Chapter 963: Moon Bay Project Commences

Early the next morning, as soon as Lan Mei arrived at the office, put down her bag, sat down, and turned on the computer, before her butt was even settled, there was a "knock, knock, knock" at the door.

"Who is it?" Lan Mei asked, picking up the water cup on the table and getting up to get water from the water dispenser in the corner.

"Director Lan, it's me, Old Lin." Lin Dafa's fawning voice came from outside.

"Oh, come in." Lan Mei said. After filling the water, she walked back and sat down. The office door was pushed open, and Lin Dafa walked in, hunched over, clutching a Gucci leather bag, smiling. He nodded and bowed while greeting, "Hello, Director Lan," and closed the door behind him.

"Lin Zong, what is the matter?" Lan Mei asked, taking a sip of water and leaning back in her chair.

Lin Dafa hunched over and walked toward her desk, smiling as he said, "Director Lan, you truly are a noble person who forgets things easily. I've prepared the planning materials and brought them to you. Please, Director Lan, take a look." As he said this, he took a stack of materials out of a transparent file folder and presented them respectfully.

Lan Mei took the materials casually, straightened her body, and began to flip through them carefully. While reading, she said, "Lin Zong really takes what I say seriously. Coming here so early in the morning, Lin Zong is a very responsible boss."

Since Lin Dafa had just come to Xijing to develop, although Lan Mei was not among the high-ranking leaders he needed to maintain a good relationship with, in order to ensure the smooth progress of the company's first project, Lin Dafa was still very respectful toward Lan Mei. He smiled and said, "How could I dare not follow the leader's instructions?"

Lan Mei flipped through them. Since there were quite a few materials, she raised her eyes and looked at him, saying, "Lin Zong, leave them here for now. If I read them and think they are acceptable, I will approve them and notify you then. If you have nothing else, you can go."

"Director Lan, if you think they are about right, please just approve them. That way, it saves you trouble and saves me trouble, so I don't have to keep running over to disturb you," Lin Dafa said with a smooth-talking smile.

Lan Mei always had a cold expression in front of others besides Zhao De. Hearing Lin Dafa say this, she raised her bewitching eyes and looked at him, saying neither coldly nor warmly, "What is there to disturb? The work I do is to serve you real estate bosses; there is no such thing as disturbing or not disturbing. Wait for me to look at the materials carefully first. If Lin Zong has nothing else, go back first. I will notify you when I have processed them."

Actually, Lan Mei held a serious and responsible attitude, wanting to look at the submitted materials carefully before giving instructions. But in Lin Dafa's eyes, Director Lan was doing this on purpose. He felt that it seemed he wouldn't be able to get anywhere without spending some money. Fortunately, before he came, he had taken 100,000 yuan in cash from the company's finance department and kept it in his bag, just in case these public servants at the bureau deliberately found excuses and pretexts regarding these procedural issues. So, Lin Dafa, without anyone noticing, pulled a thick stack of "Mao Zedongs" from his designer leather bag and placed them on Lan Mei's desk, smiling as he said, "Leader, if you think it's about right, just sign it and get it done. Running back and forth is so troublesome. This is a little token of my appreciation, and it can be considered a meeting gift for you, Director Lan. It's just a small gesture, please don't take offense."

Having worked in the Planning Division for these years, Lan Mei had seen such scenes many times, so she didn't feel surprised. She just glanced at the money he placed on the table, and without the slightest interest, didn't even look at Lin Dafa. She continued to read the materials he submitted and said, "Lin Zong, don't misunderstand my meaning. I just want to look at the materials first. I don't want to drag it out, but I have to look at the materials clearly before I can handle it. In case someone from above asks about planning issues, I can't be completely ignorant."

Lin Dafa nodded and bowed with a fawning smile, saying, "Director Lan, I know that. I'm just afraid that running over here is too troublesome for you. Please accept this small token; consider it my meeting gift."

Lan Mei gave a dismissive snort and said, "Lin Zong, you are too polite. If everyone were to give me meeting gifts like you, how many people would I have to see and how many gifts would I have to receive in a day?"

Lin Dafa smiled and said, "Others are others, and I am I. This is a little token of my appreciation for you, Director Lan. There is no other meaning. Please just accept it, Director Lan."

Lan Mei's tone became serious while she looked at the materials: "Lin Zong, I think you surely understand the principle that one should not accept rewards without merit, right? We are a government administrative unit. Accepting other people's money so casually is a violation of rules and discipline. If I dared to take so much money, it would be a serious violation of rules and discipline, belonging to bribery. You are pushing me into a fire pit."

Lin Dafa said with an indifferent chuckle, "Director Lan, you really know how to joke. What does this little bit of money count for? It's just a little meeting gift from me; it doesn't count as bribery or anything like that."

Lan Mei didn't even look at the money on the table and said in a serious tone, "Lin Zong, if we are talking about a meeting gift, this isn't the first time we've met today, so it doesn't count. Take this money back; I won't accept it. If you really have this intention, then just take it directly to No. 38 Ziwu Avenue."

Lin Dafa smiled and said, "That's Director Lan's home, right? Good, good. If it's really inconvenient at the bureau, then I will definitely take the time to visit you in person, Director Lan."

"That is not my home; it is the Xijing City Red Cross Society," Lan Mei said while looking at the materials. "You go and donate that money to the Red Cross Society. Perhaps it can help people in need. It can be considered as benefiting society and performing a good deed; it is much better than giving it to me."

Lin Dafa was choked for a moment, his expression somewhat awkward. He didn't know what to say, so he stood there waiting for her to approve the documents. The materials were quite extensive, and Lan Mei couldn't finish reading them for a while, so she casually placed them on the table. She glanced at the stack of "Mao Zedongs" in front of her and said to Lin Dafa with a serious expression, "Lin Zong, please take the money away. Otherwise, I will drag out the planning procedures and not handle them." ===== CHAPTER 964 =====