It was already midnight.
The central park was gradually cleared out, with the last wave of citizens leaving. Only then did the Jiaolin County staff finally breathe a sigh of relief.
"Let's go, it's time to head home."
"Everyone, let's go home and rest; we have another cultural festival day tomorrow."
As the excitement from the evening faded, those who remained were visibly exhausted, dispersing quickly to go home.
Dong Xuebing, however, had not yet left. Instead, he was chatting with several stars near the side entrance of the park, like Zhou Xu Guo and Liu Han. They were all set to leave that night; likely, they had other performances scheduled elsewhere and could not wait for tomorrow’s flight. As the host, Dong Xuebing naturally accompanied them a bit. After all, these big-name stars had come a long way and performed without receiving a single cent from Jiaolin County—he couldn’t just leave them to fend for themselves.
Zhou Xu Guo checked his watch and smiled. "No need; it should be here soon."
Liu Han also called and then told Dong Xuebing, "My car is here; it's waiting at the main entrance. You just need to come around."
Zhou Xu Guo said, "Director Dong, you should head back. It's getting late."
"It's okay; I'm in no rush," Dong Xuebing replied. He couldn't leave just yet, though, as he was accompanied by several county officials and staff.
A moment later, their rides arrived.
After a few farewell words, Zhou Xu Guo, Liu Han, and the others left.
"Everyone, you can all go now. You've worked hard today," Dong Xuebing told the remaining people. "We still have one more day tomorrow. Let's give it our best effort."
"We'll head back then."
"Director Dong, you should get some rest too."
The officials and staff all took their leave and walked away.
Dong Xuebing was also quite tired at this moment, but he did not leave immediately. He waited until everyone had gone and returned to check the park, ensuring everything was in order. After confirming there were no issues, he made several calls to inquire about the situation with Zhang Dongfeng, the investors, and how many had finalized their investment intentions. He also checked the accommodations for the other stars and guests who couldn’t leave yet. It was another round of busy work. By the time he finished all this, it was already 12:40 AM.
As he sat in his car, Dong Xuebing felt his legs stiffening. As he pressed the accelerator to head home, his phone rang. Ring, ring, ring—this time it was Zhang Longjuan's number. Dong Xuebing slowed the car down and answered immediately.
"Sister Zhang." Dong Xuebing greeted.
On the other end, Zhang Longjuan's sexy laughter could be heard, "All finished?"
Dong Xuebing, feeling exhausted, replied, "Just finished, ready to head home and sleep."
Zhang Longjuan chuckled lightly and said, "Then come find me, Sister Zhang."
"Now? It's not convenient; most of the stars and investors are staying in the same hotel." Dong Xuebing replied, blinking his eyes.
Zhang Longjuan explained, "I'm not at that hotel; I booked my room."
Dong Xuebing thought momentarily and then agreed, "Alright, I'll come over now."
"Hurry up; I have something to tell you when you arrive. Once you arrive, I'll let you know," Zhang Longjuan said, quickly giving the hotel and room number before hanging up.
Dong Xuebing realized then that Zhang Longjuan had mentioned helping him with something before, so he had personally come over. Dong Xuebing didn’t know what it was, but since Zhang Longjuan had given the word, he had to go—she had helped him out considerably this time.
Turning the wheel, Dong Xuebing drove over.
A certain hotel, Ding floor.
After Dong Xuebing took the elevator up, he looked around and stood in front of a suite. Ding Dong pressed the doorbell, and the door quickly opened.
"You're here," Zhang Longjuan said with a smile.
Dong Xuebing nodded, glancing at her outfit.
Zhang Longjuan casually waved her hand, "Come in and let's talk."
Dong Xuebing stepped inside, and Zhang Longjuan closed the door.
Zhang Longjuan wore the same outfit from earlier in the day: high heels, white pants, and a red women's blazer, always looking incredibly sexy and striking. Every time, she would dress up in this manner, and today, in the park, many people were surrounding the stars wanting autographs. Later, Dong Xuebing heard that some people even mistook Zhang Longjuan for a star and approached her for an autograph. The staff of the investment bureau was in a rush, pushing through the crowd to escort Zhang Longjuan out. This incident made Dong Xuebing laugh for a long time afterward.
Zhang Longjuan sat gracefully on the sofa, then casually bent over to remove her high heels and toss them into the corner. "There's water on the table. Help yourself."
Dong Xuebing said, "You should go ahead and talk."
Zhang Longjuan laughed heartily, "Why the rush? Let your Sister Zhang take a shower first. I just returned; I'll tell you after I'm done." After saying that, she also removed her short stockings and went to the bathroom, walking past Dong Xuebing and tossing her long, curly hair playfully in his direction. She then closed the bathroom door. Not long after, running water could be heard from inside.
Dong Xuebing helplessly knew Zhang Longjuan's style well by now. Seeing a computer in the living room, he turned it on, browsing the internet.
Jiaolin County, a gathering of stars.
A powerful lineup for the investment evening.
Why do the stars show up for this?
Looking around, numerous reports about Jiaolin County's evening were already available online. A quick scan showed some positive and negative reviews, which was expected. What surprised Dong Xuebing, though, was that just over two hours after the evening ended, the complete footage was already online. Dong Xuebing clicked to watch, wanting to see his performance.
Dong Xuebing watched his magic performance once, nodding slightly. Although some shots were a bit slow, and reactions were slightly sluggish due to the live broadcast, there were always minor flaws in live events. The imperfections did not detract from the overall success of the evening.
Public opinion online reflected this.
Even late at night, many people posted comments praising the evening. Some even rated it as spectacular as a sizeable provincial TV evening. This pleased Dong Xuebing, showing that they hadn't wasted their effort. Moreover, from a particular perspective, this evening comprehensively promoted the positive image of Jiaolin County. This achievement would soon count toward Dong Xuebing's record, providing a solid foundation for Jiaolin County's potential elevation to a county-level city. It could also potentially reduce the review time from higher authorities for this county's city status.