There was singing and dancing in the banquet hall. Mrs. Chu was a little shy at first, but she felt like a fish in water once she got on stage. Xiang Mingzhang cooperated and couldn't help but said, "Aunt, I won't hold you back, will I?"
Mrs. Chu said, "Young people are getting married, and a widow of my age is making a fool of herself. I'll be thankful if people don't laugh at me."
Xiang Mingzhang raised his hand to let Mrs. Chu turn around, glanced at the table, and said, "Shichen is looking at us."
"He looked a little listless at night," Mrs. Chu said. "I didn't see him in Jingpu all afternoon. Maybe he was tired from playing."
Xiang Mingzhang said: "We played chess in the study in the afternoon to exercise our brains."
Mrs. Chu burst out laughing: "Is this true? When did Xiaochen learn to play chess? Anyway, he couldn't learn anything that required ten minutes of silence before."
"So he lost to me." Xiang Mingzhang was careful, "What did he like to play before, poker?"
Mrs. Chu said, "I dare not do that. There is at least a limit to squandering money. If you get involved in gambling, your family will be ruined. Besides, playing cards requires remembering numbers and using your mind. He can't play it."
Xiang Mingzhang smiled and said, "I don't think he is stupid at all."
Mrs. Chu said happily, "Who knows? He became smarter after losing his memory. It can be considered a blessing in disguise."
Chu Shichen was the only one left at the table, feeling a little bored. He opened WeChat and refreshed his Moments. The latest one was a photo sent by the assistant to the sales director, showing a bucket of fried chicken for a midnight snack, with the sales department's meeting room in the background.
It is estimated that Peng Xin received Meng Tao's letter and urgently called people back to the company to work overtime.
Chu Shichen sent a message to Peng Xin, chatting about the general situation and Xiang Mingzhang's current attitude. The situation is unclear, so he should be patient and make plans later.
Peng Xin was very decisive. In the evening, he learned that the technical team leader had been replaced. He had already mobilized various contacts to inquire and found out that Hu Xiushan was busy with other business recently and was too busy to attend to the meeting.
Peng Xin sent a voice message to complain: "Hu Xiushan is in a high position and will not agree to meet. He is also not available. The only consolation is that no company can arrange an appointment. Let's worry together."
After hearing this, Chu Shichen used Xiang Mingzhang's words to comfort him: "There will always be a way out when you reach the mountain."
Peng Xin said: "I don't know if there is a road, but there is a restaurant halfway up the mountain. I heard that Hu Xiushan has a dinner party on the mountain tonight."
Chu Shichen laughed and asked, "Who is Hu Xiushan having dinner with?"
Peng Xin replied: "Hu Xiushan has been interacting with the city's state-owned companies recently. It is said that he has an appointment with the CEO tonight to discuss something."
A dance music ended and Chu Shichen had just finished chatting. He had just put away his phone when Xiang Mingzhang returned from the dance floor.
The banquet hall was divided into several areas, with the Xiang family's guests occupying three quarters of the area, and the atmosphere was filled with the clinking of glasses.
The company's director was sitting on the west side. Xiang Mingzhang said, "Accompany me to say hello."
The champagne was low in alcohol, so Chu Shichen could handle another glass and said, "You drove here, I'll block it for you later."
At the previous tangerine peel banquet, all the directors had a good impression of "Secretary Chu". When Xiang Mingzhang brought Chu Shichen along, everyone immediately made room for two seats.
Tonight was a private celebration. They first exchanged a few words about the Xiang family's affairs, all of which were concerned about Xiang Xingzhao's health. Xiang Mingzhang said, "Grandpa is resting at home. He's in good spirits recently."
Uncle Lun went to Jingpu Mansion during the day and broke the news to everyone: "When the ceremony was going on, Director Xiang thought it was Mingzhang getting married and insisted on giving him a red envelope."
The people at the surrounding tables all laughed, and someone said, "Vice President Xiang, we are waiting for you to get married just like President Xiang. When will you make any move?"
Xiang Mingzhang was used to socializing and could easily come up with teasing remarks. But at this moment, he unexpectedly begged for mercy: "Dear elders, please don't make me sound like no one wants me. Please save some face for me in front of Secretary Chu."
Chu Shichen smiled slightly and said, "Mr. Xiang is too busy, so he inevitably neglects his lifelong affairs."
Uncle Fang said, "I knew it. He has rarely visited Old Xiang Yue recently. He is indeed busy with big business."
Xiang Mingzhang smiled and said, "Have you heard about the national plan to develop the tourism economy and carry out 'cultural tourism'?"
Everyone nodded. Businessmen should always pay attention to news and policies in all aspects. Uncle Lun said, "For a serious large project, it seems that our city will invest tens of billions in the initial stage."
