Power and Wealth

Chapter 477 – Opening Ceremony!

Xiang Yi Hotel.

Level 1, hotel’s lobby.

Jia Yan attracted the stares of all staff. No one had expected him to be so shameless. You took over Chief Dong’s position to steal his credit and created a mess with the investment fair. When you see the fair is about to fail, you feigned sick and hid in the hospital to escape responsibility. Now, after Chief Dong had invited over 100 investors for this fair and made it a success, you are discharged and come back to steal the credit again!? What are you thinking?!

Jia Yan is puzzled. Why are you all looking at me like this?

Jia Yan briefly explained. “I had drunk too much with an investor yesterday. What’s the situation now? Chief Lin, tell me.”

“……..” Lin Pingping kept quiet and ignored him.

“I am asking you a question!” Jia Yan got mad. “What is wrong with you?!”

Everyone from the Investment Promotion Agency is looking down on Jia Yan’s action. He is too shameless and will do everything for the credit. He is useless and cannot get anything done. When he is about to be held responsible, he dumped everything and hides in the hospital. Now, there’s a credit to be claimed, and he appeared again.

Luo Haiting, who was standing not far away, said sarcastically. “Chief Jia, you know when to appear.”

Jia Yan is furious. Why is everyone giving him such an attitude? Are they going against him openly?

Suddenly, Mayor Xie’s car arrived, and the hotel staff opened the rear passenger door. Xie Huilan and Hu Silian alighted and walked into the lobby.

“Chief Jia?” Xie Huilan noticed Jia Yan and narrowed his eyes. “Shouldn’t you suppose be in the hospital?”

Jia Yan quickly explained. “No, yesterday…”

Xie Huilan interrupts him. “Come back after you have recovered. The investment fair has been handed over to Xiao Dong. Take care of your health.”

Jia Yan is stunned. What? The investment fair is handed over to Dong Xuebing?

Ding! The elevator door opened, and Dong Xuebing walks out to see Jia Yan’s shocked expression. He laughed in his heart because he knows Xie Huilan had set up Jia Yan. There’s no way he can explain himself and have offended both sides. Dong Xuebing walks over. “Mayor Xie, the venue has been set up, and there are around 100 investors. The opening ceremony will start at 9 am. Is this fine with you?”

“I will just follow your arrangements.” Xie Huilan smiles.

Dong Xuebing replied. “Alright. We will stick to the original plan.”

“Ok.” Xie Huilan looked at the investors around the lobby and nodded. “Good job.”

Everyone knows Dong Xuebing and Xie Huilan are dating, and it’s funny to see them speaking like this. But they understand that they are at work and it’s not right to address each other by name.

“Oh, Chief Jia. You are here?!” Dong Xuebing looks at Jia Yan with a smile. “How are you feeling?”

Jia Yan suppressed his anger. “I am fine, but….”

“You are fine?!” Dong Xuebing did not give him any face. “Good. We still need people to help out at the venue. Old Sun has too many things to handle. Go upstairs to assist him.”

Jia Yan could not stand this sudden change. He is still wondering why the investment fair’s person in charge had changed to Dong Xuebing.

……

9 am.

The hotel’s ballroom.

Everyone who is supposed to be here had arrived. The 100 investors are seated in seven rows in front of the stage, and they are chatting and joking among themselves. Dong Xuebing checked everything is in order and returned to the first row. He whispered something to Xie Huilan, Zhao Xinglong, and other County Government Leaders, and Xie Huilan nodded. Dong Xuebing stood up and signaled to Lin Pingping. She quickly walks up the stage.

Lin Pingping is good-looking and is good at speaking. That’s why she was picked as the emcee for this opening ceremony.

“Good morning, Leaders, guests, ladies and gentlemen.” Lin Pingping smiles and continued. “Welcome to our beautiful Yan Tai County. First of all, we would like to thank you all for taking the time to attend our investment fair…” She has a lovely voice, and her opening speech lasted around three minutes.

After that, it’s the County’s Leaders to speak.

Xie Huilan smiles and walks up the stage. She adjusted the microphone and started introducing Yan Tai County’s economic situation.

“Chief, Chief Dong.” Sun Shuli called Dong Xuebing softly.

Dong Xuebing turned. “Huh? What’s wrong?”

Sun Shuli quickly asks. “After Mayor Xie finishes her speech, it will be the investors’ representative turn. Where is the representative you said?”

