Chapter 236: 232. It's a Pity You Aren't a Civil Servant

"Thank you, Uncle Zhang." This was the first time Xia Wen had seen someone give her a gift while specifically choosing the cheap ones; in the past, whoever gave her gifts would try their hardest to give expensive ones, even fearing she wouldn't accept them.

Now, Zhang Ran was something else, directly calling it cheap goods.

Moreover, Xia Wen had also taken a quiet look and discovered it really wasn't anything too valuable.

Xia Zhangqing also understood Zhang Ran's meaning, knowing that Zhang Ran was doing this for his own good; of course, it also had to do with Zhang Ran not wanting to get involved in trouble.

Chang Meilan had long since prepared everything, so the meal was served to the table very quickly. She caught up on old times with Zhang Ran, then immediately pulled the four little ones to sit by her side, her face blooming with smiles as she called them "little treasure" one after another.

Chang Meilan did not forget Liu Lu either. When she learned that Liu Lu was Zhang Ran's daughter-in-law, she was even more overjoyed, treating her completely like her own daughter-in-law. The level of affection was such that even Xia Wen, standing to the side, felt a bit jealous.

At the dinner table, Zhang Ran briefly spoke about his own situation without saying much more, and Xia Zhangqing and the others did not ask further.

"Brother Zhang, if you have nothing to do, why not stay at our place for a few more days?" Chang Meilan said expectantly.

Zhang Ran laughed: "Thank you, sister, but I think I'll pass. Let's wait until your Old Xia retires before we talk about that."

"Look at you, why do you have to climb so high for no reason?" Hearing this, Chang Meilan couldn't help but complain to Xia Zhangqing, who acted as if he hadn't heard and drank his wine in silence.

Eating, drinking, and chatting, time passed very quickly.

After they finished eating and drinking, Zhang Ran and Xia Zhangqing sat on the sofa for a while, and then Zhang Ran spoke up: "Let's go, let's go to your study and take a look."

Xia Zhangqing knew that Zhang Ran must have something going on this time, otherwise Zhang Ran wouldn't have come.

Just as Zhang Ran said, he probably wouldn't come to find him until he retired. He also knew that Zhang Ran really didn't want to get involved with the authorities, as the matters within were very troublesome, and Zhang Ran had always been a person who disliked trouble.

Once the two arrived at the study, Xia Zhangqing said: "Speak, what is it? I know you wouldn't come looking for me if there wasn't something going on."

Although Xia Zhangqing understood Zhang Ran, there was still some resentment in his tone; after all, at their level, there weren't many people left who could truly treat them as friends.

Zhang Ran laughed and said: "What else could it be? Naturally, I want to ask you, the boss, to help solve the difficulties of us common folk."

"Is it about the Yaotian Pharmaceutical matter?" Xia Zhangqing ignored Zhang Ran's teasing tone and asked directly.

He also had some understanding of the situation between Zhang Ran and Yaotian Pharmaceutical. In fact, after Zhang Ran fully acquired Dasheng Pharmaceutical, Xia Zhangqing had started paying attention to Dasheng Pharmaceutical.

Moreover, the fact that Zhang Ran could acquire Dasheng Pharmaceutical so smoothly, aside from the funding aspect, was actually helped a little by Xia Zhangqing behind the scenes. Of course, these were all handled as normal matters and did not involve any violations.

Zhang Ran nodded and said: "Our Dasheng Pharmaceutical has already decided to acquire Yaotian Pharmaceutical, and it's even about to succeed, but now some trouble has appeared, and this trouble requires you, the top leader, to stand up for us local enterprises."

Xia Zhangqing said sternly: "What exactly is the situation?"

Don't look at Zhang Ran's relaxed tone, which didn't look like he was discussing official business at all, but in fact, Zhang Ran came to find him this time based on the principle of handling official business officially.

Otherwise, Zhang Ran wouldn't have come to find him; wouldn't it have been easier to just go find that person in the provincial government?

