277: A guy who values ​​women over friends

After arriving at work the next day, Lin Zifeng made some simple work arrangements and then set off directly for the provincial capital.

Just as Li Qiang merged onto the Expressway, Lin Zifeng took out his phone and called Li Yuhang. The call was answered quickly, and Li Yuhang's voice immediately rang out from the receiver.

"I say, Secretary Lin, you're busy with ten thousand matters every day, how come you're calling me right after starting work? Last time you came to the provincial capital to visit your wife and children, I called you to go out for a drink and you wouldn't come out. And you're supposed to be my close Party School classmate! You really are a guy who values romance over friendship."

Although Lin Zifeng did not keep in touch with Li Yuhang very frequently, they would occasionally exchange phone calls or text messages, so their contact had never been broken. Thus, Li Yuhang knew that he had taken the post of County Party Secretary.

"Director Li, why do I get the feeling you're like a resentful woman pining away in her chamber? You start complaining as soon as you pick up my call, don't you? Quit the nonsense. I'm looking for you because I have an important matter to ask for your help with. I'll just ask you: are you going to help or not?" Lin Zifeng said straightforwardly.

"You actually have a matter you need my help with? That's a rare sight! But is this the attitude you take when asking for help? If you think you can just make a phone call and get me to help, forget about it. You come to the provincial capital and we'll have a proper get-together. No matter what help you ask of me, I will do my utmost. How about that?" Li Yuhang said with a smile.

"Then it's a deal. I'll treat you to dinner tonight, and I'll accompany you to the end no matter how you want to drink. How's that?" Lin Zifeng said very readily.

"Oh, are you in the provincial capital again?" Li Yuhang asked with confusion.

"I just set off from Yushu County. We'll see each other at the dinner table tonight." Lin Zifeng did not hide anything from him.

"That's great, then. We'll see each other tonight. But you should tell me first what help you want from me, right? At the very least, I need to be prepared in advance!" Li Yuhang said very openly.

Lin Zifeng gave a concise account of the situation in Yushu County, where several infrastructure projects were about to launch simultaneously and there was a funding gap.

Finally, he added: "Yuhang, my trip to the provincial capital this time is to find a way to seek financial support. You really have to put in some effort for me!"

"Zifeng, you know I work in the Personnel Division and don't touch on financial matters, but I can contact some friends who have a say in those departments. As for how much funding I can get for you, it's hard to say right now."

"Thank you, Yuhang. Even if I don't get the financial support, I still want to thank you. Just having this intention to help is enough." Lin Zifeng said gratefully.

"With you, Secretary Lin, and me working together, if we can't get a single cent of funding, you won't be able to save face, and I won't have any face either! Don't worry, Zifeng. It's your first time asking me for a favor, how could I let you return empty-handed? See you tonight." Li Yuhang said with full confidence.

"Alright, Yuhang. I'll have someone book a hotel in a moment, and then I'll send you the location and time."

Lin Zifeng hung up the phone, and Wang Zhongyu asked keenly: "Secretary, should I book the hotel now? What grade should I book?"

Lin Zifeng nodded and said: "This time we are going to ask for a favor, so let's be generous. After all, we are the ones asking for help. Book a four-star hotel!"

Wang Zhongyu agreed and began using his phone to book the hotel.

Meanwhile, after Li Yuhang hung up the phone, he didn't waste a minute and started making calls.

Li Yuhang called several friends he wanted to ask for help, and they all readily accepted, guaranteeing they would arrive on time that evening.

Although Li Yuhang was only a deputy director in the Personnel Division of the Provincial General Office, and a deputy section-level Cadre, he could still be considered to be in an important position.

Even if these people didn't care about his face, they would still give face to the backer behind him, so they were all very polite when dealing with Li Yuhang.

Finally, after some thought, Li Yuhang called Zhang Yuhao, whom he had met a few times.

In their few brief interactions in the past, Zhang Yuhao had been very fawning and obsequious toward Li Yuhang, because he knew who was standing behind Li Yuhang.

The reason Li Yuhang hesitated for a moment before calling Zhang Yuhao was because he felt that Zhang Yuhao, as the Director of the Office of the Provincial Department of Finance, could be of help to Lin Zifeng.

However, he didn't really like the fawning manner Zhang Yuhao displayed when facing him, which was why he had hesitated.

Zhang Yuhao received Li Yuhang's call and answered immediately, speaking quickly: "Director Li, hello. I don't know what instructions you have? Please feel free to ask."

"Director Zhang, you are too polite. I am calling you because of a matter. I have a very close Party School classmate who is serving as a chief official in a local area. Their county wants to carry out major infrastructure construction to improve the city's image, but they lack fiscal funds, which is why they have come to the provincial capital to seek my help."

"My classmate has organized a dinner gathering tonight. Before calling you, I already called and invited several friends from the Provincial Development and Reform Commission, the Department of Transportation, and the Department of Education. By saying this, Director Zhang should know the purpose of tonight's dinner, right? If Director Zhang has any difficulties, we can gather another time." Li Yuhang said in a flat tone.

"I understand Director Li's meaning. I have no difficulties. I will do my utmost to show my sincerity when the time comes. It is my honor to receive an invitation from Director Li." Zhang Yuhao said very readily.

"Very well, I will send you the hotel address and time in a moment."

"Alright, Director Li, I will definitely arrive on time."

After hanging up, Zhang Yuhao thought happily that this was an excellent opportunity to befriend Li Yuhang! If he could befriend Li Yuhang and later establish a relationship with the person behind him, why worry about not having a meteoric rise?

Thinking of this, while Zhang Yuhao was happy, he also began to plan.

Li Yuhang's Party School classmate was a grassroots chief official of a district or county. Since he wanted to engage in urban infrastructure construction, the Department of Finance happened to have a matching fund, which was the Urban Development Assistance Fund.

This fund amounted to a full one billion, and many Districts and Counties were applying for it. Several portions had already been approved, but the amounts were all around fifty million, and there was still seven hundred million left!

Although the approval authority for this fund was in the hands of the Executive deputy director, he himself also had a certain say. If he fought for it hard enough, he should be able to secure three hundred million.

This was already his limit. After all, there were so many other counties and cities! The deputy director could not possibly agree to let him control all the remaining assistance funds.

If he wanted to befriend Li Yuhang, he had to show sincerity.

Thinking of this, Zhang Yuhao prepared himself, rehearsed his words in his mind, then got up and left his Office, heading toward the Executive deputy director's Office.

He wanted to secure this assistance fund before the dinner gathering tonight. Only then would he appear more sincere, have more face at the dinner table, and be able to gain more of Li Yuhang's favor.