The vicious female supporting role is posted in the opposite direction by the cub

The following day, Zheng Guodong, filled with resentment and facing a barrage of reprimands from his superior, steeled himself and stepped once again into the rather simple yet oppressively stressful conference room at Haixing Company.

The air seemed to freeze, and the salty smell brought by the sea breeze outside the window seemed to grow heavier.

He recalled the deathly silence on the other end of the phone when he reported the astronomical sum of 10 billion, followed by the vice president's incredulous roar—

"Ten billion?! Zheng Guodong, has your brain been soaked in seawater? Or has that woman surnamed Yan bewitched you?! She dares to ask for ten billion for land worth over eighty million? And you actually come back to ask? Kick her out! Tell her that she either accepts our reasonable compensation or waits for the planning changes so we can start from scratch! If you don't even have this much guts, you might as well quit!"

Those harsh words lashed at his heart like a whip.

He was not unaware that 870 million was already a high premium based on policy standards, enough to make the original company's shareholders, who were on the verge of bankruptcy, ecstatic.

But Yan Yueqing... the confident look in her eyes when she calmly uttered the words "ten billion" made him instinctively uneasy, like a deep-sea whirlpool. He always felt that she held a trump card that could overturn the situation.

It was this unease that brought him back despite the pressure.

“President Yan,” Zheng Guodong tried to maintain his composure, but his slightly dry throat and rapid breathing betrayed his tension and a hint of barely perceptible anger. “I’m back with the company’s final offer—900 million. This is the highest sincere offer given by Blue Ocean Heavy Industry after rigorous evaluation, based on policy standards, the current state of the land, and its future development potential. This is far higher than the market valuation and also meets the maximum limit for national expropriation compensation. 10 billion…”

He paused, then said almost through gritted teeth, “Excuse me for being blunt, but this is completely beyond the scope of commercial negotiations; it’s wishful thinking. The company believes this shows a complete lack of sincerity. If Mr. Yan insists on this unrealistic price, we will regretfully terminate the negotiations. I believe you also understand that although the plan for the national new energy pilot zone has been finalized, the specific site selection and construction plan are not entirely without room for adjustment.”

"As the contractor of a national strategic project, Blue Ocean Heavy Industry has more than one option than HZ-07. Continuing this stalemate is not a wise move for your company or for the employees waiting for resettlement. In the end, we will only part ways on bad terms, and your company may not even get the 900 million yuan, and will also have to bear the risk of the land value plummeting after the planning changes."

He finished speaking in one breath, trying to put pressure on her with words like "terminating negotiations," "planning adjustments," and "sudden drop in risk," his eyes fixed on Yan Yueqing across the conference table.

Yan Yueqing sat upright in the main seat, her fingertips lightly touching the table, her expression completely calm, as if Zheng Guodong had brought not an ultimatum, but an ordinary report.

She even slightly curved the corners of her lips, revealing a seemingly gentle smile that made Zheng Guodong's heart tighten.

"Mr. Zheng, you've worked hard, traveling back and forth." Her voice remained calm and pleasant. "I understand Blue Ocean Heavy Industry's position, and I understand your predicament of being caught in the middle. However, negotiations must be based on facts and the real needs of both parties to reach a consensus. Your company believes I'm asking for an exorbitant price based on your assessment of the 'current' value of the HZ-07 plot. But..."

Her tone shifted abruptly, her gentle demeanor instantly taking on a sharp, insightful edge. "I would like to kindly remind Mr. Zheng and your company's senior management of one point: time is your most expensive cost right now, or rather... the price you cannot afford."

Zheng Guodong frowned: "Time? What does President Yan mean by this? The project schedule is important, but it is not uncontrollable."

"Is that so?" Yan Yueqing leaned forward slightly, her gaze as calm yet compelling as the deep sea. "The No. 1 Marine New Energy Equipment Manufacturing Base is the core engine of the Haidu New Energy Industry Pilot Zone, and a benchmark project listed in the National Key Projects Directory. I remember the planning documents clearly required that the foundation pile foundation work in the core area must be completed by the end of the first quarter of next year to ensure the installation window for subsequent large-scale equipment..."

Zheng Guodong's Adam's apple bobbed, but he didn't answer immediately.

This is precisely their biggest pain point.

HZ-07's geographical location and existing ownership are exceptionally advantageous; otherwise, it wouldn't have been designated as "core construction land." Finding an alternative site requires not only renegotiating the ownership of the sea area and land, and handling complex resettlement and relocation issues, but also conducting detailed geological surveys, environmental assessments, and obtaining construction planning approvals... This series of processes would be impossible to complete in less than six months to a year.

This will directly lead to a serious delay in the commencement of construction of the entire Base No. 1!
Yan Yueqing did not wait for his reply and continued to state her case calmly, each word like a heavy hammer blow to Zheng Guodong's heart.

