Dan Hongfei was somewhat surprised. "What, you're calling me all of a sudden? You don't need to accompany Zhao Qiang anymore?"
Xu Xiaoya laughed and said, "He's right next to me. We're downstairs from you. What do you think we should do?"
Dan Hongfei said happily, "What else can I do? Of course I'll go down and greet you. You two didn't even give me a heads-up before you came. This puts me in a very passive position. You're not allowed to go anywhere at noon. I'll arrange for someone to make a reservation right away."
Dan Hongfei ran downstairs, startling everyone along the way, who thought something had happened again.
Xu Xiaoya hadn't seen Shan Hongfei in a long time. The two shook hands, and Shan Hongfei said, "Junior Sister, you've become even more beautiful."
Xu Xiaoya said, "Senior brother, you've learned to be sarcastic now."
Dan Hongfei smiled and said, "You two have come together, is there something you need?"
Zhao Qiang said, "I'm going back to my hometown for New Year's Day and I thought I'd drop by to see you."
Shan Hongfei said, "Let's go upstairs to my office to talk. It's quite cold outside."
Shan Hongfei's secretary had been replaced. Upon seeing Zhao Qiang, he enthusiastically made tea for everyone before quietly leaving Shan Hongfei's office. Shan Hongfei said, "The virus is over now. I should thank you for what happened last time."
Zhao Qiang said, "It's too formal for us brothers to talk like this. How have things been lately? Has order been completely restored in Dongyang City?"
Shan Hongfei said, "It has recovered long ago, but many shops were damaged. The economy of the entire Dongyang City has regressed for several years. Not only did we fail to meet last year's economic targets, but we also fell far behind the year before. We were criticized by the provincial party committee during the New Year's teleconference. That's why we didn't even take a holiday today. Everyone is preparing to hold a meeting to discuss next year's economic plan."
Xu Xiaoya said, "Oh, can we go listen to it?"
Dan Hongfei said, "Of course we welcome her with all our might. Others may not know, but I do know that Junior Sister is the CEO of Jiayuan Investment. If you can spare even a little bit for us, then Dongyang City's economy will have hope."
Xu Xiaoya said, "You're our senior brother, so it's only right that we help you. Go listen to what's going on first."
Dan Hongfei checked the time. "Let's go to the conference room. This meeting won't last too long. We can go out for dinner in two hours."
The people from the Dongyang Municipal Party Committee were quite polite to Zhao Qiang. After all, he was Secretary Shan's junior brother. Secretary Shan might be promoted to the provincial party committee in a short time. When that happened, who among them wouldn't be under his protection? So it was only natural for them to curry favor with his junior brother. Everyone stood up to greet Zhao Qiang. Xu Xiaoya, apart from being pretty, didn't attract much attention. Not everyone was aware of her title as the general manager of Jiayuan Investment Company.
Dan Hongfei patted the table to signal the start of the meeting. He said, "Let's not waste any more time. Everyone, please share your ideas on how to quickly boost our city's economic growth and make up for the losses caused by the H virus last year."
The vice mayor in charge of the economy said, "Secretary Shan, most individual business owners are currently experiencing economic difficulties. They cannot recover the losses caused by the H virus in a short period of time, so it will be difficult to comprehensively improve the city's economic growth."
Another deputy secretary said, "The production of large and medium-sized enterprises in our city has not yet recovered to its peak due to the H virus, and there are difficulties in the supply of raw materials. Moreover, the provincial bank's loans to them have been delayed, which is a great difficulty."
Dan Hongfei slammed his fist on the table and said, "I'm not here to listen to your complaints. I'm asking what methods are available to make up for the losses you've mentioned and to resolve the current difficulties."
The mayor said, "I think what we urgently need to restore right now is not the economy, but people's confidence. Judging from the current survey feedback, citizens are still afraid of the last virus incident. Everyone is hesitant and cautious. Even if they have some funds, they put them into reserves and dare not use them. Every household is hoarding salt and instant noodles, and there is hoarding in all industries."
Shan Hongfei nodded: "People's doubts about the government haven't been dispelled, which is also related to some current rumors, such as the H virus making a comeback or the emergence of an I virus. This is pure nonsense. Taking advantage of the New Year's publicity campaign, we should try to dispel the public's doubts. No matter what kind of virus it is, it's not scary. As long as everyone believes that the government will definitely overcome any difficulties, it's all worth it."
