Chapter 532: Double-Pronged Approach

"Boss, all the townships under the nine counties of Qingshui City have called to invite us to invest; how should we choose?" Zhang Linlin, this vice general manager, was originally just responsible for monitoring Song Yajun, but now she has taken over the heavy responsibility of market development.

She originally thought she could work and study at the same time, but she didn't expect Chen Yang's 2 billion yuan investment plan to directly stir the whole Qingshui City. This has worried her greatly.

Chen Yang, after hearing Zhang Linlin's words, also felt something was off. At this time, even if the townships had computers, they wouldn't pay too much attention to online information; most likely it's still orders issued by the leaders of each county.

The county-level governments of Qingshui City so uniformly threw out an olive branch to Common People Meat Industry Co., Ltd.; without guessing, one knows they have obtained the tacit approval of Kong Jie and Lin Jianguo, possibly even direct instructions.

Chen Yang has dinner with Lin Jianguo every night, but the other party hasn't leaked any information at all. This leaves him somewhat puzzled.

Could it be that Kong Jie and Lin Jianguo intend to let all the townships compete fairly?

If it really is fair competition, then it's simple.

Chen Yang said to Zhang Linlin: "Make arrangements first to talk with their township officials on a county-by-county basis. After the talks, each county selects the two townships with the best conditions for on-site screening. Besides Qingshui County and Dongyang County, which can have one additional township cooperation point, the other seven counties will temporarily only set up one large cooperation point."

Zhang Linlin asked Chen Yang: "Boss, if during the inspection we find that both townships have very good conditions, what should we do?"

Chen Yang thought for a moment, then said to Zhang Linlin: "If you find it hard to make a choice, just call Zheng Yun over as well. You one discuss livestock cooperation, the other discuss vegetable greenhouse planting cooperation—double-pronged approach—so there won't be too much controversy."

Zhang Linlin said with a bit of worry: "Boss, if you let Zheng Yun negotiate the vegetable greenhouse cooperation project, what if it later impacts the vegetable greenhouse project your ex-wife is in charge of—will she come to you to settle scores?"

Chen Yang laughed and said: "Shuangfeng Town's vegetable greenhouse technology is already mature; if other townships want to do it, they still have to go to them to learn from them. If the master is surpassed by the student, we can only blame them for not striving for improvement. How could they possibly come to cause me trouble?"

Zhang Linlin lowered her voice and laughed: "Boss, you still don't understand women! When we women are in a bad mood, we won't reason with you."

Chen Yang gave her a glance and said unhappily: "You have time to anger me here; you'd be better off doing more business homework."

Zhang Linlin made a face at Chen Yang and quickly slipped out of the office.

Chen Yang watched her retreating back, sighed, and then dialed Xue Jiachen's phone.

Lao Xue, the company will, after a while, go to several counties under Qingshui City to inspect livestock cooperation projects. You and Professor You prepare; then go together to give Vice General Manager Zhang some counsel.

"Boss, our pig farm can continue to expand its breeding; there's no need to undertake so many cooperative livestock projects." Xue Jiachen expressed his incomprehension of Chen Yang's choice. He worriedly said: "There are many rustic people in the countryside; communication is difficult. Cooperating with them brings many troubles, not to mention low returns. We really don't need to seek unhappiness for ourselves."

Chen Yang did not agree with Xue Jiachen's opinion, he retorted: "Lao Xue, you can't, just because you suffered a loss once, view all farmers as bad people. I too come from a farming background; do you see me as inferior to you?"

Xue Jiachen immediately said: "Boss, you're different; you have received higher education."

Chen Yang did not agree with his viewpoint, patiently saying: "Good and evil in human nature have little relation to one's level of education. Among the illiterate there are plenty of good people, while among the highly educated there are also many scoundrels. We should give those struggling in poverty a chance to pursue a happy life."

Xue Jiachen fell silent for a moment, then sighed: "Boss, this isn't investment; it's charity!"

Chen Yang said: "Most of the counties under Qingshui City are state-level poverty-stricken counties. If we don't give them a chance to survive, once they are forced to leave their homes, they will only bring more instability to society. As a native of Qingshui, I don't want outsiders to hear 'Qingshui' and think only bad things. So, you should approach Zhang Vice General Manager's work with a charitable mindset."

Xue Jiachen sighed and said: "Boss, since you've already made the decision, I have nothing more to say. I will communicate with Professor You and quickly organize a professional team to come over to assist Vice General Manager Zhang's work."

Chen Yang praised Xue Jiachen a few words, then hung up the phone.

As for the pros and cons of cooperative livestock breeding, Chen Yang understands them better than anyone. Overall, the benefits still outweigh the drawbacks.

Although the farmers of Qingshui City have many problems, and have even disappointed Chen Yang at times, most of them share one trait: they are not afraid of hardship.

Before Chen Yang's rebirth, people from Qingshui were everywhere across the country—engaged in business, working, you name it. Only within Qingshui City itself was it unusually deserted, bustling only a few days during festivals.

People who are not afraid of hardship can stubbornly survive anywhere. A family raising a few pigs or cattle and sheep, plus planting some rice and vegetables, is fundamentally no problem for them.

Chen Yang's goal is also to hope to raise the overall income level of the common people of Qingshui City.

His assets now actually count as being the national richest individual. Personally wealthy, yet his hometown is a state-level poverty unit; spreading that news doesn't sound good.

Moreover, Common People Meat Industry Co., Ltd. still needs to expand beyond the province in the future. If we don't first accumulate investment experience in familiar places, later when we go to unfamiliar locations we'll only bump around like a headless fly.

On New Year's Day of 2005, Chen Yang, via the official websites of Common People Meat Industry Co., Ltd. and the Agricultural Products Trading Company, released a formal announcement stating that he would conduct on-site inspections of investments in some townships of the nine counties under Qingshui City.

After releasing the news, Chen Yang was invited to attend Ouyang Sheng's wedding.

However, upon arriving at the wedding venue, Chen Yang discovered that Old Master Lin had also come.

Since divorcing Lin Wei, Old Master Lin has never given Chen Yang a pleasant look. Seeing Chen Yang being invited by He Guangming to sit at the main table, he immediately put on a stern face and said: "District Chief He, this is the main table; how can it be proper to let a junior sit here?"

As soon as his words fell, everyone at the main table felt embarrassed.

Although Ouyang Sheng's father used to be Old Master Lin's old subordinate, Chen Yang is also his son's boss; offending either side is not advisable.

He Guangming was also embarrassed; on one side he is a retired official of Qingshui City, and also the father of the current mayor; on the other side he is the future boss of his daughter and son-in-law, and at the same time a prominent figure close to the municipal Party secretary and mayor. Neglecting either side would be inappropriate…

Just then, a clear voice came from behind Old Master Lin: "Grandfather, although Chen Yang and I have divorced, he is not unkind to the Lin family. Treating him like this—isn't that inappropriate?"