Please, mature women, have some self-respect. I just want a raise and a promotion.

After settling things off with Wang Jianguo, Lin Zheng prepared all the necessary materials and immediately took a taxi to the district office.

The Transportation Bureau is located on the third floor of the district government building.

Lin Zheng walked into the lobby, asked the receptionist, and took the elevator to the third floor.

The corridor was quiet, with only a few staff members occasionally passing by, their footsteps echoing in the empty space.

Lin Zheng found the director's office and knocked on the door.

"Come in."

A deep voice came from inside.

Lin Zheng pushed open the door and entered. A man in his fifties was sitting behind a desk, looking down at documents.

He was wearing a dark suit, his hair was neatly combed, and he wore reading glasses.

"Hello, I am Lin Zheng, the development manager of a subsidiary of Tenghua Group. I need to speak with you, Director Xiao."

Xiao Yugang looked up, glanced at him, and took off his reading glasses.

"What is it?"

Lin Zheng walked up to him, took out a stack of materials from his bag, and placed them on the table.

"Director Xiao, this is the road planning proposal for the Nanshan project, which needs to be approved by the Transportation Bureau."

Xiao Yugang picked up the materials, flipped through them, and frowned slightly.

"This road will have to block the provincial highway?"

Lin Zheng nodded and said, "Yes."

"The project is located next to a provincial highway, so an entrance/exit is necessary."

Xiao Yugang put down the materials.

"The matter of speaking out is not something that the Transportation Bureau can decide alone."

"The road administration bureau's approval is also required."

"I know, that's why I'd like to ask Director Xiao for help in coordinating this."

Xiao Yugang leaned back in his chair and looked at Lin Zheng.

"Manager Lin, I've heard about your project."

"It's been stalled for years, and restarting it now must be quite difficult, right?"

"There are quite a few, but everyone is trying to find a solution."

"The road is one of the biggest difficulties."

Xiao Yugang smiled and said, "It will take a lot of money to build this road."

"Manager Lin, please prepare these things, and we'll discuss them later."

"It would be embarrassing if the project fell apart halfway through."

Lin Zheng said, "The project funding has been secured, amounting to 14 million."

"Fourteen million?"

Xiao Yugang shook his head and said, "This amount of money is enough to repair this road, but it will be difficult to ensure the smooth progress of the entire project."

"Director Xiao, we'll find another way to deal with the money."

"The most crucial thing now is the approval process. Once it's approved, we can gradually raise the funds."

"Slowly collect it?"

Xiao Yu glanced at Lin Zheng, took out a cigarette and lit it.

"Manager Lin, you're just making empty promises to me."

"The approval has been granted, but you don't have the money to build the road. How am I supposed to explain this to my superiors?"

"Don't worry, Director Xiao, I won't make things difficult for you."

"The project is a key project for the district, and the district leaders attach great importance to it."

"Once the approval is granted, I can ask the district for the money."

Xiao Yugang exhaled a puff of cigarette smoke, thought for a moment, and said, "Manager Lin, your project is indeed a project that benefits the people."

"But the Transportation Bureau is not a charity; it cannot approve the application just because of your word."

"You need to show some sincerity."

Upon hearing this, Lin Zheng immediately understood the meaning behind it.

"Director Xiao, what kind of sincerity do you want?"

Xiao Yugang looked at him, a slight smile playing on his lips.

"Manager Lin, you're a smart man, so I won't beat around the bush with you."

"I want my nephew to do the road repair work."

"Director Xiao, road construction projects must go through a bidding process; we can't just give the project to someone directly."

"I know."

"So what I said was, let him have priority in participating in the bidding."

"If the conditions are roughly the same, choose him."

Lin Zheng thought for a moment and nodded, "I can agree to that."

"But one condition must be met: the quality of the project must be guaranteed."

He had this plan before he came.

Now that Xiao Yugang has brought it up himself, let's just go with the flow.

"Director Xiao, what about the approval process?"

"I'll help you follow up, but I can't guarantee it will be approved."

