Chapter 2024

Zhou Andong picked up a bottle of iced black tea, opened it, and drank half the bottle in one breath; eating cake was a bit choking.

"If I have the ability, it's nothing to contribute to the country. If I didn't have the ability, even if I had the heart, I wouldn't have a way."

Deng Zhangli didn't continue on this question, but asked: "When are you going to Japan?"

Zhou Andong asked with a smile: "Do you believe that I really acquired Sony shares?"

Deng Zhangli laughed along: "How could the People's Daily report be wrong?"

Zhou Andong nodded: "I'll leave after the music festival ends."

As they were talking, Wu Huilin and several leaders of the group arrived.

After all, this music festival was hosted by the Yugong Group, and it would be unreasonable for Wu Huilin, the president, not to show her face.

"General Manager Wu!" Jiang Mingsheng hurriedly introduced her to Ma Xiaotong.

"General Manager Ma!"

Wu Huilin shook hands with Ma Xiaotong; the Yugong Group and Future Culture had comprehensive cooperation, but this was truly their first time meeting.

"I'm sorry, because a serious flood occurred in Longjiang Province, I've been busy preparing supplies for disaster relief these past few days, so I came so late and neglected you."

"You're too polite." Ma Xiaotong hurriedly stood up to welcome her and invited Wu Huilin to sit down: "Nothing is more important than disaster relief. Besides, we work for the same boss; speaking of which, we are all our own people."

Wu Huilin asked with concern: "Everything is arranged, right? If you need anything, be sure to bring it up; our Yugong Group will definitely do our best to solve it. If the group can't solve it, there's still Minister Jiang, who will definitely be able to meet your requirements."

"Right!" Jiang Mingsheng chimed in at the right time: "General Manager Ma, if there is anything you are dissatisfied with, be sure to bring it up; the city will do its best to solve it."

Today's Future Culture is absolutely number one in the domestic entertainment industry, so both Jiang Mingsheng and Deng Zhangli attach great importance to it.

"There is nothing to be dissatisfied with." Ma Xiaotong said politely: "This is already very good, far exceeding my expectations."

Zhou Andong and Deng Zhangli walked over, and everyone stood up one after another.

"Mayor Deng!"

"Chairman!"

"Chairman!"

"Mayor Deng!"

"..."

Zhou Andong responded with a smile, then looked at Wu Huilin: "A flood occurred in Longjiang Province?"

"Right!" Wu Huilin's expression was very serious: "Starting from June 11th, there have been continuous heavy rains in the Longjiang River basin, causing a historic, basin-wide flood."

"According to what we understand, the Sancha Hydrological Station, the exit control station of the Longjiang River basin, experienced the largest flood since its establishment 40 years ago, causing major flood disasters. It is said that compared to the major floods in history, the losses from this rainstorm and flood are very serious."

"So, the group decided to donate 4 million yuan in supplies: mineral water, instant noodles, ham sausages, bread, and tents. The last batch of supplies has just been loaded, and after eating, they will rush to the disaster area overnight."

Zhou Andong nodded: "Some of these disaster relief supplies were for the music festival, right?"

"Right!" Wu Huilin said: "On the 13th, I already called the manufacturers and asked them to deliver the goods; they will arrive tomorrow and won't delay the music festival."

"The music festival is a small matter; disaster relief is a big matter."

What Zhou Andong was worried about wasn't the music festival, but the flood in Jiangzhou in July.

He naturally wouldn't say anything about donating the supplies he had raised to a brother province.

Although people have their close and distant relationships, matters have their priorities, and Longjiang Province had already experienced a flood.

He couldn't possibly sit on a large amount of supplies while watching the excitement of a brother province.

If Jiangzhou and Longjiang Province had encountered a flood at the same time, there would be no way around it.

Zhou Andong would donate money directly to Longjiang Province; as for the supplies, he would definitely leave them for the elders of his hometown.

"Since the beginning of summer, many places in the south have experienced floods, and now Longjiang Province has also experienced a flood that hasn't been seen in 40 years. We must also take precautions."

Deng Zhangli was stunned: "You mean, Jiangzhou will also have a flood?"

"How would I know if there will be a flood." Zhou Andong said with a smile: "Just like the flood in Longjiang Province this time, if we hadn't prepared a large amount of mineral water, instant noodles, ham sausages, bread, and tents for the music festival, how could we have raised the supplies so timely and sent them to Longjiang Province?"

Speaking of this, Zhou Andong looked at Wu Huilin: "Contact the major manufacturers tomorrow; buy more food and drink. If they aren't used, distribute them to the employees as benefits."

Wu Huilin nodded; she agreed with Zhou Andong's words very much, because ever since the flood in Longjiang Province started, she had been paying attention to the flood situation across the country.

She also discovered this problem; since the beginning of summer, the floods in various places had been very serious, especially after the flood in Longjiang Province, she was also worried that a flood would occur in Jiangzhou.

However, since the beginning of summer, there hadn't been a single drop of rain in Jiangzhou. She checked the weather forecast on CCTV every day, looked at the satellite cloud images, and there were no signs of rain in western Liaoning either.

Now that Zhou Andong said they needed to take precautions, she also felt that raising more supplies definitely wouldn't be a bad thing. If a flood really occurred, they could deliver food and drink to the disaster victims at the first opportunity.

If a flood didn't occur, it would be fine to distribute these supplies to the employees as benefits; otherwise, they would have to buy other things anyway.

Deng Zhangli frowned; the fields in the countryside were so dry it was unbelievable. He had called the Jiangzhou Meteorological Observatory twice, and they told him there would be no rain in the western Liaoning region within the next month.

This was worrying him to death; if there was no rain for a month, most of the crops in the countryside would dry up and die. But now, Zhou Andong was worried about a flood in Jiangzhou, which in his view was really a bit like worrying about the sky falling.

But at this moment, he had an inexplicable premonition in his heart: what if Zhou Andong was right?

Letting various departments prepare for flood prevention and flood control in advance wasn't actually a bad thing.

Thinking of this, Deng Zhangli made up his mind to hold a meeting after returning, and after the music festival ended, have the various departments carry out flood prevention and flood control work.

Just as Zhou Andong said, take precautions; it would be better if it didn't happen. If it did happen, they could react quickly and reduce losses.

This banquet didn't last long; Ma Xiaotong and the others had been on a bus for more than ten hours and were indeed tired and exhausted, so they went back to their rooms to rest early.

Zhou Andong came to Dongfang Yipin; he originally wanted to let the old man and the old lady go eat something with him, but the old man refused, wanting to go back to Tanghezi.

Zhou Andong didn't agree; firstly, the house in the village had been empty for more than half a year and must be very damp.

Secondly, if Zhou Xiaode and Zhao Guifen knew the old man and old lady were back, they would definitely make a fuss, and there would be no need to sleep at night.

So, Zhou Andong asked Wang Wentian to take the old man and old lady to eat first, then sent them to the new house; he didn't know if they would like it.