This figure is for the entire cultural tourism project. Xiang Mingzhang explained: "We need to build an operational support system for the project, which is a part of the macro picture."
Another vice president said: "But this system is to support national data. The scale and revenue are there. Ordinary companies can't afford it. So who else can we give it to if not you?"
Xiang Mingzhang said modestly: "The big companies in Beijing are also very competitive."
Uncle Lun said, "I read the news. Our city is a key planning area and is to lead the surrounding provinces. This is equivalent to being in our own territory. We have an advantage."
Outsiders only know that they need to develop and build, but they are not aware that an accident had occurred in the part that Xiang Yue was fighting for.
But the logic is correct. This city is the focus, so the important positions in the selection group are all from this city. The parachuted Hu Xiushan is responsible for important tasks in the city's cultural and tourism department.
Chu Shichen accompanied quietly, listening and thinking, and suddenly interrupted: "The city has invested so much at once, will the finances be tight?"
Xiang Mingzhang said: "There is some funding support."
Uncle Fang has dealt with officials a lot in his life, and he said with experience: "It all depends on whether it is enough. This kind of project costs every penny, and many budgets are not accurate. You won't know how much it costs until the actual construction begins."
Uncle Lun smiled and said, "Of course the more funds the better. After all, more money makes things easier. If the policy from above requires a 100% improvement, the execution from below will inevitably increase to 500%."
Chu Shichen shook the flute glass, and the champagne splashed on the inner wall, leaving a layer of light golden color. He raised the glass and drank it all, and toasted everyone on behalf of Xiang Mingzhang.
After leaving the table, Chu Shichen said, "Mr. Xiang, I want to go out for some fresh air."
The two left the banquet hall, went downstairs, and took a walk in the hotel garden. The temperature was low at night, and the air was cool and refreshing.
Away from the hustle and bustle of the crowd, Chu Shichen was the first to stop and said, "I have some new ideas about the project."
Xiang Mingzhang turned sideways and said, "I guess you don't just want to take a breath of fresh air."
They stood facing each other on the lawn, with the vast night sky above their heads. Chu Shichen said: "Cultural tourism development, the entire project includes infrastructure, design, operation system, etc. There are too many links, and each link requires investment."
Xiang Mingzhang said "hmm", and Chu Shichen raised his hand and pointed to the hotel building: "It's like building a building. You need to design the layout, decorate it, and buy materials... The plan is to complete it with 10 million. If you have 30 million, it will be better."
Xiang Mingzhang got the idea: "Your opinion is about money?"
Chu Shichen said: "The higher-ups attach great importance to this cultural tourism plan, and our city is a key focus, so we must do our best to complete it, and every step requires funding to guarantee it."
Xiang Mingzhang said: "Financial allocations are limited. Do you think it cannot meet the city's investment?"
"Uncle Lun said that more money makes things easier," Chu Shichen analyzed. "Many links have not yet been launched. We don't know how much money will actually be spent. It will be troublesome if it's not enough. A project covering the whole country cannot be suspended casually."
Xiang Mingzhang had encountered a similar situation before. When the official system engineering project was nearing the end, it was found to have exceeded the budget, so they turned around and lowered the price.
In order to win the project, we paid the human and technical costs in the early stage, so we had no choice but to agree to it and take the loss.
Xiang Mingzhang said: "There are other links."
Chu Shichen categorically denied: "If we press a little here and a little there, the entire project will shrink."
Xiang Mingzhang understood: "So when you are short of money, you should get it, not save it."
"Yes!" Chu Shichen said, "If there is not enough money, we will help it get it."
Xiang Mingzhang was surprised and asked, "How can we help?"
Chu Shichen said: "Of course, the place with the most money is the bank."
Xiang Mingzhang pondered: "Bank..."
Chu Shichen continued, "Hu Xiushan is interacting with the state-owned company in charge of the project construction. It is very likely that he will entrust a guarantee and then borrow money from the bank.
"Time is tight. He needs to investigate, screen and compare multiple banks before negotiating. There can be no mistakes for such a large sum of money."
"Xiang Yue's main market is the banking industry. We have access to massive, accurate and timely data information, which means we have what Hu Xiushan needs most at the moment. If we take action, we can provide him with the fastest and best option."
Xiang Mingzhang had an epiphany while on a business trip to Nanjing to discuss billing models. He said personally that by leveraging data advantages, he could provide more value to customers and seek deeper cooperation.
Chu Shichen had just started working as a secretary and was on his first business trip, but he surprisingly remembered the content of the discussion meeting and put it into practice.
Xiang Mingzhang looked at him in surprise: "How did you come up with this idea?"
Chu Shichen replied: "Compared to the whole, the promotion meeting is a node that can be big or small. Xiang Yue made a mistake on the 'point', so we should help solve the most important problem to make up for it."
To make up for one's mistakes, the weight of this "merit" is enough.
