Whether it was from their own village or from the surrounding villages, none of them had seen the production line in the factory before. After the start of production, it was not easy to clear the site and get people to leave. Feng Zhenchang had made arrangements in advance. A few young girls led the people who wanted to watch the fun and looked outside the windows between the frying trucks for a while, marveling.
They definitely couldn't go into the workshop. Food factories have very high hygiene requirements. Apart from the fact that everyone had undergone a health check at the hospital, the workers inside all looked like doctors in an operating theatre, wearing white overalls, masks and gloves.
They watched as baskets of peanuts were poured onto the sifter and then onto the conveyor belt to the next machine. In the end, the finished product was spiced peanuts. After cooling, they were weighed by hand, bagged and sealed. Seeing this method of production, the adults were amazed. 'Amazing, such a machine, it's more than enough for us! It's also very fast, with the peanuts we grew, how many days' supply will there be?'
After seeing the wonders, they looked at the people. Most of the people in the workshop were from the village. Seeing the crowd outside, they realised that there were their own family members. Everyone was very active and enthusiastic – no one wanted to lose face in front of their family.
As they watched their children skillfully operating the machines that they didn't understand, the parents felt a sense of pride. It seemed that their children were going to be successful in life.
The leaders didn't care about these things, especially with the news just now hanging over them. As soon as the ceremony was over, Wang Ganqing dragged Feng Zhenchang back to the office building. This time, it wasn't the meeting room, but Feng Zhenchang's office, where the two of them had a private chat.
'Feng Zong, Boss Feng, tell me the truth. This time, what project are you planning to invest in, and how much are you planning to invest?'
'Mayor Wang, here, have a sip,' Feng Zhenchang personally made him a cup of tea.
'Big brother, I don't have the heart to drink tea right now, so don't keep me hanging, just give me a quick answer, okay?'
'Mayor Wang, you know the situation in my family. Right now, I actually can't control much. Of course, I can't control a lot of things. For things like investment, I just heard about it. The specific implementation is all arranged by the group. I really can't get involved.'
Feng Zhenchang now understands the son's good intentions in making this arrangement. If he were to be given the title of general manager of the group, then he really wouldn't have an excuse to decline now.
Wang Ganqing didn't believe a word of this, but he understood the weight of Feng Zhenchang's words. However, there was nothing he could do. Feng Zhenchang's company was now big, just like a government agency, with many departments. It was very easy to find excuses. He knew this only too well. Sometimes, in order to make more money, they would often pass the buck down the line for something that was easy to do. He never expected to find himself in this situation today.
'Okay, brother, I believe you. Then let me ask, how much are you prepared to invest?' Wang Ganqing pulled Feng Zhenchang, who was about to get some fruit, over to the sofa and sat him down, calling him brother over and over.
'At least tens of millions, and you need to hire a few hundred people,' Feng Zhenchang said casually.
'Really, tens of millions?' Hearing this figure, Wang Ganqing fell silent.
Having been the town mayor for several years, although he had not done much, he was well aware of the situation in the town.
After 1986, the country saw a second wave of entrepreneurship in the township enterprises, and taking advantage of this favourable trend, the town set up nearly 40 factories, with an annual industrial output value of nearly 50 million yuan at its peak, a record that has still not been broken.
Moreover, although the scale of industry had increased, the profits and taxes did not follow suit and broke records. State-owned enterprises!
However, this good time did not last long. After 1995, with the gradual advancement of economic system reform, most factories ceased production and closed down. Some, for example, the bamboo and wood processing factory, pot factory, and straw hat and bag factory that were originally run by the town, were gradually restructured from contracting and leasing to private ownership.
Last year, the town only had six new businesses. Of all the industrial enterprises, only two Feng family factories, two quarries, a prefabricated board factory, an iron sand factory, and two hydropower stations had annual sales of more than 500,000.
If such a major project with tens of millions of investment can be introduced, the town's total industrial output value can at least increase by 20-30%. Then he will definitely be able to move up further. For the sake of his future, no matter what he has to do, he must strive to get this project.
If he fails to secure the project, he will do his best to ensure that the Feng family's investment does not go to the county. If it goes elsewhere in the county, it would be like slapping him in the face, and the county leaders would lose faith in his abilities.
He is usually willing to accept gifts, but if he has to choose between accepting gifts and getting promoted, he will of course choose the promotion. In fact, getting promoted also means being able to accept more gifts, so there is no contradiction between the two.
The people from the town government did not stay for lunch. Xiao Su took the bag from Wang Ganqing's hands and, after just one glance, his face looked a little bad. When they got to the village office and got into the car, he could not help but say, 'This is too stingy. It's the middle of the month, and this is all the local specialties they gave away?'
Wang Ganqing sat in the back seat without saying a word. Xiao Su thought he had hit the nail on the head. 'Mayor, I don't think we need to give them face in the future. These people, if you don't let them drink the wine of punishment, they won't know how to behave and do things.'
Wang Ganqing suddenly became angry. 'Just drive your car properly. What do you know? You're always complaining. If you normally took in less stuff and kept your hands off, would you die?'
He wasn't angry with Xiao Su, but with his own wife. He thought that if that woman hadn't caused such a scene at the end of last year, his job would be much easier now.
If she had spoken nicely and without innuendo when Cai Lei and Mei Guoping came to the house, his job would have been much easier.
Xiao Su didn't know what kind of anger Wang Ganqing was feeling, but he didn't dare to let out a fart and quickly reviewed, 'Yes, the mayor is right, I will definitely do as you say.'
He was cursing in his heart. If I can take a hundred yuan as a bribe, you should take at least a thousand yuan and give something back. You think I don't know that just before and after the New Year, you drove to the county town three times by yourself, all to deliver things to the gift shop?
Cai Lei also hurried back, while Mei Guoping stayed behind to accompany Mei Jianzhong for dinner at his sister and brother-in-law's house.
Mei Qiuping had some opinions. 'If you don't want to talk to Mayor Wang about investment, then why did you tell him the investment amount?'
'Isn't the idea to let him give the county head a heads-up? That way, when we go to the county for a meeting next month, the county head will definitely come to me, without me having to look for him,' Feng Zhanchang said.
'Do we really have to push Jingping's father up the ladder? Yiping has a good relationship with the mayor, and the current female manager in charge is also the daughter of a bigwig in the province. How dare Mayor Wang do anything to us?'
'The mayor and the director of the planning commission are important, but there are many layers between them and us. The town is in charge of us, and besides, we can't bother them with trivial matters.'
'Sister, I think Yiping is right to think this way. We need someone in the town. Instead of trying to get along with the current mayor and secretary, it's better to push up Yiping's girlfriend's father.
You don't know the nature of Wang Ganqing's wife. Even if you give her money and gifts, you won't get a kind look. Sometimes the things she says are so offensive. To be honest, I have never been bullied much over the years thanks to you all, but every time I go to his house, I get so angry that even Cai Lei told me that next time, if there is something going on or a holiday, let someone else from the factory go on our behalf. Mei Guoping was furious when he mentioned this.