Chapter 2182

Premier Nan did this repeatedly, and whether it was the river embankment or the lake embankment he saw, there was not a single place with quality problems. He couldn't help but click his tongue in wonder. He said to Su Xinghui, "Comrade Xinghui, you really have a way. This embankment is truly built as solid as a rock!"

Su Xinghui said, "If the embankments are not built well, it would be a huge threat to the more than 400,000 common people in Chongjin County. This matter naturally cannot be taken lightly."

Premier Nan said, "But I am very curious. You can control yourself, but can you also control those engineering companies? As far as I know, wanting to control the quality of such a large project to this extent is very difficult. So, how did you control the quality so well?"

Su Xinghui said, "Actually, it's nothing difficult. Conduct public bidding, strictly implement the bidding system, let the strongest and best companies win the bid, then find good supervision units to strictly supervise the project quality, plus the leaders in charge have no selfish motives, and the experts who accept the project are serious—this way, the quality can naturally be controlled well."

Premier Nan sighed, "This matter is said very easily and lightly, but really wanting to do all these things you said well is not an easy matter. No wonder there are so many 'tofu-dreg' projects now. The human heart is the most difficult thing to control!"

Premier Nan shook his head repeatedly. It seemed he was reminded of those 'tofu-dreg' projects he saw when inspecting other places. These 'tofu-dreg' projects were both heartbreaking and infuriating.

However, this was just the two of them in the car, and the one driving was his personal bodyguard, so he could say these things. In front of such a large group of people, especially with those reporters around, he couldn't just say anything casually.

That he could say this in front of Su Xinghui showed that he no longer considered Su Xinghui an outsider.

Premier Nan could not consider Su Xinghui an outsider, but Su Xinghui could not consider himself too much of an insider. This was a matter of degree, so he couldn't easily respond to this. He just smiled somewhat shyly, which was consistent with his status.

Premier Nan nodded inwardly. This young man had both spirit and talent, and he knew how to advance and retreat, understood gains and losses, followed the rules, and valued integrity. This was truly a good seedling. As long as he was well-cultivated, his future would be boundless. Perhaps the future of this country would even be tied to him.

At this time, the car drove to Jingbao Village. Premier Nan saw some farmers working in the rice fields here, but the growth of the rice in the fields was not very good. He couldn't help but ask, "What is the disaster-affected area of crops in Chongjin County this year? Is the disaster situation very severe?"

Su Xinghui said, "The disaster-affected area of crops in Chongjin County this year exceeds one million mu, and the disaster situation is indeed very severe. In many places, the crop yield reduction will exceed 70%. The yield reduction in this village will be even more severe, possibly even reaching 90%."

Premier Nan was moved. A crop yield reduction reaching 90% was truly a terrifying number, basically representing a total loss. He looked at those farmers busy in the rice fields, and thinking that they had abolished agricultural taxes and the retention of overall planning funds this year, yet had to face such an outcome, he felt very uncomfortable.

He asked again, "Why is the disaster here so severe?"

Su Xinghui pointed to that lake embankment and said, "This village is called Jingbao Village, and it is right next to Yanglan Lake. In fact, this village was also part of Yanglan Lake decades ago; it is land obtained by reclaiming farmland from the lake. So the terrain here is exceptionally low. Once it rains, the rainwater flows here, and there is nowhere to drain it. So the rice here was all submerged, and after a long time, it became like this."

"'Reclaiming farmland from the lake'?" Premier Nan frowned and looked at that lake embankment: "What is the area of farmland you have reclaimed from the lake in Chongjin County?"

Su Xinghui said, "The area we have obtained by reclaiming farmland from the lake in our county is about 100 square kilometers."

Premier Nan said to the bodyguard driving, "Stop here. I want to go down and offer condolences to the disaster-stricken masses here."

The bodyguard slowly stopped the car by the side of the road. Premier Nan and Su Xinghui got out of the car, and the others also got out and followed behind them.

Seeing so many cars stop here, the farmers in the rice fields were stunned. They looked at Premier Nan and the others, somewhat at a loss.

Su Xinghui ran two steps quickly and shouted to an old farmer he looked familiar with, "Grandpa Chen, can you come over for a moment?"

The old farmer was weeding. He was holding a large handful of barnyard grass and other weeds. He recognized Su Xinghui and nodded, "It's County Magistrate Su. We're coming right over."

The old farmer walked toward the field ridge, and farmers from several nearby fields also walked over. They were mostly old people over sixty years old, as well as women; those strong laborers had all gone up to the embankment.

Su Xinghui found a relatively flat stone under a tree by the field ridge and let Premier Nan sit there. It was past ten in the morning, and it was already very hot. Naturally, he couldn't let Premier Nan stand in the sun; after all, Premier Nan was a septuagenarian.

Premier Nan, however, did not sit down immediately. He waited for those old farmers to come over and let them all sit down. The old farmers then sat on the ground with a thud. Only then did Premier Nan sit on that stone. Su Xinghui sat down beside him. Jiang Fangping and the others were a bit embarrassed; they had never sat like this before, but since Premier Nan had sat like this, they each found a clean place and sat down.

And those accompanying reporters naturally set up their cameras immediately, ready to record this precious scene.

Su Xinghui said, "Grandpa Chen, this is Premier Nan. He came to our Chongjin County today specifically to offer condolences for the disaster."

"'Premier Nan'?" The old farmer was stunned. He couldn't help but stare closely at Premier Nan, and Premier Nan also looked at him with a smile.

After a long while, the old farmer nodded and said, "It really is Premier Nan. I've seen him on TV. Premier, hello!"

Other farmers also said excitedly, "The Premier has come! Hello, Premier!"

Premier Nan also nodded and smiled at them one by one to greet them.

Premier Nan held the hand of the old farmer who had walked over first and said, "Fellow villagers, you have suffered such a severe flood disaster this year. I am representing the Party Central Committee to express condolences to everyone. Fellow villagers, you have suffered!"

That old farmer was so excited that tears welled up in his eyes. He nodded repeatedly and said, "Thank you, Premier! Thank you, Party Central Committee!"