Chapter 219: Cooperating with Other Jiedaos

Director Wang came all the way to the district; the district chief is now used to her arrival, after all she drops by whenever she has nothing to do, and one cannot avoid becoming familiar.

Moreover, the development of Hongxing Jiedao is indeed better than elsewhere, especially in terms of living conditions, the masses there are much better off than in other jiedaos.

Now, in other parts of Jingcheng, shelf vegetables have just been promoted, whereas Hongxing Jiedao has already been doing it for a year; they are among the first to emerge from the disaster year.

"Director Wang, do you have any good news again?"

Director Wang nodded and handed over the materials she had organized to the district chief.

"District chief, perhaps we ourselves already possess the skill to make big money; we just haven't discovered it."

"Perhaps we should face ourselves squarely."

The district chief found Director Wang's words puzzling, and casually opened the materials she had sent over.

"Patent"—the two characters sank deep into his eyes.

Moreover, the matter of supporting Gangdao merchants also left him at a loss.

"This matter has already exceeded our authority; it needs to be handed over to the superiors."

"Director Wang, do you have the confidence to go up there for a trip?"

Director Wang nodded.

"No problem, district chief."

Thus the district chief arranged for someone to see Director Wang off.

For several days in a row, Director Wang did not come to the jiedao to work, and the patent matter left the superiors a bit at a loss.

All of this, Yang Qing knew nothing about, and he had no interest in finding out; he just concerned himself with lighting the fire, not putting it out.

Given his position, if there were any matter, others would go consult other people rather than come to him; after all, not only he knows about this, and it has nothing to do with him.

Yang Qing is currently using Xu Huizhen's connections to discuss matters with Zhengyang Gate Jiedao.

"Director Auntie, our jiedao's long-term rental project has already been trialed; practice shows it is a good project, not only can it solve the housing needs of the masses within the jiedao, but it can also help the government ease the ever-growing housing pressure."

"This project brings a hundred benefits and no harm."

Xu Huizhen also chimed in from the side.

"Director, the shelf vegetable and mushroom techniques were learned from their jiedao."

"Now the whole of Jingcheng is promoting it."

Moreover, their established agricultural technology station is also developing well; I hear they are now conducting research on new agricultural technology.

"Our jiedao has a large number of restaurants, and we need to maintain good relations with them."

Director Auntie appreciates Xu Huizhen greatly; she trusts her words, but now she has a doubt in her mind.

"Since this project is so good, why don't we learn it ourselves like we did with shelf vegetables, and why must we cooperate with you?"

"Isn't this just letting you take advantage for free?"

Yang Qing had prepared for this.

"Director, although this project is not bad, its demand is limited."

"It might develop quickly for a few years, but what if it saturates? After all, our jiedao is only this big, and its population is only this much."

"Now demand is booming, we need to train many workers to meet it, but later, when there are many houses and the masses no longer need so many, how will we place these workers?"

"By then, these workers might not only fail to create value for the jiedao, but could even drag down its development."

"Wouldn't that be a loss outweighing the gain?"

Director Auntie thought it over, found Yang Qing's explanation acceptable, but as the old doubt faded, a new one arose.

"Then, aren't you afraid that your jiedao will become a burden if there are too many houses?"

Yang Qing nodded, speaking with confidence.

"Of course not; we seek cooperation with you precisely to solve this problem."

"By incorporating your jiedao, the market expands, and the number of houses to be built increases."

"Our workers will then have no fear of being without work."

"Moreover, Zhengyang Gate Jiedao, with our jiedao's construction workers joining, would not need to recruit many more; these workers can already meet our engineering needs."

"When we expand to other jiedaos and increase market demand, I can guarantee that Hongxing Jiedao and Zhengyang Gate Jiedao will have the same opportunity to become our workers."

"The earlier one joins, the more work positions they will obtain later."

"Director, you should understand this principle, right?"

Yang Qing laid out the principle plainly: the earlier one joins, the more benefits they receive.

But Auntie then had another doubt.

"You've explained the principle clearly; aren't you afraid we'll also learn from you, set up our own long-term rental project, and then compete with you?"

Yang Qing didn't care at all.

"Our long-term rental project, from its hesitant beginnings to now standing firm, has taken nearly a year."

"Never mind whether you can pull it off; even if you do, once you've saved enough funds to expand, that will also be a year later."

"Note, it's at least a year later."

"During that year, we might already have cooperated with half of the jiedaos in Jingcheng."

"Director Auntie, you must understand that people with housing demand are not forced to live in your jiedao."

"They can completely go to other jiedaos."

"After a year, when you feel capable of expanding,"

"the demand in Jingcheng will have been mostly absorbed by us."

"By then, there will no longer be so much demand; how should you sustain yourselves?"

"You should know that if the construction workforce does not expand, you will fundamentally lack the ability to expand the market; but if the workforce expands, you will later face the predicament of not having enough projects to keep you busy."

"At that point, will you fill the gap with the jiedao's meager funds, or just disband on the spot? It would be like trying to carry water in a bamboo basket—all for nothing."

Then, watching other Jiedao improve more and more, they reaped the benefits of this wave.

By then, you will still face two problems.

One is that your Jiedao's population will suffer severe loss, indirectly causing difficulties in operating various shops.

Another problem is that other Jiedao are undergoing vigorous construction, while your Jiedao, because of population loss and a sluggish market, lacking enough population and economic support, will see its Jiedao construction leave the Jiedao looking dilapidated.

By then, these Jiedao will likely become a laughingstock of Jingcheng.

Yang Qing said it very seriously, but it is not impossible.

The director aunt's face turned dark.

"You're not trying to fool the aunt, are you?"

She looked at Yang Qing half-believing, half-doubting, feeling that Yang Qing was alarmist.

Yang Qing spread his hands.

"Director, this society is progressing; if you don't progress while others do, the gap will appear."

Although Yang Qing appeared confident, the director aunt still didn't decide right away.

"You go back first; we'll discuss this matter."

Yang Qing didn't insist either; he still had an insider on his side, so he wasn't in a hurry.

"Okay, then I'll go back first."

After leaving the Yang Gate subdistrict office, Yang Qing went nearby to the Glazed Tile Factory.

He leisurely strolled around, then bought some paintings by Zhang Daqian, Xu Feihong and other modern artists.

These paintings aren't worth much now; a few dollars or ten-odd dollars can buy one.

Yang Qing held the paintings and sighed.

"Ah, becoming a billionaire is too easy; just casually achieving a small goal."