ABT ### Chapter 0079: First Kiss Stolen
Until An Ning stood inside Zhengxin Company and saw all the employees stop and respectfully address Li Fanyu as "President Li," she couldn't believe that the guy beside her, wearing a blatantly fake watch, was indeed a billionaire.
The two walked straight to the back of Zhengxin. Upon seeing the vast expanse of land initially planned for the second phase of the used car trading center, An Ning felt an urge to kneel down and kiss the ground.
The sudden stroke of good fortune was overwhelming, leaving her bewildered and incredulous. She glanced at Li Fanyu and couldn't help but feel that appearances could be deceiving.
She had interacted with him twice, and each time, he was dressed in... average brands. Never in her wildest dreams did she imagine he was a deeply hidden little tycoon.
It wasn't that An Ning judged people by their looks; it was just that this down-to-earth guy was too casual in life and lacked any aura of wealth.
Despite his best efforts in Nanhe, Li Fanyu couldn't convince An Ning. In desperation, he brought her to Tiancheng. The three top students and Cheng Ke had matters to attend to at school, so they parted ways at the station after agreeing to meet for dinner in the evening.
Li Fanyu was very enthusiastic about the laboratory. According to his plan, he would eventually start his own car manufacturing business. Such a facility would be an invaluable tool, saving time and money.
Moreover, the beautiful woman beside him, with flushed cheeks and an excited look at the vast land, was previously the design director of Mercedes-Benz Greater China.
Hmm, using the lab to tie her down, and she would undoubtedly contribute greatly to his efforts.
"Brother, I really don't know what to say. I never expected that after failing to settle in Nanhe, I'd circle back to Tiancheng," An Ning said excitedly.
Li Fanyu grinned mischievously, "If you had told me earlier, we would have done this sooner. No need to become a drunken mess and think about selling yourself for land. When can we apply for the lab approval? Let's get started right away."
An Ning pondered and cautiously said, "Applying for approval requires visiting the city government. Although Mercedes-Benz's Greater China headquarters is in Tiancheng, it was mainly for coordination. Most of the company's business is in Nanhe, and I'm not very familiar with the departments here. It might take some time."
Li Fanyu chuckled smugly, "I know the people here!"
"…"
An Ning initially wanted to tell him that setting up a lab involves many departments and isn't easy. But then she reconsidered. The younger brother she always saw as a talented and diligent young man had just given her a shocking reversal. He effortlessly produced a large piece of land, and his company seemed to be doing very well.
She had seen news about Zhengxin Company in Tiancheng, knowing they undertook the city's police car business. So, thinking it over, she believed Li Fanyu might not be exaggerating about knowing people.
In short, this younger brother she befriended out of admiration for his talent was indeed someone who couldn't be judged by common sense.
A little over a week ago, Li Fanyu had seemed like just a silly, talented, and diligent young man to her. Now, she found him a bit of a mystery.
Unaware of An Ning's thoughts, Li Fanyu took out his phone, scrolled through his contacts, and called Cheng Gang.
It wasn't the mayor's hotline but Cheng Gang's personal number.
Cheng Gang answered soon after. When he learned that Li Fanyu wanted to set up an automotive lab, he was immediately intrigued.
Tiancheng is a coastal city primarily focused on port trade and tourism. Although the Asia-Pacific Economic Forum had increased Tiancheng's visibility, the city didn't attract much industrial and financial interest due to its weak industrial base.
So, this call from Li Fanyu felt like a possible opportunity to diversify the city's development.
Automotive manufacturing is a significant industry. In developed countries, the automotive sector and its supporting industries serve as economic pillars. In terms of both production value and sales revenue, they hold substantial importance.
The automotive industry is comprehensive, based on design and manufacturing processes. A car comprises thousands of parts, and every major manufacturer has numerous related suppliers, making the industry highly interconnected with other sectors.
Moreover, the automotive industry is a high-tech industry. If Tiancheng could establish a well-scaled automotive lab, it would undoubtedly attract more talents in the field.
With talent, there comes competitiveness, sparking innovations in new materials, equipment, and processes. For a city, this acts like a magical chemical reaction.
After the Asia-Pacific Economic Forum, Cheng Gang had been racking his brain on how to respond to policies and promote Tiancheng's development during his tenure.
Li Fanyu's call was perfectly timed.
Cheng Gang's heart was stirred, but his tone remained calm. He considered for a moment and asked, "Kid, Zhengxin Company lacks the qualifications for a lab, after all, you're not an automotive manufacturer."
Li Fanyu was sharp. He had already considered every aspect.
He chuckled, "Mayor Cheng, to be honest, I got the idea of setting up a lab because I met an automotive expert."
"Oh? Who is it?"
"An Ning, former design director of Mercedes-Benz Greater China. She's right here with me. Want to talk to her?"
Without waiting for Cheng Gang to agree, Li Fanyu covered the receiver and handed the phone to An Ning, exaggeratedly mouthing, "Blow it up big!"
An Ning was already shocked by the conversation; there was no other Mayor Cheng in Tiancheng.
Although Tiancheng's top leader was Party Secretary Yue Zhang, who primarily handled party affairs, Cheng Gang was the one in charge of urban development.
Barely having time to marvel at Li Fanyu's incredible connections, she saw his exaggerated expression and couldn't help but smile.
She nodded at Li Fanyu and took the phone, "Hello, Mayor Cheng. I'm An Ning, former design director of Mercedes-Benz Greater China."
...
"Yes, Xiaofan and I want to set up an automotive engineering lab. We've already selected the site next to Zhengxin Company."
...
"Let me put it this way: we plan to build a comprehensive lab, including an engine testing lab, environmental wind tunnel lab, durability testing lab, EMC and NVH labs, and seven other research projects. We aim to start with the engine testing lab. We hope you can provide some support and facilitation."
...
"I've already contacted the equipment suppliers in Germany, and I resigned after careful consideration for this project."
...
"Thank you, Mayor Cheng. We'll visit you tomorrow. Thank you for your support. Goodbye."
An Ning, clutching her wildly beating heart, was still in a daze after hanging up.
During the call, she felt Cheng Gang's urgent and sincere inquiries, not perfunctory at all. In the end, he even invited her and Li Fanyu to the city government for a meeting the next day.
A woman's intuition told her that this Mayor Cheng was very keen on the lab.
With support at this level, the lab was practically halfway there. The land in front of her was the other half.
Thinking this, she was so excited she almost jumped up.
Seeing her reaction, Li Fanyu was also pleased, "Feeling better now? Give me the phone…"
Before he finished, An Ning threw her arms around him.
He felt a warmth on his lips, his eyes wide as he watched his first kiss being stolen.
However, soon all his attention was on those sweet lips.
Well, he couldn't say anything now anyway.
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