Zhao Qiang said, "If you can guarantee the sales, I would be more than happy to do so, but the price must be reasonable. I don't want to be taken advantage of by you."
Yang Shiqi said, "No problem, I can let you have full control. I will be fully responsible for investment and security. However, all production plans must be under my control. Do you have any objections to that?"
Zhao Qiang said, "No objection, but the production line will also be responsible for the production of my other products, and I have complete autonomy in selling products that are not under your exclusive distribution agreement."
"Okay! Also, given your current status—since only you can purify materials and master the battery production methods—your safety and that of your family are extremely important. I've brought a company with me; they will protect your family under the guise of building a radar station outside Shantou Village. Shunfeng Technology's barracks have also been stationed there; their main task is to protect you. I don't want this to be misunderstood as surveillance, because you're too important to this project. We need to be cautious. Actually, this is also the wish of my grandfather and the government. What's your opinion? Don't worry, the protection here isn't the close-quarters kind; it won't restrict your freedom."
Zhao Qiang said, "No objection. I'm worried about my parents' safety. Also, I can give you a suggestion. See that completed chemical plant on the hill? You can make use of it."
Yang Shiqi looked into the distance and said happily, "Great! It will save a lot of time in building the house. I'll have someone go and process it right away."
Zhao Qiang said, "I suggest you build the battery production workshop nearby. Firstly, it's protected by the military, and secondly, the transportation here isn't very convenient, which is good for keeping information hidden. It's also not far from Donghai City, and it can contribute to my hometown."
Yang Shiqi didn't care where the production workshop was; he only wanted the product. He was willing to pay any price, because with his family's strength, he didn't care about money. And currently, apart from Zhao Qiang, it seemed that no one could provide him with this product!
"You decide. I just want to know how many batteries we can get in a month, and what their performance specifications are?"
Zhao Qiang said, "I'll give you an equipment data sheet. We'll see what level of production equipment you can get your hands on later."
Yang Shiqi said, "Okay, you'd better give me the equipment list as soon as possible. This matter can't be delayed. Also, we need to go back to Donghai City this afternoon."
"What is it?"
Yang Shiqi said, "Two more cans." "The supplies have arrived. Don't you need to provide some supplies for future production?"
Zhao Qiang was worried about running out of supplies, so he readily agreed: "Okay, let's go back this afternoon."
Zhao Qiang took Yang Shiqi back to his room and gave her a copy of a prepared equipment data sheet. Yang Shiqi handed it to Major Wang, who naturally took care of the rest. It was already noon, and the noisy crowd in the courtyard had mostly dispersed, leaving only those who would be having lunch at the Zhao family's house. Zhao Qiang naturally invited Yang Shiqi to have a country meal with him, and Yang Shiqi, accustomed to the high-end dining in big cities, readily agreed. Zhao Tiancheng got up before dawn to help his son with the preparations. In previous years, the Zhao family never dared to dream of slaughtering a pig for the New Year. Now that his grandson owned his own company and had money, the Zhao family could finally hold their heads high. Therefore, these New Year's activities were extremely important to Zhao Tiancheng. Not only should they be done, but they should be done better than others, so that others would envy the Zhao family and their ancestors would be happy in the afterlife.
Zhao Tiancheng was having a great time helping with tasks like skinning pigs, deboning, cleaning offal, and starting the fire. He would offer cigarettes to every villager who came to the Zhao family to watch the commotion, even the village chief Zhao Dayou, whom Zhao Tiancheng disliked. Moreover, the cigarettes were high-end ones that his grandson had brought back, and one of them could buy a whole pack of ordinary cigarettes. The villagers who smoked them kept saying how good they were.
Zhao Weidong prepared the two tables and chairs for the banquet in the main room and came out to ask his father, Zhao Tiancheng, "Dad, Zhao Dayou is also here. Should we invite him to have lunch together? After all, he is the village chief and secretary."
Zhao Tiancheng said, "Please, our Zhao family is not short of money, everyone who comes will get a share."
