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

As you push open the door, the aroma of tea wafts towards you.

The interior was elegantly furnished, and two composed middle-aged men sat in the main seats. They looked like businessmen who worked in the government or were influential figures.

And sitting to the side below, holding a teacup, was indeed Zheng Tao.

Unexpectedly, when Zheng Tao looked up and saw Gong Yuelong, his face showed no trace of the previous resentment; instead, it instantly broke into an unusually warm smile, and he even stood up immediately.

"Hey! Speak of the devil! I was just chatting with two gentlemen about the rising stars of our High-tech Zone, and here comes Boss Gong!"

His voice carried an exaggerated warmth as he gestured, "Please sit down, please sit down!"

The two middle-aged men smiled and nodded, their eyes scrutinizing and curious as they looked Gong Yuelong up and down.

Gong Yuelong remained calm, nodded to the two strangers, and sat down.

"Mr. Zheng, sir, excuse me for disturbing you."

Zheng Tao personally poured him tea and kept him engaged in conversation:

"Xin Ke, you won this job with dignity, I admire you."

After saying that, his tone changed.

"However, when it comes to construction projects, signing a contract is just the beginning of the headaches."

Advance payments and deposits are all money-guzzling pits. Boss Gong, you're just starting out; if your funds don't flow smoothly for a while…”

He glanced at the two people in the main seats and said, "Don't be shy, come to me! I can mobilize three to five million for emergencies."

The words were well-spoken, but the eyes darted around, subtly observing the reactions of the two people in the main seats. This wasn't helping; it was clearly an act.

The two people in the main seats remained silent, simply listening.

Zheng Tao looked at Gong Yuelong with a beaming smile, as if he were a true brother who had offered help in a time of need.

Gong Yuelong understood this perfectly.

Zheng Tao was trying to salvage his reputation with this argument: "Look, although I didn't win the project, I have strong financial resources and can mobilize large sums of money at any time. I can even do favors for the winner."

The subtext is that Zheng Tao and Zheng Shu behind him have a foundation and energy that you, a contractor who suddenly appears, cannot compare to.

The two middle-aged men nodded slightly, their gazes towards Zheng Tao becoming more meaningful, as if they felt that this young master was not entirely without magnanimity.

Gong Yuelong met Zheng Tao's gaze, a perfectly timed faint smile appearing on his face.

"I appreciate Mr. Zheng's generosity. So far, the payments to Xinke are proceeding smoothly according to the contract. If you're truly facing difficulties..."

He paused for a moment, then said, "I will definitely follow market rules, contacting the right people and paying the due amount. I will remember Mr. Zheng's kindness."

He didn't take the bait, didn't owe anyone a favor, and subtly deflected this generous performance, while implying that he acted according to his own principles and didn't rely on such impromptu friendships.

Zheng Tao's smile remained unchanged, and he laughed heartily, "Good! Boss Gong is a genuine man! Come, have some tea, have some tea!"

Gong Yuelong was too lazy to engage in any of Zheng Tao's empty pleasantries; it was pointless.

But then he remembered that the system had warned him that Zheng Tao was loose-lipped and was currently eager to show off.

Isn't this a perfect opportunity to get information out of people?

A smile spread across his face as he echoed Zheng Tao's words:

"President Zheng has considerable influence and extensive connections; who in the High-tech Zone doesn't know him?"

"I've caught the wave of this new project. But if we're talking about long-term prospects, we still need big projects like those in the East Coast."

He changed the subject quite naturally, as if casually inquiring:

"I've heard there's been quite a stir in the eastern area lately? President Zheng must have already made arrangements, right?"

Zheng Tao was indeed struck by these words.

He straightened his back a bit, and a hint of genuine pride crept into his earlier performance of magnanimity.

"Boss Gong is a shrewd man. This game in the eastern region is indeed a big one; not just anyone can get a piece of the action."

He glanced subconsciously at the two people in the main seats, raised his voice, and said, "My old man has been mainly busy with this lately, and he's already settled a few key issues. Some people who don't know their place still want to join in the fun, but they don't even know if they're qualified."

After Zheng Tao finished speaking, the two people in the main seats exchanged a glance, remained silent, and still wore polite smiles on their faces, but a hint of understanding flashed in their eyes.

This young master Zheng is all talk and no action, and he talks a lot of nonsense.

These kinds of people are easy to hook.

Their gazes swept over Gong Yuelong again. This Boss Gong was a man of few words, but his tone was steady, and his responses were always perfectly tactful.

He's not the kind of person who's easily fooled by connections and back channels.

