The next day.
Lu Chengwen went to the city again for a meeting.
This time, it was a commendation meeting.
The presenter was a beautiful young woman in her early twenties, full of youthful energy. Her high ponytail complemented her vibrant appearance as she stood in front of the large screen to narrate.
Provincial leaders were present, accompanied by Mayor Zhao, Director Hu Lai, Secretary Wu, and others.
Lu Chengwen sat in the front row. The provincial leader sat in the middle, with Mayor Zhao on the left and Lu Chengwen on the right.
The presenter was very professional, smiling as she spoke with clear articulation.
On the large screen, images of several completed neighborhoods in Modern City were continuously displayed.
"At this stage, the occupancy rate for all original residents of the shantytown redevelopment has reached 99%. A total of 235,000 housing units have been delivered..."
The large screen switched to a series of renderings:
"We, Da Sheng Group, plan to vigorously construct surrounding facilities and service buildings within the next three months. This includes subway stations, bus stops, parks, hospitals, and large shopping malls. The estimated investment will reach 130 billion yuan..."
"At the same time, we will build eight additional high-end neighborhoods to attract more residents, stimulate the local economy, and enhance the happiness of the residents..."
"Our villa district is also under construction. In the initial phase, we will deliver 120 villas, including townhouses, standalone villas, garden villas, and scenic villas..."
When the presenter finished speaking, Mayor Zhao felt a sense of pride. The provincial leader was pleased, but Lu Chengwen felt a chill run through him.
Another 130 billion yuan!?
Did they run this past me? Even if I tied up the provincial leader now, I still wouldn't be able to get 130 billion!
Then, it was the provincial leader's turn to speak.
As expected, he expressed his gratitude to Da Sheng Group, as well as to all the participating enterprises, companies, and individuals involved in the construction.
He also affirmed the city government's recent work and expressed his blessings for the future of Xuecheng.
Mayor Zhao then gave a speech, which was largely along the same lines.
Lu Chengwen didn't like the formal, polished language of their speeches, even though it was insightful and useful.
He preferred straightforward talk and disliked overly lofty rhetoric.
Finally, the presenter, full of enthusiasm and raising her tone an octave, announced: "Now, let's give a warm round of applause to welcome the president of Da Sheng Group, Mr. Lu Chengwen, to deliver a speech! Let's welcome Mr. Lu with applause!"
Lu Chengwen walked onto the stage and quietly asked the presenter, "Another 130 billion? Have you calculated this properly?"
The presenter looked awkward. "Mr. Lu, I'm wearing a microphone on my collar... Everyone heard that."
Lu Chengwen froze. Looking back, he saw the audience stunned.
This guy was clearly in pain over spending money!
Mayor Zhao couldn't hold back his laughter, and the provincial leader also seemed a bit embarrassed.
This kind of project was practically draining Lu Chengwen's resources in the early stages.
He wasn't making a single cent and was pouring money into it endlessly. Any ordinary company would have collapsed long ago.
Somehow, he had managed to struggle through to this point, finally settling the debt owed to the people.
But what are you panicking for? Isn't it your turn to start making money soon?
Lu Chengwen scratched his cheek, gave the presenter a pat on the butt, and walked to the front of the stage.
The presenter didn't get angry at his teasing but blushed instead.
Wearing a well-fitted suit, Lu Chengwen smiled as he stood at the front of the stage:
"Just now, I saw the videos and pictures. I saw many people moving into new homes, saw many kids getting their school registrations smoothly handled, and saw elderly women buying fresh eggs instead of rotten ones. I'm very happy."
The audience burst into laughter.
The joke about rotten eggs was well-known among the city government and the entire development team.
Lu Chengwen continued, "But for me personally, the thing I'm happiest about is that I haven't gone bankrupt yet."
The audience laughed even louder, with some laughing out loud. Then, applause began to spread.
From scattered claps, it grew into thunderous applause throughout the hall.
Lu Chengwen said, "As a businessperson, my personal abilities are limited, and I must clarify. The reason this project has been implemented so well and progressed so smoothly is actually thanks to the tireless work of the city government's professional team, who have worked day and night. It's thanks to Mayor Zhao's leadership from a higher perspective, providing timely guidance and correction."
Applause erupted again. Mayor Zhao smiled and humbly turned to the attendees to show his modesty.
Lu Chengwen continued, "Of course, it's also thanks to the great attention and support from all levels of leadership in the province. Thank you, everyone..."
Unexpectedly, Lu Chengwen's speech didn't trouble anyone. The anticipated scenario where he might spout off or make crude remarks didn't happen.
As he was leaving the stage, Lu Chengwen approached Mayor Zhao and requested that his speech footage not be broadcasted.
Mayor Zhao was puzzled. This was clearly your moment in the spotlight!
You've made an extraordinary contribution to Xuecheng, one that benefits the present and future generations alike!
"Why?" Mayor Zhao asked. "I was even planning to arrange more interviews for you to talk about your great deeds for the people!"
Lu Chengwen shook his head. "I prefer to keep a low profile. If I appear too much, everyone will recognize me, and it'll make it inconvenient to handle certain things later."
Mayor Zhao looked at him and said, "Are you afraid of being recognized when drinking and partying?"
