CH 23

With the Mid-Autumn Festival approaching, Lu Chengyu’s work in Huading was getting easier.

Because Yan Mu was a good boss, Lu Chengyu worked hard and even gave him some investment advice that was in accordance to his own views, as well as a few things he knew from his previous life.

Knowing that Huading was going to participate in the land bidding meeting in M County, Lu Chengyu suddenly recalled that there were several ghost cities in M County, which were famous all around the country.

After the development plan was put forward in that area, many businessmen came and invested in the construction, but, later on, they were unable to sell the desired amount of houses. However, due to cost reasons, investors couldn’t reduce the prices. In the end, a lot of newly developed residential areas in M County became ghost cities with no living inhabitants. Many investors became trapped.

“The land of M County?” Lu Chengyu was in the president’s office. After listening to Yan Mu’s conversation with Cao Jingshen, he hesitated and asked, “Is it the area near the North District?”

Cao Jingshen nodded doubtfully. He didn’t understand why Lu Chengyu asked such a strange question. Looking at Yan Mu, he found that the other was listening attentively. “What’s wrong with the North District?”

“I heard that M County has a small population. Will other companies investing in real estate there affect the housing market?” Lu Chengyu arrived at Yan Mu’s desk and leaned in front of the computer. He brought out some information and news about M County. “In these residential areas, those who can afford it don’t have the desire to buy houses, while those who with the desires don’t have strong enough economic strength to do so.”

“However, in the next two years, this place would be vigorously developed. Now that the price of M County is low, if we can get some of its land, it will be a rare opportunity,” Cao Jingshen frowned. “Our market should not only consider the people of M County but also the foreign investments and migrant workers.”

“But the development plan would not necessarily be successful. If it fails, the money invested cannot be earned back in a short period of time.” Lu Chengyu remembered that M County did developed that year, but because the actual operation was too difficult, the plan was held back for a year. At that time, he didn’t know how many developers were trapped, but there were a few that even jumped off of buildings. It caused a lot of sensation, triggering some societal reflection of housing markets.

After □□ years, housing prices tend to stabilize, and there are some places with prices lowered. Therefore, even if M County’s real estate can recover after he died in his past life, it would not make much of a profit. On the other hand, if these funds were instead used to invest in other industries, although he didn’t know by how much, there would still be more profit.

In Lu Chengyu’s previous life, he didn’t know whether or not Huading had invested in this place. However, he should advise Yan Mu and carry out his responsibilities.

Cao Jingshen listened to those words and fell into deep thought. He just thought that the price of land was cheap but didn’t think of the development issues. Lu Chengyu’s words were like a wake-up call.

“You’re not optimistic in M County’s market?” Yan Mu looked at Lu Chengyu, as if trying to search for something in his expression.

“I’m just giving a suggestion,” Lu Chengyu shook his head. “But personally, I really don’t like this place very much.”

Yan Mu nodded, then he closed the tender in his hands before handing it to Lu Chengyu. “I see,” he paused in thought. “Tomorrow, I’m going to the bidding meeting in M County. You’re coming with me.”

Lu Chengyu looked at the tender and nodded.

“Make a new tender. Although we don’t want to win the bid, we still have to go through it.” Yan Mu agreed with Chengyu and said, “M County is not really an easy place to develop. What you said is correct.”

Beside him, Cao Jingshen sighed. When he talked about it before, his boss doubted the success of the M County development project. Unexpectedly, Lu Chengyu doubted this, too.

These days, he felt that Lu Chengyu was really a one-in-a-thousand, hard to come by assistant. No wonder the boss paid more and more attention to him.

“I’m going to book a plane ticket to M County this evening.” Cao Jingshen withdrew from the office and immediately made a phone call to book the flight tickets and hotel rooms.

When Lu Chengyu returned to his office, he changed the tender once more and checked the recent temperature of M County. Besides the sun being quite intense and the weather being quite hot, there was nothing special to pay attention to. So, Chengyu rushed home early in the afternoon, packed his bags, and headed straight to the airport to join Yan Mu and Cao Jingshen.

Chengyu also brought a pack of cond*m, in case suddenly Yan Mu wants to make out.

After boarding the plane, Lu Chengyu discovered that Cao Jingshen bought business class tickets, which were much more comfortable and spacious than economy class. As soon as he laid down on his cozy seat, he heard Cao Jingshen explaining to Yan Mu, “This flight only has two class options. Although it’s not comparable to international flights, it’s still good.”

Before he reincarnated, Lu Chengyu was reluctant to buy even an economy class ticket. How could he, someone who would rather squeeze in crowded trains if he could save a bit of money, endure this display of wealth?

