Chapter 218: Conversation with Mr. Qiaobafu

"Lanse, do you know a person named Lusi?"

This was the second time Lanse had heard this name from someone else's mouth.

The first person to talk about Lusi was William (Patricia's father). His tone was full of sarcasm when he talked about the Imperial District councilor not being a smart egg.

This was also one of the reasons that prompted him to plan to run for election in the Imperial District.

Dealing with a Free Party member who didn't have a big background and had extreme political views was definitely better than dealing with those Socialist Party members who had complex local interests and relationships.

Lanse supported his decision. William's taking office would bring him some practical benefits; at least before changes in policies and other aspects appeared, he could hear some wind earlier.

However, Lanse would not show that he actually knew and understood a little bit of this person's thoughts. He shook his head. "Never heard of it. Sounds like the name of a loser in the corner of a bar."

Mr. Qiaobafu's mouth corners lifted slightly. "Very interesting way of saying it...", he liked Lanse's evaluation. Doesn't this mean he has more opportunities?

"He is a municipal councilor of the Imperial District."

"Mm-hmm?"

"I plan to run for municipal councilor of the Imperial District next year."

Lanse looked at him a bit... confused. "Why did you suddenly think of doing this?"

Mr. Qiaobafu had some small movements in his hands. He was actually hiding his true thoughts. "I read some books recently, about ideals and redemption, and you know, we all hope to do something for the Imperial people."

"I found that becoming a banker can't solve people's troubles, but becoming a municipal councilor, perhaps I can help more people solve more practical problems."

Lanse frowned. "A very noble ideal, but this doesn't look like you, Mr. Qiaobafu."

"Doesn't look like me?", he didn't understand the meaning of this sentence. "Which aspect do you mean?"

All aspects. In fact, people's impression of Mr. Qiaobafu was that he was a generous banker. He wouldn't interfere in other people's lives, nor would he mind providing help to others.

But only a part of the help!

He had never done any big things for the Imperial people that he hoped to do in his mouth. He was just a celebrity with a certain reputation in a certain area. Suddenly wanting to make some changes, there must be some reason.

And this reason was the mayor.

Lanse didn't elaborate. This was a very insincere thing. Just like people don't like to be labeled by others, making their image rigid and solidified. You think he is this or that kind of person, it will only make him feel that you are objectifying him, thereby denying all "views."

"Is it because of the mayor's pressure?", Lanse skipped this topic and pointed directly to the core of the event. "Because the mayor feels that you have a certain influence in the Imperial District, so he hopes that you can become an Imperial District councilor and provide some political help to him?"

Mr. Qiaobafu marveled at Lanse's keen sense of smell. He smiled reservedly and did not deny it. "Part of the reason, I am squeezing into the upper-class circle, Lanse."

He finally couldn't hold it back and laughed out loud.

The mayor talked to him and would support him in running for municipal councilor of the Imperial District. He had innate advantages in running in the Imperial District.

He was an Imperial immigrant, and one of the better-off among Imperial immigrants, and he was also a banker. He had complex social relationships in the Imperial District. People would cast their votes for a real character they could contact and who would usually help them.

Instead of an extreme politician who didn't care and only had a relatively mild attitude toward immigrants.

In the mayor's view, Mr. Qiaobafu defeating Lusi was as simple as men approaching a urinal, unzipping their pants, and taking that thing out. It was just that natural to complete all the work.

Wanting to disintegrate the local interest network composed of locals, perhaps having one more or one less municipal councilor would not play a key role, but it could create momentum for him.

The masses were very stupid. They couldn't see the reality hidden behind the appearance. They couldn't well understand the "conversion method" that three or four useless councilors were not as good as one Councilor Wei De or one Councilor Williams.

They would only simply think—"Oh, there are as many municipal councilors supporting the mayor as there are opposing him!"

As long as it didn't make people look like "almost all municipal councilors are opposing the mayor," it would be fine.

But for Mr. Qiaobafu, this was the first time in decades after coming to the Federation that he had truly taken a step toward the upper-class society!

In the future, people would no longer call him "banker" in a tone of mockery that he thought he couldn't hear, but should call him "Councilor Qiaobafu." The circle of the upper-class society was opening its doors to him.

Lanse could understand his mood. After all... this was his dream, but at this critical node, he didn't know whether to say Mr. Qiaobafu was unlucky or unlucky or unlucky.

"It's a bit uneasy in the city recently.", Lanse looked at him, not catching his sentence "I am squeezing into the upper-class society."

Mr. Qiaobafu reacted. "Yes, it's a bit uneasy. I heard that there was some misunderstanding between you and the mayor. Do you want me to help you say something to the mayor?"

He also heard that the manager of the Jin Bihuihuang Nightclub had changed. He actually hoped that Lanse would stand with him, so they could cooperate and become indispensable talents for the mayor, and their status could be more stable.

