Special forces soldier demobilization: Starting from the county government compound, a meteoric rise

As various tasks in the High-tech Zone get back on track, Liu Ming, the "top leader," has become somewhat more relaxed than before.

The so-called leisure means that he no longer has to lead people to block the entrance to the construction site every day, nor does he have to climb into the sewers in the middle of the night to find evidence. Now, he spends more time sitting in that spacious office, staring blankly at the battle map on the wall, or contemplating life while looking at a pile of reports.

But today, Director Liu has encountered a "life-or-death problem" that is even more difficult to solve than dealing with unfinished buildings.

—It's Nangong Yao's birthday.

On the table was a beautifully designed invitation card with gold foil stamping.

It was delivered by a special person sent by Nangong Yao, and the location was set at the most luxurious "Cloud Palace" revolving restaurant in Ningzhou, at 8 pm tonight.

"What should I send?"

Liu Ming twirled a pen in her hand, her brows furrowed so deeply they could trap a fly.

If you're giving a gift to an average girl, flowers, a bag, cosmetics, or even just a 5200 yuan red envelope will usually suffice.

But who is Nangong Yao?

A female billionaire with a net worth of hundreds of billions, the head of the Nangong Group. Does she lack money? Does she lack handbags?

Yesterday, he passed by Nangong Yao's garage, and there was a whole wall of limited-edition Hermes bags, which she used to store miscellaneous items. As for jewelry, it was sold by weight.

Sending these things is simply showing off one's limited skills before an expert; it's completely unoriginal.

"Director, are you still worried about tonight's arrangements?"

Chen Momo walked in carrying a stack of documents. Seeing Liu Ming's worried look, she couldn't help but cover her mouth and chuckle.

Now, Chen Momo has shed her initial naivety and inferiority complex. She dresses professionally and handles logistical matters efficiently, becoming Liu Ming's capable right-hand woman.

"What are you laughing at? You have no manners!"

Liu Ming glared at her, threw her pen on the table, and said, "Hurry up, you girls are so thoughtful, help me come up with something. What gift should I give to a woman who's so poor she only has money left? It should be something that's not tacky, but also... well, expresses my feelings?"

"To express my feelings?"

Chen blinked her big eyes and leaned closer with a gossipy look on her face. "Director, have you really fallen for President Nangong? What about Deputy County Head Xi?"

"Get out of here! Why bring up something you shouldn't!" Liu Ming pretended to hit him. "This is revolutionary friendship! Don't you understand? They've helped our High-tech Zone so much, investing and taking the fall for us. I can't go to their birthday celebration empty-handed, can I?"

"Okay, okay, I won't tease you anymore."

Chen silently put away her smile and thought about it seriously.

"Actually, for a strong woman like President Nangong who lacks nothing, material things hold no appeal for her. What she values ​​is that 'unique' sentiment."

"One of a kind?" Liu Ming stroked his chin.

"Yes! For example... a memory that belongs only to you two? Or, a promise that can take her career to the next level?" Chen Momo suggested. "I heard that President Nangong loved music when he was studying abroad. Don't you play the piano?"

A word to awaken the dreamer.

Liu Ming's eyes suddenly lit up.

remember?

music?

A rainy night in London a few years ago flashed into his mind. Back then, they were all very poor, crammed into a small basement, and their only form of entertainment was the badly out-of-tune piano left by the landlord.

Back then, Nangong Yao always loved listening to him play that particular piece.

That makes sense.

Liu Ming snapped her fingers, a confident smile curving her lips.

"However, passion alone is not enough. She is a businesswoman, and an ambitious one at that."

He opened the drawer and took out the top-secret document that he had been preparing for a long time but had never taken out.

That was a grand blueprint for the **"Ningzhou Digital Economy Port".

This is a super plan he tailored to combine the most cutting-edge economic theories from Imperial College London with the existing industrial base of Ningzhou High-tech Zone.

Once this plan is implemented, Nangong Group will not only be a traditional commercial real estate giant, but will also transform into a leader in the digital economy of the entire Jiangnan Province!

The profits and strategic value involved are immeasurable.

"I originally wanted to wait until the time was more right before releasing it."

Liu Ming gently patted the document, her eyes gleaming with wisdom.

"Since we've made it this far, let's consider it a birthday present. A sentiment, a vision for the future. That should be enough, right?"

Chen Momo looked at Liu Ming's composed demeanor. Although she didn't know what was written in the document, she knew that someone would be shocked again at tonight's birthday party.

"Director, you're not bringing a gift, you're going to 'crash the party'!"

……

7:30 p.m.

Ningzhou, Heavenly Palace on Cloud Top.

This revolving restaurant, located at the highest point in the city, was completely booked out tonight.

Although it was called a "private gathering," given Nangong Yao's status, even if she just wanted to have a simple meal, people would flock to her door.