A deputy mayor said, "We can take advantage of tonight's New Year's performance to further promote the city government's determination."
The mayor said, "The method is certainly good, but can the masses believe it just by talking about it? There must be some kind of policy or something, otherwise it will just be empty talk."
Dan Hongfei scratched his head and said, "The provincial finance department has not allocated the H virus subsidy funds. Otherwise, it could have provided subsidies to enterprises and businesses that suffered losses during the quarantine period. However, the municipal finance department has limited resources. Just purchasing the drugs to treat the H virus is already beyond our means. It's really a difficult situation."
Zhao Qiang subtly flicked Xu Xiaoya's leg under the table. Xu Xiaoya understood; this was naturally to curry favor with Shan Hongfei. Although Shan Hongfei had made some mistakes during the last virus incident, under his 'leadership,' they successfully found the H virus sample and discovered a drug to treat it. These two points alone were enough to offset his mistakes. In addition, the subsequent isolation, lockdown, and treatment were all timely and effective. Therefore, the H virus incident was more beneficial than harmful to Shan Hongfei. It was only a matter of time before he was appointed to a position in the provincial party committee. Having such a powerful figure in the province would be an absolute benefit to Jiayuan Investment.
Xu Xiaoya coughed lightly, "Secretary Shan, I think I can help solve the funding problem."
The deputy mayor said, "Can you help resolve this? Do you know how much money this involves?"
Xu Xiaoya asked, "How big is it?"
The deputy mayor said, "The minimum shortfall is 5 billion yuan. The affected area in the city is so large that the cost of purchasing treatment drugs alone is staggering, not to mention the subsidies to affected businesses and merchants."
Xu Xiaoya chuckled but remained silent, while Shan Hongfei looked delighted and asked, "Junior Sister, are you really planning to make a move?"
Xu Xiaoya said, "What do you think? Otherwise, we would have come here to see you having such worries."
Ignoring what others thought, Shan Hongfei anxiously asked Xu Xiaoya, "Then how do we cooperate?"
Xu Xiaoya considered it for a moment, "For now, we'll use the municipal government's loan as collateral. Once we find a cooperative project in the future, we can offset these loans with various preferential policies. What do you think?"
Dan Hongfei said, "Of course, we're getting a great deal. How about we set the interest rate at 10% higher than the loan amount?"
Xu Xiaoya shook her head. The mayor knew from Shan Hongfei's attitude that Xu Xiaoya was an important person, so he didn't dare to be frivolous. Seeing that Shan Hongfei's offer of a 10% higher interest rate than the market rate was not accepted, he added, "How about 20%?"
Xu Xiaoya said, "No, we will lend money to the Dongyang Municipal Government without interest."
The mayor was dumbfounded. Was there really such a fool? He asked, "How much can you lend to the Dongyang municipal government?"
Xu Xiaoya said, "Let's start with 10 billion for the first phase, and add more if necessary later."
Everyone was stunned. Even Shan Hongfei stood there dumbfounded. He hadn't expected Xu Xiaoya to lend him a billion or so, but he never expected it to be 10 billion. With 10 billion, what difficulties would Dongyang City's economy face in recovering? And with money, why would people's hearts be unsettled?
The vice mayor, who had previously questioned Xu Xiaoya's borrowing ability, asked, "Did you think this through before you spoke? It's 10 billion, not 1 million."
You are reading "[417] Senior Brother's Difficulties". If there are any errors, please contact us to correct them!
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Volume 2 [418] Accompaniment
[418] Accompanying singer
Xu Xiaoya said, "What, do you need to check the amount of funds in our account?"
Zhao Qiang then spoke up, "We will be responsible for the medication for treating the H virus in Dongyang City. From now on, the municipal government will first report the required quantity of medication, and then the Youth Health Products Company will send a special vehicle to transport it over, free of charge."
Dan Hongfei stood up excitedly: "Really? This solves a huge problem for our city's finances. Without this burden, we can move forward with full force. Junior brother, tell me, what kind of business do you want to do in Dongyang City? As long as it's a government-approved preferential policy, I can give it to you."
Zhao Qiang said, "Why talk about this now? The key is to boost Dongyang City's economy. Otherwise, if you, as my senior, lose face, we'll all be affected too."
Dan Hongfei patted Zhao Qiang on the shoulder and said, "That's right, I've been benefiting too much from you lately, junior brother. No wonder our teacher likes you so much. Junior brother, you're a lucky charm, my savior."
