Official Career Storm
Chapter 390

Chapter 390: Chapter 390

Liu Lanzi could guess what Secretary Sun was plotting just with her toes.

These kinds of projects were always filled with hidden profits, garnered through various means, high and low.

But they certainly were highly profitable.

Yet Secretary Sun had approached the wrong person.

Liu Lanzi was never one to take shortcuts.

Otherwise, she wouldn’t have failed to establish connections in Lingjiang’s official circles over so many years.

Liu Lanzi smiled and shook her head, "Thank you for your kind offer, Secretary Sun, but the company has just acquired some land in Dujiang County and our liquidity is limited."

Secretary Sun’s smile slowly faded, and after taking a few drags of his cigarette, he said, "Chairman Liu, are you sure?"

"Heh, high-speed rail projects, there are plenty who are begging to collaborate with me."

"But I am a person who values old relationships. We’ve known each other for years, and our relationship is clear. So, when there’s an opportunity, you are the first person I think of."

"If money is an issue, I can help you contact the bank for a loan."

His words were almost forcing Liu Lanzi to agree.

Yet, Liu Lanzi still shook her head.

Secretary Sun narrowed his eyes and said, "Chairman Liu, are you not giving me face?"

"You misunderstand, Secretary," she replied.

"Misunderstand?" Secretary Sun snorted, "Liu Lanzi, you should know what I mean!"

He stood up, looking down at her, "With just one word from me, you could be involved in the high-speed rail project, and your company’s scale could grow multiple times. Lingjiang is about to undergo old city reconstruction, with lots of demolitions, all overseen by Secretary Lu."

He pulled a room card from his pocket and threw it over, "Tonight, at Binjiang Hotel, Chairman Liu, don’t disappoint me."

After dropping those words, Secretary Sun turned and left.

Looking at the room card on the table, Liu Lanzi’s chest heaved, her face icy cold.

She grabbed the room card and casually threw it into the trash bin.

After composing herself, she left the office and drove to the shopping mall.

She bought some clothes and some nutritional products.

After a moment’s thought, she also bought some cigarettes, alcohol, and tea.

After finishing her shopping, she went to an international supermarket and bought a lot of groceries.

Finally, with a car full of supplies, she opened the GPS and entered Zhuxi Village.

She knew Song Guanchao had returned to his hometown, and she wanted to visit him.

The small path leading into the village from the main road was hard to navigate.

It had rained the past few days, leaving the dirt road muddy.

She had deliberately driven a more modest Audi SUV today; fortunately, it was an SUV with a high chassis.

As the car entered the village, many villagers looked over.

"Is that an Audi?"

"That car must be worth a million, right?"

"Nowhere near that expensive; it’s just several hundred thousand."

"Oh look, the car stopped in front of Old Song’s house."

"They must be relatives."

The villagers gathered in small groups, chatting and gossiping.

When they saw Liu Lanzi step out in a casual floral dress, the village men couldn’t take their eyes off her.

Being uneducated, they couldn’t express themselves with sophisticated words.

A simple "This woman is really beautiful" was the highest compliment they could offer.

Liu Lanzi stood outside the gate, looking at the clean, tidy courtyard where an elderly lady lay in a wicker chair, fanning herself while listening to music.

She called out gently, "Hello, is this Song Guanchao’s home?"

The elderly lady got up from the chair, seeing the woman outside and thinking she was an official from the town.

She walked over and asked, "Young lady, who are you looking for?"

"Hello, Grandma, I’m looking for Song Guanchao."

"Looking for Guan Chao? Please come in."

The old lady opened the door and welcomed her inside.

She took a can of Sprite from the fridge, which Song Guanchao had bought since his return.

"Thank you, Grandma," Liu Lanzi gratefully took it, yet she saw this silver-haired elderly lady sizing her up with a kind, smiling face.

This gaze made even the business-hardened Liu Lanzi blush a little.

"Young lady, how long have you known my Guan Chao?"

"About a month now."

A month?

"She’s not my grandson’s female classmate."

Moreover, she’s a bit older than him.

But age isn’t an issue.

She looks quite nice.

Graceful, composed, and she has a great temperament.

Most importantly, she’s tall, well-built, and beautiful.

She and my grandson look like a perfect match.

The old lady asked, "Young lady, what’s your name?"

"Grandma, my name is Liu Lanzi."

"Who says thorns can only exist where no orchids grow? That’s a lovely name."

Liu Lanzi was surprised, she hadn’t expected this elderly lady from a small village to be so cultured.

It was a rather obscure poem, unknown to those not well-versed in literature; she hadn’t even heard it before.

Yet, here was this lady, reciting it from memory.

Such cultural depth was not common.

She couldn’t help but take another look and noticed that although the old lady was aged, she was in excellent health.

Her posture was upright, showing no signs of old age.

Her speech was clear and logical.

Throughout their interaction, she felt completely at ease.

This manner of interacting was not ordinary.

Liu Lanzi secretly wondered, how could Song Guanchao’s grandma, who seemed extraordinary, live here?

"Young lady, do you have a boyfriend?"

"Ah?"

The question caught her off guard, and Liu Lanzi, unprepared, quickly collected herself and responded shyly, "No, I’ve been busy with my career and haven’t had time to think about that."

"It’s good for a woman to have her own career, so you don’t need to devote your whole heart to a man."

"Grandma, you are right," Liu Lanzi was increasingly surprised.

This grandma, despite her age, wasn’t rigid in her thinking.

Most elderly women felt that a woman’s place was only to support her husband and raise children.

"Sit for a while, I’ll call Guanchao back."

"Grandma, where did Guanchao go?"

"He went fishing with his grandfather."

"Fishing? May I go see them?"

"Go ahead, see if the grandfather and grandson caught anything."

The grandma took her hand and led her towards the riverbank.

Along the way, the villagers they encountered were all very polite to the elderly lady.

Liu Lanzi observed carefully; these people seemed to treat her with reverence, as if she were an elder of high status.

It would be one thing if it were people in their forties or fifties acting this way, but she distinctly saw many of the old lady’s contemporaries showing the same respect.

It was as if the old lady was the matriarch of the village.

As they neared the river, Liu Lanzi saw the figure that had haunted her dreams.

"Grandpa, I got a fish!"

Song Guanchao lifted his fishing rod laughing liberally, even mockingly.

The old man’s mouth twitched as he grabbed a net to help him land the fish.

Once the fish was netted, Song Guanchao wiped the sweat from his forehead, about to boast when his grandmother’s voice came from behind.

"Guanchao, you’re still fishing? Your friend is here."

He turned around and when he saw Liu Lanzi, Song Guanchao was startled.

"Chairman Liu, what brings you here?"

He was wearing a short-sleeved T-shirt and baggy shorts, holding a fish, his body sweaty and smelling of fish.

Standing next to the graceful and refined Liu Lanzi, he was clearly out of place.

"I came to see you," Liu Lanzi said.

"Alright then, go accompany the young lady. Leave the fish, we’ll make soup tonight."

"Oh, okay."

Song Guanchao washed his hands, rather confusedly being hurried away by his grandmother.

He and Liu Lanzi walked along the riverbank, the fresh breeze and the clear air, with lush green mountains all around, elevated their spirits.

Liu Lanzi asked, "Is everything resolved in the city?"

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