Chapter 945

"When was the title deed for this land transferred?" Lan Mei asked the archives administrator.

"A few weeks ago," the archivist said.

"Who handled it?" Lan Mei asked.

"Director Zheng came down and pulled the original file, asked me to redo a copy, and he signed it himself," the administrator said.

Lan Mei felt somewhat ignored. How could a transfer procedure with incomplete documentation be archived directly? So, she asked the administrator with a hint of anger: "Didn't you see that the documentation for this file was incomplete?"

The administrator certainly knew the file was incomplete, so they lowered their head in admission of fault and said: "This was handled by Director Zheng, I... I couldn't do anything about it."

Lan Mei had always been conscientious and responsible in her work, with a very serious attitude. Having discovered such an issue, she naturally refused to let it go. Feeling that since she hadn't signed off on it, the land transfer procedure was incomplete, she took the original file and, driven by her sense of professional responsibility, went directly to the third floor to find Zheng Tulu.

When she arrived at the door of Zheng Tulu's office on the third floor, Lan Mei heard voices inside. Not caring about anything else, she knocked on the door.

Hearing the knock, the conversation inside stopped, and immediately Zheng Tulu's voice came: "Who is it?"

"It's me," Lan Mei said.

Zheng Tulu recognized Lan Mei immediately, so he said with a chuckle: "Little Lan, come in."

Lan Mei pushed the door open and walked in, only to see a man in his fifties sitting on the sofa; this person was none other than Lin Dafa. Since the Moon Bay project had broken ground a few days ago but had yet to file a construction report, Zheng Tulu was afraid that if something went wrong, the lack of paperwork would lead the higher-ups to blame the Construction Committee for poor supervision and impose penalties, which would be detrimental to him. Thus, after discussing it at dinner the previous night, he had told Lin Dafa to come to the Construction Committee today to handle the construction permits. Deliberately waiting until past ten o'clock, near lunchtime, Lin Dafa drove to the Construction Committee and brought the construction application form to find Zheng Tulu. Zheng Tulu had handed it to his daughter, and because Lan Mei's signature was required, Zheng Ru, unaware of the situation, had taken the application form to find Lan Mei, which aroused Lan Mei's suspicion, leading her to take the incomplete land transfer file to find Zheng Tulu and get to the bottom of it.

"Little Lan, you've come at just the right time. I was just looking for you," Zheng Tulu said with a chuckle, as if there were no bad blood between them. He then glanced at Lin Dafa standing by the sofa and introduced him with a kindly face: "Little Lan, let me introduce you. This is Mr. Lin Dafa, Chairman of our Lin's Construction. Lin Zong, this is Lan Mei, Chief of our Construction Committee's Planning Division."

Upon learning that this graceful, fairy-like, cold and beautiful woman was the Chief of the Planning Division, Lin Dafa immediately stepped forward enthusiastically and extended his hand. Out of courtesy, Lan Mei reluctantly extended her hand, which he gripped with both of his large hands, shaking it while smirking: "Hello, Chief Lan, hello."

Lan Mei gave a faint smile and pulled her hand back. Lin Dafa realized he had been too enthusiastic and quickly let go. Lan Mei shot him a sidelong glance, walked straight up to Zheng Tulu's desk, placed the land transfer file for the Moon Bay project on it, and asked directly in a questioning tone: "Director Zheng, the paperwork for this land seems incomplete. What is going on?"

Zheng Tulu glanced at her, picked up the land planning file Lan Mei had placed on the desk, and after just one look, knew what it was about. He tossed the file back onto the desk and said with a chuckle: "Oh, this. Lin Zong's company is developing this piece of land. I was just about to look for you. Lin Zong's project is ready to break ground immediately. Take a look at the construction application report and approve it." Zheng Tulu glossed over Lan Mei's question.

But Lan Mei wouldn't let the matter go, and without giving him any face, said: "Director Zheng, you haven't answered my question yet."

Seeing that he couldn't hide it from Lan Mei, Zheng Tulu feigned a sudden realization, let out an "oh," and without changing his expression or skipping a beat, chuckled: "Beichen Company transferred this land to Lin Zong's company a while ago. Because the time happened to be right at the end of the two-year planning period, we tried to save time by simplifying the procedures."

"But Director Zheng, you know that files with incomplete procedures cannot be archived," Lan Mei said righteously.

*This bitch, still holding onto the fact that I screwed her last time! * Facing Lan Mei, who was being aggressive about this, Zheng Tulu felt she was just picking a fight because she was unwilling to have been enjoyed by him for nothing. Because Lin Dafa was present, Zheng Tulu feigned composure and, with a still-approachable chuckle, said to Lan Mei: "Oh, it's like this, Little Lan. Lin Zong just came to our Xijing from Yuyang to do real estate, and this is a good thing for our Xijing City's urban planning. We should be a bit lenient with Lin Zong regarding policy. Once Lin Zong's company gets on the right track, we'll handle the paperwork as usual. Let's just let it slide this time."

