Chapter 2640: Is Your Mind Clear Enough?

Zhou Andong entered the Golden Bay Hotel, and Tang Wenjuan followed closely behind with her briefcase. Behind them were Zhang Kuiwu and Chen Qi and four others. When the front desk saw Zhou Andong arrive, they hurriedly picked up the phone to notify Zhou Qianyi.

Since the restaurant was on the second floor, Zhou Andong did not take the elevator but came up the stairs. As soon as he stepped out of the stairwell, he saw Zhou Qianyi and the hotel general manager Qiao Yunshi waiting at the elevator entrance.

"Qianyi, Manager Qiao!" Zhou Andong greeted.

Qiao Yunshi bowed slightly and said respectfully: "Director Zhou, hello!"

"Hello!" Zhou Andong smiled and nodded, looking at Zhou Qianyi: "Which private room have you arranged?"

"In Room Five." Zhou Qianyi said: "I'll take you there."

"Director Zhou!" Qiao Yunshi asked: "When will the dishes be served?"

"The dishes will be served in ten minutes!" Zhou Andong replied, then turned and smiled at Zhou Qianyi: "Come on, let me take you there. It's also a good chance to introduce you."

Qiong Province was officially established and inaugurated in 1988, and can be said to be our country's youngest province. But although Qiong Province is young, having been established for only six short years, its geographical location is exceptionally superior.

To the north, it borders Guangdong Province across the Qiongzhou Strait; to the west, it adjoins Beibuwan and the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and faces Vietnam far away; to the east, it directly faces the vast and boundless South China Sea, opposite Taiwan Province; while the southeast and south respectively border the Philippines, Brunei, and Malaysia.

Such a superior geographical location is a gift from heaven. I believe that in the near future, as reform and opening-up continue to deepen and advance, Qiong Province will surely develop into our country's largest provincial-level economic special zone.

Besides the tangible real economy industries that can be seen and touched, tourism will also rise rapidly and become a mainstay supporting the entire Qiong Province economic system. Therefore, your Golden Bay Group should also go there early to layout and seize market share.

"I will report this matter to my grandfather." Zhou Qianyi nodded seriously. Regarding Zhou Andong's words, Zhou Qianyi firmly believed: "Brother, the provincial governor personally coming to Jingcheng to see you is not just about that batch of cars, is it?"

Zhou Andong smiled: "Naturally, he wants to lure me over to invest."

Zhou Qianyi blinked playfully, tilted her head, and glanced at Zhou Andong: "So, you've decided to invest in Qiong Province?"

"Of course!" Zhou Andong slowed his pace slightly: "The earlier the layout, the lower the investment cost, and the greater the future returns."

At this moment, the two had already entered the restaurant. Zhou Qianyi glanced at the young man standing at the door of Room Five: "When are you going to Qiong Province for inspection?"

"This year is definitely out of the question." Zhou Andong pondered: "Next month I need to go to Guangdong Province, and the wedding is in October. Especially with the woolen mill reform imminent, there definitely won't be time before the year ends. Next year, the specific timing will depend on circumstances."

"Alright!" Zhou Qianyi said: "When the time comes, we'll go together."

"No problem!" Zhou Andong agreed, then said somewhat helplessly: "Besides, I need to go to Guizhou Province for a trip. Last spring festival, I promised your sister-in-law's maternal uncle to inspect Guizhou Province, but I've never been able to free myself. When we meet during this year's New Year, there will definitely be no shortage of complaints."

"Director Zhou, you've arrived." The person standing at the private room door was Secretary Zhou Guodong: "My name is Jiang Yunfeng, and I am Secretary to Governor Zhou."

"Secretary Jiang, hello!" Zhou Andong warmly shook hands with Jiang Yunfeng: "The leader has been here for quite a while."

"No, no!" Jiang Yunfeng said politely: "I've only just arrived myself."

Jiang Yunfeng knocked on the door, and immediately a shout came from inside: "Come in!"

With a creak, Jiang Yunfeng pushed open the door: "Leader, Director Zhou has arrived."

Zhou Andong stepped into the private room, his gaze falling directly on Zhou Guodong, then a brilliant smile appeared on his face as he extended his hand and quickly walked over.

"Leader, I'm truly sorry for being late and making you wait."

Zhou Guodong immediately stood up to shake hands with Zhou Andong and laughed heartily: "No need to apologize; you'll just have to drink three cups as punishment later."

"No problem!" Zhou Andong, who fears nothing when it comes to drinking, said: "Leader, let me introduce you—this is my cousin, the mainland president of Golden Bay Group."

"Hello, Governor Zhou." Zhou Qianyi shook hands with Zhou Guodong: "Sorry for the disturbance, please forgive us."

Zhou Guodong had never heard of Golden Bay Group, but from the title of mainland president alone, he could tell that Golden Bay Group was a foreign enterprise.

"President Zhou, your gracious presence is not an imposition but rather gives me, Zhou Guodong, sufficient face."

"Don't stand." Nie Wen said with a smile: "Everyone, please sit down and talk."

"Leader, please take a seat quickly!" Zhou Andong made a gesture of invitation, then sat down together with Zhou Guodong.

"Boss Zhou!" Nie Wen personally poured Zhou Andong a cup of tea, joking: "You're really busy, making us wait for over an hour. When we drink later, you must not slip and cheat."

"When it comes to drinking, I, Zhou Andong, have never slipped or cheated." Zhou Andong picked up his teacup, took a sip, then sighed and said to Zhou Guodong: "The Jinshiguang Garment Factory under the woolen mill has run into trouble. This morning, just as dawn broke, I convened the Party Committee and have been handling this matter ever since."

Tang Lin's heart stirred: "Was Sanmao Wen caught?"

"Caught!" Since everyone here are insiders and there's nothing to hide, Zhou Andong sighed again: "Hong Jinyan's problem is very serious. If nothing unexpected happens, eating peanuts is unavoidable."

"That serious?" Nie Wen learned a bit about this from Tang Lin's mouth: "Just how much did this woman embezzle?"

"It's not just embezzlement." Zhou Andong shook his head slightly: "She's also suspected of smuggling, which is the most deadly."

"Smuggling?" Tang Lin asked: "Did Sanmao Wen smuggle, and did she participate too?"

"This cannot yet be determined definitively." Zhou Andong took out a cigarette, handed one to Zhou Guodong, then lit one for himself and continued: "Before, she sold woolen garments at a loss, and Sanmao Wen always settled the payments.

But this time, for the thirty thousand woolen overcoats, Sanmao Wen did not settle the payment but instead issued a personal IOU. Therefore, we suspect that this time Sanmao Wen smuggled the overcoats to Russia, and Hong Jinyan participated."

"Damn it!" Tang Lin cursed: "This woman is truly damned greedy! These past years she sold woolen garments at a loss, who knows how much she made, yet she's still not satisfied—bold as heaven to participate in smuggling."

"Who can ever be satisfied?" Zhou Andong took a puff of smoke: "However, if she can report and expose others, with sufficient meritorious performance, perhaps she could save her neck—this just depends on whether her mind is clear enough."