Zhao Dayou now felt a mixture of hatred and envy towards Zhao Tiancheng's family. Shantou Village was his domain, and he only allowed families worse off than him to exist. Not long ago, Zhao Weidong was still doing hard labor carrying cement bags in town, but today he could be preparing for the New Year in a grand and respectable manner. Even the cigarettes he was given were more expensive than those Zhao Dayou smoked. Zhao Dayou was so angry that he threw half a cigarette into a corner and then secretly stepped on it.
Arranging the seating caused Zhao Weidong quite a headache, as the main table only had eight seats. Besides Zhao Tiancheng and his son Zhao Weidong, there were five other elders surnamed Zhao, plus Zhao Dayou who had insisted on joining. It was impossible to accommodate the meritorious Zhao Qiang and his friends. Fortunately, Zhao Qiang and Yang Shiqi didn't mind, and the two sat at another table. Yang Shiqi was extremely annoyed by Zhao Dayou's smugness and constant criticism of the guests. She said to Zhao Qiang, "Who is that guy? Is he a relative of yours?"
Zhao Qiang glanced at it disdainfully: "Our village chief."
Yang Shiqi said, "So he's just a village official who's not doing his job. Let's just beat him up and get rid of him. If you're too embarrassed, I'll take action."
Zhao Qiang grabbed Yang Shiqi and said, "Don't act on your own. Today is a special occasion for everyone. Hitting him would be a disgrace to my father and grandfather."
Yang Shiqi pulled her hand away from Zhao Qiang's grasp and said, "Be mindful of the impact; pulling and tugging like that is not good."
Zhao Qiang was a little dizzy: "Are you even a man? Do you think I have some kind of fetish?"
Yang Shiqi glared at Zhao Qiang without saying a word. Zhao Dayou, sitting on the other side, was pointing at Zhao Weidong and saying, "Weidong, I'm not trying to criticize you, but you've started showing off now that you have a little money. You can't be too arrogant, or you'll get struck by lightning."
Zhao Weidong said, "Village chief, my son is coming home for the New Year this year. As his father, I can't let my family go hungry. Half of the villagers can afford to slaughter a pig for the New Year. Are we all going to be struck by lightning?"
Zhao Dayou retorted bluntly, "What future can a second-rate college graduate have? You're taking it too seriously. What? Does Zhao Qiang not need to stay in the city to work and earn a living this year?"
Zhao Weidong disliked what Zhao Dayou said, but on the surface he had to pretend he didn't care. After all, he was used to being ruled by Zhao Dayou and this kind of thing happened often. Zhao Weidong said, "Yes, Qiang did some buying and selling this year and made some money. He doesn't have to live a tight life like before anymore."
Zhao Dayou said, "Now that you have the money, my dear, shouldn't you pay the outstanding village levies?"
Zhao Weidong's face immediately darkened. Zhao Dayou bringing up the debt in this setting was a slap in his face! "Village chief, it's not appropriate for you to say that here! I invited you to dinner, not to invite a debt collector back."
Zhao Dayou was even less polite, because he had never respected Zhao Weidong from the beginning. Zhao Dayou slammed his hand on the table and said, "What's inappropriate about it? I'm the village chief. Shantou Village is my territory. I took care of your family before because you were in financial difficulty. Now that you have money, if you still owe the village money, what will people say? How am I supposed to carry out my work in the future?"
Zhao Weidong said, "Village chief, we're not the only family that owes money to the village. There are many others who are better off than us. Besides, you promised when you ran for village chief that all past debts would be settled. Why are you singled out our family for the retention money today? Is this how you conduct business during the New Year?"
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Volume Two [187] Doing Something for My Hometown
Soon the dishes were served: a large plate of stir-fried pork, a big bone broth, a large piece of meat and a bowl of minced garlic, and a pot of braised pork kidneys. The knife skills for the pork kidneys weren't great, but the portion was generous and the flavor was delicious.
Seeing the atmosphere getting a bit awkward, one of the villagers at the table raised his glass and said, "Village chief, today is a day for celebration. Let's focus on drinking and celebrating Weidong's son's success and the family's improved life. We can talk about other things later."
Zhao Dayou was also very tempted by the chubby pork belly, so he temporarily put the matter of urging Zhao Weidong to repay the loan on hold. In fact, he knew that it was impossible to collect the loan. The reason he brought it up was to save face for Zhao Weidong. Zhao Dayou couldn't bear to see others living better than him!
