Chapter 815: Meat Before the Eyes, But Unattainable

"Alright!" The thin young man stood up. "Then you two talk—I'll take the rest of us out."

Sun Hewen waved his hand: "No big deal. Stay."

Qi Damin poured Sun Hewen a cup of tea: "Is it the shopping plaza and high-rise residential project on Bukui South Street?"

"Yes!" Sun Hewen took the cup Qi Damin handed him and said with a helpless expression: "You know I don't drink this. Can you stop pouring me tea the moment I walk into your office?"

Qi Damin smiled faintly: "You're the boss, I'm the employee. When you enter my office, pouring you tea is only proper. Whether you drink it or not is none of my concern."

Sun Hewen sighed: "Zhou Andong is in Zhenxing Village, Arongqi. Brother's wish is for you to go there personally and talk with him. He promises that if we get this project, we can handle all the relocation work for him."

Qi Damin thought for a moment: "Given Jiangzhou Yugong Group's scale and Zhou Andong's status, our visit would likely be pointless. Whether they even bother to acknowledge us is uncertain."

Sun Hewen sighed again: "I feel the same, but brother insists we must secure this project."

Qi Damin looked at Sun Hewen: "What's your take?"

Sun Hewen was equally helpless—he knew full well that for such a massive project, even if the other side opened bidding, their chances of winning were slim.

But using underground methods was out of the question too—Ma Huangshang had been taken out. If they dared push forward now, they'd likely walk straight into a gun barrel. Rumor had it Ma Huangshang's downfall was due to Zhou Andong.

Yet this piece of meat was undeniably tempting—just one bite and they wouldn't starve for two or three years. But neither legal nor illegal methods seemed viable to seize it.

"Sigh!"

Sun Hewen sighed again: "Of course I want to grab this whole piece of meat."

"There's zero chance of swallowing the entire thing," Qi Damin mused. "But if we secure just a portion of the construction rights, we might still have a shot."

"A portion?" Sun Hewen turned to Qi Damin.

"Yes," Qi Damin said. "The rights to a few buildings."

Sun Hewen frowned: "Can't we get the shopping plaza? It's rumored to become our city's landmark."

Qi Damin shook his head: "Without Ma Huangshang's incident and without this crackdown, we could've taken the whole project—no one would've dared object. But now? We can't possibly get a landmark like that."

Sun Hewen said helplessly: "Go meet Zhou Andong. Feel him out."

"Alright!" Qi Damin nodded, glancing at the time. "I'll go now. It's noon."

"Go!" Sun Hewen turned and walked out. "I'll wait for your news at home."

……………

In Zhenxing Village, Zhou Andong and Yuan Hai and others went to the fields to harvest corn and edamame.

Chen Yuan carried a nylon sack of corn, walking along the furrow: "Eat while you can—the corn and edamame will turn old in a few days."

Zhou Andong followed behind, constantly pulling aside the corn leaves ahead.

Walking through the cornfield was the most unbearable thing—the leaves were like tiny knives, cutting into hands and face, leaving fine wounds.

Especially in summer, sweat made the cuts burn. And the corn silk—falling down the collar—itched maddeningly.

Behind them, Jian Qiu and Yuan Ying had wrapped their heads tightly in gauze scarves and worn gloves, so they moved through the field with reckless ease.

"Oof!" Zhou Andong emerged from the cornfield and exhaled deeply. "How many years since I last worked the land? Suddenly diving into a cornfield really threw me off."

"Serves you right!" Jian Qiu pulled off her gauze scarf, smugly saying: "I told you to wrap up, but you wouldn't listen. Who's to blame?"

Zhou Andong sneered: "I haven't worked the land in years, but a country-raised man grows up with tough skin. A fall, a cut—what's that? This is just walking through corn."

Jian Qiu rolled her eyes, draped the red gauze scarf over Zhou Andong's head: "Here!" Then she looped her arm through Yuan Ying's. "Let's go home!"

Zhou Andong crumpled the scarf and shoved it in his pocket: "Aren't you riding back?"

"Ride?" Jian Qiu called out. "We'll walk ahead a bit first."

Yuan Hai, Yuan Tao, and Liu Hao each returned carrying bundles of edamame, tossing them onto the donkey cart.

"Hitch up the cart, let's go home!" Yuan Tao pulled the stake from the ground, led the donkey over, and harnessed it.

Back home, Zhou Andong filled a basin with water, wiped his body with a towel, and finally felt better.

For lunch, they did nothing but chew corn and eat edamame.

Right after eating, Yuan Yuan Hongbiao arrived, clutching a bag under his arm, his big belly waddling into the house.

"Everyone's home?"

"Oh, Big Biao's here!" Yuan Hongdang rose, offering his stool to Yuan Yuan Hongbiao. "Sit. Have you eaten?"

"Already ate!" Yuan Yuan Hongbiao pulled out cigarettes and passed them around, then sat down. "Came back to the village for some business, dropped by to see you."

Zhou Andong smiled faintly—he knew Yuan Yuan Hongbiao had come especially to see him. "Uncle, I've thought over your proposal. The group will send people over in a couple days to inspect the mine and discuss cooperation."

"Great!" Yuan Yuan Hongbiao slapped his thigh happily. "You don't know—I've been thinking about this nonstop these past few days. But you never replied, so even if I was desperate, I couldn't do anything."

They chatted a while longer, then Yuan Yuan Hongbiao stood to leave—when suddenly, the sound of a car horn came from outside.

Everyone in the room looked out the window: a Duke Wang sedan had pulled up at the gate. Four men stepped out.

Zhou Andong stood and walked outside; the others followed.

Seeing the four men, Zhou Andong frowned.

Aside from the one wearing glasses, who looked normal, the other three wore shorts and tank tops; their exposed skin was covered in dragon and phoenix tattoos—clearly no good.

Yuan Yuan Hongbiao stared at the glasses-wearing youth, then his expression changed: "Qi Qi Damin!"

Zhou Andong blinked: "You know him?"

Yuan Yuan Hongbiao gave a slight nod: "Qi Qi Damin is the most capable assistant to the Little Landlord of the city. General manager of Wenxin Construction Company."

Zhou Andong had never met the Little or Big Landlords, but their names were legendary to him.

Now that he heard Qi Qi Damin was the construction company's general manager, he understood why he'd come.

Yuan Yuan Hongbiao beamed as he walked over: "Oh, Brother Qi Damin! You came to Zhenxing Village—why didn't you let me know ahead of time? I'd have made proper arrangements!"

Seeing Yuan Yuan Hongbiao's warmth, Qi Qi Damin paused, puzzled: "Do we know each other?"