Chapter 223: A Project That’s Guaranteed to Make Money

For Chen Feng’s counteroffer of twenty million, Tao Yaoyang was not angry. Instead, he smiled and looked at the two women standing next to Chen Feng, changing the subject and asking, “I wonder what the names of the two beauties next to Mr. Chen are? Can you introduce them?”

Hearing this, Chen Feng was slightly displeased, but he still pretended to be generous and pointed to the two women, introducing them, “Sun Xiaorui, my girlfriend. Wu Mengting, my god-sister.”

“A pleasure to meet you. To be honest, I’m amazed by the two of them. Mr. Chen is really lucky with women.”

Tao Yaoyang smiled at Chen Feng, his expression carrying an inexplicable meaning.

Chen Feng frowned slightly and returned to the main topic, “What do you think of the price I offered, Mr. Tao?”

Tao Yaoyang smiled slightly and looked at Wu Mengting, asking, “Miss Wu, how much do you think my villa is worth?”

Wu Mengting’s beautiful eyebrows furrowed slightly, but she still answered, “I think twenty million is about right. After all, your house is a second-hand house, and it’s been built for several years. As for the decoration and furniture and appliances you said you’d give away, they’re not really worth much. Those furniture and appliances are old models, and the decoration is also from a few years ago. The furniture looks a bit valuable, but at most it’s only two or three hundred thousand. We don’t have to take it.”

Hearing this, Tao Yaoyang laughed and said, “Miss Wu is very good with words. Mr. Chen, you’ve got a good god-sister. I want to get one too. I really don’t know where you found her. You’re so lucky.”

His words sounded like he was praising Wu Mengting and at the same time envying Chen Feng’s luck. But Chen Feng found it a bit harsh to his ears. He felt that he might be coveting Wu Mengting’s beauty.

So, Chen Feng returned to the main topic again and asked, “Then do you think twenty million is enough?”

Tao Yaoyang still did not answer Chen Feng’s question directly. He still looked at Wu Mengting and asked with a smile, “Miss Wu, if your brother buys this place, will you live here?”

Wu Mengting asked back with some displeasure, “Why are you asking this? It shouldn’t have anything to do with buying your house, right?”

Tao Yaoyang smiled and nodded, “It doesn’t have much to do with it. I’m just purely curious. If you don’t want to answer, then forget it.”

After glancing at him, Wu Mengting suddenly said very frankly, “I’m living with my brother now. After he buys this place, if he moves here, I will definitely move here too.”

Tao Yaoyang’s eyes narrowed slightly, and he turned to Chen Feng and said with a hint of meaning, “It seems that Mr. Chen and your god-sister have a very good relationship.”

Chen Feng chuckled, “Yes. We are both from Lushi, and our relationship is very good.”

This time, Tao Yaoyang did not look at Wu Mengting anymore and took the initiative to return to the main topic, “Twenty million is too little. If you really want to buy it, 24 million. If not, I’ll ask someone else. You should also know that my villa is not hard to sell.”

This was the truth. The location of his villa was too good, and it also occupied a large area. It was really not hard to sell.

Chen Feng raised his eyes and looked around again. He really liked the balcony here, as well as the swimming pool and the back garden.

“Let’s make it 22 million. I can pay you in full at once. If not, then I can only give up. After all, although your house is not bad, Xiuzhou is so big. As long as you have money, it’s still easy to buy a good house.”

Hearing Chen Feng’s words, Tao Yaoyang finally began to recognize his financial strength. This kid had already bought two properties from Cai Zhixin, nearly twenty million. Now he was planning to buy his house for 22 million. This was nearly forty million in cash.

Being able to take out so much money to buy a house meant that Chen Feng himself had at least a hundred million in liquid funds.

“Alright! Since Mr. Chen is so straightforward, then I won’t bargain with you anymore. Let’s make it 22 million. Let’s just be friends.”

Tao Yaoyang was not one to haggle over every penny, so he set the price very straightforwardly.

Chen Feng was a little happy. In his mind, this villa was definitely worth 22 million. Not to mention anything else, the area it occupied was equivalent to double the villa they were living in now. Not to mention the independent swimming pool and back garden. In addition, the interior decoration and furniture and appliances were not outdated. Although they were from a few years ago, they still looked high-end and classy now.

“Mr. Tao is straightforward. Then let’s call the lawyers over to sign the agreement now, and then go and handle the procedures.”

“Alright.”

Both parties quickly contacted their respective lawyers. Chen Feng called Lu Guancheng, who was recommended by Xiuzhou Bank last time. When this bald middle-aged man heard that Chen Feng was calling him to draft a real estate transaction contract again, and it was in Red Villa Bay, he was even more certain that Chen Feng was a real rich man. He immediately dropped his work and rushed over.