Yang Shiqi hesitated to eat the large bowl of pork belly, wondering, "How can it be so fatty? How am I supposed to eat this?"
Zhao Qiang patted Yang Shiqi's waist. "Old Yang, do you think it looks good to look like a woman? You should learn from me; a broad waist and a plump body are the characteristics of a man!"
Yang Shiqi's face flushed red, and she raised her hand to protect her waist. "Don't touch me like that. I like women. I'm not interested in men."
Zhao Qiang almost rolled his eyes. He took out his phone and said, "I'm asking a friend to come over. I've troubled him a lot these days, so this is a way of giving him some compensation."
The friend Zhao Qiang mentioned was Zhang Zhiqiao. The destruction of Song Shiguo's gang in Hedian District had a significant impact on him. Firstly, Zhang Zhiqiao was terrified, having witnessed the murder firsthand and nearly losing his own life. Secondly, Zhang Zhiqiao was under immense pressure. Song Shiguo's criminal gang had existed under his nose for a long time, and he and District Chief Liu Nan couldn't escape responsibility entirely. Now that the Song Shiguo matter had largely subsided, rumors were circulating in Dongyang City that he and Liu Nan might be reassigned. At this moment, Zhang Zhiqiao didn't even feel like having lunch, instead hiding in his office smoking.
What to do? This adjustment might mean stepping down to the second line, but Zhang Zhiqiao is in his prime. It should have been a time for him to make great strides in his career, but Song Shiguo unfortunately offended someone with powerful connections, and now he's also facing his demise. Even his backer in Dongyang City can't protect him anymore. It seems the only person who can help Zhang Zhiqiao save his career is the mysterious young man who has brought him to this point. Moreover, Zhang Zhiqiao has recently helped him resolve some issues, so logically, their relationship should be closer and things should be easier to discuss.
Zhang Zhiqiao took out his phone but put it down again. He had the other party's number, but there were some things that were not easy to say over the phone. Going in person would show more sincerity.
Zhang Zhiqiao was considering what gift to bring that would show his sincerity without being extravagant when his phone suddenly rang. When he saw the number, Zhang Zhiqiao's face lit up with surprise. It was his friend calling! It was like a godsend. It would be best if someone had offended him again, so that he could achieve twice the result with half the effort.
After a couple of drinks, Zhao Dayou became even more unrestrained. "Zhao Weidong, I'm not trying to be mean, but you're just a piece of junk. You throw around a lot of money as soon as you have a little bit of money. If I were like you, I'd have to slaughter pigs and host parties every day!"
A villager drinking with them thought to himself, "They're eating and drinking at their expense and still saying such things. They're utterly shameless."
Zhao Tiancheng and his son were furious, but it wasn't the right time to act. They could only suppress their anger, knowing they would have to live under Zhao Dayou's rule in the future, and offending him would bring them no benefit. One villager, unable to bear it any longer, changed the subject, asking, "Village chief, what about the chemical plant? Has anyone written to us from above? Are we just going to leave the newly built factory idle?"
Zhao Dayou spat out a bone and said, "I'm negotiating with the town. It's possible that our village will manage it, so we can start some businesses ourselves, or we can simply rent it out to others and earn some income to subsidize the village's entertainment expenses."
"Has the town given us confirmation?" a villager asked.
Zhao Dayou said, "The mayor personally mentioned this to me, so it's pretty much a done deal."
Zaolin Town Mayor Yu Wanyang did indeed have this intention, but it was suggested by the town's Party Secretary Qiu Haifeng. He was afraid that mishandling the chemical plant matter would once again provoke Zhao Qiang's resentment, so handing the chemical plant over to Shantou Village was the most appropriate course of action. However, he had no idea that Zhao Dayou had such an attitude towards Zhao Weidong; otherwise, he would never have done so.
Yang Shiqi ate two bites of stir-fried pork with blood and lost her appetite. Hearing Zhao Dayou's arrogant attitude made him angry, but Zhao Qiang wouldn't let him do it, so he could only say, "I'll go to your room and rest for a bit. Once you're full, we'll head back to Donghai City. I'll have the driver bring you back this evening. Don't worry, I'm prepared this time; I won't exhaust you like this."