“En,” Yan Mu nodded and looked at Lu Chengyu, who was sitting beside him without saying a word. “If you feel bored later, sleep for a while.”

Lu Chengyu smiled at Yan Mu. “Okay.” How could a man like Yan Mu–wealthy, good-looking, great at cooking–not find a wife after nine years? For all my female friends, you are all guilty of this heinous crime: wasting resources.

“I didn’t expect to meet Mr. Lu here. It’s really fate.” An annoying voice that was somewhat familiar to Chengyu sounded behind him. As Lu Chengyu looked up, he saw a man he didn’t want to meet–Liang family’s young master, Liang Deyou.

Liang Deyou was followed Chen Jin, who was dressed as an elite, with two bodyguards behind them. Chen Jin apparently saw him too, but looked down and pretended not to see him.

“This is the so-called ‘though born a thousand li[1] apart, souls that are one shall meet [2]’. Mr. Liang was able to fly in the same plane with me at a height of thousands of miles. Indeed, we really have a lifetime predestined relationship.” Lu Chengyu smiled at Liang Deyou, “It’s a surprise, ah.”

[1] Li: a unit of measurement in China that is equal to about a third of a mile, or about 547 yards or 500 meters.

[2] 有缘千里来相会 [yǒu yuán qiān lǐ lái xiāng huì]: Describe two people who were fated, no matter how far apart they will meet.

Liang Deyou was disgusted by Lu Chengyu’s happy-because-we’re-thousands-of-li-apart-but-still-able-to-meet expression. He turned around and sat with Chen Jin on the other side of the aisle, then said to Lu Chengyu, “I heard that Mr. Lu is a person from this city and rarely travel out of town. Is Mr. Lu not use to being on a plane?”

“It’s not that bad.” Lu Chengyu heard that the other side was trying to ridicule him for not being on a flight before. Instead of getting angry, he smiled, “I can’t open the window, it’s quite stuffy.”

Liang Deyou sneered. He felt that the man before his eyes was unbearably vulgar. How did Chen Jin like him before? And who was the man sitting with Lu Chengyu? His eyes didn’t seem that friendly.

Liang Deyou didn’t remember Yan Mu, but Chen Jin still had an impression on him, recognizing him as the man with Lu Chengyu during graduation day. He didn’t know why, but subconsciously, he didn’t like this seemingly difficult person. Maybe it was because of the other’s momentum?

Yan Mu glanced at them and pursed his lips. Remembering Liang Deyou’s mockery of Lu Chengyu just now, he felt embarrassed because the former heard what he said moments before about Lu Chengyu’s first time flying on a plane. It was as if Liang Deyou was ridiculing him.

“Why don’t you just say that when the plane takes off, you will open the window and touch the clouds?”

Chen Jin found that it was the man with glasses, who was sitting in front of Lu Chengyu, that spoke in such a joking tone. It seemed that this man was familiar with Lu Chengyu.

“Although I’m just a fresh graduate with little social experience, don’t lie to me. Can we see clouds at night?” Lu Chengyu pulled up the sleeve of his white shirt and looked at Cao Jingshen with an innocent expression, deliberately making a strange remark, “Furthermore, it seems that the wind outside the plane is strong. Can you open the window?”

Cao Jingshen pushed up his glasses and, with a serious expression, said, “Quickly go to sleep. You can do it after you fall asleep.”

Lu Chengyu raised his mouth and revealed eight neat white teeth to Cao Jingshen, “Ha ha.”

[T/N: okay if you guys don’t understand the sarcasm level of both Chengyu and Jingshen, here is the explanation. [if you guys can understand it, feel free to skip this explanation.] Chengyu said about open the window is to be sarcastic to Deyou as Deyou said this is the first time Chengyu on a plane, does he know anything about flying? he doesn’t, right? Chengyu is a noob regarding flying on a plane. so Chengyu try to be as noob as he can by sarcastically said that he can’t open the window although its stuffy here, but then jingshen is being more sarcastic by saying, why don’t you just say that you can open the window and touch the cloud, that’s more amateur and noob for the first-time-flight-passenger-remarks.]

Jingshen is trying to help Chengyu but didn’t he know, Yan Mu was mad at him.

Looking at the scene in silence, Chen Jin’s mood was somewhat complicated. It seemed that Lu Chengyu easily got along with everyone, and they even liked him. No wonder Chengyu looked down upon people like himself.

Liang Deyou tilted his head and saw the heavy expression on Chen Jin’s face.

Yan Mu turned his head and looked at Liang Deyou, then he silently moved his sight away. Compared to his father, this Liang’s young master was too far behind.

