Chapter 157 Returning to the City

every week and treated it as carefully as she did a red sand teacup. From this, one could tell just how crazy Suen Cen must have been to destroy their father's most cherished possession.Finally, the...Chapter 157: Returning to the City

Su Cen sighed, "Little couple." He awkwardly drew a parallel with himself and thought that since he wasn't of legal marriage age yet, even if he wanted to take Tang Xiaowu away, it wouldn't be allowed by the country.

"The two might get married within one or two years. On their wedding day, they will undoubtedly become the focus of the entire city. Xu Changcheng told Tian Gang beforehand that on his daughter's wedding day, he would not shortchange her in any way. With this promise made ahead of time, it seems a large-scale celebration is inevitable." Zhang Shen said.

He then started the car and drove Su Cen and Li Pengyu towards the half-hill路段 in Huancheng, saying that they wanted to truly experience one of the city's historical landmarks.

The road on the half-hill路段 was much wider than those in the city center, presumably due to its development as a tourist attraction. The traffic signs near the signal lights were also newly installed. Along the way, urban views receded into the background, and numerous developed commercial and residential areas could be seen, all beautifully constructed. Some of the Western-style buildings even surpassed some under-construction communities in Chengdu. Su Cen called Zeng Ke ahead to let her know that he wouldn't be returning for dinner so she wouldn't worry about him later.

The half-hill地段 was actually a new city built on high ground within Huancheng, offering unique views along the way. After ascending to higher roads, the urban area could be seen below, shrouded in a grayish hue due to many industrial chimneys spewing smoke directly into the city center. Su Cen initially thought he was still in Chengdu's provincial capital.

The half-hill地段 was much better off, with pollution left behind and an expansive view ahead. Just one kilometer past the half-hill地段, a vast highland lake came into view. Zhang Shen introduced, "This used to be a landslide dam park. Before liberation, this area was home to many bureaucrats and capitalists. Later on, urban development transformed it into a cultural heritage site and an old cadre recuperation zone. Further along the lakeside, there are hundreds of villas, each with its own unique history, making them valuable cultural relics."

Following Zhang Shen's indication, Su Cen saw Western-style villas of various designs appearing among the greenery by the lake, as well as ongoing construction sites and newly built villa areas, creating a bustling atmosphere. However, he noticed that although it was a weekend, there weren't as many passengers on the bus heading to the park as expected; instead, more private cars could be seen along the road.

Zhang Shen drove to a club called "Saint Laurent," where the welcoming manager was very respectful, indicating that Zhang Shen is a regular customer. He requested a private room on the second floor overlooking the lake. The four of them went up and sat in an elegant lakeside suite with豪華裝修。

Outside was a clear blue lake, though there were signs of pollution along the shore; however, if one looked further out, they could still see the natural beauty of the lake. Below was a villa club lawn by the lake, perhaps five or six hundred square meters in size, with numerous viewing tables and chairs set up. At night, when colored lights illuminate the area, enjoying the clear sky and green water away from urban pollution would certainly be delightful.

But Su Cen glanced at some basic consumption prices on a price board and thought that ordinary people might not be able to afford such unique beauty.

"How many similar clubs are there around here" Su Cen asked, turning his head.

"There are plenty along the lakeshore road. The entire lake is surrounded by these establishments. In recent years, upscale entertainment venues that have been renovated or newly built along this artificial lake have become popular spots. According to Vice Mayor Zhou Zhaofeng and Deputy Mayor Xu Changcheng's urban planning map, there will be a commercial business circle constructed around the lake in the future, generating substantial fiscal revenue."

"Building public facilities along the lakeshore is certainly a good thing; however, if all it does is cater to such consumption levels that ordinary people can't afford, isn't this excluding those who can't pay from using these public resources Doesn't this amount to an encroachment" Su Cen said, then pointed toward several European-style villas in the distance. Not looking like clubs but not private residences either, there were gatherings on the lawns by the villas and asked, "What's going on over there"

"These are a few private companies' offices that occasionally host guests," Zhang Shen replied nonchalantly.

