Chapter 087: A Trap Set Up, The Unexpected Winner
Just as the four Fu brothers were discussing how to win Gu Mingxia back for Fu Heng, Bai Zixuan arrived in front of Director Ye with Huo Jialingling. He respectfully presented a glass of wine to Director Ye.
"Director Ye, have a drink to soothe your throat!"
Bai Zixuan's words were laced with obsequiousness, but Director Ye thoroughly enjoyed it. What official wouldn't want to be flattered? He'd climbed to his position by sucking up to countless people; now it was time to revel in the praise.
"How can we let Mr. Bai do things that a waiter should be doing?"
Despite saying that, Director Ye still took the wine glass from Bai Zixuan's hand as a matter of course, took a small sip, and handed it back to him.
"It is my honor to serve Director Ye!"
Bai Zixuan didn't feel ashamed of doing this. He had no background or connections, so his only option was to curry favor with powerful and influential people. Only in this way could he fulfill his dream of becoming a successful person.
"That's an exaggeration. You and I are just ordinary people, what's there to talk about honor or not?"
Director Ye thoroughly enjoyed the sense of superiority that Bai Zixuan gave him. So, although he spoke very modestly, he couldn't hide the smugness on his face!
"Xiao Ye, I never expected you to be transferred to Xiangcheng!"
Huo Jialing looked at Director Ye indifferently, her tone completely different from Bai Zixuan's. When she spoke, there was no flattery on her face, but rather a slight disdain.
"Oh, it's Master's wife! After all these years, she's still so young and beautiful!"
When he saw Huo Jialingling, Director Ye was momentarily stunned, but he quickly regained his usual smile and extended a hand to shake hands with her.
Huo Jialing gave him a perfunctory handshake, then looked at Bai Zixuan standing next to her.
"Xiao Ye, this is my friend. You'll have to give him a lot of consideration in your old city renovation project!"
"Oh, so you're a friend of my teacher's wife! Since she's asked, I'll naturally take good care of you!"
When Director Ye said those words, his tone was unusually ambiguous, and the way he looked at Bai Zixuan was somewhat different. Although he felt a little uncomfortable, Bai Zixuan pretended to be nonchalant and continued to smile at him.
What's with the high-class CEO act? Everyone knows that Huo Jialing is a womanizer. When Director Huo was alive, she would often have a gigolo on the side. Now that Director Huo is dead, she's even more unscrupulous in her relationships with young men!
Originally, Director Ye thought Bai Zixuan was just trying to curry favor with him by flattering him, but now it seems that he has already hooked up with Huo Jialingling. Director Ye's eyes are filled with disdain and mockery as he looks at Bai Zixuan.
"Thank you very much, Director Ye!"
Bai Zixuan pretended not to see the mockery in Director Ye's eyes. He had already come this far, so what was there to fear from mockery and disdain? Once he succeeded, would anyone still bring this up?
"You're welcome!"
Director Ye replied to him casually, then walked to the podium in the center of the venue, coughed softly while holding the microphone.
"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the reception hosted by the Urban Renewal Bureau! The purpose of this reception tonight is to announce the successful bidder from the recent bidding process! I'm sure you've all been eagerly anticipating this!"
"Hey, do you hope Maoguang wins the bid?"
Xiao Yan nudged Gu Mingxia beside him, only to see Gu Mingxia's gaze fixed on Liu Yan not far away. Liu Yan was excitedly talking to a glamorous woman beside her, and although they were far apart, Gu Mingxia could still feel the undisguised excitement emanating from her.
"I don't want that!"
Gu Mingxia answered Xiao Yan's question without thinking. After a moment of surprise, Xiao Yan smiled slightly and reached out to hold her slightly cool hand.
"If you don't want Maoguang to win the bid, then why are you making such a big fuss about participating in the bidding?"
There was no blame in her words, only a playful and indulgent tone. Gu Mingxia withdrew her gaze and looked at Xiao Yan seriously.
“Participating in the bidding is a big topic in itself! Haven’t you noticed that because of the old city renovation project, Maoguang has been on the front page of economic magazines for quite some time now? For Maoguang, who is new to Xiangcheng, this is the best opportunity for Yang Ming to make his mark!”
After Xiao Yan analyzed the pros and cons of the old city renovation, Gu Mingxia thought about it seriously for a long time. In the end, no matter how she calculated it, she felt that it would be an investment with more disadvantages than advantages. Therefore, in the subsequent bidding process, Gu Mingxia did more of a show to promote Maoguang than to really want Maoguang to be among the winning bidders.
Upon hearing Gu Mingxia's words, Xiao Yan unconsciously tightened his grip on her hand. His Xiaxia was wholeheartedly thinking about his company, which gave Xiao Yan an indescribable feeling.
"So which company do you think has the best chance of winning the bid this time?"
Gu Mingxia asked a question in return, frowned, thought for a while, and then shook her head.
