30: Chapter 30 Listening to the Spring's Secret Plot, Hunting Wolves in Tiger Skin

10:00 AM.

Shen Du stood before the full-length mirror, having changed into a dark-colored casual suit.

He smoothed the wrinkles on his collar and tucked his Nokia phone into his inner pocket.

The trump cards for today's meeting were still unknown.

To avoid any variables, Shen Du did not bring Xu Hao with him.

He walked out of the school gate alone and sat in the back seat of a taxi.

"To Yonglu."

The taxi wove through the streets.

Shen Du leaned back against the seat, filtering the intelligence provided by Red Phoenix in his mind.

The "Tingquan Water Pavilion" at Yonglu was not a place one could enter just by having money.

Up-and-coming big shots could at most clink glasses in the outer courtyard.

But the underground water pavilion was a forbidden inner sanctum where the reshuffling of certain industries was decided.

Shen Du rubbed his fingers against his trouser leg.

At this time, who would have the qualifications to enter that place and specifically ask to see him?

Young Master Han from the capital?

Impossible.

Young Master Han's resources were in the capital; he couldn't reach the core underground water pavilion in Shanghai.

The three local young masters of Shanghai?

That made even less sense.

His fake identity as "Young Master Shen" had no conflict of interest with them, so they wouldn't lower their status to arrange a meeting.

"Sir, we have arrived at Yonglu."

Shen Du pushed open the car door.

Just as he stood steady at the bottom of the steps, a receptionist in uniform approached him.

The other party locked their gaze onto Shen Du, bowed slightly, and spoke in a secretive tone:

"Are you Young Master Shen?"

Shen Du nodded expressionlessly.

"Please follow me."

The receptionist did not take the main entrance but led him toward a hidden wooden door on the side of the building.

Pushing open the side door, they found a private elevator.

Accompanied by a feeling of weightlessness, the elevator sank into the underground space.

With a "ding," the elevator doors slid open to both sides.

Appearing before his eyes was a dim, long corridor paved with sound-absorbing carpet.

There was no extra decoration.

The doors of the private rooms on both sides of the corridor were arranged in a staggered pattern, ensuring that any guests coming out of different rooms would not cross paths.

The receptionist stopped in the middle of the corridor in front of a heavy wooden door.

They turned slightly to the side, made a "please" gesture, and then retreated into the darkness.

Shen Du gripped the brass doorknob.

"Click."

The heavy soundproof wooden door was pushed open.

There was no music or luxurious attendants inside the private room.

There was only the privacy that isolated the noise.

Behind a massive golden nanmu tea table sat a young man wearing gold-rimmed glasses and dressed in exquisite attire.

Hearing the sound of the door hinges, the young man put down his purple clay teacup and stood up.

Across the tea table, he looked at Shen Du and raised his hand to make a "please" gesture.

"Qin Tiankuo."

The young man directly stated his name: "I presume Young Master Shen has heard of me."

Shen Du's expression remained calm.

He walked to the main guest seat, pulled out a huanghuali wood chair, and sat down.

There was no small talk typical of a first meeting.

Shen Du lowered his head, tore open an individually wrapped wet wipe, and meticulously wiped his fingers.

The room was so quiet that only the "swish" sound of the wet wipe rubbing against his skin could be heard.

After wiping them clean, Shen Du threw the wipe into the wastebasket.

He raised his eyes, his gaze meeting the eyes hidden behind Qin Tiankuo's lenses.

"Young Master Qin," Shen Du said in a flat voice, "I wonder what business you have with me?"

"The person in charge at Meituan told me that you are here today to discuss the transfer of the exclusive delivery rights for the New City District."

He leaned back against the chair: "But I recall that the exclusive agency rights for the New City District are currently held by Wei Ziang."

Qin Tiankuo showed no embarrassment.

He picked up the purple clay teapot and steadily poured tea until the empty cup in front of Shen Du was seventy percent full.

Accompanied by the sound of water entering the cup, Qin Tiankuo revealed his trump card:

"The agency rights are indeed not in my hands; legally, they belong to Wei Ziang."

