Chapter 162: Sunny Day Project
Back at the Jiangzhou Hotel, Chen Dong didn't have to wait long for Li Huiran to arrive.
Li Huiran had clearly taken some time to dress up. She wore a light-colored, sleeveless maxi dress with a tie-waist. Combined with her stunning, lightly made-up face, the outfit enhanced her aura while also lending her an air of dignified importance.
The moment she saw Chen Dong, she brightened and quickened her pace toward him.
"Zhao Yiniann from the Zhao Family suddenly asked to meet. I'm feeling a bit uneasy. Do you think they're planning to add some conditions to the pre-arranged deal?"
Chen Dong said calmly, "It's fine. I'm here. We'll find out when we meet them."
The two got into the elevator and went straight to the presidential suite floor.
As the elevator doors opened, they saw a handsome young man waiting for them. He wore a well-tailored, handmade suit, and his bright smile immediately put one at ease. Standing beside the young man was a sloppy-looking Daoist, a rather strange sight. The Daoist appeared to be in his forties and had a scruffy beard. His messy hair was tied back haphazardly, and his robes looked as if they hadn't been washed in years.
The young man smiled and said, "I am Zhao Yiniann. Welcome, President Li. I've already prepared a banquet."
'A meal at this hour?' Chen Dong glanced at his phone. It was 3:06 PM. It was indeed a strange time for a meal.
Li Huiran smiled politely. "Thank you for the invitation, Young Master Zhao."
"I should be thanking President Li for gracing me with your presence!" he said, and began to lead the way.
They arrived at a lavish dining hall and took their seats at a magnificent, long table. A dozen or so beautiful maids immediately began serving the dishes.
As guests, they deferred to their host. Since Zhao Yiniann said it was time to eat, Li Huiran and Chen Dong obliged.
'It's just that the table was filled mostly with Western food, which Chen Dong wasn't particularly fond of.'
Zhao Yiniann took a small sip of red wine and smiled. "I invited President Li over today mainly to meet my future partner. After all, once the Sunny Day Project begins, we'll be working together for a few years at the very least."
Li Huiran lightly dabbed her lips with a napkin. "You're too thoughtful, Young Master Zhao. As the hosts here in Jiangzhou, this meal should have been on the Li Family."
"Ah, no need to be so formal. It doesn't matter who pays. I'd like to ask, President Li, what are your thoughts on the Sunny Day Project?"
Li Huiran mused, "The Zhao Family wants to build a new, international city. I imagine the commerce, healthcare, education, and transportation systems are all expected to be at the forefront of international standards."
Zhao Yiniann slowly shook his head. "The publicly announced investment is three hundred billion, but that's not the whole story. Three hundred billion is just the initial investment. There will be more to follow. This isn't merely about building a new city!"
Li Huiran was taken aback by the figure. Three hundred billion was already an astronomical sum, and that was only the initial investment. 'What on earth is the Zhao Family planning?'
Zhao Yiniann took another sip of wine. "I don't blame you, President Li. It's perfectly normal not to grasp the full meaning before seeing the actual blueprints." He then turned to the Sloppy Daoist beside him and called out, "Bo Qing, show President Li the plans!"
The Daoist quickly stuffed a piece of steak into his mouth, wiped the grease from his lips with his sleeve, and stood up. He then picked up a scroll from a nearby table.
With a flick of his wrist, the scroll unfurled instantly. The enormous, five-meter-long, two-meter-wide scroll hovered in the air, unsupported.
Li Huiran was surprised, but what surprised her even more was the scroll's content: the true master plan for the Sunny Day Project!
The various buildings were depicted in great detail—a commercial district, a hospital, schools, a subway system, residential areas, and so on. However, the construction specifications were terrifying, roughly three times more demanding than for ordinary buildings, which defied all common sense. The most eye-catching feature was a massive stadium in the city center, whose construction requirements were an even more exaggerated seven times that of a normal building.
In other words, a single wall would require far more steel, concrete, and other materials.
'What kind of building requires such strength? It's clearly not meant for ordinary people.' A thought suddenly struck Li Huiran. She turned to Zhao Yiniann and asked, "Is the Sunny Day Project intended to build a dedicated city for Martial Artists?"
A glint flashed in Zhao Yiniann's eyes. He smiled. "President Li, you truly are remarkable to have seen the crux of the matter at a glance. The Sunny Day Project is, in fact, for building a city for Martial Artists."
Having received a clear answer, Li Huiran's brow furrowed, despite the shock she felt inside.
'From a purely business perspective, with such extreme construction standards, the Li Group would be doomed to lose money. With our company's modest resources, we'd probably go bankrupt before the foundation was even laid. If that's the case, we'd be better off not taking the Sunny Day Project at all!'
Zhao Yiniann naturally understood Li Huiran's concerns. He smiled and said, "Rest assured, President Li. My Zhao Family won't let you take a loss. The bidding process is just a formality; none of the quotes will be final. You can name your price for the construction. Right now, I just want to know if President Li is confident you can meet the standards on these blueprints."
Li Huiran considered this for a moment. "Aside from that stadium, which presents some difficulty, the rest should be no problem."
"The stadium?" Zhao Yiniann looked slightly surprised, then realized. "Oh! You must mean the Martial Arts Arena. The construction difficulty there is indeed very high. When the time comes, we will bring in specialists to assist you, so you can rest assured. Since President Li is confident she can complete the work, then this is wonderful news for everyone! Come, President Li, let's have a drink. To our future successful collaboration!"
Seeing the blueprints and having received Zhao Yiniann's promise, Li Huiran felt reassured. She smiled and raised her glass. "To our future successful collaboration!"
Zhao Yiniann drained his glass of red wine in one go and said with an air of relief, "Sigh! This is my first time being in charge of such a crucial task, and I was terrified something would go wrong. My second grand-uncle even specifically instructed me that this construction project must be entrusted to you and no one else..."