Chapter 1408

Everyone's spirits lifted; if Zhou Andong was truly willing to promote the technology and could solve the funding problem, everyone present today would have political achievements to claim.

Therefore, the way they looked at Zhou Andong was like looking at a naked, stark-naked beauty; the look was very ambiguous, giving Zhou Andong goosebumps.

"No rush for this." Zhou Andong checked the time: "It's already past four; I've prepared roast whole lamb and stewed steak. Let's eat, drink, and chat in a while."

"Alright!" Jian Jian Zhengxue waved a hand: "Let's go."

The group left the greenhouse; the sun was already slanting west, and the sunset clouds on the horizon were beautiful, but the temperature was damnably cold—it was truly freezing.

They got into the cars and returned to the company in a few minutes; a bonfire had been lit in the courtyard, using wood brought from the furniture factory.

The fire was burning very brightly; even with the temperature at minus twenty-something degrees, as soon as everyone got out of the car, they felt a wave of heat hitting their faces.

"Whoa!"

Chen He looked at the three roasted whole lambs and whatever was stewing in the two large pots; the aroma made his cravings surface.

"We're in for a treat today."

"Exactly!" the middle-aged man said with a smile: "In the cold winter, sitting by a bonfire and eating roast lamb, there's nothing like it."

A woman said in a slow, gentle voice, reminiscing: "When I was sent down to the countryside, I ate roast whole lamb once, and that was the only time I've ever eaten it."

"Oh my!" the middle-aged man said with great surprise: "Director Tai, you were able to eat roast whole lamb when you were sent down?"

Director Tai laughed: "I was sent down in Inner Mongolia. One year, we encountered extreme cold weather, and many cattle and sheep froze to death. At the time, a young man who was sent down with us hid a frozen lamb.

More than a month later, he dug the lamb out from the snow pile, called a few of us who were on good terms, ran several kilometers away, and roasted the lamb in a place where no one went..."

Chen He said with a smile: "Director Tai ate roast whole lamb when she was sent down, but I've never eaten it to this day."

He wasn't lying; don't think that just because he reached his position, he could really eat big fish and meat and gorge himself.

Of course, he hadn't eaten roast whole lamb, but he had certainly eaten roast lamb; no matter how principled a person was, he wasn't a monk with no desires.

Long tables and chairs were arranged in a semi-circle around the bonfire, and everyone sat down.

Zhou Andong came to Zhou Fuyun's side: "Old Zhou, how is the roast whole lamb? Are the steaks stewed yet?"

"Uncle!"

Zhou Fuyun was fat and big-eared; illuminated by the firelight, one could clearly see the oil glistening on his face.

"Everything is ready; we can serve it now."

"If it's ready, serve it." Zhou Andong turned and went back.

"Chairman Zhou, sit here." Jian Jian Zhengxue beckoned.

Zhou Andong sat beside Jian Jian Zhengxue and took out cigarettes to pass around.

When he took out his lighter to light Jian Jian Zhengxue's cigarette, Seeing Jian Qiu glared at him fiercely.

Zhou Andong glared back without hesitation; he was lighting his father-in-law's cigarette, and she, as the daughter, dared to glare at him? She must be itching for a scolding.

Seeing Jian Qiu leaned into his ear and said: "I won't lower myself to your level here; wait until we get home tonight."

Zhou Andong felt a chill run down his spine and, trying to remain calm, picked up the Jiang Xiaobai.

"Leaders, today we'll drink Jiang Xiaobai; no objections, right?"

"Don't say that, I love Jiang Xiaobai." Chen He unscrewed a bottle of Jiang Xiaobai and took a sip from the bottle: "If you ask me, the taste of Jiang Xiaobai isn't much worse than Jiangzhou Yugong Liquor."

Director Tai picked up a bottle of Jiang Xiaomei: "Chairman Zhou, as a woman, I am very grateful to you."

Zhou Andong said with a smile: "Although I don't know why Director Tai is grateful to me, since you've thanked me, I'll accept it."

Director Tai also laughed: "In my position, sometimes I have to attend some dinner parties, and drinking is unavoidable.

I used to have to pinch my nose to drink white liquor, but ever since Chairman Zhou introduced Jiang Xiaomei, the low-alcohol fruit-flavored white liquor, it has truly been a godsend for me."

Just then, Zhou Fuyun's two sons, Dazhuang and Erzhuang, brought over the torn-up roast whole lamb on large trays. Immediately after, five pots of stewed steak with large radishes were also placed on the table.

"Leaders, conditions are limited here; please forgive any lack of hospitality." Zhou Andong first raised his bottle: "I'll toast you all first."

Chen He said with a smile: "Chairman Zhou, I hope there are such 'lacks of hospitality' every day."

Everyone chuckled, and Jian Jian Zhengxue picked up his bottle: "Professor Jiang, I toast you."

Jiang Gengping hurriedly raised his bottle to acknowledge; today was absolutely the most glorious moment for the old man.

Thanks to his student, he was sitting at a table drinking with Provincial Party Secretary Jian and so many leaders.

Chen He looked at Zhou Andong: "Chairman Zhou, you can talk now; how can we promote off-season vegetable planting technology?"

Zhou Andong grabbed a piece of lamb with his hand and dipped it in a mixture of MSG, chili powder, and salt.

"Lantian Animal Husbandry Company will cooperate with the villagers."

Chen He asked: "How will you cooperate? Just like you did with Tanghezi?"

"No!" Zhou Andong shook his head: "The model like Tanghezi cannot be replicated. As you said, Jiangzhou is my root, and Tanghezi is my foundation—the place that nurtured me.

A tree with roots but no foundation, no matter how lush its branches and leaves grow, will eventually wither and die. And a person with roots but no foundation, no matter how great their achievements are outside, is just like duckweed on water.

So, even if many people don't understand why I want to keep my younger brother's furniture factory here and establish an agricultural company, letting the villagers buy shares, I have to do it."

Jian Jian Zhengxue smiled, his expression very gratified: "Then how will you cooperate?"

Zhou Andong said: "The company pays to build the greenhouses and provides people for training, while the villagers provide the land. As long as they plant the required fruits and vegetables according to the company's requirements, the company will handle all procurement and sales."

Upon hearing this, everyone's eyes lit up; this was a very good method.

Jian Jian Zhengxue nodded: "The company can develop, and it can also lead farmers to prosperity; this method is good."

Director Tai hesitated for a moment and said: "I've heard that Shouguang had vegetable greenhouses very early on, but because transportation was inconvenient, transport was limited.

Also, because the winter temperature in the Three Norths Province is very low, the coldest time in our Liaoning Province can reach minus thirty-something degrees, not to mention Longjiang Province.

So, in winter, even if Shouguang has off-season vegetables, there's no way to transport them here, and even if they could be transported, the cost would be very high.

Chairman Zhou, your company is investing such huge capital to develop off-season vegetable planting, and you plan to complete the construction of one million mu of greenhouses within five years. Have you considered the sales and transportation issues?"

Zhou Andong laughed: "I know about Shouguang; they indeed had off-season vegetable greenhouses very early on, and they have reached a certain scale now, but it's not very large.

Because there are many reasons that have limited its development: first is capital, second is technology, and third is transportation. And what Lantian Animal Husbandry lacks the least is money and technology."