Recognizing His Mistake in Time and Finding a Solution

"Your auction cannot be held as scheduled..."

When Lin Qi heard this, he was reminded of some TV dramas he had watched before. The last line of the episode that ended the previous day never matched the content of the recap of the first episode the next day, which felt very abrupt.

It's like a cow with a horse's face—it's terribly incongruous. His TV series shouldn't be like this; it's not in the script.

Of course, he didn't get angry. He just looked at the person across the desk, maintaining his work-oriented attitude, and said with a smile, "Mr. Ferral, can you tell me why this is?"

He repeated, "Why can't my auction be held on time? Maybe we can solve this problem."

Ferral looked at Lin Qi with a hint of satisfaction. He had expected Lin Qi to get angry, swear at him, or even charge at him with his fists raised. He was prepared to deal with all of that, but to his surprise, Lin Qi did not do that.

He simply sat behind his desk as before, calmly and rationally discussing solutions. Such a person always gives people a very reliable feeling; even if you don't like him, you won't hate him too much.

Ferral nodded. "That's exactly why I'm here. According to the laws of this state and the laws and regulations of this city, an application must be submitted to the Social Services Bureau in advance to organize a gathering of more than fifty people in a public place. Mr. Lin Qi, you seem to have forgotten..." He pursed his lips, revealing a regretful expression, and the corners of his mouth drooped down.

He should have had an unhappy expression, but Lin Qi, and everyone else, could tell that he was actually smiling. This was an expression of his inner feelings, and it also reflects how strange humans are.

What people see cannot interfere with their subjective feelings. It's like a pile of chocolate poop; the eyes cannot shake subjective, idealistic judgments.

Those who actually tasted it weren't their eyes that swayed their decision, but rather they genuinely wanted to eat it, even if it was real shit.

Seeing the "smile" on Ferral's face, Lin Qi knew that the matter was not so troublesome. "I really didn't know there was such a rule. I thought that only marches and demonstrations required prior application."

"As well as rallies!" Ferral added again, then raised his wrist and glanced at his watch. "There's less than an hour left before the Social Services Bureau closes, but these applications need to be submitted at least a week in advance. Your auction is tomorrow, so there's no time."

Lin Qi pursed his lips and considered for a moment. Then he suddenly asked a question unrelated to the matter, "Mr. Ferral, as you can see, my company, including myself, doesn't have enough knowledge of some things that might be considered common sense..."

Ferral nodded. While this wasn't exactly common sense, it wasn't exactly obscure knowledge either.

The atmosphere in the Bayer Federation is relatively... free, at least that's what the Federal Government says. Everyone has the right to organize gatherings, and many people have organized such events, but there are also some people who are unaware of these things.

The laws and regulations vary from region to region. For example, in some areas, you can't make splashing noises when urinating, and you can't sing while taking a shower. If someone calls the police, you'll be arrested.

In some places, you need to whistle when urinating in public to alert others that someone is relieving themselves there and to avoid misunderstandings. If you don't whistle while urinating, you can be arrested...

Different regions have different laws and regulations, which can be confusing for most Federal citizens. You might do something that is legal in one place, but if you do the same thing again after taking a bus, you will be arrested by the police.

Sometimes people may realize the uncertainty involved and go to the Social Services Bureau for advice, but the attitude and process there are relatively slow, so more people will consult a lawyer.

Making money with "common sense" refers to some low-end law firms that often don't stand in court but can only help their clients solve everyday problems.

Lin Qi smiled and said, "Thank you so much for reminding me, Mr. Ferral. It saved me a lot of trouble. I also have a new idea. I wonder if you would be interested."

Ferral showed a hint of curiosity, but to be honest, from the moment he entered the room until now, the initiative had been firmly in the hands of the young man in front of him.

In Ferral's prediction before his arrival, no matter how Lin Qi reacted—whether with rage or something else—the initiative would instantly shift to Ferrar, allowing him to firmly grasp the initiative in the conversation and control its pace and direction.

The plan was perfect, just like Lin Qi's plan, except for a small mishap. Lin Qi was not angry, nor did he fly into a rage, nor did he sigh. He was calm, unlike someone who was directly involved. At the same time, he maintained the initiative and tried to control the conversation. Ferral's attitude towards Lin Qi also changed somewhat.

He can look down on a naive young man because he can easily manipulate such people, but he can't look down on a smart person with strong execution skills. Who knows when that person might put a stone in his hand and then use it to tickle him?

"Please speak..." He not only corrected his attitude but also straightened his posture to show respect for Lin Qi.

Lin Qi smiled again. "Your arrival made me realize that I need an advisor, someone who can help me at work, find some mistakes I haven't noticed, and help me handle some details."

He spread his hands as he spoke, "Mr. Ferral, as you probably know, my business is just starting out, and I don't know many people in Sabine City yet, but God is merciful..."

Ferral frowned, already realizing what Lin Qi was about to say. Then Lin Qi said what he had guessed, "If you don't mind, Mr. Ferral, I would like to take some of your spare time to hire you as my consultant. Of course, I will offer you a reasonable salary for it."

Lin Qi casually pulled out his checkbook, took out a fine pen, wrote a number on the checkbook, tore the check off the checkbook, pressed it down with his index finger, and pushed it over. "This is this month's salary..." Lin Qi added, "After tax, I'll have the accountant pay the tax for you."

Even if most people wanted to refuse at this point, they would still pick up the check and see how much it cost. It wasn't out of greed, but out of curiosity.

Curious about how much someone like you is worth in the eyes of others is a way to gauge your social value and provide bragging rights later on—"So-and-so offered me a job back then, and I didn't even help him out"—which can effectively boost your self-worth.

After reading it, they would put the check down to prove that they weren't the kind of person the other person imagined.

Ferral casually picked up the check, glanced at it, and frowned deeply. Five thousand dollars a month—that was quite a sum.

As the mayor's close aide at the City Hall, his monthly salary, aside from the official five hundred dollars, amounted to only a little over a thousand dollars in hand.

He put the check back on the table, his tone somewhat troubled, "What do you mean by this?"

Lin Qi shrugged. "I think I've made myself clear. There are some laws and regulations I'm not very familiar with, and some procedures and processes related to the government that I don't quite understand."

"As far as I know, the Attendant Official is not an official position of the Sabine City Hall, and our transaction is not an immoral one. I also do not need you to provide any illegal assistance."

"I only ask you questions occasionally that I don't understand, or when I encounter a problem and don't know how to solve it, I'll ask you to help me think of a solution. It's that simple."

Lin Qi's tone was very sincere, "Can you help me, Mr. Ferral? I really hope to get your help!"