That could only mean one thing: his father had relied solely on his own efforts from beginning to end.
Cheng Gui, seeing the sudden loss of interest in Jiang Cheng's eyes, hurriedly added,
'Don't get me wrong—this land was acquired legally and in full compliance. If we work together, I'll handle the permits myself; you won't have to lift a finger. Actually, I got wind of some confidential news in advance: the government will open a subway line, an exhibition hall, and a large sports stadium there in the next few years. When that happens, the area will be bursting with business opportunities, and nearby property prices will skyrocket. Because I bought the land cheap, the profit potential is enormous.'
Cheng Gui paused, then spoke in a bewitching tone: 'This is a golden opportunity; I'm afraid dragging it out might lead to unexpected problems.'
Jiang Cheng's heart skipped a beat; he had some impression of that plot.
It was the remotest, poorest corner of Chengdu, nothing but rubble and garbage—no investor wanted to go near it.
Yet he also knew it would become a key development zone for Chengdu's future.
The government had long planned to build an entirely new city center there.
If Cheng Gui was telling the truth, then the place was indeed worth investing in.
'You mean the eastern outskirts of Chengdu?'
Cheng Gui glanced at Jiang Cheng in surprise, secretly rejoicing.
He'd assumed only he had advance knowledge; he hadn't expected Jiang Cheng to know as well.
That meant Jiang Cheng's background was anything but simple.
His mind stirred, and he decided to probe Jiang Cheng's bottom line.
'Is that the information you received?'
The reality wasn't what Cheng Gui imagined.
Jiang Cheng only knew because he had memories from before his rebirth.
He also knew the secret of his rebirth must never be exposed, or the consequences would be unthinkable.
So he decided to go along with the mistake and let Cheng Gui believe he had powerful connections.
'The intel I got points to the eastern fringe. Does it differ from yours?'
Seeing Jiang Cheng's calm expression, Cheng Gui became even more convinced of his guess.
This only strengthened his resolve to cooperate with Jiang Cheng.
He knew such news wasn't easy to obtain; without people high up, getting it first-hand was impossible.
Besides, real-estate cycles are long. A couple of rivals weren't scary—what was scary was being ganged up on by many.
If he could team up with Jiang Cheng, he could use his backing to fend off competitors with ease.
Reading Cheng Gui's eyes, Jiang Cheng remained unperturbed.
Ever since Cheng Gui proposed developing that eastern periphery, Jiang Cheng had wanted to cooperate.
Seeing Cheng Gui taken in, Jiang Cheng couldn't help smiling.
With his background, one call to Grandpa or Second Grandpa would suffice, but it really wasn't necessary.
Cheng Gui had said he'd handle everything himself; there was no need for Jiang Cheng to mobilize his family's influence.
Why not just lie back?
Influence can be a double-edged sword: even someone like Qi Yuan, with all that family power, has to tread carefully.
Better to stay aloft like Jiang Cheng now, letting Cheng Gui charge into battle.
He only needed to act as the big Buddha on display, deterring others without deploying a single soldier. He'd reap the benefits while Cheng Gui bore the trouble—why not?
Cheng Gui said, 'The intel I got is exactly the same, which is why I rushed to secure the land half a year ago. I thought no one would notice, but lately several developers have ganged up on me.'
'Right, they just want to stall me—ideally stir up a crisis for Tianlong Real Estate so I'll have no choice but to team up with them.' Cheng Gui's face darkened, helplessness and worry flickering in his eyes.
'Our family isn't in real estate. Why did Uncle Cheng seek us out? Wouldn't it be safer to join forces with them?'
At this, Cheng Gui's expression soured even more; his lips trembled as if restraining anger and resentment.
'You're right, but I've been at odds with those firms for ages. I can't swallow my pride to cooperate with them, nor do I want to share the pie.'
'So I still don't get why you picked us. We have no advantage, experience, or resources. Aren't you afraid this decision could bring huge risk and loss?' Jiang Cheng pressed.
Jiang Cheng asked these questions to make Cheng Gui lay everything out, putting them in an absolutely dominant position.
Cheng Gui fell silent; he realized Jiang Cheng was shrewd.
After two seconds he laid his cards out: 'Your father's takedown of Qin Cheng has already spread through the circle. Before that your dad kept a low profile, but everyone knows Qin Cheng had Chen Corporation behind him. Even Chen didn't dare intervene—your family's backing must be formidable.'
Seeing Cheng Gui finally get to the point, Jiang Cheng calmly asked, 'So that's the only reason?'
'The main company squeezing me is Yuanlong Real Estate. You've heard of them—they outdo me everywhere in Chengdu. Now they're blocking my project, uniting other developers to starve me out.'
'My best option is to sell equity and cooperate with another firm to share risk and recover cash flow. After thinking it over, even partnering with a smaller company might not counter Yuanlong. So I want to work with you.'
'First, your company isn't purely in property; even after we grow, we won't compete head-to-head. Second, I believe your family's strength can help me through this crisis.'
'Yesterday's incident with Qin Cheng planted fear in everyone's hearts. Cooperating with your family will make others think twice before acting. Yuanlong might still be stubborn, but the smaller firms tailing them should back off. I give up some profit to you in exchange for smooth project progress—I call that win-win.'
Seeing Jiang Cheng say nothing, Cheng Gui quickly added,
'As I said, you don't have to handle anything. I'm only borrowing your father's prestige to deter them. As long as they hold back and don't go all-out against me, my company can manage the rest. You'll just collect your share. Though I gain more, your family will also stamp its mark on Chengdu. Not a bad deal—think it over.'