Chapter 78

PS: Thanks to the brothers who voted. I'm still asking for support and votes.

The two villagers' groups affected by the demolition in the mountain area were not given jobs or social security benefits!

Gu Quanyou, who had been listening on the side for nearly ten minutes, participated in this plan and nodded frequently.

Zhao Zhiqiang was really planning to make a significant contribution to Chang'an Village, enriching the land. According to his plan, wouldn't this truly benefit the village?

Mei Jun, who had just heard about it, felt that this young master was just throwing money away?

So many benefits were being given to the villagers. What if, especially now that it hasn't entered the substantive stage, such good bait easily tempted those with bad intentions to become greedy and demand more?

Liu Shuang was the head of Jinri Real Estate in Linzhou under Zhou Shunzhang's company, a regional general manager. She had been paying attention to the two streets area and had already prepared the tender documents. Today, she was personally arranged by the boss to support the young boy preparing to run for village chief.

Full support—since she became a general manager, she had never heard the big boss speak like this. It meant support regardless of profit or loss... She really couldn't gauge the scale, because according to what Zhao Zhiqiang had just said, the five major parts of the plan, the first part of developing state-owned land, the collective would not get much money, the second part seemed to already have investors, the third and fourth parts required a lot of funds, and wouldn't these funds all have to be provided by the "sponsors"?

What kind of friend did the boss find?

Liu Shuang really couldn't understand. The development of the mountain area, even if it were converted to state-owned land, wouldn't be worth much, let alone new rural construction, with no land rights, developers wouldn't get much benefit.

After Zhao Zhiqiang finished explaining the plan, most of the villagers from the four groups on the mountain were elated, but some smart people roughly calculated that these plans involved investments of tens of millions or even hundreds of millions, and the village committee couldn't sell the land. Where would they get so much money?

"Zhiqiang, your plan is great, but where will you get so much money? Without money, you can't even complete the demolition and consolidation!"

"Uncle Li, you don't need to worry about the money. I'll figure it out. The state will support some, the village committee will raise some, and the key is to find developers interested in investing in Chang'an Village. We will bring them substantial returns, and they will provide us with job opportunities and a prosperous life," Zhao Zhiqiang answered with a smile.

Zhao Tiejun sneered, "Hmph, your plan is like two sisters picking celery, one pulling the leaves. How much money do you have for this? Just the tens of thousands of acres of land alone would cost billions to repurchase. Do you think you're a real estate tycoon?"

Party Secretary Zhang Weifa coughed a few times, stopping Zhang Jike, who was about to speak, "Alright, alright, how much money, whether you have money for development, and whether you can get the money, these are all your four candidates' concerns. We'll see who's the real deal. Next, the second round, soliciting sponsors! Tian Xiuqing, please take good notes. The money will be counted based on what each sponsor actually transfers to the village committee's account."

Turning to the financiers and sponsors who had just come out of the somewhat dilapidated meeting room, she said calmly, "Everyone, you are the sponsors invited by these four young men. I assume you already know that once a plan is adopted, the money you sponsor cannot be transferred out and can only be used for village development. The money supporting the unadopted, non-elected village chief will be fully refunded after the election. Now, let's begin, in the same order as before."

Zhao Guangshen looked hopefully at the clan's support team.

However, these sponsors all glanced at Gu Quanyou, Mei Jun, and others, and some even recognized the well-dressed woman in her thirties as the CEO of Jinri Real Estate. In front of them, the support team members clearly lacked confidence.

"I'll contribute one million to build a pig farm!"

"I'll contribute two million to build a greenhouse."

"I'll contribute five million to build a polystyrene board factory."

One by one, the relatives stepped up to the stage, writing their sponsorship amounts and investment projects on a blackboard with a marker.

Zhao Tiejun raised a total of 15 million and smirked at Zhao Zhiqiang, "Little guy, can you do it?" But he saw Mei Jun in the crowd of sponsors!

Why is he here?

Could he be sponsoring Zhao Zhiqiang? Impossible, they aren't that close. This is an investment, not a joke.

Zhang Jike raised 18 million!

Zhao Tiejun was so angry he wanted to attack on the spot, "Alright, Jike, you're brave. We'll see who has the upper hand next week. Don't think you're great just because you have three million more!"

"Ha, Zhao Tiejun, take it easy. I'm waiting for you," Zhang Jike said smugly. More money would sway public opinion, after all, no matter how good the plan, more money is always better.

Money talks, right?

He completely ignored Zhao Zhiqiang. Who could come out to sponsor his family?

Fu Jinghua only raised four million and immediately announced his withdrawal, a significant surprise. It was rare for someone to give up in the first round. But the villagers understood; money doesn't grow on trees.