Lu Chengwen burst into hearty laughter. "You know me too well."
After handling this massive project, Lu Chengwen returned to Da Sheng Group feeling anxious.
Swearing at Li Meiqin, cursing the chief engineer, berating the finance department, and even scolding the hospitality team…
Lu Chengwen was on the verge of losing it.
Over a hundred billion more!? Should I steal it? Rob a bank!?
Li Meiqin explained that a significant stockpile of materials was still available from earlier stages, enough to last for a while. The main expense moving forward would be labor costs, which had already been reduced significantly.
The finance department reported that there were still over 30 billion left in the special project fund, enough to cover labor costs for the coming months. However, when factoring in transportation, material imports, and especially high-end materials, it would become increasingly difficult to sustain operations.
After ranting for half a day, Lu Chengwen eventually realized that venting his anger at them was useless. He was the boss, after all.
He slumped into his chair, loosened his tie, and felt utterly defeated.
At this moment, Leng Qingqiu smiled and approached him. "President Lu, don't be angry anymore. Actually, we can already start making money now."
Lu Chengwen looked at her. "Make money with what?"
He grabbed all the account books and documents on the table. "Tell me, Qingqiu! How can I make money now? With what!?"
Leng Qingqiu tried to calm him down. "Oh, look at you, calm down."
"How am I supposed to calm down!? Did you even discuss this matter with me?"
"We asked you, and you said it was fine!"
"When did you ask me!? Why don't I remember!?"
Leng Qingqiu smacked Lu Chengwen lightly. "At that time..."
She leaned closer to him. "When they reported to you, you pinned me to the table, and you wanted to... You don't remember? After they finished talking, you told them to scram, said to let them handle it themselves because you were busy… busy with me. Did you forget?"
Lu Chengwen thought for a moment. "Oh, right, that did happen. Did I…?"
Leng Qingqiu blushed. "No, you didn't!"
Lu Chengwen sighed in relief. "That's good, then."
Leng Qingqiu pinched him, and Lu Chengwen was taken aback.
"Ah… Alright, I get it. Proceed as planned."
Holding back his frustration, he said, "I'll handle the money issue."
Leng Qingqiu turned and issued instructions. "Meiqin, immediately contact all major media outlets in the North. Get the big names involved and organize a press conference. We're going to launch a public tender and conduct extensive promotions across the region."
"Understood!"
"We need to select a celebrity as the brand ambassador—someone extremely well-known and with a healthy image that aligns with our corporate values and the new look of Chengwen District."
"Understood."
"The promotion department needs to work overtime. The accounting, statistics, sales, and market research departments must collaborate for discussions and finalize pricing for the new district."
"Understood."
Leng Qingqiu declared, "It's time to make money. Everyone needs to pull themselves together."
"Understood, Ms. Leng."
After receiving the orders, everyone glanced at Lu Chengwen.
Leng Qingqiu wasn't officially part of Dasheng Group, and she had already been deeply involved in this project. But since Lu Chengwen was sitting right there, they couldn't directly follow Leng Qingqiu's orders, nor could they outright refuse her.
Lu Chengwen stood up, pulled Leng Qingqiu into his arms, and said, "Do as she says! From now on, my family will be managed by her!"
Everyone immediately understood.
They expressed their support, loyalty, and compliance with Leng Qingqiu's leadership.
Once everyone left, Leng Qingqiu smiled and asked, "Still mad?"
"I don't know…" Lu Chengwen said irritably. "The thought of having to shell out over a hundred billion more just makes my blood boil."
Leng Qingqiu couldn't stop laughing. "This isn't like you at all! You didn't get this upset when you were losing money. Now that it's time to make money, why are you so rattled?"
"I have no money left!" Lu Chengwen almost cried. "And now you're pushing for promotions…"
"Promotion is critical. We can start pre-sales in advance. Use the money from selling the houses to build the houses."
Lu Chengwen was stunned. "You can do that?"
"Of course."
Lu Chengwen thought it over. "So it's like… selling in advance, collecting their money first, and then using their money to build their houses. But if something goes wrong…"
Leng Qingqiu looked at him. "You'll go bankrupt."
Lu Chengwen held his head in his hands. "Why am I dancing on the edge of a blade and can't step back?"
"Don't worry. As long as we handle it well, there won't be any issues. Many developers operate this way. If it succeeds, the profits will be enormous. If it fails, well, either way, you're prepared for both outcomes."
Lu Chengwen laughed. "You devil, come here! Let me play with you for a while!"
Leng Qingqiu indulging in his teasing.
"Brother Chengwen, things here will stabilize soon. Once that happens, we can move into the provincial capital."
"I don't have the guts to advance into the provincial capital. But I have plenty of courage to advance into you."
"Stop it! We'll make a lot of money here. When that happens, a lot of people will be jealous of you. The best solution is to leave someone behind to oversee this place while we move to the provincial capital."
"Who should I leave behind? Li Meiqin?"
Leng Qingqiu shook her head. "She's capable, but ultimately not one of us. Unless you marry her."
Lu Chengwen laughed. "Do you think marrying someone makes them one of us?"
He poked her . "If their heart isn't with me, it won't matter."
Leng Qingqiu suddenly said, "Meng Yun is a good candidate. She's reliable."