The vast night sky was full of bright stars, but they were no match for Chu Shichen's brilliance. He retreated for a moment, as if aiming at the weakness of his prey, revealing his determination to win: "It's still early for everything to end. We have to make up for our mistakes, meet Hu Xiushan, and continue to fight for the top spot."
In a moment, Xiang Mingzhang was confused about Chu Shichen's emotions and was almost shocked.
Xiang Yue is a technology company, Party A is the government, and the bank is a third party at another level, which most people would not even associate with each other.
But Chu Shichen started from the interaction between the government and the bank, and then inserted Xiang Yue. Xiang Mingzhang admired his thinking and said, "When the car reached the mountain, you opened a way."
Chu Shichen blinked his eyes, blinking away his previous arrogance, and raised his eyes calmly: "It doesn't matter who opened the way, the most important thing is to climb over the mountain and reach the end."
It was almost dawn and the wedding was finally coming to an end.
Some guests stayed in the hotel to rest, Chu Shihui stayed at home alone, and Chu Shichen and Mrs. Chu would not stay overnight.
Mrs. Chu had a great time, and her feet were sore from the high heels. While waiting for the driver to drive away, she took Chu Shichen's arm and whispered to him about the gossip she had heard today.
Chu Shichen's day has been full of ups and downs. Both his personal affairs and work are very stressful. Now he puts his things aside and acts like a good son for a while.
The Chu family's car drove over, Xiang Mingzhang watched Chu Shichen leave, then took the car keys and left alone.
Whenever the Xiang family had a good day, Xiang Mingzhang would wander around for a day and eventually go to Manzhuang.
On the passenger seat of the sports car was Chu Shichen's boutonniere, a white lily of the valley. Xiang Mingzhang was speeding along, smelling the faint scent of the flowers.
The two gates of the southern area of Man Manor slid open, Xiang Mingzhang slowed down, and the car lights shone through the dense forests along the way. He drove to the main building, alarming the manager and servants who were in charge of the manor.
Xiang Mingzhang didn't give any instructions and asked everyone to go back. He climbed the stairs into the building, where only the lights that were on all night were waiting for him.
The entire building was meticulously crafted, with dozens of rooms equipped with everything you need. Duan Hao jokingly called it a place for retreat, but in fact it was just a huge, cold palace.
Xiang Mingzhang didn't want to go upstairs, so he just picked a living room and planned to spend the night there.
The door was not closed tightly, and a cat sneaked in. It had snow-white fur, was a little fat, and had a bow around its neck.
Xiang Mingzhang sat at the end of the bed and changed his clothes. He chuckled and said, "You are living a comfortable life here."
Ling Tuan'er didn't dare to approach, lying on the carpet with blue-green eyes staring at him. Xiang Mingzhang looked at him disdainfully, not knowing whether he was asking the cat or someone else: "Do you think it's better to be free outside, or to be locked up here?"
The cat didn't answer him, the cell phone rang first.
This was the reply from Switzerland that no more clues were found about the pocket watch.
Xiang Mingzhang's hopes were dashed. He lay on the bed with his eyes closed, with big and small things colliding with each other in his mind.
Most of them revolve around "Chu Shichen".
Xiang Mingzhang repeatedly chewed over what Chu Shichen said tonight, carefully considered Chu Shichen's strategy, and was surprised that Chu Shichen actually thought of borrowing the power of the bank.
bank…
Xiang Mingzhang suddenly realized that this was not the first time Chu Shichen talked about "bank".
Chu Shichen participated in the Lixin Bank's project in the first half of the year, almost acting as a consultant.
Going back further, the opportunity to capture Li Xin was when Chu Shichen found a music store and won the opportunity to meet with Team Leader Zhao by playing a pipa piece.
At that time, in the cafe on the top floor of the piano store, Chu Shichen and Team Leader Zhao were chatting about the changes in banking business. He knew so much about it that Team Leader Zhao even thought he had worked in a bank.
Xiang Mingzhang unraveled the mystery bit by bit, and recalled the first words Chu Shichen said when he mentioned the bank.
“This building used to be a bank, a place with the heaviest smell of money. It has a unique flavor now that it has been converted into a cafe.”
Xiang Mingzhang suddenly opened his eyes.
He remembered that when he came out of the piano store and was on the street, Chu Shichen looked back at the building, feeling very depressed, and then followed him to Yunjiao and got drunk.
That mournful pipa music, that forbearing expression when the strings were plucked, and the depression and distraction at the moment of leaving.
Xiang Mingzhang had been neglecting the fact that in addition to his abnormal treatment of the pocket watch, Chu Shichen's reaction that day was also unusual.
Why is that
No. 74, Ouli Street, the former site of a bank.
With his emotions in turmoil, Xiang Mingzhang slowly said, "Chu Shichen, who are you?"
(End of this chapter)