It was Zhao Zhiqiang's turn. Gu Quanyou was already prepared, walking briskly to the old table with the microphone and picking up the half-used microphone.

"Um, our Jinda will support Comrade Zhao Zhiqiang's campaign, investing 40 million in three batches. The first batch of 20 million will be credited immediately. Our development project is a resort, and the detailed construction plan has been completed by an authoritative design department. As long as it is approved by the village committee and the relevant national construction departments, construction can begin in the spring."

...

20 million!

20 million!

From one person...

How much is that?

Some simple villagers looked at each other, counting on their fingers, but they couldn't figure it out!

"Isn't that the equivalent of 200,000 pigs?"

"Exactly, but have you ever tried raising 200,000 pigs? It's a joke. Look at the Jinzun Hotel in the south of the city; you could build one just like it on the mountain!" someone explained to the puzzled person.

A total of 40 million, this number shocked the villagers watching from below!

Seeing Gu Quanyou's staff and bank personnel confirming the funds, even Zhang Jike and others were stunned, speechless. What, is this showing off wealth? Is that person a fool?

Gu Quanyou went to the side to sign, and the friends who came with him gradually stepped up.

Zhao Zhiqiang didn't recognize these people.

They greeted Zhao Zhiqiang friendly first, then each contributed five million, proposing to undertake the construction of four parts of the village's new infrastructure, as there were no actual construction plans or blueprints yet, everything was a preliminary investment, putting money down to secure the projects.

Six people, some of whom didn't look particularly impressive, and a few who were even muddy and looked like the villagers watching, each contributed five million, totaling 30 million!

30 million!

This amount suddenly warmed the hearts of the villagers from the four families, the Fu family, Guomugou, and Zhangjiavillage.

If Zhao Zhiqiang's proposal was just a castle in the air before, now it could become a reality. The village collective building houses, not commercial development, without the huge land costs and minimal interference from state departments, at the cost of small property houses in Linzhou last year, less than 500 per square meter, a 75-square-meter house for a family of three would cost less than 40,000. With 200 households on the mountain, 10 million would be enough to build the houses!

Previously, people didn't support the proposals of the four candidates, considering that without money to build new houses, how could they carry out demolition and consolidation? The state's new rural construction funds were uncertain, and in the neighboring village of Xinglongwa, it took two years of collective fundraising before each household received 10,000 yuan, a wasteful and costly new rural construction project, which was their concern.

But these six unknown sponsors suddenly contributed 30 million, like throwing a firecracker into a pile of dry grass!

The villagers from the four groups on the mountain were simple and practical. Now that Zhao Zhiqiang's proposal was on the table and the sponsors were in place, if they didn't support it, they would be seen as "unenlightened."

The first to stand up was Wu Bing.

"Great! Everyone can see that the sponsorship Zhao Zhiqiang has raised is enough to build the new houses for the four groups on the mountain! Who still talks about money? I, Wu Bing, will be the first to support Zhao Zhiqiang's proposal and agree to exchange my current house for a new one, with any difference in value to be settled. I'll sign first!"

"I'll sign too!" someone immediately stood up to respond.

Everyone looked, and it was the former low-income household, Grandpa Ge Cunqiang.

"My family is small, and I don't need a house. I'll exchange my current property and farmland for a place in the village's elderly apartment, where I can live until I die. Daqiang said that the elderly can move in for free, but I don't think that's right! Everything has a cost, and I have land and a property, which are useless to me. Exchanging them will be more convenient."

The hearts of the villagers from the four mountain villages were moved. Who wouldn't want to live in a new apartment building, warm in winter and cool in summer?

One by one, three, five, and eighteen people stood up, coming to the "Exchange Property and Current Housing Appraisal for New Housing" signature book prepared by Zhao Zhiqiang and signing their names.

Liu Shuang was stuck, looking at the suddenly chaotic scene, unsure what to do, and whispered to Mei Jun.

"President Mei, this situation seems to be beyond our expectations. This Mr. Zhao has already raised 50 million in cash. What should we do?"

Mei Jun glanced at her coolly, "President Liu, do as the boss said. I still have someone's investment to sponsor! I'm even more anxious than you!"

He didn't see any return on the investment, but when he learned yesterday that Bai Haijun had given Mr. Zhao five million as an apology, he decisively thought of this way to make amends—because he knew that anyone the boss personally sent off in a car was someone not to be provoked.

Saying that, he shouted loudly, "Ah, fellow villagers! We still have sponsors who haven't donated yet!"

Damn!

Zhao Tiejun's face turned white. This was really a deal he was chasing after, a real fool. He didn't know what was wrong with Mei Jun. The guy seemed to have a grudge against him, but why hadn't he even looked at him for so long?

Ignoring...

Fine. Mei Jun, you wait.

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