"From the time your company terminates negotiations and applies for a change in the site selection plan to the completion of all preliminary work at the new site and the readiness to start construction, it will conservatively take nine months. What does this nine-month period mean? It means that Base No. 1 cannot proceed according to the timeline required by the state; it means that the demonstration effect of the entire Haidu New Energy Pilot Zone will be greatly reduced; it means that Blue Ocean Heavy Industry will face severe accountability and even penalties from higher authorities; it means that the huge planning, design, and personnel preparation costs invested by your company in the early stages will all be lost; it means that... your company's credibility and capabilities as the contractor of a national strategic project will be seriously questioned. If this loss is measured solely in monetary terms... it is probably far more than ten billion."

She paused, her gaze sweeping over Zheng Guodong's face, which had instantly turned pale, and softly uttered the rest of her sentence: "Building a large-scale new energy plant might not be worth this much money in compensation, but what about the port? Besides the mudflats where the original aquaculture farm was located, what about the Dongxi Bay area..."

She stopped short of revealing her intentions, her calm, deep-sea eyes seeming to see through all of Blue Ocean Heavy Industry's hidden plans. "I understand. Your company wants to take a long-term view, building a large factory first, then a port. Restarting the port construction project that was left unfinished fifteen years ago isn't something to rush into..."

But the word "port" was clearly uttered by her, and it exploded in Zheng Guodong's mind like a thunderclap!

Only a few high-ranking officials knew about this plan, and none of them mentioned the port!
This is one of Blue Ocean Heavy Industry's core strategic deployments, and a key step in supporting Haidu and even the entire region's logistics hub for the next thirty years!
Fifteen years ago, after the port plan here failed, almost everyone felt that the sea had been abandoned!
The government chose to build the port in the sea area of ​​the neighboring city. In the short term, the possibility of building two ports in such close proximity is almost zero!
Everyone thought it was just a major new energy manufacturer... How could she possibly restart the port construction project?!
Yan Yueqing seemed oblivious to Zheng Guodong's sudden deathly pallor and the undisguised horror in his eyes. She put down her teacup, tapped the table lightly with her fingertips, and spoke in a calm tone, yet with an unsettling sense of control:
"...The right to use Dongxi Bay still belongs to me. If this negotiation failed, the next one might not be able to—"

She deliberately paused here, leaving a blank space filled with infinite possibilities and a chilling threat.

Those eyes calmly gazed at Zheng Guodong. Without needing to say more, Zheng Guodong fully understood the weight of those unspoken words.

Lei Ran stood behind Yan Yueqing, inwardly gasping in shock.

Is this what it means to have vision and foresight?
He finally understood the profound strategy his boss had laid out when he signed the Dongxi Bay deal a month ago—it was not only Haixing's fallback plan, but also the most powerful bargaining chip at the negotiating table at this moment!
A single starfish farm on the mudflats is not enough to cause the other party any concern, but the entire area of ​​Dongxi Bay is a complete threat!

"President Yan..." Zheng Guodong's voice trembled slightly, his previous tough demeanor completely gone.

Yan Yueqing stopped mentioning the port and returned to the previous topic: "Ten billion is not my current valuation of HZ-07. It includes three parts: First, reasonable compensation for Haixing Company's original assets, employee resettlement, and business relocation interruption; second, the early realization of the enormous strategic and economic value that the HZ-07 plot, as an irreplaceable core construction site, can create in the future; third..."

She looked directly into Zheng Guodong's completely dazed eyes. "It's the 'efficiency premium' and 'risk aversion fee' that Blue Ocean Heavy Industry had to pay to 'save' those nine months, ensure the national strategic project proceeded on schedule, and avoid huge political and reputational risks. Which of these three points isn't worth billions? Especially the third point, Mr. Zheng, do you think your company's future, reputation, and the potential accountability storm are worth this price?"

"I..." Zheng Guodong's voice was dry and hoarse, all his previous arrogance and anger vanished without a trace, leaving only a deep sense of powerlessness and a lingering fear. "I need to... I need to go back to the company immediately... to report to the highest levels... Mr. Yan, your... your 'reminder'..." He uttered the word with difficulty, feeling utterly ironic. This was no reminder; it was a judgment that struck straight to the soul!
"Of course, Mr. Zheng, please go ahead." Yan Yueqing regained her initial composure and even considerately gestured for Lei Ran to pour Zheng Guodong a glass of water. "However, time is indeed very precious. I believe that the senior management of Blue Ocean Heavy Industry are all sensible people and will make the choice that best serves the national interest and the company's long-term interests. Ten billion yuan in exchange for the project to proceed as scheduled, avoiding incalculable losses, and acquiring an irreplaceable strategic location—it's a win-win situation no matter how you look at it."

Zheng Guodong almost staggered out of Haixing Company. He dared not underestimate the situation any longer and immediately dialed the confidential number directly to the top level. In a nearly hoarse voice, he reported Yan Yueqing's negotiation content verbatim, emphasizing the disastrous consequences of delaying the project and the threat that Yan Yueqing might activate the alternative plan at any time.

A deathly silence lasted for a full minute on the other end of the phone. Then, the vice president's voice, filled with disbelief and immense pressure, came through: "...Understood. Stay put and await further instructions."

A higher-level, more confidential emergency meeting was held at the headquarters of Blue Ocean Heavy Industry. (End of Chapter)