Chapter 162: Beating Around the Bush

At 6 p.m., Zhou Ming drove with Luo Han to the Dongmen Hotel. After parking the car in the hotel's parking lot, Zhou Ming and Luo Han got out and approached the hotel entrance. There, they saw a composed young man waiting for them. As soon as he saw Zhou Ming and Luo Han, he greeted Zhou Ming with a faint smile. Luo Han introduced him as Cao Jianning.

Zhou Ming took a closer look at Cao Jianning. The son of the Marshal didn't seem particularly extraordinary—he was of medium height and build, dressed in a grayish-green Zhongshan suit with neatly trimmed short hair. If there was anything notable, it was his gaze, which carried an innate arrogance and a sense of detached calm.

According to what Du Peng had told Zhou Ming, Cao Jianning was only 35 this year. It was likely that the old Marshal's late-born son was well-loved, but Cao Jianning's demeanor didn't seem to reflect any sense of being spoiled or typical of a pampered second-generation elite.

As Zhou Ming approached, he decided to greet Cao Jianning politely, as he was unsure of the man's temperament. At least being courteous wouldn't hurt.

Cao Jianning also nodded and smiled at Zhou Ming, his demeanor just right. He then led Zhou Ming and Luo Han to a private room he had already reserved in the hotel.

Once inside the private room and seated, Cao Jianning intended to pour wine for Zhou Ming. Zhou Ming quickly declined, and Luo Han promptly took over the task. Cao Jianning made no further insistence. After pouring the wine, Cao Jianning raised his glass for a toast.

"Although today is the first time I've met Consultant Zhou, your name has been like thunder in my ears," Cao Jianning said admiringly. "You were the one who struck the first blow in land auctions, persuaded all banks to jointly resist the land speculation wave, and even single-handedly stabilized the securities market during the recent stock market crash. Each of these achievements is the work of a hero. Whenever I hear about you, I can't help but cheer for you. Consultant Zhou, you are truly remarkable!"

Cao Jianning even gave Zhou Ming a thumbs up. Zhou Ming responded, "Mr. Cao, your praise makes me feel a bit embarrassed. To be honest, I'm just a businessman, and the reason I do all this is ultimately to create more opportunities for profit. I believe you know that my first pot of gold was made through the securities market in Port City."

"I would say Mr. Cao is the real impressive one. When Nanjiang was first designated as an economic zone, you came here. Back then, Nanjiang was just a small county. It was through your trade of military supplies that the first batch of enterprises was established, which revitalized the entire economy of Nanjiang. Nanjiang's achievements today are inseparable from your efforts," Zhou Ming complimented Cao Jianning.

Cao Jianning waved his hand and said, "That's all thanks to my family. What I've done can't compare to what Consultant Zhou has accomplished."

"Mr. Cao, you are being modest. Although you come from a privileged background, you haven't shown any sign of arrogance. Instead, you've used your family's influence to contribute to the country's development, which is truly commendable. I see that you've surpassed your predecessors," Zhou Ming said.

The conversation continued with mutual compliments, a typical way to start a meal. During such gatherings, people usually drink more, chat a bit, and then discuss the main topic once the atmosphere is relaxed. As a top businessman in Nanjiang for several years, Cao Jianning was naturally skilled in this process.

Zhou Ming, not knowing Cao Jianning's intentions, decided to go along with the flow. After all, Zhou Ming was fifty years old across his lifetimes; surely he could outlast a thirty-five-year-old in patience.

After an hour of casual conversation, Cao Jianning suddenly asked, "I heard there's been some recent discord between you and Xiao Hua?"

Xiao Hua was Huashao's nickname. Zhou Ming had known about this from his conversation with Tan Ge. Zhou Ming nodded and said, "Yes, there was a misunderstanding about land speculation. Later, when he opened his nightclub, Du Shao and I were supposed to celebrate, but unfortunately, something came up. The misunderstanding deepened. Then he wanted to buy stocks, and I advised him against it, but he insisted on buying ten million worth of stocks and ended up losing."

Zhou Ming sighed as he spoke. Cao Jianning chuckled and said, "It seems Xiao Hua is also quite prideful and has some rather extreme views. But this is likely due to his smooth-sailing life. He values face more than anything, especially since this is his hometown in Lingnan."

Cao Jianning paused and then asked, "So, how did you end up in trouble with Xiao Tan?"

