Chapter 1646

Originally planning to arrive in Golmud before eleven at night, but delayed by an hour or so in Naqu, and with a stretch of rough road after dark, the vehicle speed dropped sharply.

Upon arriving in Golmud, it was already early morning; wanting to eat something hot, there was nothing available, so after checking into the guesthouse, I simply ate some dry rations and went to sleep.

March 11, 1994, the thirtieth day of the first lunar month, Friday!

Zhou Andong woke up in the morning and suddenly remembered Sony's domestic investment inspection, not knowing whether the little devils had arrived or not.

After washing up, seeing that it was already past eight o'clock, he picked up the telephone on the bedside table, intending to call Liu Qingjun, but found he could not dial the area code, meaning the telephone could not make long-distance calls.

Zhou Andong felt a surge of complaint in his heart: this is the municipal guesthouse, yet the room telephone cannot make long-distance calls—how stingy!

If any brother-city leadership comes here on business, stays here and cannot even make long-distance calls, having to go to the switchboard, it would be Golmud losing face.

As Zhou Andong opened the door, he saw Guesthouse Manager Wang Yuhai standing there like a door god, teasingly saying.

"Manager Wang, as soon as I arrive you come running to stand guard at my room door—I don't have money to pay you wages."

Wang Yuhai said: "As long as Chairman Zhou is willing, I don't need wages; I can stand guard for you every day."

Zhou Andong laughed heartily: "You are Mayor Cao's capable aide-de-camp; even if you don't want money, I dare not use you to stand guard, otherwise Mayor Cao will surely come looking for trouble with me."

"Absolutely not." Wang Yuhai also laughed: "If I stand guard for Chairman Zhou, Mayor Cao will definitely give strong support."

Zhou Andong remembered the room telephone could not make long-distance calls, and asked: "Manager Wang, cannot the telephone in the room make long-distance calls?"

"It can!" Wang Yuhai said helplessly: "But the line has a problem; it is currently being repaired."

"Oh!" Zhou Andong suddenly understood: "Has Secretary Yang and Mayor Cao arrived?"

"They are waiting for you in the reception room." Wang Yuhai said: "Don't rush; first go eat breakfast—your younger brother Xiao Zongzong and Zhang Zong of Qin Chi, plus the factory director of Hongxing, are chatting in the reception room."

Zhou Andong nodded and went to the dining hall; Wang Yuhai personally went to the kitchen and brought over the breakfast.

"Chairman Zhou, this is the lamb-filled steamed buns and lamb offal soup you like."

Zhou Andong picked up a bun and took a bite: "When did you know we arrived in Golmud?"

"After you checked in last night." Wang Yuhai sat down: "I instructed them: no matter what time, as long as you come, they must notify me immediately."

Zhou Andong said helplessly: "When I left, I promised Secretary Yang and Mayor Cao that I would stay one day on my return, to walk around, so I won't deceive you."

Wang Yuhai shook his head with a smile, though his smile looked somewhat helpless and also somewhat bitter.

"It's not that we don't believe you; it's just that we have been stood up too many times. Golmud is like a peacock, eager to show its beauty to the world, but no one gives it a chance.

Now that you have come here, we must seize this opportunity; no matter how cautious we are, it is not excessive. Even if you ultimately do not invest here, at least we have tried, and there will be no regret."

Zhou Andong said nothing more, merely eating silently, not knowing what he was thinking.

Wang Yuhai sat to the side, silently accompanying him, holding the cup of tea the waiter had poured for him but not drinking it.

Soon, Zhou Andong finished his meal, put down his chopsticks, and picked up a napkin to wipe his mouth.

"I have finished eating; let's go to the reception room."

Wang Yuhai followed Zhou Andong toward the reception room; just as they reached the door, they heard laughter coming from inside.

"Pap pap pap..."

Zhou Andong raised his hand and knocked on the door; immediately the door opened, revealing Cao Guoli, whose smile had not yet faded.

"Chairman Zhou, have you had breakfast?"

"I have finished." Zhou Andong entered the reception room: "What are you discussing? I heard your laughter outside."

Yang Lbin laughed and said: "Director Gu told us a joke."

"Director Gu just likes telling jokes." Zhou Andong walked over and sat down: "When he has nothing to do, he tells us jokes; the young fellows listening all blush ear-red, and the young ladies and married women listening all feel embarrassed, covering their faces and fleeing."

Upon hearing Zhou Andong's words, everyone burst into another round of hearty laughter.

Cheng Bing had black lines all over his face, yet could not refute, because the joke he had just told was indeed restricted-grade.

Zhou Andong took the teacup Wang Yuhai handed him: "Secretary Yang, Mayor Cao, we can only stay in Golmud for one day, so today, whatever arrangements there are, let's proceed."

Cao Guoli and Yang Lbin exchanged glances; Zhou Andong had not yet said what project he wanted to invest in, so they could not make targeted arrangements.

"Follow the guest's lead." Cao Guoli said: "I and Secretary Yang have postponed all our work; today's task is simply to accompany Chairman Zhou and the various bosses."

Zhou Andong lifted his teacup and took a sip: In Golmud, the only thing he could invest in was the potassium fertilizer project.

Moreover, potassium fertilizer production at this time is still a strategic project; if he were to invest.

Not only would Qinghai Province certainly give strong support, but even the central authorities would definitely back him and provide policies.

However, investing in potassium fertilizer is not simply a matter of taking out money; many things are involved.

The most important is still relevant personnel, especially those who understand the field and have management ability—hard to find.

Therefore, the most convenient, least troublesome, and least labor-intensive option is simply to acquire the Qinghai Potassium Fertilizer Plant.

But now the business of the Qinghai Potassium Fertilizer Plant is extremely prosperous; even if Qinghai agrees to his acquisition, the premium will be very high.

Talent!

Zhou Andong sighed in his heart: the old saying goes, talent is the primary productive force—this saying is not false at all.

"Today we will go to the Qinghai Potassium Fertilizer Plant to have a look."

First go and see; if the Qinghai side agrees to the acquisition, even if the premium is high, it doesn't matter.

After all, at this time domestically, the Qinghai Potassium Fertilizer Plant possesses top-tier technical talent—these cannot be measured by money.

However, to get Qinghai Province to agree to his acquisition, it cannot be done by empty words alone; one must produce something tangible.

"No problem!" Yang Lbin readily agreed, turning to the Public Office Director: "Gesang, you immediately notify the potassium fertilizer plant; we will arrive in one and a half hours."

"Understood!" Gesang Deji turned and hurried away.

Cao Guoli stood up: "Let's go now; the food at the potassium fertilizer plant is quite good—just in time to have a meal there at noon."

"Is that so?" Zhou Andong said with a smile: "Today noon we are in for a treat."

A group of people left the guesthouse; Yang Lbin did not see Gesang Deji: "Where did Gesang go to make a phone call?"

Wang Yuhai hurriedly said: "The telephone line at the guesthouse has a problem and has not been repaired yet; Gesang Director must have gone elsewhere to make a phone call."

"We'll go first." Cao Guoli nodded: "When Gesang comes back, tell him to follow us."