Su Cen clicked his tongue and said, "Looking at this, there must be more than three or four buildings."

"Yes, some are used as private residences while others serve as office locations."

"I remember you mentioned that these villas are pre-liberation cultural relics. How can the government permit such usage"

"Though they are called cultural relics, their true value is even more precious. Running a company or hosting guests here naturally elevates the status compared to regular governmental receptions. Among them, No. 37 and No. 56 Ring Lake Road villas serve as alternative offices for Zhou Zhaofeng and Xu Changcheng respectively; sometimes they are used for welcoming guests and holding meetings. Additionally, last year over a dozen of these villas were sold at the instruction of Xu Changcheng through the secretary-general of the municipal government, Guo Huai, with reference to the average price of eight newly-built villas near the 1993 Yansai Lake Command Post. Back then, each square meter was priced at only 6000 yuan, but now these relic villas are almost beyond valuation. Selling them for profit and transferring them at exorbitant prices to wealthy individuals willing to reside in this national scenic area can earn millions or even billions."

"There's no oversight mechanism here" Zhang Shen’s incisive remarks left Su Cen somewhat surprised.

Yao Ming interjected, "Both Xu Changcheng and Zhou Zhaofeng have substantial backing. Xu Changcheng has the support of a high-ranking leader within the provincial party committee, while Zhou Zhaofeng is rumored to be backed by the Gao family, with ties allegedly extending to Gao滄海 (Canghai), the chairman of one of China's major state-owned enterprises. Qing Shan Real Estate, renowned for its exceptional land acquisition capabilities in Huancheng, acts as an intermediary connecting Xu Changcheng and Zhou Zhaofeng, even linking them to Gao Canghai. Any attempt at oversight from this angle is rendered ineffective due to the powerful backing involved. The city’s People's Congress had initially opposed converting this green area into a real estate development zone, but was criticized by a provincial party secretary who pointed out that ‘the People's Congress must also consider economic development and tax revenue for Huancheng.’"

"Over these years, who knows how many benefits Xu Changcheng and Zhou Zhaofeng have reaped from such schemes. The layout of the new industrial zone in the city’s upwind area is bizarrely planned with all suitable land transformed into commodity residences. Qing Shan Real Estate is a behemoth company in Huancheng, ranking among the top ten real estate stars even across western provinces and cities; most of these achievements have accumulated through their exploitation and suppression of local resources under Xu Changcheng and Zhou Zhaofeng’s patronage."

Su Cen looked at the opulent Yansai Lake scene before him, then glanced down at Huancheng city shrouded in mist. After a while, he shook his head as if trying to convince himself, "If I hadn’t come here, that would have been one thing; but since I’m already here and have seen all this, I can't just sit idle."

Su Cen's thoughts were simple. He originally just wished for his father’s career and official position to take a significant leap forward, hoping that in Huancheng there would be a good start for him. However, he preferred to focus on managing his own life, including the business ventures that brought him money, as well as his studies at Nankai University, living up to the second chance of rebirth.

He was just passing through Huancheng; perhaps tomorrow or the day after he would head to Rongcheng and meet up with a group of buddies who had traveled from all corners of the earth. Then he would wait for life in school to begin again next semester. What did what happened here, which wasn’t fair and impartial, have anything to do with him

But being right here made it impossible for him to persuade himself to detach from everything before his eyes and remain indifferent.

If someone like him, who had the power, didn't take action on certain matters, then no one would ever act on them.

With this thought in mind, Su Cen stood up. Li Pengyu followed closely behind, while Zhang Shen and Yao Ming also got to their feet out of shock.

Su Cen simply turned around and said calmly, "Heading back into the city."

Then he walked down the stairs without looking back. on "Interim Measures for the Management of State-owned Share Reduction," a full-scale outbreak occurred across various regions and cities nationwide, plunging China's stock market into turmoil. Only...