Qin Tiankuo put down the purple clay teapot: "But Wei Ziang owes me ten million, and he has already entrusted me to help him handle this mess."

"Therefore, I am handling this matter entirely on his behalf."

Qin Tiankuo folded his hands on the tea table and leaned forward: "Let me lay my cards on the table for you."

"Wei Ziang hasn't received a single cent, and the fifty million promised from above is just an empty IOU to him."

"Because in the initial phase, the only funds he could use amounted to fifteen million. Of that money, twelve million has already been dumped into the Development Department as an advance for road construction."

Qin Tiankuo sneered: "That leaves a mere three million. Building a delivery company capable of supporting three thousand people in the short term is simply a pipe dream."

After hearing the reveal of the trump cards, Shen Du nodded slightly, his face betraying no emotion.

"I see."

Shen Du tapped his fingers on the tea table twice, cutting to the bottom line: "Then, Young Master Qin, how much are you prepared to take before you will let me sign the order?"

Qin Tiankuo leaned back against his chair.

He raised his right hand and extended one index finger.

"Ten million, and a meal."

Qin Tiankuo's gaze locked onto Shen Du's eyes: "Additionally, you must agree to do one specific thing for me."

"Ten million is easy; I can have someone bring it over at any time."

Shen Du did not hesitate: "But the thing you want done must be put out in the open. Otherwise, I cannot guess the weight of this 'one thing'."

Qin Tiankuo lowered his voice and revealed his final card: "That ten million absolutely cannot go through Meituan's public accounts. I need you to use your channels to help me clean that money."

He paused for a moment and tapped his fingers on the tabletop: "Additionally, arrange for an unrelated third-party agent. When the time comes, I will guide Wei Ziang to sign the contract with that agent."

"As for whether Wei Ziang will bite back after signing, you don't need to worry."

Qin Tiankuo twitched the corner of his mouth: "That upstart won't be able to jump around for many more days."

Upon hearing this, Shen Du's tapping fingers stopped.

He looked into the eyes behind Qin Tiankuo's lenses, seeing through the fangs behind the transaction.

"Take my ten million in clean cash to settle the bad debt you guaranteed for Wei Ziang," Shen Du exposed the kill move: "Then, turn around and use that debt to directly choke off the mineral deposits of Wei Ziang's father..."

Shen Du picked up the purple clay teacup and blew away the foam on the surface of the water: "Young Master Qin, this move of yours to play both sides is truly gnawing to the bone."

Having his trump card exposed, the smile on Qin Tiankuo's face only deepened.

He did not refute it.

Before finalizing the deal, Shen Du placed the purple clay teacup back on the table.

He threw out a potential complication: "There is still one more question."

Shen Du stared at Qin Tiankuo: "I previously bypassed the Development Department and completed a cooperation directly with the Livelihood Department in the Old City District. Now that I am taking over the New City District project, will there be any underhanded moves from the Development Department?"

"I don't want to pay once only to be blocked a second time. Also, when will that fifty million in compensation be finalized?"

Qin Tiankuo waved his hand, offering a reassurance: "Don't worry about that."

"The funds will arrive by the end of this year. As long as the Development Department's engineering funds for next year are allocated, the money will be deposited on time."

"Besides, this is a project that City Hall is keeping an eye on."

Qin Tiankuo pointed at the ceiling: "As long as you arrange the employment for these three thousand people. If the Development Department dares to withhold the money, take the IOU and slam it on their table directly. Even if they have to sell their underwear, they will have to pay you every single cent."

Hearing this, Shen Du had no more doubts.

"The money will take some time. It will be wired to your designated account before the end of the year."

Shen Du made a promise: "If you are in a rush, Young Master Qin..."

Before Shen Du could finish, Qin Tiankuo raised his hand to interrupt.

"Young Master Shen, with your reputation on the line, would I be afraid that you'd owe a mere ten million?"

Qin Tiankuo stood up with a smile.

He took the initiative to pick up the purple clay teacup in front of him and, across the tea table, raised it toward Shen Du.

"Here's to a pleasant cooperation."

Shen Du stood up, picked up his teacup, and met him halfway.

"Cling—"

A crisp sound echoed within the Tingquan Water Pavilion.