Chapter 187: Waiting for the Right Price

The day after Qin Yuhan left, Zhang Lanyu called Li Dong to have coffee.

Li Dong knew the coffee was just a pretext; it likely meant Chen Rui and the others had made a decision.

In the café, when Li Dong arrived, Zhang Lanyu was already there.

After Li Dong sat down, Zhang Lanyu smiled and asked, "What would you like to drink?"

"Same as you. Thank you," Li Dong replied nonchalantly.

Zhang Lanyu smiled and told the waiter, "Another latte, please."

After the waiter left, Zhang Lanyu asked, "Mr. Li, I heard Faraway recently took a loan of sixty million from the Construction Bank?"

Such matters are hard to keep secret, and Li Dong had no intention of hiding it. He nodded in acknowledgment but remained silent.

Seeing this, Zhang Lanyu didn't press further but instead began discussing trivial matters with Li Dong.

As they sipped their coffee, they chatted casually about various topics, from interesting happenings in their social circles to the future economic prospects of Pingchuan, and from economic development to international conflicts.

Li Dong chatted freely, feeling no pressure.

Zhang Lanyu, however, was inwardly cursing Li Dong for being so adept at playing his part.

After about half an hour of casual talk, Zhang Lanyu finally got to the main topic: "Mr. Li, forgive my straightforwardness. Faraway was planning to invest in building stores in Pingchuan, involving funds over one hundred million. Now you want to acquire the Huafu land—does Faraway have the capability for this?"

Li Dong smiled lightly and replied, "You needn't worry about that, Miss Zhang. Faraway has ample funds, so it shouldn't be a problem."

Zhang Lanyu furrowed her brows slightly. They hadn't been idle in recent days. They had done some investigation into Faraway's situation. Faraway was not exactly a shell company, but its cash flow was definitely limited.

The sixty million loan from the Construction Bank was intended for store investments. Where did Li Dong get the confidence to say they weren't short on money?

Huafu land wasn't cheap, and Li Dong hadn't sold his Baidu stock yet. Could he magically produce more money? Or was Li Dong planning to temporarily set aside the store investments to focus solely on acquiring the Huafu land?

Noticing Zhang Lanyu's distraction, Li Dong smiled but didn't interrupt her.

Zhang Lanyu's confusion stemmed from her lack of understanding of supermarket operations.

In the past, Li Dong definitely couldn't have afforded such an investment in land. However, with more than a dozen operational branches and a monthly revenue of sixteen million in Fucheng, his financial situation had significantly improved.

As the number of branches grew, so did the monthly revenue and retained funds. With more stores, the money Faraway could retain also increased.

Supermarkets often don't lack money as they expand. Once the Tongshan branches were operational, Li Dong wouldn't be short of cash. Even without considering profits, the money from goods alone would be substantial.

Generally, Li Dong wouldn't tap into this money unless absolutely necessary. However, if it were urgent, withdrawing thirty to fifty million wouldn't be difficult.

Zhang Lanyu gave up trying to understand and decided to focus on what was important. If Li Dong couldn't even provide the promised funds for purchasing land, then further negotiations would be futile.

Zhang Lanyu got straight to the point: "Regarding what Mr. Li mentioned last time, we've considered it and are open to cooperating, but…"

"Miss Zhang, please feel free to speak," Li Dong encouraged with a smile.

Zhang Lanyu tidied her scattered hair and continued, "However, Mr. Li must first lend us thirty-five million, and this money must be transferred quickly as the Supply and Marketing Cooperative is on the brink of collapse."

This condition was something Li Dong had previously agreed upon, so he wasn't surprised. He nodded and said, "Alright."

Seeing the pleased expression on Zhang Lanyu's face, Li Dong's lips curled up slightly, and he said with a smile, "However, we need to sign an agreement."

"What kind of agreement?"

"A transfer agreement. Once you secure the land, it must be transferred to Faraway."

Li Dong wasn't naive. If he lent the money and they acquired the land only to sell it to someone else, he would have been left empty-handed.

After laying the groundwork, Li Dong couldn't afford to lose out on the land. Zhang Lanyu had anticipated that Li Dong would propose conditions and was not surprised. She said, "An agreement is fine, but not a transfer agreement. We can offer Mr. Li the right of first refusal."

This outcome was within Li Dong's expectations.

Although Zhang Lanyu and her associates were not as cunning as seasoned schemers, they wouldn't let him take undue advantage.

Li Dong was unwilling to give up the opportunity for a better deal, so he frowned and said, "Just a right of first refusal seems a bit lacking in sincerity, Miss Zhang."

"Mr. Li, you're not the only one interested in the Huafu land. If we signal that we're prepared to transfer the land, don't you think someone else might be willing to lend us the money?" Zhang Lanyu said calmly while sipping her coffee.

Li Dong's eyebrows lifted slightly. Though Zhang Lanyu's words were harsh, they were true.

Hearing this, Li Dong knew that his hopes of getting a better deal were slim. He wasn't insisting on taking advantage but just wanted a fair chance to compete. Besides, he still had the right of first refusal.

After some consideration, Li Dong finally nodded and said, "Alright!"

Zhang Lanyu was surprised by his swift agreement. She showed a delighted smile and extended her hand, saying, "Mr. Li, I look forward to our cooperation!"

Li Dong shook her hand and smiled, "Looking forward to it!"

---

Li Dong's thirty-five million was quickly transferred to Zhang Lanyu and her team.

With the funds in place, these second-generation rich people's efficiency was top-notch!

If Li Dong had handled it himself, it would have taken at least a few months. But with Chen Rui and his associates handling it, the Huafu land was secured in just half a month.

The green light throughout the process allowed Li Dong to see what privilege truly meant.

As a billionaire, Li Dong's influence in Pingchuan wasn't as strong as Chen Rui's. Sometimes, tasks that would have required a lot of effort from Li Dong could be resolved with just a phone call from these people.

By the time the land was secured, it was late August.

With Zhang Lanyu and her team having acquired the land, they naturally intended to sell it.

This news couldn't be kept secret. Besides Li Dong, there were indeed many others interested in the Huafu land.

Previously, due to the involvement of these second-generation wealthy individuals, people were hesitant to oppose them, even if they were interested. But as soon as it was known that Chen Rui's team was preparing to sell the land, various real estate developers flocked in like sharks scenting blood.

The sixty-acre land wasn't too large but wasn't small either.

With some adjustments, building ten to twenty buildings was feasible.

If they could build low-rise apartments, a four-hectare plot could easily yield a construction area of up to one hundred thousand square meters.

Given the current housing prices around Huafu, selling the completed buildings for three to four hundred million shouldn't be an issue.

In real estate, construction costs are relatively low. Building ten or so buildings would typically cost around one hundred million.

So, as long as the land was acquired for less than two hundred million, it was sure to be profitable.

Of course, no one would spend two hundred million on this land, as real estate is a major investment, and most people aren't interested in small profits.

Despite this, the influx of real estate developers was significant.

Before Li Dong made a move, Chen Rui and his team were already in frequent contact with these developers, preparing to sell at a good price.