He looked at Lanse with some anticipation, but Lanse didn't answer this sentence. "The locals are at war with the mayor, Mr. Qiaobafu."

"This is not a suitable node. Whether you have squeezed into this circle or not, for you, you are the one who is not blessed."

The smile on Mr. Qiaobafu's face converged a little. "What did you hear?"

"A lot, which aspect do you want to hear?", Lanse took out a cigarette and gave him one. The two leaned together and lit the fire.

"All!", while spitting smoke, Mr. Qiaobafu said what he wanted to know.

Lanse was silent for a while. "Local forces, you should know better than me."

Mr. Qiaobafu nodded. He had been here for decades longer than Lans, so he certainly knew those local prominent families. At the same time, it was only now that he truly realized what Lans meant. "Are you saying the mayor is no match for them?"

Lanse shook his head and said, "Whether the mayor is their opponent or not, he will leave here. So what about you?"

"Can you leave here?"

The mayor would leave New Jincheng after his term ended in two years. Whether he went to the state legislature or the state government, or had no position and returned to the party's duties, he had a place to go.

As long as he didn't leave in a mess, his status in the Socialist Party wouldn't be shaken, and the identity of "former mayor of New Jincheng" had a lot of weight in competing for other nominations.

But Mr. Qiaobafu couldn't leave here, because his "basic disk" was his identity as an "old Imperial immigrant."

He didn't have as much money as the capitalists outside, nor did he have as rich connections as the politicians outside. He was actually also a local, but stood on the mayor's side.

Lanse felt that all the locals who stood on the mayor's side at this moment were idealistic speculators. They determined that the mayor could defeat the deep-rooted local forces and then obtain a piece of private land.

But this... how is it possible?

No one could guarantee that the next mayor would have the same ability as the current mayor, and no one could guarantee that every successor in the future could keep these fruits of victory.

As long as one mayor is not so outstanding, under the counterattack of local forces, all locals who stand in the team of outsiders will be purged.

Lanse said some things to him, said some things about the struggle between the locals and the mayor. "Mr. Qiaobafu, the mayor will leave New Jincheng after two years regardless of winning or losing."

"In order to gamble on whether he can do what he couldn't do in the previous six years in two years, I think the gambling nature is too big."

Mr. Qiaobafu smoked one after another. He thought for a while. "Do you think I should give up?"

Lanse gave him a more euphemistic way of saying it. "You should choose to wait and see."

Mr. Qiaobafu looked up at the clear sky. "The locals don't like us."

A fact.

He had been here for decades, and it wasn't just this year that he started thinking about clinging to these powerful people. In fact, he had done it before.

Being blackmailed by Arthur, being blackmailed by others, he actually wanted to form an interpersonal relationship with the locals in this way.

He had money and was willing to make friends. If Arthur was willing to become friends with him, he didn't mind being blackmailed by Arthur.

If he could meet Councilor Williams by being blackmailed for a sum of money, he would definitely be willing to give the money to Arthur.

But the problem was, Arthur never mentioned this matter, nor would he mention this matter to Councilor Williams.

He couldn't say that he was blackmailing some immigrant capitalists outside, and then they wanted to meet Councilor Williams, right?

He was afraid that he couldn't beat his old man, let James come back to beat him!

The locals didn't accept him. Only the mayor accepted him now, and also gave him the channel and ladder to go up. The thing he wanted most in these decades was within reach at this time!

Listening to Mr. Qiaobafu's somewhat depressed tone, perhaps this was his greatest helplessness!

Although he made money, he never figured out that this Federation, which everywhere claims to be a civilized society, is essentially a jungle society darker than the Imperial society.

You must be strong and aggressive, and people will respect you.

If you are just big but have no aggressiveness, then to the predators hidden in this jungle, you are a moving granary!

Lanse took the last puff and threw the cigarette butt on the lawn.

The moist lawn and soil submerged this small cigarette butt. Even if it was sparking, on this lawn full of surging vitality, it couldn't ignite anything.

"I talked to a girlfriend."

Mr. Qiaobafu came back to his senses. "This is a good thing. Everyone has experienced this stage. Is she here today?"

Lanse shook his head. "She is not here. She is a local."

His expression became slightly strange. Mr. Qiaobafu vaguely sensed something, otherwise Lanse wouldn't say such a thing at this time. "Then her family..."

"Her surname is Lawrence, and her ancestors were farm owners, right in this area."

"Maybe not as prominent and powerful as the Wei De family and the Williams family, but definitely not an ordinary class."

"The members of her family are involved in every aspect of the municipal system of New Jincheng, and her father also plans to run for Imperial District councilor."

Mr. Qiaobafu looked at Lanse's expression, which was very hard to say: envy, jealousy, sigh, appreciation, annoyance...

Many emotions were mixed together, and even his expression at this time, from Lanse's angle, was slightly distorted!

This was perhaps the most real portrayal of Mr. Qiaobafu's heart at this time.

