As the sleek Rolls-Royce Phantom glided into the community, a wave of excitement rippled through the onlookers, their voices rising in anticipation.
"Mr. Li, Mr. Li!"
"Lao Li, come down quickly."
Stepping out of the car, Liu Yong observed the vibrant atmosphere and wasted no time. He reached into his pockets and pulled out two packs of soft Zhonghua cigarettes, indifferent to gender, ensuring everyone received their share.
Like a child grabbing a handful of candies, Liu Yong returned, this time bearing great gifts. The car was brimming with premium cigarettes, exquisite liquors, and high-end confectioneries.
In a swift motion, Liu Yong distributed the two or three packs of soft Zhonghua cigarettes in his hands, procuring a few more from the car.
The children, beaming with joy, ran around cheerfully with their newfound candies, while the adults who received the soft China cigarettes wore enthusiastic smiles as they glanced at Liu Yong.
"Li Zhengkai is blessed to have such an exceptional son-in-law."
"We also follow Zhanguang's lead. Look at these Soft China cigarettes—how generous they are, providing one pack per person."
Downstairs, the liveliness reached its peak. Li Zhengkai and Meng Chunli knew that Li Changle had brought Liu Yong home.
Upon hearing the commotion, the couple swiftly descended the stairs, their haste so evident that Meng Chunli, who had been busy in the kitchen, hadn't even had a chance to remove her apron.
With a delighted expression, Li Changle greeted her parents, "Dad, Mom, I'm back."
"Welcome home, my dear. It's wonderful to have you back," Meng Chunli said, her eyes crinkling with satisfaction. She turned to Liu Yong, "Little Liu, let's go upstairs."
Liu Yong hurriedly greeted the elder couple, "Hello, Uncle, Auntie."
Engaged in conversation, he retrieved the prepared gifts from the car, carefully holding multiple bags of varying sizes—seven or eight in total.
Under the envious gazes of the onlookers, the family ascended the stairs. Upon entering their home, Li Zhengkai personally fetched a pair of slippers for Liu Yong.
Liu Yong was flattered by the gesture and quickly said, "Uncle, I can manage on my own. Please, allow me."
Sitting on the sofa, Liu Yong placed the gifts on the coffee table, and Li Changle opened them one by one.
"Mom, this is for you. I hope you like it," Li Changle said, presenting a Hermes handbag—a spacious and practical accessory priced at 20,000 to 30,000 yuan. It was ideal for middle-aged and elderly individuals.
Meng Chunli admired the bag, her eyes sparkling with delight. "This bag is wonderful. I can use it when I go to the vegetable market tomorrow. It can accommodate so much."
Li Changle smiled and interjected, "Mom, this is from Hermes. It costs approximately 30,000 yuan. Are you willing to use it for buying vegetables?"
Meng Chunli was momentarily taken aback. "It's quite expensive. Xiao Liu, why would you buy me something so lavish?"
Liu Yong reassured her, "It's not a big deal. Lele picked it out, and I wasn't sure if you would like it or not."
"I do like it, but it's too expensive. I feel a bit embarrassed using it," Meng Chunli confessed.
In addition to the handbag, Liu Yong bought several items for Meng Chunli and a few things for Li Zhengkai.
These included about worth over 10,000 yuan, leather shoes worth more than 30,000 yuan, a pair of pants valued at more than 20,000 yuan, and a short-sleeved shirt costing more than 10,000 yuan.
Witnessing the array of gifts, the elder couple couldn't contain their happiness. Li Changle tactfully refrained from mentioning the prices again, revealing only a fraction of the actual cost when asked by her parents.
Li Zhengkai, having tried on the pair of leather shoes valued at over 30,000 yuan, expressed his satisfaction. Curious about the price, he inquired, to which Li Changle responded that they were reasonably priced at a little over 3,000 yuan—just a tenth of the actual cost.
Li Zhengkai praised the shoes profusely. They were far superior to the hundred-yuan shoes available at the mall, both in appearance and comfort.
Meng Chunli stowed away the gifts in the closet and graciously served tea, presenting an assortment of fruits and snacks she had prepared in advance. Soon, she busied herself in the kitchen, skillfully crafting a sumptuous Chinese meal for the family.
Meanwhile, Li Zhengkai engaged in a friendly conversation with Liu Yong while Li Changle sat by Liu Yong's side.
Taking a cursory glance around the house, Liu Yong estimated its size to be over 120 square meters, appreciating the tasteful Chinese-style decor.
In Jinpen County's Magistrate's Office, Wang Yongwang settled onto the sofa instead of his office chair, took out a cigarette, and lit it with a deep inhale.
Moments ago, Niu Zhixin, the director of the Jinpen County Industrial Park Management Committee, presented a work report. As the county magistrate, Wang Yongwang faced significant pressure.
Wang Yongwang initiated the industrial park upon assuming office. However, after more than a year, only two or three companies had established their presence within the park.
During Niu Zhixin's report, the suggestion to lower the admission standards arose. Several local enterprises, including a wood processing factory, a slaughterhouse, and a waste plastic processing facility, expressed their desire to enter the park.
Wang Yongwang familiarized himself with the scale of these enterprises, which tended to be small and classified as small and micro businesses.
Would admitting such small enterprises compromise the overall standards of the industrial park? If standards were not adjusted and external investments failed to materialize, most of the park's land would remain unutilized.
Deeply conflicted, Wang Yongwang furrowed his brows as he contemplated the dilemma, his thoughts clouded in a haze of smoke.
Knock, knock, knock!
The sound of a gentle knock interrupted his ruminations as his secretary pushed the door open and entered.
"Leader, the CEO of Global Shipping Group has returned just now," the secretary reported.
Wang Yongwang's eyes brightened, and his previously furrowed eyebrows relaxed. "Really? Is Mr. Liu currently in Dongmen Village?" he asked.
The secretary clarified, "No, he's at his girlfriend's house, in the Dujuan community."
Wang Yongwang recognized the community. It had been established as a residential complex for employees' families from the County Education Bureau and County No. 1 Middle School.
So, Mr Liu's girlfriend hails from Jinpen County, Wang Yongwang mused.
His secretary prompted, "Leader, would you like to pay a visit?"
After a moment of consideration, Wang Yongwang responded, "Since he's at his girlfriend's house, it wouldn't be appropriate for us to disturb them. I'll give Mr. Liu a call at an opportune time."
Once the secretary exited the room, Wang Yongwang checked the time. It wasn't quite suitable to make the call then, so he scheduled it for the afternoon.
In his mind, Wang Yongwang couldn't help but lament the fact that Liu was involved in shipping rather than industry. If only he could invest a few hundred million in the county, it would surely turn the tide.
Nevertheless, even though President Liu couldn't bring in investments, it was still crucial to maintain a strong relationship with him. After all, Liu was a source of pride for Jinpen County on a broader scale.
Over lunch, Liu Yong enjoyed a lavish meal with his future father-in-law. Knowing that their daughter and her fiancé were returning, Meng Chunli had awoken early that morning, rushing to the vegetable market to purchase an array of fresh produce. By 9:00 a.m., she had already busied herself in the kitchen, preparing for the feast.
Following the meal, Liu Yong accompanied Li Zhengkai for tea and conversation.
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