Zhongshi never would have thought that Liao Chengde had such a great reputation in the provincial capital, to the point that even a deputy manager of a travel agency had heard of him. Looking at his almost flustered expression, it seemed that he had more than just heard of him!
In fact, Zhongshi was wrong. Although Liao Chengde had some fame, he wasn't well-known to the extent that everyone knew about him. It just so happened that Manager Luo had an old classmate who worked as a deputy secretary in the provincial government. During a private dinner gathering, this old classmate revealed some secrets of the provincial government to Manager Luo, including information about Mr. Liao.
According to the old classmate, the top officials of the provincial government held Mr. Liao in high regard. After all, Mr. Liao had numerous businesses in two provinces and one city, and he had considerable influence among Hong Kong entrepreneurs in the Jiangnan region. He was also very friendly towards the mainland and was an ideal target for united front work.
Just as the top officials of the provincial party committee and government were preparing to give him the title of a member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, they suddenly discovered that Mr. Liao had not been in these provinces for some time. Upon further inquiry, they found out that he had not set foot on the mainland for more than half a year, and his businesses here showed signs of contraction.
This discovery left the provincial party committee and government at a loss. They didn't know what had happened, and when they tried to find someone to communicate with Liao Chengde, they found it difficult to find the right person.
If they were to use official channels, the head of the United Front Work Department of the provincial party committee would undoubtedly be the best choice, but this would seem like a condescending move. Besides, Liao Chengde might just be experiencing temporary financial difficulties. In the end, after much discussion at the standing committee of the provincial party committee, the matter was left unresolved.
Since the official route was not feasible, they decided to find someone among the Hong Kong businessmen to relay the message. After all, they were all Hong Kong businessmen and had some connections. However, the top officials thought it might be inappropriate. If Liao Chengde was hesitant due to concerns about the investment environment and policies, and this matter spread among the Hong Kong businessmen, it would severely damage the reputation of Jiangzhong Province.
These days, even the highest-ranking officials were uncertain about the fluctuating economic policies from above.
What do secretaries do? They help leaders solve problems. The secretaries of the main leaders of the provincial party committee and government secretly mobilized their networks to solve this problem for their benefactors and to gain an advantage over others.
"Turns out you're Mr. Liao's relatives? Haha, what a surprise! I'm also very close to Mr. Liao!"
Luo Zhiqiang's face was full of flattery. If he could help his old classmate, he would earn a great favor. In state-owned travel agencies, just like in the government, there were levels and benefits. If he could solve the problem for his old classmate, he would likely become the general manager of the Jiangzhong region!
"Unsolicited kindness is either a trick or a crime!"
Zhongshi gave him a cold look, picked up the glass, and carefully examined the few floating tea leaves, a smile playing on his face.
Seeing Zhongshi's expression, Luo Zhiqiang's face turned red, and he said awkwardly, "Xiao Zhao, go get some cans of cola!" At that time, cola was still a relatively high-end drink and not as common as it is today.
Xiao Zhao, the female receptionist in high heels, hurriedly went to the inner room upon hearing Manager Luo's instructions. She could tell that after the father and son mentioned "Mr. Liao," Manager Luo's attitude towards them had changed significantly, even showing a bit of flattery.
"No need for bribery! A few cans of cola and you think you can fool me? Speak up, what's the matter?"
Zhongshi took the chilled cola, sipped it leisurely, and said slowly. At that moment, a cigarette would have made it even better, but smoking at his age would be detrimental to his development, so Zhongshi had to suppress his desire.
Zhong Jianjun, seeing that he wasn't needed, didn't feel awkward and took a sip of the can, feeling a refreshing coolness from his throat to his heart. He looked at the drink in his hand, thinking that foreign products were indeed different, even a simple drink.
The clever female receptionist, seeing that the father and son both enjoyed the cola, brought out a few more cans and placed them beside them.
After Zhongshi exposed his thoughts, Luo Zhiqiang was silent for a long time before stammering, "Actually... it's not my personal matter... It's like this, I have a friend... who works in the provincial government..."
He recounted the matter hesitantly, rubbing his hands nervously as he waited for Zhongshi's response. He didn't know why he was telling everything to a child, but his mind was blank.
"So there's such a thing?"
After listening to Luo Zhiqiang's story, Zhongshi couldn't help but laugh. He hadn't expected that his advice to Liao Chengde would cause such a stir. Liao Chengde was probably laughing in Hong Kong or counting his money in his bedroom.
Following Zhongshi's advice, Liao Chengde had invested part of his wealth in the stock market and reaped significant benefits. He had been calling frequently to ask for investment advice, which was starting to annoy Zhongshi. He told him to hold onto "Cheung Kong Holdings" long-term and to make other decisions on his own.
"It's not impossible, but what do I get out of it?"
Zhongshi tilted his head, showing an innocent smile, but his words were cold and calculating.
"Whatever you want, I'll agree to it as long as you can help me with this!"
Luo Zhiqiang's face brightened, and he readily agreed. However, he didn't really believe that a child could have the influence to solve a problem that the provincial party committee couldn't. He had forgotten that he had been on the defensive throughout the conversation and that the child in front of him was the one who started it all.
"I want two free spots! I'll handle the visa myself!"
Zhongshi wasn't going to be polite and immediately laid out his conditions. In such situations, not taking advantage of the opportunity would be foolish. Besides, this matter was easy for him.
"Half price, I don't have the authority to give full free spots!"
Luo Zhiqiang's face showed hesitation. He wasn't foolish enough to believe the child's "nonsense" easily, but after much consideration, he cautiously said, "I can't decide this alone; I need to discuss it with others."
"Then you'd better hurry, I don't have much patience!"
Zhongshi gave him an unhappy look, dissatisfied. Compared to the upcoming plunder of Japan, this was a trivial matter.