When he first came to the Federation, he was already married. After his children grew up, he didn't think about finding a local "family" to marry into, because at that time his cognition of the Federation was still on the surface—as long as you work hard, you will definitely get ahead.

By the time he started to understand something, it was already too late. Over these ten-plus years, he felt more and more constraints everywhere.

And at this time, Lanse, a... he wasn't sure if Lanse was twenty years old, but he talked about he was about to marry into a local family.

This made him feel that he had lived his whole life in vain.

"I...", he wanted to say something, but his emotions were collapsing. He first squeezed out a smile. He wanted to say congratulations to Lanse, but his emotions made him really unable to maintain a natural smile, so he returned to that ordinary, even a bit indifferent expression.

But soon he realized that it was not good to show this expression after hearing this news. He could only force himself to look more kind.

It wasn't that he didn't like Lanse or didn't like this news, it was just that his emotions had collapsed now. Questioning everything about his past made him unable to smile.

"This is really good news. Congratulations on finding your destination.", he finally maintained his decency.

After doing some psychological construction, he said words that were a bit insincere.

Especially when a young person, a latecomer, whose foundation was not even as good as his own, found the right direction in a very short time and had the possibility of surpassing himself.

He questioned all his past efforts and results!

He even questioned his own personality!

Lanse shook his head. "Thank you. What I want to say is, Qiaobafu, we can unite."

Mr. Qiaobafu was a bit lost. He understood Lanse's meaning, but he didn't accept it.

"I'll consider it.", he answered Lanse like this, but this was also reasonable.

On one side is the nominal ruler of this city, the mayor of New Jincheng appointed by the federal government, and a series of forces and backgrounds behind the mayor.

On the other side is a gang leader who came from the old Imperial home, is now still a regional gang, relies on some legal or illegal businesses to make a living, but says he has a bright future.

Even if Mr. Qiaobafu thought what Lanse said was quite good, he would most likely not choose Lanse.

Nine out of ten times it was small, this time it should be big!

Moreover, what Lanse wanted was to support his girlfriend's father to become a councilor, not to support him.

He didn't want to go around in a big circle and finally return to the starting point. He wouldn't agree with Lanse's choice, nor would he agree to his invitation.

Seeing Mr. Qiaobafu's refusal without hesitation, although he used "consider" as wording, Lanse knew he had refused. He could only feel helpless about this.

"Alright, I respect your choice, Mr. Qiaobafu. I hope we can still be friends."

Mr. Qiaobafu squeezed out some smiles. "This has nothing to do with the position and relationship between our friends."

"We will always be friends!"

Lanse reached out and shook hands with Mr. Qiaobafu. "They are waiting for me over there."

"Go, communicate more with the young people. They need your advice."

"Then, goodbye, Mr. Qiaobafu?"

"Goodbye, Lanse."

The two let go of their hands and walked in two completely different directions, just like the crossroads on the path of life, both had and firmed their respective choices.

When coming to the young people's side, they soon surrounded him.

Lanse and the Lanse family were too f***ing famous in the Imperial District, and they were different from the Kamila Gang. They neither collected protection fees nor did they blackmail fellow countrymen. Their reputation among Imperial immigrants was very good.

Everyone scrambled to greet Lanse. For them, this was a very meaningful Saturday, and every Saturday was like this.

They could tell other peers that they knew Lanse and had talked to Lanse. These could all become their talking points in school.

Because of the rain and snow weather some time ago, the gathering at Shengna Ye Cathedral had been suspended for many periods. This was the first time after the beginning of spring, and many people came, much more than before.

Many people came for the name, wanting to contact Lanse at close range. When Lanse showed the expression that he didn't mind contacting everyone, people also fed back extremely high enthusiasm!

It can be seen that he is very popular among young people.

Luo Bu, who was chatting with people in the crowd, saw Lanse appear, and his expression became uncomfortable.

Even if he told his family that he had walked out of the shadow of breaking up with Sai Lin Na, seeing Lanse, whom he considered the culprit who promoted his breakup with Sai Lin Na, he would still feel very unhappy.

"Look at his proud look!", he glanced at Nanxi beside him, but Nanxi was flicking her hair, looking at Lanse in the crowd with a smile.

This made Luo Bu feel a stinging pain after being betrayed. "Don't f***ing tell me you also like this guy!"

Nanxi asked back, "What's the problem with liking him?"

"He looks good, has money, has status, everyone likes him..."

"I don't like him!", Luo Bu emphasized his position again, but didn't get Nanxi's support.

She sneered. "Alright, brother, you don't like everyone who is better than you. We all know this fact. You don't need to keep emphasizing it to me!"

"F***!", Luo Bu cursed in a low voice. "I'm leaving. Do you want to go with me?"

Nanxi hesitated for a while, but finally left with Luo Bu, because Luo Bu had a car.

He said it was the company's car, but it was a car after all!