In order to avoid this sensitive topic, the merchants chose to go back and rest and wait until the investment promotion conference ends tomorrow to discuss it.

Of course Li Lin would not force them to express their opinions, so he politely watched them leave the office.

But surprisingly, Liao Xiaoqiang sat as steady as a mountain, with no intention of leaving at all.

Li Lin understood that he must have something to say to Li Lin alone.

Sure enough, when they were the only two left in the room, Liao Xiaoqiang spoke.

"Team Leader Li, there is no one else in the room now. I would like to ask you a question. Is that okay with you?" Liao Xiaoqiang said with a smile on his face and a gleam in his eyes.

Li Lin sat back in his seat, smiled calmly and said, "Mr. Liao, if you have anything to say, please speak up."

Liao Xiaoqiang smiled and nodded and asked, "I want to ask, are Mr. Hou from Dongsheng and Team Leader Li friends? Or do you have any other special relationship?"

Hearing this, Li Lin remained calm, smiling without saying anything.

Liao Xiaoqiang's heart sank when he saw Li Lin's cold attitude, and he quickly explained, "Team Leader Li, I don't mean anything else. I have known Mr. Hou of Dongsheng for a long time, and we have a very good relationship. We are friends... If you are on good terms with Mr. Hou, then we can also be considered friends. Since we are all friends, I can ask some questions directly to your face."

Would Hou Yaodong be your friend?

Li Lin smiled secretly.

He had never heard Hou Yaodong say a good word about Liao Xiaoqiang.

Li Lin frowned and did not answer him directly. Instead, he said to him, "Mr. Liao, if you feel it is difficult to speak up, then don't say it. It's getting late, so you should go to bed early. If you have anything to say, we can talk after the investment promotion meeting is over."

Liao Xiaoqiang was stunned. He didn't expect that Li Lin not only ignored his question, but also sent him back to sleep?

The more this is the case, the more it shows that he has a close relationship with Hou Yaodong!

Liao Xiaoqiang smiled awkwardly and said shamelessly, "Well, I'll just say it straight. Please forgive me if I offend Team Leader Li."

"Before coming to Pingyang tonight, almost all of the more than 30 invited merchants were subject to surprise inspections by the Hanjiang Taxation Inspection Team, and my Muqiang Group was not spared..."

"Team Leader Li, let me ask you a question. Is it possible that a certain leader in the city has strong connections in the Hanjiang Taxation Bureau and specifically asked the inspection team to investigate us?"

Hearing this, Li Lin was surprised.

I thought that it was the Hanjiang Taxation Bureau that took action, which forced most of the merchants to change their attitudes and take the initiative to come to Pingyang to participate in the investment promotion conference.

But who gave the order?

It couldn't be Qian Lingyun, because he had never heard Qian Lingyun mention that he had any special connections in the tax bureau.

It couldn't have been Yang Wanquan and Zhang Yi, because they weren't the kind of people who would make silent contributions. If they had done this, it would have been made public long ago so that everyone would know about it.

It seems that none of the city leaders have the ability to mobilize the provincial tax inspection team with just one phone call.

Suddenly, a name appeared in Li Lin’s mind—Xu Wen!

He was curious about what channel Xu Wen would use if she wanted to help.

Now someone from the tax bureau has surfaced...could it really be her?

I remember Xu Wen once revealed that she and Chu Yao were friends.

Chu Yao never makes friends with people without background. She is surrounded by officials and rich men...

Since the two are friends, it means Xu Wen’s background is not simple!

These thoughts flashed through his mind, and Li Lin said calmly, "Mr. Liao, you may have some misunderstandings about the leaders of our Pingyang Municipal Government. I can answer you with certainty that this matter was definitely not done by any leader in Pingyang."

"Oh?" Liao Xiaoqiang was surprised. If it was really like Li Lin said, it was not the Pingyang city leaders who did it, then who would have the reason to do this?

Then he laughed. Although Li Lin was very sure, this kind of thing would damage the image of the city government leaders, and Li Lin might not tell the truth.

"So, this is a coincidence?" Liao Xiaoqiang smiled and secretly observed the changes in Li Lin's expression, hoping to find a clue from his face.

Li Lin smiled and said nothing more.

Seeing Li Lin's calm expression, Liao Xiaoqiang pondered, "But this is too unbelievable. How could more than 30 companies be inspected at the same time? And these companies are all invited merchants from Pingyang without exception. Team Leader Li, don't you find it strange?"

Li Lin knew that Liao Xiaoqiang didn't believe Li Lin, so he deliberately used this tone to test him.

Looking at his fox-like cunning eyes, Li Lin suddenly felt disgusted.

He gradually put away his smile and asked, "I'm also confused. We had agreed on this, why did you, Mr. Liao, suddenly change your mind and not come to Pingyang?"

Li Lin deliberately left questions for Liao Xiaoqiang to guess on his own! Once there is no clear answer, he will start to have wild thoughts and will always be wary of the Pingyang government.

Liao Xiaoqiang did not get the answer he wanted. Instead, Li Lin questioned him why he gave up the investment promotion conference at the critical moment.

He was a little flustered and didn't know how to respond for a moment.

Li Lin asked, "Did Mr. Liao give up the Pingyang Investment Promotion Conference because someone begged him to do so? Or did you not intend to come from the beginning?"

Hearing this, Liao Xiaoqiang was shocked. He looked at Li Lin in astonishment and waved his hands quickly, saying, "No one bewitched me. No one... I said at the beginning that I didn't intend not to come. I just came late."

"Oh?" Li Lin smiled. He could see that Liao Xiaoqiang was already panicking, so he took advantage of the situation and said, "But I heard from Hanjiang's friends that Mr. Liao had no choice but to come to Pingyang after his gate was smashed."

My dear, there is more to this chapter. Please click on the next page to continue reading. It’s even more exciting later!