Chapter 614: Don’t Scare Me, I Have a Weak Heart!
“Mr. Zhou, currently the available land situation is pretty much like this. Do you have any other specific requirements?” Wang Rui looked somewhat nervous as he addressed Zhou Chao.
Industrial development in Fuzhou was mainly concentrated in the new district. Although land prices were relatively cheaper, construction would take a bit longer. After all, compared to the main city area, development in the new district was slower. There was less foot traffic, it was a bit far, and the area was sparsely populated. They weren’t sure if it would meet this big boss’s expectations.
After pondering for a moment, Zhou Chao didn’t have many requirements regarding benefits or tax exemptions as mentioned earlier. After all, he was just looking to contribute to his hometown’s development, and he wasn’t short of money. But he couldn’t allow himself to be taken advantage of!
“I don’t have many preferences. I just need the location to be finalized before signing the contract. In a few days, I’ll send a team of professionals from my company to discuss the details with you. As for the scholarship fund we discussed earlier, we can implement that today.”
“No problem, no problem!” Hearing that they could implement a proposal today, Wang Rui and Niu Xin’s eyes sparkled with excitement.
Securing a deal meant that as long as Zhou Chao signed a project that day, the other projects were sure to follow suit. For them, it wasn’t just about completing the investment attraction task; it also signified the arrival of a large corporation in Fuzhou. This brought some hidden benefits for future investment attraction.
For instance, think about the reputation. If a Fortune 500 company set foot in Fuzhou, it greatly boosted the trust of external investors. When they saw a large corporation present, it enhanced their confidence in Fuzhou. Conversely, if the reputation was poor, big companies wouldn’t be willing to invest there.
Niu Xin, who oversaw investment attraction, had a smile in his eyes. “I wondered, Mr. Zhou, how much you were planning to invest in the scholarship fund?”
Leaning back, Zhou Chao quipped with a slight smile, “Let’s start with ten million annually for now and reconsider if there are any changes.”
“10 million?” Even though Wang Rui and Niu Xin had seen their fair share of ups and downs, they had never heard of a scholarship fund starting with such a hefty amount. Even among the large enterprises coming to invest, aside from state-owned enterprises and real estate companies, only about seventeen or eighteen could reach this standard.
Seeing their surprised expressions, Zhou Chao nodded firmly. “Some words need to be said beforehand. I hope this special fund won’t be misused. I trust you both can ensure this.”
Without hesitation, Niu Xin assured, “Rest assured, Mr. Zhou. This special fund will absolutely not be misused.”
“With your word, I’m reassured!” With Niu Xin’s assurance, Zhou Chao felt relieved.
After all, such a large sum of money could play a significant role in cities with slow development. With the guarantee, they shouldn’t encounter any problems.
With a hint of surprise, Wang Rui asked, “What about the agreement we discussed earlier?”
“That’s fine!” Zhou Chao nodded calmly.
Wang Rui called out to the door, and his assistant walked in. “Xiao Liu, draft an agreement regarding the scholarship fund quickly!”
Assistant Xiao Liu was a bit stunned at first, but quickly regained composure and nodded before exiting the room.
Once the assistant left the room, the group finished their business discussion and started chatting casually. Especially Wang Rui, who was now particularly curious about Zhou Chao’s background. Could there be another influential figure in Fuzhou he didn’t know about?
Immediately, Wang Rui’s eyes flickered slightly as he smiled and said, “Mr. Zhou, did you also attend high school in Fuzhou? Why not go back and visit your alma mater?”
“I attended N0.5 High School for high school. I had decent grades back then and had planned to visit, especially since it’s the National Day holiday now. I’ll just have to go see the school building and reminisce about my student days.” Zhou Chao chuckled.
Even if he didn’t mention it, Zhou Chao believed Wang Rui and his team would have investigated. It was better to be open about it.
“What a shame!” Wang Rui expressed some regret. He had hoped to use an emotional approach to establish a connection. However, since the school was closed for the holidays, trying to foster a teacher-student bond could have negative consequences.
As they spoke, a figure flashed through Zhou Chao’s mind—his high school- no, his previous high school homeroom teacher. She was the only outsider Zhou Chao had encountered aside from distant relatives after waking up.
“Should I go see her?” A thought emerged in his mind. After all, Zhou Chao had drunk a lot of soup made by his homeroom teacher back then.
Later, to avoid unnecessary trouble, Zhou Chao had severed most contacts, except for a few. He felt he owed his homeroom teacher something.
“Mr. Zhou, Mr. Zhou?”
Hearing the call beside him, Zhou Chao snapped out of his reverie and looked apologetically at Wang Rui and the others. “Sorry, I got lost in thought for a moment. Where were we in our conversation?”
“It’s getting late. How about we continue our conversation over a meal at a different place?” Niu Xin glanced at the time. It was almost noon.
“I’ll arrange this meal. It’s a holiday, and I shouldn’t have made you all come to the office. Consider it my way of making it up to you!” Zhou Chao smiled..