Chapter 417: Chapter 159: Assembling and Buying a Vehicle, Qingping Merchant Team! (With Pictures) _2

"It’s not a maybe, it’s a definite!"

Cheng Ye said firmly, giving Matthew Lee a pat on the shoulder, "Years from now, you’ll definitely be glad you made the investment decision today."

"Really?" Matthew Lee raised an eyebrow, not fully engaging the conversation, but carefully folded his application form, placing it in his backpack, stylishly brushing his wind-tousled hair with a light-hearted tease in his tone, "Seems like I don’t need to worry about this quota anymore, Inspector Lee has found a new way to contribute to Happiness City!"

"Then Inspector Song and Inspector Ji will secretly be delighted, having one less strong competitor as you," Cheng Ye joked with a smile.

"Hey, I like what you’re saying! They’re getting it cheap!" Matthew Lee laughed heartily.

As they left the notary office, the sunlight was just right, warming them pleasantly.

Matthew Lee took out his Defense Communication device, made a call to confirm the other party was at the office, then the two walked side by side towards the Public Works Bureau.

The vehicle frame needs to be pre-ordered, it would take two or three days to be delivered from the Industrial Zone, so it needed to be ordered in advance.

...

The Public Works Bureau is located on the west side of the central urban area in the Buffer Zone.

It’s a standalone courtyard, with the walls painted in a silver-gray color, and a guard post set up at the entrance. The militia on guard wears uniforms marked with "Public Works Bureau," on par with the station guards.

As a department directly governed by the "Technology Faction" in Happiness City, the Public Works Bureau ranks among the top three.

Especially given the current background of satellite city construction, the Public Works Bureau’s power has been expanding, ranking second, just below the Inspection Station.

However, just like the Inspection Station’s power lies in the hands of the Inspectors, the power of the Public Works Bureau is concentrated in the hands of a few technical experts and the "lords" appointed from the research institute above.

The ordinary staff are more like observers in the Inspection Station, without any external coordination authority.

As they approached the courtyard entrance, they saw a middle-aged man in a blue work uniform striding out quickly. 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

Hey, why does he look a bit familiar?

Cheng Ye paused his steps, suddenly stunned.

Old Sun!

Huh?

As their eyes met, Old Sun was also taken aback, leaving only Matthew Lee looking thrilled.

As they approached, still somewhat bewildered, before Matthew Lee could speak, Old Sun gaped, "Mr. Cheng?"

"Old Sun, you work at the Public Works Bureau?"

"Yeah, you guys know each other?" Matthew Lee was stunned, seeing Cheng Ye greeting Old Sun.

"Yes, we do! Inspector Lee, Mr. Cheng and I are neighbors in the same building, he’s on the fifth floor, I’m on the first floor, he’s..." Old Sun stopped mid-sentence, suddenly realizing he never asked what Cheng Ye did, and Huang Sheng and the others never clarified it externally either.

Could it be...

"Let me reintroduce myself, Cheng Ye, Intern Inspector at the Inspection Station."

"What?"

Cheng Ye extended his hand, Old Sun, a bit dazed, raised his, and they shook hands.

Leaving Matthew Lee, finally reacting, standing with an auntly smile next to them, seemingly imagining stories between the two.

"Alright, alright, stop dazing." Matthew Lee clapped his hands, breaking the awkwardness, "Since we’re all acquaintances, things will be easier! Old Sun, let’s go inside and talk; we’ll need your extra attention on this matter."

"Okay, Inspector Lee, Inspector Cheng, please come in!"

Old Sun, snapping back to reality, quickly stepped aside, gesturing "please," leading the two into the courtyard.

The Public Works Bureau looks ordinary from the outside, but stepping in, it’s a whole different world.

The courtyard is very calm, with rare Buffer Zone green plants along the road, adorned with snowflakes.

Looking around, there are four three-story buildings, arranged rhythmically.

Walking, Old Sun pointed at the buildings, introducing, "Building One houses the offices of the ’lords’ from the research institute, Building Two is for the technical experts’ offices, Building Three is where we handle inter-departmental business dealings, like coordinating procurement needs with the Inspection Station, facilitating parts to the Material Station, all goes through here, and Building Four accommodates scattered business processing."

The core body of the Public Works Bureau is still over there in the Industrial Zone.

Given the annual seasonal migration in the Industrial Zone, it’s normal for this place to be quiet before everyone returns.

The three reached Building Four, where Old Sun led them into a private reception room.

The reception room was simply and elegantly arranged with a wooden tea table paired with a few sofas, and photos of past achievements of the Public Works Bureau hung on the walls.

Old Sun turned and left, returning shortly with three steaming cups of tea.

It wasn’t the previous Cloud Mist Tea, but regular green tea, which was enough to show respect and importance to the two.

Cheng Ye took the teacup, sipped it lightly, suddenly curious about how Old Sun and Matthew Lee knew each other.

But then, recalling meeting Old Sun for the first time, when Old Sun was delighted about getting a salary without going to work, could it be sympathy among idlers?

Matthew Lee seemed to sense the doubt in Cheng Ye’s eyes and proactively explained, "Old Sun’s son works as a clerk at the station, in the logistics at Central Station, the tall, thin one with black-framed glasses, do you remember him?"

"Oh, it’s him?" Cheng Ye suddenly realized.

The station staff aren’t rootless duckweed, having connections within the Buffer Zone is all too normal.

But Cheng Ye, engrossed in inspections previously, never considered it, nor delved into it.

Upon thinking, isn’t that how a network gets formed?

"Additionally, Old Sun and I have been friends for many years, I’ve made many purchases through him, and introduced many bulk purchase orders from the station to him, he’s fair in pricing."