In January 2027, Liangguo Sazhou
Xiaowu City, where Liangguo Liangfu Petroleum Company, the world's largest energy company, is headquartered, is only 30 miles from the center of Rocket City.
It only takes more than half an hour to drive south along the Northern Highway. If you go to Nanda City, you can also drive all the way north, but it is much farther than Rocket City.
Calvin Condon, the big boss of Liangfu Oil Company, doesn't have to take a two-hour car ride to Nanda City. He has a private helicopter.
Calvin's assistant Bill shouted loudly, suppressing the rumbling noise of the helicopter and reporting to his boss:
"Abboud from the Jade Khanate Oil Company wants to make an appointment with you. Do you want to see him?"
Calvin took out a cigar and looked at the small cabin. He didn't light it and rubbed it in his hands angrily.
He asked casually: "Abboud? Is he still in Rocket City? Our cooperation has been stagnant for almost ten years. No matter how much work is done to deal with the aftermath, it should have been completed long ago, right?"
"He has been living in Rocket City. It seems that he has become accustomed to our bright country's way of life." Bill continued:
"He asked to meet with you, and there should be a meeting gift. I judge that there is a turning point in compensating our losses on the Jade Khanate project."
“After Executive Pierce withdrew from the Jade Khanate’s nuclear-limitation agreement, the oil and gas field project with a total output value of US$51 billion that we cooperated with the Jade Khanate was in vain, and the Jade Khanate government refused to compensate us for our US$1 billion initial investment.” Calvin said angrily, lit the lighter with a "pop" sound, and the cigar in his hand sizzled close to the blue flame.
"I think Abboud came to talk to you about the 1 billion US dollars in compensation. Anyway, the money belongs to the Jade Khanate government. If he continues to carry out such a large aftermath project, he will have more reasons to stay comfortably in Liang Kingdom. "Bill guessed.
The fundraising party that Calvin came to attend was held at the Fisher Restaurant, which can accommodate 200 guests. Through the floor-to-ceiling windows of the 24-story restaurant, you can clearly see the colorful night view of Nanda City.
John Spieth was a clear-minded and eloquent barrister. He later turned to politics, served as state attorney general, and was successfully elected as a member of the Popular Party's House of Representatives.
He is a famous mouthpiece of the Popular Party. He once said that his first job when he gets up every day is to find fault with the executive of the Equal Rights Party, Sinshele.
In 2012, John was successfully elected as the governor of Saskatchewan and served three consecutive terms until January 2027 when he just stepped down.
Tonight's fundraising banquet was attended by big figures from the Saskatchewan Popular Party, including nearly ten members of both houses of parliament.
Among the supporters of the Popular Party who attended the meeting, there were of course major donors like Calvin Condon who had long supported the Popular Party.
At the party, John will announce something that the attendees have already known or guessed, but is still big news——
John Spieth will participate in the party's primary election. If he wins, he will represent the Popular Party in the 2028 presidential election.
After the passionate and humorous speech, John stepped down from the podium and toasted to the important guests at the front tables.
John returned to his seat and said to Calvin sitting next to him:
"Calvin, my old friend, thank you and your Liangfu Oil Company for supporting me over the years. How about it? Old man, are you willing to continue to support me to the Colorful House?"
Calvin stretched out his big hand and held it tightly with John, and said sincerely:
"You should have run for office four years ago. Our Saskatchewan People's Party has a tradition of appointing governors. What's more, your ability and influence have already spread beyond Saskatchewan to the entire country. We will definitely support your candidacy for governor. Do your best to support.”
"I knew it, old man, you were always so supportive, thank you so much!"
John stood up cheerfully, raised his voice so that the whole table could hear, and said in his customary aggressive language:
“Calvin told me that I should have come out to elect a governor four years ago, but our Equal Rights Party friends haven’t had enough fun yet! Since the last term of the Popular Party governor in our Saskatchewan state expired, the Equal Rights Party has The candidates for consulship introduced have set new records for Liang Guo’s consulship time and time again.”
"Sinshelet became the first African-American Consul of the Republic of China. The current Consul Smith was the oldest Consul of the Republic of China at the time. Lucy Wylie almost became the first female Consul of the Republic of China. This time, regardless of our What are the results of the Popular Party primaries? The Equal Rights Party is here again, and they want to turn Deputy Consul Alice Quinlan into the first democratically elected female consul in the country."
"Did our friends from the Equal Rights Party not do well? They did very well. No one dares to say that they did not do well. Liangguo is a country of freedom, democracy and equality!"
"Have the Equal Rights Party had enough? Are they free and equal enough?" John stopped smiling, walked a few steps, returned to the podium, picked up the microphone, pointed at the slogans scattered throughout the venue, and addressed the people present said:
"My campaign slogan is: Return to Liang!"
Although the bosses of high-tech companies in Xigu are rising quickly on the rich list, their wealth not only brings them the freedom to take occasional vacations and the right to wear casual clothes in the office, but also their absolute authority in the company. and rank did not increase with wealth.
For oil company boss Calvin Condon, whose family has been rich for more than a century, it's a completely different story.
His exclusive office area is at the highest point of the building, occupying two floors. An exclusive elevator leads directly to the rooftop garden, and above the steps is a colorful helicopter landing pad.
The living room commonly used by Calvin Condon is small, with the walls covered by old oak bookshelves and wooden boards. The wooden carved chandelier above the head has been in use for at least several decades.
Calvin Condon used to sit on his single sofa. Although the leather armrest on the right hand side of the sofa had just been maintained, upon closer inspection, the dark green fine calfskin still showed signs of wear and tear.
Bill led Aboud into the living room, Calvin stood up, and Aboud stepped forward to greet him, hesitating for a moment, as if he didn't know whether to shake hands or hug.
Calvin had extraordinary insight and stretched out his arms to hug Abboud, resolving the embarrassment.
"Dear Mr. Aboud, I heard from Bill that you have fallen in love with Rocket City. Do you have any good news for me?" Calvin asked.
"I'm so glad to see you. I have good news to share with you. I received a notice from the company that the US$1 billion compensation case submitted by our company to the Chinese government on your behalf may be re-examined." Abboud replied.
Calvin glanced at Bill next to him. Bill understood and asked for the boss:
“Didn’t your government reject our request and refuse any compensation in 2019?”
"It is very regrettable that this happened. After so many years, the government has restarted the review. I guess it is due to pressure from all parties and also to release the goodwill of our government through this case."
Calvin Condon put the unlit cigar in his hand under his nose and gently turned it, as if talking to himself:
"Yes, after so many years, I finally remembered that releasing goodwill does not imply any conditions, right? Especially the conditions involving politics. The 2028 consul election has already begun. In Liangguo, deliberately influencing the election is a serious crime. "
Abboud smiled heartily and said: "We Yuhan people are not as good at doing business as our friends from Liangguo. Although the compensation case is adjudicated by the government, the subject of compensation is still the Yuhan National Oil Company. Since it is a company, we We stay away from politics in our daily operations, and of course we sincerely hope that you and your company can stay away from politics as well."
After seeing Abboud off, Bill asked: "What does Abboud mean? Does he really have any conditions?"
Calvin lit the cigar leisurely, took a puff, and blew out the smoke rings while saying:
"The Yuhan people's condition is that we don't donate to the Popular Party."
