Title: Reborn in Handong, Starting with an Investment in Gao Yuliang

"boom!"

Hou Liangping felt his mind go completely blank.

He never expected Zhong Xiaoai to say such a thing.

Hou Liangping was completely humiliated, his face ashen, his mouth agape but unable to utter a sound.

At this moment, the two began arguing.

A group of students had already gathered around to watch the spectacle.

They watched this dramatic scene unfold, and then heard Zhong Xiaoai's merciless words.

Various whispers gathered into an invisible net, tightly enveloping Hou Liangping.

Those gazes contained pity, ridicule, and amusement.

Every gaze was like a steel needle, piercing him as if he were sitting on pins and needles.

Just then.

Liang Cheng remained silent throughout.

He slowly stood up.

He straightened his shirt collar with an elegant movement.

then.

He turned to Zhong Xiaoai and gave her a gentlemanly smile.

"Mr. Chung, it seems that today's interview will have to end here."

"It was a pleasure talking to you. Let's chat again sometime."

Done.

Liang Cheng turned around and walked away leisurely.

This is a complete, utter, and visceral disregard.

This caused Hou Liangping to feel devastated.

Zhong Xiaoai gave him one last cold glance, her eyes looking at him as if he were a pile of inorganic garbage.

then.

She turned around and quickly caught up with Liang Cheng's retreating figure.

Only Hou Liangping remained.

Disheveled in the autumn wind.

Like a clown abandoned by the whole world.

……

Zhong Xiaoai followed behind Liang Cheng.

The two walked one after the other along the tree-lined path.

Zhong Xiaoai has that student-like aura.

It's fading away rapidly.

She looked at Liang Cheng.

It was as if Liang Cheng wasn't a classmate, but a project whose value needed to be precisely assessed.

After a few minutes.

Zhong Xiaoai finally spoke again.

"Liang Cheng, student."

Liang Cheng didn't stop walking, he just gave a faint "hmm".

Your theory on business efficiency was brilliant.

Zhong Xiaoai quickened her pace and walked alongside him.

"But you've avoided the most crucial question."

"Business efficiency is sometimes worthless in the face of absolute power."

"If your business encroaches on someone's interests, and they want to take action against you, can your so-called efficiency protect you?"

Zhong Xiaoai voiced the question that had been bothering her.

In fact, through previous exchanges between the two parties and understanding of Liang Cheng.

Zhong Xiaoai was already able to guess Liang Cheng's thoughts.

She believes that Liang Cheng's business of both opening factories and running logistics companies is the reason why he does so.

The goal was simply to solidify the Liang family's power so that they could then support Liang Qunfeng.

This will make Liang Qunfeng's career path more stable.

However, Zhong Xiaoai has a different opinion on this.

Liang Cheng did not answer the question immediately.

he knows.

The real "interview" with this woman is only just beginning.

Zhong Xiaoai's gaze was fixed straight ahead.

"The waters of Handong are deeper than you imagine."

"Jingzhou is a place with deep-rooted connections, and the power of some families cannot be shaken by business means."

Zhong Xiaoai’s words carried a condescending admonition.

There is also an undisguised implication.

She is not an ordinary student.

The Zhong family behind Zhong Xiaoai possesses enough power to allow her to overlook the conflicts throughout Handong.

Liang Cheng's steps remained steady.

They seemed completely oblivious to the deeper meaning in Zhong Xiaoai's words.

The two walked on in silence.

After crossing the bustling central avenue, I turned into a quiet campus path.

The area is shaded by green trees and has few pedestrians.

The autumn wind blew by, swirling a few fallen leaves in the air.

The atmosphere became heavy without anyone noticing.

This is a clash of auras where no swords are drawn.

Zhong Xiaoai is testing Liang Cheng's true intentions and magnanimity.

Liang Cheng, on the other hand, used his unfathomable composure to dispel all the oppression.

at last.

Zhong Xiaoai stopped in her tracks.

She turned around and faced Liang Cheng.

Those clear eyes, now like deep pools, were fixed intently on Liang Cheng's gaze.

"Liang Cheng".

She spoke again, this time omitting even the word "classmate".

"What do you think of your father, Liang Qunfeng, and Zhao Lichun now?"

Who will have the last laugh?

This question is direct and incisive.

This was a "life-or-death question" that no one dared to touch in the officialdom of Handong.

This is an elaborate trap.

If Liang Cheng were to belittle Zhao Lichun at this moment, he would appear arrogant, ignorant, and out of touch with reality.