Zhou Ming understood that Xiao Tan referred to Du Peng, but the name was different due to their respective statuses.

"It's also related to Huashao," Zhou Ming said. "After all, ten million is not a small amount. Huashao's money must have involved Tan Ge's share. Since Tan Ge lost money, he naturally sought revenge."

"I see. It seems you've had some misfortune," Cao Jianning said, waving his hand. "Let's not discuss these unpleasant matters. Let's talk about something else."

Cao Jianning pointed around and asked Zhou Ming, "This Dongmen Hotel is one of Nanjiang's old high-end hotels. Do you know its history?"

Zhou Ming shook his head, not knowing. Cao Jianning continued, "The history of this Dongmen Hotel is actually a symbol of Nanjiang's development. As you know, Nanjiang was initially a poor county. In such a place, there was hardly any high-end hotel."

"After it was designated an economic zone, many foreigners came to do business in Nanjiang, but they found there were no decent places to stay. The city's reception center was the best accommodation at that time, but it was still too simple for those foreigners," Cao Jianning said. "Later, when my elder brother became governor, he was displeased with this situation. He thought that since this was the window of the country's reform and opening-up, it shouldn't be like this. So, he slammed the desk in his office and had this hotel built in Nanjiang."

"It seems Governor Cao is also very decisive!" Zhou Ming said, pondering the underlying meaning behind his words.

Cao Jianning had a different perspective: "You're right about the decisiveness, but in my view, my elder brother has a violent temper. He acts on his impulses. After working for these years, Lingnan has developed so rapidly that the Provincial Party Committee has had to replace a few officials, and he's still the governor."

"That only means Governor Cao is straightforward and that the rapid development of Lingnan during his tenure shows he is very capable," Zhou Ming said. "Take the establishment of this Dongmen Hotel, for example. Governor Cao's decision to start construction immediately is impressive. It shows that the leadership in Nanjiang is highly supportive of Governor Cao's decisions and indicates his high prestige among local officials in Lingnan."

"Of course. My father is a Lingnan native. Although he later went to Yanqing for the revolution, he still maintains contact with the people here," Cao Jianning said proudly.

"Indeed! Marshal Cao is a prominent figure with unparalleled prestige in Lingnan," Zhou Ming said.

Cao Jianning smiled and said, "Consultant Zhou, you're cautious in your speech. Actually, I understand what you're implying. You're suggesting that the Cao family has deep roots in Lingnan and is the foremost family in the region, and that there's nothing we can't handle, right?"

"Mr. Cao, please forgive me. Some things are beyond my scope as an outsider," Zhou Ming said.

"Consultant Zhou, don't say that. Although our Cao family has significant influence in Lingnan, we never use our power to bully others. We have our own rules. At least, we will do our best to help our friends," Cao Jianning said.

Cao Jianning looked at Zhou Ming, and Zhou Ming, after a period of silence, finally asked, "Mr. Cao, please speak directly. I'm not very clever with political matters and can't figure out puzzles easily."

Cao Jianning shook his head and said, "Consultant Zhou, you are indeed cautious. Since you can ask such a question, how could you not understand my meaning?"

"Please make it clear," Zhou Ming said.

Cao Jianning sighed and said, "Alright, I'll be straightforward. Consultant Zhou, I heard that due to the recent stock market crash, the Nanjiang City Government is planning to establish a supervisory committee, correct?"

"Indeed. To prevent similar issues in the future, a securities supervisory committee must be established," Zhou Ming answered. "Given Mr. Cao's experience with the Nanjiang Development Bank and Securities Company, I'm sure the first chairman of the Securities Regulatory Commission will be you."

Cao Jianning shook his head and said, "Consultant Zhou, you misunderstand. That's not what I meant. I'm not interested in holding any official positions. I wouldn't be able to handle so many positions."

Hearing this, Zhou Ming's expression became more serious rather than relaxed: "If Mr. Cao is not interested in being the chairman of the Securities Regulatory Commission, what does Mr. Cao mean?"

Cao Jianning did not answer directly but asked Zhou Ming another question: "Consultant Zhou, since the securities market is in Nanjiang and the first stock traded publicly was also in Nanjiang, don't you

 think it would be more convenient for the Securities Regulatory Commission to be located in Lingnan Province, adhering to self-inspection and correction, rather than relying on some macro oversight?"

This made Zhou Ming gasp in surprise: He hadn't expected that Cao Jianning had been beating around the bush to suggest this!