The mayor was as happy as a child. If this matter were to come to fruition, he might even get a promotion. However, considering his level of trust in Zhao Qiang and Xu Xiaoya, the mayor cautiously inquired, "When will this payment arrive?"
Xu Xiaoya said, "As long as the bank doesn't restrict me from making a phone call, you can withdraw the money anytime. Of course, Dongyang City Bank would never have such a large amount of cash."
The mayor then asked, "What about the loan procedures? What are the detailed procedures?"
Xu Xiaoya said, "We trust Senior Brother Shan, so let Senior Brother Shan handle all of this."
The mayor was very pleased. With Shan Hongfei handling the matter, it was impossible for any terms to be unacceptable to the Dongyang Municipal Government. Otherwise, no one would dare to lend this money. "We didn't know you two were such benefactors before. We were blind to your wealth."
Shan Hongfei said proudly, "My junior sister is the general manager of Jiayuan Investment Company."
What makes Jiayuan Investment Company so famous is its recent aggressive acquisition of various heavy industrial enterprises, with each transaction involving billions or even tens of billions of yuan. The government, however, doesn't seem to care, allowing it to continue its acquisition spree. As for the source of its funds, no one has been able to find out yet. It's not that they can't find out, but that they dare not. If they do, they'll be warned. However, many people have guessed that Jiayuan Investment's huge investments and the youth health product company's rampant profiteering are perfectly matched, suggesting that the two companies must have an unclear relationship.
The leaders of the Dongyang Municipal Party Committee immediately stood up and came over to greet Xu Xiaoya again. It would be perfectly acceptable to worship such a god of wealth.
Shan Hongfei said, "Since we can withdraw money from the bank at any time, then this year's New Year's performance will have a highlight. Let's make some arrangements. The mayor's speech will be revised again. First, cash subsidies will be given to the confirmed disaster-affected enterprises and merchants. The rest will also be fully subsidized once verified. Disaster-affected households will have their loans fully interest-free, and taxes will be halved in the new year. We need to fully mobilize the economy of Dongyang City."
Money makes things easier, and that's absolutely true. The entire Dongyang municipal government team immediately sprang into action. Thinking about the 10 billion yuan, and the possibility of adding more later if needed, who wouldn't be tempted? Even if they didn't gain any fame, a little bit of that 10 billion yuan would be enough for them.
The New Year's performance is a program that Dongyang City has been holding for several years, but this year the investment is larger, and some third-rate stars have been hired to help out, hoping to cheer everyone up and make them forget about the virus incident, so that they can vigorously develop the economy in the new year. Now, with the good news of the Home Investment Loan, this year's New Year's performance will be a turning point in Dongyang City's history. Xu Xiaoya, as an important guest, will naturally be on the main stage, while Zhao Qiang is not interested in these things, so Shan Hongfei arranged for his secretary to accompany him to play around the city.
Shan Hongfei's current secretary is surnamed Liu. It is said that he used to work for Mayor Tian, but Mayor Tian was demoted and transferred a long time ago, so Secretary Liu was no longer useful. He only had the opportunity to fill the vacancy when Secretary Wu stepped down, so he worked diligently.
"Mr. Zhao, I've booked a room at Music Radio TV. Let's go sing karaoke." After dinner, Secretary Liu took Zhao Qiang out for some nightlife, while Shan Hongfei and the others started talking. The performance wasn't until after eight o'clock.
Zhao Qiang thought to himself that singing a song would be good, and he would go back to the guesthouse to sleep after Xu Xiaoya finished her meeting. "Okay."
Secretary Liu drove himself, and when they arrived at the Sound of Music, a group of male greeters loudly welcomed them, making Zhao Qiang a little embarrassed. These people must have received instructions from Secretary Liu in advance, which is why they were so enthusiastic towards him.
Secretary Liu led Zhao Qiang to a very quiet private room on the third floor. He knocked on the door and then unlocked it, saying, "Mr. Zhao, please have fun. No one will disturb you here. I'll wait for you on the second floor. We'll go somewhere else when you're done." After saying that, Secretary Liu left. Zhao Qiang thought to himself, "Am I out of my mind? Why is someone singing all by themselves?"
Just then, the half-open door was pulled open, and a girl peeked out: "Who are you looking for? Zhao... Zhao Qiang?"