Lin Dafa immediately stepped forward and chimed in with a smile: "Chief Lan, my company just opened recently. You also know there hasn't been any news about land transactions from above lately, and the company can't just sit idle. I plan to build a high-end community on this land and turn the Ba Ecological Zone into a beautiful urban living area in a short time. This is also a good thing for our Xijing City's urban development."

Zheng Tulu added: "Right, Old Lin is right. It's precisely because we considered that Old Lin's company can make no small contribution to our Xijing City's urban development that it's not impossible to be slightly lenient in this matter. Besides, these procedures aren't being skipped, just a bit behind the actual actions. Little Lan, do you understand now why I didn't let you see the transfer paperwork at the time?"

Faced with Zheng Tulu and Lin Dafa singing in harmony, Lan Mei was momentarily stunned. The two had elevated the benefits of this matter to the height of contributing to Xijing City's urban development, leaving her truly not knowing what to say. Looking at Zheng Tulu, feeling a bit at a loss, she pursed her lips and said, refusing to show weakness: "Then... then at least complete the land transfer paperwork now. And the planning procedures—the original planning by Beichen Real Estate for that land can't be used; it must be re-planned and reported to the Construction Committee for review and approval."

Lin Dafa had originally felt that in the few months since entering the Xijing market, he had used money and women to pave relationships with leaders of all relevant departments. But seeing this eerie, cold, and beautiful woman being so iron-faced and heartless, not even giving face to the dignified head of the Construction Committee, Director Zheng, he looked at Zheng Tulu with some nervousness.

Because Lin's Construction Company dared to break ground without any paperwork, they relied entirely on the full support of the heads of the Provincial Construction Committee and the City Land Bureau. As Lin Dafa's backer, Zheng Tulu also knew what it meant to start construction before the land planning was approved—it was a serious violation of unit regulations. If the province found out, they would definitely investigate and punish it severely, and he would be the one to suffer the consequences. Thus, Zheng Tulu could only take the soft approach, continuing to chuckle and guide Lan Mei: "Little Lan, look at you. Being serious in work is fine, but sometimes you have to consider human feelings. Besides, Lin Zong is a newcomer here to contribute to our Xijing City. Being appropriately lenient with the paperwork is within reason. Look at Xijing City these past two years; for the sake of economic development, there are many preferential policies for investment attraction, right? Everything should be considered separately. One should be serious when necessary, but sometimes one must also consider things at one's discretion."

In fact, this wasn't the first time Zheng Tulu had secretly relaxed paperwork issues for these real estate bosses. He had already had many lenient policies for Beichen Real Estate alone, treating the same problem with different standards. Although she had always been diligent and dutiful in her work, sometimes, forced by the fact that Zheng Tulu was the head of the Construction Committee, she had turned a blind eye. It was just that because she had been humiliated by him, a scar had been left in her heart, and whenever she discovered a problem with Zheng Tulu, she wanted to use it to confront him. Under Zheng Tulu's high-sounding guidance, Lan Mei gradually calmed down. She weighed it in her heart again and felt it was better for her not to get involved in these matters, but the paperwork that needed to be supplemented still had to be. So, Lan Mei pondered for a moment, frowned, and said coldly to Zheng Tulu: "Since Director Zheng, you are considering the long-term development of our Xijing City, then I will turn a blind eye to these problems. However, for the sake of safety, I must sign the transfer paperwork. Also, Lin Zong, you must submit the planning document as soon as possible; our Planning Division must keep a record."

Seeing that Lan Mei was reluctantly no longer pursuing the matter, Zheng Tulu and Lin Dafa exchanged a look and chuckled: "Little Lan, that's right. You're still reasonable." Then, with a sanctimonious face, he turned to Lin Dafa and instructed: "Lin Zong, you heard Chief Lan clearly, right?"

Lin Dafa nodded and bowed, smirking: "Heard it clearly, heard it clearly. I'll go back and organize the materials immediately, and I'll try to submit them to Chief Lan by the afternoon."

Zheng Tulu chuckled calmly: "That's good. Lin Zong, once you go back, hurry up and prepare the materials needed for these procedures, and bring them over in the afternoon."

Lan Mei said expressionlessly: "Better come tomorrow. I want to go to the site to take a look in the afternoon."

Lin Dafa immediately nodded and bowed, smirking: "Can do, can do. Then I'll come find you, Chief Lan, first thing tomorrow morning."

Lan Mei glanced at Lin Dafa, said nothing, and just said expressionlessly to the kindly-looking Zheng Tulu: "Alright, I'm going down. I won't disturb you two talking about business." After saying this, she turned and walked out of Zheng Tulu's office.

As soon as Lan Mei walked out of Zheng Tulu's office, Lin Dafa frowned slightly and asked Zheng Tulu in confusion: "Director Zheng, this Chief Lan looks quite beautiful, why is she so cold? It seems like she doesn't even give you any face?"

Zheng Tulu lit a cigarette, took a puff, snorted, and said: "I see she's a woman. To put it nicely, I'm giving her face; to put it bluntly, it's because of the contributions she's made to the unit over these years."

Lin Dafa nodded and bowed, said "oh," and smirked: "Then Director Zheng, if I come to find her tomorrow, will she still make things difficult for me?"