Zhang Ran said: "According to what I know now, Tian Yaohui has already started contacting enterprises related to Yaotian Pharmaceutical, wanting to persuade the Changshi Government to call off our acquisition plan."

After hearing this, Xia Zhangqing frowned and said: "How dare he, Tian Yaohui, do this? Is this a threat?"

Although Zhang Ran only spoke briefly, with Xia Zhangqing's vision, he understood the meaning Zhang Ran wanted to express immediately.

Zhang Ran shrugged: "It's already reached this point; as long as it's not murder or illegal, what is there that Tian Yaohui wouldn't dare to do?"

Xia Zhangqing said: "Then what do you want me to do?"

Zhang Ran laughed and said: "It's not what I want you to do, it's that you, the parent official, need to stand up for us people under your governance. I, Zhang Ran, consider myself to have done nothing out of line, but they want to call off my acquisition because of the so-called 'maintaining the overall stability,' which I am certainly not happy about."

"And this is also an opportunity for Yi City. If our Dasheng Pharmaceutical can acquire Yaotian Pharmaceutical, we will gradually shift the focus of this company to Yi City, which is also a good thing for Yi City."

Just as Zhang Ran finished speaking, Xia Zhangqing said with pleasant surprise: "Are you telling the truth?"

It wasn't that Xia Zhangqing was ignorant, but that Zhang Ran's promise was too attractive. One must know that the current Yaotian Pharmaceutical is an enterprise with a market value of 100 billion, and it is a real industry; the economy it can drive and the jobs it can provide are very attractive to them.

Only at this moment did Xia Zhangqing truly understand Zhang Ran's attitude of handling official business officially. From beginning to end, he had not used the relationship between the two to ask him, Xia Zhangqing, to do a single thing, and what he was discussing with him now was also based primarily on interests.

As long as Dasheng Pharmaceutical succeeds, it will be very beneficial to the development of Yi City. Based on this alone, Xia Zhangqing also needs to strive to stand up for Dasheng Pharmaceutical.

Even if it weren't Zhang Ran who came this time, Xia Zhangqing would still have to fight for the interests of Yi City and choose to stand up to help Dasheng Pharmaceutical.

"This matter is not easy to handle. Since you have such an idea, Chang City will definitely try hard to protect Yaotian Pharmaceutical; otherwise, their losses would be huge," Xia Zhangqing said with a frown.

"But since you haven't done anything out of line, they have no reason to call off your acquisition, right?" Xia Zhangqing asked, puzzled.

Zhang Ran said: "They don't need to truly call it off; they just need to investigate according to procedure, but no one can say for sure how long that will take."

"Alright, I will strive for it on my end. Give me some time," Xia Zhangqing said. He still needed to communicate with the city government and let everyone work together.

Moreover, this matter was originally for the development of Yi City, and Xia Zhangqing believed that everyone would support him.

Hearing this, Zhang Ran laughed and said: "Where did that person go who dared to slam the table with the county leader when he was still a town mayor? Why are you acting so timid now?"

Xia Zhangqing wanted to explain, but Zhang Ran laughed: "Alright, just a joke. I've already prepared the things for you. If I waited for you to finish on your end, I reckon the opportunity would have already passed."

After saying this, Zhang Ran took a document out of his bag and handed it to Xia Zhangqing: "Take a look at these things; they should be enough."

Xia Zhangqing was a bit puzzled at first, but then, after reading the entire document, he was stunned on the spot. After he came to his senses, he was overjoyed: "With this, it's enough. Then I'll see how they have the face to stop Dasheng's acquisition."

However, Xia Zhangqing also quickly came to his senses. Thinking about the conversation tonight, it seemed that Zhang Ran had already prepared everything, and he, Xia Zhangqing, just needed to follow the steps to get things done.

After realizing this, Xia Zhangqing couldn't help but say speechlessly: "It's a pity you, this guy, aren't a civil servant."