As soon as the elevator doors opened, an atmosphere of luxury wafted out.

Beneath the enormous crystal chandelier, elegantly dressed women mingled, and glasses clinked in celebration.

The prominent second-generation rich kids, the newly rich businessmen, and the socialites who were usually high and mighty all gathered here like sharks that had smelled blood.

Holding glasses of red wine, with reserved yet warm smiles on their faces, they gathered in small groups, their eyes intentionally or unintentionally drifting toward the center of the banquet hall.

There, the star of the night—Nangong Yao—was surrounded by a group of people, like a star being fawned over.

She looks breathtakingly beautiful today.

A wine-red strapless dress perfectly accentuated her figure. Her black hair cascaded down her back, her red lips were fiery red, and the priceless ruby ​​necklace around her neck paled in comparison to her snow-white skin.

She is the queen.

It is undoubtedly the focus of tonight.

"Happy birthday, Miss Nangong! This is an 18th-century antique brooch that I specially bought from a French auction house. I hope you like it."

"Yaoyao, may you have many more happy returns of the day! Here are the keys to this limited edition sports car; it's parked downstairs."

One by one, beautifully packaged gift boxes were presented, each one quite valuable.

Nangong Yao wore a polite but distant smile, nodded her thanks lightly, and had her assistant accept the money, without even glancing at it.

Her gaze kept wandering through the crowd, as if searching for something.

"What? Still waiting for that guy surnamed Liu?"

A slightly sour voice sounded from the side.

The speaker was a young man in a white suit, quite handsome, though his eyes held a somewhat frivolous glint. He was a playboy from the provincial capital, Zhao Ruilong's cousin, Zhao Tianba. He had always been interested in Nangong Yao and had come specifically to curry favor with her.

"Young Master Zhao, I don't think I need to report my affairs to you, do I?" Nangong Yao glanced at him, her tone indifferent.

"Heh, I just feel sorry for you." Zhao Tianba swirled his wine glass, a look of disdain on his face. "Today is your big day. All the important people in Ningzhou are here, but that Liu Ming hasn't even shown up yet. Does he think he's something special?"

"That's right, President Nangong." Several socialites who wanted to curry favor with Zhao Tianba chimed in, "Those cadres from small towns are probably too intimidated by this kind of scene to come, right? Or maybe they don't have money to buy gifts and are too embarrassed to show up?"

Nangong Yao's face darkened.

Just as she was about to lash out, the banquet hall doors were suddenly pushed open.

"Sorry I'm late."

A clear voice pierced through the noisy crowd and reached everyone's ears.

Everyone instinctively turned around.

Liu Ming, dressed in a simple black casual suit, walked in calmly, carrying neither a huge gift box nor flowers, but only a thin brown paper document bag.

His arrival instantly quieted the once bustling banquet hall.

Liu Ming is no longer an unknown figure in Ningzhou.

"The top leader of the high-tech zone," "The ruthless man who brought down the vice mayor," "The mastermind behind the financial war"...

These labels were attached to him, so that even when he was wearing the most ordinary clothes, no one dared to look down on him in the slightest.

"You're here?"

The moment Nangong Yao saw Liu Ming, the coldness on her face melted away, and a genuine, radiant smile bloomed on her face. She completely ignored Zhao Tianba beside her, lifted her skirt, and quickly went to greet her.

"I thought you were afraid of spending money and were hiding at home, too scared to come out," she said, half reproachfully and half coquettishly.

"How could that be?"

Liu Ming smiled and waved the file folder in her hand.

"I racked my brains preparing this gift for you. How about it, not late, right?"

"Not late, just in time."

Nangong Yao naturally took his arm, and the intimate gesture made Zhao Tianba behind her grit his teeth in envy.

"Oh, Director Liu has finally arrived?"

Zhao Tianba walked over in a sarcastic tone, his gaze sweeping contemptuously over the file folder in Liu Ming's hand.

"Everyone else is giving antiques, jewelry, and sports cars. What treasures is in Director Liu's tattered paper bag? Could it be... a pancake from a street vendor?"

A low murmur of laughter rose from the surroundings.

Although they dared not openly offend Liu Ming, these rich kids still looked down on this kind of "poor and stingy" behavior.

Liu Ming didn't even glance at Zhao Tianba.

He simply turned his head and looked at Nangong Yao, his eyes gentle and profound.

"We don't have jianbing guozi (Chinese crepes)."

"However, I have prepared two things."

"Same as above, it's for President Nangong."

He pointed to the file folder.

"Another thing..."

Liu Ming suddenly turned around and walked towards the white Steinway grand piano in the corner of the banquet hall.

He sat down at the piano, his long, slender fingers gently tracing the black and white keys.

"...It's for that crybaby who was whining in the rainy London night."

"Thump—"

As the first note fell.

The banquet has officially begun.