Zhao Qiang took off his glasses and looked closely: "Xiao Su? Me? What are you doing here?"
How could Zhao Qiang not be surprised that the girl was actually Su Xiaosu?
Su Xiaosu said, "How would I know? Our troupe leader sent me here, saying it was some kind of meeting. The performance was about to start, and he actually took away my program. I'm so angry! Holding a meeting at TV station, he really came up with that idea."
Zhao Qiang asked, puzzled, "What regimental commander?"
Su Xiaosu chuckled: "The performance troupe, the place where I work part-time. I heard they were coming to Dongyang City to perform, and I figured I was going home anyway, so I could save on travel expenses and earn some extra money, so I came along."
Zhao Qiang thought to himself, "Mom, this group leader is no good. It must be that Secretary Liu who asked him to find a celebrity to play with him, so he tricked Su Xiaosu into coming here. No wonder Secretary Liu told me to have fun and specifically pointed out that no one would bother me here. That means I can do whatever I want."
Zhao Qiang was both angry and happy, because with Xu Xiaoya not around, he could finally get intimate with Su Xiaosu. However, he needed to warn Su Xiaosu that she had to refuse such dangerous things in the future, otherwise someone else would eat the green apple, and he would definitely be cuckolded.
After closing the door, Zhao Qiang sat on the sofa in the private room. Su Xiaosu happily sat down next to him, holding Zhao Qiang's hand tightly. "Zhao Qiang, have you missed me? It's been half a year since we last met. I've been thinking about you so much that I can't sleep."
Zhao Qiang coughed once and didn't speak, his expression very serious. Su Xiaosu asked, puzzled, "What's wrong? Are you unhappy? Is it because you don't want to see me?"
Zhao Qiang said, "You have absolutely no sense of security. How can I feel at ease with that?"
Su Xiaosu said, "How could I be so unsafe? Look what this is." Su Xiaosu took out a bottle of pepper spray.
Zhao Qiang smiled wryly: "This thing might not be useful for a weak woman like you in a critical moment. Don't you understand now that your regimental commander didn't send you to the meeting at all?"
Su Xiaosu suddenly realized, "Could it be that he wants me to come and keep you company?"
Zhao Qiang said, "Luckily it was me. If it were any other man, do you know what would have happened?"
Su Xiaosu pulled out another knife. "Maybe I've already stabbed him in the stomach. Will you visit me in prison then?"
Zhao Qiang said, "If he dares to lay a hand on you, just stab him to death. I'll come to the prison to pick you up then."
Su Xiaosu said, "Then I'm even less afraid, right?"
Zhao Qiang said, "Anyway, you need to keep your eyes wide open from now on, so you don't get fooled without even realizing it, understand?"
Su Xiaosu nestled in Zhao Qiang's arms and said, "I understand. You are my master. How could I dare disobey you?"
Zhao Qiang waved his hand and said, "From now on, you don't need to participate in any of these bullshit performances. Just focus on learning your singing and acting."
Su Xiaosu said softly, "I'm not doing this to make money. If I'm not going to perform, what's the point of learning to sing and act?"
Zhao Qiang also had a headache. Yes, then what was the point of learning it? "You need to hire a few bodyguards."
Su Xiaosu said, "I'm at most a third-rate celebrity right now. What will the audience think if I hire bodyguards?"
Zhao Qiang said helplessly, "Then I'll protect you, okay?"
Su Xiaosu, straddling Zhao Qiang's lap, chuckled: "Okay, you said it yourself. I'm going to the south in a few days to participate in a V-filming, and you have to come with me."
Having already said it, Zhao Qiang couldn't take it back. Considering that there was nothing going on at home, and that going south would allow him to avoid Xu Xiaoya and prevent the two of them from running into each other, he said, "Alright, I'll go with you."
Su Xiaosu jumped up happily: "Yay, Zhao Qiang, you're so nice! I'll sing you a song."
Zhao Qiang loved listening to Su Xiaosu sing. Her pure and sweet voice captivated him. Watching her swaying ponytail and her bright, dark eyes, Zhao Qiang felt as happy as if he had drunk honey.
Suddenly, Su Xiaosu put down the phone and smiled at Zhao Qiang, saying, "I forgot, how did you end up here? If it wasn't me waiting for you in this room, but some other girl, what would you be doing now?"
Zhao Qiang smiled and said, "What do you think?"