Chapter 137: The Trap

Romance during university is a beautiful thing, but few couples remain together after graduation. The vows once sworn are often worn away by the grind of reality, leaving behind nothing but fragmented memories. To Zhang Wei, love is a matter between two people; there is no such thing as right or wrong. If one party no longer loves the other, a breakup is the best choice, as it at least preserves a pleasant impression of one another.

Zhang Wei’s ex-girlfriend, Li Wan, ultimately chose to break up with him due to family interference and the pressures of reality. Although Zhang Wei was reluctant to let go, he respected her decision, choosing not to pester her and instead accepting the separation with grace.

Zhang Wei did a quick mental calculation and realized they hadn't seen each other in nearly a year. While he felt a lingering attachment shortly after the breakup, time had gradually faded that sentiment. He was confident that if they were to meet again, he could face her with complete composure.

Clearing these distracting thoughts from his mind, Zhang Wei began to carefully review the documents in his hand. According to the information recorded, the Tiancheng Company had been established in 2000. It started by contracting construction projects, and after several years of accumulation, it had officially entered the real estate development industry this year.

Earlier this year, Tiancheng Real Estate had won a bid from the government for a plot of land. At the time, it was "raw land"—untreated and undeveloped. Over the course of a month, Tiancheng had cleared the site and achieved the "three connections and one leveling," transforming it into "developed land" with a flat surface and sound infrastructure.

In real estate development, land is categorized into three types: raw land, rough land, and developed land.

Raw land refers to land that has completed approval procedures for use but lacks infrastructure or the basic requirements of "three connections" (access roads, temporary water, and electricity), and still has structures awaiting demolition.

Rough land refers to land that has completed approval procedures and possesses the "three connections" or more complete infrastructure, but has not yet undergone relocation and demolition.

Developed land refers to land with perfect urban infrastructure and a flat surface, ready for immediate construction.

Having converted the raw land into developed land, Tiancheng had essentially completed the first phase of development. Since the subsequent construction of buildings was their specialty, many assumed they would strike while the iron was hot. However, things did not unfold as expected. Soon after, news broke that Tiancheng was facing a cash flow shortage. The rumors grew increasingly intense, even suggesting the company was on the verge of bankruptcy.

At this time, many executives in the real estate industry were watching the situation closely. Some watched with schadenfreude, while others hoped to profit from Tiancheng’s distress. "Fatty" Zhou belonged to the latter. When the opportunity arose recently—with Tiancheng looking to sell the land to bridge their financial gap—it naturally attracted the attention of many developers.

Seemingly concerned about the company's reputation, Tiancheng did not advertise the sale widely, instead contacting interested firms privately. Through his connections, Fatty Zhou managed to get in touch. Because Tiancheng was in a liquidity crisis, most developers were maliciously driving the price down; Fatty Zhou, having offered a higher bid, secured the opportunity for final negotiations.

The government auction for the land had not been entirely transparent, so the true acquisition cost was known only to those within Tiancheng or the government departments involved. Since these individuals had a vested interest in the land, none would ever disclose the figure.

According to the analysis of Zhang Mingyi, a professional real estate marketer, Tiancheng had likely purchased the land for around 100 million yuan. With the subsequent costs of demolition, renovation, and leveling, the total investment was approximately 110 million yuan.

Fatty Zhou’s initial offer was 80 million yuan, which earned him the chance to negotiate, but the final purchase price would depend on the outcome of their talks. Fatty Zhou wanted Zhang Wei to join the negotiations to use his micro-expression analysis skills to detect if the other party was lying or to gauge their true bottom line. Only then could he acquire the land at the lowest possible price and maximize his profit.

In truth, as long as the purchase price remained under 110 million yuan, Fatty Zhou would still turn a profit. After all, bidding for land from the government required connections and greasing palms—areas where Fatty Zhou was lacking.

While Fatty Zhou and his associates were studying Tiancheng, two men were discussing the matter in the chairman’s office at Tiancheng. The man in the leather chair was in his fifties, lean and wiry, looking like a wizened old farmer. This was Dong Biao, the chairman of Tiancheng. Though he appeared simple, he was highly capable, having risen from a common foreman to the owner of a real estate company through over a decade of hard work.

The younger man, who resembled him but stood half a head taller, looked spirited, though he held a cigarette in his right hand and inhaled deeply, a look of anxiety on his face.

"Dad, what exactly are you thinking? We used so many connections to secure this land, spending tens of millions just on bribes, and now you want to sell it!" the young man said, visibly agitated.

"Tiancheng, haven't I told you already? A capital shortage and budget overruns mean the project can't proceed, which is why we have to sell," Dong Biao sighed, sounding helpless.

"Dad, if you're short on cash, we could take out a bank loan against the land! That's better than selling it at a loss to those vultures in the real estate business. They’re all people who would swallow you whole without spitting out the bones," Dong Tiancheng said, tapping the table anxiously.

"That's enough. You don't need to worry about this; I’ll handle it," Dong Biao said, waving his hand dismissively.

"Dad, what are you thinking? We’ve spent over 100 million on the land and the infrastructure! We’re supposed to earn that back once the buildings are finished," Dong Tiancheng said, grabbing his hair in frustration. "You're planning to sell to another developer, and the highest offer is only 80 million. The company will lose tens of millions! Why are you insisting on this?"

"Tiancheng, I have my own reasons. Don't worry about it anymore," Dong Biao said, his face darkening with finality.

"Dad, you’ve always been decisive. I don't believe you’d sell that hard-won land just because of a temporary cash flow issue. Are you hiding something from me?" Dong Tiancheng stared at his father, asking every word with precision.

"Tiancheng, there are some things you don't need to know. Just trust that everything Dad does is for the good of the company," Dong Biao said, bracing his hands on the table and rubbing his forehead. "Go out now. I’m tired and need to rest."

"Dad, I’m your son! Is there anything you can't tell me?" Dong Tiancheng persisted, unwilling to let it go.

"Get out!" Before he could finish, Dong Biao snapped, his voice sharp and severe. "You are no longer to participate in the negotiations for the land sale."

*Bang.*

The door slammed shut as Dong Tiancheng stormed out. Watching the door, Dong Biao sighed, "Son, Dad has his own unavoidable hardships. I'm not telling you because it’s for your own good. You'll understand one day."

After saying this, Dong Biao seemed to age several years in an instant. He had always prided himself on being a master of business, building Tiancheng from nothing, step by step. He never expected to be trapped like this.

Just as Dong Tiancheng had suspected, Dong Biao wasn't selling because of a capital shortage, but because the land itself was flawed. The subsoil was loose, and the water table was exceptionally high. After hiring experts to survey it, he discovered that the land could not support high-rise buildings. Once the structures reached a certain height, the soil’s bearing capacity would be exceeded, leading to tilting or even total collapse—much like the Leaning Tower of Pisa.

When he first received this conclusion, Dong Biao had cursed loudly, wanting to sue the municipal construction department. However, halfway to his destination, he had calmed down. After sitting in his car for half an hour, he ordered his driver to return to the office, acting as if nothing had happened.

The real estate industry was far more complex than people imagined, involving massive interests that could trigger a chain reaction. Dong Biao didn't know how many people were involved, and he dared not think about it, let alone be the one to blow the lid off the pot.

In that moment, Dong Biao felt fear and hesitation for the first time. The land had become a hot potato. If he sued the government, even if he won compensation, it would inevitably implicate a group of officials. He didn't know who he would offend, and he feared becoming a pawn in a power struggle. Thus, he chose to escape, quietly passing this "hot potato" to someone else. That was the real reason behind his decision to sell.