Deputy Director Liu frowned, tapping his pen on the notebook twice.

"President Lu, this third condition is the county's red line for supporting local infrastructure. That building is being offered to you for twenty million, which is a significant concession from the county. You're a smart man. Is asking for thirty percent of the profits to reinvest locally too much?"

Lu Ming held his teacup but didn't drink, placing it back on the table.

"Director Liu, that's not how the math works."

Lu Ming leaned back in his chair. "I'm a businessman. Businessmen prioritize profit. If you want me to hire a hundred people a year, I can hire a thousand. If you want me to keep the tax revenue local, I won't move a penny out. But taking thirty percent of my company's net profit goes against basic business logic."

"First, for a company to grow, profits need to be reinvested for expansion. Taking thirty percent cuts off my cash flow. Second, I'm investing in Yunmeng County not to open a small shop. The money I'm planning to invest far exceeds this twenty million."

Wang Weiguo, who had been holding his thermos, paused mid-air when he heard this.

"This twenty million is just for purchasing office space. Subsequent investments in schools, hospitals, factories, and roads will require continuous funding."

Director Liu raised his hand, wanting to say something.

But Lu Ming didn't give him the chance and continued, "And these infrastructure investments won't yield profits in the short term. Asking for thirty percent is like asking me to donate directly."

Wang Weiguo put down his thermos and tightened the lid.

He had been in the officialdom for decades and had seen many business owners.

Those who made grand promises and those who bluffed with nothing were everywhere.

But this young man in front of him, driving a Maybach worth over two million, paid in full, spoke without any exaggerated flamboyance.

More importantly, that building was indeed a big headache.

The maintenance alone cost tens of thousands each year, and the Audit Bureau checked annually, always noting it as "idle asset waste."

If someone could take this hot potato off their hands and solve some employment issues along the way, his work report for the year would be much easier to write.

Forcing a thirty percent profit might scare away this God of Wealth, and that would be a loss for him.

"President Lu's boldness is extraordinary," Wang Weiguo spoke, his voice steady. "Since President Lu has shown such sincerity, the county shouldn't let down one of its own. Investment attraction is about mutual benefit and win-win."

He turned to Deputy Director Liu. "Old Liu, remove the third condition. Let's proceed with the first two. Young President Lu is back to build his hometown; we should fully support him and not set up barriers."

Deputy Director Liu adjusted his glasses and nodded in agreement. "Alright, we'll do as Director Wang says."

The young legal officer quickly modified the contract terms on the computer.

"President Lu, about the funds..." Wang Weiguo asked again.

"Once the contract is signed, the money will be transferred immediately," Lu Ming replied decisively.

Once the government departments gave the green light, their efficiency was astonishingly high.

By four in the afternoon, the reprinted transfer agreement was placed in front of Lu Ming.

He glanced over it, confirmed that the first two conditions remained unchanged, and the third condition had been removed, then signed his name at the end and pressed his fingerprint.

Next was the fund transfer.

The Finance Bureau's public account details were sent over, and Lu Ming took out his phone, opened his mobile banking app.

In the transfer amount field, he entered 20,000,000.

Clicked confirm.

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Ding.

The notification of a successful transfer was particularly clear in the quiet meeting room.

Two minutes later, Deputy Director Liu received a call from the finance department.

He hung up, the muscles at the corner of his eyes twitching slightly, and nodded at Wang Weiguo. "Director Wang, the full twenty million has been received."

Wang Weiguo couldn't hide the smile on his face.

He stood up, walked over to Lu Ming, and shook his hand vigorously. "President Lu, you're straightforward! Yunmeng County needs young entrepreneurs like you with vision and capability! If you encounter any difficulties in the county, come directly to me!"

Zhao Weiqiang, standing nearby, swallowed hard.

Twenty million, transferred just like that, without a hitch.

Who exactly was this young man?

After the transfer, the remaining procedures went smoothly.

The Housing Administration Bureau had already been notified and opened a special window for expedited processing.

By five-thirty in the afternoon, just before the end of the workday, a deep red property ownership certificate was handed to Lu Ming.

He opened the certificate, and in the owner section, the name "Lu Ming" was clearly printed.

