Mayor Zhang hadn't held out much hope to begin with. It was just casual conversation, a roundabout attempt to probe the identity of that mysterious young man.
He could tell that this young man's background was definitely far from ordinary!
But as for exactly where he came from, he couldn't say.
It wasn't appropriate to ask about such things directly, so this was the only way to test Wang Ye's "depth."
Mayor Zhang had been in politics for many years and had seen countless people, from all manner of important figures and wealthy bosses to peddlers and common laborers.
With his sharp eye and extensive experience, he could generally infer a person's identity and status from their words and behavior.
So he deliberately tested him, wanting to hear what this young man thought of Shenzhen.
First, he wanted to judge Wang Ye's identity through his remarks.
Second, this issue had genuinely troubled him for a long time. It was a major work-related problem. Though he didn't hold out much hope, it was always good to hear other people's opinions. Perhaps there might be some unexpected gain.
Wang Ye smiled slightly. Instead of immediately explaining what he meant by a "huge gold mine," he calmly asked, "Then may I ask, Mayor Zhang, what kind of city do you want Shenzhen to become?
Oh, that's a rather broad topic.
Let's keep it simple, then!
In your plans, do you want this city to become like neighboring Hong Kong—a highly developed economy, but with enormous pressure on ordinary people's lives?
Or, ideally, a livable city with decent economic development that is also suitable for ordinary people to live and settle in?"
Mayor Zhang frowned. This was not an easy question to answer.
At the same time, he understood what Wang Ye meant.
No