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Chapter 746: Chapter 647 Ayman’s Project (Please subscribe!)_1
Looking at Ayman beside him.
If the ’Earth-Changing’ project made a significant breakthrough in the future.
Using Saudi Arabia as a model should be good. Firstly, Saudi Arabia is wealthy and has an urgent need for environmental improvement. We could charge a high price in the initial phase, so that we’re not undercut in future negotiations.
If we start with Huaxia, given its vast territory and varied resources, the demand is less urgent and we would not get a high price. For the first deal, the price must be guaranteed - it’s easier to lower the price than raise it.
Secondly,
Neither Africa nor the Middle East are suitable for experimentation.
The former is poor and the latter is in chaos, but it doesn’t matter. As long as Saudi offers a high price, future collaborations could potentially involve only mineral resources. Like mine-clearing services, no one would refuse using the underground mineral deposits to offset their ’debt’.
We might even make some ’unreasonable requests’.
Just like the current RMB 100 billion loan by Huaxia to Myanmar’s Special Economic Zone. With the backing of Myanmar’s loan, things would go smoothly. However, operations in other countries will be different, with different objectives.
Thinking about this,
Tang Qing gave a sly smile.
Seeing Tang Qing’s smile, Ayman immediately knew that Tang Qing was lost in thought and gave a bitter smile. How interesting it was that Tang Qing would daydream while talking to a Saudi prince like himself.
But if Ayman knew that Tang Qing was planning to target Saudi Arabia’s wallet, he would probably not find it amusing.
"Tang Qing, what are you thinking about?" Ayman waved his hand in front of Tang Qing’s eyes.
Tang Qing snapped back to reality.
Looking at Ayman, he saw a moneybag.
Cough. Cough.
One should not view friends this way.
My bad. My bad.
"Not much, I was just thinking of where to take you in Shanghai. The city is huge; what do you want to see?" Tang Qing asked.
However,
Ayman’s response surprised Tang Qing.
"I want to try Chinese snacks." Ayman’s eyes glowed.
"Snacks?" Tang Qing was curious, he didn’t notice that Ayman was a foodie.
"Yes, high-rise buildings can be found all over the world. What China is most known for is its food and culture. I want to first taste the authentic Chinese cuisine, then explore its culture. Can you take me there?" Ayman looked at Tang Qing expectantly.
Tang Qing also realised this.
Ayman had seen everything.
He wouldn’t be interested in shopping or tower climbing. After enduring a long flight, he wouldn’t be ready to immerse himself in the Chinese culture - having a good meal could alleviate the discomfort from the long flight.
"Sure, authentic Chinese cuisine, no problem." Tang Qing agreed readily. Even though the snacks outside were just average, Ayman was merely getting a novelty experience, whether it tasted good or not was not the main point.
"Thank You." Ayman said excitedly.
Then,
Under the guidance of host Tang Qing, until the afternoon, they had tasted the food from several famous food streets in Shanghai city. Tang Qing barely ate anything, it was Ayman who had the appetite, thoroughly enjoying the food and singing praises.
All the owners were paid in dollars.
For the delicious ones, they got additional notes. He did not regard money as an object. Although the bodyguards held thick stacks of dollars in their hands, there was no thief bold enough to attempt robbery, thus causing a huge commotion.
Why didn’t Tang Qing pay?
Because Ayman was too generous.
Every time, the tip he gave was higher than the price of the meal, at least a hundred-dollar bill. Tang Qing did pay for the first few times. But gradually, even though it was just a hundred or so RMB, it shouldn’t be wasted. Better to keep it.
Even if you have money, you should not...okay, he seemed to have thrown money lavishly as well, donating nearly 300 billion RMB to the Little Angels Charity Foundation. It appeared a bit shameful when he said the word ’waste’.
At 5pm.
Tang Qing and Ayman waited at the front gate of Fudan University, followed by a row of black-and-white-clad bodyguards.
The students and teachers looked at Ayman dressed in a white robe as if he was a monkey, and pointed fingers at him. However, Ayman, used to being watched by people, watched the students pass by with interest, waving occasionally.
His handsome smile won over a few bold girls, who walked over to greet him. A mere conversation with him would be enough gossip for some time. As for Tang Qing, he was the focus.
He maintained a stern face and politely dismissed the undercurrent of rumors.
Tang Qing checked his watch.
At this time,
The bell for the end of the first class in the school had already rung. This was also Lin Jiaxue’s last class of the day.
Lin Jiaxue should be coming out soon.
In the campus,
"Hurry up.... Jiaxue, I want to see the Saudi prince, run!" Zeng Rou pulled Lin Jiaxue and sprinted towards the gate as soon as class ended. Not only that, the other two girls from the dormitory were also walking fast.
Today, Lin Jiaxue had lunch with them in the cafeteria.
Seeing that Tang Qing was not around,
They were shocked to learn that he was accompanying a Saudi prince. They were even more stunned to learn that Tang Qing knew such a person. Only after repeated questioning did they find out that they met whilst vacationing in Hawaii.