"You'll have to handle the road administration bureau yourself."

Lin Zheng nodded: "Thank you, Director Xiao."

"Don't thank me. You can thank me after you've fixed the road."

The two chatted for a while longer before Lin Zheng got up to say goodbye.

After leaving the Transportation Bureau, Lin Zheng lit a cigarette.

Next, I need to go to the road administration bureau.

The Road Administration Bureau is in another building, not far from the Transportation Bureau.

A dozen minutes later, Lin Zheng walked into the building.

The Road Administration Bureau is on the fourth floor, and its offices are much smaller than those of the Transportation Bureau.

Lin Zheng found the director's office and knocked on the door.

No one answered.

He knocked again, but still no one answered.

"Who are you looking for?" a female employee passing by asked.

"Find Director Zhang of the Road Administration Bureau."

"Director Zhang is not here today; he went to a meeting in the city."

"When are you coming back?"

"Tomorrow."

Lin Zheng frowned: "Could you help me make an appointment?"

Which organization do you work for?

"Lin Zheng, Development Department Manager, Tenghua Group."

The female employee wrote down his name and phone number and nodded.

"Director Zhang is back. I'll make an appointment for you."

"Okay, thank you."

Lin Zheng walked out of the building, stood at the door, and lit another cigarette.

Xiao Yugang's side has made a start.

But he's right, you still have to deal with the road administration bureau yourself.

Moreover, even if the Transportation Bureau and the Road Administration Bureau approve it, there are still the Power Supply Bureau, the Water Resources Bureau, the Planning Bureau...

These old-fashioned departments still need to be visited one by one.

If he doesn't offer any benefits, who knows how long he'll keep running away.

Lin Zheng sighed, stubbed out his cigarette, hailed a taxi, and left.

It was already four o'clock in the afternoon when we got back to Dianhai Town.

Lin Zheng did not return to his residence, but went directly to the village committee.

Deng Hong was looking at documents in her office when she saw him come in and looked up.

"How did it go? What did the Transportation Bureau say?"

"Xiao Yugang agreed, but also set conditions."

"What are the conditions?"

"He gave his nephew priority in the bidding process for the road construction project."

Deng Hong frowned and said, "Isn't this just a disguised form of transferring benefits?"

"I know, but this is the best way now."

"If we don't agree to his request, the approval won't come through."

"As long as his nephew's project meets the quality standards, everything is negotiable."

"What about the road administration bureau?"

"The director isn't here; I'll go tomorrow."

Deng Hong nodded and poured him a glass of water.

"Lin Zheng, you've worked hard."

"What's so hard about it? It's what I should do."

Lin Zheng picked up his water glass, took a sip, and leaned back in his chair.

"Sister Deng, how's the negotiation about the demolition compensation going?"

"Those families agreed to pay half upfront, and the rest in installments."

Lin Zheng thought for a moment and asked, "Is there enough money?"

"enough."

Deng Hong nodded and said, "Li Ting's 14 million has arrived. Taking out 3.2 million is no problem."

"Then give them to them."

"it is good."

"Also, have you asked around at the power supply station?"

"I asked, and they said it requires approval, which will take at least a month."

"A month?"

Lin Zheng frowned and asked, "Can you hurry up?"

"They said there was nothing they could do; it's the rule."

Lin Zheng was silent for a moment before saying, "Then I'll go and make the trip myself."

"Can you manage to run all that way by yourself?"

"With so many departments, you have to go to every single one of them. It's exhausting."

"Even if it's tiring, I have to keep running."

"The project can't wait any longer. If it drags on any longer, Wang Jianguo will raise the stakes again."

Deng Hong sighed and said, "Then be careful, don't overwork yourself."

"Don't worry, I'm perfectly healthy."

Lin Zheng smiled, turned and left.

After leaving the village committee, Lin Zheng checked the time and it was already six o'clock.

By this time, most government departments had already closed for the day.

In order to expedite the project, Lin Zheng gritted his teeth and dialed a string of numbers.