Li Haochen's boldness made Liu Dahui very curious about his identity and even more so about what he intended to do with the sea area he rented.
Curiosity aside, he had no intention of investigating further. As long as he had money, that was enough. Of course, if there was any hidden sunken treasure, he would definitely get involved.
"Secretary Liu, thank you for your support. It's so late, could you suggest a place for us to grab a bite?"
Liu Dahui was a hundred percent willing to accept Li Haochen's invitation. Building a good relationship with such a wealthy man meant no worries about money in the future. He felt happy just thinking about it.
"Oh, that's too kind. I should be the one treating, I should be the one treating, hehe!"
Although Liu Dahui said he would treat, he knew that Li Haochen would be the one paying the bill. He was already calculating where to eat to make the best impression.
An hour later, the group appeared in a private room at a restaurant in the city center. Looking at the opulent decor, it was clear this was a high-end establishment.
Indeed, when Li Haochen picked up the menu to order, he discovered that the prices were almost comparable to those of a five-star hotel. Liu Dahui was truly unceremonious.
However, since he needed a favor, he had to splurge this time.
"Secretary Liu, please order. I don't know what's appropriate."
Liu Dahui feigned reluctance but still took the menu with apparent seriousness. He was quite adept at ordering, not missing out on any of the premium dishes like abalone, sea cucumber, shark fin, and even ordered two portions of bird's nest soup.
Li Haochen twitched his mouth as he watched. A frail old man, whose skin was as wrinkled as rice noodle rolls, eating bird's nest soup? Wasn't that like adding snow to a well?
With such fine food, how could good wine be absent?
"Waiter, two bottles of Feitian 53-degree baijiu, and two packs of Hard Zhonghua cigarettes."
The way he ordered made it seem as if he were truly paying the bill. He wasn't afraid of drinking himself sick or having a gastric hemorrhage from two bottles of Feitian. Moreover, knowing that Li Haochen didn't smoke, he insisted on taking two packs, even pretending to offer one, saying, "Boss Li, I don't know what kind of cigarettes would suit you, so please make do with these."
"Secretary Liu, you smoke. I don't, hehe!"
"Oh, it's good that you don't smoke, it's healthy. I can't quit."
As Liu Dahui lit a cigarette, he casually pocketed the unopened pack of Huazi cigarettes, his movements so natural they seemed practiced.
The dishes were served soon after, and although there were only two people, the table was filled with a feast. The old man wasn't afraid of overeating and ending up in the hospital.
Li Haochen seemed to have underestimated Liu Dahui. With one foot already in the grave, his appetite was surprisingly good, leaving Li Haochen dumbfounded.
"Ah~ Wonderful wine! Boss Li, cheers! I wish you great prosperity!"
Liu Dahui downed the entire two-ounce cup in one go. He had initially thought that ordering two bottles meant they would be taken away, but it seemed these two bottles might not be enough.
"Thank you, may we all prosper together, hehe!"
Li Haochen took only a small sip, as he still had matters to discuss. As for the taste, it was decent, but far inferior to the 30-year-old Moutai he had drunk in Shanghai last time.
After several rounds of drinks, Li Haochen felt it was time and said, "Secretary Liu, I have something I need your help with."
"Oh~ Tell me, if it's something I can do, I will certainly help you." Liu Dahui, who was so fond of drinking, actually put down his wine glass. It seemed he wasn't completely intoxicated.
"I want to undertake some engineering projects in the sea. I wonder if you have any connections to help me out. There will be generous compensation upon completion."
"Generous compensation?"
The words "generous compensation" struck Liu Dahui's ears like a jolt, making his heart race. He had already witnessed Li Haochen's lavish spending, and if this matter went through, the benefits would be substantial.
He did have connections, but he didn't agree immediately, as he wanted to maximize his own profit.
Liu Dahui pretended to ponder deeply. After a few minutes, he put on a troubled expression and said, "Boss Li, I do have connections, but..."
"Secretary Liu, please advise."
As Liu Dahui spoke, Li Haochen had already guessed what was needed – it was all about money.
As expected, Liu Dahui rubbed his fingers together and said, "I'll need some funds to grease the wheels."
"The specific amount?"
Liu Dahui initially held up one finger, but then added another.
"Alright."
Li Haochen knew exactly what this fellow was thinking, but there was nothing he could do. He was unfamiliar with the place, and if he hadn't seen Liu Dahui's capability in managing the district, he would have assumed he was just a person with some connections. He certainly wouldn't have paid attention to this greedy old man.
Seeing Li Haochen agree, Liu Dahui was overjoyed. This time, he could earn another finger's worth.
For this, he didn't even bother finishing his meal and rushed out with his phone, presumably to find a quiet place to make his connections.
Indeed, about ten minutes later, he re-entered the private room, a smile of excitement on his face. It seemed the matter was settled.
"Boss Li, the other party said it's no problem. As for how the negotiation goes, that depends on you. How about it?"
"Alright, thank you for your trouble. When can it be arranged?"
"Tomorrow morning!"
Li Haochen nodded and then transferred twenty thousand yuan to Liu Dahui.
A while later, Liu Dahui had finished every dish on the table and also the wine, which was truly impressive. He had downed two catties of baijiu without any apparent effect.
Naturally, Li Haochen paid the bill. He didn't expect anything from Liu Dahui. When he reached the counter, he saw Liu Dahui acting drunk, a trick he could still pull off at his age.
After leaving the restaurant, they parted ways. Li Haochen didn't bother to find out where Liu Dahui went to celebrate; he just wanted to find a hotel for himself quickly.
After booking a room and settling in with Wei Dayong, Li Haochen called Murong Yanran to report his itinerary. It was quite late, so they didn't chat for long. After hanging up the phone and taking a shower, he lay down and went to sleep.
The next morning, Li Haochen received a call from Liu Dahui and rushed to get ready before heading out.
Their meeting point was a beverage shop in front of the municipal administrative building. When Li Haochen arrived, Liu Dahui was sitting with a bespectacled man who looked like a secretary, in his early thirties.
"Boss Li, let me introduce you. This is Section Chief Liao from the Maritime Bureau's Investment and Consulting Office."
"Hello, Section Chief Liao."
"Mm!"
Liao Mingrui gave a slight nod and then said, "I've reported to our Deputy Director. We'll be going to his office shortly. The rest is up to you."
"Thank you, Section Chief Liao."
As they spoke, Li Haochen took out the gifts he had prepared earlier and handed them over. Having already received payment yesterday, he was pleasantly surprised by this gesture of goodwill, which pleased him greatly.
A few minutes later, Li Haochen was led by Liao Mingrui into the office of the Deputy Director, Liang Bingkun, as he had mentioned.
"Hello, Director Liang!"
"Please have a seat, Mr. Li."
Liang Bingkun poured a cup of tea for Li Haochen and then said, "Ah Rui mentioned that Mr. Li intends to undertake some engineering projects at sea?"
"Yes, Director Liang, it's just ordinary engineering work. I apologize for troubling you."
"Serving the public is our duty. I will discuss this with other leaders, and I will notify you of the outcome."
Li Haochen smiled and, dipping his finger in some tea, wrote the number "50" on the table. "Thank you, Director Liang, for your thoughtfulness towards the public."
Liang Bingkun smiled and, similarly, dipped his finger in tea and wrote "two" on the table. Both then smiled, and shortly after, Li Haochen left the administrative building.