabbed Lu Chengwen's hand, his excitement impossible to conceal.
"Cheng Wen, we really have you to thank today! You saved this old face of mine. Now I can finally give an account to the province, my colleagues, and the good people of Xue City."
"Oh, it was... it was nothing."
Lu Chengwen's mind was still overloaded. He was still trying to figure out what exactly had happened today.
Mayor Zhao could tell that Lu Chengwen was distracted, so he did not say much more.
He merely leaned closer. "This year's honor will definitely be yours, so be prepared. I'll have the blueprints approved by the higher-ups as soon as possible—very soon. And if you need anything, just tell me. We'll establish a dedicated shantytown task force specifically to work with Great Sage Group. I promise you, every bit of Great Sage Group's work on the municipal Party committee and city government side will get the green light! We'll clear the way for you."
"Thank you, Mayor Zhao. Thank you, Secretary Wu."
Secretary Wu smiled. "CEO Cheng, Mayor Zhao is sincerely grateful to you. Come by more often in the future and keep the leaders company."
"Yes, yes, of course."
Lu Chengwen walked out of the building in a daze. Zhao Gang opened the car door for him, and Lu Chengwen stood there, looking back at the towering city government building. It felt as though he had just woken from a dream.
The final investment breakdown:
The Lu Family invested fifty billion; the Xu Family invested twenty billion; the Chen Family invested twelve billion; the Leng Family invested 4.9 billion.
Total: 86.9 billion.
Additionally, Hu Shuhui donated thirty million in the name of his group for the construction of all public restrooms in the shantytown.
Sure enough, it happened quickly—so quickly that Lu Chengwen could hardly believe it. The provincial approval came through that very afternoon.
The moment the provincial leaders heard that someone had taken over the shantytown project, with all Four Great Families contributing more than eighty billion, they immediately put aside all other work and summoned the relevant personnel for discussion.
Not only were the blueprints approved, but a professional advisory team was also sent over to discuss the specifics and make the final decisions.
Golf course.
Lu Guanghong, Leng Tianhao, Xu Zhiyun, and Chen Qingbin, the four big shots, were playing golf.
Lu Guanghong swung and hit a beautiful shot, looking thoroughly pleased with himself.
"It has been a long time since the four of us got together like this, hasn't it?"
Leng Tianhao stood to one side in gloves, organizing his clubs. "Cut the crap. Aren't we all just hiding out here for some peace and quiet?"
Xu Zhiyun burst out laughing. "Can't be helped. Mayor Zhao has been looking everywhere for someone to take over that mess of an old city renovation project. We can hide for as long as we can!"
Chen Qingbin smiled. "Putting that aside, Old Lu, your boy has been doing pretty well lately. I heard he quietly acquired another high-tech company. That kid will get involved in any business, won't he? Does he even understand high tech?"
Lu Guanghong's expression darkened.
The other three families all had industries passed down from their ancestors. In other words, their ancestors had been wealthy.
Only Lu Guanghong had built his fortune from nothing.
He had started his business in his twenties, brought Great Sage Group into the ranks of Xue City's top enterprises in his thirties, and by his forties, Great Sage Group had become a giant across the entire Northern Country.
Unfortunately, he had fallen seriously ill when he was in his fifties.
Otherwise, he truly would not have felt at ease handing the business over to Lu Chengwen.
Oddly enough, though, Lu Chengwen was an uncultured good-for-nothing, yet he had a real knack for business. He rarely lost out and almost always came away with the advantage.
The father and son had plenty of money, but neither had much education.
That was why the other three families had always mocked and ridiculed them, openly and behind their backs.
Those families were aristocrats, rich for generations. The Lus, on the other hand, came from the mud, and they looked down on them.
Lu Guanghong snorted. "What the hell is high tech? Every high-end business is still run by people, isn't it? Are princes and generals born to their stations? Sooner or later, my son will buy up every company owned by those self-important, useless fools who think they're so noble."