"This Director Ye is so unpredictable! Remember when he said he'd prefer to see small and medium-sized enterprises in Xiangcheng jointly undertake urban renewal projects? If he genuinely wanted to support small and medium-sized enterprises, there would have been no need for him to make that trip to Maoguang! If he's not sincere, then... this urban renewal project is very problematic! And the problems will be very serious!"
If this is just Director Ye trying to boost his political achievements and make some extra money... then whoever wins the bid will be unlucky! And when Director Ye chooses the winning bidders, he will definitely not choose the four largest companies in Xiangcheng, such as Gu, Fu, Liang, and Chen. Obviously, he will target small and medium-sized enterprises like Bai Zixuan that are eager to win!
Thinking this way, Gu Mingxia looked at Bai Zixuan sitting not far away with some pity. However, she did not expect that he was also looking at her. When he met Gu Mingxia's pitying and sad eyes, Bai Zixuan mistakenly thought that she still had feelings for him and was sad because she saw him with Huo Jialingling. His narcissistic pride became more obvious.
Xiao Yan turned to look at Bai Zixuan, then scratched Gu Mingxia's palm, giving her a somewhat displeased look.
"You're not allowed to look at him again!"
"How naive! Do you expect me to be blind?"
Gu Mingxia said softly, but the smile on her lips showed that her mood had obviously improved because of Xiao Yan's jealousy!
Even if you go blind, I will still love you and take care of you for the rest of my life!
Xiao really knows how to flaunt his feelings at different times and places. Gu Mingxia smiled and gently pinched his arm, signaling him to listen carefully to Director Ye's announcement of the winning bidders. Actually, she was more interested in seeing which groups would be in trouble!
"Third Brother, is this old city renovation project really as good as described in the documents?"
Fu Bo waved the documents in his hand and asked Fu Heng in disbelief. Fu Heng, whose gaze had been fixed on Gu Mingxia, looked away after hearing the question, and when he saw the documents in Fu Bo's hand, he gave a mocking smile.
"If it can be implemented properly, it will indeed be as wonderful as described in the materials!"
"Third Brother, do you mean this project won't be implemented properly?"
Fu Bo glanced at the data again. The goals for the early, middle and late stages were clearly stated. Why would Third Brother say such a thing?
He casually held the wine glass and gently swirled it on the table. The red liquid in the glass looked particularly eye-catching. For some reason, Fu Heng's tone of voice was indifferent.
"It's like asking a kindergarten child to fight an adult. Do you think that's even possible?"
It's problematic to have small and medium-sized enterprises jointly undertake urban renewal projects, yet people are still willing to risk their lives for it. It's true, money can be blinding!
"If there are problems, why did the Fu family submit a bid? Aren't we afraid of being selected?"
"It's just a formality. After all, Director Ye is a newly appointed official, and we can't just refuse to give him face! Didn't you see that even Gu Huaikun, the head of the Gu family who never participates in any government activities, came to the last banquet?"
Fu Feng answered Fu Bo's question on behalf of Fu Heng. Sometimes, it is necessary to mingle the business world and the officialdom appropriately. Only when the waters are muddy and everyone is tainted by the muddy waters can one walk steadily and for a long time in the future!
"So, according to Third Brother, whoever wins the bid is still the unlucky one?"
Fu Bo put down the documents in his hand and smiled with a hint of schadenfreude, while Fu Heng shook his head.
"We can't say that. What if Director Ye really wants to do good things during his term and fully support small and medium-sized enterprises?"
However, they all know that Xiangcheng, a city with rapid economic development, has long established its own unique model. Anyone who is not foolish would not do anything futile to support small and medium-sized enterprises in this place!
The biggest advantage of this place is that it's a place where people who want to climb the corporate ladder come to boost their achievements instead of implementing reforms. They can live a peaceful five years and then be transferred to a higher position. That's the path that officials who come here should take. Director Ye doesn't seem like someone who wants to do good deeds.
"Then let's see which companies are lucky enough to receive Director Ye's support!"
The brothers exchanged smiles, their eyes all turning to Bai Zixuan, who sat excitedly in the front row. How dare he steal their brother's woman! He had to be taught a lesson!
"Now, I will announce the winning companies!" Director Ye glanced at the manuscript, then looked up and smiled at the crowd below the stage. He felt particularly pleased, especially with the excited looks in their eyes.
"The winning bidder this time is a consortium of medium-sized enterprises led by Feilong Group!"
Hearing this, Bai Zixuan, sitting in the audience, smiled excitedly and unconsciously glanced at Gu Mingxia, only to find her whispering something in Xiao Yan's ear. A surge of jealousy welled up in Bai Zixuan's heart. Sooner or later, he would make Gu Mingxia cry and beg him to come back to love her!
"Third Brother, look at those idiots, they're still laughing. I wonder how much they'll cry later!"
Fu Ya was very happy. Seeing the person who stole Third Brother's woman suffer was the happiest thing ever!
"Don't talk nonsense!"
As soon as Fu Heng finished speaking, Director Ye started talking again with a smile.
"And another one is the Fu Group, which has always focused on real estate engineering as its main business!"
"Shit! You're messing with the Fu family, aren't you?!"
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