Noon.
Afternoon.
The temperature had risen a bit.
Several electric fans in the Investnt Promotion Bureau office area were whirring, blowing air with a wheezing sound. The only window air conditioner was still broken and has not yet been fixed.
It was a bit hot.
But still within tolerable limits.
After finishing his speech, Dong Xuebing sat down to work with everyone. When they worked overti, Dong Xuebing worked overti; when they worked, Dong Xuebing worked. He portrayed an image of sharing hardships with everyone, not just for show. In reality, Dong Xuebing was indeed doing just that, very seriously. The office was filled with the busy sounds of typing, phone calls, and docunt printing. Everyone had been mobilized, perhaps forced, by Dong Xuebing's trick of offering sweet rewards first and then the stick, making everyone feel a sense of urgency.
At this mont, Zheng Dayou found Dong Xuebing.
"Mayor Dong."
"Old Zheng, what's up?"
"Can we talk privately?"
"Sure, let's go to your office."
In the director's office, the two entered and closed the door.
Dong Xuebing sat on the sofa, took out two cigarettes, and handed one to Zheng Dayou. Both lit their cigarettes and began to puff smoke in the room.
"Old Zheng, go ahead," Dong Xuebing said.
Zheng Dayou hesitated for a mont. "Earlier, I didn't feel comfortable saying anything with everyone around. Mayor Dong, please don't take it the wrong way when I speak frankly. I know the county is facing difficulties now and urgently needs long-term financial support through attracting investnts. That's the only way to fundantally turn around our county's financial shortage situation, and I understand that. But the problem is our county's actual situation is too poor. You've seen the past achievents of the Investnt Promotion Bureaufive million, an average of five million per year. Last year's one million was the best performance in recent years. Now, the county is asking us to bring in fifty million RMB. I understand the policy directive, but we cannot achieve this. How are we going to get this fifty million RMB?"
Dong Xuebing said, "There will always be a way."
Zheng Dayou smiled bitterly, "I can't think of a way. The City Investnt Fair is a good opportunity, but attracting three to five million RMB of investnts would already be quite good. That's how it was last year. Fifty million is simply impossible to achieve within a month. When the county investigates later, then"
Dong Xuebing calmly said, "If we can't achieve it, I'll take responsibility. Old Zheng, I know you're under pressure. I'll share a bottom line with you. I proposed this investnt plan. If there's any bla, I'll take it all. I can handle it, and you won't be implicated."
"Mayor Dong, that's not what I an. I'm not afraid of taking responsibility, but the problem is, I just can't see any montum for us to bring in fifty million RMB."
Outside.
After the two leaders left, the others began to chatter.
"Do we have to bring in fifty million RMB?"
"Fifty million RMB? That's our Investnt Promotion Bureau's annual performance for ten years!"
"Yeah, this is too exaggerated. Where are we going to find it?"
"But Mayor Dong said the county has given us the task, and we must deliver, even if it seems impossible."
"Sigh. I don't know if our positions will be at stake if they investigate the responsibility."
The Organization Departnt just completed its inspection, and the appointnts should be announced tomorrow. The positions are still warm, and they'll have to be moved in a month.
No one could accept that.
It's difficult to transition from luxury to simplicity.
After a while, Zheng Dayou ca out of the office. Everyone quieted down and continued to focus on their busy work. From Zheng Dayou's expression, everyone could see that Director Zheng had no confidence. After all, having worked in the Investnt Promotion Bureau for many years, he knew the county's situation better than anyone else. However, despite the expressions, Zheng Dayou did not show any slack or neglect in his actions. When he saw Chen Yunsong extending a phone with an ongoing call, Zheng Dayou cleared his throat and picked it up, encouraging investors to co.
Inside.
Dong Xuebing didn't leave the office but sat on the sofa, extinguishing his cigarette and closing his eyes, contemplating for a mont. Dong Xuebing could see everyone's mood and knew what they were thinking. However, Dong Xuebing was not infected by their lack of confidence. When he was in Yantai County, the targets given to them by the higher-ups for the Investnt Promotion Bureau were much higher than this. Although the actual situations of the two counties couldn't be compared directly, strictly speaking, the difficulty of attracting investnt in Zhen Shui County was more than ten tis greater than in Yan Tai County. However, Dong Xuebing was accustod to this kind of pressure and had walked out of similar predicants step by step. He was used to this kind of pressure and had confidence in his abilities. He knew quite a few investors.
It's only a few days left.
Why not make a few calls to those old friends?
