Chapter 26: Not Even Daring to Touch It!

Although Xu Yiping was narrow-minded, he still possessed a sense of duty when it came to matters of great significance.

He immediately summoned Tang Ye and Xia Haiqiao.

"We are heading to the county tomorrow for an important event. Ao Electrical Appliances is looking for a site in Tianling County to build a factory. We will meet at the government office at five tomorrow morning and arrive at the meeting venue before seven. Comrade Tang Ye, you must take this opportunity seriously. Organize the materials well; you might have the chance to represent Pinghu and negotiate with the enterprise."

Xia Haiqiao glanced at Tang Ye, thinking to himself that "Boss Xu" was truly skilled at painting empty promises. What was Tang Ye, anyway? Did he really have the qualifications to represent Pinghu? Furthermore, among all the towns in the county, Pinghu’s economy ranked at the bottom. Enterprises weren't fools; why would they choose Pinghu? To put it bluntly, the three of them were just going through the motions to serve as mere window dressing.

"Secretary Xu, I will have the relevant materials prepared," Tang Ye replied. Even though he knew Xu Yiping wasn't being sincere, he did not let his guard down.

After Tang Ye left, Xia Haiqiao asked in a low voice, "Why did you bring Tang Ye along?"

Xu Yiping shot Xia Haiqiao a look of disdain. "Do you think I wanted to bring him?"

Xia Haiqiao suddenly realized that it must have been specifically requested by superiors, and a wave of jealousy inevitably surged in his heart.

The next day, at the crack of dawn, Tang Ye arrived at the government office. However, Xu Yiping and Xia Haiqiao did not show up until six o'clock. It was clear that Xu Yiping had deliberately given Tang Ye a cold shoulder.

"Little Tang, sorry to keep you waiting! There was no need to come so early. I meant to tell you to come later, but then I got distracted by other matters."

"Secretary Xu, I usually wake up quite early anyway, it’s no trouble," Tang Ye said, his teeth gritted in frustration. The old tortoise loved to wrap needles in cotton, trying to mess with his head at every turn. Tang Ye couldn't do much about it; the man was just too petty.

On the road, Xia Haiqiao and Xu Yiping chatted and laughed, while Tang Ye, not wanting to engage with them, simply closed his eyes to rest.

Upon arriving at the hotel where the negotiations were held, leaders from various towns met and exchanged pleasantries. Although Tang Ye had attended a few county meetings, he was still a fresh face and didn't know anyone.

Xu Yiping deliberately left him to fend for himself, and Tang Ye felt isolated. As for the others, they assumed Tang Ye was merely a lackey running errands for Xu Yiping and Xia Haiqiao.

Xia Haiqiao stood in a corner with a group of people, smoking and glancing at the lonely Tang Ye nearby. He felt smug, thinking, *No matter how much you try to scramble, in an occasion like this, you can only be a spectator, right?*

"Old Xu, I heard the city’s inspection team specifically went to Pinghu Town for research last week? Are you planning to build a resort there?" asked Jiao Deyi, Party Secretary of Zhugou Township, with a smile, probing for information.

"Nonsense, complete nonsense!" Xu Yiping replied with a forced smile. Although the resort talk was baseless, it had spread widely among the townships. Previously, he had kept a low profile at such gatherings, but now, due to this rumor, he was receiving significant attention and couldn't help but feel a bit smug.

Jiao Deyi’s Zhugou Township had the best economy in Tianling County, boasting several enterprises with annual outputs exceeding ten million. They were major taxpayers for the city, making Jiao a significant figure. Jiao was also aware of the resort rumors; he just regretted that Zhugou lacked the water resources Pinghu had, or else he could have competed with Jinshui Town in Chongjiang County. In Jiao’s view, Xu Yiping was a mediocre fool holding a golden nugget without knowing how to use it—someone who seemed seasoned and steady but was ultimately incapable of accomplishing anything major.

After a brief exchange, Jiao Deyi moved on to network with other representatives. Every circle had its shining stars, and Jiao was undoubtedly the center of attention. As for Xu Yiping, who acted so grand in Pinghu, he was merely a peripheral figure here.

After half an hour, Tang Ye understood the lay of the land. Xu Yiping was a classic case of being an expert at internal strife but a novice at external affairs. He was exceptionally skilled at making life difficult for ambitious subordinates behind closed doors, but once he stepped out of Pinghu, he wilted like a shriveled cucumber. Given his capability and vision, expecting support from superiors or attention from top-tier enterprises was no different from winning the lottery.

A black Audi and a black Mercedes-Benz pulled up to the hotel one after another. A secretary stepped out of the Audi's passenger seat to open the rear door for Du Chengfeng. A middle-aged man emerged from the Mercedes, and the two walked side-by-side toward the welcoming committee. Xu Yiping and the other town leaders stood in the second tier, while Tang Ye and Xia Haiqiao were relegated to the very back.

Entering the conference room, they found name cards placed at the seats. Xia Haiqiao’s expression suddenly stiffened; he saw the name "Tang Ye" on a name card. He himself was relegated to the corner of the room, so what right did Tang Ye have to sit there?

Xu Yiping’s heart was in turmoil. What seemed like a simple seating card contained many signals. Jiao Deyi, seeing a young, unfamiliar face sitting next to him, was also bewildered. *Where did this kid pop up from?* Others were equally curious about Tang Ye's identity.

"Brother Haiqiao, who is that sitting next to Old Jiao? He came with you, right?"

"A newly arrived cadre on secondment."

"No wonder! His background must be significant! Maybe your Pinghu Town actually has a chance at this project!"

The meeting commenced. Mr. Dou of Ao Electrical Appliances adjusted the microphone and smiled. "It is an honor to be here. First, let me introduce myself. I am Dou Fanggang, Chairman of Ao Electrical Appliances, and an old classmate and friend of County Mayor Du. You have likely heard of Ao Electrical Appliances; we primarily manufacture kitchen appliances like range hoods and stoves. Our current factory is in Guangdong Province, but due to development needs, we want to build a second one. Since I am from Hanzhou, I am prioritizing building the factory here."

Du Chengfeng took the microphone. "I’ll be frank with everyone: Mr. Dou is bringing hundreds of millions in capital to invest. You all need to clearly state your advantages and strive to keep Mr. Dou’s money here in Tianling County. Please talk with Mr. Dou; if he finds any of you interesting, he will follow up with you individually."

Hearing about an investment of hundreds of millions, everyone’s eyes lit up. Tang Ye, however, remained calm. Such a large investment would never be won with just a few words. It was a pity he had no authority. He glanced at the dispirited Xu Yiping. *Is he really going to be this cowardly, surrendering before the battle even begins?*

It was like being in a business lounge with a beautiful woman sitting next to you, and instead of even trying to talk, you’re too terrified to even reach out. Damn it, being stuck with a superior like this... it’s like trying to wield a sword in a cesspit—you can’t talk your way out, and you can’t fight your way out! Tang Ye was deeply troubled.