Zhao Qiang was even more afraid that Yang Shiqi would lose her temper and beat up Zhao Dayou. If they ended up seeing each other all over the village, it would be difficult to get along. So he was happy to let him go back to his room to rest first. On the other hand, Zhao Dayou started to brag about how he was related to the secretary of the Hedian District Committee and when they had drunk together. He fooled the group of old men surnamed Zhao.
"Is this Zhao Qiang's house?" someone called out from outside the yard. Liu Huilan, who was busy in the kitchen, quickly went out to greet them. "This is Zhao Qiang's house. Are you Secretary Zhang?" Liu Huilan had seen Zhang Zhiqiao at the hospital. At that time, Zhang Zhiqiao had promised to provide the villagers with corresponding compensation for the demolition of the chemical plant. However, it seemed that this was not fulfilled, and the villagers could not go to the district to pursue the matter.
Zhao Qiang went out to greet him upon hearing the voice. He had received a call from Zhang Yiyi. He was very satisfied that Zhang Yiyi had arrived as quickly as possible. Nodding, he said, "Zhang Shuyin Dai, please come in. Today is my family's New Year's pig slaughtering; let's eat and chat."
Zhang Zhiqiao said, "Then I won't stand on ceremony. I just happened to bring two bottles of Moutai from home. Shall we have a taste?"
Zhao Qiang didn't have the good fortune to drink this kind of liquor. Ever since he had the advanced biochip implanted, he would get dizzy whenever he drank alcohol. However, there were plenty of people in his family who wanted to drink this high-end liquor, so he wouldn't refuse Zhang Zhiqiao's kindness.
Zhang Zhiqiao was led into the main room by Zhao Qiang and sat down next to him. Zhao Dayou, who was boasting loudly, glanced at him and assumed he was one of Zhao Qiang's cronies. Just as he was about to reprimand Zhao Weidong again, the newcomer surprised him. He rubbed his eyes and looked closely—who else could it be but the district party secretary?
"Secretary Zhang?" Zhao Dayou stood up abruptly, half-sobered up. He almost tripped over the stool because he was walking too fast. He staggered over to Zhang Zhiqiao and stretched out his greasy hand to shake hands with Zhang Zhiqiao.
Zhang Zhiqiao frowned. If this were a banquet on his home turf, he would have turned around and left long ago if Zhao Dayou had interacted in this way. But this was Zhao Qiang's territory, and Zhang Zhiqiao had to consider Zhao Qiang's feelings no matter what he did. If Zhao Dayou was one of Zhao Qiang's men, then not giving Zhao Dayou face would be offending Zhao Qiang.
Zhang Zhiqiao secretly observed Zhao Qiang's expression and realized that Zhao Qiang was completely ignoring Zhao Dayou. Zhang Zhiqiao understood the situation. He didn't take Zhao Dayou's hand and said calmly, "You're the village secretary, right? Alright, go drink your wine."
Zhao Dayou never dreamed Zhang Zhiqiao would come to Shantou Village. He was incredibly nervous and didn't care that Zhang Zhiqiao hadn't taken his hand. "Secretary Zhang, are you here for an inspection tour? The town didn't notify me. I'm so sorry for the neglect. Please take a seat of honor. Zhao Weidong, quickly brew some of the best tea and bring out the best wine for Secretary Zhang. He's the most important official in our Hedian District!"
Zhao Weidong and Zhao Tiancheng were naturally terrified by Zhang Zhiqiao's arrival. Zhao Dayou's shout threw them into disarray, spilling the old tea from the teapot on the table. One went to get the thermos, the other to find tea leaves. Zhang Zhiqiao immediately stood up, took the thermos, and snatched the teapot from Zhao Weidong, saying, "Brother, sir, don't bother, let me do it."
Zhao Dayou said, "How can we let Secretary Zhang do it? Zhao Weidong, hurry up and make some tea! What are you standing there for?"
