Don’t Turn from Summer Don't Turn From Summer Chapter 37

Don't Turn from Summer (莫负寒夏) by Ding Mo (丁墨)

Chapter 37

The second lot is Lot B.

This time, Rong Yue shows a plan called Home―Rong Yue. Namely, creating an atmosphere of home in the whole community. So it is very different from other commercially developed residential communities. When you enter the community, there’s a home manager who greets you. On the way home, you will pa.s.s the garden, the athletic field, the senior center, the children’s playground, and finally the entrance to your home unit.

How’s the relationship between neighbors? Each building has its own homeowner a.s.sociation subgroup. Doctors, police officers, lawyers, and other public services professionals in the community will be courteously registered, so that whenever there’s some urgent need, they will be contacted to provide voluntary help.

The units are mostly three bedroom designs, aiming at the middle cla.s.s who have steady income and are ready to start families. Also, in addition to the quality restaurants outside the community, there’s even a dining hall within the community, with an A Level of Sanitation, managed directly by the community management company...

When the manager from Rong Yue finishes presenting the plan, the officials are all smiles. This plan is not like that of Lot C, everything of which is of top quality, but it still is an attractive choice.

After the presentation, Rao Wei comes out from the room, when he sees Lin Mochen, followed by Antony, walking over. Feng Chen is the next bidder for Lot B. This time Rao Wei doesn’t smile. Instead, he gazes at them quietly. Whereas Lin Mochen, with a hint of smile lingering at the corner of his month, walks right by him without even looking his way.

 The officials all look at this newcomer with some curiosity. After all, they have more or less heard about the recent sudden rise of Feng Chen and their open and secret battles with Rong Yue.

With smiles, Lin Mochen concisely introduces the officials to the strengths and background of Feng Chen. Of course, he hasn’t forgot to mention that they have a globally renowned designer Antony, their international influence. Then the presentation begins.

The lights are dimmer, as if the thin mist in the mountains are covering the ancient looking buildings. The video starts to play, with Antony and Lin Mochen’s deep and slow voices describing and explaining in English and Chinese.

...

When the video is over, it is very quiet in the room. With smiles, Lin Mochen and Antony rise to say thank you.

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It’s almost noon, but the officials are not leaving for lunch yet. They all stay in the conference room, excitedly discussing.

“Rao Wei’s plan is not bad. Feng Cheng’s is also very good. This makes us hard to decide.” Deputy mayor Mr. Fan says smilingly.

The Director of Design Inst.i.tute is a straightforward person. He says earnestly, “I think Feng Chen’s plan is better, more touching. Rong Yue’s is fine, but the concept of harmony is not a new one in the country. Whereas Feng Chen’s design is disruptive, brand-new. If such as community appears in Lin City, it will really become a trend leader of architecture. Aren’t we trying to encourage real estate companies to bring forth more creative and valuable plans so as to reverse and rescue the market? I think we should encourage the innovation of companies like Feng Chen!”

Mr. Fan just smiles.

Another official says, “Mr. Zhou, you are right. But Rong Yue is after all the most powerful company in the grand southwestern area and the biggest tax payer in our Lin City, while Feng Chen is just a new company from somewhere else. I agree that their plan is really stunning and a little bit better than that of Rong Yue, but it’s really uncertain whether they can build it the way they designed. Leaving it to them is not as rea.s.suring as leaving it to Rong Yue. After all, Rong Yue has done a lot of real estate projects in Lin City. Their quality can be guaranteed.”

Mr. Zhou replies, “But I think we should be enterprising rather than conservative.” The remark leaves that official speechless.

Mr. Fan then smiles, “I agree with Mr. Zhou. We should be enterprising, not conservative. Feng Chen’s plan is really a good piece of work and makes us hard to give up. However, this lot is quite large and the risk is relatively high. We can let Feng Chen try when we have other opportunities later. Mr. Fang, you haven’t given any opinions yet. What do you say?”

Everyone looks toward the high official who arrived in the city not long ago. It’s not yet clear which side he takes.

Fang Chengzhou picks up the cup of tea and takes a sip. Then he says with a smile, “I think both are very good. Feng Chen’s plan is really a little better. It would be a pity if it is not implemented in Lin City. But Rong Yue has greater strength overall and it’s a major tax payer. It’s only right to give them some extra favor. So, it’s all up to you.”

