95: Chapter 95 Did My Math Teacher Serve as Gym Teacher?

Four cars were parked outside the iron gate. Two black Volkswagens, one Toyota Coaster, and one Range Rover. The car doors opened one after another, and over a dozen people stepped out.

The fat man in the lead stood with his hands on his hips, a gold chain around his neck gleaming blindingly in the sun, as he pounded on the iron gate at the elderly security guard.

Standing next to him was a middle-aged man clutching a briefcase, wearing a polite smile—the standard "let's all get along" look typical of grassroots cadres. There was sweat on his temples; whether it was from the sun or a guilty conscience was hard to say.

Li Li emerged from the main building.

The children automatically cleared a path. Jiajia tugged on his pant leg and followed for a couple of steps before he gently pushed her away.

"Step back and take the younger ones to the cafeteria."

Jiajia pursed her lips and retreated reluctantly.

Li Li walked up to the iron gate and tapped the rusty door frame through the bars.

"I am the acting director of Qingcheng Orphanage. Tell me what you need."

The fat man withdrew the foot he had been using to kick the gate and looked him up and down.

Just over 1.8 meters tall, short messy hair, wearing an old T-shirt and cargo pants, with tan lines visible on his arms. He didn't look like someone capable of managing four hundred people by any stretch.

"Acting director? Never heard of you. Why wasn't this reported to the relevant authorities? Where is Zhang Guifang?"

"She was just hospitalized; the paperwork hasn't been processed yet."

The man with the briefcase stepped forward.

"My surname is Wang, and I'm in charge of culture, sports, and civil affairs for the town. This is General Manager Liu from Hengtai Construction. We're here today mainly to discuss land use with the orphanage."

As he spoke, he reached his right hand through the iron bars.

Li Li didn't take it.

After his hand hung there for two seconds, Vice Town Mayor Wang pulled it back and wiped it on his pant leg.

"It's like this: General Manager Liu from Hengtai is very interested in the unused portion of the orphanage's land. The proposal is already prepared—a purchase price of 15 million, plus a full renovation of the existing buildings."

He paused.

"Director Li, the town is well aware of the orphanage's financial situation. You owe over eight million to the bank, staff wages have been delayed for half a year, and meal standards have been cut again and again. If you keep holding on like this, the final result will be bankruptcy and liquidation, and the children will be scattered to other orphanages."

He said this at a high volume.

Several of the older children behind him, aged fifteen or sixteen, tensed up upon hearing the word "scattered." A boy in a school uniform grabbed the sleeve of the girl next to him.

Li Li caught this out of the corner of his eye.

He didn't rush to reply. He shoved his hands into his pockets and rubbed the edge of his phone case with his thumb.

"Mayor Wang, who came up with this figure of 15 million?"

Vice Town Mayor Wang blinked.

"An appraisal company—"

"Which appraisal company?"

"The one commissioned by Hengtai—"

"An appraisal company hired by the buyer to set the price for their own acquisition target."

Li Li nodded.

"That's certainly professional."

The fat man couldn't save face anymore.

"Young man, what do you mean by that?"

"I don't mean anything by it."

Li Li pointed into the distance through the gaps in the iron bars.

"Mount Qingcheng, two kilometers in a straight line from the high-speed railway station. During peak tourist season, the daily passenger flow is 80,000. This plot of land is 50,000 square meters, with a preset floor area ratio of 6, making for a building area of 300,000 square meters. Even if the land price is 500 per square meter..."

He counted on his fingers.

"This land is worth 150 million. Even if you subtract the 10,000 square meters occupied by the orphanage, the remaining 40,000 square meters are worth over 100 million."

The courtyard went silent.

"You're offering 15 million to buy land worth 100 million."

Li Li tilted his head.

"General Manager Liu, does your Hengtai think the orphanage has been made stupid by doing charity? Or do you think the people at the orphanage were all taught math by a P.E. teacher?"

The fat man's expression stiffened, and his Adam's apple bobbed.

A middle-aged man in a gray jacket next to him leaned over and whispered a few words to him, but the fat man waved his hand, signaling him to shut up.

Vice Town Mayor Wang cleared his throat.

"Director Li, what you're talking about is the market price. But this land has been idle for over twenty years. Changes in land use, extensions on commercial land terms—all these procedures and costs have to be considered."

He took half a step forward, lowering his voice, but deliberately making sure everyone present could hear him.

"To put it bluntly, even if it weren't Hengtai, if any other company came along, the town would push for the development of this land. In the overall plan for the Mount Qingcheng tourist area, this plot is in a prime location and cannot remain empty forever."

He paused for a beat.

"And Director Li, you might not be aware—this project isn't just being pushed by the town. Leaders in the district are also paying attention. Either you develop it yourselves, or you sell it. Or—the town will initiate the recovery process according to procedure."

