Chapter 410: Fruit Market

After returning from Chen Family Village, Lin Wei again threw herself into her work. When Chen Yang called her, he was not doing ideological work for the farmers of Shuangfeng Town; instead, he was organizing a vegetable greenhouse planting study class.

She was so busy that Chen Yang naturally felt embarrassed to bring up the matter of continuing the family line.

When Chen Chunmei asked about it, he merely made an excuse to get by.

While Lin Wei was at work, Chen Yang became a recluse again. His daily routine was either stock trading or, in the Landlord game, boosting Lan Qiyun's confidence.

This kind of life continued for more than half a month. On the eve of Labor Day, Kong Jie's secretary Zhang Chunhua suddenly called him to go to the city government. She said there was an important matter to discuss.

Given Chen Yang's understanding of Kong Jie, him urgently seeking him out was probably not a good thing nine times out of ten.

So, upon arriving at the mayor's office, he straight to the point said to Kong Jie: "Boss, you're urgently looking for me—is there another troublesome project that will make me lose money?"

Kong Jie replied unhappily to Chen Yang: "What nonsense are you spouting, kid? For the tasks I've assigned you, when have you not reaped big profits? Not to mention anything else, just relying on the Ordinary People Meat Industry Company has made you a big name in Dongjiang Province. Aren't you satisfied?"

Chen Yang laughed: "Boss, the Ordinary People Meat Industry Company is something I built with my own money. Even if I don't take over the Red Star Food Processing Factory, I could just go find any food company elsewhere and still make it a success. However, if you're willing to give me a tax reduction for a few more years, I certainly won't refuse!"

Kong Jie gave a light snort and said: "Don't get too carried away with your ideas, kid. The number of profitable enterprises in all of Qingshui City can be counted on one's fingers. If nobody wants to pay taxes, how is the government supposed to sustain its operations?"

Chen Yang smiled without speaking. Under Zhou Zhixiang's guidance, Qingshui City has undertaken at least ten real estate projects this year. According to the words of a certain real estate tycoon from his previous life, the tax on real estate projects is fifty percent.

In other words, Qingshui City is absolutely going to have a huge tax harvest this year. How could it possibly lack funds to operate?

Seeing Chen Yang silent, Kong Jie went straight to the point: "Chen Yang, the government plans to relocate the old fruit market in the urban area to the North City District. Are you interested in taking on this project?"

Chen Yang immediately shook his head and refused.

"Boss, it's not that I don't want to cooperate with you. It's mainly that the North City District is too remote. Building a new fruit market there would have low costs, but its development prospects would be completely incomparable to those of the old fruit market. If you let me invest, it would be better to simply demolish and rebuild the old fruit market."

Kong Jie sighed and said: "The old fruit market is located on a main traffic thoroughfare; every time a fruit-delivery truck passes through, it causes prolonged traffic congestion. This seriously affects the lives of nearby residents."

"After careful consideration, the city decided to relocate it to the North City District, where traffic pressure is relatively lower. Since the decision has been made, it cannot be changed."

Chen Yang spoke firmly: "If it can't be changed, then you'd better find someone more capable."

Kong Jie looked at Chen Yang, somewhat incomprehending, and said: "There's only one professional fruit market in the city; no matter where it's placed, everyone will go there. What do you have to worry about?"

Chen Yang immediately corrected his view: "Boss, as far as I know, the Shuanglin Market also offers fruit wholesale services. Moreover, my trading company likewise has a fruit wholesale business. If there are options, do you think fruit vendors would go to the inconvenient North City District to procure goods, or would they go to the Shuanglin Market or the cold storage of my Ordinary People Trading Co., Ltd?"

Kong Jie immediately fell silent.

Putting himself in their shoes, if he were a fruit vendor, he would also go to Chen Yang's company or the Shuanglin Market to wholesale fruit.

"There are many residential buildings near the old fruit market, so demolition and relocation costs are huge. If rebuilt, the expense could be double or even several times that of a new fruit market. You need to be mentally prepared."

Chen Yang said to Kong Jie: "Boss, the small size of the fruit market site isn't really a problem. We just need to build more floors for the new market. Make the first floor a truck parking lot, and the upper floors shops and cold storage. Wouldn't that reduce demolition costs?"

Kong Jie asked Chen Yang: "How would the traffic congestion problem be solved?"

Chen Yang thought for a moment and quickly came up with an idea. He told Kong Jie: "We can impose entry and exit restrictions on trucks. Let them enter the fruit market before six in the morning and leave after eight at night. That way we avoid the peak crowds."

Upon hearing this, Kong Jie felt somewhat moved. If the old and new fruit markets could be replaced without having to demolish the nearby residential areas, he would surely support it.

"Chen Yang, you should first go investigate the cost of rebuilding on the original site. If it doesn't save much compared to the new location, I suggest we give up on the old fruit market."

"Boss, no need to persuade me. If I'm to take on this project, the location cannot be changed." Chen Yang recalled that in his previous life, after the fruit market was moved to the North City District, it became desolate. It only improved somewhat after automobiles became widespread in the city. That was ten years later, and he doesn't have the patience to wait that long.

Seeing Chen Yang's firm attitude, Kong Jie could only give up persuading him. "The site for the new fruit market has already been planned. If we want to change it back, we'll have to hold another meeting. Just wait a couple of days!"

Chen Yang nodded. The old fruit market is located in a golden spot. Investing there is a sure-win business. He would certainly welcome it.

If moved to the North City District, apart from low demolition costs, everything else would be a disadvantage.

After leaving the city government, Chen Yang drove to the vicinity of the old fruit market to have a look. He found the traffic truly extremely congested; a distance of less than two hundred meters was blocked for a full twenty minutes.

Even if we restrict the fruit-delivery trucks, it probably wouldn't solve the fundamental problem.

After thinking it over, he called Kong Jie.

"Boss, I just went to inspect the fruit market, and the traffic problem is indeed a major hassle. Do you think it's possible to plan a new branch road at the back gate of the fruit market to ease the traffic pressure?"

Kong Jie sighed over the phone: "Planning a branch road would require paying a huge amount of demolition and relocation compensation; the government simply can't afford it right now."

Chen Yang wouldn't believe his words; crying poverty in front of him is merely an excuse to avoid bearing the demolition costs.

However, Chen Yang also had his own calculations. Demolition in the city merely means compensating money and providing housing. Since property prices in Qingshui City haven't risen yet, the corresponding compensation fees won't be too high.

Demolishing now is more cost-effective than doing it later!

"Boss, I'll bear the demolition costs. However, the operational rights and land-use rights of the fruit market must all be given to me."