This means the decision making authority of this round is given to Mr. Fan.

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After taking a very hasty lunch with his men, Rao Wei got the news.

Lot B is theirs.

They can’t help but beam at the news. Out of the three lots, they’ve obtained two. They’ve almost fulfilled their mission. Besides, these two lots are the most suitable for Feng Chen. Rao Wei believes that today he is bound to win everything. Then he imagines that when he goes to report to Zhang Yifang next time and they mention Lin Mochen, Chief Zhang may want to praise him more.

But he still needs to be cautious. Because the remaining Lot A is what they definitely need to obtain. The several lots surrounding Lot A has been obtained by Rong Yue during the past few years. According to Chief Zhang, they will be used together for a whole set of development plans, building a super sized commercial and refined residential area. Therefore, this lot can’t be lost to others.

But when Rao Wei enters the conference room for the third time today, he somewhat has a feeling of uneasiness, as if he has missed a step or two somewhere. Everything has gone on smoothly today, but there seems to have some undercurrents developing in the smoothness. Lin Mochen First gave up Lot C. His plan for Lot B was very astounding as he heard, which caused heated discussion among the officials. Rong Yue only had a narrow victory over him. Where on earth got wrong?

...

For Lot A, Rong Yue prepared a plan of commercial and residential dual use. Undoubtedly, this matches the overall construction plan to the commercial center of which this is only a part. Quality and delicate small apartments and neatly laid small landscapes typical of downtown area, no problems can be picked. And everything used on this lot is naturally the best resources.

When Rao Wei exits the room, Lin Mochen and Antony come in for the second time. What plan will they bring? Even Deputy Mayor Mr. Fan is looking on expectantly. After being seated, however, Lin Mochen just smiles a little and says, “Respectful judges, we don’t have any new plans. What we have is still the plan we showed just now. The difference is, Lot A is smaller than Lot B. It will be easier for Feng Chen to manipulate. We will also be able to build it in a more adequate and refined manner. Furthermore, we really hope that we can implement our fist real estate project in Lin City.”

The lights are turned off and the video starts again. But compared to the first time, there are more people scenes this time. For example, in the community, the elderly people are strolling, the children are playing and laughing, the young people are gazing at the starry night sky in their balconies...If the first video brought amazement and enchantment, then the second time, there’s only quiet appreciation and enjoyment.

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Rao Wei sits in the waiting room. The expression of the several subordinates nearby are rather relaxed, but his face is heavily overcast. Putting all the clues together, he feels a chill rising from his heart.

He has never thought about what to do if what Lin Mochen wanted was Lot A. It’s not because he wasn’t considerate enough. For one thing, Lot A was small in size and high in price. There’s little profit in developing the lot alone. It’s only profitable when developed as part of the whole plan of Rong Yue. So, regular people won’t ever want it, not to mention someone who emphasizes profit so much as Lin Mochen. Everybody would think that as a new player in real estate business, Lin Mochen would grab the most profitable merchandise, just as what he has done in the apparel industry, and stand his feet steadily in the industry with one successful strike. Secondly, according to the news he got from some secret sources, Lin Mochen has been focusing on Lot C and then Lot B. It’s said that he stayed up night after night just to keep a close eye on the plan for Lot C. d.a.m.n who could have guessed that he directly gave up on Lot C first thing today, leaving him totally bewildered? Thirdly, even without lot B or C, it won’t be easy to take Lot A from Rong Yue. After all, Rong Yue has a whole set of development plans for the area and has a good relationship with the government. Besides, their design and operation capacities are really strong. If they just compete for this lot, Rong Yue is still very likely to win.

But, what if Lin Mochen’s target has always been Lot A, from the very beginning?

What if giving up at the first bidding and losing closely at the second bidding are both the preludes of the bidding for Lot A? What if everything is done to get around the hard obstacles and move the judges so that they can attack Rong Yue at its base? Lin Mochen won’t earn much with this lot, but it would become very difficult Rong Yue.

Rao Wei has always known that Lin Mochen is someone who starts his real estate business with great ambition. So he has implemented the defenses. But he definitely wasn’t able to imagine that Lin Mochen could be so crazy as to bring trouble to Rong Yue at the price of his own profit...

Cold sweat finally roll down from Rao Wei’s forehead. If he really loses Lot A, he will be in big trouble, in really big trouble.