“I had called him, and he will be arriving soon.” Dong Xuebing looks at his phone. “Tell Chief Lin to switch the schedule and let other speakers go first. We will wait for him.”

Sun Shuli replied. “What if he cannot make it in time? Should we change…”

Dong Xuebing smiles. “Don’t worry. This representative is very important to us. Let’s wait for him. Other representatives are not as influential as him. Haha…”

Sun Shuli and Luo Haiting are puzzled. Influential? Only Park Yongxi can be considered influential among the investors here. Not only is he Korea’s Tae Kwon Do Grandmaster, but he is also wealthy and is a foreign investor. He is the best person to be the representative. He can give other investors confidence in investing in Yan Tai County. Does this mean Chief Dong had invited someone more outstanding than him?

Ring… ring… ring… Dong Xuebing’s rang.

Dong Xuebing looks at the number. “He’s here. Old Sun, help me take care of the situation here. I will go downstairs to receive him.”

One minute…

Five minutes…

Ten minutes…

The ballroom’s door opened, and Dong Xuebing entered with a middle-aged man.

The Investment Promotion Agency staff and the investors recognized that man immediately. Some of the Beijing investment groups are friends with him.

“Teacher Mu?”

“Old Mu, why are you here?”

Mu Zhengzhong smiled and greeted his friends before walking to the front with Dong Xuebing.

Mu Zhengzhong is very famous. Other than appearing on TV shows, his museum had exhibited the recently. Some people already know that Japan had exchanged a few of China’s cultural relics for their National Treasure. Many people are discussing how he had gotten Japan’s National Treasure.

Moreover, none of the investors in the ballroom can be compared to Mu Zhengzhong’s wealth.

How much money does someone who deals with antiques have? Any of the relics in Mu Zhengzhong’s museum are worth millions. If he puts a few antiques up for auction, he will get an astronomical amount from them. One of his porcelain vases was sold for over 100 million RMB overseas. Some of his books, paintings, jade accessories are worth over one hundred million RMB each.

These assets are only what Mu Zhengzhong disclosed.

No one believes that Mu Zhengzhong had spent his entire fortune to buy antiques to display in his museum. Some of the investors in the ballroom have assets of a few hundred million RMB. They can afford antiques worth over one hundred million, but they will not dare to do it. Many people estimate Mu Zhengzhong to have assets over one billion or even a few billions.

A few billion?!

The twenty people investment group from Shandong Province’s total assets might not even reach a few billion RMB. That’s why no one dares to claim they are wealthier than Mu Zhengzhong.

But… Mu Zhengzhong has only been collecting antiques. Why is he coming here to invest? This is different! Everyone is puzzled.

Lin Pingping, who is speaking on the stage, saw Dong Xuebing’s signal and announced. “Let’s welcome our investors’ representative to say a few words.”

The audience applauded.

Dong Xuebing smiles. “Teacher Mu, it’s your turn.”

“I am not good at speaking. You are putting me in a difficult position.” Mu Zhengzhong replied, but he had promised Dong Xuebing over the phone. He walks up the stage and picks up the microphone. “It’s an honor to attend Yan Tai County’s investment fair. First, I must apologize for being late. I had slowed down to enjoy the scenery on my way here. Haha… I had been here a few years ago, and the changes in Yan Tai County had surprised me…” Mu Zhengzhong started praising Yan Tai County.

Xie Huilan nodded.

Zhao Xinglong also took a glance at Dong Xuebing. They should not replace Xiao Dong as the person in charge of this fair. This is different from the situation yesterday.

The opening ceremony ended.

After all the investors left the ballroom, Xie Huilan and Zhao Xinglong called Dong Xuebing over and walked over to greet Mu Zhengzhong.

“I didn’t expect we can invite Mr. Mu here.” Xie Huilan shook his hand with a smile.

Zhao Xinglong, Sun Shuli, and the rest are also curious why someone like Mu Zhengzhong had come to their County.

Mu Zhengzhong laughed. “Your County’s Chief Dong and I are old friends, and how can I reject my friend’s invitation? Haha… Furthermore, the investment environment in your County is quite good. I had come at the right time.”

Everyone finally understood. Mu Zhengzhong and Chief Dong are friends.

Chief Dong had invited a VIP again!

Jia Yan, who was not far away, felt Dong Xuebing had tricked him. If Dong Xuebing had shown his capabilities earlier, he would not drink with that investor yesterday! He should be the one under the spotlight now! He still does not realize there are no free lunches in this world!