A building of twelve thousand square meters, plus a plaza of one thousand square meters.

Now, it was all his.

As he left the county government compound, the sun had already set.

The sunset painted the sky a fiery red.

Lu Ming tossed the red certificate onto the passenger seat and started the Maybach.

With the building and the land secured, the next step was to assemble a team.

A lone commander couldn't possibly spend a daily budget of sixty million.

He needed people, someone trustworthy, capable, and especially good at managing money.

Lu Yuan.

Lu Yuan was the daughter of his third uncle, Lu Jianjun, a year younger than him.

She had followed him around since they were kids, with a fiery personality and a sharp mind.

She graduated two years ago from a second-tier finance college in the province, majoring in accounting.

After graduation, she worked for a year at a bookkeeping company in Zhengzhou, found the pay too low and the work exhausting, and quit after the New Year to return home, now spending her days lounging around, occasionally helping out at her father's auto repair shop with the accounts.

The car pulled up outside Jianjun Auto Repair Shop.

The roller shutter was half-open, with dim yellow light spilling out from inside.

Lu Ming bent down and slipped inside.

The yard was empty, and the iron door to the inner room was ajar.

He walked over and peeked inside.

Lu Yuan was sitting on the worn-out sofa, slurping noodles from a large porcelain bowl.

She wore an oversized old T-shirt, her hair casually tied up, face bare, and feet in plastic slippers.

"Having dinner?" Lu Ming walked in, pulled up a chair, and sat down.

Lu Yuan looked up, a half-eaten noodle still in her mouth, slurped it in, and greeted him indistinctly, "Bro? What brings you here? Dad said you went to buy a car today, did you get it?"

"Got it." Lu Ming fished out a cigarette from his pocket, about to light it, but put it back under Lu Yuan's glare.

"What did you get? A Santana or a Jetta? Dad's taste can only get you a second-hand clunker." Lu Yuan put down her bowl and grabbed a napkin to wipe her mouth.

"Maybach."

Lu Yuan's hand froze mid-wipe.

She crumpled the napkin into a ball, tossed it into the trash, and rolled her eyes. "Why not say you bought a Boeing 747? Blowing smoke doesn't cost anything, huh?"

Lu Ming didn't take the bait, instead asking, "And you? Spending your days at the repair shop? Planning to take over for Uncle and change oil for a living?"

"What's wrong with changing oil? It's honest work." Lu Yuan pouted. "That lousy bookkeeping company in Zhengzhou paid thirty-five hundred a month, working overtime till eight every day, and the boss just made empty promises. Can't I take a break? I'll sit for the civil service exam after summer."

"Don't bother with the civil service exam." Lu Ming took out the red certificate from the passenger seat and slapped it on the table. "Work with me."

Lu Yuan looked suspiciously at the red certificate on the table.

"What's this?"

"Open it and see."

Lu Yuan leaned over and opened the certificate.

Owner: Lu Ming.

Location: Xincheng Commercial Tower, mid-section of Yingbin Road, Yunmeng County.

Area: 12,450.5 square meters.

She stared at the string of numbers for a full half-minute, then looked up and felt Lu Ming's forehead.

"No fever. Bro, where did you get this fake certificate? It's pretty convincing. Isn't this the county's abandoned building?"

"Transferred this afternoon, full payment of twenty million." Lu Ming put the certificate away. "I'm planning to start a company and need a CFO. Are you in?"

Lu Yuan looked at him like he was crazy. "Lu Ming, what happened to you? Did you have a breakup in Shanghai? Or did loan sharks drive you mad? Twenty million? Even if you sold both your kidneys, you wouldn't get two million."

"Made some money trading cryptocurrencies."

"What kind of coin earns a hundred million?!" Lu Yuan jumped up. "Don't lie to me. Did you do something illegal? International fraud? Money laundering?"

"It's legal." Lu Ming put his phone away. "The money's clean, taxes are paid. Now, I want to invest in the county. You studied accounting, perfect for managing the books."

"Rea... really?" she stammered.

Lu Ming looked at her. "Are you in?"

"Is there a salary?" Lu Yuan blurted out, a reflex of someone in finance.

"Fifty thousand a month. Full benefits, year-end bonuses."