Seeing that there was no progress below, Dong Xuebing felt he also had to act. If he could bring in a few major investors, it could also reassure comrades in the county and the Investnt Promotion Bureau.
Du-du-du.
The call went through.
"Hello, Xuebing."
"Brother Mu, it's ."
"Hehe, what's up?"
"Can you talk now? I have sothing to discuss with you."
"Sure, go ahead."
Dong Xuebing first called Mu Zhengzhong, a wealthy philanthropist, and an expert in cultural relic appraisal who owned a museum in the capital. The national treasure Dong Xuebing brought back from Japan was given to Mu Zhengzhong as a gift. In return, Mu Zhengzhong helped exchange several cultural relics with the country. Due to this favor, Mu Zhengzhong invested a substantial amount of money in the Investnt Promotion Bureau during the investnt fair in Yan Tai County, leading to Dong Xuebing's significant achievents and subsequent promotion.
"Oh, so you've been transferred to Zhen Shui County now. You might not know, but it's a nationally designated poverty-stricken county in the West. I'm in charge of investnt promotion here. If you're available this weekend, could you help ? Do you have any plans?" Dong Xuebing asked.
Mu Zhengzhong replied, "Oh, I have sothing to do this weekend."
Dong Xuebing said, "How about next week? The investnt fair will last for two weeks."
"Next week may not work either. Xuebing, I'm afraid I can't help you this ti. Let be honest with you. After the investnt in Yantai County, there was an earthquake, causing significant losses. The construction had already started, and the money was almost wasted. I also have so financial problems now."
Dong Xuebing apologized, "I'm sorry about that."
Mu Zhengzhong said, "It's okay. It's not your fault. Besides, you couldn't have predicted the earthquake. That money was a favor I owed you, no hard feelings."
"If you can't make it, could you recomnd so other friends who might be interested? We've arranged your flight and accommodation; we need investors."
"Which county are you in?"
"Zhen Shui County, part of ihuo City."
"I know ihuo City. That place is a bit remote. I doubt they'll go. Let check for you."
"Great, thanks a lot."
"That's it for now; I have sothing to attend to."
After hanging up, Dong Xuebing, feeling a bit unlucky, continued to make a call, this ti to Park Yong-hee, a grandmaster in the field of taekwondo in Korea.
"Hello, Master Park."
"Is it Xiao Dong?"
"Yes, it's . Where are you now?"
"In Korea. What's up?"
"Well, next week, we have an investnt fair. Would you be honored to join us?"
"Ah, don't ntion investnt fairs. Last ti, the venue we invested in with your county collapsed halfway through construction due to an earthquake. Workers lost their lives after the earthquake."
"I take responsibility for that. I apologize."
"It's not your fault. It just happened."
"Right, I didn't call to ask you for investnts. We've known each other for so long. I just wanted to invite you to help and support the event."
"Next ti, these days are quite busy."
"If you fly over, it's not far, just a few hours. We've arranged the plane tickets."
"Next ti, next week, I have a competition."
"Okay, no problem. If you have other friends from your country who might be interested, could you introduce them to us? We have policies for foreign investnts, and there are significant incentives."
"The reconstruction work in Yan Tai County"
"It's not Yan Tai County anymore; I'm working in Zhen Shui County in the West now."
"In the West? No need to ask, my friends won't go there. If they want to invest, they prefer your country's first and second-tier cities."
"Alright, then. Thanks for considering. We won't bother you anymore. We'll contact you later. If you have ti, co to our country, and I'll treat you to a al."
"Okay."
After several unsuccessful calls, Dong Xuebing realized he had not reached anyone. He felt a bit embarrassed; he had spent hours persuading them and thrown away his dignity. Even if one or two people ca, it would have given him so face, but no one had agreed.
Until the end of the afternoon, Dong Xuebing hadn't contacted anyone.
This made him blush a little, feeling sowhat embarrassed. Despite his efforts and hours spent, not even a single person agreed. Most of his contacts were billionaires, earning large sums of money every minute, even if they were just sitting at ho. Delaying for a day ant losing a significant amount of money.
He called over a dozen people in the afternoon, but without exception, everyone turned him down. Those old friends and investors who had dealt with him before, when they heard about Dong Xuebing's investnt promotion or that it was in a nationally designated poverty-stricken county either claid financial difficulties or made excuses about being busy recently. Dong Xuebing even assured them they didn't need to invest, just attend as guests or tourists, but they still found reasons not to co. Dong Xuebing realized they had been scared off hearing the na Zhen Shui County.
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