Chapter 82: Relying on the Mountain to Eat

"Tonight I already have plans. When Brother Seven moves into the villa, I'll come over to drink a cup of celebratory wine, even if you don't invite me," Zeng Yi said with a smile.

"That won't happen! Doctor Zeng is a distinguished guest I can't easily invite," Old Seven repeatedly insisted. "If not tonight, then tomorrow night."

Old Seven was somewhat of a local figure. He had seen everything that happened on this street. Although he didn't know exactly what Zeng Yi did, the fact that Chen Long went out of his way to curry favor and that the Health Bureau's section chief stood guard at the door in the scorching sun was very telling. Zeng Yi must have some significant background.

After a few more words of casual conversation, Old Seven left with a chuckle, clearly very pleased. His storefront, though old, was located on a busy street in the heart of Rongcheng, with great potential for appreciation. Even without demolition, he could easily sell it for over a million.

Now, in various cities, large-scale construction and slum renovation were underway. People who originally owned houses and storefronts had made a fortune. As the saying goes, "Rely on the mountain to eat the mountain, rely on the water to eat the water." With demolition, they could profit from it.

Some people might think this was unfair, but it was actually quite fair. Arabs in the Middle East made a fortune from selling oil. Could you stop them from profiting just because there's no oil field near your home? If you had an oil field near your home, what would you think? The houses of these original residents were not stolen or seized; many were bought with hard-earned money. People like Old Seven relied on rental income to live. Without the storefront, their source of income would be cut off. Their demands were not high; they either wanted to return to their original location or be compensated for their losses. Truly unreasonable holdouts were actually very few.

Zeng Yi understood Old Seven's joy. If all the residents in this area could benefit from urban development, it would be better than enriching a few corrupt officials.

The purpose of slum renovation was to improve the living conditions of the original residents. However, in some places, this policy had turned into a land-selling scheme. Officials and businessmen colluded, forcibly expropriating land, leaving many people homeless overnight, and even sending some to labor camps or mental hospitals for resisting demolition.

The ultimate goal of urban development was to ensure that every resident of the city could benefit from its growth and economic prosperity. In many places, however, urban planners focused solely on development. The city's size and population grew, but the residents not only failed to benefit but also felt the burden, with their living standards often worse than before.

After seeing Old Seven off, Zeng Yi began to worry about his own affairs. The custom-made medicine cabinets and herbs, if not used, would become mere decorations. Now, with this issue, should he move them all?

In the evening, Chen Long came over, smiling as he entered, "Zeng Yi, are you worried about your medicine cabinets and herbs?"

Zeng Yi nodded, "Yes, it's a pity. I was planning to run this clinic well. All these items are made of the best materials, and the herbs were personally selected by me."

"I've already arranged it for you!" Chen Long sat down, picked up the teapot, poured himself a cup, and drank it down, saying, "A new large pharmacy is opening on the street ahead. I've already talked to the owner. Once their renovation is complete, your medicine cabinets and herbs will be moved there."

Zeng Yi laughed, "Brother Chen, you've solved a big headache for me!"

Chen Long waved his hand, thinking that if Zeng Yi really needed to deal with these items, there would be many people eager to help. He was just taking advantage of his proximity, "It's no big deal, I'm just helping the people. They need to order herbs and make medicine cabinets anyway. Having these ready-made items saves them time. For businessmen, time is money. They can open earlier and start making money sooner."

"Brother Chen, with your level of dedication, I think you should have been the bureau chief long ago," Zeng Yi joked.

Chen Long chuckled, "Soon, it will happen in the next few days."

"You'll have to treat us! This time, you'll have to spend a lot."

"Sure, I'll spend whatever it takes!" Chen Long looked very pleased. The case of Chi Jian Gang was about to be resolved, and the bureau was about to appoint a new deputy director. His promotion was almost certain. After Zeng Yi's several introductions, especially after the celebration of his promotion to a section chief, he had become a trusted member of Du Ruo's team. His promotion was just a matter of time.

Zeng Yi then talked about the demolition, "Why did this happen so suddenly?"

"It's not really sudden. The plan was made a few years ago, and it was almost completed. However, the district chief was arrested for economic issues and was found to be involved in this project, so no one mentioned it again," Chen Long explained in a low voice. "Now, the district has found a new developer. Do you know who it is?"

Zeng Yi shook his head and smiled, "How would I know?"

"Feilong Construction!"

"Yuan Wenjie?" Zeng Yi was greatly surprised.

Chen Long nodded, "I only found out about this today. It's said that the project could only be restarted because Yuan Gongping used his influence."

Zeng Yi thought that Yuan Gongping was really not avoiding any conflicts of interest. He initiated the project and had his son execute it. This was truly a family affair. His name was Gongping (fair), but he didn't seem fair at all.

However, it made sense. For a project that had been shelved halfway, it would be difficult to restart without a powerful official's push. The previous district chief had fallen because of this project, and in the political arena, such things were especially taboo. The successor would naturally avoid it.

"Such a large area, if all turned into a commercial square, how much would it sell for!" Chen Long sighed, "Once this project is completed, Yuan Wenjie will be rich."

"Given the scale and capital of Feilong Construction, wouldn't it be difficult to undertake such a large project?" Zeng Yi's brow furrowed. Feilong Construction, a makeshift team, had a huge appetite. They wanted to do this project and the health base project. Wasn't he afraid of financial problems, which could ruin both projects?

"Yuan Gongping just needs to make a call, and Yuan Wenjie won't have any trouble getting a loan," Chen Long said resentfully. "However, I heard that Yuan Wenjie has brought in a partner, one of the top three developers in the country, with considerable strength."

Zeng Yi understood. Yuan Wenjie still couldn't resist the temptation of quick profits. Feilong Construction had no experience in commercial squares and lacked the strength. The real executor of the project was likely the partner Yuan Wenjie brought in. Yuan Wenjie just needed to help the partner secure the project and land, and he could easily make a quick profit without any investment.

However, this was a good excuse to keep Feilong Construction out of the health base project, Zeng Yi thought.

That evening, Zeng Yi had dinner with Chen Long, and the manager of the new pharmacy also came. During the meal, he and Zeng Yi finalized the purchase of the medicine cabinets and herbs and paid a deposit. The pharmacy's renovation would take about half a month, and they agreed to pay the remaining amount and move the goods in half a month.

Zeng Yi thought that the demolition wouldn't be resolved in a day or two, so half a month should be plenty of time. He agreed to the arrangement.

In the following days, Zeng Yi started looking for a house. Every day after work, he went out to look at houses, but after seeing several, he couldn't find one he liked.

Leaving the Health Bureau, Zeng Yi was about to go look at another house when he received a call from Chen Long, "I've already arranged the moving truck and workers for you. Come back quickly."

Zeng Yi was puzzled, "Move what? I haven't even found a house yet."

Chen Long couldn't explain clearly over the phone, so he said