Urban God-level Youth

The crowd inhaled sharply at these words.

Qin Hao was really pushing Ma Bing to the brink.

The harmfulness of that statement was akin to rubbing salt into Ma Bing's wounds.

Plus, there was Qin Hao's contemptuous and mocking smile.

Everyone around felt a twinge in their heart for Ma Bing.

Sure enough, Ma Bing's face turned ashen, his eyes glaring at Qin Hao as if about to shoot flames.

Unfazed, Qin Hao's smile remained on his face; he didn't believe Ma Bing would dare to make a move in such a setting, and even if he did, Qin Hao was confident he could beat him until he couldn't tell which way was north.

Ma Bing clenched his teeth fiercely, then walked forward, no longer paying attention to Qin Hao.

Qin Hao said to Liu Jianming and Wang Guanding, "Mr. Liu, Mr. Wang, we'll talk more when there's time; I'm going to find my seat now."

"Mr. Qin, your company's seats are right at the front; I saw them when I arrived early," Liu Jianming said.

Qin Hao nodded with a smile, "Thank you, Mr. Liu."

"Mr. Qin, you're too polite; it's only proper," Liu Jianming replied, his posture very humble.

By now, Jiangshan Roasted Duck Company was making over ten million in monthly profit, far surpassing him.

Moreover, behind Qin Hao was a group of people who didn't fear death.

Those were the kind of people no one wanted to offend.

The Dayuan Group might be large, but if Qin Hao were truly provoked, Liu Jianming believed Qin Hao wouldn't hesitate to break Ma Bing's legs.

Plus, with Qin Hao's official backing, who would dare offend him?

The fact that Jiangshan Roasted Duck Company was seated in the front row was the best proof of his powerful official backing.

Qin Hao and Bai Jing, along with two others, arrived at the front; their two companies' seats were right beside each other.

It wasn't clear whether this was intentionally arranged or a coincidence.

On the other side of Qin Hao was Zhongbao Group, where a middle-aged man and a young woman were sitting.

The young woman was curiously looking at Qin Hao, who smiled back at her before taking his seat.

In the crowd behind, Yuan Zhengxiang stared unblinkingly at Qin Hao's back, his heart roiling with tumultuous waves.

It was him, indeed him—he was the owner of Jiangshan Roasted Duck Company.

How could this be? When had he founded the company?

...

"Mr. Qin, the person next to you is Mr. Deng Zhenyuan, the head of our Jiangshan City's leading steel enterprise," Bai Jing spoke up.

Hearing Bai Jing's words, Deng Zhenyuan humbly said, "Mr. Bai, I dare not claim to lead the industry; please don't exaggerate in front of Mr. Qin."

"Mr. Deng, if you have the audacity to claim second place, who would dare claim the first?" Bai Jing replied with a smile.

Qin Hao smiled and said to Deng Zhenyuan, "Mr. Deng, your reputation precedes you."

Though he hadn't heard of Zhongbao Group, he knew he still had to play along at that moment.

"Mr. Qin, you're too kind. Jiangshan Roasted Duck's reputation is much stronger than mine," Deng Zhenyuan returned the compliment.
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He wasn't wrong; in terms of reputation, Jiangshan Roasted Duck was indeed well-known since those buying roasted ducks were the general public.

It was easier for people to remember the name Jiangshan Roasted Duck.

In contrast, Zhongbao Group mainly dealt with companies and enterprises, not widely known among the common folk.

The two exchanged business cards, then someone from backstage came out.

The banquet hall fell silent instantly because the person who arrived was an official from Jiangshan City, leaders from various departments were present as well.

The lowest rank among them was at the level of deputy director.

The host was also an official, who went through a long preamble, praising the development and achievements of Jiangshan City over the past two years and commending everyone present.

The main purpose of this evening's event was to raise funds for the construction of Jiangshan, encouraging all the wealthy businessmen present to donate money and contribute to Jiangshan.

Everyone understood this rationale, but no one dared to be absent.

The event was initiated by various government departments, and even for those with connections in the province, offending these people was not an option.

After the opening speech, the host played a video segment.

It showed the plight of a few poverty-stricken mountain villages in Jiangshan, which left Qin Hao feeling quite unsettled.

The mountain villages had no roads, and travel depended entirely on treacherous mountain paths.

There was no electricity or running water; they drank from streams and used candles for light.

The children ate hard cornbread, with hardly a grain of rice visible in their meals.

They had no schools; during the day, some collected firewood while others gathered wild vegetables. The harsh conditions were shocking.

Following that, there were videos of mudslides and landslides that had occurred last year and the year before.

Qin Hao did not doubt the authenticity of the videos; the officials would not fabricate them, as they couldn't possibly use fake videos to trick everyone here into giving money.

People were not fools; on the contrary, they were very shrewd, and such foolish tactics would be seen through at a glance.

Xuan Country was indeed developing rapidly and many areas had decent infrastructure, but many regions still lived in hardship.

It wasn't just Jiangshan; such places were numerous across the country, only lesser known.

Sometimes the nation itself was stretched thin!

The host began, "These are the conditions of several impoverished counties under our Jiangshan jurisdiction. Our Shuinan Province is mountainous, and the living conditions in many mountain villages are still very backward.

"Moreover, with the rainy season approaching, many areas are prone to landslides and mudslides. As elites in the business world, both the government and I hope that, to the extent possible, you will help these mountain villages and those poor children."

A leader from the Education Bureau spoke, "Today, we have gathered you here in hopes of raising funds for the construction of poverty-stricken areas in Jiangshan. The donations you make will be used openly and fairly, with absolute transparency, so you can be completely assured of that.

"Furthermore, both the government and all the people in the impoverished areas will remember what you all do today."

Several other department leaders spoke as well, mentioning that government funds were insufficient, which is why they had called everyone to donate and raise money.

The expressions of the crowd remained unchanged as this was not the first time they had encountered such an event. Although reluctant, everyone was expected to donate some amount of money.

In a room behind the banquet hall, sat several people.

If anyone had seen them, they would certainly be surprised, for these individuals were all leading figures of Jiangshan.

"It's hard to say how much money we'll be able to raise," someone said with a furrowed brow.

"Last year, it was only seven million. Who knows how much it will be this year."

Li Feiyue didn't speak; he was contemplating the areas most prone to landslides and mudslides.

By his estimates, at least ten million was needed. What if that was not enough?

Applying for more funds from above was impossible since the provincial government's budget had already been exceeded, and Shuinan Province had more than just Jiangshan City.

Yet, if precautions were not taken in time, heavy rain could easily cause landslides leading to casualties.

...

"We will now begin the donation ceremony," announced the host.

After the announcement, a person was in charge of the official registration.

The crowd already knew the drill, starting with the smaller companies at the back.

"Liangcai Company donates one hundred thousand."

"Yixiu Company donates one hundred thousand."

...

Qin Hao looked around, noting that there were roughly forty company CEOs present tonight.

At this rate of donation, reaching ten million would be for the best.