After my divorce at thirty, I developed an intelligence network.

Gong Yuelong instantly understood his position.

They're called partners, but they're more like high-level employees, the kind who bring their own capital to invest.

Zheng Tao reaps the benefits without lifting a finger, but a large portion of the risks and responsibilities fall on the people who actually do the work.

In particular, if Zheng Tao continues to be so arrogant.

But he didn't refuse immediately. He quickly weighed his options: although Zheng Shu had retired, his influence remained, and his influence was still considerable. The problem lay with Zheng Tao himself.

"Mr. Zheng is too kind." Gong Yuelong changed the subject slightly, "Building material supply involves a wide range of issues and there are many variables on site, requiring a high degree of trust and smooth communication between the two parties."

Mr. Zheng and I... met for the first time today.

This was said in a very tactful way, but it hit the nail on the head: I don't trust your son, and I'm worried that we won't be able to cooperate.

Zheng Shu naturally understood.

He waved his hand: "Don't worry about that. I'll keep an eye on Xiao Tao. You guys can discuss the specifics; he won't interfere with the day-to-day operations."

I've heard of your competence; you're reliable. Mingde also has high hopes for you. Profit sharing is negotiable. What I need is for this project to proceed smoothly and successfully.

This last sentence is the key point.

Zheng Shu wanted stability and to ensure his son's safety. As for who would do more work and who would get more, he was willing to accept it as long as it wasn't excessive.

Fu Mingde's timely interjection served as both a warning and a reminder:

"Xiao Gong, Old Zheng is giving you an opportunity, but also a test. If you handle things well and establish a firm foothold in the eastern area, your future will be bright."

"Be more proactive in communicating with General Manager Zheng and show sincerity in getting things done."

The terms and framework of the transaction are basically clear in these few words.

Zheng Shu provided connections to protect the project's entry point, Zheng Tao provided the company shell and name, and Gong Yuelong provided the channels and specific execution capabilities.

Profit sharing is the next step in the details, but the prerequisite is that Gong Yuelong must first prove that he can handle things and manage Zheng Tao.

"I understand." Gong Yuelong nodded. "Thank you, Elder Zheng, and Director Fu for giving me this opportunity. I'll think about this carefully when I get back and come up with a concrete idea as soon as possible."

Zheng Shu was not satisfied with this answer.

He expected that this young man, who had struggled his way up from the bottom, would at least show enough interest and respect when offered a cooperation opportunity, even if he wasn't moved to tears.

But Gong Yuelong's reaction was too bland, so bland that it was even somewhat... distant.

This caused his frustration over his son's lack of ambition to mix with his slight displeasure at Gong Yuelong's ungratefulness.

The gentleness on his face slowly faded, and as he looked at Gong Yuelong, his tone changed:

"Xiao Gong, it's good to be energetic when you're young. However, in the High-tech Zone, energy alone isn't always enough."

He brought it up casually, "Take the new project you just got, for example. President Li gave his approval, that's the first step. But for the project to finally be finalized, won't it have to go through a public bidding process?"

Gong Yuelong looked up and met Zheng Shu's gaze. "Yes, we need to follow the procedures."

"Program..." Zheng Shu repeated the word softly, "Programs can be complex or simple. It all depends on who is running it and how they are running it."

He paused.

"Since the new project is to be tendered publicly, all qualified companies will have the opportunity to compete fairly."

Xiao Tao's company has all the necessary qualifications, and its performance... while not as good as those established companies, it's still barely up to par.

If he's interested and wants to participate to test the waters, that would be perfectly reasonable, right?

These words are no longer just hints; they are almost a blatant warning and pressure.

It means: Gong Yuelong, don't think that just because President Li approves, you're safe.

The bidding process is my domain. If my son wants to get involved, you might not be able to stop him.

Fu Mingde held his teacup, his eyelids lowered, seemingly focused on sipping his tea, and didn't interrupt.

Gong Yuelong remained silent for a few seconds. He understood the meaning behind Zheng Shu's words and sensed the subtle yet real threat.

When the old fox realized that bribery wouldn't work, he switched to warnings.

His face remained expressionless; he simply exhaled slowly, as if suppressing some emotion, before speaking:

"Mr. Zheng is right. Open bidding and fair competition are the rules. Whoever is qualified can participate."

They neither showed weakness nor stood their ground, leaving ample room for maneuver.

Looking at his overly composed demeanor, Zheng Shu felt even more uneasy.

But that's enough said.

He believed that Gong Yuelong understood the implications.

"It's good that you think that way." Zheng Shu's face regained some of its composure. "Rules are meant to be followed. Alright, you young people are busy. Mingde and I haven't finished our game yet."

He waved his hand, indicating that the conversation should end there, and turned his gaze to the chessboard, no longer looking at Gong Yuelong.

Fu Mingde changed the subject at the right moment, starting a conversation about the chess game. The atmosphere in the courtyard seemed to ease.

Gong Yuelong stood up, politely took his leave, and turned to leave the courtyard.

Stepping out of the courtyard gate, the sunlight was still bright. The calm facade on his face loosened slightly, and his eyes darkened.

Zheng Shu, that old fox, is more protective of his own and more difficult to deal with than expected.

The cooperation was a pretense; their real intention was to use Gong Yuelong as Zheng Tao's stepping stone and safety net.

When bribery failed, he used his newly launched project, which he hadn't even had time to fully develop, as a form of pressure.

"Open bidding...fair competition..." Gong Yuelong murmured to himself.

Trying to use a program to block me? Let's see who really understands the intricacies of the rules.

……

The standard room at Ruyi Hotel was filled with smoke.

The tall, thin man flicked his cigarette ash: "This line of work is getting harder and harder these days. Nobody believes you just by talking."

Bald Old Liu chuckled and fiddled with his lighter:

"Difficult? That's because you haven't found the right connections. Some people don't make a living based on their abilities, they make a living based on their fathers. These kinds of people only believe in connections."

"Relationship?"

"Yes. For example, Zheng Tao from the High-tech Zone, Zheng Shu's son." Old Liu sat up straight, his eyes gleaming.

"His father was quite a figure in the city before he retired, but now... this kid is eager to prove himself, but all he has is his father's fading reputation. He dreams of landing a big project to shut his father up."

Old Liu lowered his voice, "Is there really a plan for a new eastern city? Yes. But it has absolutely nothing to do with us or Zheng Tao. But we can make him believe that this project is rightfully his."

"How can you believe it?"

"Simple."

"First, the source of information must be internal."

"Second, the key figures should be kept mysterious. Just say that a leader above is paying close attention to them."

The more vague the words, the more he wanted to fill in the gaps. Wasn't his father Zheng Shu? He automatically connected this leader with his father's old relationship.