Chapter 78 (1/2)

Logic Is Not Worth Money

Liang Si-Yao really did turn up, and in such a timely manner too.

Xia Lei welcomed her and greeted, “Hello, Miss Liang.”

Liang Si-Yao also greeted Xia Lei, then said, “I saw you frowning. Did you have some sort of problem?”

“I handed in my application yesterday to register a company under the name ‘Thunder Horse Manufacturing’. It was fine yesterday but an employee here just told me that someone else had used the same name in an application and told me to change mine. This company name holds some very important meaning for me. I don’t want to change the name,” said Xia Lei.

Liang Si-Yao thought for a bit before she spoke, “Someone is definitely hindering your application and giving you trouble. Even if you do change the name, you would probably be told that someone else has applied with the same.”

Xia Lei suddenly thought of Gu Ke-Wen and Huang Yi-Hu. Either of them would have the power to do so.

“What do you plan to do?” asked Liang Si-Yao.

“I want to talk to their bureau chief. I don’t think they can be so unreasonable,” said Xia Lei.

“I studied business management in America and I’ve worked in several companies, mostly as a secretary. I have some experience. Let me go with you, maybe I can help,” said Liang Si-Yao.

“There’s more to you than meets the eye, huh. Okay, let’s go together.” Xia Lei did need an ‘expert’ like her to help him right now.

Xia Lei spotted the door-plate to the bureau chief’s office on the second storey right away when the two of them went up. He walked towards it with Liang Si-Yao and saw that the office door was closed.

Xia Lei willed his eye and it twitched; the office door became like air.

There was a man and a woman in the office talking in low voices and smiling, having what looked like a happy conversation.

Xia Lei looked at the woman’s face and immediately knew who was pulling strings from the shadows.

The woman sitting opposite the man was no other than Huang Yi-Hu’s wife, Li Yu-Lan, Director of Hai-Zhu City Chamber of Commerce.

The man sitting at the desk was the Trade and Commerce bureau chief, Liao De-Sheng. His nameplate was on his table.

Li Yu-Lan was born in 1980 and she was 35 years old, but looked to only be in her early thirties. She was young, good-looking and had flair. A woman that could catch the eye of Huang Yi-Hu was definitely not going to be sub-par.

Liao De-Sheng was an ordinary middle-aged man, clean-shaven and portly, like a typical official. People like him looked pale and plump, clean and easy-going but they were actually rotten in the gut and full of bad thoughts.

“Why aren’t you knocking?” asked Liang Si-Yao.

“Hold on,” said Xia Lei in a hushed voice.

Liang Si-Yao looked at Xia Lei curiously but said nothing and she didn’t knock on the door either.

Xia Lei’s left eye locked onto Liao De-Sheng’s lips and he lip-read their conversation.

“My husband would like to invite Chief Liao to a game of golf. Will you have time, Chief Liao?” Li Yu-Lan smiled charmingly and was very friendly.

Liao De-Sheng chuckled, “Oh, it’s just a small bit of help, it’s nothing much. What’s with the invitation to play golf? There’s no need for that, really.”

“You’re not seeing us as friends, Chief Liao? You’re good friends with my husband. It’s very normal for him to invite you to a game of golf even if there wasn’t the matter of Xia Lei to take care of. Do you not enjoy golf?” said Li Yu-Lan.

Liao De-Shan laughed, “Don’t say that. I’ll go, I’ll go, yes? I have to show respect to President Huang no matter what.”

“That’s settled then,” smiled Li Yu-Lan.

Liao De-Shan spoke again, “Oh, right. I heard that President Huang’s recently been very interested in acquiring the land close to Third Ring Road - is this true?”

“Mm. Yes, it’s true,” said Li Yu-Lan, “That piece of land is in a good location with a hospital and school within a two kilometre radius. There’s also a large shopping centre and it’s a good place to have a family. It’s most suitable for flats. Why do you mention this, Chief Liao? Do you have some connections?”

Liao De-Shan chuckled, “I can’t talk about connections but I do know some people. If President Huang wants, I can be the bridge for him and these people.”

“That’s good. I’ll thank you in advance, then. Have a good talk with my husband over the weekend. We’ll have to end here today. I’ll take my leave now.” Li Yu-Lan stood.

Liao De-Sheng also stood, “Madam Li, please let President Huang know that this Xia Lei will not be able to register any company in Hai-Zhu City. I can use any excuse to keep his company registration permanently in the application process. He can only dream of establishing his company.”

Li Yu-Lan just smiled, “Mm. Goodbye, Chief Liao.”

“I’ll send you out.” Liao De-Sheng moved forward to open the door.

Xia Lei stopped using his eye at that point and reached out, pushing the door open.

The instant the door opened, Liao De-Sheng and Li Yu-Lan stopped in their tracks at almost the same time and looked at Xia Lei and Liang Si-Yao in surprise. They did not know who Liang Si-Yao was but they’d seen Xia Lei’s picture, so they knew who the young man in the doorway was, and could guess what he was here for.

Liao De-Sheng quickly collected himself and put on a mask, speaking rudely, “Who are you? You didn’t even knock before entering. What’s wrong with you?”

Xia Lei smiled, “Excuse me, I was not paying attention and pushed the door open by accident.”