As for other details, like how she met Lin Jiaxue, she didn’t say, only mentioned that they hit it off well.
Zeng Rou and the others didn’t care how they met. Their focus was on meeting the Arab tycoon, Zeng Rou even brought her camera, wanting to take a picture with Ayman.
Under the urging of Zeng Rou.
Lin Jiaxue could only follow with a forced smile.
Wondering how to explain to Tang Qing later and hoping that Zeng Rou wouldn’t be impolite.
Seeing Lin Jiaxue and Zeng Rou together.
And with the camera in Zeng Rou’s hand, Tang Qing forced a smile, Ayman was thoroughly made a ’monkey’.
"Tang Qing, your fiancée is here." Ayman laughed and patted Tang Qing on the shoulder.
"Yeah, I see that." Tang Qing said.
Soon after.
Lin Jiaxue and her group came running over.
"Prince Ayman, hello." Lin Jiaxue politely greeted.
"Beautiful Ms. Lin, long time no see." Ayman nodded slightly in respect.
"These are my friends. They want to.. take a photo with you, is that alright?" Lin Jiaxue softly bit her lip, feeling shy. She didn’t introduce the names of Zeng Rou’s group, as it’s evident, Ayman wouldn’t remember.
"Certainly, your friends are my friends." Ayman gladly agreed, taking a photograph was not against their customs.
"Great, Ning Jing, start with me." Zeng Rou jumped up happily, handed the camera to Ning Jing, briskly ran to Ayman’s side, smiling without any physical contact.
Click.
Picture perfect.
After a few clicks per person, they all returned to the dormitory.
They knew when to gatecrash a meal and when not to, especially this type of ’high-end’ meal. Therefore, turning down Ayman’s dinner invitation, they planned to go back to the cafeteria and settle it off.
Later that night.
They went to the Hilton Hotel.
The plan was to have dinner there and then Ayman would stay there. Tang Qing didn’t invite Ayman to his villa. Truthfully, he wasn’t comfortable to the point of having a bunch of grown men over, even if they became close friends later on.
Even if they became close.
He still wouldn’t invite Ayman’s group over.
During dinner.
Ayman suddenly said:
"Tang Qing, are you interested in the oil business?"
Tang Qing was so startled by Ayman’s words that he almost spat out the egg drop soup in his mouth.
What’s happening?
Ayman inviting him to do oil business?
Saudi oil is lacking funds for development?
That’s not possible.
Curious, Tang Qing asked: "Ayman, what do you mean?"
Ayman began to explain: "Of course, Saudi Arabia’s oil is not short of developers, everyone is scrambling, and with Saudi’s national allocation, I have no quota. But outside Saudi, I’m in contact with an oil project."
"Oh? Are you short on funds?" Tang Qing didn’t care about the project. He wanted to know Ayman’s intention. If it’s a profitable venture, Ayman, who isn’t a fool, wouldn’t split his earnings with him. Even if Ayman agreed, his father wouldn’t.
Upon hearing this.
Ayman seemed embarrassed and even blushed a bit, slowly explaining.
"This..."
After Ayman’s recollection.
Tang Qing reluctantly smiled.
Pretty entertaining, turns out Ayman met a girl in college, the two hit off immediately, both not very expressive, they maintained an ambiguous relationship till now.
Last month when he went to Hawaii, he met up with the girl. After a walk, they bumped into Tang Qing and others.
The current situation is.
This girl is from a large family in Algeria. The clan leader isn’t too interested in Ayman as a son-in-law and Ayman’s father also disapproves. Just at this time, the girl’s elder brother approaches with a business opportunity of a potential oilfield partnership.
Her elder brother wanting to vie for the clan leader’s position, with nine siblings, he naturally wanted to make a chance for himself. One of the conditions to be a clan’s heir is to maintain the glory of the family.
In simple terms, it’s having the ability to steer the family further into prosperity.
One of the important conditions is to make money, establish relationships, and expand the family’s circle. As the elder brother already had quite an advantage, her second brother had to make alliances. Because their relationship has always been relatively secretive, only the second brother and parents knew.
Therefore, the first to approach was her second brother.
As Ayman’s father wasn’t interested, Ayman has to pay for it all, but he can only provide about two hundred million US dollars, still a little short of the five hundred million thresholds.
This puts him in an awkward position.
So, he thought of Tang Qing because this project is bound to yield profits. Her second brother can handle all the approval procedures, and Ayman can handle the mining, refining, and sales channels. He didn’t want to lose face, so he had to make sure he had enough money to fund the project.
Tang Qing was actually the first friend he asked.
Because he thought highly of Tang Qing.
He wanted to give him a chance, as this project was calculated by a professional team to be absolutely profitable. A five-year payback period wasn’t an exaggeration, the remaining twenty years would be pure profit.
After all, this isn’t like setting up a stall where you buy a piece of jewelry for a dollar and sell it for two, doubling your profit in a day. A five-year payback period for such an investment return rate is quite good, especially for the massive oil investment.