When Zhang Zhiqiao saw Zhao Qiang frown, he immediately realized why Zhao Qiang had called him here. It was this village secretary who dared to give orders to Zhao Qiang's father and grandfather. He would definitely be unhappy if he were in Zhao Qiang's shoes.
Zhang Zhiqiao's face darkened, and he said sternly to Zhao Dayou, "Get out of here! Is this the image a public servant should have? Find Qiu Haifeng for me. I want to ask him how he's handling grassroots work!"
Zhao Dayou was so frightened by Zhang Zhiqiao's reprimand that he was dizzy with cold sweat. "Secretary Zhang? I... I was just being respectful. You've come all this way to inspect our work, so it's only right that I make you a pot of tea."
Zhang Zhiqiao shouted angrily, "Do I have to kick you twice before you'll leave?!"
Zhao Dayou was terrified and didn't dare to say a word. He ran out of the main house in a flash, but he didn't actually leave Zhao Weidong's house. Instead, he stayed in the yard and eavesdropped under the window.
Zhang Zhiqiao personally poured tea for Zhao Tiancheng and Zhao Weidong. The father and son were so moved that they almost shed tears. This was the district party secretary, someone even Zhao Dayou would have to be careful around. Although the two of them had previously caused a scene at the town government, it was an impulsive act. Thinking about it now, they felt a little scared. They had an inner fear of officials.
Everyone sat down again, and the atmosphere at the table became much more harmonious without Zhao Dayou's harsh voice. Zhao Qiang said to Zhang Zhiqiao, "Secretary Zhang, you've taken good care of me these past few days. I'm a person with feelings, and I've seen and remembered it."
Hearing Zhao Qiang's words, which seemed to imply gratitude, Zhang Zhiqiao's voice trembled with excitement, "This...this is what I should do, it's nothing for you to remember."
Zhao Qiang said, "The thing is, I'm planning to invest in building a few factories in Hedian District, and I'd like to ask Secretary Zhang for his opinion on this matter."
Zhang Zhiqiao didn't know Zhao Qiang's financial strength, but someone the army had gone to great lengths to help exonerate was unlikely to be ordinary. If Zhao Qiang took on the investment and factory construction project, then Song Shiguo's criminal gang's case could very well be offset by merits and demerits. Thinking of this, Zhang Zhiqiao was so excited that he didn't know what to say. He suddenly stood up and grabbed Zhao Qiang's hand. His throat tightened a few times, but he couldn't utter a word.
Zhao Qiang hadn't expected Zhang Zhiqiao's reaction to be so strong. He said, "Secretary Zhang, let's sit down and talk this over. What's your opinion on this matter? I usually spend a lot of time in Donghai City, but I also want to do something for my hometown and fellow villagers, so I need someone here to help me out."
Zhang Zhiqiao calmed himself down and said to Zhao Qiang in a firm voice, "Comrade Zhao Qiang, I guarantee you with my own life that your affairs are my affairs. I will definitely not let you down and will do a good job of what you have entrusted to me!"
Volume 2 [188] Let Father Become a Village Official
"Qiang was very happy to hear Fu's words of loyalty and said, 'Secretary Zhang, what do you mean by my name, Fengwei?' Construction of the factory will begin before the first month of the lunar calendar. I think the main construction will be done by the engineering corps of the army, and the army will also be responsible for safety. Hedian District only needs to handle logistics and coordination. Other miscellaneous peripheral work will be contracted to my father. He will then select some villagers to form a construction team. Once the factory is officially in operation, we will recruit a large number of workers in Zaolin Town. All of these things require your strong support, Secretary Zhang!"
Zhang Zhiqiao said, "Absolutely no problem, I guarantee I'll complete the mission!"
Zhao Qiang knocked on his bedroom door, and Yang Shiqi came out. Zhao Qiang said, "This is Zhang Zhiqiao, the secretary of the Hedian District. You can discuss the factory's location with him. I trust Secretary Zhang's work. With him looking out for me here, I can feel more at ease in Donghai."
This wasn't Yang Shiqi's first meeting with Zhang Zhiqiao, though their last encounter hadn't been pleasant. However, since Zhao Qiang had designated him as the government's spokesperson, Yang Shiqi didn't object. She nodded to Zhang Zhiqiao and said, "Leave your phone number; I'll contact you if needed."