They are not their target customers.

Liu Guangjin put down his teacup, his words carrying a hidden meaning:

"The eastern region is the big picture. My brothers and I have participated in similar developments in other provinces, mainly helping to streamline some... approval processes and resource allocation."

He paused deliberately, "Some steps are not technical, but they often cause problems."

Mr. Hou replied with a smile, appearing even more lively: "Yes, we have a few influential friends in the relevant departments at the provincial and municipal levels."

If the two bosses encounter similar bottlenecks, perhaps we can lend a hand and offer guidance.

Gong Yuelong listened with a calm expression, only offering a polite remark: "You two have gone to so much trouble."

Zheng Tao's eyes lit up, and he said eagerly, "You two are truly insightful! These days, how can you get things done without considering all aspects? I'll definitely need to learn from you more in the future!"

Seeing that Gong Yuelong remained unmoved, Zheng Tao was secretly delighted:

This bumpkin really doesn't know the real deal and doesn't understand how things work out. Perfect, one less competitor, humph!

Liu Guangjin and General Manager Hou smiled and agreed with Zheng Tao, their attitude friendly.

Gong Yuelong observed quietly and drank the remaining tea in his cup.

The bait has been thrown in, and everyone has their own plans.

When Zheng Tao started talking about how relationships work, he immediately perked up and straightened his back.

He cleared his throat, adopted an air of expertise, and began to speak eloquently to Liu and Hou:

"Mr. Liu and Mr. Hou have hit the nail on the head! When it comes to doing things these days, especially large-scale projects like the East Zone, how can we just look at blueprints and budgets?"

He became more and more engrossed in his speech, as if he were imparting a unique secret technique:

"My father and I often talk about this. In some aspects, the rules on the surface are just the threshold, but the real tricks are behind the threshold."

Someone needs to help you push open that slightly ajar door, or, at the most opportune moment, hand you a key that no one else has.

The knowledge here is incredibly profound.

He glanced at Gong Yuelong, who was silently drinking tea beside him, and spoke with a slightly superior tone:

"Of course, people who only know how to bury themselves in work and compete on price may not understand these things."

This requires experience, a keen sense of smell, and even more so…”

He paused briefly, then uttered two words: "Levels".

As soon as the words left his mouth, Zheng Tao himself felt that he had used the perfect word.

That's so precise, and so stylish.

A surge of smugness welled up inside him, and he felt that he had once again outmaneuvered the other party in terms of knowledge.

He slightly raised his chin, his gaze carrying a sense of superiority, as he swept over Gong Yuelong, who was silently drinking tea beside him.

Thinking to myself: "Levels, do you even understand? You country bumpkin. All you know is how to lead workers to work hard, and at most, you can resort to some brute force."

We're playing a game that lies beneath the surface—it's about human relationships, rules, and a sophisticated game you can never even begin to understand. Just stay put with your concrete jungle.

Feeling his understanding had broadened, he became even more enthusiastic and continued his long and eloquent discourse to Liu and Hou.

It's as if they're already standing on some unseen, high-level platform, giving orders and pontificating.

Gong Yuelong saw through his little bit of smugness and the contempt in his eyes, but didn't say a word.

I know perfectly well: he's a complete idiot, yet he's trying to act all high and mighty.

Liu Guangjin and President Hou nodded repeatedly, their faces showing deep agreement.

President Hou then added a timely compliment: "Young Master Zheng, you are so young yet possess extraordinary insight! It's truly a testament to your family's scholarly tradition; your understanding is profound!"

Zheng Tao was extremely pleased, as if he had found a kindred spirit. His enthusiasm for conversation grew even stronger, and he began to combine some dubious examples with the secrets he had heard.

He continued to elaborate on his theory of relationship operation, the core of which was nothing more than to highlight that he was like a fish in water in this deep pool, and knew the ins and outs of it perfectly.

Gong Yuelong slowly turned the teacup in his hand, observing coldly.

To him, Zheng Tao's eloquent speech sounded like a novice who had just memorized a few technical terms showing off his textbook knowledge in front of a true veteran.

It is flamboyant and empty, yet it carries a comical sense of being eager for recognition.

A meticulously rehearsed but flawed impersonation show of a privileged son of a high-ranking official was poorly acted, lacked substance, and was embarrassing to watch.

Seeing that Gong Yuelong remained silent, Zheng Tao was a little annoyed and deliberately changed the subject, with a hint of provocation:

"Boss Gong, don't just listen. You've landed the new project, which is a good start. But what's next? What are your plans? You can't just keep focusing on this one project, can you?"