The other three exchanged glances, each of them feeling a measure of disdain.
You have money, sure, but culture is your weakness.
More importantly, there was pedigree! We are aristocrats. No matter how rich you become, we still see you as a nouveau riche.
Hmph!
Chen Qingbin said, "No matter what, the shantytown project is absolutely untouchable. Whoever touches it dies. Your young heirs should all understand that."
Xu Zhiyun said, "Of course. You people even sent your presidents to the meeting. Our family sent my youngest daughter, the Vice President. Heh. Mayor Zhao will definitely understand what I meant."
Leng Tianhao took a swing, then cursed in frustration, "Damn ball!"
He tossed the club to the caddie. "I did hear Cheng Wen say that he planned to take this project."
"Him?" Lu Guanghong laughed. "I know my son. He's craftier than a little monkey. He won't let something that unlucky touch him."
At that moment, Long Aotian walked over from afar, with Hua Xuening beside him in athletic wear.
Leng Tianhao smiled. "Let me introduce a promising young talent—Long Aotian. He just returned from the borderlands and has quite a head on his shoulders."
Long Aotian smiled. "This junior greets the Patriarchs of Xue City's Four Great Families."
Lu Guanghong glanced at him. "Isn't this the kid who caused trouble at my house the other day? Leng Tianhao, why did you bring him to your side?"
Leng Tianhao smiled. "I've needed a piece of land lately, and he has helped me quite a bit. He's a capable man."
Lu Guanghong snorted. "When you need something done, why not ask your future son-in-law? Why find an outsider?"
"My future son-in-law?" Leng Tianhao wiped down his club. "Can I count on him? He's stingy as hell. I'm starting to wonder whether my daughter should even get engaged to him."
Lu Guanghong said unhappily, "Old Leng, what do you mean by that?"
"What do I mean?"
Leng Tianhao smiled. "Whoever can get me that land gets engaged to my daughter. That's what I mean! Your son is arrogant as hell. He doesn't give me any respect at all."
Lu Guanghong was fuming inside, silently cursing his son for being such a disappointment.
"I'll deal with his matters. I'll talk to him when I get back."
Long Aotian smiled at that moment. "There is news. Quite a surprise, actually."
"What news?"
Lu Guanghong did not take it seriously and was just about to swing.
Long Aotian smiled. "CEO Lu, Lu Chengwen, announced at the meeting that he would invest fifty billion into the development and construction of the shantytown."
Lu Guanghong swung his club out and fell straight to the ground.
The other three old men rushed over to help him up. Each looked delighted by his misfortune, barely able to hide the smiles on their faces.
Xu Zhiyun laughed. "Old Lu, why get so worked up? Your son is a man of great talent and vision. He must have spotted a business opportunity before investing! Hahaha! But fifty billion... tsk, tsk, tsk. That really is a huge sum. I hope you can recoup it. I really do. Hahaha!"
Chen Qingbin added, "Exactly, exactly. Even if you lose it all, it doesn't matter. Your Lu Family has money anyway. Just treat it as if the fifty billion never existed—paying money to avert disaster! The people of Xue City will be grateful to you, the father-and-son pair of suckers!"
Lu Guanghong clutched his lower back and snapped furiously, "Get lost! All you people know how to do is kick someone when he's down."
The two old men laughed heartily, while Leng Tianhao said coldly, "Fine. So it isn't that the kid has no money—he simply looks down on me. He has fifty billion to spend working for the government, but when I need to secure a plot of land, he keeps stalling and making excuses. Hmph."
Lu Guanghong grimaced in pain. "Old Leng, there has to be something wrong with this. Let me go back and ask him, then I'll give you an answer."
"No need to ask. He just doesn't respect me as his future father-in-law." Leng Tianhao sneered. "The Lu Family's luck may be running out too. Shantytown renovation? Hmph, he actually dared to touch it. He usually seems so shrewd, but at a critical moment, one little scare and he obediently hands over his money. Great talent and vision? I think he's just an idiot."