The old Liang family patriarch now wanted to retire and pass on the company to his heir. This decision would probably be the greatest evidence of him being unable to make sound decisions in his old age despite his long record of having keen insight.

As the plane took off smoothly, it was already dinner time. Flight attendants began to distribute drinks, fruits, and dinner to the passengers. Lu Chengyu didn’t like the western style, so he chose traditional Chinese food. When Chengyu was halfway through his meal, the plane encountered turbulence and shook violently. Chengyu immediately reached for the drink cups and steadied it. After confirming that the drinks didn’t spill, Chengyu relaxed his breathing.

Yan Mu noticed his actions, so when Chengyu finished drinking, he rang the bell to call for the flight attendant to give Lu Chengyu another cup.

The latter looked at the glass full of orange juice in front of him. “…” He just didn’t want to waste juice.

Both of them plan to do ‘orange-juice-spill-play’ later on because of what happen today.

After getting off the plane, the people in charge of receiving them in M County took them to the hotel they had booked before. When Lu Chengyu picked up the room card at the reception desk, he saw Liang Deyou and Chen Jin also coming in. The moment he and Liang Deyou locked eyes, Liang Deyou’s face sank. Chengyu blinked and gave them a brilliant smile.

Liang Deyou turned his head away and said to Chen Jin, “Chen Jin, is there something wrong with your obnoxious classmate?”

Chen Jin glanced at Liang Deyou, “You’re the first person to state that he has a problem, so…what do you think?” Although he complained that Lu Chengyu didn’t like him, Lu Chengyu was a very good person. He didn’t want to act like an immature brat like Liang Deyou.

“I knew you still couldn’t give up on him,” said Liang Deyou with an ugly face. “But he doesn’t like you at all. Do you know that?”

Chen Jin stared at him and walked away silently, as if he was too lazy to speak.

Therefore, when Lu Chengyu was about to go upstairs, he found Liang Deyou staring at him inexplicably, looking like he wanted to start a fight.

He touched his chin and whispered to Cao Jingshen, “Is there something wrong with that young master?”

Cao Jingshen pushed up his glasses, “Maybe he’s a critical patient of eighth-grader syndrome ba.”

Liang  Deyou had leukaemia, which is the reason why he wanted Chen Jin. He loves him. 

This was the best hotel in M County, but in terms of facilities and service quality, there were still some gaps between this hotel and the first-class hotels in Beijing. Lu Chengyu looked at the time. It was more than 9 P.M., but there were not that many pedestrians outside on the streets.

Like him, Yan Mu also noticed this. He reached out and patted Lu Chengyu on the shoulder. “Let’s go in.” Fortunately, the decision to abandon the bid was made. Otherwise, they would really lose a lot of money.

The three people’s rooms were next to one another. Lu Chengyu chose the room in the middle. If there was any noise in the rooms on both sides, he could detect it on time.

After he put away his laundry, Chengyu took his notebook and came out of his room. Then, he heard someone coming out the opposite door. He looked up and saw Chen Jin, who was followed by Liang Deyou, also coming out.

Chen Jin didn’t think that things would happen so coincidentally. Remembering that he was rooming with Liang Deyou and that this was seen by Lu Chengyu, he suddenly became uncomfortable.

“Yo, what a coincidence,” said Liang Deyou. He walked to Chen Jin with a grin on his face and blocked Chen Jin from Lu Chengyu’s line of sight. “Mr. Lu is also here for the bidding this time?” There were several real estate companies in Beijing that were interested in M County’s development plan. Which company did Lu Chengyu come from? How was he able to represent the company right after he started working?

“There’s an old saying: ‘know one’s enemy as well as oneself’[3]; ‘fight a hundred battles, win a hundred victories’[4]. If Mr. Liang is not clear, go back and ask you father. He should be able to teach you well.” Yan Mu suddenly stepped out of his room. Glancing at Liang Deyou expressionlessly, he turned to Lu Chengyu and said, “Get in, Jingshen is already here.” Without looking at Liang Deyou, he took Lu Chengyu back into his room.

[3]知己知彼 [zhī jǐ zhī bǐ]: know ones own and the enemy’s situation [strength]

[4] 百战百胜 [bǎizhànbǎishèng]: to emerge victorious in every battle / to be ever-victorious

Liang Deyou looked at Yan Mu’s back and, after half a day, spat out two words, “Fuck it!” Where did this man come from to speak as he will? “Did his family not teach him about courtesy?!”

Looking at the closed door, Chen Jin suddenly remembered that the company Lu Chengyu was working for now was Huading International. Was the person who just came out a senior staff or the president of Huading?

Lu Chengyu, now… What height are you already standing at?