Chapter 1460: Building a Dedicated Railway Line

Wang Zhongqi snorted: "Look for me? No way."

Seeing Jian Qiu said with a smile: "President Wang, I'll treat you to a drink when I have time."

"If my sister-in-law treats me to a drink, I guarantee I'll be there no matter when." Wang Zhongqi glanced at Zhou Andong: "If it were this guy, I definitely wouldn't give him face."

"Treat you to a drink? Keep dreaming." Zhou Andong pulled Seeing Jian Qiu: "Let's go."

"If you treat me, I'd have to be interested." Wang Zhongqi greeted Seeing Jian Qiu: "Sister-in-law, I'm leaving first; call me if you have anything."

"Alright!" Seeing Jian Qiu nodded.

"Sister-in-law!" Yuan Ying stood up from her chair and greeted: "Sit here."

Seeing Jian Qiu walked over with a smile and took off her down jacket. Yuan Ying immediately noticed the slightly protruding belly.

"Sister-in-law, are you pregnant?"

Seeing Jian Qiu nodded and sat down: "It's been more than three months."

Everyone looked over, and Old Aunt Yuan Lihong asked: "Do you know if it's a boy or a girl?"

"I don't know." Seeing Jian Qiu shook her head: "Boy or girl is the same; asking doesn't have much meaning."

"How can that be the same." Yuan Liying said: "With such a large family business, you definitely need a boy to inherit it."

Yuan Ying said dissatisfied: "Old Aunt, what era is this? You are still favoring boys over girls."

"Exactly." Yuan Mei echoed: "The country has been promoting that boys and girls are the same; you should change your thinking."

"Mom!" Liu Hao also followed: "Yunli is here; what do you think she would think of this?"

"You guys are too heartless, especially you, Yuan Ying. If I favored boys over girls, could I love you so much?" Yuan Lihong glared at them: "I just think that with your eldest brother's large family business, he definitely needs a boy to inherit it."

"That's right." Zhou Xiurong mediated: "With a large family business, you definitely need a boy to inherit it."

"What are you talking about?" Zhou Andong had a drink with his uncles, then walked over with his cup.

Seeing Jian Qiu told him what happened with a smile. Zhou Andong held his wine glass and pointed at Yuan Ying, Yuan Mei, and Liu Hao.

"You three are too much; how can you say that about my old aunt? Come, raise your glasses; I'm punishing you with a drink."

Yuan Ying smiled and picked up the iced black tea she had just filled: "Old Aunt, I was wrong; I'm punishing myself with a drink."

"I'm also punishing myself with a drink." Yuan Mei also picked up her drink.

Once Zhou Andong arrived, the atmosphere immediately became lively.

Zhou Andong came to Yuan Mei's side and took the child in her arms.

The little guy was staring with big eyes, looking at him.

"What are you looking at?" Zhou Andong lowered his head and kissed the little guy. He had named this child, Yao Yu.

"Giggle..."

The little guy giggled.

"Are you very happy to see your uncle?" Zhou Andong kissed the little guy again and gave him back to Yuan Mei.

"Dongzi!" Li Xianghui shouted: "Come over and drink."

"Coming!" Zhou Andong responded and turned to walk over.

This meal was lively and didn't finish until almost nine o'clock.

Eldest Aunt, Old Aunt, Eldest Aunt's husband, and Old Aunt's husband left.

Seeing Jian Qiu was pulled away by Yuan Ying and Yuan Mei, and Zhou Andong went to Yuan Hongzhan's room.

Eldest Uncle, Second Uncle, Third Uncle, Old Aunt's husband Liu Yusheng, and Yuan Hai, Yuan Tao, Chen Yuan, Yao Peng, and Liu Hao also followed.

Old Aunt-in-law poured tea for them and then went to find Eldest Aunt-in-law and the others. Only a group of men remained in the room.

Liu Hao was the youngest, so he took out cigarettes, lit them for everyone one by one, and stood on the side to serve, adding tea and water.