Lu Guanghong gritted his teeth. "What nonsense are you talking about!?"
Leng Tianhao said, "Even without the Lu Family, I can still get that land myself! Aotian!"
"Yes, Mr. Leng."
Long Aotian said, "I've already spoken with the people at the sales office. That plot can be secured for just 1.9 billion, and it has been approved for commercial use. Congratulations, Mr. Leng. With that prime piece of land as a foundation, the Leng Family is bound to make enormous profits in the coming years."
Leng Tianhao looked at Lu Guanghong. "Did you hear that? Without the Lu Family, the Leng Family can still rise to greatness! My Qingqiu is the truly talented one. Your son is throwing money into a bottomless pit for the government, while my daughter hasn't wasted a single minute—she's focused on doing great things! Having a son... what the hell is the use of having a son? He isn't worth one toe of my daughter's!"
Lu Guanghong was in terrible pain, and Leng Tianhao had angered him so badly that he could barely catch his breath.
Besides, the news had already arrived. Facts spoke louder than words, and for a moment, he had nothing to say.
Long Aotian received another message at that moment and was instantly stunned.
"What is it?" Leng Tianhao walked over, gesturing as he prepared to take a shot.
"Leng... Qingqiu... announced an investment of 4.9 billion to join the shantytown renovation plan."
Leng Tianhao reacted exactly as Lu Guanghong had just moments earlier. Both had heard the news at the very instant they were about to exert force.
Yes, even the way they fell was exactly the same.
Xu Zhiyun and Chen Qingbin helped him over to sit beside Lu Guanghong. The two of them were holding back their laughter so hard their faces were nearly bursting.
Cold sweat soaked through Leng Tianhao's back. "What is Qingqiu thinking!?"
Long Aotian sighed. "Lu Chengwen must have talked her into it."
Leng Tianhao endured the pain. "Lu Guanghong, did you know about this all along?"
Lu Guanghong looked at him. "Look at my damn back! If I knew, would I have fallen like this!?"
On second thought, Leng Tianhao realized that was true. He himself had been caught completely off guard by the news. There was no need to put on such an act.
Both old men had lost their fire, their hearts now thoroughly clogged with frustration.
Xu Zhiyun and Chen Qingbin found it absolutely hilarious.
These two—one was a nouveau riche country bumpkin who had grown used to throwing his weight around because he had money.
The other was a grasshopper after autumn, with only a few days left to jump around, yet he still always acted as though he could stand on equal footing with them.
Well then, now you two were brothers in misery, and you still wanted to form a marriage alliance?
What a perfect alliance! Hahaha! Their husband and wife team will squander your money together. So, are you happy? Surprised?
The caddie set up the ball. Chen Qingbin gripped his club, laughing so hard he could barely stand it. "The weather is really lovely! Hey, I wonder why I'm in such a good mood today?"
Xu Zhiyun roared with laughter. "Naturally! Lu Chengwen is a man of great talent and vision, while Leng Qingqiu is a peerless genius of her generation. The two of them are a perfect husband-and-wife team. Enviable, truly enviable!"
The two old men laughed, while the other two clutched their lower backs in identical poses, half-dead with rage.
Chen Qingbin began preparing to hit the ball, making practice motions as he said, "Golf is an aristocratic sport. It isn't something ordinary country bumpkins or declining, broken-down families can play well. If you aren't careful, it's easy to throw out your back!"
Long Aotian received another message and showed it to Leng Tianhao.
Leng Tianhao had just been thoroughly mocked by his two rivals, Chen and Xu. They had clearly lumped him together with Lu Guanghong as targets of ridicule, and he was furious.
When he saw the message, he gently pressed down on Long Aotian's wrist, gritted his teeth, and whispered, "Wait until he swings before telling him."
Before you continue