Super Zoo

Su Lijun dared to speak this way because he had calculated that Suming wouldn't run for mayoral office. This indicated that Su Lijun had secretly investigated him. Suming grew more cautious, he had only been back in Sun Town for half a day, and Su Lijun was already well-prepared; he had clearly come with a plan. "Heh, big brother, let's not beat around the bush. Our town isn't well-informed; we only know you've made it big. I've been doing business outside these past two years and have frequently heard about your deeds. The winery, the zoo, the People's Congress representative, the terrorist, any of these feats you've achieved would scare off a good many people." Pinching a half-smoked cigarette, Su Lijun said, "If I had your capabilities, I wouldn't be interested in this minor position of mayor either. Of course, I'll say it again, if you want Sun Town, I won't compete with you for it." After pondering for a moment, Suming asked, "What does Wu say?" Wu, the current mayor of Sun Town, had dedicated half his life to Betterment of Sun Town. Over the years, he may not have illustrious achievements, but he has worked hard, and his reputation and public opinion in Sun Town are quite good. Moreover, the development of Sun Town has actually been not bad in the past half year, with household incomes significantly increasing. If Mr. Wu doesn't want to retire, it would be quite unreasonable to forcefully push him out. "Mr. Wu… haha…" Su Lijun shook his head with a chuckle, "Although our town's leader is elected, we also have to conform to national policies. Mr. Wu has been our mayor for almost ten years, and if he continues, it won't comply with the policies, so it's time for him to step down." "Have you talked with him?" Suming asked. "Yes," Su Lijun nodded. "Mr. Wu is a bit conservative; as soon as he hears about outside investment, especially from foreigners, he worries about being cheated." "You can't blame Mr. Wu; there have been too many similar experiences in the past. Mr. Wu is also considering the best for the town," Suming said. "You're world-wise. If you're afraid of the wolf ahead and the tiger behind, then you might as well not develop at all. The safest thing would be for the entire town to just farm their land. Big brother, I'm not asking for money or land, nor am I seeking a government loan. Instead, I'm ready to put out one million US dollars for infrastructure in the first phase. You can't really call that a scam, can you?" Su Lijun sighed, "Our town is poor. People like you and me, who have made our mark on the outside, all think of giving back to our hometown. But when folks aren't grateful, don't you think it's unjust?" Whether it's unjust, only heaven knows. The people of Sun Town might not have seen much of the world, but they are not foolish. Both returning to invest in their hometown, Su Lijun and Suming are not on the same page at all. Su Lijun wants to become mayor mainly to pave the way for his powerful backers and profit from it – it's obvious to anyone who isn't a fool. "Let's do this, cousin, you go back first, and I'll think it over," Suming said. "Alright." Su Lijun seemed to have expected that their first interaction wouldn't lead to any substantial agreement. Having made his intentions clear without insisting, he stood up to leave. As he reached the door, he turned back to Suming and said, "Big brother, to speak from the heart, times have changed. Mr. Wu's old way of thinking is outdated. This is a young person's world. Maybe if we join hands in the future, we could really achieve something great." ... After seeing off Su Lijun, Suming closed the courtyard gate and channeled a strand of spiritual power to have Haidong Qing secretly keep an eye on Su Lijun. Then, he went back to the living room, relit a cigarette, and fell into deep thought. Through more than a year's experiences, Suming had gained an important lesson: it's not about the mistakes you make, but the people you choose. Those he had cooperated with, like Zhao Yun, Long Wu, and others, were all very reliable partners. But Su Lijun was definitely a dangerous man. Before he left, his words not only expressed a wish for future benefits to himself but even hinted at the intention to start his own enterprise, disregarding that foreign boss. It's true that a good bird chooses a tree to nest in, but that doesn't mean one should switch allegiance at the sight of advantage. However, if this investment is real, and a foreigner is willing to spend a few million to develop Sun Town, it seems there is no reason for him to obstruct it. The struggle in business and politics doesn't necessarily correlate with whether Sun Town can truly profit. Wu might be a good person, but during his years in office, Sun Town has remained impoverished; sometimes, a capable villain can bring tangible benefits to the local people. "Are you done talking?" Mrs. Su came downstairs with Nangong Yan. "Yeah," Suming nodded, flashing a smile, "Mom, I'll clean up the table. You guys go to sleep." He didn't really want to drag his family into business matters. If there were any troubles, it was better for him to shoulder them alone. "What did Su Lijun talk to you about? Tell me," Mrs. Su asked with a smile, sitting down at the table as if she had something to say. Nangong Yan glanced at Suming and said, "Auntie, I'll go upstairs to watch TV." "You sit too, girl. We're all family here. There's no need to be shy," Mrs. Su said, beckoning Nangong Yan with a smile. "Oh." Nangong Yan made a funny face and sat down next to Mrs. Su, giggling. Suming shrugged his shoulders and briefly explained about Su Lijun's intention to run for town mayor, but he left out many details he had guessed. After listening, Mrs. Su said, "He's been back for a few days now, running around the mountains with a few men, including a foreigner, saying they're surveying; otherwise, he's visiting families, hoping everyone will support him. He's articulate and willing to spend money; quite a few people in town are quite tempted." Suming nodded. With hundreds of thousands of dollars in real money coming in from the outside world and the promise of follow-up investments, he would be tempted, too. "What do you think, Mom?" Suming asked. Mrs. Su pondered for a bit before saying, "Everyone used to criticize him for not being serious about his work, but actually, he's pretty enthusiastic and capable. Your dad used to take him along when going out for inspections. Shortly after your dad's accident, he went to another place for business, and we lost touch." "Oh? So, you're saying he had good relations with our family?" Suming frowned slightly, wondering why Su Lijun had never mentioned this. "When Su Lijun was young, he used to be helpful and knew how to handle things, always running around and indeed helped your dad a lot; the two families were quite alright," Mrs. Su continued. Looking at Suming, Mrs. Su said, "However, I always feel that this kid is rather scheming, with lots of twists and turns inside. Your father was too kind-hearted all his life, too trusting of people. He trusted his colleagues, but his promotion was snatched away by others, he trusted his superiors, and ended up getting all the hard and tiring work, and in the end, he trusted his teammates, took the lead in negotiating with poachers, and lost his life. If Su Lijun asks for your help, whatever decision you make, I'll support you. Just a reminder: be cautious, it's essential to guard against others." Suming nodded, "Don't worry, Mom. I'm aware of this." A Haidong Qing soared through the night sky, its pale golden eyes reflecting the image of a Land Rover leaving Sun Town and arriving at the largest hotel in the county. Who exactly Su Lijun is, and what his intentions are, might be revealed tonight.