"I think this ecological crayfish farming project is quite good. It makes money from agriculture and industry, maximizing land benefits. Why is there uncertainty?" Meng, the bank president, asked with confusion.
"President Meng, you deal with businessmen every day and should know that no business is guaranteed to be profitable. Profits and losses are issues all businesses face. The ecological crayfish project is indeed a new project with great prospects. However, for now, there is still the biggest uncertain factor: the equipment..." Chen Feng explained word by word.
"Equipment? What do you mean?" The president asked with a confused expression.
"It's like this, President Meng. The initial phase of the crayfish project isn't a big problem; it's purely agricultural farming. However, in the later stage, the clear-water crayfish shell asphalt product project requires the most advanced equipment. But this kind of equipment can only be bought from Japan. I don't know whether Japan allows the export of such equipment or not."
"You've raised a very big issue. In that case, let's not rush the ten million yuan in syndicated loans. We'll release them only after you get the supply confirmation from Japan. What do you think?" The president said seriously.
"To avoid future disputes, this is the only way," Chen Feng replied, suppressing his helplessness.
After a few more words, Chen Feng left the Agricultural Bank and returned to Wulin Village.
Upon returning to Wulin Village, Chen Feng realized that Cheng Lu had not yet returned from Jiangcheng. Chen Feng decided that going to Japan could wait; he had to wait for Cheng Lu to come back. He heard that Cheng Lu was a top student from Ducheng University and was very proficient in English and Japanese.
Meanwhile, in the Jiang family of Jiangcheng, Cheng Lu was lying on her bed, feeling depressed and not wanting to say anything. She was so angry that her mother had lied about being sick to trick her back to Jiangcheng. What made her even angrier was that her mother had lied to get her back for a blind date. She had already said that she wouldn't consider marriage and blind dates for the next few years, as she wanted to build a career based on her own abilities. Besides, she had been having a good time with Chen Feng recently and saw no need to get involved with another man.
"Xiao Lu, why are you so stubborn? Your mother worked so hard to find a young master from the provincial capital whose family background matches ours, and you refuse to meet him. Do you want to infuriate your mother to death?" Cheng Lu's mother walked into her daughter's room with a dejected look.
"Mom, didn't I tell you and Dad long ago? I won't consider blind dates and marriage for the next few years after graduation. I want to build a career based on my own abilities. You know this. Is it right to lie about being sick to trick me back to Jiangcheng?" Cheng Lu replied, fuming. If it were anyone else, she would have started scolding long ago.
"Xiao Lu, your idea is fundamentally wrong. You are a girl, not a boy. Why do you need to forge a career? A woman's greatest success in life is not a successful career, but marrying a good husband. Look at me, didn't I marry a good man, your father? If I hadn't married your father, would you have the life you have today? Xiao Lu, Mom wouldn't harm you. That Young Master Fan from the provincial capital is truly outstanding," Cheng Lu's mother said excitedly. If her daughter married Young Master Fan, her husband would definitely be transferred to the provincial capital.
"Mom, I know you mean well and are diligently selecting a wealthy husband for me, but I just don't want to talk about marriage right now," Cheng Lu pouted.
"It's okay if you don't want to talk about marriage, you can just get to know him first," Cheng Lu's mother seized the opportunity.
"Maybe it's better not to meet him? I'm working in Wulin Village, Mingshan Town now, and I can't meet him every day. Since I can't meet him every day, it's better not to start at all," Cheng Lu said.
"It's fine. Young Master Fan is a good person. He knows your situation and won't unreasonably demand to meet you every day. Meeting a few times a month is enough," Cheng Lu's mother chimed in.
Cheng Lu compromised. If she refused any longer, a major conflict would erupt between mother and daughter. A conflict wasn't necessarily terrible; honestly, she had occasional major arguments with her mother over the years. Mother and daughter didn't hold grudges overnight. However, she was currently working with Chen Feng in Wulin Village, Mingshan Town. If a major conflict with her mother broke out, her position as the women's director in Wulin Village would likely not work out.
"Mom, please make the arrangements. I'll have dinner with Young Master Fan," Cheng Lu said softly.
"You agree to meet Young Master Fan?" Cheng Lu's mother was overjoyed.
"If I don't agree, will you give up?" Cheng Lu gave a bitter smile.
"It's good that you know. Alright, I'll arrange it right away." With that, Cheng Lu's mother immediately called Young Master Fan.
"It's settled," Cheng Lu's mother said excitedly after hanging up with Young Master Fan.
"What did he say?" Cheng Lu asked curiously.
"Young Master Fan said he was planning to invite you to dinner in Jiangcheng himself, but he's busy these days, so you should go to the provincial capital to meet him," Cheng Lu's mother replied enthusiastically.
"Mom, are you okay with this? For a first meeting between a man and a woman, the woman has to accommodate the man?" Cheng Lu was utterly depressed.
"Xiao Lu, you're all grown up now. Can you stop being so naive when looking at things? If it were an ordinary man, I would agree with you. A woman indeed doesn't need to accommodate a man; she should maintain her reserve. But Young Master Fan is no ordinary man; he is a powerful young master from the provincial capital who can easily get your father transferred to the provincial capital. Accommodating such a second-generation official isn't demeaning. Many women want to climb up to Young Master Fan but can't." Cheng Lu's mother reasoned.
Cheng Lu didn't want to explain any further; her mother had fallen into a dream of power. No matter how much she said, it would be in vain. She decided to just make a trip to the provincial capital to go through the motions.
The next day, Cheng Lu went to the provincial capital early in the morning.
"Young Master Fan? I've arrived in the provincial capital. Are you free today? Let's have dinner?" Cheng Lu patiently called Young Master Fan.
"Who are you?" Young Master Fan asked aggressively on the phone.
"I am Cheng Lu from Jiangcheng." Cheng Lu, unable to stand Young Master Fan's pretentiousness any longer, her tone turned ice-cold. Honestly, no man had ever treated her with such arrogance, except for Chen Feng.
"Oh, I remember. You are Cheng Lu, the daughter of Cheng Liren from Jiangcheng. It's like this, I'm quite busy these few days. Let's schedule it for another time," Young Master Fan continued to act superior. He was currently having fun with several blond and blue-eyed beauties in a nightclub and had no intention of giving up his fun for a woman from Jiangcheng.
"Since you're busy now, how about we have dinner later tonight?" Cheng Lu asked, suppressing her surging anger. If it weren't to appease her mother, she wouldn't utter a single word to this kind of man.
"Tonight? It's possible. But it has to be around midnight. You know, I'm very busy during this period." Young Master Fan had originally planned to meet Cheng Lu later, but then he thought, he had a group of friends who invited him to play a stimulating partner-swapping game tonight, so why not bring Cheng Lu along.