Zhang Zhiqiao was extremely afraid of Yang Shiqi, no less so than Zhao Qiang. He had already experienced Yang Shiqi's domineering nature before. She didn't even take the people from the Dongyang Municipal Party Committee and Government seriously. If he were to get in touch with her again, would the Dongyang Municipal Party Committee dare to dismiss him? As long as he submitted the matter of Yang Shiqi's investment in Hedian District, the rumors that he would be dismissed would immediately stop!
Zhang Zhiqiao humbly presented his business card, adding, "Please rest assured, Hedian District will definitely provide the most favorable policies."
Yang Shiqi said calmly, "The factory will be a military-industrial enterprise and will enjoy special treatment from the central government. It will not pay taxes or be managed by the local government, but it will provide some assistance to the local government when appropriate and will also recruit qualified workers from the local area. If Secretary Zhang can cooperate well, it will be a great achievement."
Zhang Zhiqiao clenched his fist to express his loyalty and confidence, saying, "I will definitely live up to your expectations."
The others at the banquet were beyond surprised by Zhao Qiang. Was this the same guy who used to run around the village naked? How come the district party secretary had to be so careful with his words, even clenching his fists to solemnly pledge his loyalty? Was the Zhao family really so rich that the district party secretary was afraid of them?
Someone pushed open the door and entered. Most of the people present recognized him. It was Qiu Haifeng, the Party Secretary of Zaolin Town. Zhao Dayou must have just informed him that the Zaolin Town government was only a few miles away from Shantou Village and could arrive in a few minutes.
"Oh my, Secretary Zhang, it really is you! This is such a surprise! Welcome to Zaolin Town to inspect our work!"
Qiu Haifeng, equally apprehensive, greeted Zhao Qiang and his family. After greeting Zhang Zhiqiao, he shook hands with Zhao Qiang, Zhao Tiancheng, and the others, displaying extreme enthusiasm. Even the elders surnamed Zhao received great respect, leaving them speechless with gratitude. In their eyes, although Zhang Zhiqiao held a higher official position, he was not as feared as Qiu Haifeng, who was in charge. But now, Qiu Haifeng had lowered his stance and treated them as equals—something the villagers, who had lived for decades, had never encountered before. Even a village official like Zhao Dayou constantly displayed disdain for them. Zhang Zhiqiao said, "Secretary Qiu, you've come at the right time. Let's discuss how to ensure the work is done effectively and how to fulfill the tasks assigned by Comrade Zhao Qiang."
Qiu Haifeng quickly grasped the gist of the matter. He was very excited. Regardless of whether the company was under the jurisdiction of the local government or paid taxes to the local government, having this company would be a major achievement for the local government. It would provide an excuse to curry favor with Zhao Qiang and Yang Shiqi, and it might allow him to extricate himself from the case of Song Shiguo's criminal gang. He would no longer have to live in fear like he had these past few days. Although Song Shiguo's criminal gang did not operate within his jurisdiction, the whole matter started with the land requisition in Zaolin Town, so he and the town mayor bore considerable responsibility.
Qiu Haifeng patted his chest and assured Zhang Zhiqiao, "Secretary Zhang, please rest assured, this matter will definitely be treated as the top priority of the Zaolin Town Government. I even have a plan for the site selection. There is a large area of wasteland between Shantou Village and the Zaolin Town Government seat, which is not suitable for farming. It is perfect for building a factory. It is very close to the provincial highway, with convenient transportation, and water and electricity are guaranteed. The surrounding villages also have abundant labor resources."
Yang Shiqi tapped the table and said in a steady voice, "The power supply will be provided by a dedicated line from the military, so the local government doesn't need to worry about that. I'll let you know what I need you to do later. I hope you just focus on your assigned tasks and don't interfere with the factory."
Although the photo hit the horse's leg, Qiu Haifeng wasn't particularly alarmed. Yang Shiqi's promise to let him know if anything happened was a sign of her approval, and with Zhao Qiang on his side, things shouldn't sink. Qiu Haifeng called out the window, "Zhao Dayou, come in."