Chapter 926: The Fool Yu Dabao

“Let’s go!” Jian Qiu put away the blueprints. “To Chaoyang!”

An Jing said, “I’m going to the store—let’s go together.”

The four of them left the ward. Wu Chao saw Zhou Andong come out and drove the car over.

The young man greeted Zhou Andong, Jian Qiu, and An Jing, then rode off on his bicycle.

“First take General An to the Wangfujing store,” Zhou Andong instructed Wu Chao as they got in the car. “To the Wangfujing Dunkin’.”

As the car pulled up to the entrance, Zhao Hong drove in and turned in.

“Beep!”

Zhao Hong honked. Wu Chao lightly pressed the brake and pulled over to the side.

Zhao Hong parked beside them. He Ze and Wang Wentian got out first, followed by that fool Yu Dabao.

Zhou Andong rolled down his window, pulled out cigarettes, and offered one each to He Ze, Zhao Hong, and Wang Wentian, then turned to Yu Dabao.

Yu Dabao shrank back, guilty. He had beaten Song Ziyi and run back to the hospital alone.

He’d been proud at first, thinking he’d done Zhou Andong a big favor by solving the problem.

But when Zhao Hong and He Ze returned that night, they beat him up—and only then did he realize he’d caused trouble.

So now, seeing Zhou Andong, he felt guilty, hunched and hiding behind everyone else.

Zhou Andong sighed, tossed him a cigarette: “Smoke.”

“Thanks, brother!” Yu Dabao snatched the cigarette, his face lighting up.

Zhou Andong sighed again. This fool—he was stupid sometimes, yet clever at other times. And he’d done this to help him. What could Zhou Andong say?

“We’ve confirmed it—the president of Coca-Cola China is named Zhao Hongxing.”

“Alright, I know,” Zhou Andong fell silent for a moment, then told Wu Chao, “Let’s go.”

Wu Chao turned the wheel, and the car slowly drove out of the hospital gate.

Jian Qiu noticed Zhou Andong’s mood was off. She linked arms with him and whispered, “I don’t know Jiang Yuping, but I think she probably didn’t know about Song Ziyi’s incident.”

Zhou Andong smoked slowly: “I hope so.”

………………

Since the 1950s and 60s, Beijing’s CBD had been the main location of the city’s industrial base, concentrating traditional industries like chemicals, automobiles, and machinery.

Except for CITIC Plaza Phase One, no building exceeded ten stories—no hotels, no towers—only a dozen chimneys still belching black smoke.

Factories Beijing residents could name offhand—the First Machine Tool Plant, Yeguangbei Wine Factory, Automobile Manufacturing Plant, Metal Components Factory, Snowflake Refrigerator Factory, Jeep Factory—all sat within the CBD zone.

In this era, the main people entering the CBD were industrial workers; the only vehicles coming and going were heavy cargo trucks. After seven p.m. each night, the area turned utterly silent.

Of course, people still called it Da Beiyao and Tie Shizi. Two years ago, when CITIC Plaza was built, multinational corporations, major international trading houses, and global brands flooded into Chaoyang.

Calls to build Beijing’s CBD grew louder. Da Beiyao and Tie Shizi became the ideal location for Beijing’s CBD. In 2000, the municipal government held a meeting and decided to accelerate construction of the Beijing Central Business District.

At the same time, Chaoyang officially introduced the CBD concept to the outside world during the Chaoyang International Business Festival—and from then on, Chaoyang, Da Beiyao, and Tie Shizi gained a bold new name: CBD.

The car stopped at the district government’s main gate. Last night, Jian Qiu had contacted Ji Kang, director of the district office, through personal connections.

The guard saluted, completed the registration, and let them through immediately—clearly given orders from above.

As Wu Chao parked, District Chief Jia Hongbin stepped out with Ji Kang and his secretary to greet them personally.

Zhou Andong was now a god of wealth. Jia Hongbin had contacted Yuguang Group multiple times, hoping they’d move their headquarters to Chaoyang.

Each time, they’d been refused. He was waiting to finish this busy period, then personally visit Jiangzhou. Even if he couldn’t get Yuguang Group to move, he’d get Xuri Sheng. He’d held two office meetings to study what policy incentives he could offer.

He never expected Ji Kang to call last night with news: Zhou Andong was coming today—this was a genuine surprise.

“Director Zhou, welcome, welcome!” Jia Hongbin extended his hand from afar.

Zhou Andong shook Jia Hongbin’s hand: “Chief, sorry to disturb you—didn’t I interrupt your work?”

Jia Hongbin joked, “Director Zhou is a distinguished guest—I can’t even invite you normally. I’d wish you’d come disturb me every day.”

Ji Kang smiled: “It’s hot outside. Let’s go to the office to talk.”

“Yes, yes, let’s go inside—it’s too hot out here.” Jia Hongbin shook Jian Qiu’s hand again. “How’s Old Jian’s health?”

“Still strong.”

As they walked and chatted, they entered Jia Hongbin’s office.

Ji Kang pulled out cigarettes and gestured to Jian Qiu.

Jian Qiu waved him off: “Go ahead, smoke.”

Ji Kang lit cigarettes for Zhou Andong and Jia Hongbin, then poured tea for them.

Jia Hongbin took a drag: “Director Zhou, can you tell me about Qiudongfang?”

His knowledge of Qiudongfang was limited to it being a Hong Kong-funded enterprise holding shares in Yuguang Group—he knew nothing else.

“Qiuqiu, you explain.” Zhou Andong tapped ash from his cigarette and sipped his tea.

Jian Qiu said: “Qiudongfang is the holding company for thirty-seven enterprises, including Jindong International Finance of the UK, Darwin Mining of the US, Chuanghui Mining of Singapore, Sengrashil Mining of Peru, Fujikawa Optical Technology of Japan, and Dagong Electronics of South Korea.”

Domestically, it is the largest shareholder of Yuguang Group and the wholly owned parent company of Yuxi Real Estate, Yuzhou Technology, and Yuzhou Research Institute.”

Jia Hongbin’s eyes brightened further, his inner excitement hard to contain. Qiudongfang was so powerful—controlling thirty-seven companies across more than a dozen countries.

He never imagined that, besides Jindong International and Yuguang Group, Yuxi Real Estate, Yuzhou Technology, and Yuzhou Research Institute, all those other seemingly prestigious companies were empty shells.

“Tell me your terms.”

Jian Qiu said: “The headquarters building of Qiudongfang’s mainland company will cover 260,000 square meters.”

Hearing the building would cover 260,000 square meters, Jia Hongbin’s eyelid twitched.

Jian Qiu knew what he was thinking. She pulled out the blueprints from her bag: “Here’s the design for our headquarters—take a look.”

Jia Hongbin took it. The first thing he saw was the exterior design. His first impression: stunning. His second: irresistible.

“The building’s main functions are office and research. It includes a cafeteria, theater, fitness center, parking tower, and visitor center. It can accommodate fourteen thousand people working simultaneously, with twelve thousand parking spaces.

The building height is about eighteen meters, roof height about twenty-two meters, four floors above ground, two below, with office ceiling heights of approximately 4.2 meters. The structure is ring-shaped, with a large courtyard in the center. Once completed, it will be the largest building in the world.”