Chapter 1653: Enlightenment

Qiao Lifeng is a talent, so Zhou Andong thought about pulling him over. Talking about salt mines and potash fertilizer was just planting a seed in Qiao Lifeng's heart.

He believed that after today, Qiao Lifeng would definitely be interested in potash fertilizer and start paying attention to this aspect.

By the time his potash fertilizer project landed, pulling Qiao Lifeng in to join would save him a lot of trouble.

As for now, just planting this seed was enough; there was no need to say too much, after all, the two were not familiar yet.

Then he changed the topic and started chatting, from north to south. Qiao Lifeng said he didn't have much culture, but he could chat a few sentences about any topic.

Seeing that it was getting dark outside, Zhou Andong said: "Alright, let's stop here for today."

Everyone stood up and walked out. After going downstairs, Director Wang wanted to pay the bill.

Qiao Lifeng hurriedly said: "Director Wang, I'll treat today."

Director Wang waved his hand: "No matter how poor the city is, we can't take advantage of you."

"No, no, no!" Qiao Lifeng said: "This is not a matter of taking advantage or not. Chairman Zhou and the others are distinguished guests; I am treating them to dinner, which has nothing to do with you."

Director Wang laughed: "I know what you mean. You can treat Chairman Zhou and the others in the future, but not this time."

Zhou Andong also said: "I appreciate Boss Qiao's kindness; let's have a chance in the future."

Qiao Lifeng sighed in his heart, where would there be a chance in the future, but he didn't show it on his face.

"Then it's settled; if you have a chance to come over in the future, you must come to my place."

Little did he know that Zhou Andong had been thinking about him for a long time; even if he didn't say this, he would definitely come in the future.

"No problem." Zhou Andong greeted Jing Huiyun again: "We are leaving; see you if there's a chance."

The couple sent Zhou Andong and the others out the door. After returning, Qiao Lifeng fell into deep thought.

Jing Huiyun asked inexplicably: "What are you in a daze for?"

Qiao Lifeng came back to his senses: "Just now when I was chatting with Chairman Zhou, he asked me, since the family runs a factory, why did I choose to open a restaurant instead of contracting a salt mine to produce potash fertilizer."

Jing Huiyun hit him mercilessly: "Do you understand potash fertilizer?"

"Can't I learn if I don't understand?" Qiao Lifeng seemed truly moved: "I know that potash fertilizer production is a national strategy, and potash fertilizer sales are also very hot. I think it's not impossible to try."

"Dismiss this thought for me." Jing Huiyun hummed: "I think opening a restaurant is quite good, and I plan to open another one. By then, you'll be busy."

His wife's words didn't dismiss the thought in Qiao Lifeng's heart; instead, his interest in salt mines grew even greater.

"Do you think Chairman Zhou will also invest in potash fertilizer when he invests in Golmud?"

Jing Huiyun said with a smile: "If Zhou Andong really invests in a potash fertilizer project, and you can convince him to let you buy shares, I will agree."

Qiao Lifeng blinked: "It's not impossible."

Jing Huiyun rolled her eyes: "Stop dreaming, hurry up and go to work. It's so busy today; help clean up the tables."

Qiao Lifeng laughed out loud. Convincing Zhou Andong to let him buy shares—he didn't even believe it himself when he said it.

…………………………

As soon as Zhou Andong and the others entered the guesthouse, they saw Yang Libin and Cao Guoli sitting in the lobby lounge.

"Secretary Yang, Mayor Cao, why are you here?"

"Came to find you." Yang Libin stood up: "We have already researched a way to attract talent, but without Chairman Zhou's support, this method cannot be implemented."

"Oh?" Zhou Andong raised an eyebrow. He really didn't expect that they would come up with a solution so quickly: "What method?"

Zhou Andong and the others walked over and sat opposite Yang Libin and Cao Guoli. Wang Yuhai personally came over to pour tea for everyone.

"Old Cao, you say it." Yang Libin picked up his teacup and took a sip.

Cao Guoli nodded and explained the solution: "Chairman Zhou, give me a bottom line. After the potash fertilizer project lands, what will be the welfare benefits for both ordinary employees and technical talent?"

Zhou Andong said without hesitation: "Ordinary employees will have the same pay and benefits as employees of all subsidiaries under the Yugong Group, and for technical talent, as long as they can come to Golmud to work, the welfare benefits will be even better."

"Slap!" Cao Guoli excitedly slapped his thigh: "With your words, I can rest assured, and I have the confidence to go to the provincial level to ask the leaders for policies."

Zhou Andong thought that more than twenty years later, some cities, in order to retain talent, successively introduced policies, which could be said to have exhausted their efforts.

But it was only 1994 now. Whether it was Yang Libin or Cao Guoli, it had to be said that they really had great courage.

"Mayor Cao, who proposed this idea?"

Cao Guoli said: "Our city's Propaganda Department Head, Comrade Qu Li."

"Secretary Yang, Mayor Cao, this Propaganda Department Head in Golmud is amazing." Zhou Andong had to give a thumbs up: "The development of a city cannot be separated from people, whether they are ordinary workers or high-end talent.

If you compare a city to a car, people are the engine; the more people gather, the greater the horsepower. And the government is the gearbox, and you leaders are the drivers holding the steering wheel.

Whether this car runs fast or slow, or stays stagnant, is in the hands of you leaders. And with drivers like Secretary Yang, Mayor Cao, and Minister Qu in Golmud, the gearbox of this Golmud car is already in the highest gear.

As long as you get the policies from the provincial level, talent will definitely flow into Golmud continuously. With talent, enterprises will develop. With enterprise development, they will expand their scale.

With enterprise scale, more and more workers will be recruited. With more and more people, consumption will be stimulated. In this way, related industries in clothing, food, housing, and transportation will also develop.

Under such a virtuous cycle, you leaders holding the steering wheel, as long as you don't turn the steering wheel randomly and let this Golmud car go off track, the future will definitely not be bad."

At this time, not only Yang Libin and Cao Guoli, but many people did not realize the importance of people to the development of a city.

Yang Libin and Cao Guoli, the more they pondered, the more they felt that Zhou Andong's words made sense.

"Chairman Zhou, listening to your words, I really have a feeling of enlightenment."

Yang Libin sighed in his heart. Zhou Andong actually had such unique insights and vision; no wonder it only took him a little over two years to develop a small local factory like the Jiangzhou Liquor Factory into one of the top group companies in the country.

Sure enough, success doesn't come by luck; there is only strength, or perhaps a bit of luck added.

"Chairman Zhou, when you have time, I must have a good chat with you." Cao Guoli was also very moved: "Chatting with you not only broadens my horizons but also gives me great inspiration." ===== CHAPTER 1654 =====