Yuan Hongzhan took a puff of his cigarette: "The price of coal this year is five yuan more expensive than last year; it's starting to rise."

"Coal will definitely rise in the future." Zhou Andong flicked the ash: "It doesn't matter if we lose money for two or three years."

Yuan Hongzhan said with a smile: "Qi City, Hulunbuir League, and Arhorqin Banner—about one-third of the enterprises and institutions buy coal from our mine."

"Oh?" Zhou Andong raised his eyebrows and then smiled: "This is returning a favor."

"This is also something I didn't expect." Yuan Hongzhan was very moved: "One-third of the share, all given to us. I reckon the days for state-owned coal mines won't be easy this year."

Zhou Andong gave a wry smile: "With coal prices so low, major coal mines, including small pits, are all operating in debt. One city, one league, one county—one-third of the heating coal share was given to us. This favor is not small, and it's not easy to repay."

"Whether it's easy to repay or not, that's a matter for the future." Yuan Hongzhan pondered for a moment: "I plan to set up a railway transport department and build a dedicated railway line from the mine directly to the Arhorqin Banner railway station freight yard."

"Feasible!" Zhou Andong pondered: "Does this matter still need to be approved by the Railway Ministry?"

"Right!" Yuan Hongzhan said: "As long as the city steps in, it won't be a big problem."

Zhou Andong asked: "Now that freight cars are very tight, can we rent dedicated freight trains?"

Yuan Hongzhan said with a smile: "Since we want to build a dedicated railway line from the mine to the Arhorqin Banner railway station, we definitely have to rent dedicated freight trains."

"You handle this after the New Year." Zhou Andong said: "The dedicated railway line definitely won't be finished in a year, but the matter of renting dedicated freight trains can be discussed first.

As long as you can negotiate it, I can negotiate half of the heating coal for enterprises and institutions in Jiangzhou next winter. Also, our group and various factories, including the staff buildings, will all move upstairs next year, which will also require a large amount of heating coal.

In addition, I can also pull some strings in Jingcheng. At the very least, in Chaoyang District, I can have a say. As for how much share we can get, it's hard to say for now, but we can definitely get some."

"Slap!" Yuan Hongzhan slapped his thigh excitedly: "With your words, I will definitely negotiate the rental of dedicated freight trains before winter starts."

Zhou Andong picked up his teacup and took a sip: "How is Yuan Hongbiao's case going?"

"Still under trial!" Yuan Hongzhan took a final puff of his cigarette and pressed the butt into the ashtray: "The case is too big, and it involves too many people. I reckon it won't be finished for a while.

But I heard that Yuan Hongbiao has murder cases on him, plus the mine disaster from a few years ago; he definitely won't survive."

"He brought it on himself." Yuan Hai snorted: "Deserved it."

Yuan Tao said with a smile: "I haven't seen Second Grandfather out for a walk for a long time."

"Is he still embarrassed to come out?" Chen Yuan said: "The neighbors have poked his family's spine crooked."

Yuan Hongdang sighed: "People have to walk the right path. If you engage in those crooked ways, no matter how much money you earn, you can't buy back your own life."

"That's right!" Zhou Andong agreed very much and asked again: "What about Niu Hongjuan? How is she?"

Yuan Hongqi said: "After Yuan Hongbiao was arrested, she sold the house in the town and went to Qi City to find her daughter."

Zhou Andong thought of the things Niu Hongjuan said to him: "She is very unusual, but she is also an unfortunate woman."

"By the way!" Yuan Hongzhan said: "Do you remember that Zhou Baoshan? It was when we went to visit the families of the mine disaster victims and met him at the entrance of Jianshe Village."

"Remember!" Zhou Andong nodded: "At that time, the village cadres of Jianshe Village were all rounded up and arrested.

And this Zhou Baoshan had high prestige in Jianshe Village. At that time, we also said that he could have a position as village secretary or village head."

Yuan Hongzhan laughed: "He was indeed elected as village head, but he refused. I dug him to the company to serve as mine manager." ===== CHAPTER 1461 =====