Chapter 1778

"Director Liu is too polite." Zheng Tulu smiled kindly, raised his glass to gently clink it against Liu Jianguo's, and the two of them tilted their heads back and drank it all in one go, very boldly.

Liu Jianguo did not pause; he continued to smile to himself while picking up the wine bottle to refill the glasses. Then, he raised his glass again, turned to He Liping, and said, "Deputy Director He, this glass is for you!"

He Liping did not have a high tolerance for alcohol. After a few glasses, her face looked a bit flushed, and she didn't really want to drink, appearing a bit coy. However, Liu Jianguo was, after all, the Director of the Municipal Party Committee Office, and she couldn't afford not to give him this face. After receiving a wink from Zheng Tulu, He Liping smiled unnaturally, picked up her glass, and said with a light smile, "Director Liu, you are too polite. Come, let's have a drink."

"Vice Director He, look at what you're saying; this is our first time eating together, so I definitely have to toast you a drink." Liu Jianguo said with a face full of smiles, being quite the smooth talker. He then leaned forward slightly, reached out with his glass to gently clink it against He Liping's, and then tilted his head back to down the drink in one go.

After putting down his glass, Ma Lan joined the conversation, greeting Zheng Tulu and He Liping: "Director Zheng, Deputy Director He, please have some food." As she spoke, she picked up her chopsticks and very enthusiastically placed a lobster onto Zheng Tulu's plate.

This ulterior motive of Ma Lan's truly touched Zheng Tulu's heart, making him feel quite itchy inside. He smiled at her and said, "Ma Zong, to tell you the truth, I really do like eating lobster."

"Haha... then it seems Director Zheng and Ma Zong are truly fated, haha..." Liu Jianguo took the opportunity to laugh heartily, losing himself in the moment.

"Isn't there a saying that 'Buddha says it takes five hundred glances in a past life to exchange for a single brush-by in this life'? Isn't it fate that we can meet? Right? Haha..." Zheng Tulu also tried to show his witty and wise side in front of Ma Lan. However, because he ignored He Liping's feelings, she remained silent throughout the meal while the others were drinking and eating in a very cheerful atmosphere, occasionally casting fierce side-glances at Zheng Tulu.

"Director Zheng, regarding Ma Zong's cooperation with the government on land development, we will have to trouble you more," Li Changping said after taking a bite of food. He stood up to offer Zheng Tulu a '95 Supreme' cigarette, lighting it for him while taking the opportunity to speak.

"As long as it involves the Construction Committee, He Liping and I will certainly not stand idly by." Zheng Tulu's words were very round, but he was unwilling to help for nothing just because of this one meal. He took a puff of the cigarette and, appearing to be in a difficult position, said, "However, I estimate that once the documents are actually issued, the competition will likely be fierce. The real estate development industry in Xijing City is blooming like a hundred flowers, and the competition is intense. Plus, with almost no land left to develop in the city, everyone has shifted their focus to the Chanba Development Zone designated by the state. Just think about how fierce the competition will be. I estimate that there will be no shortage of developers coming to find me and Deputy Director He about this!" After speaking, Zheng Tulu turned his face to glance at He Liping; from Zheng Tulu's gaze, He Liping understood his thoughts.

Thus, following his lead, He Liping continued with a light smile, "Old Zheng is right. The Chanba Development Zone is a piece of fat meat now. Many developers are eyeing it, just waiting for the government documents to come out. I'm afraid the competition will be quite fierce. If we help you, we might offend others, so it will be a bit difficult to handle."

After hearing Zheng Tulu and He Liping's words, Liu Jianguo and Ma Lan exchanged a knowing look. Then, Liu Jianguo chuckled, "Director Zheng and Deputy Director He are right. The Chanba Development Zone is indeed a piece of fat meat, and many developers are eyeing it. Ma Zong is new here and is not familiar with the relationships in the province and the city, which is why I brought her to get to know Director Zheng and Deputy Director He. Ma Zong's determination to engage in real estate is very firm, so her sincerity in visiting the leaders is also very genuine." As he spoke, Liu Jianguo glanced sideways at Ma Lan and gave her a wink.

Ma Lan understood Liu Jianguo's look perfectly. She calmly picked up her Burberry handbag from the chair next to her, opened the zipper, took out two Visa cards, and said with a smile, "This is my first time meeting Director Zheng and Deputy Director He today, and I don't have anything good. This is a small token of my respect; please accept it, leaders." Ma Lan said this with a smile, extending the two bank cards toward Zheng Tulu.

Zheng Tulu was stunned for a moment and politely declined, saying, "Ma Zong, look at what you are doing? Since we have all met, we are friends. I cannot accept this, I cannot." Zheng Tulu said while shaking his head, his hands making a half-hearted gesture of refusal.

"Director Zheng, Deputy Director He, look, this is our first meeting. This is just a small token of my respect; please accept it," Ma Lan insisted.

Liu Jianguo continued to persuade, "Director Zheng, take it, take it. Today is Ma Zong's first time meeting you and Deputy Director He; consider it a small token of her respect. There will be many times in the future where we will need to trouble you two leaders, so please accept it."

Seeing that Zheng Tulu had declined enough, He Liping followed suit, playing her part in the duet. She poked Zheng Tulu's arm and persuaded, "Old Zheng, since Ma Zong has this intention, let's accept it. Otherwise, Ma Zong will think we are not giving her face. Just take it!"

After performing the duet, Zheng Tulu half-heartedly took the bank cards from Ma Lan's hand, feigning a very embarrassed look, and said, "This... this, well then, since Ma Zong is so insistent, I will accept it!"

Liu Jianguo and Ma Lan exchanged a look. Then, Ma Lan picked up the wine bottle, stood up to refill everyone's glasses, returned to her seat, raised her glass, and said, "I am truly flattered to be able to meet Director Zheng and Deputy Director He today under Director Liu's introduction. Here, I, Ma Lan, toast the three leaders." As she spoke, Ma Lan raised her glass forward.

Seeing this, the other three also picked up their glasses. Liu Jianguo looked at Zheng Tulu and He Liping with a smile and said, "Director Zheng, Deputy Director He, it's not that I'm bragging, but Ma Zong is a very down-to-earth person. Don't look at her as just a woman; in some matters, she is much more straightforward than men. She is absolutely reliable when it comes to friends. If there is any trouble for you two leaders in the future, she will certainly not trouble you for nothing. Therefore, Ma Zong is a friend worth..."

"... deeply befriending."

Zheng Tulu turned his face to smile at Ma Lan, who was feeling a little embarrassed by Liu Jianguo's words, and said with a gentle expression, "It is clear that Ma Zong is a person of character and is worth deeply befriending. As long as Ma Zong needs help, Deputy Director He and I will certainly do our best."

Ma Lan, having drunk a few glasses of wine, had a faint flush on her face. She smiled alluringly at Zheng Tulu and said, "With these words from Director Zheng, I, Ma Lan, feel truly honored and flattered."

Because he had met Ma Lan, this alluring, noble, and charming mature woman, Zheng Tulu was in a very pleasant mood tonight. He almost ignored He Liping's existence, his gaze shifting to Ma Lan from time to time, his eyes shining, feeling extremely itchy inside. Seeing that Ma Lan was so good with words, the old man, who was already flushed from drinking, smiled and picked up his wine glass, raised it toward Ma Lan, and laughed heartily: "Come, Ma Zong, let's have a drink to celebrate meeting a friend like you today!" ===== CHAPTER 1779 =====