There are people in the district involved, too.

This was no longer just a matter for the town government.

Li Li pulled his hands out of his pockets and crossed his arms over his chest.

"I choose the path of developing it ourselves."

Vice Town Mayor Wang was stunned for a moment.

"The commercial development plan is already in the works. Once the proposal is finalized, we will submit it for approval according to procedure. We will handle the procedures for land use changes and term extensions ourselves."

The fat man was the first to lose his patience.

"You? What are you going to use to develop it? Do you know how much initial investment commercial real estate—"

"That is no concern of yours, General Manager Liu."

It was short and sharp.

Vice Town Mayor Wang's smile finally couldn't hold.

"Director Li, we didn't say we had to reach an agreement today. We just brought General Manager Liu here to take a look on-site and understand the situation of the land. Surely we can take a look?"

Li Li shook his head.

"It's not convenient. We have an internal event starting immediately, so we aren't receiving visitors."

"An internal event? What kind of event?"

Li Li turned his head and shouted into the courtyard.

"Is the Hotpot base in yet?"

A shrill response came from the direction of the cafeteria.

"It's in—"

Immediately after, dozens of children's voices erupted.

"We're having Hotpot!!!"

"Is there meat today?"

"Brother Li Li said there's meat and meatballs!"

"Ahhhhhhh—"

Outside the iron gate, Vice Town Mayor Wang's face turned green.

You call this an internal event?

Li Li nodded at the elderly security guard.

The old man understood and slammed the iron gate shut with a loud clang. He locked it. The chains rattled twice.

Inside and outside the iron bars, two different worlds.

Vice Town Mayor Wang turned and walked toward the motorcade. Decent people don't argue at the entrance of an orphanage; there are too many children, and it wouldn't sound good if word got out.

The fat man followed with a twisted expression. The man in the gray jacket leaned in, his voice very low.

"General Manager Liu, I just checked. This Li Li—it seems he's an internet celebrity. He's the one who did the live stream from the Middle East a while back; he has nearly 100 million TikTok followers."

"An internet celebrity?"

"Yes, the non-celebrity who appeared on a variety show with top star Jiang Rumu."

The fat man curled his lip, opened the car door, and plopped inside.

"What's so great about an internet celebrity? Is the money from live-streaming sales enough to develop this land?"

He turned his head and threw a sentence at the man in the gray jacket.

"Check his background. What he used to do, if he has any dirt, if he's ever owed money. A poor kid from an orphanage, how clean could he possibly be?"

The man in the gray jacket nodded.

The fat man slammed the car door shut and took one last look at the rusty iron gate.

"Also, get in touch with the district. Tell them the people on this land are uncooperative, and the necessary procedures can be initiated ahead of schedule."

The four cars drove away one after another. Dust settled on the concrete ground at the orphanage entrance.

Inside the iron gate.

Steam from the cafeteria poured out of the windows, and the whole courtyard was filled with the smell of chili.

Li Li sat down on a long bench. A row of little ones opposite him stared in unison at the bottom of the pot, their eyes moving in sync with the tripe.

Teacher Wang trotted over from the main building and sat down next to him.

"They left?"

"They left."

"You drove the town people away?"

"I didn't drive them away, we just had a normal conversation."

"A normal conversation that made their faces turn green with anger?"

Li Li didn't turn back; he fished a piece of tripe out of the pot, rolled it in a garlic and oil dipping sauce, and shoved it into his mouth.

"If his face turned green, it means he knows the price is artificially high. Only people with a guilty conscience get angry."

His phone buzzed in his pocket.

He took it out. A text message from an unknown number—

"Hello Mr. Li Li, I am from the marketing department of Hengtai Construction. Regarding the acquisition of the Qingcheng Orphanage plot, we are willing to increase our offer to 30 million and promise—"

He swiped it away.

Jiajia squeezed over holding a bowl of sesame paste, nearly tripping over the leg of the bench.

"Brother Li Li! I saved a bowl for you! Sit next to me!"

Li Li glanced at her, then at the bowl of sesame paste.

"Wait a second."

Jiajia froze.

"What's wrong, Brother Li Li?"

"You're a Chengdu kid, and you use sesame paste for Hotpot?"

At the same time.

Mount Qingcheng Town Government, second-floor office. Vice Town Mayor Wang threw his briefcase on the table and took a gulp from his thermos. His phone rang. He glanced at the caller ID and answered.

"Mayor Wang, did you reach an agreement with them?"

The voice on the other end of the line was not loud, but every word carried weight. Vice Town Mayor Wang gripped the thermos lid, his palms covered in sweat.

"Zhang Guifang is hospitalized, and the orphanage has a young man acting as the director now... it's not easy to talk to."

"Not easy to talk to?"

The person on the other end was silent for three seconds.

"Then don't talk. Follow the procedure."