Chapter 722 - 319: What, My Daughter Isn’t Good Enough for You?

Xu Yun arrived at the chancellor’s office.

The chancellor and the city official were already waiting for him.

The city official saw him enter and teased him with a smile, "Shouldn’t you be spending time with your junior after dinner? What are you doing here? Did you come to ask the chancellor for your award certificate?"

"I donated 1.5 billion. It wouldn’t be too much to ask for a certificate, would it?"

Even though he was joking around, Xu Yun, as the junior in the room, didn’t casually find a place to sit. He remained standing while he spoke to them.

’This is someone else’s turf. I should at least show some basic courtesy.’

Seeing this, the city official said with a laugh, "Have a seat. Don’t just stand there. You’re making my neck hurt from looking up."

"I wouldn’t dare sit until you gave the word, sir."

Xu Yun bantered back before finding a suitable seat. "Alright, sir, what’s the new directive? I’m all ears."

"No directives. I just had some time today and wanted to chat with you."

The city official chuckled. "Our chancellor here was just telling me you wouldn’t show up. I said you would, but he didn’t believe me. Now he owes me ten yuan."

"Sir, you were so obvious with your hints in the cafeteria. How could I dare not to come?"

Xu Yun replied, "Chancellor, you lost that bet unfairly."

"I can afford ten yuan. It’s fine."

The chancellor laughed heartily. "Well, you two chat. I have something to take care of. I’ll be back in a bit."

With that, he left, leaving the two of them alone.

After the chancellor left, the city official asked again, "Since you came all this way today, why didn’t you go up on stage?"

"You know what they say, a man dreads fame as a pig dreads fattening. I’m just worried about becoming a target for a shakedown."

Xu Yun said helplessly, "Sir, please give me a break. I just want to live a quiet life, not be the center of attention."

"With great power comes great responsibility."

"My power is small, so don’t try to flatter me."

Xu Yun was exasperated. "You tricked me out of two billion last time. I’m still heartbroken over it!"

"Heartbroken, my ass!"

The city official couldn’t help but curse, half-laughing, half-scolding, "I saw how generous you were with your donation to your alma mater. You had no problem spending a fortune just to one-up someone and show off."

Xu Yun was silent.

"Don’t worry, I’ll give you a heads-up on something."

The city official got down to business. "There’s a plot of land the government traded to you a while back. The state is planning to build a new airport there and wants to buy it back."

Xu Yun was stunned.

The news left him in shock for a good while.

’The profit margin on this is going to be huge!’

After a few seconds of silence, he asked tentatively, "Sir, there’s no conflict of interest between us here, is there?

I’m just a regular guy, and I don’t want to get involved. Please don’t let this come back to bite me. I can give up this land right now and not make a single cent."

"It’s fine. This is just a coincidence."

The city official couldn’t help but laugh. "I’m not worried, so what are you worried about? After all, the land was given to you first. The airport location was only decided and announced after the higher-ups finished their planning.

With that sequence of events, no one can find fault with me. My opponents can’t make an issue out of this."

Xu Yun was silent.

"There’s something else I want to discuss with you."

The city official asked, "You know about that abandoned Jiangzhong Peninsula in the Jiangnan Region, right?"

"Yeah, I know it."

Xu Yun recalled his last visit to Ning Qian’s company and the map he saw there. He sighed. "I think the government traded me a few useless plots of land right on that peninsula."

"How about you bid on and buy up all the surrounding land as well?"

"What would I do with it?"

Xu Yun found it funny. "You want me to be an Island Lord?"

"Being an Island Lord is great! Some people would kill for the chance and never get it."

The city official said, "Our city is about to expand, and that’s a prime location. If you can fully develop it, it’ll become another huge commercial district."

"Why doesn’t your government do it yourselves?"

"The budget is tight. We don’t have the extra funds for a project like this."

The city official sighed. "The other real estate developers are all busy trying to save themselves right now; they don’t have the capacity to take this on. It’s the same situation as the old city district renovation."

"Wait a minute, sir—"

Xu Yun was exasperated. "You can’t just keep fleecing the same sheep. It’s not like my family owns a bank. Where am I supposed to get that much money?"

"If you dare to take on this investment, you definitely won’t lose money."

The city official continued, "Of course, the capital required for this project is certainly not small. The city estimates it’ll be around 10 billion. If you have difficulties, our government is willing to co-invest with you.

When the time comes, we’ll put up 3 billion, you’ll put up 7 billion, and we’ll form a joint venture. The plan will be to complete this construction project within two years."

"Why two years?"

"Because in two years, it’s time for a leadership transition!"

The city official said meaningfully, "When that happens, who knows if I’ll still be here or be transferred somewhere else!"

Xu Yun understood. No wonder the official was so intent on construction and promoting development. It was all for his own political achievements and future career.

’So, rather than investing in a project, I’m actually investing in a person!’

’I already invested two billion in the old city renovation. There’s no reason not to help him out again this time.’

’What if he gets another promotion in two years?’

’Damn, that would be incredible!’

’If I have a high-ranking official looking out for me in the future, I’ll be safer too!’

"If I had known, I wouldn’t have come today."

Xu Yun hesitated for ten seconds before saying, "Sir, it’s only because it’s you. If anyone else had come to me with this, I would have turned around and walked away.

I’ll agree to invest in the project you mentioned today.

I’ll fund the whole thing, and the project can still be handled by the same real estate company from the old city renovation. But there’s one thing I need you to guarantee for me, sir."