Lu Guancheng arrived first, and the other party’s lawyer arrived about ten minutes late.

Lu Guancheng brought an assistant this time, and the other party’s lawyer also had an assistant.

The real estate transaction contracts were all ready-made. First, the assistants of both parties each drafted a copy, and then made some modifications and unified them according to the requirements of their respective employers.

In fact, calling them over was mainly to be a witness and to control the risks, especially for Chen Feng, the buyer.

After the contract was correct, they went to the bank to transfer the money and to the property management bureau to complete the transfer procedures.

During this process, Tao Yaoyang was very cooperative. And at the property management bureau, he even called an acquaintance to help with the procedures, which sped things up a lot.

After finishing the procedures and coming out of the property management bureau, Tao Yaoyang said enthusiastically, “I feel like I’ve known Mr. Chen for a long time. It’s been a long time since I’ve met someone as straightforward as Mr. Chen. To celebrate our acquaintance today and the successful real estate transaction, I’ll treat everyone to a meal.”

Although Tao Yaoyang’s words were polite, his tone of treating was unquestionable.

Cai Zhixin, who had been accompanying him the whole time, also chimed in, “Chen Feng, my big brother rarely takes a liking to people. The fact that he has taken a liking to you means that you are destined to be with him. Let’s go, let’s all have a good meal together.”

Seeing this, Chen Feng couldn’t refuse. After all, these two people had sold him three houses in total, a business of tens of millions. It was nothing for them to have a meal together.

“It’s no problem to have a meal together, but I should be the one to treat,” Chen Feng said politely.

“How can I let you treat? I’m the host here. I’ll treat. Let’s go.”

After Tao Yaoyang finished speaking without question, he led the people to his car.

Cai Zhixin smiled at Chen Feng and said, “You can just follow our car.”

Seeing this, Chen Feng did not insist anymore.

Under the guidance of Tao Yaoyang, the group came to an ancient architectural courtyard by the East Lake. The gate was tightly closed, and it seemed that they could not enter.

However, when their group walked to the main entrance, the mahogany gate was opened from the inside. The person who opened the door was a middle-aged fat man in an ancient-style work uniform, who greeted Tao Yaoyang with a flattering expression.

Under his guidance, the group entered in single file.

After Chen Feng’s group of three followed in, they learned from Cai Zhixin’s introduction that this was a private restaurant in a scenic area, but it was not open to the public, only for internal members. And ordinary members had to book three days in advance.

But Tao Yaoyang was not an ordinary member and could come at any time.

The three of them walked all the way into this ancient courtyard, and it was truly an ancient building.

The group walked for more than ten minutes before they arrived at a small courtyard. They entered a very elegantly decorated private room, which was a side room in this courtyard. Through the window, they could just enjoy the ancient scenery in the courtyard, with plum blossoms, rockeries with flowing water, and carved beams and painted rafters.

The three of them, Chen Feng, Wu Mengting, and Sun Xiaorui, had really learned a lot on this trip.

There was no menu here. Tao Yaoyang directly asked Chen Feng if he drank. Chen Feng said no, and he didn’t force him. Two waitresses in ancient costumes had already poured them a cup of tea.

“The Xiuzhou restaurant here is the most authentic in our Xiuzhou. The chefs’ ancestors have been cooking Xiuzhou cuisine for several generations. In addition, the ingredients are also local and authentic, such as the East Lake carp and the beggar’s chicken. Although they are all over the streets outside, if you want to eat the most authentic ones, you must come here. You’ll know after you’ve eaten later.”

Tao Yaoyang’s active introduction made the three of them, Chen Feng, Wu Mengting, and Sun Xiaorui, very interested.

As a local, Cai Zhixin also gave an introduction to this place, which the three of them listened to with great interest.

And so, after more than ten minutes, the various dishes were served one after another.

The three of them, Chen Feng, Wu Mengting, and Sun Xiaorui, were not polite. After tasting them, they were all full of praise. Sure enough, the Xiuzhou cuisine here was better than the ones outside. Including the Fumanlou that Chen Feng was very satisfied with before. Comparing the two, the beggar’s chicken at Fumanlou was much worse. The East Lake carp seemed to have little difference, but if you tasted it carefully, the carp meat here was undoubtedly more tender.

It seemed that even if you had money, you might not be able to eat the best. You had to have connections. Like this private restaurant hidden in an ancient courtyard in a scenic area, even if he had passed by this main entrance many times before, if it weren’t for Tao Yaoyang bringing him here, he might never have known about it, let alone eaten such authentic Xiuzhou cuisine.

When the dozen or so dishes were almost finished, Tao Yaoyang asked casually, “Chen Feng, we’ve gotten to know each other. I have a project here that’s guaranteed to make money. I wonder if you’re interested?”