After all, Zhao Lichun is currently riding high on his popularity and is widely recognized as a top candidate for the next governor.

Everyone thinks Zhao Lichun is more likely.

If Liang Cheng can't explain it clearly, Zhong Xiaoai will only look down on him.

on the contrary.

If Liang Cheng shows weakness and admits that his father is at a disadvantage, then Zhong Xiaoai will continue to press for answers.

Let's see what Liang Cheng is planning to do.

In any case, Zhong Xiaoai had to ask what she wanted to know.

now.

Liang Cheng also stopped walking.

He looked at Zhong Xiaoai in front of him and finally smiled.

That smile was faint, yet it seemed to see through everything.

he knows.

That was the woman's ultimate purpose in stopping him today.

All the preceding setup was just for this fatal question.

Zhong Xiaoai wanted to use this question to judge the potential of the Liang family and the true worth of herself as a "variable".

Liang Cheng did not give a direct answer to the name.

He met Zhong Xiaoai's scrutinizing gaze and asked softly in return.

"Zhong Xiaoai, do you know what often determines the success or failure of reforms and the consolidation of power in history?"

This question startled Zhong Xiaoai slightly.

She didn't expect it.

Liang Chenghui will instantly transcend the realm of personal grudges.

This steers the discussion to a much broader level.

"It depends on the right timing, the right location, and the right people."

Based on her knowledge, she provided a standard answer.

Not entirely correct.

Liang Cheng shook his head.

He held up one finger.

"It depends on the cycle."

"What cycle?" Zhong Xiaoai pressed.

"The economic cycle is also the cycle of fortune for a place or a country."

Liang Cheng's voice was calm, yet it carried a profound depth that seemed to penetrate history.

He didn't look at Zhong Xiaoai anymore, but turned around and gazed at the shimmering lake in the distance.

Like a wise man standing on the bank of the river of time, commenting on the ebb and flow of the past.

"The development of any place is like the life of a person."

"When you're young, you need to be aggressive and break all conventions and old habits in order to grow wildly."

"The characteristic of this stage is that efficiency is paramount, regardless of cost, and even at the cost of sacrificing some rules."

"At this stage, reformers often made great strides because they conformed to the need for expansion; they were the chosen ones of that era."

Liang Cheng's words.

No one's name was mentioned.

But Zhong Xiaoai was incredibly clever and understood immediately.

The "reformist" Liang Cheng referred to was none other than Zhao Lichun, who was famous for his "Jingzhou speed".

Since Zhao Lichun took office in Jingzhou, the city's economy has indeed developed rapidly.

But it also left behind countless aftereffects.

Environmental pollution, forced evictions, and the gray areas of collusion between officials and businessmen.

He covered all of this up with impressive GDP figures.

Zhong Xiaoai's breathing unconsciously slowed down.

She felt she was entering a completely new realm of thought.

Liang Cheng's voice continued.

"However, when an economy grows from youth to adulthood and becomes increasingly large, relying on unchecked growth will lead to major problems."

"Uncontrolled expansion inevitably brings about a heavy original sin."

"Overdrawn future resources, a damaged rule of law environment, and sacrificed livelihoods of the underprivileged will all become forces that backfire on themselves."

"Like a giant who only focuses on charging forward, the faster he runs, the more unstable his foundation becomes, and the more hidden injuries he accumulates."

"One day, he will collapse because of a small pebble."

Liang Cheng paused here.

He turned around, his gaze falling once again on Zhong Xiaoai's pretty face, which was filled with astonishment.

"Therefore, when a place develops to a certain stage, it no longer needs rule-breaking reformers."

"Instead, they are the guardians of the established rules."

"The main theme at this stage is no longer simply pursuing speed and efficiency."

"Instead, it is shifting towards standardization, rule of law, and people's livelihood."

"Whoever can seize this transformation will be the one destined for the next cycle."

These words struck Zhong Xiaoai like a bolt of lightning, cleaving through her thoughts.

A brilliant and insightful perspective!

This is entirely from the perspective of the national development strategy, overlooking the situation in Handong.

Zhong Xiaoai believes she comes from an extraordinary background.

Having been exposed to politics since childhood, his understanding of politics far surpasses that of his peers.

But she had never heard such a brilliant and profound argument.

Liang Cheng completely transcended the personal grudges between Liang Qunfeng and Zhao Lichun regarding who was stronger or weaker.

Instead, they defined their conflict over their paths as a "battle of destiny" between two different development cycles.

This scale is boundless!