Chapter 403

Jiang Zhaoyang said: "Boss Yuan, what's wrong? Is business not good now?"

The male owner's surname was Yuan. He smiled honestly and said: "This place is a bit remote, so it's not easy for customers to come here to eat."

Jiang Zhaoyang said: "I advised you long ago to go to a busier place to open a shop. With your skills, business would definitely be good, but you just wouldn't listen."

Boss Yuan said: "Forget it, I'd better not go. The rent for a storefront in a busy place is too high. Let's just stay here. Anyway, we are all from a fishing background, and the money we earn every month now is already much better than before. We are not greedy; as long as we can live well, that's enough."

Su Xinghui smiled and said: "Boss Yuan, this idea of yours is not bad. Actually, you don't need to go to a busy place to open a shop. Jiangcheng is developing so fast now. When the cement road is built to your place, the customers coming here to eat will definitely become more and more numerous. By then, I'm afraid you'll have to hire more people to keep up."

Boss Yuan said: "Is what you say true, Comrade?"

Qu Ziqing smiled and said: "Boss Yuan, you should just believe his words. His vision won't be wrong."

Boss Yuan said happily: "Thank you, Comrade. I'll give you a discount today."

The group sat down at a large table. Boss Yuan and his wife poured tea for everyone, then went to prepare the food.

Jiang Zhaoyang said: "Xinghui, I think this idea of yours is indeed not bad."

Chen Hanxiu nodded and said: "Yeah, as long as the transportation here is convenient, with such a good environment, as long as the food is cooked well, the customers will definitely become more and more numerous."

Qin Jie sighed and said: "But I'm just afraid that in the future, there will be more customers, and by then, the environment won't be this quiet anymore."

Lu Xiaoya said: "But if there are too few customers, Boss Yuan and the others won't be able to earn much money either."

Su Xinghui said: "You have just stated a problem of development and environment. In many places, to develop, one must sacrifice the environment, and to have the environment, one cannot develop. How to find a balance between development and environment is not a simple matter!"

Qin Jie nodded and said: "Yeah, actually, the concept of balance was already mentioned in traditional Chinese culture. The Doctrine of the Mean and the balance of Yin and Yang actually all contain this principle, but many people later misinterpreted it."

Lu Xiaoya said: "If you put it that way, I think your Meng Hu Ling Township has achieved this kind of balance."

Qu Ziqing stroked his beard and smiled: "Xiaoya's words are well said. Meng Hu Ling Township is indeed relatively balanced between development and environment. It seems Xinghui has grasped the essence of it."

Su Xinghui shook his head and said: "How dare I, how dare I? Teacher Qu is over-praising me!"

Qin Jie smiled and said: "Xinghui, I hope you can remember this principle in the future and always be able to find the balance between development and environment!"

Su Xinghui said: "Teacher, don't worry, I have remembered it!"

While talking, the landlady had already started serving dishes. One delicious lake delicacy after another was brought up, including fish, shrimp, and wild vegetables from the lakeside.

Here, the methods of cooking fish were diverse. What everyone praised the most was a dish of potherb mustard stewed with yellow catfish. The freshness of its soup was simply no less than the high-quality broth stewed from various high-end ingredients.

Qu Ziqing ladled a small bowl of yellow catfish soup, took a sip, and nodded with satisfaction: "Sure enough, the taste is excellent. No wonder we have such a saying in Jiangcheng: 'Potherb mustard stewed with yellow catfish, even immortals wouldn't trade it.'"

Jian Mingli smiled and said: "Today, our Shangjun County was able to make a splash, and you teachers have all contributed significantly. Come, I'll toast everyone. Welcome everyone to visit Shangjun County as guests again!"

Everyone nodded and said: "If there is a chance, we will definitely go again."

After the meal, Jian Mingli had the driver make two trips to send Qu Ziqing, Professor Qin Jie, and others back first, and then come back to pick up her, Su Xinghui, Jiang Zhaoyang, and Lu Xiaoya.

Lu Xiaoya said to Su Xinghui with some reluctance: "Xinghui, are you going back already?"

Su Xinghui nodded and said: "Yes, I have to go back. I've been out for three or four days, and I'm still a bit concerned about Meng Hu Ling. I don't know how the situation of those two enterprises is now."

Seeing Lu Xiaoya's reluctant appearance, Jian Mingli smiled and said: "Xiaoya, if you can't bear to part with Little Su, then if you have a chance, come to our place for an interview."

Lu Xiaoya nodded and said: "Mm, if I have a chance, I will definitely go."

After sending Jiang Zhaoyang and Lu Xiaoya back to their respective newspaper offices, the car drove toward Shangjun County.

Jian Mingli said: "Little Su, your task this time was completed too excellently. Let's go to the county together to report to Secretary Ji and County Magistrate Zhang."

Su Xinghui nodded and said: "Okay."

Actually, Jian Mingli still had many questions in her heart that she wanted to ask Su Xinghui. How did he have such connections at such a young age? So many people appreciated him so much, including Provincial Party Committee Secretary Gu Shanmin, who wanted to see his paintings and talk to him for a few words.

Was it purely because Su Xinghui's paintings were good? Jian Mingli didn't think so. There were plenty of outstanding works at the calligraphy and painting exhibition. Why didn't Gu Shanmin look at others' and come straight to Su Xinghui's paintings? There must be reasons for this.

Although she had many questions, Jian Mingli was not very familiar with Su Xinghui after all, and there was an unfamiliar driver in the car, so Jian Mingli couldn't say anything. However, she made up her mind to get on good terms with Su Xinghui.

Just kidding, for someone who could talk eloquently in front of the Provincial Party Committee Secretary for nearly ten minutes, if she didn't seize this opportunity to get on good terms, she would be too stupid.

Thinking of this, Jian Mingli smiled and said: "By the way, Little Su, how much were your expenses for handling affairs in Jiangcheng this time? I'll help you take them to be reimbursed together."

Su Xinghui said: "There weren't many expenses. I just treated my senior brother and Teacher Qu to two meals. It was eaten in a small shop, and there was no receipt, so let's just forget it."

Jian Mingli said: "How can that be? After all, it's for handling public affairs. If you don't get reimbursed, people won't say you are selfless; instead, they will say unpleasant things behind your back. Let's do this: tell me the number of how much money you spent, and I'll go help you find a way to get it reimbursed."

Jian Mingli's words were very reasonable. If one goes out to handle affairs and doesn't get reimbursed, no one will say this person is selfless; instead, they will say he is stupid. Some might even say that Su Xinghui doesn't know how much he has embezzled usually, so he doesn't care about this little money. Maybe there are even more unpleasant things to say.

Therefore, many leaders, no matter how rich they are, will get every penny of their expenses for handling affairs reimbursed, and they will even be very calculating.

Su Xinghui not getting reimbursed was not because he didn't care about this little money; it was really because he felt that coming to participate in the calligraphy and painting exhibition was more like a private matter, and treating Jiang Zhaoyang and Qu Ziqing to a meal was also considered a private friendship, so it was a bit inappropriate to get reimbursed.

However, after hearing Jian Mingli's reminder, he nodded and said: "That's fine, Minister Jian. It's just the money for two meals, and then I stayed at the Provincial Party Committee guest house for two nights, totaling over a hundred yuan. Then I'll trouble you, Minister Jian."

Jian Mingli nodded with a smile and said: "That's fine, I'll help you get it reimbursed. Come to the County Party Committee to find me tomorrow morning, and I'll give you the money."