If it were before this meal, Chen Feng would definitely have answered that he was not interested. But after eating someone’s food, Chen Feng could only follow his words and ask, “What kind of project?”

Tao Yaoyang didn’t keep him in suspense and directly gave the answer, “Highway construction bidding.”

Hearing this, Chen Feng quickly shook his head, “I’m not familiar with this, so let’s forget it.”

Tao Yaoyang frowned slightly, “Brother, don’t think I’m trying to trick you. I’m only thinking of letting you and Zhixin take over this project because I like you and know you have strong funds. Because of my identity, it’s not good for me to get directly involved in this project. But I’m confident I can help you win this project. Do you know what I mean?”

Chen Feng thought to himself, I understand even if I don’t. But there’s no such thing as a free lunch. I’d be a fool to believe you.

Cai Zhixin also spoke up at this time, “Brother, this project is indeed real. If you don’t believe it, you can go to your Lushi’s official website and relevant departments to check. The bidding information on it is all public.”

“This highway is in our Lushi?” Chen Feng asked with some curiosity.

Cai Zhixin nodded, “Yes. It’s in Feiyun City. It’s a rural highway reconstruction project, involving several towns, with more than a dozen routes, a total length of more than thirty kilometers, and the total project cost should be seventy or eighty million. If we take it over, we should still be able to make twenty or thirty million. The reason why I sold you that office building this time was to raise funds to take over this project. But you also know that I have a funding gap.”

“Can’t you get a bank loan?” Chen Feng asked with feigned curiosity.

Cai Zhixin said with some dejection, “I used to like to trade stocks. But in the end, after trading for a few years, I lost tens of millions. In the end, even my wife divorced me because of it. At that time, I was very unwilling to admit defeat and borrowed some money from various banks to try to make a comeback. But as you can see, I still have to sell my house to raise funds for this project.”

Chen Feng was a little speechless. But looking at Cai Zhixin’s appearance, it didn’t seem like he was lying. After all, it was a fact that he had sold him two houses at a low price in succession.

It seemed that stock trading was really harmful! Chen Hanliang was like this before, and now Cai Zhixin seemed even more miserable.

Chen Feng looked at Cai Zhixin with some sympathy, and then at Tao Yaoyang.

“Then why did you come to me? We’re not very familiar with each other. Suddenly giving me such a project that’s guaranteed to make money, I’m really a little scared by you.”

Chen Feng directly expressed his concerns.

After Tao Yaoyang and Cai Zhixin looked at each other, Cai Zhixin spoke up, “The main reason is that you have sufficient funds. If I want to contract this project, I must have sufficient funds in the early stage. And you happen to be from Lushi. In addition, after our contact, we both feel that you are a relatively reliable person.”

Although Chen Feng was not very familiar with highway construction projects, he was not a complete novice either. He said with a smile, “I think you don’t have to contract this project yourself at all. You can completely subcontract it. Isn’t that more worry-free?”

Cai Zhixin explained patiently, “It used to be very common and convenient to subcontract, but now it’s not so easy. The supervision is very strict. Besides, how much money can you make by subcontracting? I happen to have a construction engineering company under my name. If I contract it myself, I can make at least twenty or thirty million. If I split it with you, I can still make more than ten million. Don’t worry, as long as you invest, you can send a special person to supervise. We’ll split the profits fifty-fifty afterwards. I definitely won’t let you suffer a loss.”

Chen Feng would not be so easily hooked. The main reason was that Chen Feng felt that it was better to trade stocks easily and make money than to work hard with him on this project.

The ratio of this investment to output was really not comparable. A fool would choose the easiest and most profitable one. For Chen Feng, this project that was guaranteed to make money was really not worth his attention.

“Sorry, I’m really not interested in this project.”

Hearing this, Cai Zhixin’s face couldn’t help but stiffen.

Tao Yaoyang then spoke up, “It seems you still don’t trust us. To be honest, we really have no intention of cheating you, and we are all sincere in wanting to be friends with you. Of course, we are indeed not familiar with each other. After we get to know each other slowly in the future, you will know.”

Cai Zhixin said with some anger, “Chen Feng, you really don’t know a good heart when you see one. We saw that you were a good person and wanted to bring you along to make money. But you actually don’t appreciate it.”

Chen Feng said calmly, “If you’re really short of money, you don’t necessarily have to pull me in. I can totally lend you money. How much is your funding gap now?”

Cai Zhixin immediately said, “I’m still short of about forty million.”

Chen Feng looked at Tao Yaoyang and said, “Brother Tao, since Zhixin is so short of money, then let’s help him. We’ll each lend him twenty million. What do you think?”

---